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EP-4261055-B1 - A DRAWBAR COUPLING SYSTEM

EP4261055B1EP 4261055 B1EP4261055 B1EP 4261055B1EP-4261055-B1

Inventors

  • BIEMOND, JACOB
  • INVERARDI, ANGELO

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230405

Claims (12)

  1. A drawbar coupling system (20) for coupling a drawbar to a vehicle, the drawbar coupling system comprising: a mount (24) configured to fix the drawbar coupling system to a vehicle, and an actuation unit (100), the actuation unit comprising: a pin (110) configured to move along a pin axis (150) between a retracted position and an extended position; an engagement zone (26) within which the pin is at least partially disposed in the extended position for engagement with a drawbar (14), wherein the pin is removed from the engagement zone when in the retracted position; a lever (104) provided with a handle (106), the lever being configured to rotate through a travel between a first lever position and a second lever position, wherein the handle is closer to the mount in the first lever position than in the second lever position; and a transmission assembly (108) configured to convert rotational movement of the lever from the first lever position to the second lever position into movement of the pin along the pin axis from the extended position to the retracted position, characterized in that the transmission assembly comprises: a first wheel fixed to the lever and a second wheel mechanically coupled to the pin, the first wheel being mechanically coupled to the second wheel throughout the travel of the lever to transfer opposing rotary motion from the first wheel to the second wheel; and a shaft (122) which is mechanically coupled to the second wheel such that the pin is mechanically coupled to the second wheel via the shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a protrusion (126) which is configured to be at least partially received within an internal recess (128) of the second wheel such that the shaft and the second wheel are able to at least partially rotate relative to one another independently of one another; and wherein the transmission assembly is further configured so that: when the lever is in the first position and the shaft is in a primary position corresponding to the pin being in the extended position, the shaft abuts a first end of the internal recess such that a rotation of the lever toward the second position drives the shaft towards a secondary position corresponding to the pin being in the retracted position; when the lever is in the second position and the shaft is in the secondary position, the shaft and the second wheel are able to rotate independently such that the lever is able to be returned to the first position without the shaft being rotated towards the primary position; and when the lever is in the first position, the shaft and the second wheel are able to rotate independently such that the shaft is able to be rotated between the primary position and the secondary position without the lever being rotated between the first position and the second position.
  2. The drawbar coupling system according to claim 1, wherein the first wheel has a first pitch diameter and the second wheel has a second pitch diameter, and wherein the first pitch diameter is equal to the second pitch diameter or smaller than the second pitch diameter.
  3. The drawbar coupling system according to claim 2, wherein the first wheel is a first gear sector (112) and the second wheel is a second gear sector (114), and wherein the first gear sector is configured to mesh with the second gear sector.
  4. The drawbar coupling system according to claim 3, wherein the actuation unit further comprises a stop (120) at least partially disposed within an addendum circle of the first gear sector and configured to abut the first gear sector so as to limit the travel of the lever beyond the first lever position.
  5. The drawbar coupling system according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuation unit further comprises: a biasing element (132) configured to bias the pin to the extended position, and a holding mechanism (130) configured to hold the pin in the retracted position when engaged so that the lever is able to return from the second position to the first position without moving the shaft or the pin, wherein the holding mechanism is configured to be selectively released so that the biasing element returns the pin to the extended position.
  6. The drawbar coupling system according to any preceding claim, wherein the transmission assembly further comprises a lever biasing member (152) configured to bias the lever toward the first lever position.
  7. The drawbar coupling system according to any preceding claim, the actuation unit further comprising: an actuation assembly (200) configured to drive the pin to move between the retracted position and the extended position; and a controller configured to control the actuation assembly based on a signal received from a user interface of the drawbar coupling system.
  8. The drawbar coupling system according to claim 7, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to apply a force to the transmission assembly so as to drive the pin to move between the extended position and the retracted position.
  9. The drawbar coupling system according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to apply a force to the shaft so as to drive the pin to move between the retracted position and the extended position.
  10. The drawbar coupling system according to any of claims 7-9, wherein the actuation assembly comprises a pneumatic actuator.
  11. The drawbar coupling system according to any of claims 7-10, wherein the user interface is a remote electronic device, and wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal from the user interface via a wireless receiver.
  12. A vehicle (10) comprising the drawbar coupling system according to any preceding claim.

Description

The present invention relates to a drawbar coupling system and a vehicle comprising the drawbar coupling system. Drawbar coupling systems typically comprise a pin which is configured to engage a drawbar to couple a trailer to a truck. These pins can usually be moved manually with a lever, but are ergonomically difficult to use. It is known from EP 1 253 027 A1 to provide a device for opening trailer couplings. It is known from DE 94 05 462 U1 to provide a device for disconnecting a trailer coupling. According to a first aspect, there is provided a drawbar coupling system for coupling a drawbar to a vehicle, the drawbar coupling system comprising: a mount configured to fix the drawbar coupling system to a vehicle, and an actuation unit, the actuation unit comprising: a pin configured to move along a pin axis between a retracted position and an extended position; an engagement zone within which the pin is at least partially disposed in the extended position for engagement with a drawbar, wherein the pin is removed from the engagement zone when in the retracted position; a lever provided with a handle, the lever being configured to rotate through a travel between a first lever position and a second lever position, wherein the handle is closer to the mount in the first lever position than in the second lever position; and a transmission assembly configured to convert rotational movement of the lever from the first lever position to the second lever position into movement of the pin along the pin axis from the extended position to the retracted position. The actuation unit of the drawbar coupling system may comprise a housing. The housing may be adjacent to the engagement zone, and may house the pin in the retracted position and/or partially house the pin in the extended position. The transmission assembly comprises a first wheel fixed to the lever and a second wheel mechanically coupled to the pin. The first wheel is mechanically coupled to the second wheel throughout the travel of the lever to transfer opposing rotary motion from the first wheel to the second wheel. The first wheel may have a first pitch diameter and the second wheel may have a second pitch diameter, and wherein the first pitch diameter may be equal to the second pitch diameter or smaller than the second pitch diameter. The first wheel may be a first gear sector and the second wheel may be a second gear sector. The first gear sector may be configured to mesh with the second gear sector. The actuation unit may further comprise a stop at least partially disposed within an addendum circle of the first gear sector and configured to abut the first gear sector so as to limit the travel of the lever beyond the first lever position. The transmission assembly further comprises a shaft which is mechanically coupled to the second wheel such that the pin is mechanically coupled to the second wheel via the shaft. The shaft comprises a protrusion which is configured to be at least partially received within an internal recess of the second wheel such that the shaft and the second wheel are able to at least partially rotate relative to one another independently of one another. The transmission assembly is further configured so that when the lever is in the first position and the shaft is in a primary position corresponding to the pin being in the extended position, the shaft abuts a first end of the internal recess such that a rotation of the lever toward the second position drives the shaft towards a secondary position corresponding to the pin being in the retracted position. The transmission assembly is further configured so that when the lever is in the second position and the shaft is in the secondary position, the shaft and the second wheel are able to rotate independently such that the lever is able to be returned to the first position without the shaft being rotated towards the primary position. The transmission assembly is further configured so that when the lever is in the first position, the shaft and the second wheel are able to rotate independently such that the shaft is able to be rotated between the primary position and the secondary position without the lever being rotated between the first position and the second position. The actuation unit may further comprise a biasing element configured to bias the pin to the extended position, and a holding mechanism configured to hold the pin in the retracted position when engaged so that the lever is able to return from the second position to the first position without moving the shaft or the pin. The holding mechanism may be configured to be selectively released so that the biasing element returns the pin to the extended position. The transmission assembly may further comprise a lever biasing member configured to bias the lever toward the first lever position. The actuation unit may further comprise an actuation assembly configured to drive the pin to move between the retracted position and the extende