Tow Hitch with Brake Sensor System and Method of Use

• US 20150290988A1
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelli-Hitch, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelli-Hitch, LLC
• Inventors: Jones, Dustin, Hayes, Roger Dale, Masten, Bill
• Granted Patent: US 9,550,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/242 for supporting braking actions, e.g. braking means integrated with hitches; Braking sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/245 for facilitating push back or parking of trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/207 Towing force
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/005 Force, torque, stress or strain

Abstract

A tow hitch that detects movement between a towing vehicle and a load and adjusts the braking forces of the load brakes proportionately to the movement, is disclosed. Said tow hitch comprising a load tow member selectively engaged with a vehicle tow member, a one or more sensors connected to the load tow member, and at least one of the one or more sensors is disposed between the vehicle tow member and the load tow member when the load tow member is engaged with the vehicle tow member. The at least one of the one or more sensors is in electronic communication with the load brakes, whereby the at least one of the one or more sensors senses movement between a load member and a vehicle member when the load tow member is engaged with the vehicle tow member and adjusts the braking forces of the load brakes.

Claims

1. A tow hitch that detects movement between a towing vehicle and a load and adjusts the braking forces of the load brakes proportionately to the movement, the hitch comprising:

a load tow member selectively engaged with a vehicle tow member;

one or more sensors connected to the load tow member;

at least one of the one or more sensors is disposed between the vehicle tow member and the load tow member when the load tow member is engaged with the vehicle tow member;

the at least one of the one or more sensors is in electronic communication with the load brakes, whereby the at least one of the one or more sensors senses movement between a load member and a vehicle member when the load tow member is engaged with the vehicle tow member and adjusts the braking forces of the load brakes proportionately to the movement.

2. The tow hitch of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a pressure sensor.

3. The tow hitch of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is an optical sensor.

4. The tow hitch of claim 1, wherein at least one of is a Hall sensor.

5. The tow hitch of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a magnetic sensor.

6. The tow hitch of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors comprises a strain gauge.

7. The tow hitch of claim 1, wherein the tow hitch comprises a modular insert hitch.

8. A tow hitch system that detects movement between a towing vehicle and a load and adjusts the braking forces of the load brakes proportionately to the movement, the hitch comprising:

a. a load tow member engageable with a vehicle tow member;

b. one or more sensors connected to the load tow member such that at least one of the one or more sensors is disposed between the vehicle tow member and the load tow member when the load tow member is engaged with the vehicle tow member, wherein the at least one of the one or more sensors is in electronic communication with the load brakes, whereby the at least one of the one or more sensors senses movement between a load member and a vehicle member when the load tow member is engaged with the vehicle tow member and adjusts the braking forces of the load brakes proportionately to the movement and

a controller integrated with at least one of the one or more sensors.

9. The tow hitch of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a pressure sensor.

10. The tow hitch of claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is an optical sensor.

11. The tow hitch of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a Hall sensor.

12. The tow hitch of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is a magnetic sensor.

13. The tow hitch of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors comprises a strain gauge.

14. The tow hitch of claim 13, wherein the tow hitch comprises a modular insert hitch.