Vehicle guidance device
First Claim
1. A guidance device to aid an operator in positioning a hitch element on a towing vehicle in desired relationship to a hitch element on a towed vehicle comprising a flexible tension member connectible between the vehicles, means mounted on one of said vehicles to maintain tension in said tension member as the towing vehicle is maneuvered in relation to the towed vehicle, sensing means mounted on one of said vehicles and engageable by the flexible tension member to sense the angular relation of the flexible tension member to said one vehicle and the linear position of the flexible tension member in relation to said one vehicle, an indicator means actuated in response to the sensing means to provide signals to the operator of the towing vehicle to enable the operator to maneuver the towing vehicle properly as it approaches the towed vehicle and to stop the towing vehicle when the towing vehicle is positioned with the hitch element thereon accurately positioned in desired relationship both laterally and longitudinally with respect to the hitch element on the towed vehicle, said indicator means signals providing distinguishable audible signals to the towing vehicle operator representing said angular relation and linear position of said flexible tension member without requiring the operator to visually observe the indicator means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device to facilitate the positioning of a towing vehicles with respect to a towed vehicle whereby hitch components on the vehicles are properly positioned for articulately connecting the vehicles. The device includes a flexible tension member having one end connected with a spring wound reel on one of the vehicles and the other end connected with the other of the vehicles. A sensing device is associated with the tension member and the vehicles to indicate to the operator of the towing vehicle the manner in which the towing vehicle should be maneuvered to properly position the hitch components. The sensing means is actuated in response to angular and linear disposition of the flexible tension member which actuate a signal generating means which produces distinguishable audible and visual signals.
52 Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A guidance device to aid an operator in positioning a hitch element on a towing vehicle in desired relationship to a hitch element on a towed vehicle comprising a flexible tension member connectible between the vehicles, means mounted on one of said vehicles to maintain tension in said tension member as the towing vehicle is maneuvered in relation to the towed vehicle, sensing means mounted on one of said vehicles and engageable by the flexible tension member to sense the angular relation of the flexible tension member to said one vehicle and the linear position of the flexible tension member in relation to said one vehicle, an indicator means actuated in response to the sensing means to provide signals to the operator of the towing vehicle to enable the operator to maneuver the towing vehicle properly as it approaches the towed vehicle and to stop the towing vehicle when the towing vehicle is positioned with the hitch element thereon accurately positioned in desired relationship both laterally and longitudinally with respect to the hitch element on the towed vehicle, said indicator means signals providing distinguishable audible signals to the towing vehicle operator representing said angular relation and linear position of said flexible tension member without requiring the operator to visually observe the indicator means.
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9. The structure as defined in claim 11 wherein said indicator means includes left and right directional signal generating means for generating distinguishable left and right audible signals to direct the operator of a towing vehicle, said sensing means simultaneously actuating both of said signal generating means to provide an audible signal combining the right and left audible signals to indicate to the operator that the hitch element on the towing vehicle is properly positioned in desired relationship both laterally and linearly with respect to the hitch element on the towed vehicle, said signal generating means including radio signal transmitting means operative to generate and transmit radio signals of different frequencies in response to said sensing means sensing the angular relation of said tension member on opposite sides of a center position and transmitting both frequency radio signals when the sensing means senses a predetermined linear position of the tension member and radio signal receiver means for receiving said transmitted signals of different frequencies, said left and right directional signal generating means being operatively associated with said radio signal receiver means for generating left and right directional signals in response to said radio signal receiver means receiving said different frequencies and generating a combination of the left and right directional signals when receiving both of said frequencies, said signal generating means producing left and right directional signals comprising different tone audible signals as the left and right signals with the combination left and right signals being a combination of the different tone audible signals, said indicator means also including a left and right signal light visually observable by the operator of the towing vehicle and being energized in response to said sensing means sensing the angular relation of said tension member on opposite sides of a center position with both of the signal lights being energized when the sensing means senses a predetermined linear position of the tension member thereby indicating to the operator that the hitch element on the towing vehicle is in the desired relationship to the hitch element on the towed vehicle.
Specification