SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK WITH FIFTH WHEEL WITH POWER-OPERATED CLOSURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a semi-trailer truck with a tractor (10) and a semitrailer (12) having a kingpin, wherein the tractor (10) comprises a fifth wheel coupling (14) with a coupling plate (15), a closure for the king pin, an actuating mechanism for actuating the closure, and a cylinder-piston assembly (16) engaging the actuating mechanism for moving the actuating mechanism. The tractor (10) further comprises a compressed air supply line (18) to which the cylinder-piston assembly (16) can be connected directly by means of a quick coupling. The quick coupling is formed from a first and a compatible second coupling element (22, 24). The semitrailer (12) comprises a compressed air system, wherein the cylinder-piston assembly (16) and the compressed air system of the semitrailer (12) are each assigned the identical first coupling element (22, 24), and the compressed air supply line (18) is assigned the compatible second coupling element (20).

Claims

1. Semi-trailer truck with a tractor (10) and a semitrailer (12) having a kingpin, wherein the tractor (10) comprises a fifth wheel coupling (14), wherein the fifth wheel coupling (14) comprises a fifth wheel coupling plate (15), a closure for the king pin, an actuating mechanism for actuating the closure, and a cylinder-piston assembly (16) engaging the actuating mechanism for moving the actuating mechanism, wherein the tractor (10) comprises a compressed air supply line (18), wherein the cylinder-piston assembly (16) can be connected directly to the compressed air supply line (18) of the tractor (10) by means of a quick coupling, wherein the quick coupling is formed from a first and a compatible second coupling element (22, 24), wherein the semitrailer (12) comprises a brake system and a compressed air system for supplying the brake system, wherein the cylinder-piston assembly (16) and the compressed air system of the semitrailer (12) are each assigned the identical first coupling element (22, 24), and the compressed air supply line (18) is assigned the compatible second coupling element (20).

2. Semi-trailer truck according to claim 1, characterized in that the fifth wheel coupling (14) comprises the first coupling element (24) of the quick coupling, which is pneumatically connected to the cylinder-piston assembly (16) by a line piece (26) without the interposition of valves.

3. Semi-trailer truck according to claim 2, characterized in that the first coupling element (24) is attached directly to the fifth wheel coupling (14) or directly or indirectly to a frame part of the tractor (10), preferably in the vicinity of the fifth wheel coupling (14).

4. Semi-trailer truck according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fifth wheel coupling (14) comprises a closure sensor which is arranged to output a signal when the closure is properly closed.

5. Semi-trailer truck according to claim 4, characterized in that the tractor (10) comprises a display device which is connected or can be connected to the closure sensor by wire or wirelessly and is arranged to display the signal.

Description

[0020] Further details of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to figures. The figures show:

[0021] FIG. 1 a semitrailer combination in a ready-to-run condition;

[0022] FIG. 2 a semitrailer combination with the compressed air connection for opening the closure;

[0023] FIG. 3 a semitrailer combination arrangement ready for uncoupling;

[0024] FIG. 4 a tractor-trailer arrangement with the tractor uncoupled and

[0025] FIG. 5 a tractor-trailer arrangement with the tractor coupled again.

[0026] The semi-trailer truck consists of a tractor 10 and a semitrailer 12. In FIG. 1, the tractor 10 and the semitrailer 12 are coupled together ready to drive. The semitrailer rests with its base plate 13 on the fifth wheel coupling 14 of the tractor 10, wherein the kingpin (not shown) is locked in the end position of the entry opening of the fifth wheel coupling plate. Locking is carried out pneumatically by means of a cylinder-piston assembly 16, which is arranged below the fifth wheel coupling plate 15.

[0027] The tractor 10 comprises a compressed air supply, to which a compressed air supply line 18 is connected via an output-side compressed air connection 16 at the rear of the driver's cab. Such compressed air supply lines usually comprise a spiral hose. A second coupling element 20 is arranged at the free end of the compressed air supply line 18, for example in the form of a plug, a plug socket, a coupling head, a sleeve or a plug connector, which is connected to the compatible first coupling element 22 of the semitrailer truck 12 in the ready-to-run state of the semi-trailer truck shown here. The first coupling element 22 of the semitrailer is in turn connected to the compressed air system for supplying the brake system of the semitrailer 12.

[0028] In this way, the brake system of the semitrailer 12 is actuated by means of compressed air control in the tractor 10 during driving.

[0029] If the tractor 10 is to be uncoupled from the semitrailer 12, the connection between the second coupling element 20 of the compressed air supply line 18 and the first coupling element 22 of the semitrailer 12 is first disconnected manually and the second coupling element 20 of the compressed air supply line 18 is then manually connected to a first coupling element 24 of the fifth wheel coupling 14, which is attached to a frame part of the tractor 10, for example. By disconnecting from the compressed air supply line 18, the semitrailer is automatically braked and cannot roll away during the entire uncoupling process. The first coupling element 24 of the fifth wheel coupling 14 and the first coupling element 22 of the semitrailer 12 are identical in construction, so that no separate connecting hose with a different coupling element to the compressed air supply of the tractor 10 needs to be provided for the optional connection to the semitrailer 12 and the closure of the fifth wheel coupling 14.

[0030] The first coupling element 24 on the tractor 10 is permanently connected to the cylinder-piston assembly 16 by means of a line piece 26. There is therefore no switchable valve between the compressed air connection 17 on the output side of the tractor 10 and the cylinder-piston assembly 16 on the fifth wheel coupling 14. The compressed air supply is interrupted simply by disconnecting the second coupling element 20 from the first coupling element 24. In the state shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder-piston assembly 16 is therefore supplied with compressed air, whereby it opens the closure for the kingpin by means of the actuating mechanism. The semi-trailer truck is now ready to be uncoupled.

[0031] Before the tractor 10 drives away from the semitrailer 12, the second coupling element 20 on the compressed air supply line 18 can first be disconnected from the first coupling element 24 of the fifth wheel coupling 14, as the closure remains open for safety reasons immediately after opening, even if the cylinder-piston assembly 16 is depressurized. The closure is then in the so-called ready position, in which the actuating mechanism is mechanically held. The second coupling element 20 is shown here in its parked position directly at the rear of the cab of the tractor 10, where it is fixed by means of a suitable holder and the compressed air supply line 18 is safely stowed away. After these preparations, the tractor 10 can be driven away from the abutment 12. This process is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0032] To re-couple, nothing more is required than to drive the tractor 10 back up to the semitrailer 12 in such a way that the kingpin comes to rest in the end position in the fifth wheel coupling plate, whereby the closure (not shown) closes by means of spring force and mechanically locks the kingpin securely. In order to make the semi-trailer truck ready to drive again, the second coupling element 20 on the compressed air supply line 18 is reconnected to the first coupling element 22 of the semitrailer 12, thus returning to the initial state shown in FIG. 1.

[0033] As an alternative to the variant shown in FIG. 4, the closure can also be left pressurized during driving away, as shown in FIG. 2. Even then, however, the second coupling element 20 on the compressed air supply line 18 must be disconnected from the first coupling element 24 at the latest when the semitrailer 12 is coupled again, so that the closure can close.

[0034] The individual steps of coupling and uncoupling are summarized again below: [0035] Step 1: Pulling off the first coupling element 20 from the second coupling element 22 of the semitrailer 12 and inserting or connecting the first coupling element 20 into or to the second coupling element 24 of the fifth wheel coupling 14the closure of the fifth wheel coupling 14 opens; [0036] Step 2: Removing the first coupling element 20 from the second coupling element 24 of the fifth wheel coupling 14 and parking the first coupling element 20 in its parking positionthe tractor 10 can drive away and [0037] Step 3: Connecting the first coupling element 20 to the second coupling element 22 of the semitrailer 12 after the tractor 10 has been coupled again.

[0038] These steps 1 to 3 are carried out manually, so that no safety-relevant valve control is required. The processes are therefore user-friendly and at the same time inexpensive to implement.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0039] 10 Tractor [0040] 12 Semitrailer [0041] 13 Base plate [0042] 14 Fifth wheel coupling [0043] 15 Fifth wheel coupling plate [0044] 16 Cylinder-piston assembly [0045] 17 Compressed air connection [0046] 18 Compressed air supply line [0047] 20 Second coupling element [0048] 22 First coupling element of the semitrailer [0049] 24 First coupling element of the fifth wheel coupling [0050] 26 Line section