Trailer coupling

Abstract

In order to reduce, preferably minimize, noise during the transfer from the release position to the rotational locking position, it is proposed that the rotational locking device is assigned to at least one locking unit, at least when the working position and / or the rest position are / is reached, the rotation locking device delays the movement of the rotation locking device into the rotation locking device in time due to the action on the rotation locking device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a trailer coupling, which comprises a ball neck movable between a working position and a rest position, with a pivot bearing body arranged at a first end and a coupling ball arranged at a second end, a pivot bearing unit arranged fixedly to a vehicle, by means of which the pivot bearing body is pivotally accommodated between the working position and the rest position for implementing a pivoting movement about a pivot axis, and a rotational locking device acting between the pivot bearing unit and the pivot bearing body, which, on the one hand, has at least one rotational locking unit with a rotational locking body, which rotational locking body is movably guided in a certain guide direction by means of a guide accommodation portion of the guide body and which can be moved in this guide direction via a pressure surface extending transversely to the guide direction and arranged on the operating body, and on the other hand On the one hand, it has at least one working position receiver and / or at least one rest position receiver, wherein the rotational locking body of the rotational locking unit is movable and loadable in the guide direction by movement of the operating body in the operating direction, and wherein the rotational locking body of the rotational locking unit can be moved into the rotational locking position in the working position and / or the rest position by movement in the guide direction and in this position the rotational locking body engages with each of the working position receivers or the rest position receivers so as to prevent the pivotal movement of the pivot support body relative to the guide body around the pivot axis, and wherein the rotational locking body can be brought into a release position and in this position the rotational locking body disengages from the working position receiver and / or the rest position receiver and releases the pivotal movement of the pivot support body. Background Art

[0002] Such trailer couplings are known from the prior art, in which there is the problem of noise generation when the rotary locking unit is transferred into the rotary locking position. The present invention is therefore based on the object of reducing, preferably minimizing, the noise generation when transferring from the release position into the rotary locking position. Summary of the invention

[0003] This object is achieved according to the invention in the case of a trailer coupling of the type described above in that a rotary locking device is assigned to at least one locking unit which, at least in the case of reaching the working position and / or the rest position, delays its transfer into the rotary locking position caused by the action on the rotary locking device in terms of time.

[0004] The advantage of this solution is evident in that the noise development during the transition into the rotationally locked position can be reduced.

[0005] The invention therefore relates to a trailer coupling in which the rotational locking device is intended to be effective only in the working position, as well as a trailer coupling in which the rotational locking device is intended to be effective in the working position and in the rest position, and a trailer coupling in which the rotational locking device is intended to be effective only in the rest position.

[0006] In principle, the delay unit can be designed in such a way that it delays its effect on the rotational locking device over time during its transfer into the rotationally locked position.

[0007] However, it is particularly advantageous if the at least one delay unit acts on the rotation-locking device itself.

[0008] It is particularly advantageous here if the at least one delay unit delays the transfer of the rotational locking unit into the rotational locking position in time, because this results in a very significant reduction in noise generation. The at least one delay unit can be designed such that it acts on one or more elements of the rotational locking device.

[0009] A particularly advantageous solution provides that at least one delay unit acts directly on one of the elements of the rotational locking device, ie the movement of this element is delayed by the direct action on this element.

[0010] An advantageous possibility of the design of the at least one delay unit is to provide that the delay unit delays the movement of the rotary locking body into the rotary locking position in terms of time. The delay can be achieved by direct, in particular direct action on the rotary locking body and / or by indirect, in particular indirect action.

[0011] Another possibility provides that at least one delay unit delays the movement of the actuating body into the rotationally locked position in terms of time. This is in particular an indirect effect for the delay.

[0012] In an advantageous embodiment of the at least one deceleration unit, this can be achieved in that the deceleration unit acts between the guide body and the actuating body.

[0013] For this purpose, for example, at least one delay unit can be arranged on the actuating body.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to arrange at least one delay unit on the guide body.

[0015] A particularly simple construction of the delay unit provides that at least one delay unit has an elastic element. For example, it is possible for the elastic element to form at least one friction surface or a friction-loading body.

[0016] A simple solution provides that the at least one deceleration unit comprises a motion-decelerating body which acts between a surface of the actuating body and a surface of the guide body lying opposite to the surface.

[0017] In the simplest case, the movement-decelerating body is designed as a rotational decelerating ring which acts between an annular surface of the actuating body and an annular surface of the guide body facing the annular surface.

[0018] It is particularly advantageous here if the motion-decelerating body has different friction effects depending on the direction of movement.

[0019] Thus, for example, the interaction between the actuating body and the guide body can be designed such that a strong deceleration effect is achieved in the direction of movement, in particular in the direction of the rotational locking position, and a smaller deceleration is achieved in the case of movement out of the rotational locking position.

[0020] Another advantageous solution that can be used in addition to or as an alternative to one of the above-mentioned delay units is that at least one delay unit is arranged in a defined position on the guide body or the operating body and acts from this position on the operating body or the guide body moving relative to this position in a delaying manner.

[0021] Preferably, in this case, provision is also made that the delay unit is provided with a friction body loaded by an elastic body, which acts on the actuating body or guide body. In particular, a solution can be advantageously achieved in which the delay unit arranged on the guide body or actuating body acts with the friction body on a friction surface arranged on the actuating body or guide body, since reproducible conditions can be created by the friction surface.

[0022] This solution provides a simple possibility for a delay unit arranged on one of the objects to act together with the other object under defined conditions, thereby making it possible to delay the movement of the operating body in a certain rotational direction, in which the operating body moves the corresponding rotary locking body from the release position to the locking position.

[0023] The friction surface is preferably designed in such a way that it extends around the rotational axis of the actuating body over an angular range so that a relative movement between the guide body and the actuating body allows the delay unit to interact with the friction surface during a definable period of time.

[0024] Preferably, the friction surface extends around the rotational axis of the actuating body over an angular range which corresponds to the angular range of the rotational movement of the actuating body necessary to move the actuating body from the release position into the rotationally locked position.

[0025] In particular, the friction surface is designed in such a way that it extends from a delay start region assigned to the release position to a delay end region assigned to the rotationally locked position.

[0026] It is particularly advantageous when the region of the friction surface loaded by the friction body extends at a variable interval relative to the guide receptacle of the slowing unit during a rotational movement of the actuating body relative to the guide body, i.e. the distance between the guide receptacle and the region of the friction surface loaded by the friction body does not have to be constant.

[0027] A particularly advantageous solution provides that the elastic body acts on the friction body with a greater force when the friction body acts on the delay end region than when the friction body acts on the delay start region.

[0028] This solution has the great advantage that, by increasing the force acting on the friction body, an increased retarding effect of the interaction between the friction body and the friction surface is also formed, and thus the rotational movement of the operating body is increasingly braked in the case of a rotational movement from the release position to the rotational locking position as the rotational movement of the operating body approaches the rotational locking position of the operating body.

[0029] One possible implementation provides that the region of the friction surface loaded by the friction body moves increasingly in the direction of the guide receptacle with increasing movement of the friction body from the delay start region to the delay end region in order to increase the tensioning of the elastomer.

[0030] In this case, the region of the delayed end region which is acted upon by the friction body can itself still extend obliquely relative to the guide receptacle and thus still generate a torque acting in the direction of the release position when acted upon by the friction body.

[0031] A particularly advantageous solution is provided in that the delay end area loaded by the friction body extends over its entire area loaded by the friction body along an arc around the rotation axis of the operating body or at approximately the same spacing as the guide receptacle, so that no torque is generated in the direction of the release position, which torque counteracts the torque acting in the direction of the rotational locking position of the operating body and thus reduces the force acting on the rotational locking body in the direction of the rotational locking position.

[0032] In this case, the friction body can act on the actuating body in a variety of forms and methods.

[0033] An advantageous solution provides that the friction body acts on the circumference of the actuating body, in particular on its friction surface arranged on the circumference, in order to slow down its movement in the direction of the rotationally locked position.

[0034] Preferably, at least one delay unit is arranged in such a way that the friction body acts on a pressure surface acting on the rotary locking body in order to act on the rotary locking body.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally thereto, it is particularly advantageous if the friction body acts on a peripheral region of the actuating body adjoining the pressure surface for acting on the rotary locking body.

[0036] In this case, the peripheral region is preferably provided with a friction-promoting surface in such a way that a greater friction occurs between this region and the friction body than would be achievable in interaction with the pressure surface, since this friction should act optimally on the rotary locking body.

[0037] Alternatively, another variant of the solution according to the invention provides that the friction body acts on the actuating body at the end, in particular on its friction surface arranged at the end. In this case, the delay unit is arranged in the guide body and acts on the actuating body at the end together with the friction body, that is to say in particular on its friction surface arranged at the end.

[0038] Another alternative solution provides that, in the case of a delay unit arranged in the actuating body, the friction body acts on a wall surface of a receptacle for the actuating body arranged in the guide body, in particular on a friction surface arranged on the receptacle.

[0039] Such a friction surface can be arranged, for example, on a cylindrical surface of the guide body forming the receptacle in the case of a delay unit arranged in the actuating body.

[0040] Alternatively to this, in the case of a delay unit arranged in the actuating body, such a friction surface can also be arranged on the inner side of the delimiting receptacle of the collar of the guide body and facing the actuating body.

[0041] Another advantageous constructional scheme of at least one delay unit that can be used in addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the above-mentioned solutions is that the at least one delay unit acts on the rotary locking body, in particular directly on the rotary locking body, when reaching the working position and / or the rest position, and delays its movement in the working position receptacle or the rest position receptacle.

[0042] In view of the arrangement of such a delay unit, no further details have been given so far.

[0043] An advantageous solution therefore provides that a delay unit is assigned at least to the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle. Such a delay unit works particularly advantageously when it reacts with delay to the impact of the rotary locking body on the receptacle bottom of the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle.

[0044] Such a delay unit can be designed particularly advantageously when it comprises an elastic element which reacts in a delayed manner against a movement of the rotary locking body in the direction of the respective receptacle base.

[0045] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the at least one delay unit is held and supported on a component of the pivot bearing unit that carries the receptacle.

[0046] Such a component of the pivot bearing unit is, for example, a pivot bearing.

[0047] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the elastic element acts in a delayed manner via the delay body on the rotation locking body entering the receptacle, so that the rotation locking body does not directly act on the elastic element, but rather the elastic element is additionally protected by the delay body.

[0048] Furthermore, such a deceleration unit can be designed particularly advantageously if it has a guide body which accommodates the spring element and, if appropriate, the deceleration body.

[0049] In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the guide body is held in an adjustably positionable manner on a component carrying the receptacle, for example a pivot bearing. In the case of a delay unit which acts on the rotary locking body in the working position and / or in the rest position and delays its entry into the working position receptacle or the rest position receptacle, it is preferably provided that in the case of a plurality of working position receptacles and / or a plurality of rest position receptacles the delay unit is assigned to only one working position receptacle or the rest position receptacle, because in this case the delay unit can act on the rotary locking body impacting it in such a way that the rotary locking body in turn reacts on the actuating body and the reaction on the actuating body in turn likewise causes the remaining rotary locking bodies to enter the provided working position receptacle or the rest position receptacle with a delay.

[0050] In general, it is also advantageously provided in the solution according to the invention that the rotational locking device has at least two rotational locking units and that the working position is thus assigned to at least two working position receptacles and / or the rest position is assigned to at least two rest position receptacles.

[0051] Even in this case, the invention here and described below also relates to a trailer coupling with only at least two working position receptacles, as well as a trailer coupling with at least two working position receptacles and at least two rest position receptacles, and a trailer coupling with only two rest position receptacles.

[0052] In order to achieve the easiest possible fixation of the rotational locking device in the released position in such a situation, it is advantageously provided that a blocking surface extends between the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle, against which the rotational locking body can be placed and from which the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle extend, i.e. the rotational locking unit and the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle are arranged at an angular interval with respect to each other about the pivot axis in such a way that in all set pivot positions of the pivot support (except the working position and / or the rest position), the rotational locking body of at least one of the rotational locking units is opposite one of the blocking surfaces and thus the blocking surface prevents movement of the operating body in the operating direction, in particular in the event of force loading of the operating body and thus also prevents the rotational locking body of each of the rotational locking units from force-loading engagement with each of the working position receptacle or the rest position receptacle.

[0053] The advantages of the solution according to the invention can therefore be seen in that the fixing of the actuating body in the release position can be achieved in a simple and reliable manner by means of the rotary locking body which is already present, and furthermore a significant noise reduction is achieved when the trailer coupling is transferred from the release position into the rotary locking position of the rotary locking body, since the rotary locking body can be slid in a simple manner from the blocking surface into the receptacle.

[0054] The solution is furthermore provided as an alternative or in addition to the above-described solution in the case of a trailer coupling according to the invention, that the rotational locking units are arranged at angular intervals around the pivot axis in order to form a rotational locking arrangement, that the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle are arranged at the same angular intervals around the pivot axis in order to form a receptacle arrangement for the working position and / or the rest position, respectively, that the rotational locking arrangement and the receptacle arrangement coincide with each other for the working position receptacle in the working position or the rest position receptacle in the rest position, so that the rotational locking body can engage in the working position receptacle or the rest position receptacle, and that the angular intervals between the rotational locking units of the rotational locking arrangement and the angular intervals between the working position receptacles or the rest position receptacles of the receptacle arrangement are selected such that the rotational locking arrangement and the receptacle arrangement coincide with each other only in the working position and / or the rest position and therefore allow a transfer of the actuating body from the release position to the rotational locking position only in one or both of them, while a transfer of the actuating body from the release position to the rotational locking position is not possible in other rotational positions of the pivot support.

[0055] Alternatively or in addition, another advantageous solution is provided as follows, that is, at least one of the rotational locking units is unequally spaced in an angular interval in a rotational direction about the pivot axis and in relation to adjacently arranged rotational locking units opposite to the rotational direction, and in the working position the working position accommodation is arranged such that the rotational locking body of each of the rotational locking units can be brought into engagement with a respective one of the working position accommodations, and / or in the resting position the resting position accommodation is arranged such that the rotational locking body of each of the rotational locking units can be brought into engagement with a respective one of the resting position accommodations, and in all rotational positions of the pivot support body arranged for operation outside the working position and / or the resting position, the rotational locking body of at least one of the rotational locking units is opposite a blocking surface between the working position accommodation and / or the resting position accommodation, and the blocking surface prevents the movement of the operating body from the release position to the rotational locking position, in particular when the operating body is loaded with force.

[0056] The inequality of the angular intervals, starting from the same angular interval, is, for example, at least half of the angular range of each extension in the receptacle, preferably up to a deviation from the same angular interval of the order of magnitude of the angular range of each extension in the receptacle. The advantages of all the above-described solutions according to the invention are evident in that a structurally simple solution is thus available for holding the actuating body in the release position and only being transferable into the rotationally locked position in the working position and / or the rest position, wherein the rotationally locked body which is already present for the rotationally locked device can be used in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0057] In the case of the solution according to the invention, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the number of rotational locking units corresponds to the number of working position receptacles and / or the number of rest position receptacles.

[0058] Furthermore, in order to achieve a spatially compact solution, in particular in the direction of the pivot axis, it is advantageous if the rotation locking bodies of all rotation locking units are designed and arranged symmetrically with respect to a geometrical plane extending perpendicularly to the pivot axis and intersecting it.

[0059] A particularly advantageous solution provides that the blocking surface extends facing the rotation locking body of the rotation locking unit, in particular transversely, preferably perpendicularly to the guide direction, so that the rotation locking body can be moved past the blocking surface with little or no movement resistance when it is in contact therewith.

[0060] It is particularly advantageous if the blocking surfaces extend around the pivot axis with a defined radius so that the rotary locking body resting against these blocking surfaces does not perform any additional radial movement relative to the pivot axis during a pivoting movement. It is also advantageously provided that the blocking surfaces extend as far as the opening edge of the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle and merge into these receptacles.

[0061] In particular, it is preferred to provide that the opening edge of the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle is at the same radial spacing from the pivot axis as the blocking surface, so that a movement of the rotary locking body resting against the blocking surface over the opening edge into the receptacle can be achieved without additional resistance to movement, as would occur, for example, in the case of different distances between the opening edge and the pivot axis relative to the blocking surface and the pivot axis.

[0062] In particular, this solution also has the advantage that a simple and movement-resistant transition of the pivot support from the working position to the pivot position can be achieved, since in this case the rotary locking body can also leave the working position receptacle and / or the rest position receptacle through the opening edge essentially without movement resistance and move in the direction of the blocking surface.

[0063] It is particularly advantageous when at least one of the rotary locking bodies of the rotary locking unit abuts against one of the blocking surfaces in the event of a pivoting movement of the pivot support in the direction of the working position, in particular during a pivoting movement of an extension from a rest position to a working position, in particular by force loading via the action of an actuating body, wherein the force loading is achieved, for example, by a retracted receptacle in the actuating body for a release position of the rotary locking body, which acts on the rotary locking body with a surface extending transversely to the guide direction. In particular, it is advantageous when the rotary locking body rests against the blocking surface with force before reaching the working position and then enters into the receiving portion while resting against the opening edge of the receiving portion while resting against the blocking surface with force, so that the noise characteristic when the rotary locking body is transferred from the released position to the rotary locking position can be kept as low as possible, as opposed to a situation in which the rotary locking body first rests against the blocking surface with clearance, is then placed on the blocking surface with force and then enters into the working position receiving portion from the blocking surface, or a situation in which the rotary locking body is moved into the working position while being placed with clearance relative to the blocking surface and is subjected to force in the working position in order to enter into the working position receiving portion.

[0064] The construction of the working position receptacle is particularly advantageous when the working position receptacle extends from the blocking surface in a guide direction, in particular with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis, so that the rotary locking body does not undergo any additional turning when moving in the guide direction when entering the working position receptacle.

[0065] It is particularly advantageous when at least one of the rotary locking bodies of the rotary locking unit abuts against one of the blocking surfaces during a pivoting movement of the pivot support in the direction of the rest position, in particular during a pivoting movement of the extension from the working position to the rest position, in particular by force loading via an actuating body, wherein the force loading is achieved, for example, by a retracted receptacle in the actuating body for a release position of the rotary locking body, which acts on the rotary locking body with a surface extending transversely to the guide direction. In particular, it is advantageous when the rotary locking body rests against the blocking surface with force before reaching the resting position and then enters into the resting position receptacle while resting against the opening edge of the resting position receptacle while resting against the force, so that the noise characteristic when the rotary locking body is transferred from the released position to the rotary locking position can be kept as low as possible, as opposed to a situation in which the rotary locking body first rests against the blocking surface with clearance, is then placed on the blocking surface with force and then enters into the resting position receptacle from the blocking surface, or a situation in which the rotary locking body is moved into the working position with clearance relative to the blocking surface and is subjected to force in the working position in order to enter into the resting position receptacle.

[0066] The construction of the rest position seat is particularly advantageous when the rest position seat extends from the blocking surface in the guide direction, in particular with at least one component in the radial direction relative to the pivot axis, so that the rotary locking body does not experience any additional deflection when moving in the guide direction when entering the rest position seat.

[0067] Furthermore, no further details are given with regard to the orientation of the working position receptacles and the rest position receptacles and the blocking surfaces relative to the guide sleeve.

[0068] An advantageous solution is therefore provided that the working position receptacle and the rest position receptacle and the blocking surface are arranged facing the guide sleeve, thereby enabling a non-deflecting movement of the rotary locking body in the direction of the blocking surface or in the direction of the working position receptacle and the rest position receptacle.

[0069] In principle, the guide body can be pivoted together with the pivot bearing about a pivot axis. A particularly advantageous solution in terms of construction, however, provides that the guide body is part of a pivot bearing unit which is arranged fixedly on the vehicle.

[0070] Furthermore, provision is made with regard to the design of the guide body in that all guide receptacles for the rotation-locking bodies of the rotation-locking unit are arranged in the guide body.

[0071] It is also expedient if the guide direction extends with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis, so that the rotary locking bodies are moved with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis between the rotary locking position and the released position and thus no special movement of the rotary locking bodies in the direction of the pivot axis is achieved in order to move them between the rotary locking position and the released position.

[0072] A particularly advantageous solution from a constructional point of view provides that the guide body has a guide sleeve with a guide receptacle for a rotation-locking body of the rotation-locking unit and that the rotation-locking body is in particular guided by the guide body which bears against the pivot bearing in the radial direction.

[0073] In connection with the description of the above exemplary embodiments, it was not discussed in detail how the pivot bearing should be pivotably mounted on the pivot bearing unit.

[0074] For this purpose, for example, the bearing provided for this purpose can be arranged on a pivot bearing unit which is independent of the guide body.

[0075] However, it is particularly simple in terms of construction if the guide body has a pivot bearing for the pivot bearing body, that is to say it either carries the pivot bearing for the pivot bearing body or itself forms the pivot bearing for the pivot bearing body with its outer surface.

[0076] The movement of the manipulator body relative to the guide body is also not described in detail.

[0077] An advantageous solution therefore provides that the actuating body is guided movably relative to the guide body.

[0078] Here, the actuating body can be moved relative to the guide body in the direction of the pivot axis between a rotationally locked position and a released position in order to move the rotationally locked body into the corresponding position.

[0079] A solution which is particularly optimized with regard to space requirements is provided in that the operating body is rotatably arranged about a pivot axis and in particular has a wedge surface which extends about the pivot axis over a certain angle range and changes in a direction parallel to the guide direction, preferably in combination with a retraction receptacle which has a wedge surface which extends about the rotation axis over a certain angle range and changes in a direction parallel to the guide direction.

[0080] Furthermore, the arrangement of the receiving portion and the blocking surface will not be described in detail.

[0081] An advantageous solution therefore provides that the receptacle and the blocking surface are arranged on the pivot bearing.

[0082] Furthermore, a structural solution with regard to the absorption of the forces is particularly advantageous when the actuating body is surrounded by the guide body and when, in particular, the pivot bearing surrounds the guide body.

[0083] The arrangement of the rotation lock body relative to the actuating body is likewise not described in detail. In principle, the rotation lock body can be arranged in such a way that it is surrounded by the actuating body.

[0084] For the spatial design of the trailer coupling according to the invention, it has also proven to be advantageous if the rotary locking body is arranged around the actuating body.

[0085] The following has proven to be particularly advantageous in terms of construction when the pivot support body is formed as an outer body which externally surrounds the pivot support unit, the outer body being arranged non-displaceably relative to the pivot support unit in the direction of the rotation axis, and in particular when the pivot support body is formed as an outer body which externally surrounds at least a part of the rotation locking unit, the outer body being arranged non-displaceably relative to the guide body in the direction of the rotation axis, so that during the process of converting the rotation locking body from the rotation locking position to the release position and vice versa, the pivot support body does not move in the direction of the pivot axis, but can be arranged non-displaceably in the direction of the pivot axis.

[0086] Such an arrangement of the pivot bearing has the advantage, on the one hand, of a favorable spatial structure of the pivot bearing unit itself, and of relatively easy sealing of the pivot bearing unit, since the pivot bearing does not execute any movement in the axial direction of the pivot axis.

[0087] Preferably, a seal is provided between the housing of the pivot bearing unit and at least one end side of the outer body, which seal circumferentially around the pivot axis and which seals against penetrating dust and moisture.

[0088] In the case of such a solution, the pivot bearing body is simultaneously an outer body which protects and surrounds the pivot bearing unit, and by arranging the outer body non-displaceably relative to the pivot bearing unit in the direction of the pivot axis, it is achieved in particular that easy sealing between the outer body and the pivot bearing unit is achievable.

[0089] A solution is particularly advantageous in terms of construction in which the pivot bearing forms at least one outer body which externally surrounds a partial region of the rotational locking device and which is arranged non-displaceably relative to the guide body in the direction of the pivot axis.

[0090] In particular, it is provided that the rotation-locking body can be moved by the actuating body from the release position into the rotation-locking position.

[0091] The actuating body is preferably designed in such a way that, in the release position, it allows an unlocking position of the rotational locking body.

[0092] In particular, a further embodiment of the rotational locking body provides that, in the rotational locking position, it holds the rotational locking body in its rotational locking position.

[0093] In order to ensure that the rotation-locking body is always transferred into its rotation-locking position, in particular when no active actuation of the actuating body is taking place, it is preferably provided that the actuating body is loaded in the direction of its rotation-locking position by means of an elastic energy accumulator.

[0094] In order to be able to move the actuating body from the rotationally locked position into the released position, it is preferably provided that the actuating body can be moved from the rotationally locked position into the released position by the actuating device.

[0095] In particular, such a movement of the actuating body is effected by the actuating device counter to the loading by the energy store, ie the actuating device acts in opposition to the loading by the energy store and therefore has to overcome the force exerted by the energy store.

[0096] In particular in the case of a rotatable actuating body, it is preferably provided that the actuating body is rotated by means of the actuating device in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation effected by the elastic energy storage device.

[0097] Such elastic energy stores can in principle be arranged at a plurality of locations.

[0098] It is particularly advantageous in terms of construction if the elastic energy storage device is arranged in the pivot bearing unit.

[0099] A further structurally advantageous solution provides that the elastic energy storage device is arranged on one side of the actuating body.

[0100] In this case, the elastic energy storage device can advantageously be coupled to the actuating element.

[0101] With regard to the action on the manipulator, various solutions are possible.

[0102] An advantageous solution therefore provides that the actuating device has a drive element which is coupled to the actuating body.

[0103] In principle, it is possible to connect the drive element and the actuating body to one another in a rigid manner.

[0104] However, it is particularly advantageous if the drive element and the actuating body are coupled to one another via a drive coupling which allows a relative movement through a defined rotational angle depending on the position of the drive element and the position of the actuating body, in particular their rotational position.

[0105] In this case, the entraining coupling device can be an elastic connecting link.

[0106] However, it is particularly simple if the entrainment coupling device has a free-wheeling state without entrainment and a entrainment state, that is to say, a free-wheeling state or a entrainment state is present.

[0107] In connection with the present solution, only an overview of the drive of the rotary locking device is described which allows the rotary locking device to be moved from at least one rotary locking position into a released position and vice versa.

[0108] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the actuating device for the rotational locking device comprises a motorized drive unit.

[0109] In this case, a motorized drive unit may be provided which is specifically associated with the actuating device for the rotational locking device.

[0110] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the reduction gear is arranged on the side of the actuating element of the rotary locking device facing the motorized drive.

[0111] For a compact design, it is particularly desirable that the reduction gear is driven on one side by the motorized drive unit when viewed in the direction of the pivot axis and has a drive for the actuating element on the opposite side. The reduction gear is therefore preferably arranged between the motorized drive unit and the actuating element when viewed in the direction of the pivot axis.

[0112] Furthermore, the reduction gear, the elastic energy storage device and the actuating element are preferably arranged one behind the other in the direction of the pivot axis, in particular in a pivot bearing unit.

[0113] In order to further ensure that the actuating body does not leave its rotationally locked position despite the loading of the elastic energy accumulator, it is preferably provided that the actuating body can be locked in its rotational position by means of a securing device.

[0114] In particular, the following provision is made here, that is, the actuating body can be prevented from reaching its release position by a safety device, in order to ensure that the actuating body never automatically (for example in the event of a rupture of the elastic energy storage device that loads it in the direction of its activation position) allows the release position of the rotational locking body.

[0115] Such a safety device is designed in such a way that it must be activated in order to release the locking of the actuating body.

[0116] For this reason, it is expediently provided that the actuating device for the rotational locking device is coupled to the securing device, so that locking of the actuating body by the securing device can also be achieved via the actuating device.

[0117] Preferably, the safety device is coupled to the operating device in such a way that the safety device prevents the movement of the operating body that is not caused by the operation. In particular, the safety device is constructed in such a way that it prevents the movement of the operating body to its release position in the case of the operating device that is not operated.

[0118] An expedient solution provides that a drive element of the actuating device, for example a drive element of a reduction gear, is coupled to the safety device.

[0119] Advantageously, the drive element (e.g., the drive element of a reduction gear) can be designed in such a way that the actions on the operating body and the actions on the fixing device are coordinated with one another, so that actuation of the operating device causes, on the one hand, the locking of the operating body to be cancelled and, on the other hand, causes the operating body to be moved from an activated position to an inactivated position.

[0120] For example, provision is made for this purpose that during the movement of the drive element from the initial position into the intermediate position the safety device is transferred from the securing position into the unlocking position.

[0121] With regard to the connection between the drive element and the safety device, various possibilities are possible.

[0122] For example, any desired form of coupling (eg also via an electrical control device) is possible.

[0123] A solution which is particularly suitable due to its simplicity provides that the drive element and the safety device are coupled to one another via a mechanical coupling device. The mechanical coupling device is advantageously designed in such a way that it controls the action on the safety device by means of a cam track.

[0124] With regard to the construction of the control device, the most different solutions are possible.

[0125] The securing device works particularly well if it has an elastic energy store which always loads the securing device in a direction in which it secures or blocks the actuating body in the rotationally locked position.

[0126] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the safety device can be moved from its securing position into a releasing position.

[0127] Preferably, the movement of the safety device into the released position is also effected by the drive unit for the actuating unit.

[0128] In the solution according to the invention, provision is made that, by energizing a drive, the drive acts on the operating body from an initial position in a direction opposite to the force exerted on the operating body, in particular by the elastic element, so that the operating body is moved from the rotationally locked position to the released position.

[0129] As soon as the release position of the rotational locking device is reached, the pivot bearing leaves the position in which it is locked in a rotationally fixed manner, that is, the working position or the rest position, and moves, in particular by the action of gravity, into an intermediate position, wherein after leaving the working position or the rest position, the movement of the actuating body into the rotational locking position is blocked by the blocking surface. Thus, after leaving the working position or the rest position, the drive is energized in such a way that it moves back into the initial position again and the actuating body thus has the possibility of transferring from the release position into the rotational locking position due to the application of force and locking the pivot bearing again when the pivot bearing reaches the working position or the rest position (in particular by manual action).

[0130] The above description of the solution according to the invention therefore includes in particular the different combinations of features defined by the following numbered embodiments:

[0131] 1. A trailer coupling, comprising a ball neck (10) movable between an operating position (A) and a rest position (R), the ball neck having a pivot bearing (14) arranged at a first end and a coupling ball (18) arranged at a second end; a vehicle-fixed pivot bearing unit (20), by means of which the pivot bearing (14) is pivotably supported between the operating position (A) and the rest position (R) for a pivoting movement about a pivot axis (22); and a rotational locking device (20) acting between the pivot bearing unit (20) and the pivot bearing (14). 50), the rotary locking device having, on the one hand, at least one rotary locking unit (80) having a rotary locking body (54), which is movably guided in a guide direction (58) by means of a guide receptacle (56) of a guide body (40), and can be moved in the guide direction (58) via a pressure surface (66) extending transversely to the guide direction (58) and arranged on the operating body (52), and having, on the other hand, at least one working position receptacle (60A) and / or at least one rest position receptacle (60R), wherein the operating body (52) is movable in the operating direction (70) by means of a guide receptacle (56) of a guide body (40). 2), the rotary locking body (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) can be moved and loaded in the guide direction (58), and wherein the rotary locking body (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) is brought into a rotary locking position in the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R) by movement in the guide direction (58), and in this position the rotary locking body (54) is engaged with each of a working position receiving portion (60A) or a rest position receiving portion (60R) so as to prevent the pivot support body (14) from rotating around the pivot axis. (22) a pivotal movement relative to the guide body (40); and wherein the rotary locking body (54) can be brought into a release position and in this position disengaged from the working position receiving portion (60) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) and releases the pivotal movement of the pivot support body (14), wherein the rotary locking device (50) is assigned to at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) which, at least in the case of reaching the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R), delays its transfer to the rotary locking position due to the action on the rotary locking device (50) in time.

[0132] 2. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 1, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) acts on the rotational locking device (50).

[0133] 3. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 1 or 2, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) delays the transfer of the rotary locking unit (80) into the rotary locking position in terms of time.

[0134] 4. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) acts on one or more elements of the rotation locking device (50).

[0135] 5. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 2 to 4, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) acts directly on one of the elements of the rotational locking device (50).

[0136] 6. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) delays the movement of the rotary locking body (54) into the rotary locking position in terms of time.

[0137] 7. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) delays the movement of the actuating body (52) into the rotationally locked position in terms of time.

[0138] 8. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 7, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400) acts between the guide body (44) and the actuating body (52).

[0139] 9. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 7 or 8, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400', 400'") is arranged on the actuating body (52).

[0140] 10. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 7 to 9, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 400") is arranged on the guide body (44).

[0141] 11. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) comprises an elastic element (312, 314, 322, 336, 406, 504).

[0142] 12. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 7 to 11, wherein the elastic element (312, 314, 322, 336, 406) forms at least one friction surface (316, 318, 342) or a load friction body (326, 328, 338, 402).

[0143] 13. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 7 to 12, wherein at least one of the delay units (300) comprises a motion delay body (310) which acts between a surface (302) of the actuating body (52) and an opposite surface of the guide body (40).

[0144] 14. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 13, wherein the movement-decelerating body (310) has different friction effects depending on the direction of movement.

[0145] 15. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 7 to 12, wherein at least one delay unit (400) is arranged in a defined position on the guide body (40) or the operating body (52) and acts on the operating body (52) or the guide body (40) in a delayed manner starting from this position.

[0146] 16. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 15, wherein the delay unit (400) is provided with a friction body (402) loaded by an elastomer (406) which acts on the actuating body (52) or the guide body (40).

[0147] 17. A trailer coupling according to embodiment 15 or 16, wherein a delay unit (400, 400', 400", 400"') arranged on a guide body (40) or an operating body (52) acts with a friction body (402, 402', 402", 402"') on a friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403"') arranged on the operating body (52) or the guide body (40).

[0148] 18. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 17, wherein the friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") extends over a certain angular range around the axis of rotation (22) of the actuating body (52).

[0149] 19. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 17 or 18, wherein the friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403"') extends from a delay start region (405, 405', 405", 405"') to a delay end region (407, 407', 407", 407"').

[0150] 20. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 17 to 19, wherein the friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") extends at a varying distance relative to the guide receptacle (404, 404', 404", 404'") of the delay unit (400, 400', 400", 400"') in the event of a rotational movement of the operating body (52) relative to the guide body (40).

[0151] 21. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 17 to 20, wherein, when the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402"') acts on the delay end area (407, 407', 407", 407"'), the elastomer (406, 406', 406", 406"') acts on the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402"') with a force greater than when the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402"') acts on the delay start area (405, 405', 405", 405"').

[0152] 22. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 16, wherein the friction bodies (402, 402', 402", 402"') act on the actuating body (52) on the circumference, in particular on friction surfaces (403, 403', 403", 403"') arranged on the circumference.

[0153] 23. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 22, wherein the friction body (402) acts on a pressure surface (66) of the rotary locking body (54) for the purpose of loading the rotary locking body (54).

[0154] 24. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 22 or 23, wherein the friction body (402) acts on a peripheral region (71) of the actuating body (52) which adjoins the pressure surface (66) for acting on the rotary locking body (54).

[0155] 25. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 15 to 21, wherein the friction body (402) acts on the actuating body (52) at the end, in particular on its friction surface (403') arranged at the end.

[0156] 26. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 15 to 21, wherein the friction body (402) acts on a wall surface of a receptacle (102) for an operating body (52) arranged in the guide body (40), in particular on a friction surface (403", 403'") arranged on the receptacle (102).

[0157] 27. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein at least one delay unit (500) acts on the rotary locking body (54) and delays its movement in the working position receptacle (60A) or the rest position receptacle (60R) when reaching the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R).

[0158] 28. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 20, wherein the delay unit (500) is assigned to at least the working position receptacle (60A) and / or the rest position receptacle (60R).

[0159] 29. A trailer coupling according to embodiment 28, wherein the delay unit (500) reacts in a delayed manner to an impact of the rotary locking body (54) onto the receiving portion bottom (61A, 61R) of the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R).

[0160] 30. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 29, wherein the delay unit (500) comprises an elastic element (504) which reacts in a delayed manner to a movement of the rotary locking body (54) in the direction of the corresponding receiving portion bottom (61).

[0161] 31. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 29, wherein the delay unit (500') comprises a fluid brake element (505) consisting of a shear thickening fluid.

[0162] 32. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 30 or 31, wherein the delay unit (500) is held and supported on a component (14) of a bearing receptacle (60A, 60R) of the pivot bearing unit (20).

[0163] 33. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 27 to 32, wherein the elastic element (504) acts in a delayed manner via the delaying body (502) on the rotary locking body (54) entering the receptacle (60A, 60R).

[0164] 34. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 27 to 33, wherein the delay unit (500) is adjustably positioned relative to the receptacle (60A, 60R).

[0165] 35. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 34, wherein the delay unit (500) has a guide body (506) which accommodates the elastic element (504) and, if appropriate, the delay body (502).

[0166] 36. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 35, wherein the guide body (506) is held on a component (14) of the bearing receptacle (60A, 60R) in an adjustably positionable manner.

[0167] 37. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein a blocking surface (90) extends between the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R), the rotary locking body (54) can be placed relative to the blocking surface and the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) extend from the blocking surface, and the rotary locking unit (80) and the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) are arranged at an angular interval (W) with respect to each other around the pivot axis (22), i.e., on all sides of the pivot support body (14), the rotary locking body (54) can be placed relative to the blocking surface and the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) extend from the blocking surface. In the set rotational positions, except for the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R), at least one of the rotational locking units (80) is opposite to one of the blocking surfaces (90) and therefore these blocking surfaces (90), in particular when the operating body (52) is loaded with force in the operating direction (72), prevent the operating body (52) from moving in the operating direction (72) and thus also prevent the rotational locking body (54) of each of the rotational locking units (80) from force-loaded engagement in one of the working position receptacle (60A) or the rest position receptacle (60R).

[0168] 38. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the rotary locking unit (80) is arranged around the pivot axis (22) at an angular interval (W) to form a rotary locking configuration, and the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) are arranged around the pivot axis (22) at the same angular interval (W) as the rotary locking unit (80) to form a receiving configuration for the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R), respectively. The rotational locking configuration and the receiving configuration of the resting position receiving portion (60R) in the embodiment overlap with each other, so that the rotational locking body (54) can be engaged in the working position receiving portion (60A) or the resting position receiving portion (60R), and the angular spacing (W) between the rotational locking units (80) of the rotational locking configuration and the angular spacing between the working position receiving portion (60) or the resting position receiving portion (60R) of the receiving configuration are selected so that one of the rotational locking configuration and the receiving configuration overlaps with each other only in the working position (A) and / or the resting position (R).

[0169] 39. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the angular spacing (W) of at least one of the rotary locking units (80) is different in a certain rotation direction around the pivot axis (22) and relative to the rotary locking units (80) arranged adjacently opposite to the rotation direction, and the working position receiving portion (60A) is arranged in the working position (A) such that the rotary locking body (54) of each of the rotary locking units (80) can be brought into engagement with each of the working position receiving portions (60A), and / or the resting position receiving portion (60R) is arranged in the resting position (R) such that the rotary locking body (54) of each of the rotary locking units (80) can be brought into engagement with each of the working position receiving portions (60A). The rotary locking body (54) of each of the units (80) can be brought into engagement with each of the rest position receptacles (60R), and in all rotational positions of the pivot support (14) that are arranged for operation and are outside the working position (A) or the rest position (R), the rotary locking body (54) of at least one of the rotary locking units (80) is opposite to a blocking surface (90) extending between the working position receptacles (60A) and / or the rest position receptacles (60R), and the blocking surface (90) prevents the operating body (52) from moving from the release position into the rotary locking position, in particular when the operating body (52) is loaded with force.

[0170] 40. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 39, wherein the blocking surface (90) extends facing the rotary locking body (54) of the rotary locking unit (80).

[0171] 41. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 40, wherein the blocking surface (90) extends around the pivot axis (22) with a defined radius.

[0172] 42. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 41, wherein the blocking surface (90) extends as far as the opening edges (92) of the working position receptacle (60A) and / or the rest position receptacle (60R) and transitions into these opening edges.

[0173] 43. A trailer coupling according to embodiment 42, wherein the opening edge (92) of the working position receptacle (60A) and / or the rest position receptacle (60R) is at the same radial distance from the pivot axis (22) as the blocking surface (90).

[0174] 44. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 43, wherein at least one of the rotary locking bodies (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) during a pivoting movement of the pivot support body (14) in the direction of the working position (A), and in particular is force-loaded against one of the blocking surfaces (90) by the action of an operating body (52).

[0175] 45. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 44, wherein the rotary locking body (54) is force-loaded against a blocking surface (90) before reaching the working position (A) and then enters into the working position receptacle (60A) by force-loading against an opening edge (92) of the working position receptacle (60A).

[0176] 46. ​​A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 45, wherein the working position receptacle (60A) extends from the blocking surface (90) in the guide direction (58), in particular with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis (22).

[0177] 47. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 46, wherein at least one of the rotary locking bodies (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) during a pivoting movement of the pivot support body (14) in the direction of the stationary position (R), in particular abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) by being loaded with the force of an operating body (52).

[0178] 48. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 47, wherein the rotary locking body (54) abuts against a blocking surface (90) in a force-loaded manner before reaching the rest position (R) and then enters into the rest position receptacle (60R) in a force-loaded manner against an opening edge (92) of the rest position receptacle (60R).

[0179] 49. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 48, wherein the rest position receptacle (60R) extends from the blocking surface (90) in the guide direction (58), in particular with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis (22).

[0180] 50. The trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 37 to 49, wherein the working position receptacle (60A), the rest position receptacle (60R) and the blocking surface (90) are arranged facing the guide sleeve (40).

[0181] 51. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the guide body (40) is part of a pivot bearing unit (20) which is arranged fixedly to the vehicle.

[0182] 52. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein guide receptacles (56) for all rotary locking bodies (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) are arranged in the guide body (40).

[0183] 53. The trailer coupling according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the guide direction (58) extends with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis (22).

[0184] 54. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the guide body (40) has a guide sleeve (44) with a guide accommodating portion (56) for a rotary locking body (54) of a rotary locking unit (80), and in particular the rotary locking body (54) is guided on the guide body (40) which is closely connected to the pivot support body (14) in a radial direction.

[0185] 55. The trailer coupling according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the guide body (40) has a pivot bearing for the pivot bearing body (14).

[0186] 56. The trailer coupling according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the actuating body (52) is guided movably relative to the guide body (40).

[0187] 57. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the operating body (52) is rotatably arranged around the pivot axis (22) and particularly preferably in combination with the retraction accommodating portion (62) has a wedge surface (66) extending around the pivot axis (22) through a certain angular range and varying in a direction parallel to the guide direction (58).

[0188] 58. The trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the receptacle (60) and the blocking surface (90) are arranged on the pivot bearing (14).

[0189] 59. A trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the actuating body (52) is surrounded by the guide body (40) and in particular the pivot bearing body (14) surrounds the guide body (40).

[0190] 60. The trailer coupling according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the rotary locking body (54) is arranged around the actuating body (52).

[0191] 61. A trailer coupling according to any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, wherein the pivot support body (14) constitutes an external body that externally surrounds the pivot support unit (20), and is arranged non-displaceably in the direction of the pivot axis (22) relative to the pivot support unit (20), and in particular the pivot support body (14) constitutes an external body that externally surrounds at least a partial area of ​​the rotation locking unit (50), and is arranged non-displaceably in the direction of the pivot axis (22) relative to the guide body (40).

[0192] 62. A trailer coupling according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the actuating body (52) is loaded in the direction of its rotationally locked position by means of an elastic energy accumulator (114).

[0193] 63. A trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the actuating body (52) can be moved from a rotationally locked position into a released position by means of an actuating device (180).

[0194] 64. A trailer coupling according to embodiment 62 or 63, wherein the actuating body (52) can be moved by an actuating device (180) counter to the loading of the elastic energy storage device (114).

[0195] 65. A trailer coupling according to any one of embodiments 62 to 64, wherein the actuating body (52) can be rotated by means of an actuating device (180) in the opposite direction to the actuating direction (72) acted upon by the elastic energy accumulator (114).

[0196] 66. The trailer coupling according to any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the actuating device (180) comprises a drive element (142) which is coupled to the actuating body (52).

[0197] 67. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 66, wherein the drive element (142) and the actuating body (52) are coupled to one another via a drive coupling (156, 158).

[0198] 68. The trailer coupling according to embodiment 67, wherein the drive coupling device (156, 158) has a drive-free idle state and a drive state.

[0199] 69. A trailer coupling according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the operating device (180) for the rotational locking device (50) comprises a motorized drive unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0200] Further features and advantages of the solution according to the invention are the subject of the following description of an embodiment and of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0201] Figure 1 A rear view of a motor vehicle with a trailer coupling according to the invention is shown;

[0202] Figure 2 A plan view toward a trailer coupling according to the invention is shown with a view in the direction of travel toward the trailer coupling mounted at the rear of the vehicle, wherein the trailer coupling is in its operating position;

[0203] Figure 3 The direction of the pivot axis is shown Figure 2 A plan view of the trailer coupling in FIG.

[0204] Figure 4 The trailer coupling is shown in the rest position. Figure 2 's view;

[0205] Figure 5 The pivot axis direction is shown according to Figure 4 A plan view of the trailer coupling in the rest position, facing the trailer coupling;

[0206] Figure 6 Shows along Figure 3 An illustration of a cross section of line 6-6 in FIG.

[0207] Figure 7 The diagram shows the rotation of the rotary locking body in the working position in the case of rotational locking by means of the rotary locking body in the rotational locking position. Figure 6 Section along line 7-7 in;

[0208] Figure 8 A similar diagram in the release position is shown with the actuating body rotated into the release position and the rotary locking body in the release position. Figure 7 A diagram of a cross section;

[0209] Fig. 9 A similar arrangement is shown in the case of a slight pivoting of the pivot bearing from the working position. Figure 8 , with a blocked manipulator under the action of a torsion spring;

[0210] Fig.10 A similar structure is shown with the pivot bearing further rotated in the direction of the rest position. Figure 8 , however in the released position;

[0211] Fig.11 A similar structure is shown with the pivot bearing further rotated in the direction of the rest position. Fig.10 pictorial diagram;

[0212] Fig.12 A similar structure is shown with the pivot bearing further rotated in the direction of the rest position. Fig.11 pictorial diagram;

[0213] Fig.13 shows a similar Figure 7 pictorial diagram;

[0214] Fig.14 shows a similar Figure 8 pictorial diagram;

[0215] Fig.15 Shown without support plate and retaining ring Figure 6 A section along line 15-15;

[0216] Fig.16 A perspective illustration of a hollow wheel and a drive sleeve cooperating therewith is shown;

[0217] Fig.17 A perspective exploded illustration of the pivot support with the cover is shown;

[0218] Fig.18 Shows the working position according to Figure 6 A magnified cross section of

[0219] Fig.19 shows a similar Fig.18 A magnified cross section of

[0220] Fig. 20 A similar diagram of a first embodiment of a trailer coupling according to the invention is shown with a first embodiment of a delay unit. Figure 6 Schematic diagram of

[0221] Fig.21 An enlarged partial illustration in the region of a delay unit of a first exemplary embodiment of a trailer coupling according to the invention is shown;

[0222] Fig. 22 An enlarged illustration of a cross section through a delay ring of a first embodiment of a delay unit according to the invention is shown;

[0223] Fig.23 shows an enlarged illustration of a first variant of the delay unit according to the first embodiment;

[0224] Fig.24 shows a perspective illustration of a second variant of the delay unit according to the first embodiment;

[0225] Fig.25 A diagram showing an actuating body in interaction with a rotating retarding ring of a second variant of a retarding unit according to the first embodiment;

[0226] Fig.26 Shows the Fig.24 and Fig.25 A perspective illustration of a rotating delay ring;

[0227] Fig. 27 The second embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention with the second embodiment of the delay unit according to the invention is shown similarly to the second embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention in the case of an initial movement of the rotary locking body in the direction of the operating position receptacle. Figure 8 pictorial diagram;

[0228] Fig.28 A diagram showing a second embodiment of a trailer coupling according to the invention in the case of loading of the rotary locking body via the start region of the pressure-bearing surface of the actuating body;

[0229] Fig.29 The invention shows a rotary locking body with a completely penetrating into the working position receptacle. Fig.28 : a diagram of a second embodiment of a trailer coupling according to the present invention;

[0230] Fig.30 Shows something like Figure 7 A diagram of a first variant of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0231] Fig.31 Shows something like Fig.28 A diagram of a first variant of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0232] Fig.32 Shows something like Fig.29 A diagram of a first variant of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0233] Fig.33 shows a diagram of a second variant of the second embodiment;

[0234] Fig.34 An enlarged illustration of a delay unit of a second variant is shown;

[0235] Fig.35 A similar modification of the second variant is shown. Fig.34 pictorial diagram;

[0236] Fig.36 shows a plan view toward the actuating body with the friction surface and the friction body shown in a delayed starting position in the case of a second variant of the second embodiment;

[0237] Fig.37 Shows along Fig.36 A section along line 37-37 in FIG.

[0238] Fig.38shows a plan view of the actuating body with the friction surface and the friction body shown in the second variant of the second embodiment in the delayed end position;

[0239] Fig.39 Shows along Fig.38 A section along line 39-39 in FIG.

[0240] Fig.40 shows a diagram of a third variant of the second embodiment;

[0241] Fig.41 The third variant of the second embodiment is shown in the delayed end position. Fig.39 pictorial diagram;

[0242] Fig.42 A similar view of the third embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention with the third embodiment of the delay unit according to the invention is shown in the case of an initial movement of the rotary locking body in the direction of the operating position receptacle. Figure 8 pictorial diagram;

[0243] Fig.43 A representation of a third embodiment of a trailer coupling according to the invention showing a third embodiment of a rotational locking body with a delay unit in the case of the rotational locking body being completely penetrated into the operating position receptacle;

[0244] Fig.44 The first variant of the third embodiment is shown similar to Fig.42 , and

[0245] Fig.45 The first variant of the third embodiment is shown similar to Fig.43 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0246] Trailer coupling AK for motor vehicles (in Figure 1 , 2 and 3 are shown in working position A and Figure 4 and 5The vehicle body F is shown in the rest position R in FIG. 1 , which comprises a ball neck, designated as a whole, 10, which is held at a first end 12 on a pivot bearing 14 and which supports a coupling ball, designated as a whole, 18, at a second end 16, to which a coupling ball receptacle of a trailer can be fixed. The pivot bearing 14 is rotatably supported about a pivot axis 22 relative to a vehicle-fixed bracket 24 by a pivot bearing unit, designated as a whole, 20, wherein the bracket 24 preferably has a support plate 26 for holding the pivot bearing unit 20, which preferably extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation 22, and has a vehicle-fixed cross member 28, which can be fixed in a known manner at the rear region H of the vehicle body F, more precisely so that the pivot bearing unit 20 and the bracket 24 are located on the side of the lower edge 30 of the bumper unit 36 ​​facing away from the road surface FO and are covered by the bumper unit 36 ​​( Figure 3 ).

[0247] exist Figure 1 and 2 In the working position shown in the drawing, the ball neck 10 grips the lower edge 30 of the bumper unit 36 ​​from below with the section 32 adjoining the first end 12, so that the second end 16 and the coupling ball 18 together with the socket receptacle 34 are located on the side of the rear bumper unit 36 ​​facing away from the vehicle body F, while in the resting position, not only the pivot bearing unit 20 but also the entire ball neck 10 together with the coupling ball 18 are covered by the rear bumper unit 36 ​​to prevent them from being seen from the rear.

[0248] As in Figures 6 to 9 As shown in , the pivot bearing unit 20 comprises a guide body 40 which is fixedly connected to the support plate 26 by means of a flange 42 and has a guide sleeve 44 which extends from the flange 42 away from the support plate 26 and on which the pivot bearing 14 is rotatably mounted.

[0249] For this purpose, the guide sleeve 44 comprises a cylindrical outer surface 46, against which the pivot bearing 14 rests with its cylindrical inner surface 48 and is thereby guided in rotation about the pivot axis 22, so that the pivot bearing 14 is rotatable relative to the guide body 40 in such a way that the ball neck 10 can be rotated from the working position A into the rest position R and vice versa. The guide body 40 also comprises a projection 41 extending through the slot 27 in the support plate 26, which carries a receptacle 43 for a fixing ring 45 which can be fixed thereto, following the projection 41 on the side opposite the flange 42, so that the guide body 40 is supported by the projection 41 due to its non-rotationally symmetrical outer contour 47 ( Fig.15 ) is located in a correspondingly shaped slot 27 in the support plate 26 in a rotationally fixed manner by a positive fit and is fastened thereto by a flange 45 and a fixing ring 43 which rests on the opposite side of the support plate 26 .

[0250] The guide body 40 thus forms a vehicle-fixed pivot bearing for the pivot bearing 14 by means of its fixed connection to the support plate 26 and the bracket 24 .

[0251] In order to secure the pivot bearing 14 in the working position A, the pivot bearing unit 20 is provided with a rotation locking device ( Figures 7 to 14 ), which comprises an operating body 52, a plurality of rotary locking bodies 54 which can be loaded by the operating body 52, wherein each rotary locking body 54 is movably guided in a guide receptacle 56 of the guide sleeve 44 in a guide direction 58 extending approximately radially to the pivot axis 22.

[0252] Preferably, at least the rotation locking body 54 and the guide receiving portion 56 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a geometric plane extending perpendicularly to the pivot axis 22 and intersecting the rotation locking body 54. Figures 7 to 14 corresponds to the drawing plane.

[0253] In addition, the rotational locking device 50 includes a working position receptacle 60A which starts from the inner surface 48 of the pivot support body 14 and extends inwardly, in particular in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis 22, into which the rotational locking body 54 can be brought into engagement in the working position A, wherein the working position receptacle 60A has walls which gradually increase in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis 22 and have smaller spacings from each other.

[0254] Furthermore, the rotation-locking device 50 comprises, in addition to or as an alternative to the working position receptacle 60A, a rest position receptacle 60R which, in the simplest case, is designed in the same way as the working position receptacle 60A.

[0255] As Figures 7 to 14 In the case of the first embodiment, as shown in connection, if, for example, the rotational locking device 50 comprises a set of three rotational locking bodies 54a, 54b and 54c, the guide sleeve 44 has a corresponding set of three guide receptacles 56a, 56b and 56c, in which the rotational locking bodies 54a, 54b and 54c can be displaceably guided in a guide direction 58 approximately radial to the pivot axis 22, and the pivot bearing body 14 is provided with a set of working position receptacles 60Aa, 60Ab and 60Ac, with which the rotational locking bodies 54a, 54b and 54c can be brought into engagement in the working position A ( Figure 7 ), and / or a set of stationary position receiving portions 60Ra, 60Rb, 60Rc are provided, with which the rotary locking body 52 can be brought into engagement in the stationary position R ( Fig.13 ).

[0256] For suitable movement and positioning of the rotational locking body 54 in the guide direction 58, the operating body 52 is provided with a group corresponding to the number of the rotational locking bodies 54, for example a total of three retraction receptacles 62a, 62b and 62c, and pressure surfaces 66a, 66b and 66c connected to the corresponding retraction receptacles 62a, 62b, 62c in the rotational direction 64, which are configured as wedge surfaces acting radially to the pivot axis 22, wherein the rotational locking body 54 in its release position can penetrate into the retraction receptacles 62a, 62b, 62c to such an extent that ( Figure 8 ), i.e., it no longer protrudes beyond the outer surface 46 of the guide sleeve 44, and wherein the pressure surfaces 66a, 66b, 66c each start from a radially inner starting area 68a, 68b and 68c adjacent to the respective retraction receptacle 62 and extend radially outwardly relative to the pivot axis 22 in a manner that gradually increases in the extension in the rotational direction 64 to the respective radially outer end areas 70a, 70b and 70c and thus act as wedge surfaces on the rotary locking body 54 in the case of a rotational movement of the operating body 52 to facilitate its movement into the rotational locking position.

[0257] Preferably, the pressure surface 66 here extends as a spiral or involute segment relative to the pivot axis 22 .

[0258] In order to hold the rotary locking body 54 in its rotary locking position by loading it with the pressure surface 66 between the starting area 68 and the end area 70 in the rotary locking position or to be able to penetrate into the retraction receptacle 62 in the release position, the actuating body 52 can also be rotatable about the pivot axis 22 (in particular coaxially with the pivot axis), more precisely so that the group of retraction receptacles 62a, 62b and 62c faces the rotary locking body 54 and is, for it, as in the case of Figure 8 As shown in , in its inactive or released position, there is the possibility of penetrating into the retraction seat 62 in the radial direction toward the pivot axis 22 when transferring to the released position, so as to open up the possibility for the corresponding rotary locking body 54 to leave the working position seat 60A or the rest position seat 60R and release the pivot bearing body 14 with respect to the rotation about the pivot axis 22 relative to the guide body 40, so that the pivot bearing body 14 and the ball neck 10 can be rotated unhindered and freely relative to the guide sleeve 44, as shown in . Figure 8 and Fig.14 , wherein in this case the rotation-locking body 54 does not extend beyond the outer side surface 46 of the guide sleeve 44 .

[0259] The rotation of the operating body 52 in the direction of rotation 72 opposite to the direction of rotation 64 in the case of the rotary locking body 54 in the retraction receptacle 62 causes the rotary locking body 54 to be moved out of the retraction receptacle 62 and first seat on the starting area 68 of the pressure surface 66 in the activated position or rotary locking position of the operating body 52, but at this point, for example, it has already penetrated into the receptacle 60 and thus prevents the free rotatability of the pivot bearing body 14 relative to the guide body 40 in its rotary locking position.

[0260] If the actuating body 52 is further rotated in a rotational direction 72 opposite to the rotational direction 64, the region of the pressure surface 66 which is radially outside the pivot axis 22 acts increasingly on the rotary locking body 54 and thus gradually presses the rotary locking body 54 into the working position receptacles 60Aa, 60Ab and 60Ac in the working position A or the rest position R of the ball neck 10 ( Figure 7 ) or to the stationary position accommodation portions 60Ra, 60Rb and 60Rc ( Fig.13 ) in order to thereby achieve a substantially play-free fastening of the pivot bearing body 14 relative to the guide body 40 (in this case relative to the guide sleeve 44).

[0261] In the rotationally locked position of the rotationally locked body 54, the actuating body 52 is in its activated position, so that the rotationally locked body 54 is in its activated position. Figure 7 and Fig.13 As shown in FIG. 6 , the pressure surface 66 is seated approximately on a central region 76 between the start region 68 and the end region 70 and is acted upon by it.

[0262] In order to open up the possibility of loading each of the three rotary locking bodies 54 in an optimal manner for the actuating body 52, provision is made that in the activated position the actuating body 52 is centered according to the position of the rotary locking body 54. In particular, the actuating body 52 is mounted in the guide sleeve 44 in such a way that the actuating body 52 can be self-centered relative to the position of the rotary locking body 54 in the guide body 40 due to radial play, wherein the self-centering of the actuating body 52 can be slightly deviated from the coaxial arrangement relative to the geometric pivot axis 22. Due to the self-centering, the rotary locking bodies 54a, 54b and 54c act on the working position receptacles 60Aa, 60Ab and 60Ac or the rest position receptacles 60Ra, 60Rb and 60Rc in the respective guide directions 58a, 58b and 58c with approximately the same amount of force, so that the reaction forces acting on the actuating body 52 are also approximately the same amount.

[0263] The rotation-locking body 54 is preferably designed as a ball, which therefore bears on the one hand against the actuating body 52 and on the other hand also against the receptacle 60 .

[0264] Therefore, only a rotatable mounting of the actuating body 52 with play relative to the pivot axis 22 is achieved, which is primarily important when the actuating body 52 holds the rotary locking body 54 in the release position in which the rotary locking body 54 penetrates into the retraction receptacle 62 of the actuating body 52 .

[0265] In order to always move the actuating body 52 in the rotational direction 72 in the absence of external influences, wherein the rotational locking body 54 moves in the direction of the rotational locking position, the actuating body 52 is loaded by a torsion spring 114 ( Figure 6 ), which on the one hand act on the actuating body 52 and on the other hand are supported radially on the outside on the guide body 40 .

[0266] The torsion spring 114 also causes the operating body 52 to press the rotary locking body 54 into the working position receptacle 60A or the rest position receptacle 60R with force, and the pivot bearing body 14 is thus secured without play, wherein the play-free nature is maintained by continued rotation of the operating body 52 in the rotational direction 72 even in the event of a change in the geometry of the working position receptacle 60A or the rest position receptacle 60R due to loads during operation. For example, three guide accommodating portions 56 and the rotational locking bodies 54 arranged therein, as well as the retraction accommodating portions 62 correspondingly associated with these rotational locking bodies 54 and the pressure-bearing surfaces 66 in the operating body 52 adjacent thereto, respectively constitute three rotational locking units 80, and they are arranged relative to each other at unequal angular intervals Wab, Wbc, Wca (relative to the corresponding center axes Ma, Mb, Mc) around the pivot axis 22, whereby the rotational locking configuration of the rotational locking unit 80, with respect to the pivot axis 22 serving as the rotation axis, results in an overlapping arrangement of the rotational locking unit 80 only when the rotational locking configuration is rotated 360°.

[0267] For example, the angular interval Wab=120°, the angular interval Wbc=137° and the angular interval Wca=103°, which means that the deviation from the same angular interval is 17°.

[0268] In the case of three rotation locking units, for example, deviations from the same angular spacing are however also possible, in particular up to 30° or more, so that, for example, Wab=120°, Wbc=150°, Wca=90° are possible.

[0269] Similarly, the respective working position accommodating portions 60A and / or the resting position accommodating portions 60R are arranged relative to each other in a accommodating configuration at the same angular interval as the rotational locking unit 80 about the pivot axis 22, and their respective accommodating configurations are also arranged to overlap with each other only in the case of a 360° rotation about the pivot axis 22, so that they overlap with the rotational locking configuration in the working position A or the resting position R, so that in the working position A or the resting position R, the respective rotational locking bodies 54 of one of the rotational locking units 80 are arranged opposite to one of the working position accommodating portions 60A or one of the resting position accommodating portions 60R and can be engaged therewith in the rotational locking position, as in Figure 7 and Fig.13 As shown in FIG. , the pivot bearing 14 is thereby fixed in a rotationally fixed manner relative to the pivot bearing unit 20 ( Figure 7 , Fig.13 ).

[0270] However, if the actuating body 52 is moved into the release position in the working position A or the rest position R against the force of the torsion spring 114, as described below, each rotation locking body 54 of the corresponding rotation locking unit 80 has the possibility of penetrating into the retraction receiving portion 62 associated therewith and leaving the corresponding working position receiving portion 60A or the rest position receiving portion 60R, so that the pivot bearing body 14 can be swung out about the pivot axis 22 in the working position A or the rest position R ( Figure 8 , Fig.14 ).

[0271] Once the pivot support 14 leaves the working position A and / or the rest position R ( Fig. 9), the entirety of the rotational locking unit 80 arranged in the rotational locking configuration relative to the pivot axis 22 no longer has engagement with the entirety of the working position accommodation portion 60A and / or the rest position accommodation portion 60R arranged in the corresponding accommodation configuration in all rotational positions between the working position A and / or the rest position R, so that when the operating body 54 is loaded in the rotational direction 72, the entirety of the rotational locking body 54 in the retraction accommodation portion 62 can no longer be engaged with the entirety of the working position accommodation portion 60A and / or the rest position accommodation portion 60R, because the rotational locking body 54 can be loaded in the direction of the pivot support body 14 by the operating body 52 loaded in the rotational direction 72 by the torsion spring 114, in particular by the arc-shaped bottom surface of the retraction accommodation portion 62 extending obliquely to the guide direction 58, but in the direction of the pivot support body 14 outside the working position A In each of the rotational positions, the entirety of the rotational locking body 54 is no longer opposite to the individual receptacles of the entirety of the working position receptacle 60A and / or the rest position receptacle 60R, and therefore at least one of the rotational locking bodies 54 is always blocked by a blocking surface 90 extending between the working position receptacle 60A and / or the rest position receptacle 60R, which in the simplest case is formed by the cylindrical inner surface 48 of the pivot support body 14, and thereby prevents the operating body 52 from rotating in the direction of rotation 72 due to the torsion spring 114, so that the operating body 52 is thus held in the release position in all rotational positions of the pivot support body 14 outside the working position A and / or the rest position R even when the torsion spring 114 acts in the direction of rotation 72, and can therefore only be transferred again to the rotational locking position when the working position A is reached.

[0272] Preferably, the deviation of the rotational locking configuration of the rotational locking unit 80 and the accommodation configuration of the accommodation portion 60 from the symmetrical structure is so great that, when one of the rotational locking units 80 is located opposite to one of the working position accommodation portions 60A or the rest position accommodation portions 60R, so that the rotational locking body 54 can engage with the working position accommodation portion 60A and / or the rest position accommodation portion 60R, at least one, and preferably at least two, rotational locking units 80 are offset in the rotational direction to such an extent relative to the nearest accommodation portion of the working position accommodation portion 60A and / or the rest position accommodation portion 60R that the contact point of the rotational locking body 54 associated with the rotational locking unit 80 is already on one of the blocking surfaces 90 and not in the area of ​​the accommodation portion 60, thereby ensuring reliable blocking of the operating body 52 by the blocking surface 90 that acts in the release position, especially when the operating body 52 is loaded in the rotational direction 72 by the torsion spring 114.

[0273] If the actuating body 52 is acted on in the direction of rotation 64 opposite to the action of the torsion spring 114 and the latter is twisted to the maximum, the rotation locking body 54 is located with play between the corresponding blocking surface 90 and the retraction receptacle 62 in all rotational positions of the pivot bearing 14. However, if the action of the torsion spring 114 prevails in the direction of rotation 72, then even in the case of oscillation between the working position A and / or the rest position R, there is a gap with respect to the pivot bearing 14 in the respective rotational position. Figures 9 to 12 As shown in the situation.

[0274] Figures 9 to 12 It is shown that in each of the rotational positions of the pivot bearing 14, the actuating body 52 is held in the release position by at least one, preferably two, rotational locking bodies 54 which abut against one of the blocking surfaces 90 and prevents one of the rotational locking bodies 54 (e.g. Fig.10 The rotation locking body 54b or Fig.11 The rotation locking bodies 54a) in the embodiment cannot engage in the respective receiving portions 60 aligned therewith.

[0275] In any case, in the case of swinging between the rest position R and / or the working position A there is a Figures 7 to 14 In the case where the locking body 54 is rotated according to Figures 9 to 12 In the case of a swing between the rest position R and the working position A, the rotation locking body 54 slides along the blocking surface 90 with little noise generation and slides from the blocking surface 90 into the working position receiving portion 60A and / or the rest position receiving portion 60R via an opening edge 92 directly and in particular steplessly connected thereto of the working position receiving portion 60A and / or the rest position receiving portion 60R and is transferred to the working position receiving portion 60A and / or the rest position receiving portion 60R according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 or Fig.13 in the rotationally locked position.

[0276] The guide sleeve 44 preferably extends with a section forming a receptacle 102 for the actuating body 52 between the flange 42 and a flange 104 which extends radially to the pivot axis 22 and closes the guide sleeve 44, the flange 104 preferably being molded onto the guide sleeve 44 in one piece and limiting the receptacle 102 for the actuating body 52, so that the actuating body 52 is guided through the receptacle 102 of the guide sleeve 44 radially to the pivot axis 22 and axially in the direction of the pivot axis 22 by positioning at the inner side 108 of the flange 104.

[0277] Furthermore, the flange 104 has a receptacle 106 coaxial to the pivot axis 22 , into which a bushing 110 is inserted (in particular screwed) and penetrated by the shaft 100 , which is located in the receptacle 106 and guides the shaft 100 rotatably relative to the guide sleeve 44 .

[0278] On the side of the receptacle 102 for the actuating body 52 which is opposite to the flange 104, a guide sleeve 44 (e.g. with a section extending through the flange 42) forms a torsion spring receptacle 112, in which a torsion spring 114 is arranged adjacent to the actuating body 52 and is fastened with its outer end in the torsion spring receptacle 112 on the one hand and is connected with its inner end to a drive sleeve 122 which is connected to the actuating body 52 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0279] To this end, the drive sleeve 122 is as shown in Figure 6 , 7 and 16, for example, a protrusion 124 is provided, which engages in the actuating body 52 in order to establish a positive connection with a corresponding recess 126.

[0280] Since the torsion spring 114 acts on the drive sleeve 122 that is torsionally engaged with the operating body 52, the operating body 52 is driven to rotate along the rotation direction 72 through the action of the torsion spring 114 on the drive sleeve 122. In this way, when the force of the torsion spring 114 on the drive sleeve 122 is not hindered, the operating body 52 will always be subjected to the force applied by the torsion spring 114 in the rotation direction 72, and then the operating body 52 tends to apply force to the rotation locking body 54 in the guide direction 58, so that it moves radially outward from the pivot axis 22. However, in all preset rotation positions of the pivot support body 14 (except the working position A and the rest position R), this movement will be blocked by the blocking surface 90. Therefore, only in the working position A and the rest position R, the rotation locking body 54 will be pressed into the working position accommodating portion A and the rest position accommodating portion R, so that the pivot support body 14 is fastened relative to the guide sleeve 44 to be non-rotatable, especially to achieve gap-free fastening.

[0281] In order to be able to move the rotary locking body 54 into the released position, an action on the actuating body 52 opposite to the direction of rotation 72 and therefore opposite to the direction of action of the torsion spring 114 is necessary.

[0282] To this end, the drive sleeve 122 can be driven by means of a planetary gear mechanism 130, which is indicated as a whole by 130 ( Figure 6 ), the planetary gear mechanism is arranged in a gear receptacle 132 of the guide sleeve 44, in particular coaxially with the pivot axis 22, for example, partly arranged in the opening 27 of the bracket plate 26, and preferably extending outward from the side of the opening 27 of the bracket plate 26 opposite to the flange 42.

[0283] Planetary gear mechanism 130 ( Fig.15 ) itself comprises an internal gear 142 which is guided in the internal gear receptacle 132 and is provided with internal teeth 144 with which the planetary gears 146 mesh with their external teeth 148 .

[0284] In this case, the planetary gears 146 are rotatably mounted on a planetary carrier 152 , which in turn is connected to the stationary shaft 100 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0285] In addition, as in Fig.16 As shown in FIG. 1 , the internal gear 142 includes a flange body 154 located between the planetary gear carrier 152 and the torsion spring 114, which also extends in the direction of the shaft 100, surrounds the shaft, but is rotatable relative to the shaft and constitutes the driven end of the planetary gear mechanism 130 for actuating the rotation locking device 50. As shown in FIG. Fig.16 As shown in the figure, the flange body 154 has arc-shaped drive grooves 156a, 156b arranged in an annular manner around the pivot axis 22, which cooperate with drive fingers 158a, 158b of the drive sleeve 122 engaged therein, and are designed in such a way that an idle stroke of the drive sleeve 122 relative to the internal gear 142 can be achieved by the difference between the angular range around the pivot axis 22 through which the drive groove 156 extends and the angular range around the pivot axis 22 through which the drive finger 158 extends, which will be described in detail below.

[0286] In addition, the planetary gear 146 is engaged with its external toothing 148 with the external toothing 164 of the sun gear 162 of the planetary gear mechanism 130, which is located on a drive shaft, which is designated as a whole by 166, which is arranged coaxially with the pivot axis 22 and is freely rotatable relative to the pivot drive shaft 100, for example by means of a journal 168 in a bore 172 which engages at the end side with the end face of the fixed shaft 100, but is supported coaxially with this shaft.

[0287] Drive shaft 166 carries a drive gear 174 , for example a bevel gear, at a distance from planetary gear mechanism 130 , which is driven by a driven gear of a motorized drive unit 182 , which comprises, for example, a drive motor, preferably an electric motor, on the one hand, and a reduction gearbox for driving the drive gear on the other hand.

[0288] The drive unit 182 is held, for example, on a cover 184 which, starting from the support plate 126 , covers the drive shaft 166 with the drive gear 174 and the output gear meshing therewith and also supports the drive shaft 166 on the side facing away from the journal 168 .

[0289] The planetary gear mechanism 130 and the drive unit 182 thus form, for example, an actuating device 180 for the rotation-locking device 50. The fixed shaft 100 , which is coupled to the planet carrier 152 in a rotationally fixed manner, is connected to the flange 104 of the guide body 40 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0290] Here, the end flange 198 of the pivot bearing body 14 spans over the flange 104 of the guide body 40 in the outer region 200 and extends as far as the guide protrusion 202 of the flange 104, wherein the end flange 198 surrounds the outer cylindrical surface 206 of the guide protrusion 202, for example with a radially inner cylindrical surface 204 and, for example, rests thereon and is thereby also additionally guided at the guide protrusion 202 coaxially with the pivot axis 22.

[0291] In addition, a thread 212 extends in the receptacle 106 of the guide protrusion 202, into which the bushing 110 is fastened, in particular screwed, and which spans the end flange 198 in a radially inner region with a portion of the outer flange 214 of the bushing, so that the end flange 198 of the pivot support body 14 is axially non-displaceably guided between the flange 104 and the outer flange 214 of the bushing 110 and is therefore axially non-displaceably guided relative to the guide body 40.

[0292] Furthermore, a cover 222 is mounted on the end flange 198 in a rotationally fixed manner, so that the cover 222 forms a unit with the pivot bearing 14, which is rotatable about the pivot axis 22 ( Fig.17 ).

[0293] In this case, the cover 222 is placed on the end flange 198 and is fastened thereto in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0294] In the case of the solution described above, a set of working position receptacles 60A for fixing the pivot bearing 14 in a rotationally fixed manner in the working position A and a set of resting position receptacles 60R for fixing the pivot bearing 14 in a rotationally fixed manner in the resting position R are provided. In order to reduce noise in the case of a trailer coupling with a rotational locking device 50 (as described above) during movement in the direction of the guide direction 58 when the rotational locking body 54 is transferred from the release position to the rotational locking position, a first embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention (as described in Fig. 20 According to the first embodiment of the trailer coupling of the present invention, a delay unit 300 is provided, which is constructed in such a way that it delays the movement of the operating body 52 in the rotational direction 72 in time, especially when the starting area 68 of the pressure surface 66 has begun to act on the rotary locking body 54, so as to reduce the speed at which the rotary locking body 54 is moved in the direction of the working position receiving portion 60A or the resting position receiving portion 60R.

[0295] For this reason, Fig. 20 and 21As shown in the figure, in the case of the first embodiment, the following arrangement is made, namely, the operating body 52 is provided with an annular protrusion 302 extending in the direction of the flange 104, which engages in an annular groove 304 arranged in the flange 104 of the guide body 40, wherein the annular protrusion 302 and the annular groove 304 have annular surfaces 306 and 308 arranged coaxially relative to the pivot axis 22 facing each other, and a rotational delay ring 310 is arranged between the two annular surfaces, which is used to delay the rotational movement of the operating body 52 so as to reduce the speed of the rotary locking body 54 in the guide direction 58 as it moves into the working position receptacle 60A or the rest position receptacle 60R.

[0296] Here, for example, Fig. 22 As shown in , the rotary delay ring 310 is constructed in such a way that it has two pressure arms 312 and 314 extending approximately parallel to each other, which face the annular surface 306 or 308 with their outer sides 316 or 318 and are connected to each other via an intermediate arm 322, wherein the pressure arms 312, 314 and the intermediate arm 322 are composed of an elastic material, which is used as follows: the pressure arms 312 and 314 are elastically loaded with their outer sides 316 or 318 in the direction of the annular surface 306 or 308 with preload, so as to achieve a sufficiently large friction force between the outer side 316 and the annular surface 306 or the outer side 318 and the annular surface 308 in the simplest case, which counteracts the torque applied by the torsion spring 114 to the rotary locking body 152 and acts in the rotational direction 72, and thus slows down the rotational speed of the rotational movement of the actuating body 52 in the rotational direction 72.

[0297] In a variant of this solution, however, it is also possible that one of the outer sides 316 or 318 is arranged firmly on the respective annular surface 306 or 308 and only the respective other outer side 318 or 316 can act frictionally on the respective annular surface 308 or 306 .

[0298] Preferably, outer side 316 or 318 can be provided with a coating 326 or 328 forming a friction surface 332 , 334 , the selection of which can predetermine a slowing of the rotational movement in rotational direction 72 .

[0299] It is particularly advantageous if the friction surfaces 332 , 334 of the coatings 326 and 328 are designed in such a way that they exert an increased friction effect in the case of a rotational movement in the rotational direction 72 and a reduced friction effect in a rotational direction opposite to the rotational direction 72 , in order to facilitate the transfer of the actuating body 52 from the rotationally locked position into the released position.

[0300] In the case of a first variant of the first embodiment of the delay unit according to the invention (e.g. Fig.23 As shown in , the delay unit 300' is provided with a rotating delay ring 310', which has a support body 336 abutting (e.g., non-rotatably abutting) against the annular surface 306 and a friction body 338 abutting against the annular surface 308, wherein, for example, the support body 336 is radially elastically constructed and presses the friction body 338 against the annular surface 308 and further preferably abuts against the annular surface 306 with a greater friction force, while the friction body 338 abuts against the annular surface 308 and is movable relative to the annular surface 308 with a predeterminable friction coefficient.

[0301] In the case of the second variant of the first embodiment of the delay unit 300 ″ according to the invention (in Figures 24 to 26 As shown in the figure, the rotational delay ring 310" acting between the annular surface 306 and the annular surface 308 is composed of a base 342 made of an elastic material with a desired friction coefficient, and has support bodies 344 arranged in a circumferential direction and spaced apart from each other in the base 342, which are oriented obliquely relative to the radial direction 346 of the relative pivot axis to facilitate the following, that is, the base 342, in the case of rotational movement in the rotational direction 72, abuts against the annular surfaces 306 and 308 with its outer side 316" or 318" with greater force, and thus generates a friction force greater than in the case of rotational movement opposite to the rotational direction 72.

[0302] As a result, the friction effect is greater in the case of a rotational movement of the operating body 52 in the rotational direction 72, that is, when moving the rotary locking body 54 into the working position or the rest position receptacle 60, than in the case of a rotational movement opposite to the rotational direction 72, that is, when releasing the rotary lock and transferring to the released position.

[0303] Alternatively or in addition, according to a second embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention, a second embodiment of a delay unit 400 is provided, which is arranged in the part of the guide sleeve 44 of the guide body 40 that surrounds the actuating body 52 and acts together with the peripheral side of the actuating body 52, in particular with the pressure surfaces 66 and / or with the peripheral area 71 that is adjacent to one of the pressure surfaces 66, wherein the delay unit 400 includes a friction body 402, which is arranged in a guide sleeve 404 that, for example, forms a guide receptacle and can be loaded in the direction of the actuating body 52 by an elastomer 406 (for example, composed of a coil spring or a disc spring assembly) that is also located in the guide sleeve 404, wherein the friction body 402 is arranged such that, as in Fig.28 As shown in FIG. 1 , when the starting area 68 of the corresponding pressure surface 66 begins to act on the corresponding rotation locking body 54 ( Figure 27 to Figure 29 ) and moves it into the rotationally locked position.

[0304] This can be achieved, for example, in that the friction body 402 protrudes from the guide sleeve 404 in the direction of the operating body 52 only to such an extent that it only acts when the end region 70 of the pressure surface 66 is opposite to it or even only acts when the peripheral region 71 following the pressure surface 66 is opposite to it, which peripheral region in particular constitutes a cylindrical peripheral region of the operating body 52.

[0305] Therefore, when the rotary locking body 54 is to be moved from the release position to the rotary locking position, the end area 70 constitutes a delay starting area 405 of the friction surface 403 and the cylindrical peripheral area 71 constitutes a delay ending area 407 of the friction surface 403, and the delay unit 400 moves along the friction surface 403 while rotating in the rotation direction 72 of the operating body 52.

[0306] In particular, when friction body 402 interacts with peripheral region 71 , peripheral region 71 can be provided with a friction-promoting surface structure or surface coating, which is not possible in the region of pressure surface 66 .

[0307] Here, only one delay unit 400 is assigned to one of the rotary locking bodies 54, and due to the support of the actuating body 52 with play relative to the pivot axis 22, it is also possible to provide a delay unit 400 that acts for each peripheral region 71 immediately following the pressure contact surface 66. These delay units 400 allow the rotational movement of the actuating body 52 in the rotational direction 72 and thus the movement of the corresponding rotary locking body 54 in the guide direction 58 to be delayed immediately before impact on the receptacle bottom 61A or also 61R, for example, in order to engage in the working position receptacle 60A or the rest position receptacle 60R, and thus reduce the impact noise of the corresponding actuating body 54 on the corresponding receptacle bottom 61A or 61R.

[0308] In the first variant of the second embodiment (in Figures 30 to 32 In the case of FIG. 4 ), the delay unit 400′ is arranged in the operating body 52, and its friction body 402′ protrudes in the peripheral area 71 between the corresponding pressure surface 66 and the retraction receptacle 62 following the rotation direction 72 opposite to the movement of the rotary locking body 54 into the rotary locking position and acts together with the friction surface 403′ arranged in the guide sleeve 44 of the guide body 40.

[0309] Preferably, the friction surface 403' extends in such a way that its radial spacing from the pivot axis 22 forming the rotation axis of the actuating body 52 gradually decreases in the direction of the rotation axis 72 from the delay starting area 405' to the delay ending area 407', so that the distance between the area of ​​the friction surface 403' loaded by the friction body 402' and the delay unit 400', in particular the guide sleeve 404' forming a guide receptacle, for example, decreases when the actuating body 52 rotates in the rotation direction 72 and thereby the elastomer 404' arranged in the guide sleeve 404' is arranged in the guide sleeve 404'. The enhanced compression of 6' increases the friction between the friction body 402' and the friction surface 403' when the operating body 52 rotates in the rotational direction 72 and the delay unit 400' moves along the friction surface 403' from the delay starting area 405' to the delay end area 407', and thus also increases the braking effect of the delay unit 400' on the operating body 52, and is particularly greatest when the corresponding pressure surface 66 begins to act on the corresponding rotary locking body 54, and immediately before the rotary locking body 54 is fully engaged in the corresponding rotary locking receptacle 62.

[0310] In particular, the delay end region 407 ′ here extends along a circular arc about the rotation axis 22 of the actuating body 52 , so that no permanent torque opposite to the rotation direction 72 is generated by the delay unit 400 ′ in the rotationally locked position.

[0311] In the second variant of the second embodiment (in Figures 33 to 37 In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the delay unit 400 ″ is arranged in a flange 104 surrounded by the guide body 40, which limits the receptacle 102 for the actuating body 52 and is in particular integrally molded onto the guide sleeve 44 of the guide body 40.

[0312] Here, the guide sleeve 404" forming the guide receptacle is arranged in the flange 104 in such a way that the friction body 402" protrudes from the guide sleeve 404" in the direction of the operating body 52 and interacts with a friction surface 403", which is arranged on the side of the operating body 52 facing the flange 104 and can be rotated together with the operating body 52.

[0313] In addition, the friction body 402" is loaded by an elastic body 406" in a guide sleeve 404", which is supported by the flange 104, for example, as shown in Fig.33 and 34 As shown in FIG. 1 , or similarly can be supported at an end flange 198 of the pivot bearing 14 that abuts against the flange 104, as in FIG. Fig.35 As shown in the case of a modification of the second variant of the second exemplary embodiment.

[0314] The friction surface 403" formed on the operating body 52 extends in an arc shape around the shaft 22 from a delay starting area 405" to a delay ending area 407", as shown in FIG. Fig.36 and 37 As shown in FIG. 4 , and extending from the delay start area 405 "to the delay end area 407", with, for example, a gradually decreasing distance from the guide sleeve 404 "forming the guide receiving portion, so that the friction body 402 "is formed in Fig.36 and Fig.37 The delayed start area 405" shown in FIG. Fig.38 and Fig.39 In the case of the delay end area 407" shown in the figure, the elastomer 406" is gradually compressed and therefore acts on the friction body 402" in the delay end area 407" with a greater force than in the delay start area 405", so that when the rotary locking body 52 moves in the rotational direction 72, the friction force and thus the braking force acting in the opposite direction of the rotational direction 72 are increased, and the movement in the rotational direction 72 is braked.

[0315] Preferably, the entire delay area 407" loaded by the friction body 402" is no longer inclined, but extends at a constant distance relative to the guide receptacle 404", so that in this position of the operating body 52, the friction body 402" does not generate a torque opposite to the rotational direction 72 in the joint action with the delay end area 407", which reacts to the locking force acting on the rotational locking body 54 through the operating body 52.

[0316] In the third variant of the second embodiment (in Fig.40 and 41 In the case shown in FIG. 4 , the delay unit 400 ″′ is arranged in the operating body 52, and the friction surface 403 ″′ is arranged on the inner side 108 of the flange 104 of the guide body 40 facing the operating body 52.

[0317] Thus, a guide receptacle is arranged in the actuating body 52 , which forms a guide sleeve 404 ′″, has a friction body 402 ′″ guided therein, and has an elastomer body 406 ″ which acts on the friction body 402 ′″.

[0318] When the operating body 52 moves in the rotational direction 72 so as to transfer the rotary locking body 54 from the released position to the rotational locked position, the friction body 402' moves from the delay starting area 405'' to the delay ending area 407'', and causes a gradual delay of the rotational movement in the rotational direction 72 so as to reduce the noise when the rotary locking body 54 is finally inserted into the corresponding receptacle 60, wherein, similarly in this variant scheme, the friction surface 403'' has a gradually decreasing distance from the guide receptacle 404'' when extending from the delay starting area 405'' to the delay ending area 407'', and thus the friction force between the friction body 402'' and the friction surface 403'' is increased in the area loaded by the friction body 402''.

[0319] Furthermore, in this variant as well, the delay end region 407 ′″ extends parallel to the guide receptacle 404 ′″, so that in the locked position of the actuating body 52 no torque acting counter to the direction of rotation 72 is obtained.

[0320] Similarly, in the first to third variants of the second embodiment, the corresponding delay units 400', 400" and 400'" are not only associated with one of the rotational locking bodies 54 with the corresponding friction surfaces 403', 403" and 403'", but due to the support of the operating body 52 with clearance relative to the pivot axis 22, it is also possible that a plurality of the delay units 400', 400", 400'", in particular each of the rotational locking bodies 54 or its pressure surface 66 is associated with a delay unit 400', 400", 400'" with a friction surface 403', 403", 403'" that acts together with it.

[0321] Alternatively or in addition to the previously described embodiments of the delay unit according to the invention, in the case of a third embodiment of the trailer coupling according to the invention a third embodiment of the delay unit 500 is provided ( Fig.42 and Fig.43 ), which is arranged in the pivot bearing 14 and is associated, for example, with one of the working position receptacles 60A, for example, the working position receptacle 60Aa. Here, the delay unit 500 comprises a delay body 502 associated with the working position receptacle bottom 61Aa, which in its inactive position projects beyond the working position receptacle bottom 61Aa and is loaded by a spring element 504.

[0322] Here, not only the delay body 502 but also the elastic element 504 are arranged in a guide body 506, which is arranged in a bore hole 508 in the pivot support body 14 associated with the working position receptacle 60Aa, which bore hole is provided with an internal thread, for example, and thus opens up the possibility of accommodating a guide body 506 provided with an external thread, wherein the guide body 506 together with the delay body 502 and the associated elastic element 504 arranged therein can be moved in the direction of the bottom 61Aa of the working position receptacle and can thus be adjusted in such a way that the delay body 502 in its initial position, in which it has not yet taken effect (in which loading by the associated rotary locking body 54 has not yet been achieved), protrudes to a greater or lesser extent from the bottom 61Aa of the working position receptacle into the working position receptacle 60Aa.

[0323] Depending on the extent to which the delay body 502 extends into the working position receptacle 60Aa via the working position receptacle bottom 61Aa, the delay effect exerted by the delay body 502 on the rotary locking body 54 in the case of movement in the direction of the working position receptacle bottom 61Aa in the guide direction 58 can be adjusted, and thus the delay effect of the delay unit 500 from the outside of the pivot support body 14 can also be adjusted, in particular when the guide body 506 has a guide body head 512, which protrudes over the outer periphery of the pivot support body 14 and, for example, has a receptacle 514 for an adjusting tool (e.g. a screwdriver).

[0324] In the case of the delay unit 500 adjusted in this way, the rotational locking body 54a reaches the delay body 502 before hitting the bottom 61Aa of the working position receiving portion, which delays the movement of the rotational locking body 54a through the deformation of the elastic element 504 and allows it to impact the bottom 61Aa of the working position receiving portion at a reduced speed.

[0325] Although the delay unit 500 is only associated with the working position accommodation portion 60A (for example, the working position accommodation portion 60Aa), it also has a delaying effect on the remaining rotary locking bodies 54 entering the corresponding working position accommodation portions 60Ab and 60Ac, because the rotary locking body 54a that is delayed by the delay unit 500 before impacting the bottom 61Aa of the working position accommodation portion simultaneously applies a reaction to the operating body 52, so that the operating body is also delayed in its rotational movement in the rotational direction 72, and therefore also only moves in the direction of the corresponding working position accommodation portion bottom 61Ab and 61Ac with the delay of the remaining rotary locking bodies 54b and 54c, thereby causing noise reduction as a whole.

[0326] In the same way, one of the rest position receptacles 60R can also be supplementally or alternatively associated with such a delay unit 500 according to the invention in order to achieve the desired noise reduction even when the rotation-locking body 54 enters the respective rest position receptacle 60R.

[0327] In the first variant of the third embodiment (in Fig.44 In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the delay body 502 is not supported by the elastic element 504, but is supported by a fluid brake element 504 composed of a shear thickening fluid in an elastic shell 507, which has a dilatancy that depends on the shear rate, and therefore has a higher resistance to relative flow when the rotational locking body 54 suddenly acts on the delay body 502 and thus brakes the movement of the rotational locking body in the movement direction 48, and then in the braking state, due to the resulting lower resistance to relative flow, allows it to be transferred to the rotational locking position when the elastic shell 507 expands, as in FIG. Fig.45 As shown in .

[0328] A further detailed description of the trailer coupling according to the invention, in particular of the individual movement sequences, is disclosed in DE 10 20 2011 468, so that in this respect reference is made entirely to the disclosure content of this application.

Claims

1. A trailer coupling, comprising a ball neck (10) movable between an operating position (A) and a rest position (R), the ball neck having a pivot bearing (14) arranged at a first end and a coupling ball (18) arranged at a second end; a vehicle-fixed pivot bearing unit (20), by means of which the pivot bearing (14) is pivotably supported between the operating position (A) and the rest position (R) for a pivoting movement about a pivot axis (22); and a rotational locking device acting between the pivot bearing unit (20) and the pivot bearing (14). The invention relates to a rotary locking device (50), wherein the rotary locking device has at least one rotary locking unit (80) on the one hand, the rotary locking unit having a rotary locking body (54), the rotary locking body being movably guided in a guide direction (58) by means of a guide receptacle (56) of a guide body (40) and being movable in the guide direction (58) via a pressure surface (66) extending transversely to the guide direction (58) and arranged on an operating body (52), and the rotary locking device has at least one working position receptacle (60A) and / or at least one rest position receptacle (60R), wherein: By moving the operating body (52) in an operating direction (72), the rotary locking body (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) can be moved and loaded in the guide direction (58), and the rotary locking body (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) is brought into a rotary locking position in the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R) by the movement in the guide direction (58), and in the rotary locking position the rotary locking body (54) is engaged with a respective working position receiving portion (60A) or rest position receiving portion (60R) so as to prevent the pivot support body (14) from rotating around the pivot The invention relates to a method of controlling a rotation of the rotary locking device (50) to a rotational movement of the guide body (40) relative to the axis (22); wherein the rotary locking body (54) can be brought into a release position and in this position disengages from the working position receiving portion (60) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) and releases the pivotal movement of the pivot support body (14); characterized in that the rotary locking device (50) is assigned to at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500), which delays the transfer of the rotary locking device (50) to the rotary locking position caused by the action on the rotary locking device (50) in time, at least when the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R) is reached.

2. The trailer coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that: The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) acts on the rotation locking device (50).

3. The trailer coupling according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) delays the transfer of the rotational locking unit (80) into the rotational locking position in terms of time.

4. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) acts on one or more elements of the rotation locking device (50).

5. The trailer coupling according to claims 2 to 4, characterized in that The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) acts directly on one of the elements of the rotation locking device (50).

6. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) delays the movement of the rotation-locking body (54) into the rotation-locking position in terms of time.

7. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) delays the movement of the actuating body (52) into the rotationally locked position in terms of time.

8. The trailer coupling according to claim 7, characterized in that: The at least one delay unit (300, 400) acts between the guide body (44) and the manipulator body (52).

9. The trailer coupling according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The at least one delay unit (300, 400', 400'") is arranged on the manipulator (52).

10. The trailer coupling according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 400") is arranged on the guide body (44).

11. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The at least one delay unit (300, 400, 500) has an elastic element (312, 314, 322, 336, 406, 504).

12. The trailer coupling according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that The elastic element (312, 314, 322, 336, 406) forms at least one friction surface (316, 318, 342) or loads a friction body (326, 328, 338, 402, 402', 402", 402'").

13. The trailer coupling according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that The at least one delay unit (300) comprises a motion delaying body (310) which acts between a surface (302) of the manipulating body (52) and a surface of the guide body (40) opposite to the surface (302).

14. The trailer coupling according to claim 13, characterized in that The motion-delaying body (310) has different friction effects depending on the direction of motion.

15. The trailer coupling according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that The at least one delay unit (400) is arranged in a defined position on the guide body (40) or the operating body (52), and acts on the operating body (52) or the guide body (40) in a delayed manner starting from the defined position.

16. The trailer coupling according to claim 15, characterized in that The delay unit (400) is provided with a friction body (402) loaded by an elastic body (406), which acts on the actuating body (52) or the guide body (40).

17. The trailer coupling according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that A delay unit (400, 400', 400", 400'") arranged on the guide body (40) or the operating body (52) acts on a friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") arranged on the operating body (52) or the guide body (40) with the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402'") 18. The trailer coupling according to claim 17, characterized in that The friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") extends over a certain angular range around the rotation axis (22) of the manipulation body (52).

19. The trailer coupling according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that The friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") extends from a delay starting area (405, 405', 405", 405'") to a delay ending area (407, 407', 407", 407'").

20. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterised in that The friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") extends at a varying distance from a guide receptacle (404, 404', 404", 404'") of the delay unit (400, 400', 400", 400'") during a rotational movement of the actuating body (52) relative to the guide body (40).

21. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 17 to 20, characterised in that When the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402'") acts on the delay end area (407, 407', 407", 407'"), the elastic body (406, 406', 406", 406'") acts on the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402'") with a greater force than when the friction body (402, 402', 402", 402'") acts on the delay start area (405, 405', 405", 405'") 22. The trailer coupling according to claim 16, characterized in that The friction body (402) acts on the actuating body (52) on the circumference, in particular on a friction surface (403, 403', 403", 403'") arranged on the circumference.

23. The trailer coupling according to claim 22, characterized in that The friction body (402) acts on the pressure-bearing surface (66) of the loaded rotation locking body (54) to load the rotation locking body (54).

24. The trailer coupling according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that The friction body (402) acts on a peripheral region (71) of the actuating body (52) which adjoins a pressure surface (66) for applying pressure to a rotational locking body (54).

25. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 15 to 21, characterised in that The friction body (402) acts on the end side of the actuating body (52), in particular on a friction surface (403') thereof arranged on the end side.

26. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 15 to 21, characterised in that The friction body (402) acts on a wall surface of a receptacle (102) for the actuating body (52) arranged in the guide body (40), in particular on a friction surface (403", 403'") arranged on the receptacle (102).

27. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The at least one delay unit (500) acts on a rotation locking body (54) when the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R) is reached and delays its movement in the working position receiving portion (60A) or the rest position receiving portion (60R).

28. The trailer coupling of claim 20, wherein: The delay unit (500) is assigned to at least the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R).

29. The trailer coupling according to claim 28, characterized in that The delay unit (500) counteracts the impact of the rotation locking body (54) on the receiving portion bottom (61A, 61R) of the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the static position receiving portion (60R) in a delayed manner.

30. The trailer coupling according to claim 29, characterized in that The delay unit (500) comprises an elastic element (504) which counteracts the movement of the rotation locking body (54) in the direction of the bottom (61) of the corresponding receiving portion in a delayed manner.

31. The trailer coupling of claim 29, wherein: The delay unit (500') comprises a fluid brake element (505) made of a shear thickening fluid.

32. A trailer coupling according to claim 30 or 31, characterised in that The delay unit (500) is held and supported on a component (14) of the pivot support unit (20) that supports the accommodation portion (60A, 60R).

33. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 27 to 32, characterised in that The elastic element (504) acts in a delayed manner via a delaying body (502) on the rotational locking body (54) that enters the receiving portion (60A, 60R).

34. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 27 to 33, characterised in that The delay unit (500) is adjustably positioned relative to the receiving portion (60A, 60R).

35. The trailer coupling according to claim 34, characterized in that The delay unit (500) has a guide body (506) which accommodates the elastic element (504) and, if appropriate, the delay body (502).

36. The trailer coupling according to claim 35, characterized in that The guide body (506) is retained on the component (14) supporting the receiving portion (60A, 60R) in an adjustable position.

37. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that A blocking surface (90) extends between the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R), the rotational locking body (54) can be placed relative to the blocking surface and the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) extend from the blocking surface, the rotational locking unit (80) and the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) are arranged at an angular interval (W) with respect to each other around the pivot axis (22), i.e., in all set rotational positions of the pivot support body (14) except the working position receiving portion (60A), the rotational locking body (54) is arranged at an angular interval (W) with respect to each other. At least one of the rotational locking units (80) outside the position (A) and / or the rest position (R) is arranged opposite to one of the blocking surfaces (90) and therefore these blocking surfaces (90), in particular when the operating body (52) is loaded with force in the direction of the operating direction (72), prevent the movement of the operating body (52) in the operating direction (72) and therefore also prevent the rotational locking body (54) of each rotational locking unit (80) from force-loaded engagement in one of the working position receptacle (60A) or the rest position receptacle (60R).

38. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The rotational locking unit (80) is arranged around the pivot axis (22) at an angular interval (W) in order to form a rotational locking configuration, the working position accommodation portion (60A) and / or the rest position accommodation portion (60R) are arranged around the pivot axis (22) at the same angular interval (W) as the rotational locking unit (80) in order to form various accommodation configurations for the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R), and the working position accommodation portion (60A) in the working position (A) or the rest position accommodation portion (60R) in the rest position (R) The rotational locking configuration and the accommodating configuration overlap with each other so that the rotational locking body (54) can be engaged in the working position accommodating portion (60A) or the rest position accommodating portion (60R), and the angular interval (W) between the rotational locking units (80) of the rotational locking configuration and the angular interval between the working position accommodating portion (60) or the rest position accommodating portion (60R) of the accommodating configuration are selected so that the rotational locking configuration and one of the accommodating configurations overlap with each other only in the working position (A) and / or the rest position (R).

39. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The angular spacing (W) of at least one of the rotational locking units (80) relative to at least one of the rotational locking units (80) in a certain rotational direction around the pivot axis (22) and the angular spacing (W) of the rotational locking units (80) arranged adjacently opposite to the rotational direction are different, and in the working position (A) the working position accommodation portion (60A) is arranged such that the rotational locking body (54) of each of the rotational locking units (80) can be brought into engagement with each of the working position accommodation portions (60A), and / or in the rest position (R) the rest position accommodation portion (60R) is arranged such that each of the rotational locking units (80) The rotary locking body (54) of the element (80) can be brought into engagement with each of the stationary position receiving parts (60R), and in all rotational positions of the pivot support body (14) that are arranged for operation and are outside the working position (A) or the stationary position (R), the rotary locking body (54) of at least one rotary locking unit of the rotary locking unit (80) is opposite to a blocking surface (90) extending between the working position receiving part (60A) and / or the stationary position receiving part (60R), and the blocking surface (90), in particular when the operating body (52) is loaded with force, prevents the operating body (52) from moving from the release position into the rotary locking position.

40. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 39, characterised in that The blocking surface (90) extends facing the rotation locking body (54) of the rotation locking unit (80).

41. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 40, characterised in that The blocking surface (90) extends around the pivot axis (22) at a defined radius.

42. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 41, characterised in that The blocking surface (90) extends as far as the opening edge (92) of the working position receptacle (60A) and / or the rest position receptacle (60R) and merges into these opening edges.

43. The trailer coupling according to claim 42, characterized in that The opening edge (92) of the working position receiving portion (60A) and / or the rest position receiving portion (60R) is located at the same radial distance from the pivot axis (22) as the blocking surface (90).

44. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 43, characterised in that At least one of the rotary locking bodies (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) when the pivot support (14) pivots in the direction of the working position (A), and in particular abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) in a force-loaded manner through the action of the operating body (52).

45. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 44, characterised in that The rotary locking body (54) abuts against the blocking surface (90) under load before reaching the working position (A) and then enters into the working position receiving portion (60A) under load against the opening edge (92) of the working position receiving portion (60A).

46. ​​A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 45, characterised in that The working position receptacle (60A) extends from the blocking surface (90) in the guide direction (58), in particular with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis (22).

47. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 46, characterised in that At least one of the rotary locking bodies (54) of the rotary locking unit (80) abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) in the case of a pivoting movement of the pivot support (14) in the direction of the stationary position (R), in particular abuts against one of the blocking surfaces (90) by force loading of the operating body (52).

48. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 47, characterised in that The rotary locking body (54) bears against the blocking surface (90) under load before reaching the rest position (R) and then enters into the rest position receptacle (60R) under load against an opening edge (92) of the rest position receptacle (60R).

49. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 48, characterised in that The rest position receptacle (60R) extends from the blocking surface (90) in the guide direction (58), in particular with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis (22).

50. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 37 to 49, characterised in that The working position receiving portion (60A), the resting position receiving portion (60R) and the blocking surface (90) are arranged facing the guide sleeve (40).

51. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The guide body (40) is part of a pivot bearing unit (20) which is arranged fixedly on the vehicle.

52. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that All guide receptacles (56) for rotational locking bodies (54) of the rotational locking unit (80) are arranged in the guide body (40).

53. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The guide direction (58) extends with at least one component in a radial direction relative to the pivot axis (22).

54. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The guide body (40) has a guide sleeve (44) with a guide receptacle (56) for a rotational locking body (54) of the rotational locking unit (80), and in particular the rotational locking body (54) is guided on the guide body (40) adjoining the pivot bearing (14) in a radial direction.

55. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The guide body (40) has a pivot bearing for the pivot bearing body (14).

56. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The actuating body (52) is guided movably relative to the guide body (40).

57. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The operating body (52) is rotatably arranged around the pivot axis (22) and in particular has a wedge surface (66) extending around the pivot axis (22) through a certain angle range and changing in a direction parallel to the guide direction (58), preferably in combination with a retraction accommodating portion (62) having a wedge surface (66) extending around the pivot axis (22) through a certain angle range and changing in a direction parallel to the guide direction (58).

58. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The receiving portion (60) and the blocking surface (90) are arranged on the pivot bearing (14).

59. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The actuating body (52) is surrounded by the guide body (40), and in particular the pivot bearing body (14) surrounds the guide body (40).

60. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The rotation locking body (54) is arranged around the actuating body (52).

61. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The pivot bearing body (14) constitutes an external body that externally surrounds the pivot bearing unit (20) and is arranged non-displaceably in the direction of the pivot axis (22) relative to the pivot bearing unit (20), and in particular, the pivot bearing body (14) constitutes an external body that externally surrounds at least a partial area of ​​the rotational locking unit (50) and is arranged non-displaceably in the direction of the pivot axis (22) relative to the guide body (40).

62. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The actuating body (52) can be loaded in the direction of its rotationally locked position via an elastic energy accumulator (114).

63. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The actuating body (52) can be moved from the rotationally locked position into the released position by means of the actuating device (180).

64. A trailer coupling according to claim 62 or 63, characterised in that The actuating body (52) can be moved by the actuating device (180) counter to the loading by the energy storage device (114).

65. A trailer coupling according to any one of claims 62 to 64, characterised in that The actuating device (180) can be used to rotate the actuating body (52) counter to an actuating direction (72) acted upon by the elastic energy accumulator (114).

66. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The actuating device (180) has a drive element (142) which is coupled to the actuating body (52).

67. The trailer coupler of claim 66, wherein: The drive element (142) and the actuating body (52) are coupled to one another via a drive coupling device (156, 158).

68. The trailer coupler of claim 67, wherein: The drive coupling device (156, 158) has a non-drive idling state and a drive state.

69. A trailer coupling according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that The operating device (180) for the rotation locking device (50) comprises a motorized drive unit.

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