Tractor-trailer combination, tractor and trailer thereof
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorBert Defruyt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tractor-trailer combination includes a tractor configured to carry a trailer and being provided with a three points hitch assembly including elements configured to connect the tractor with the trailer. The tractor-trailer combination also includes other connecting elements interposed between the tractor and the trailer for operatively connecting these together. Each of the tractor and the trailer includes a respective electronic control unit. The trailer electronic control unit, when coupled to the tractor electronic control unit, is configured to automatically adjust the position of the elements of the three points hitch assembly to avoid collision with the other connecting elements during the relative movement between the tractor and the trailer.
Claims13
A tractor-trailer combination comprising:
- a trailer;
- a tractor configured to carry the trailer, the tractor being provided with a three points hitch assembly comprising elements configured to connect the tractor with the trailer, the elements of the three points hitch assembly comprising lateral side arms hinged to the tractor and extending toward the trailer, the tractor comprising an actuator configured to set a position of the lateral side arms;
- and
- a plurality of other connecting elements configured to operatively connect the tractor and the trailer, the tractor and the trailer each comprising a respective electronic control unit, the electronic control unit of the trailer being configured to communicate with the electronic control unit of the tractor to receive dimensional data related to the tractor and to elaborate the received dimensional data related to the tractor with dimensional data of the trailer stored in a physical memory of the trailer, and the electronic control unit of the trailer being further configured to control the actuator to set the position of the lateral side arms with respect to the tractor while the lateral side arms are not coupled to the trailer so that the lateral side arms do not interfere with the other connecting elements when the tractor and the trailer steer one with respect to the other.
A trailer configured to be attached to a tractor to form a tractor-trailer combination, the tractor being provided with a three points hitch assembly comprising elements configured to connect the tractor with the trailer, the elements of the three points hitch assembly comprising lateral side arms hinged to the tractor and extending toward the trailer, the tractor comprising an actuator configured to set a position of the lateral side arms, the tractor and the trailer comprising a plurality of other connecting elements configured to operatively connect the tractor and the trailer, the tractor and the trailer each comprising a respective electronic control unit, the electronic control unit of the trailer being configured to communicate with the electronic control unit of the tractor to receive dimensional data related to the tractor when the trailer is attached to the tractor and to elaborate the received dimensional data related to the tractor with dimensional data of the trailer stored in a physical memory of the trailer, and the electronic control unit of the trailer being further configured to control the actuator to set the position of the lateral side arms with respect to the tractor while the lateral side arms are not coupled to the trailer so that the lateral side arms do not interfere with the other connecting elements when the tractor and the trailer are attached and steer one with respect to the other.
A tractor configured to attach to a trailer to form a tractor-trailer combination, the tractor being provided with a three points hitch assembly comprising elements configured to connect the tractor with the trailer, the elements of the three points hitch assembly comprising lateral side arms hinged to the tractor and extending toward the trailer, the tractor comprising an actuator configured to set a position of the lateral side arms, the tractor and the trailer comprising a plurality of other connecting elements configured to operatively connect the tractor and the trailer, the tractor and the trailer each comprising a respective electronic control unit, the electronic control unit of the tractor being configured to communicate with the electronic control unit of the trailer to send dimensional data related to the tractor when the trailer is attached to the tractor, the electronic control unit of the tractor being further configured to receive instructions from the electronic control unit of the trailer for controlling the actuator for setting the position of the lateral side arms with respect to the tractor while the lateral side arms are not coupled to the trailer so that the lateral side arms do not interfere with the other connecting elements when the tractor and the trailer are attached and steer one with respect to the other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.