Trailer towing device for a tractor vehicle
AssigneeZF Friedrichshafen AG
InventorsDirk Adamczyk, Julian Stratmann, Christoph Elbers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trailer towing device for a tractor vehicle (1) which comprises a coupling ball (11), having a hollow space (21) for coupling a trailer vehicle (2), and a ball support (17) which engages with an end area in the hollow space (21) through an opening (22) provided in the coupling ball (11) and supports the coupling ball (11), such that the end area of the ball support (17) comprises a joint ball (15) on which the coupling ball (11) is fitted and can rotate so that, together with the coupling ball (11), the joint ball forms a ball joint (28).
Claims18
A trailer towing device for a tractor vehicle (1), the trailer towing device comprising:
- a coupling ball (11) comprising a hollow space (21) for coupling a trailer vehicle (2);
- a ball support (17) having an end area which engages the hollow space (21) through an opening (22) provided in the coupling ball (11) and supports the coupling ball (11);
- the end area of the ball support (17) comprising a joint ball (15) on which the coupling ball (11) is fitted and rotatable so that, together with the coupling ball (11), the joint ball forms a ball joint (28), the joint ball (15) being rotatable with respect to the trailer vehicle;
- when coupled to a ball seat (10), the joint ball (15) is rotatable with respect to both the ball seat (10) and the coupling ball (11);
- and
- the joint ball (15) is lockable, via a locking device (55), to the coupling ball (11);
- an angle detection device which detects rotation of the coupling ball (11), relative to the ball support, about at least a vertical axis;
- and
- a shaft is rotatable about the vertical axis and connects the coupling ball to the angle detection device.
A trailer towing device for a tractor vehicle (1), the trailer towing device comprising:
- a coupling ball (11) comprising a hollow space (21) for coupling a trailer vehicle (2);
- a ball support (17) for engaging with an end area in the hollow space (21) through an opening (22) provided in the coupling ball (11) and supporting the coupling ball (11);
- an end area of the ball support (17) comprising a joint ball (15) on which the coupling ball (11) is fitted and rotatable so that, together with the coupling ball (11), the joint ball forms a ball joint (28);
- an angle detection device which detects rotation of the coupling ball (11), relative to the ball support (17), about at least a vertical axis (19);
- and
- a shaft (34) is rotatable about the vertical axis (19) and connects the coupling ball (11) to the angle detection device.
A trailer towing device for a tractor vehicle (1), the trailer towing device comprising:
- a coupling ball (11), which comprises a hollow space (21), for coupling a trailer vehicle (2) to the tractor vehicle;
- a ball support (17) having an end area which engages in the hollow space (21) through an opening (22) provided in the coupling ball (11) and which supports the coupling ball (11);
- the end area of the ball support (17) comprising a joint ball (15) on which the coupling ball (11) is fitted and rotatable so that, together with the coupling ball (11), the joint ball forms a ball joint (28);
- and
- a bearing shell (23) surrounds the joint ball (15) and has a hollow-ball-shaped bearing surface (25) against which the joint ball (15) engages and slides, and
- the bearing shell (23) surrounds the ball support,
- the ball joint is received within a ball seat such that, when coupled to the ball seat, the joint ball is rotatable with respect to both the ball seat and the coupling ball and a sliding friction between the joint ball and the coupling ball is less than a sliding friction between the coupling ball and the ball seat, and
- the joint ball (15) is lockable, via a locking device (55), to the coupling ball (11);
- an angle detection device which detects rotation of the coupling ball (11), relative to the ball support (17), about at least a vertical axis (19);
- and
- a shaft (34) is rotatable about the vertical axis (19) and connects the coupling ball (11) to the angle detection device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.