Patent ID: 7806423

Claim:
A fifth wheel assembly for coupling a trailer to a truck tractor, the assembly comprising a fifth wheel and a supporting structure for supporting the fifth wheel on a rear part of the tractor truck, the supporting structure including a sliding arrangement enabling the fifth wheel to be repositioned between different positions, the fifth wheel being repositionable between one or more forward, normal operating positions corresponding to a normal operating mode and one or more rear coupling/disconnecting positions corresponding to a coupling/disconnecting mode, and a plurality of sensors positioned on the supporting structure and on the fifth wheel, the sensors being included in a control system for at least one of predetermined information and control of operating conditions, and wherein, in the coupling/disconnecting mode, the control system is operable to control the operating conditions in respect of at least one vehicle parameter including at least one of height, axle load, traveled distance, and maximum speed, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a forward sensor which is operable to sense and indicate a forward position of the fifth wheel in the control system which includes a control of a locking mechanism securing that a king pin is maintained in its locked position for coupling the trailer to the truck tractor, and the plurality of sensors includes a rear sensor provided to sense and indicate a rear position of the fifth wheel in the control system for enabling control of at least one of the vehicle parameters.