In order to improve a trailer coupling, comprising a ball neck, which is movable between a working position and a rest position and has a pivot bearing body arranged at a first end and a coupling ball arranged at a second end, a pivot unit, which is arranged fixed to a vehicle and by means of which the pivot bearing body is pivotal for the purpose of performing a pivotal movement about a pivot axis between a working position and a rest position, wherein the pivot unit comprises a pivot bearing unit fixed to the vehicle and a rotation-blocking device for blocking a pivotal movement of the pivot bearing body about the pivot axis, at least in the working position, the improvement being such that this susceptibility to faults in a trailer coupling of the kind mentioned in the introduction is avoided, it is proposed that a pivot control unit should be integrated within the pivot unit.

Tow bar arrangement (100) for interconnection of a pulling vehicle (10) and a pulled trailer (20). The arrangement (100) comprises a control device (110) with a force sensor (111) arranged to sense an instantaneous relative force between vehicle (10) and trailer (20). The control device (110) is arranged to produce a control signal for an electric motor (21) arranged to propel the trailer (20) so that a motor force counter-acts said measured force. The invention is characterised in that the control device (110) is arranged to a first time series of force measurements, in that the control device (110) comprises a low-pass filter (112) producing a second low-pass filtered time series, and in that a regulator (113) is ar-ranged to regulate said second time series to produce said control signal.

A combinable and detachable vehicle includes: a front connecting portion and a rear connecting portion provided at a front portion and a rear portion of a vehicle, respectively, and connected to another vehicle when the vehicle is combined with the other vehicle; a front monitoring portion and a rear monitoring portion monitoring a forward area and a rearward area of the vehicle, respectively; and a controller determining whether the other vehicle is connected to the front connecting portion or the rear connecting portion of the vehicle based on information received from the front connecting portion or the rear connecting portion, or the front monitoring portion or the rear monitoring portion, and controlling whether to operate each of a front component and a rear component of the vehicle depending on a direction of the vehicle is connected to the other vehicle.

A combinable and detachable vehicle includes: a front connecting portion and a rear connecting portion provided at a front portion and a rear portion of a vehicle, respectively, and connected to another vehicle when the vehicle is combined with the other vehicle; a front monitoring portion and a rear monitoring portion monitoring a forward area and a rearward area of the vehicle, respectively; and a controller determining whether the other vehicle is connected to the front connecting portion or the rear connecting portion of the vehicle based on information received from the front connecting portion or the rear connecting portion, or the front monitoring portion or the rear monitoring portion, and controlling whether to operate each of a front component and a rear component of the vehicle depending on a direction of the vehicle is connected to the other vehicle.

A weight sensor can be located either on the trailer side or the vehicle side. An electric actuator slide moves forward to raise a load sensor sandwiched between an actuator block and a contact block, through an opening in the bottom of a tube and into contact with a force transfer bar, to load the sensor for determining the weight loaded on it.

A silencer assembly for trailer hitches and a method of use thereof. The silencer assembly includes a sheet of material that is durable, abrasion-resistant, wear-resistant, ultra-violet light resistant, and sound dampening. An adhesive is applied to a bottom surface of the sheet which is then placed on a portion of the drawbar that is selectively receivable in a bore of receiver tube of the trailer hitch. The adhesive fixedly secures the sheet to the drawbar. The drawbar is inserted into the receiver bore. The sheet occupies part of a gap defined between an exterior surface of the drawbar and an interior surface of the receiver tube reducing relative movement between the drawbar and the receiver tube, and thereby reducing rattling noises. An additional sheet of material and one or more shims may be used to further reduce the gap between the drawbar and receiver tube, and thereby further reduce rattling.

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 trailer hitch assembly includes a shank, coupleable to a receiver carried by a towing vehicle. A ball attachment bracket is attachable to the shank. A ball assembly is receivable within the ball attachment bracket, the ball assembly capable of mating with a trailer coupler carried by a trailer to be towed. A distribution block is attachable to one or both the ball attachment bracket or the shank. The distribution block has arm socket attachments to allow coupling of a pair of arm sockets to the distribution block, each of the arm sockets capable of receiving one of a pair of spring arms attachable to the trailer to be towed. The distribution block is removable from each of the ball attachment bracket and the shank while the ball attachment bracket remains operably coupled to the shank for use as a standard ball hitch assembly.

A weight distribution hitch system comprising a vehicle attachment member comprising a forward end configured to rigidly attach to a vehicle, and a rearward end extending rearwardly toward a trailer, the rearward end comprising an upper portion comprising a trailer attachment member configured to pivotally attach to a coupler of the trailer, and a lower portion configured to receive a moment bar; a moment bar comprising a moment bar forward end attached to the lower portion of the rearward end of the vehicle attachment member so as to prevent rotation about a horizontal axis, and a moment bar rearward end; a tension member comprising a top end configured to be supported by a frame member of the trailer, and a bottom end configured to support the rearward end of the moment bar, and a spring, configured to bias the moment bar rearward end toward the frame member of the trailer; and wherein, when the tension member is in tension, it imposes an upward force on the moment bar rearward end, which, in turn, imposes a forward moment on the vehicle is disclosed.

A weight distribution hitch system comprising a vehicle attachment member comprising a forward end configured to rigidly attach to a vehicle, and a rearward end extending rearwardly toward a trailer, the rearward end comprising an upper portion comprising a trailer attachment member configured to pivotally attach to a coupler of the trailer, and a lower portion configured to receive a moment bar; a moment bar having a modulus of elasticity, the moment bar comprising a moment bar forward end attached to the lower portion of the rearward end of the vehicle attachment member so as to prevent rotation about a horizontal axis, and a moment bar rearward end; a releasable tension member comprising a top portion configured to be pivotally supported by a frame member of the trailer and configured to pivot about a horizontal axis, and a bottom portion configured to support the rearward end of the moment bar; and a moment bar preload mechanism configured to push up the moment bar rearward end to thereby preload the moment bar; wherein, when the moment bar rearward end has been preloaded, the releasable tension member can be pivoted between a first angular position and a second angular position below the preloaded moment bar; wherein, when the tension member is in tension, it imposes an upward force on the moment bar rearward end, which, in turn, imposes a forward moment on the vehicle is disclosed.