Patent ID: 8365849

Claim:
A system for towing a trailer by a towing vehicle, said trailer comprising a first side containing at least one wheel and a second side containing at least one wheel, said system comprising: at least one electric hub motor, said each electric hub motor being adapted for turning one wheel of the trailer, said electric hub motor being powered by at least one battery disposed in the trailer; a towing arm assembly engaged with the trailer at one end and the towing vehicle at another end, said towing arm assembly being adapted for transmitting a mechanical load from the towing vehicle to the trailer; a brake system adapted for applying a breaking force to said wheel; a closed-loop controller disposed on the trailer, said controller being adapted for receiving and processing signals, said closed-loop controller comprising a summing junction, a logic control unit and a process controller; and a load measuring device mounted on the towing arm assembly, said load measuring device being adapted for measuring and summing mechanical forces, said load measuring device also being adapted for transmitting a voltage proportional to a mechanical force to the logic control unit.