Method and apparatus for adjusting the gap of a fifth wheel of a vehicle

A vehicle for towing a trailer, the trailer having a front wall, the vehicle comprising:

• a cab having a rear wall;
• a fifth wheel coupled to the vehicle rearwardly of the rear wall and movable in fore and aft directions toward and away from the rear wall, wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer, the trailer is coupled to the fifth wheel and movement of the fifth wheel in a fore direction toward a minimum gap position decreases the spacing between the rear wall of the cab and the front wall of the trailer and movement of the fifth wheel in an aft direction toward a maximum gap position increases the gap between the rear wall of the cab and the front wall of the trailer;
• a fifth wheel drive that is operably coupled to the fifth wheel for moving the fifth wheel in the respective fore and aft directions;
• a fifth wheel controller coupled to the fifth wheel drive and operable to control the fifth wheel drive to cause the movement of the fifth wheel in the respective fore and aft directions;
• the fifth wheel controller being operable to control the fifth wheel drive to move the fifth wheel toward the maximum gap position if the gap is not already at the maximum gap position in response to received inputs indicating that additional maneuverability will be required for the vehicle when the vehicle reaches an upcoming section of a road along which the vehicle is traveling.

A vehicle for towing a trailer, the trailer having a front wall, the vehicle comprising:

• a cab having a rear wall;
• a fifth wheel positioned rearwardly of the rear wall;
• a fifth wheel support coupled to the fifth wheel and mounted to the vehicle for movement in respective fore and aft directions toward and away from the rear wall to move the fifth wheel in the respective fore and aft directions with the movement of the fifth wheel support, wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer coupled to the fifth wheel the movement of the fifth wheel support in a fore direction moves the fifth wheel and the trailer in the fore direction and reduces the gap between the rear wall of the cab and front wall of the towed trailer, and wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer coupled to the fifth wheel the movement of the fifth wheel support in an aft direction moves the fifth wheel and trailer in the aft direction and increases the gap between the rear wall of the cab and the front wall of the trailer, the fifth wheel being movable in either direction between a maximum gap position and a minimum gap position;
• a fifth wheel drive for moving the fifth wheel support and thereby the fifth wheel in the fore and aft directions, the fifth wheel drive comprising a jack screw rotatable about its longitudinal axis in respective first and second opposite directions and coupled to the fifth wheel support such that rotation of the jack screw in the first direction moves the fifth wheel support and the fifth wheel in the fore direction and rotation of the jack screw in the second direction moves the fifth wheel support and the fifth wheel in the aft direction, the fifth wheel drive also comprising a motor drivenly coupled to the jack screw and operable in response to motor drive signals to rotate the jack screw in the first and second directions;
• a motor controller operable to control the fifth wheel drive to cause respective fore and aft direction movement of the fifth wheel;
• wherein in response to a signal indicating the activation of an automatic braking system, the motor controller is operable to cause the fifth wheel drive to move the fifth wheel support and thereby the fifth wheel toward the maximum gap position if the fifth wheel is not in the maximum gap position.

A vehicle for towing a trailer, the trailer having a front wall, the vehicle comprising:

• a cab having a rear wall;
• a fifth wheel positioned rearwardly of the rear wall;
• a fifth wheel support coupled to the fifth wheel and mounted to the vehicle for movement in respective fore and aft directions toward and away from the rear wall to move the fifth wheel in the respective fore and aft directions with the movement of the fifth wheel support, wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer coupled to the fifth wheel the movement of the fifth wheel support in a fore direction moves the fifth wheel and the trailer in the fore direction and reduces the gap between the rear wall of the cab and front wall of the towed trailer, and wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer coupled to the fifth wheel the movement of the fifth wheel support in an aft direction moves the fifth wheel and trailer in the aft direction and increases the gap between the rear wall of the cab and the front wall of the trailer, the fifth wheel being movable in either direction between a maximum gap position and a minimum gap position;
• a fifth wheel drive for moving the fifth wheel support and thereby the fifth wheel in the fore and aft directions, the fifth wheel drive comprising a jack screw rotatable about its longitudinal axis in respective first and second opposite directions and coupled to the fifth wheel support such that rotation of the jack screw in the first direction moves the fifth wheel support and the fifth wheel in the fore direction and rotation of the jack screw in the second direction moves the fifth wheel support and the fifth wheel in the aft direction, the fifth wheel drive also comprising a motor drivenly coupled to the jack screw and operable in response to motor drive signals to rotate the jack screw in the first and second directions;
• a motor controller operable to control the fifth wheel drive to cause respective fore and aft direction movement of the fifth wheel;
• wherein in response to signals corresponding to current steering angle and current vehicle speed, the motor controller is operable to cause the fifth wheel drive to move the fifth wheel toward the maximum fifth wheel position, if the fifth wheel is not in the maximum position, in the event the steering wheel angle exceeds a threshold steering wheel angle for the current vehicle speed.

A vehicle for towing a trailer, the trailer having a front wall, the vehicle comprising:

• a cab having a rear wall;
• a fifth wheel positioned rearwardly of the rear wall;
• a fifth wheel support coupled to the fifth wheel and mounted to the vehicle for movement in respective fore and aft directions toward and away from the rear wall to move the fifth wheel in the respective fore and aft directions with the movement of the fifth wheel support, wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer coupled to the fifth wheel the movement of the fifth wheel support in a fore direction moves the fifth wheel and the trailer in the fore direction and reduces the gap between the rear wall of the cab and front wall of the towed trailer, and wherein when the vehicle is towing a trailer coupled to the fifth wheel the movement of the fifth wheel support in an aft direction moves the fifth wheel and trailer in the aft direction and increases the gap between the rear wall of the cab and the front wall of the trailer, the fifth wheel being movable in either direction between a maximum gap position and a minimum gap position;
• a fifth wheel drive for moving the fifth wheel support and thereby the fifth wheel in the fore and aft directions, the fifth wheel drive comprising a jack screw rotatable about its longitudinal axis in respective first and second opposite directions and coupled to the fifth wheel support such that rotation of the jack screw in the first direction moves the fifth wheel support and the fifth wheel in the fore direction and rotation of the jack screw in the second direction moves the fifth wheel support and the fifth wheel in the aft direction, the fifth wheel drive also comprising a motor drivenly coupled to the jack screw and operable in response to motor drive signals to rotate the jack screw in the first and second directions;
• a motor controller operable to control the fifth wheel drive to cause respective fore and aft direction movement of the fifth wheel;
• the fifth wheel controller also being operable to control the fifth wheel drive to move the fifth wheel toward the maximum gap position if the gap is not already at the maximum gap position in response to received input signals indicating that additional maneuverability will be required for the vehicle when the vehicle reaches an upcoming section of a road along which the vehicle is traveling, wherein the input signals indicating that additional maneuverability will be required comprise at least the curvature of the upcoming road section and the speed limit for the upcoming road section, the fifth wheel controller also being operable to control the fifth wheel drive to move the fifth wheel toward the minimum gap position if the gap is not at the minimum gap position in response to received inputs indicating that additional maneuverability will not be required for the vehicle when the vehicle reaches the upcoming road section and current vehicle signals provided to the controller do not correspond to current vehicle conditions for which increased maneuverability is required.