Towing systems and methods using magnetic field sensing
First Claim
1. A load sensing pin for outputting a signal containing information for determining an amount and direction of force acting on a tow coupling comprising:
- an elongated generally cylindrically hollow and elastically deformable shaft-like member having at least two magneto-elastically active regions directly or indirectly attached to or forming a part of the member at longitudinally spaced apart locations between respective ends of the member, wherein each of the active regions possess a remanent magnetic polarization that becomes increasingly helically shaped when a mechanical stress on the member, transmitted to the magneto-elastically active regions, increases; and
a printed circuit board processor, the processor being adapted to receiving signals from at least one magnetic field sensor device arranged proximate to each of the magneto-elastically active regions and from at least one secondary magnetic field sensor,wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device includes at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction,wherein the secondary magnetic field sensor is configured for, in the case of one or more external magnetic field sources, outputting a secondary signal containing information about the external magnetic fields from the one or more external magnetic field sources that are measured at a detecting region of the at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor, andwherein the printed circuit board processor, the at least one magnetic field sensor device, and the secondary magnetic field sensor are arranged inside the member.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A load sensing pin for outputting a signal containing information for determining an amount and direction of force acting on a tow coupling comprising:
-
an elongated generally cylindrically hollow and elastically deformable shaft-like member having at least two magneto-elastically active regions directly or indirectly attached to or forming a part of the member at longitudinally spaced apart locations between respective ends of the member, wherein each of the active regions possess a remanent magnetic polarization that becomes increasingly helically shaped when a mechanical stress on the member, transmitted to the magneto-elastically active regions, increases; and a printed circuit board processor, the processor being adapted to receiving signals from at least one magnetic field sensor device arranged proximate to each of the magneto-elastically active regions and from at least one secondary magnetic field sensor, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device includes at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction, wherein the secondary magnetic field sensor is configured for, in the case of one or more external magnetic field sources, outputting a secondary signal containing information about the external magnetic fields from the one or more external magnetic field sources that are measured at a detecting region of the at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor, and wherein the printed circuit board processor, the at least one magnetic field sensor device, and the secondary magnetic field sensor are arranged inside the member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A force sensing apparatus for outputting a signal containing information for determining an amount and direction of force acting on a tow coupling comprising:
-
a first device adapted to being connected or interconnected to a towing vehicle; a second device movable relative to the first device and adapted to being connected or interconnected to a towed vehicle; and at least one load sensor pin connected or interconnected between the first and second devices thereby forming a mechanical force transmitting connection between the first and the second devices and the at least one load sensor pin, wherein the load sensor pin comprises; an elongated generally cylindrically hollow and elastically deformable shaft-like member having at least two magneto-elastically active regions directly or indirectly attached to or forming a part of the member at longitudinally spaced apart locations between respective ends of the member, wherein each of the active regions possess a remanent magnetic polarization that becomes increasingly helically shaped when a mechanical stress on the member, transmitted to the magneto-elastically active regions, increases; and a printed circuit board processor, the processor being adapted to receiving signals from at least one magnetic field sensor device arranged proximate to each of the magneto-elastically active regions, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device includes at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction, and wherein the printed circuit board processor and the at least magnetic field sensor device are arranged inside the hollow member, wherein the first device includes first and second axially-aligned and spaced apart through-holes for rigidly fixing opposite ends of the at least one load sensor pin in the through-holes, wherein the second device includes at least one through-hole surrounding a portion of the load sensor pin between the end portions of the at least one load sensor pin, and wherein, in the absence of the shear force acting on the at least one load sensor pin, the third through-hole is axially-aligned with the axially-aligned first and second through-holes. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A tow coupling assembly for attaching to a towing vehicle comprising:
-
a first device adapted to being connected or interconnected to a hitch tube of the towing vehicle; a second device movable relative to the first device and adapted to being connected or interconnected to a hitch device; and at least one load sensor pin interconnecting the first and second devices thereby forming a mechanical force transmitting connection between the first device, the second devices, and the at least one load sensor pin, wherein the load sensor pin comprises; an elongated generally cylindrically hollow and elastically deformable shaft-like member having at least two magneto-elastically active regions directly or indirectly attached to or forming a part of the member at longitudinally spaced apart locations between respective ends of the member, wherein each of the active regions possess a remanent magnetic polarization that becomes increasingly helically shaped when a mechanical stress on the member, transmitted to the magneto-elastically active regions, increases; and a printed circuit board processor, the processor being adapted to receiving signals from at least one magnetic field sensor device arranged proximate to each of the magneto-elastically active regions, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device includes at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction, and wherein the printed circuit board processor and the at least magnetic field sensor device are arranged inside the hollow member, wherein the first device includes first and second axially-aligned and spaced apart through-holes for rigidly fixing opposite ends of the at least one load sensor pin in the through-holes, wherein the second device includes at least one through-hole surrounding a portion of the at least one load sensor pin between the end portions of the at least one load sensor pin, and wherein, in the absence of the shear force acting on the at least one load sensor pin, the third through-hole is axially-aligned with the axially-aligned first and second through-holes. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A computer-implemented tow load measuring method comprising:
-
providing a tow coupling assembly for attaching to a towing vehicle, the tow coupling assembly comprising a load sensor pin and an electrical connector for wired or wirelessly connecting the load sensor pin to an electronic connection of the towing vehicle, wherein the load sensor pin comprises, an elongated generally cylindrically hollow and elastically deformable shaft-like member having at least two magneto-elastically active regions directly or indirectly attached to or forming a part of the member located between respective ends of the member, wherein each of the at least two active regions possesses a remanent magnetic polarization that becomes increasingly helically shaped when a mechanical stress on the member, transmitted to the at least one magneto-elastically active regions, increases; and at least one magnetic field sensor device arranged proximate to each of the magneto-elastically active regions, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device includes at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction, and wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device is arranged inside the hollow member; and providing a software adapted to being stored in a storage device and further adapted to, receiving one or more signals from the at least one magnetic field sensor device having information about a magnetic field when the magnetic field is generated by either of the at least two magneto-elastically active regions, computing a total tongue weight value using the information, and outputting the computed value as a signal to the towing vehicle via the electrical connector. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A sensor system for a vehicle tow coupling comprising:
-
at least one load sensor pin for use in interconnecting a first and a second device thereby forming a mechanical force transmitting connection between the first device, the second device, and the at least one load sensor pin, wherein the load sensor pin comprises an elongated generally cylindrically hollow and elastically deformable shaft-like member having at least two magneto-elastically active regions directly or indirectly attached to or forming a part of the member at longitudinally spaced apart locations between respective ends of the member, and at least one magnetic field sensor device arranged proximate to each of the magneto-elastically active regions, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device includes at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor configured to output a signal representing a shear force in at least one direction, and wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor device is arranged inside the hollow member; a module external to the at least one load sensor pin comprising software and a processor adapted for determining, using at least the signal, an amount and a direction of a mechanical force when the mechanical force is acting on the at least one load sensor pin; and a harness comprising one or more cables for transmitting the signal from the at least one magnetic field sensor device to the external module. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification