CONNECTING SYSTEM, COUPLING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING A TOWING VEHICLE TO A SEMITRAILER

Abstract

A connecting system and a method for connecting a towing vehicle to a semitrailer includes a first plug unit configured to be fixed to a rotor of a semitrailer unit rotatably mounted on the semitrailer unit about an axis of rotation and having a first coupling portion, and a second plug unit having at least one mounting portion configured to be attached to a coupling plate of a commercial vehicle and a second coupling portion, wherein the first and second coupling portions are configured to be coupled together along a coupling axis such that the coupling axis is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and spaced from the axis of rotation, and such that the first coupling portion is displaceable relative to the rotor and/or the second coupling portion is displaceable relative to the mounting portion along the coupling axis to engage or disengage the respective opposite coupling portion.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A connecting system for commercial vehicles, comprising: a first plug unit configured to be fixed to a rotor of a semitrailer unit, which is rotatably mounted on the semitrailer unit about an axis of rotation, and has a first coupling portion, wherein the rotor includes a turntable of the semitrailer unit; and a second plug unit that includes at least one mounting portion for attachment to a coupling plate of a commercial vehicle and a second coupling portion; wherein the first and second coupling portions are configured to be coupled to each other along a coupling axis, that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and spaced from the axis of rotation; and wherein the first coupling portion is displaceable relative to the rotor and/or the second coupling portion is displaceable relative to the mounting portion along the coupling axis to engage or disengage the respective opposite coupling portion.

16. The connecting system according to claim 15, a bearing of the first coupling portion on the rotor and a bearing of the second coupling portion on the mounting portion prevent displacement transversely to the coupling axis.

17. The connecting system according to claim 15, wherein the first plug unit includes a plurality of first ports extending parallel to the coupling axis, and wherein the plurality of first ports include at least two first electrical ports and at least two first fluid ports.

18. The connecting system according to claim 15, wherein the second plug unit further includes a plurality of second ports extending parallel to the coupling axis, and wherein the plurality of second ports include at least two second electrical ports and at least two second fluid ports.

19. The connecting system according to claim 15, wherein a lifting unit engages the first coupling portion and/or the second coupling portion, and wherein lifting unit is configured to displace the first coupling portion and/or the second coupling portion along the coupling axis.

20. The connecting system according to claim 15, wherein the mounting portion of the second plug unit comprises a stabilizing element configured to be fixed to the coupling plate in a material-locking and/or form-fitting manner.

21. The connecting system according to claim 20, wherein the stabilizing element comprises a sheet metal part.

22. The connecting system according to claim 15, wherein the mounting portion includes a guide comprising a recess in which the second coupling portion is guided and secured against displacement transversely to the coupling axis.

23. The connecting system according to claim 15, wherein the first coupling portion includes a wedge-shaped engagement geometry configured to engage with wedge-shaped tapered guide surfaces of a receiving portion of the coupling plate, and wherein the wedge-shaped engagement geometry is formed on a component that is integral with the first coupling portion.

24. The connecting system according to claim 23, wherein a plurality of first ports are held in a first plug portion, wherein the first plug portion is disposed in a recess on the first coupling portion, wherein the second coupling portion includes a second plug portion comprising a projection, and wherein in a coupled-together state the first and second plug portions engage in one another with an overlap length which is at least 0.3 to 0.5 times a greatest extent of the wedge-shaped engagement geometry parallel to the coupling axis.

25. The connecting system according to claim 24, wherein the first plug portion and/or the second plug portion have a substantially rectangular cross-section cut perpendicularly to the coupling axis.

26. A coupling system for commercial vehicles, comprising: a coupling plate that includes a receiving portion with guide surfaces tapering in a wedge shape; and a semitrailer unit that includes a rotor mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation, and which has an engagement geometry arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation, wherein the rotor includes a turntable of the semitrailer unit; wherein a first plug unit is fixed to the rotor at the engagement geometry or at a distance from the engagement geometry; wherein a second plug unit is fixed to the coupling plate adjacent to and/or adjoining the receiving portion; wherein the first and/or the second plug unit has/have a coupling portion configured to be displaced along a coupling axis; wherein the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are configured for a coupling parallel to the coupling axis; and wherein the coupling axis is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

27. The coupling system according to claim 26, wherein the second plug unit includes a mounting portion that comprises a sheet metal part and is fixed to the coupling plate in a material-locking and/or form-fitting manner, and wherein the mounting portion bridges the receiving portion such that the mounting portion provides local reinforcement of the coupling plate.

28. A method of connecting a towing vehicle to a semitrailer unit, comprising: providing a towing vehicle that includes a coupling plate; and providing a semitrailer unit that includes a rotor which is mounted such that the rotor can rotate about an axis of rotation, and a king pin, wherein the rotor includes a turntable of the semitrailer unit; providing a first plug unit arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation and fixed on the rotor; wherein the coupling plate includes a receiving portion with guide surfaces which taper in a wedge shape, and a second plug unit; displacing the semitrailer unit transversely to the axis of rotation relative to the coupling plate such that the king pin is inserted into the receiving portion and the rotor is rotated and aligned about the axis of rotation by engagement with the receiving portion, wherein the first plug unit is pivoted into a position opposite the second plug unit; securing the king pin in the receiving portion of the coupling plate; coupling the first and the second plug units together by displacing a first coupling portion of the first plug unit and/or a second coupling portion of the second plug unit along a coupling axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation in the direction of the respective opposite plug unit; and producing an at least partial overlap of the coupling portions with one another along the coupling axis.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the coupling of the first and second plug units together takes place only after the king pin has been secured in the receiving portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying figures. It is shown in:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of a connecting system according to the invention;

[0023] FIG. 2 is an exploded, bottom perspective view of the embodiment of the connecting system according to the invention shown in FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a coupling plate with components of a preferred embodiment of the connecting system according to the invention;

[0025] FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the coupling system shown in FIG. 3;

[0026] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a semitrailer unit according to the present invention; and

[0027] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of a preferred embodiment of a connecting system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a connecting system 1 is shown in a sectional view, which has a first plug unit 6 and a second plug unit 8. The first plug unit 6 is advantageously designed to be fixed to a semitrailer unit 4 (see FIG. 5) and has first electrical ports 66A and first fluid ports 66B. The first ports 66A, 66B are arranged in a plug portion 67, wherein this plug portion 67 advantageously has a substantially rectangular basic shape. Furthermore, it is shown that the second plug unit 8 comprises a second coupling portion 82, and a mounting portion 84, wherein the coupling portion 82 is displaceable along a coupling axis K relative to the mounting portion 84. The mounting portion 84 has a guide 85 in the form of a recess in which the second coupling portion 82 is guided. The guide 85 prevents the second coupling portion 82 from being displaced transversely to the coupling axis K. Advantageously, the mounting portion 84 is designed as a U-shaped sheet metal part and has mounting portions at its distal ends, shown on the right and left in the figure above, for fixing to the coupling plate 2 (see FIG. 4). In this preferred embodiment, the mounting portion 84 is formed with flange sections for making a screw connection with the coupling plate 2. Further preferably, the mounting portion 84 is formed as a U-shaped component in order to achieve sufficient spacing of the second coupling portion 82 from the first coupling portion 62 of the first plug unit 6 by support in the flange sections on the coupling plate 2.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 again in perspective view, wherein the king pin 41 of the semitrailer unit 4 is shown in addition to the connecting system 1. The axis of rotation D runs centrally through the king pin 41, and the coupling axis K is offset parallel to it. The arrows shown in a straight line between the axis of rotation D and the coupling axis K indicate how the first plug unit 6 is arranged together with the rotor 42 so that it can swivel about the axis of rotation D. The rotor 42, to which the first plug unit 6 is fixed, is not shown in this view, see FIG. 5. Advantageously, the second coupling portion 82 has a second plug portion 87 in the form of a projection, which serves to engage in the first plug portion 67 in the form of a recess (see FIG. 5). This has the advantage that the second plug portion 87, which is designed as a projection, can also be guided within the recess on the mounting portion 84, which makes a particularly simple construction of the second plug unit 8 possible.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a view from below of a coupling plate 2 according to the present invention. Advantageously, the coupling plate 2 has a receiving portion 22 into which the king pin 41 can be inserted. Further preferably, the coupling plate 2 has a substantially V-shaped section of the receiving portion 22, in which V-shaped tapered guide surfaces 24 are provided. The wedge-shaped engagement geometry 64 of the first plug unit 6 (see FIG. 2) engages in these guide surfaces 24, whereby the first plug unit 6, together with the rotor 42, is brought into the correct rotational position about the axis of rotation D when inserted into the receiving area 22 and, as soon as the king pin 41 is fully inserted into the receiving portion 22, is aligned opposite and corresponding to the second plug unit 8. The second plug unit 8 is thereby arranged in the area of the guide surfaces 24 of the receiving portion 22, as shown in FIG. 3, and bridges and reinforces the receiving portion 22. The mounting portion 84 of the second plug unit 8 is thereby provided with flange sections which can be screwed to the coupling plate 2. Alternatively, it is also preferred to weld the mounting portion 84 to the coupling plate 2, or to produce a combination of a welded connection with a positive and non-positive connection. Advantageously, the second plug unit 8 shown in FIG. 3 has the features already shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment already shown in FIG. 3 to illustrate the arrangement of the second plug unit 8. It can be seen that the second plug unit 8 is arranged in the receiving portion 22 in such a way that the total installation space required for the combination of the fifth wheel coupling 2 and the second plug unit 8 is particularly small. In particular, the second plug unit 8 only insignificantly expands the total volume spanned by the combination of coupling plate 2 and second plug unit 8. In particular, the second plug unit 8 does not protrude beyond the coupling plate 2 towards the bottom right in relation to the arrangement of the fifth wheel coupling on the rear of the vehicle. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the second coupling portion 82 of the second plug unit 8 is shown in the position in which a king pin 41 can be inserted past the second plug unit 8 into the receiving portion 22.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of a semitrailer unit 4, wherein it has a king pin 41 and a rotor 42 arranged rotatably about the axis of rotation D defined by the king pin 41. The rotor 42 is arranged relative to the surrounding areas of the semitrailer unit 4, wherein these surrounding areas can be fixed to the frame of the semitrailer, which is not shown. Attached to the rotor 42 is the first plug unit 6, which has a wedge-shaped engagement geometry 64, and a plug portion 67, in which the first ports 66A and 66B are present (see FIG. 1). The first ports 66A and 66B are designed for coupling along the coupling axis K, the coupling axis K being arranged rotatably together with the rotor 42 about the axis of rotation D and being aligned parallel or substantially parallel to the axis of rotation D. The second plug portion 87, which is designed as a projection, engages in the first plug portion 67, which is designed as a recess, whereby FIG. 2 shows the state shortly before this engagement.

[0033] FIG. 6 discloses a view of a preferred embodiment of the connecting system 1 as seen from the direction of the second plug unit 8. The second ports 86A and 86B are shown, which are arranged in the second coupling portion 22. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 essentially has the features of the preferred embodiments of a connecting system 1 already shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0034] 1—connecting system [0035] 2—coupling plate [0036] 4—semitrailer unit [0037] 6—first plug unit [0038] 8—second plug unit [0039] 22—receiving portion [0040] 24—guide surfaces [0041] 41—king pin [0042] 42—rotor [0043] 62—first coupling portion [0044] 64—engagement geometry [0045] 66A—first electrical port [0046] 66B—first fluid port [0047] 67—first plug portion [0048] 82—second coupling portion [0049] 84—mounting portion [0050] 85—guide [0051] 86A—second electrical port [0052] 86B—second fluid port [0053] 87—second plug portion [0054] D—axis of rotation [0055] K—coupling axis