Fifth Wheel Slide Interlock
AssigneeMack Trucks, Inc.
InventorChristopher D. Snyder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A speed interlock can prevent a sliding fifth wheel on a vehicle from being unlocked while the vehicle is moving faster than a threshold speed. A processor, such as the vehicle's electronic control unit, advantageously monitors the vehicle speed and a switch that controls the fifth wheel slide, preventing the fifth wheel from being unlocked if the vehicle speed is above a threshold.
Claims15
A system for controlling a position of a fifth wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
- a sensor configured to provide an indication of a speed of the vehicle;
- a switch actuatable to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, enabling the fifth wheel to slide closer to or farther from a cab of the vehicle;
- and
- a processor configured to receive the indication of the speed of the vehicle and an indication of a state of the switch;
- wherein if the speed is below a threshold and the switch is actuated to unlock the fifth wheel, the processor generates a control signal that enables the fifth wheel to be unlocked;
- and if the speed is above the threshold and the switch is actuated to unlock the fifth wheel, the processor generates a control signal that prevents the fifth wheel from being unlocked.
A method of controlling a position of a fifth wheel on a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- determining a state of a switch that is actuatable to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, enabling the fifth wheel to slide closer to or farther from a cab of the vehicle;
- if the state of the switch is actuated to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, then determining a speed of the vehicle;
- if the speed is below a threshold and the state of the switch is actuated to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, then unlocking the position of the fifth wheel;
- if the speed is below the threshold and the state of the switch is not actuated to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, then not unlocking the position of the fifth wheel;
- and
- if the speed is above the threshold, then not unlocking the position of the fifth wheel.
A computer-readable medium containing a computer program for controlling a position of a fifth wheel on a vehicle, the computer program carrying out the steps of:
- determining a state of a switch that is actuatable to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, enabling the fifth wheel to slide closer to or farther from a cab of the vehicle;
- if the state of the switch is actuated to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, then determining a speed of the vehicle;
- if the speed is below a threshold and the state of the switch is actuated to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, then unlocking the position of the fifth wheel;
- if the speed is below the threshold and the state of the switch is not actuated to unlock the position of the fifth wheel, then not unlocking the position of the fifth wheel;
- and
- if the speed is above the threshold, then not unlocking the position of the fifth wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.