Patent ID: 7677587

Claim:
A trailer and hitch system for a mobile robot, the system comprising: a trailer including: a front Ackerman steering linkage, a releasable locking mechanism for releasably positioning the Ackerman steering linkage in a turned position to arrest the trailer, a tow bar extending upwardly from the Ackerman steering linkage and terminating in a lunette ring, and spaced skid members extending downwardly and rearwardly; and a mobile robot including: a hitch assembly for the lunette ring, the hitch assembly comprising: a frame including a slot for the lunette ring and a guide portion for guiding the lunette ring into the slot, a latch pivotable with respect to the frame and biased to close the slot, and a decoupling mechanism configured to move the latch to release the lunette ring from the slot, and an arm maneuverable to engage the decoupling mechanism.