Remote locking fifth wheel

• US 20040145150A1
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Trucks North America Incorporated (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Trucks North America Incorporated (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Yeakel, Willard Supplee
• Granted Patent: US 7,182,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/433
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/12 engaging automatically

Abstract

A remote controlled locking system for locking a trailer to a truck by locking a mechanism that secures the turck to the trailer. The system may include a remotely located transmitter adapted to transmit a control signal. A receiving unit on the truck is adapted to receive the control signal. An actuator is coupled to the receiving unit and to the mechanism for selectively inhibiting movement of the mechanism depending on information relayed by the control signal.

Claims

1. A remote controlled locking system for locking a trailer to a truck by a locking mechanism, comprising:

a) a remotely located transmitter adapted to transmit a control signal;

b) a receiving unit on said truck that is adapted to receive said control signal; and

c) an actuator coupled to the receiving unit and to the locking mechanism for selectively inhibiting movement of the locking mechanism depending on information relayed by the control signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said locking mechanism comprises jaws of a fifth wheel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said actuator limits movement of said locking mechanism when said information relayed by said control signal indicates a locking condition.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said actuator allows movement of said locking mechanism when said information relayed by said control signal indicates an unlocking condition.

5. A remote controlled locking system for locking a trailer to a truck by a locking mechanism, comprising:

a) a receiving unit on said truck that is adapted to receive a control signal transmitted from a remotely located transmitter; and

b) an actuator coupled to the receiving unit and to the locking mechanism for selectively inhibiting movement of the locking mechanism depending on information relayed by the control signal.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said locking mechanism comprises jaws of a fifth wheel.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said actuator limits movement of said locking mechanism when said information relayed by said control signal indicates a locking condition.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said actuator allows movement of said locking mechanism when said information relayed by said control signal indicates an unlocking condition.

9. A remote controlled locking system for locking a king pin of a trailer in jaws of a fifth wheel of a truck, comprising:

a) a remotely located transmitter that transmits a control signal;

b) a receiving unit on said truck that monitors a state of said control signal;

c) an actuator coupled to the fifth wheel jaws and coupled to said receiving unit, said actuator prevents the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit provides a lock signal to the actuator in response to said state of said control signal, said actuator allows the fifth wheel jaws to be disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit provides an unlock signal to the actuator in response to said state of said control signal.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said actuator is a solenoid with an extendable lock pin, said lock pin extends to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit provides a lock signal to the solenoid.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said lock pin limits movement or a wedge member to prevent the jaws from being disengaged.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said actuator is a solenoid with an extendable lock pin, said lock pin extends to prevent a fifth wheel hand lever from being pulled to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit provides a lock signal to the solenoid.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said actuator is a solenoid with an extendable lock pin, said lock pin extends to limit movement of an operating handle to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit provides a lock signal to the solenoid.

14. The system of claim 9 further comprising a linear actuator coupled to said jaws, wherein said actuator is an air solenoid coupled to said linear actuator that prevents said linear actuator from operating to disengage a fifth wheel lever, thereby preventing the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit provides a lock signal to the solenoid.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said actuator is an electrically controlled solenoid.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter is a low earth orbit satellite transmitter.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter is a high earth orbit satellite transmitter.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter and said receiver comprise a short range digital communications system.

19. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter and said receiver comprise mobile telephones.

20. The system of claim 9 further comprising a global positioning system on said truck, said receiving unit providing said lock signal when said global positioning system indicates that said trailer is in an unacceptable area.

21. The system of claim 9 wherein said receiving unit provides said lock signal when said receiving unit is outside a pre-defined range of said transmitter and provides said unlock signal when said receiving unit is inside said predefined range.

22. A method of operating a locking mechanism for locking a truck to a trailer, comprising:

a) transmitting a control signal from a remote location;

b) receiving the signal with a receiver arranged on the truck; and

c) controlling an actuator coupled to the locking mechanism to selectively inhibit movement of the locking mechanism depending on information relayed by the control signal.

23. ) The method of claim 22 wherein movement of the locking mechanism is inhibited by moving the actuator to a position that prevents the locking mechanism from being disengaged when the control signal indicates a locking condition.

24. ) The method of claim 22 wherein movement of the locking mechanism is allowed by moving the actuator to a position that allows the locking mechanism to be disengaged when the control signal indicates an unlocking condition.

25. ) A method of operating a locking mechanism for locking a truck to a trailer, comprising:

a) receiving a control signal from a remote location by a receiver arranged on the truck; and

b) controlling an actuator coupled to the locking mechanism to selectively inhibit movement of the locking mechanism depending on information relayed by the control signal.

26. ) The method of claim 25 wherein movement of the locking mechanism is inhibited by moving the actuator to a position that prevents the locking mechanism from being disengaged when the control signal indicates a locking condition.

27. ) The method of claim 25 wherein movement of the locking mechanism is allowed by moving the actuator to a position that allows the locking mechanism to be disengaged when the control signal indicates an unlocking condition.

28. A method of locking jaws of a fifth wheel of a truck around a king pin of a trailer, comprising:

a) transmitting a control signal from a remote location;

b) monitoring a state of said control signal at said truck;

c) coupling an actuator to the fifth wheel jaws;

d) moving the actuator to a first position to allow the fifth wheel jaws to be disengaged from said king pin when said control signal is in a first state; and

e) moving the actuator to a second position to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said control signal is in a second state.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said actuator is a solenoid with an extendable lock pin, said lock pin extends to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said signal is in said second state.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said actuator is a solenoid with an extendable lock pin, said lock pin extends to prevent a fifth wheel hand lever from being pulled to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said signal is in said second state.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said actuator is an air solenoid that prevents a pneumatic line from disengaging a fifth wheel lever to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said signal is in said second state.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said signal is transmitted by a low earth orbit satellite transmitter.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein said signal is transmitted by a high earth orbit satellite transmitter.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein said signal is transmitted by a short range digital communications system.

35. The method of claim 28 wherein said signal is transmitted by mobile telephones.

36. The method of claim 28 further comprising determining whether said truck is in an unacceptable area and moving the actuator to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when it is determined that said truck is in an unacceptable area.

37. The method of claim 28 further comprising moving the actuator to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin when said truck is outside a pre-defined range of said transmitter and moving the actuator to allow the fifth wheel jaws to be disengaged from said king pin when said receiving unit is inside said predefined range.

38. The method of claim 28 further comprising moving the actuator to prevent the fifth wheel jaws from being disengaged from said king pin if a circuit that controls said actuator is tampered with.

39. A method of preventing a trailer from being uncoupled from a tractor in an unauthorized area, comprising

a) defining a planned trailer uncoupling area;

b) monitoring a location of the tractor; and

c) locking jaws of a fifth wheel of the tractor around a king pin of the trailer when the tractor is outside the planned uncoupling area.