Automatic Tow Hitch Latching for Variable Tow Bar Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hitch systems require manual operation to engage and attach to a tow bar, limiting compatibility with various tow bar geometries and sizes, and often necessitate manual detection of the tow bar presence.
Innovation Solution
An automatic hitch system with a moveable arm and actuator that can latch to a tow bar, featuring a contact sensor and adjustable slotted mounting plate to accommodate different tow bar geometries, allowing for automatic detection and engagement of the tow bar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operation is used to engage the hitch, then the system is simpler, but the engagement process is time-consuming and requires manual detection
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch system performs self-detection through the contact sensor that automatically senses when the tow bar is present in the receiving cavity, and self-actuation through the actuator that automatically moves the moveable arm to engage or disengage the tow bar without requiring manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated control system that uses a contact sensor to detect tow bar presence and an actuator to control the moveable arm, substituting human-operated mechanical systems with sensor-actuator automated systems
2Adaptability or versatility
If the hitch is designed for specific tow bar geometry, then the latching is more reliable, but it reduces compatibility with various tow bar sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The moveable arm is designed to be dynamically adjustable through actuation, allowing it to move between positioned states to accommodate different tow bar geometries while maintaining reliable engagement through the latching mechanism that secures the arm in the appropriate position
Solution Approach 2:
The hitch system is designed with universal compatibility to accommodate various tow bar sizes and shapes by using a moveable arm that can be positioned at different locations and an adjustable contact sensor that can detect different tow bar geometries, allowing one system to serve multiple functions
3Adaptability or versatility
If the contact sensor position is fixed, then the mounting is simpler, but it cannot accommodate various tow bar geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The contact sensor mounting position is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the sensor to be positioned at different locations along the mounting surface to detect various tow bar geometries while maintaining a relatively simple mounting structure through adjustable positioning mechanisms
Data Source
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AI summary
A hitch configured to selectively latch to a tow bar is provided. The hitch includes a housing, a frame defining a receiving cavity, a moveable arm, an actuator configured to move the arm between an unlatched position and a latched position, and a contact sensor mounted within the housing on a slotted mounting plate. The arm is configured to engage the tow bar when in the latched position. The slotted mounting plate is configured to enable a position of the contact sensor to be adjusted based on a geometry of the tow bar. The actuator is activated by the contact sensor sensing the presence of the tow bar within the receiving cavity.