Patent ID: 11891134
Assignee: ELECTRANS TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus for releasably coupling a second trailer to a first trailer that is releasably coupled to a towing vehicle in a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration, the apparatus comprising:
a frame;
at least one pair of wheels rotatably coupled to the frame;
at least one motor operably coupled to at least one wheel of the at least one pair of wheels, wherein the at least one motor is operable in a drive mode for applying motive rotational force to the at least one wheel;
a forward jack-knifing detection system for detecting a jack-knifing risk condition of the tractor-trailer vehicle configuration, the forward jack-knifing detection system comprising:
a first wheel speed sensor operably coupled to the first wheel of the at least one pair of wheels for sensing a first wheel speed; and
a second wheel speed sensor operably coupled to the second wheel of the at least one pair of wheels for sensing a second wheel speed; and
wherein detecting the jack-knifing risk condition comprises detecting a low-traction condition based on at least the first wheel speed and the second wheel speed; and
a controller operably coupled to the at least one motor for selectively activating and deactivating the drive mode,
the controller being configured to deactivate the drive mode based at least in part on the detection of a jack-knifing risk condition by the forward jack-knifing detection system.