Device for coupling a trailer

A device, which can be mounted on the rear end of a motor vehicle body, for coupling a trailer or a load carrier unit, comprising a holding arm, which at a first end is fixedly connected to the motor vehicle body during operation and which, at a second end, is configured to support a coupling element, wherein the holding arm is provided with a sensor arrangement, the holding arm is provided with at least three deformation sensors, which respond in different ways to three forces acting on the coupling element in spatial directions running transversely to one another, and the at least three deformation sensors deliver sensor values, on the basis of which at least one force component acting on the coupling element is determined by means of an evaluation unit, wherein the evaluation unit, by means of a zero-load detection stage, prior to determination of the force components on the coupling element, detects the values of the force components in the case of a zero load, wherein the values of the force components at zero load are stored by the zero-load detection stage only if the values of the force components drop below predefined values ruling out an external force on the coupling element.

A device, which can be mounted on the rear end of a motor vehicle body, for coupling a trailer or a load carrier unit, comprising a holding arm, which at a first end is fixedly connected to the motor vehicle body during operation and which, at a second end, is configured to support a coupling element, wherein the holding arm is provided with a sensor arrangement, the holding arm is provided with at least three deformation sensors, which respond in different ways to three forces acting on the coupling element in spatial directions running transversely to one another, and the at least three deformation sensors deliver sensor values, on the basis of which at least one force component acting on the coupling element is determined by means of an evaluation unit, wherein the evaluation unit, by means of a zero-load detection stage, prior to determination of the force components on the coupling element, detects the values of the force components in the case of a zero load, wherein, in the event of recognition of movement towards a trailer or a load carrier, at least one of the values at zero load is detected by the zero-load detection stage.

A device, which can be mounted on the rear end of a motor vehicle body, for coupling a trailer or a load carrier unit, comprising a holding arm, which at a first end is fixedly connected to the motor vehicle body during operation and which, at a second end, is configured to support a coupling element, wherein the holding arm is provided with a sensor arrangement, the holding arm is provided with at least three deformation sensors, which respond in different ways to three forces acting on the coupling element in spatial directions running transversely to one another, and the at least three deformation sensors deliver sensor values, on the basis of which at least one force component acting on the coupling element is determined by means of an evaluation unit, wherein a presentation stage, by means of the presentation unit, indicates the at least one value of the force component acting in the direction of travel in relation to a maximum tractive force.

A device, which can be mounted on the rear end of a motor vehicle body, for coupling a trailer or a load carrier unit, comprising a holding arm, which at a first end is fixedly connected to the motor vehicle body during operation and which, at a second end, is configured to support a coupling element, forces acting on the coupling element during operation and transferred from the holding arm to the motor vehicle body are detected by an evaluation unit with a sensor arrangement which has at least three deformation sensors, and the at least three deformation sensors of the sensor arrangement are part of a deformation transfer element connected to the holding arm and arranging the deformation sensors on the holding arm, the deformation transfer element being arranged on the same side of a neutral fibre of the holding arm not length-variable under a bending deformation of the holding arm.