Fifth wheel sensor assembly

A hitching system, comprising:

• a trailer hitch assembly having a hitch plate with a throat for receiving a kingpin of a trailer, and a locking mechanism for locking the kingpin in the throat;
• a first magnet creating a first magnetic flux;
• a first Hall-effect sensor for sensing the position of a kingpin of a trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate by measuring the first magnet flux;
• and
• a control circuit operably coupled with the first Hall-effect sensor and determining whether the first magnetic flux indicates a proper location of a kingpin of a trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate wherein the control circuit is adapted to adjust a sensitivity of the first Hall-effect sensor to the first magnetic flux.

An electronic system for monitoring a trailer hitch assembly having a hitch plate with a throat for receiving a kingpin of a trailer and a locking mechanism for locking the kingpin in the throat, the electronic system determining whether the trailer hitch assembly is properly coupled to the trailer and comprising:

• a non-contact proximity sensor for sensing the position of a kingpin of a trailer relative to a throat of a hitch plate, wherein the non-contact proximity sensor comprises an inductive sensor, and wherein the inductive sensor oscillates at a frequency of less than or equal to about 50 kHz;
• a control circuit operably coupled with the proximity sensor and determining whether a kingpin of a trailer is properly located relative to a throat of a hitch plate;
• and
• a display device operably coupled to the control circuit and displaying coupling status to an operator of a vehicle wherein the non-contact proximity sensor is adjusted for sensitivity for detecting the position of kingpin of trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate.

A hitching system, comprising:

• a trailer hitch assembly having a hitch plate with a throat for receiving a kingpin of a trailer, and a locking mechanism for locking the kingpin in the throat;
• a non-contact proximity sensor for sensing the position of a kingpin of a trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate, wherein the non-contact proximity sensor comprises an inductive sensor, and wherein the inductive sensor oscillates at a frequency of less than or equal to about 50 kHz;
• a control circuit operably coupled with the proximity sensor and determining whether a kingpin of a trailer is properly located relative to the throat of the hitch plate;
• and
• a display device operably coupled to the control circuit and displaying coupling status to an operator of a vehicle wherein the non-contact proximity sensor is adjusted for sensitivity for detecting the position of kingpin of trailer relative to the throat of the hitch plate.