A fifth wheel hitch assembly for mounting to a towing vehicle and receiving a kingpin of a trailer incorporating a comfort assembly is provided. The fifth wheel hitch assembly may comprise a kingpin receiving assembly attached to a mounting rail via a comfort assembly. The comfort assembly may include one or more pivot bushing assemblies, as well as vertically adjustable, anti-rattle attachment systems. These attachment systems may include a cam assembly and/or a T-pin assembly.

An unmanned and self-powered vehicle or Towable Autonomous Dray (TOAD) may follow a vehicle and tow a trailer, haul a load, and/or recharge a pilot vehicle. The TOAD may be semi-autonomous and may attach to a pilot vehicle by an electronic identification. Further, wireless charging of the pilot vehicle may be provided by the TOAD. Smart trailer brakes, electric trailer axles, and a mechanically coupled tow vehicle may be provided by the TOAD in combination with additional units. A smart trailer controller may include a smart head unit and a smart tail unit in a trailer that may offer trailer security and increased safety. A smart trailer brake controller on the pilot vehicle and a smart module on the trailer may be applied where no unmanned vehicle is employed, such as, in a classic pick-up/trailer combination.

An improved cargo dolly for transporting cargo is described having a mobile dolly frame, a main shaft on the frame, a lever proximate to a first part of the frame (where the lever is movable relative to the frame and in responsive communication with the main shaft), a first set of transfer sprockets mounted to the main shaft, a secondary shaft rotatably disposed at a second part of the frame (where the first part is remote from the second part), a second set of transfer sprockets mounted to the secondary shaft, a chain disposed about the first set of transfer sprockets and the second set of transfer sprockets, and a locking pin having a first end fixed to the secondary shaft and a second end configured as an angled latch. Rotation of the lever responsively causes the locking pin to remotely rotate at the second part of the frame.

A materials handling vehicle comprising a path validation tool and a drive unit, steering unit, localization module, and navigation module that cooperate to navigate the vehicle along a warehouse travel path. The tool comprises warehouse layout data, a proposed travel path, vehicle kinematics, and a dynamic vehicle boundary that approximates the vehicle physical periphery. The tool executes path validation logic to determine vehicle pose along the proposed travel path, update the dynamic vehicle boundary to account for changes in vehicle speed and steering angle, determine whether the dynamic vehicle boundary is likely to intersect obstacles represented in the layout data based on the determined vehicle pose at candidate positions along the proposed travel path, determine a degree of potential impingement at the candidate positions by referring to the dynamic vehicle boundary and obstacle data, and modify the proposed travel path to mitigate the degree of potential impingement.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and systems for receiving feedback during transport. Embodiments include a transportation system comprising a tractor, a dolly attached to opposing ends of a first and second trailer, and a sensor feedback system. Sensor feedback system may include a tilt sensor system mounted on at least one of the dolly, the first trailer, and the second trailer, and a user feedback system mounted within the tractor. Tilt sensor system may measure tilt of at least one of the dolly, first and second trailers, and first and second containers attached to the first and second trailers, to obtain tilt information, and send tilt information to the user feedback system via a communication system. User feedback system may receive the tilt information and alert a driver of the tractor if the tilt information is above a predetermined level.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and systems for receiving feedback during transport. Embodiments include a transportation system comprising a tractor, a dolly attached to opposing ends of a first and second trailer, and a sensor feedback system. Sensor feedback system may include a tilt sensor system mounted on at least one of the dolly, the first trailer, and the second trailer, and a user feedback system mounted within the tractor. Tilt sensor system may measure tilt of at least one of the dolly, first and second trailers, and first and second containers attached to the first and second trailers, to obtain tilt information, and send tilt information to the user feedback system via a communication system. User feedback system may receive the tilt information and alert a driver of the tractor if the tilt information is above a predetermined level.

The invention relates to a load-carrying vehicle part with a first and a second wheel pair (10, 11), which are suspended in a respective bogie element (20) on each side of a frame member (14), a suspension (15) between each bogie element (20) and the frame member (14) on each side of the vehicle part to manipulate the frame member relative to the respective wheel pairs (10, 11), or support the frame member in a springing manner, each suspension (15) comprises a first and a second rocker arm (26A, 26B), wherein the first rocker arm is located in front of the second rocker arm viewed in the normal forward direction of driving of the vehicle part, that each rocker arm (26A, 26B) with its one end is pivotably in a joint (27, 27) in the frame member (14) and with its other end is pivotably in a joint (28, 28) in the bogie element (20) a first spring leg (25A) and a second spring leg (25B), wherein each spring leg with its one end (30) is articulately fastened to the frame member (14) and with its other end (31) is articulately fastened in a rocker arm (26A, 26B), a motion conversion arrangement (29) capable of converting a rotary motion in a joint (27, 28) for one of the rocker arms (26A, 26B) to a forward and backward translation motion.

A materials handling vehicle comprising a path validation tool and a drive unit, steering unit, localization module, and navigation module that cooperate to navigate the vehicle along a warehouse travel path. The tool comprises warehouse layout data, a proposed travel path, vehicle kinematics, and a dynamic vehicle boundary that approximates the vehicle physical periphery. The tool executes path validation logic to determine vehicle pose along the proposed travel path, update the dynamic vehicle boundary to account for changes in vehicle speed and steering angle, determine whether the dynamic vehicle boundary is likely to intersect obstacles represented in the layout data based on the determined vehicle pose at candidate positions along the proposed travel path, determine a degree of potential impingement at the candidate positions by referring to the dynamic vehicle boundary and obstacle data, and modify the proposed travel path to mitigate the degree of potential impingement.

The invention is related to the class of small-scale tracked transportation vehicles, which can be used for towing a person and cargo using a sledge, for example. The motorized towing vehicle comprises a frame supporting a caterpillar drive, a platform supporting an engine with a transmission, a luggage space, an assembly for connecting to the object being towed object, a control device, and an object being towed. The caterpillar drive includes a caterpillar track, a metal subframe, a driven shaft and a driving shaft with pinions, and torsion-type wheel bogie. The control device consists of a steering wheel with handles and controls. The object being towed comprises a driver's workplace. The frame consists of a platform and a rigid framework enclosing the platform along the entire perimeter, including the luggage compartment with an additional luggage space above. The design of the frame and platform is asymmetrical relative to the track because of an extension of the platform in one direction. The subframe is in the form of metal side plates connected to the frame with brackets bent into an S-shape. The subframe plates accommodate a track tightening mechanism in the form of an eccentric and self-aligning bearings. An all-weather hood is used for protecting the engine and luggage space. The road performance of the motor towing vehicle has been improved.

A first vehicle unit is couplable a second vehicle unit, so that a vehicle combination is formed, wherein the first vehicle unit comprises a transceiver configured to establish a sidelink to a transceiver of the second vehicle unit. In one embodiment, the first vehicle unit is configured to perform an automatic coupling procedure for coupling itself to the second vehicle unit, wherein the sidelink is established prior to completion of the coupling procedure. In another embodiment, the sidelink adds redundancy to wired communication link between respective vehicle unit computers. In yet another embodiment, the transceivers of the vehicle units remain independently addressable even after the vehicle combination has been formed.