Connector assembly

An apparatus for use in interconnecting a vehicle and a trailer having a hitch element, said apparatus comprising a base connected with the vehicle, a plurality of jaws connected with said base and at least partially defining an opening, said plurality of jaws being movable relative to said base between an open condition in which the opening is relatively large and a closed condition in which the opening is relatively small to enable said jaws to engage the hitch element and interconnect the vehicle and trailer when said jaws are in the closed condition, first detector means for detecting when the hitch element is disposed in the opening when said jaws are in the open condition, motor means connected with said jaws for moving said jaws between the open and closed condition, second detector means for detecting when said jaws move to the closed condition during operation of said motor means to move said jaws to the closed condition and for detecting when said jaws move to the open condition during operation of said motor means to move said jaws to the open condition, and control means for initiating operation of said motor means to move said jaws from the open condition toward the closed condition in response to said first detector means detecting that the hitch element is in the opening when said jaws are in the open condition, said control means being effective to interrupt operation of said motor means in response to said second detector means detecting movement of said jaws to the closed condition during movement of said jaws toward the closed condition with the hitch element in the opening, said control means being effective to initiate operation of said motor means to move said jaws from the closed condition to the open condition with the hitch element in the opening, said control means being effective to interrupt operation of said motor means in response to said second detector means detecting movement of said jaws to the open condition during movement of said jaws toward the open condition.

An apparatus for use in interconnecting a vehicle and a trailer, said apparatus comprising gripper means for engaging a hitch element, said gripper means being operable between an open condition and a closed condition, said gripper means and hitch element being relatively movable to a position in which said gripper means at least partially encloses the hitch element when said gripper means is in the open condition, said gripper means being disposed in gripping engagement with the hitch element when said gripper means is in the closed condition to interconnect the vehicle and trailer, said gripper means includes an annular array of jaws having a central opening of a first size when said gripper means is in the open condition and a second size which is smaller than the first size when said gripper means is in the closed condition, motor means connected with said gripper means for operating said gripper means between the open and closed condition, drive means for interconnecting said annular array of jaws and said motor means to enable operation of said motor means to effect relative movement between said jaws, detector means for detecting when said gripper means is in the open condition and when said gripper means is in the closed condition, and control means for interrupting operation of said motor means in response to said detector means detecting that said gripper means has been operated to the closed condition during operation of said gripper means from the open condition to the closed condition, said control means being operable to interrupt operation of said motor means in response to said detector means detecting that said gripper means has been operated to the open condition during operation of said gripper means from the closed condition to the open condition.

An apparatus for use in interconnecting a vehicle and a trailer, said apparatus comprising gripper means for engaging a hitch element, said gripper means being operable between an open condition and a closed condition, said gripper means and hitch element being relatively movable to a position in which said gripper means at least partially encloses the hitch element when said gripper means is in the open condition, said gripper means being disposed in gripping engagement with the hitch element when said gripper means is in the closed condition to interconnect the vehicle and trailer, said gripper means includes an annular array of jaws having a central opening of a first size when said gripper means is in the open condition and a second size which is smaller than the first size when said gripper means is in the closed condition, motor means connected with said gripper means for operating said gripper means between the open and closed condition, drive means for interconnecting said annular array of jaws and said motor means to enable operation of said motor means to effect relative movement between said jaws, said drive means includes a rotatable member connected with said jaws, said motor means being operable to rotate said rotatable member in a first direction relative to said base to move said jaws toward each other and operate said gripper means from the open condition to the closed condition, said motor means being operable to rotate said rotatable member in a second direction relative to said base to move said jaws away from each other and operate said gripper means from the closed condition to the open condition, said drive means further includes a plurality of links interconnecting said jaws and said rotatable member, each of said links having a first end portion pivotally connected to one of said jaws and a second end portion pivotally connected to said rotatable member.