Fifth Wheel Hitch Adapter for Self-Aligning Trailer Connection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fifth wheel hitches are complicated, expensive, and difficult to connect, often requiring multiple attempts and additional help for proper alignment, with potential for accelerated wear and stress on the trailer's pin box due to rotational and vertical stress transfer.
Innovation Solution
A fifth wheel hitch design featuring a kingpin adapter that allows rotational and translational movement, with a pyramidal shape that mates with a seat on the towing vehicle, enabling easy alignment and secure connection without additional tools, and a compressible pad for flexibility during towing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional fifth wheel hitch with kingpin and skid plate is used, then the connection is strong and secure, but the alignment is difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch head is made movable relative to the base plate, allowing it to adjust its position and orientation dynamically during the connection process. This enables automatic alignment between the hitch head and kingpin through the mechanical interaction of the L-shaped guide slots with the rounded ends, eliminating the need for precise manual alignment while maintaining secure connection.
2Ease of operation
If an adapter is used to convert kingpin to ball and socket connection, then the connection method is simplified, but the stress on the trailer's pin box increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch assembly is divided into separate functional components: a base plate that attaches to the towing vehicle and a movable hitch head that interacts with the kingpin. This segmentation allows the load-bearing functions to be distributed, with the base plate absorbing much of the stress while the hitch head provides the simplified connection interface, reducing stress concentration on the pin box.
3Reliability
If the hitch structure is made robust and reliable, then the connection is secure, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hitch head is made movable relative to the base plate, allowing it to adjust its position and orientation dynamically during the connection process. This enables automatic alignment between the hitch head and kingpin through the mechanical interaction of the L-shaped guide slots with the rounded ends, eliminating the need for precise manual alignment while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The hitch head contains nested structural elements including the L-shaped guide slots integrated into its body, with the rounded ends positioned within the overall hitch head structure. This nested design consolidates multiple alignment and connection features into a single compact component, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A fifth wheel hitch has a base attachable to a towing vehicle, a seat attachable at a selected elevation above the base, and a kingpin adapter attachable to a kingpin of a trailer so as to permit rotation of the kingpin adapter relative to the kingpin about a kingpin rotation axis. The seat has a mouth which narrows in the longitudinal direction, such as by having a pyramidal shape. A bottom of the kingpin adapter has a shape which can cause both pivoting rotation of the kingpin adapter relative to the kingpin and longitudinal or transverse translational movement of the kingpin adapter and attached kingpin when the towing vehicle is driven to a position with the seat under the bottom of the kingpin adapter and the kingpin is jacked down so the kingpin adapter seats into the seat.