The invention provides a sensor assembly for force sensing, the sensor assembly comprising: a first portion having a first and a second through hole, a second portion having a third and fourth through hole, and a first pin and a second pin coupling the first portion to the second portion. At least one out of the first and the second pin comprises a magnetoelastic based sensor for outputting a signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating from a magnetically polarized region of the pin. The magnetoelastic based sensor comprises at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor in an at least partially hollow portion of the pin, which field sensor is configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction. The invention further provides a tow coupling comprising the sensor assembly. The invention further provides a method for detecting a load.

A ball mount for measuring tongue weight of a trailer is disclosed. The ball mount can include a ball portion having a hitch ball configured to couple with a tongue of a trailer. The ball mount can also include a hitch portion for interfacing with a hitch receiver associated with a vehicle. In addition, the ball mount can include a load measurement device associated with the ball portion to determine a magnitude of a downward force on the hitch ball. The load measurement device can include a reservoir having a fluid and a piston disposed therein, and a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the reservoir. The hitch ball can be configured to exert a force on the piston, thereby affecting a pressure of the fluid in response to the downward force on the hitch ball.

A vehicle includes a sprung mass including a cabin coupled to a chassis, tractive assemblies engaging the chassis, each tractive assembly including a pair of tractive elements, gas springs coupling the tractive elements to the sprung mass, and a controller operatively coupled to pressure sensors. Each gas spring is configured to impart an upward force on the sprung mass. The upward force varies based on a pressure of a pressurized gas within a chamber of the gas spring. Each pressure sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of the pressure of the pressurized gas within one of the chambers. The controller is configured to determine a weight of the sprung mass using the signals from the pressure sensors. The controller is configured to monitor at least one operational condition of the vehicle and determine whether or not to disable determination of the weight based on the operational condition.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

A method for measuring the applied load on a towing hook/or a tow bar accessory of a towing hook arrangement for a vehicle, and a towing hook arrangement for a vehicle. The towing hook arrangement comprises a towing hook and/or a tow bar accessory arranged on a tow bar, the towing hook arrangement also comprises a sensor arrangement having at least one actuator and at least one sensor, the sensor arrangement is adapted to detect an imparted vibration on the tow bar and use the detected imparted vibration to determine the applied load on the towing hook and/or the tow bar accessory.

The invention provides a sensor assembly for force sensing, the sensor assembly comprising: a first portion having a first and a second through hole, a second portion having a third and fourth through hole, and a first pin and a second pin coupling the first portion to the second portion. At least one out of the first and the second pin comprises a magnetoelastic based sensor for outputting a signal corresponding to a stress-induced magnetic flux emanating from a magnetically polarized region of the pin. The magnetoelastic based sensor comprises at least one direction sensitive magnetic field sensor in an at least partially hollow portion of the pin, which field sensor is configured for determination of a shear force in at least one direction. The invention further provides a tow coupling comprising the sensor assembly. The invention further provides a method for detecting a load.

A magneto-elastically-based active force sensor, used with a tow coupling between a towed and a towing vehicle or a coupling between a vehicle body and a suspension of the vehicle, which outputs a signal useful for determining forces acting on the coupling. The outputted force information may be provided by processor-enabled embedded software algorithms that take inputs from the force sensor and other sensors, may be used by one or more vehicle systems during operating of the vehicle, such as engine, braking, stability, safety, and informational systems. The force sensor includes directionally-sensitive magnetic field sensing elements inside the sensor, and shielding may be used around the sensors to reduce the influence of external magnetic fields on the sensing elements. The force sensor may be used with different tow and vehicle weight sensing coupling devices installed on different types of automobile cars and trucks.

Systems and methods for magnetoelastic hitch receiver force detection are disclosed. An example vehicle includes a chassis, a trailer hitch receiver configured to receive a trailer hitch arm along an axis, a first pin having a first magnetic field, the first pin disposed above and perpendicular to the axis, a second pin, the first pin and the second pin coupling the trailer hitch receiver to the chassis and a first sensor configured to detect changes in the first magnetic field.

In order to improve a coupling unit that is mountable on the rear end of a vehicle body and comprises a carrier unit which, for its part, is mountable on the vehicle body hidden by a bumper unit and which comprises a coupling arm held on the carrier unit for coupling a trailer or a rear load carrier, in such a way that detection of the mechanical loads on the coupling unit is possible in a simple way, it is proposed that there be provided at least one force detecting region on sections of the coupling unit that are mechanically loaded by the coupled trailer or the coupled rear load carrier, in which a sensor associated with this force detecting region detects the mechanical load acting on this force detecting region by means of the magneto-elastic effect.

The present invention relates to the field of drive technology and provides a space-saving possibility for determining forces or torques transmitted by a drive shaft with a journal cross of a universal joint with four journals projecting from a base, to which a strain sensor is attached for this purpose.