Dual-Reacting Hitch Load Sensing Pin Adapter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle hitch designs vary significantly between models due to factors like spare tire placement and frame rail spacing, making it difficult to package force-sensing elements effectively, leading to increased manufacturing costs and reduced availability of replacement parts.
Innovation Solution
A dual-reacting hitch system with a single load sensing pin and a non-load sensing pin, where the pins act as the only load path between the receiver tube and the crossbar, allowing for load condition determination across various vehicle and trailer configurations, reducing packaging size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If force-sensing elements are packaged into hitches for each specific vehicle model, then load monitoring capability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase and replacement parts availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single hitch configuration with a pin adapter and load sensing pin that can be used across multiple vehicle models. Instead of customizing force-sensing elements for each specific vehicle hitch design, the universal pin adapter assembly works with various receiver tube configurations, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and part variety while maintaining load monitoring capability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple pins with load sensors are used to monitor all load directions, then measurement completeness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential load sensing function by using a single load sensing pin within the pin adapter assembly. Instead of installing multiple sensors to capture all load directions, the system selectively measures the primary vertical load through the load sensing pin while using the hitch ball location determination (via sensors or manual input) to calculate complete load conditions, thereby reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary calculation approach where the hitch ball location (determined by sensors or user input) serves as a mediator between the single load sensing pin measurement and the complete load condition analysis. This intermediary information allows the system to derive comprehensive load characteristics from a single direct sensor measurement, avoiding the need for multiple physical sensors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hitch designs are customized for each vehicle model, then adaptability to specific configurations is improved, but part availability and interchangeability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality through the pin adapter assembly that can accommodate various hitch configurations across different vehicle models. The standardized pin adapter and load sensing pin design allows the same replacement parts to be used across multiple vehicle platforms, improving parts availability and interchangeability while maintaining adaptability to different receiver tube and crossbar configurations through the adapter's flexible mounting options.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for a dual reacting, single load sensing element coupled to a hitch receiver are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a hitch configured to be coupled to a vehicle, the hitch including a crossbar, a receiver tube, and a pin housing coupled to the receiver tube. The pin housing includes a first pin including a load sensor, the first pin reacting loads in a first direction and a second direction and a second pin, the second pin reacting loads in the first direction, the first pin and the second pin acting as the only load path between the receiver tube and the crossbar.