Patent ID: 6739611
Filing Date: 2004-05-25
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A force-sensing fifth wheel assembly, comprising:a fifth wheel having a left-side pocket and a right-side pocket in a lower side thereof for receiving a force-sensing unit in each of the pockets; a left-side force-sensing unit mounted in the left-side pocket, the left-side force-sensing unit including: a first left-side vertical sensor positioned forward of a lateral axis of the fifth wheel; a second left-side vertical sensor positioned rearward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel; a first left-side horizontal sensor positioned forward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel; and a second left-side horizontal sensor positioned rearward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel; and a right-side force-sensing unit mounted in the right-side pocket, the right-side force-sensing unit including: a first right-side vertical sensor positioned forward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel; a second right-side vertical sensor positioned rearward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel; a first right-side horizontal sensor positioned forward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel; and a second right-side horizontal sensor positioned rearward of the lateral axis of the fifth wheel, wherein the left-side and right-side force-sensing units provide a total of eight channels of force-sensing information.