US 12,752,868 B1Granted

System and method for fifth wheel height detection

AssigneeZF CV Systems Global GmbH

InventorsShreyansh Shethia, Alec Vucsko, Andreas Schmid

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Abstract

A system for displaying a height of a fifth wheel of a commercial vehicle includes a controller configured to receive a command to modify a height of the fifth wheel. Based on the received command, the controller rotates a boom arm coupled to the fifth wheel at a first end and a chassis at the second end. The rotation of the boom arm rotates a gear of a gear assembly, where the gear assembly is coupled to the chassis and a second end of the boom arm. The controller receives, from the motor encoder upon rotation of the gear, a rotational position of the gear. Using the rotational position, the controller determines a positioning angle of the boom arm. Based on the positioning angle, the controller determines a height of the fifth wheel, and displays the determined height of the fifth wheel of the commercial vehicle on a display screen.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for displaying a height of a fifth wheel of a commercial vehicle, the system comprising:

a display screen;
a boom arm having a first end mechanically coupled to the fifth wheel and a second end pivotably mounted to a chassis of the commercial vehicle at a hinge point;
a gear assembly coupled to the chassis and the second end of the boom arm, wherein a change in a positioning angle of the boom arm causes a rotation of gears in the gear assembly;
a motor encoder coupled to a measuring gear of the gear assembly that measures a change in a rotational position of the measuring gear;
and
a controller configured to:
receive, from a driver of the commercial vehicle, a command to modify a height of the fifth wheel of the commercial vehicle;
rotate the boom arm based on the received command, wherein the rotation of the boom arm causes rotation of the measuring gear of the gear assembly;
receive, from the motor encoder upon rotation of the measuring gear, the rotational position of the measuring gear;
determine, using the rotational position, an updated positioning angle of the boom arm;
determine a height of the fifth wheel based on the updated positioning angle;
and
display the determined height of the fifth wheel of the commercial vehicle on the display screen.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.