A parked freight trailer stabilizer and restraint comprising: (a) a kingpin receiver configured to lock onto a kingpin of a parked freight trailer; (b) a jack operatively coupled to the kingpin receiver, the jack repositionable between a retracted position and an extended position; (c) a tail hold operatively coupled to the kingpin receiver, the tail hold repositionable between a stowed position and a restraining position, the tail hold configured to engage a ground mount; and, (d) a transport receiver configured to engage a transport vehicle.

A trailer stabilizing device for stabilizing a parked freight trailer, the trailer stabilizing device comprising a frame separate from the support frame of the parked freight trailer, the stabilizing device frame having mounted thereto wheels and a hitch, the stabilizing device including a repositionable jack.

The disclosure is directed at an apparatus and method for optimizing fuel efficiency of a hybrid vehicle. Driving session data keyed to a specific driver driving a specific route is collected and used to train an optimization algorithm, which is executed on the vehicle to operate a motor-generator so as to optimize the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. An example electric converter dolly is disclosed as a platform for implementing this technique as part of a tractor-trailer vehicle configuration, which may provide certain advantages over implementation on a standalone hybrid vehicle.

A terminal tractor includes four independently steerable wheels, each with their own dedicated drive motor and each with their own dedicated steering device. The terminal tractor includes a controller operable to provide input commands to the drive motors and to the steering devices to operate the terminal tractor. The terminal tractor also includes a fifth wheel coupling which includes a lifting mechanism capable of raising and lowering the fifth wheel coupling a in single vertical direction.

A system for automatically coupling the air and electrical lines of a tractor to a trailer. The tractor has a fifth wheel coupling that is configured to be coupled to a kingpin of the trailer. The height of the fifth wheel coupling is adjustable. A trailer coupling head is mounted to the trailer and carries air line and electrical connectors. A fifth wheel coupling height control system is configured to automatically control the height of the fifth wheel coupling when it is coupled to the kingpin of the trailer, to control the height of the trailer coupling head. A tractor coupling head carries air line and electrical connectors that are configured to be operably coupled to the mating connectors of the trailer coupling head. A tractor coupling head carrier removably carries the tractor coupling head. A tractor coupling head carrier control system moves the tractor coupling head carrier toward and away from the trailer coupling head along a longitudinal axis. A clamping mechanism carried by the tractor coupling head establishes at least two alternative clamping states, one clamping state where the tractor coupling head is clamped to and carried by the tractor coupling head carrier such that the tractor coupling head is moved as the tractor coupling head carrier is moved, and a second clamping state where the tractor coupling head is clamped to the trailer coupling head such that the tractor coupling head carrier is free to move relative to the tractor coupling head.

A gooseneck trailer having a coupler attached to its neck. The coupler having a recess at its lower end, wherein the diameter of the recess is slightly larger than a diameter of the hitch ball, thus permitting the coupler to receive the hitch ball. The gooseneck trailer further comprises a guide attached to the lower end of the coupler over an exposed area around the recess. The guide having a round arch portion and a pair of prongs. The round arch having a crown portion and a pair of haunches. The radius of the curvature of the crown of the round arch is proportional to the radius of the hitch ball. The pair of prongs are continuous with the pair of haunches, wherein the crown portion, the two haunches, and the two prongs are integral.

Techniques are described for measuring angle and/or orientation of a rear drivable section (e.g., a trailer unit of a semi-trailer truck) relative to a front drivable section (e.g., a tractor unit of the semi-trailer truck) using an example rotary encoder assembly. The example rotary encoder assembly comprises a base surface; a housing that includes a second end that is connected to the base surface and a first end that is at least partially open and is coupled to a housing cap; and a rotary encoder that is located in the housing in between the base surface and the housing cap, where the rotary encoder includes a rotatable shaft that protrudes from a first hole located in the housing cap, and where a top of the rotatable shaft located away from the rotary encoder is coupled to magnet(s).

Mobile training labs for training gas technicians are disclosed. The mobile training labs can include a towable trailer comprising a body having a plurality of walls at least partially defining a hollow interior, an axle having at least two wheels disposed thereon to support the body, and a tow hitch. The mobile training labs can also include at least one training bay connected to the towable trailer such that the at least one training bay is configured to be accessed from an exterior of the towable trailer. The at least one training bay can include a work bench and a mock service entrance that is representative of a commercial or residential gas service entrance.

Mobile training labs for training gas technicians are disclosed. The mobile training labs can include a towable trailer comprising a body having a plurality of walls at least partially defining a hollow interior, an axle having at least two wheels disposed thereon to support the body, and a tow hitch. The mobile training labs can also include at least one training bay connected to the towable trailer such that the at least one training bay is configured to be accessed from an exterior of the towable trailer. The at least one training bay can include a work bench and a mock service entrance that is representative of a commercial or residential gas service entrance.

A sensor device for a towing vehicle coupling or forming part of a towing vehicle coupling with which a trailer vehicle can be coupled to a towing vehicle wherein the towing vehicle coupling has a coupling element for releasably coupling a coupling mating element, which can be secured to the towing vehicle and the trailer vehicle, and when coupled together can rotate relative to one another about at least one joint rotational axis, forming a joint, where the sensor device has a follower mounted on a bearing body such that it can rotate relative to the coupling element about a follower rotational axis; can be rotatably carried about the follower rotational axis, by the rotation of the coupling mating element about the at least one joint rotational axis, to sense a rotation of the coupling mating element relative to the coupling element about the at least one joint rotational axis, and the sensor device has at least one sensor for sensing a respective rotational position of the follower relative to the bearing body in relation to the follower rotational axis.