SLIDABLY ADJUSTABLE FIFTH WHEEL HITCH ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE SAME

1 . A method, executed by a control system, for automatically moving a fifth wheel actuator of a heavy duty vehicle having a cab between a forward position in which the fifth wheel actuator is in its closest position to the cab and a rearward position in which the fifth wheel actuator is in its farthest position from the cab, the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of vehicle parameter sensors to determine whether at least one of the plurality of parameter sensors is nonfunctional and generating a movement event output signal when at least one of the plurality of parameter sensors is nonfunctional;

monitoring a vehicle speed over a predetermined time interval;

comparing the monitored vehicle speed to a first speed threshold value and generating a movement event output signal when the vehicle speed exceeds the first predetermined speed threshold value;

comparing the monitored vehicle speed to a second speed threshold value and generating a first movement event output signal when the vehicle speed is below the second predetermined speed threshold value;

determining a vehicle yaw;

comparing the monitored vehicle yaw to a yaw threshold value and generating a second movement event output signal when the vehicle yaw exceeds the yaw threshold value; and

automatically moving the fifth wheel actuator in response to the first or second generated movement event output signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fifth wheel assembly is moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when at least one of the plurality of sensors is nonfunctional.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fifth wheel assembly is moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when the vehicle speed is below the second speed threshold value.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fifth wheel assembly is moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when the trailer yaw exceeds the first yaw threshold value.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the yaw threshold value is based on at least one of a threshold steer rate, a threshold steer angle, a threshold articulation rate, and a threshold articulation angle.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the position of the fifth wheel actuator; and

generating a third movement event output signal when the fifth wheel actuator is in its rearward position.

7 . A method, executed by a control system, for automatically moving a fifth wheel actuator of a heavy duty vehicle having a cab between a forward position closest to the cab and a rearward position farthest from the cab, the method comprising:

monitoring a vehicle speed over a predetermined time interval and generating vehicle speed data indicative of the monitored vehicle speed over the predetermined time interval;

monitoring a vehicle acceleration and generating vehicle acceleration data indicative of the monitored acceleration;

monitoring at least one of a vehicle steer angle, steer rate, articulation angle and articulation rate and generating vehicle yaw data indicative of the monitored vehicle steer angle, steer rate, articulation angle and articulation rate;

generating a movement event output signal when the vehicle speed data, vehicle acceleration data and vehicle yaw rate data meet predetermined vehicle parameters; and

automatically moving the fifth wheel actuator in response to the generated movement event output signal.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the fifth wheel actuator is automatically moved toward its forward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed threshold over the predetermined time interval, the yaw rate is less than a predetermined yaw threshold value, the vehicle acceleration is less than a predetermined acceleration threshold value and the fifth wheel actuator is in its rearward position.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the fifth wheel actuator is automatically moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined speed threshold.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the fifth wheel actuator is automatically moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when the yaw rate exceeds a predetermined yaw threshold value.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the fifth wheel actuator is automatically moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when vehicle acceleration exceeds a predetermined acceleration threshold value.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising monitoring the plurality of sensors to determine whether at least one of the plurality of sensors is nonfunctional and generating a movement event output signal when at least one of the plurality of sensors is nonfunctional, wherein the fifth wheel actuator is automatically moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when at least one of the plurality of sensors is nonfunctional.

14 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the fifth wheel actuator is prevented from moving toward its rearward position when the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined speed threshold.

15 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the predetermined vehicle parameters is a predetermined speed threshold value of 45 mph over a time interval of 5 minutes, and wherein the fifth wheel assembly is moved toward its forward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when the vehicle speed is less than 45 mph for a time interval of greater than a 5 minutes.

16 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least two of the predetermined vehicle parameters is a threshold steer angle value of approximately 30 degrees and a threshold steer rate value of approximately 30 degrees per second, and wherein the fifth wheel assembly is moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when one of either the threshold steer angle value is greater than approximately 30 degrees and the threshold steer rate value is greater than approximately 30 degrees per second.

17 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least two of the predetermined vehicle parameters is a threshold articulation angle value of approximately 10 degrees and a threshold articulation rate value of approximately 10 degrees per second, and wherein the fifth wheel assembly is moved toward its rearward position in response to generation of a movement event output signal when one of either the threshold articulation angle value is greater than approximately 10 degrees and the threshold articulation rate value is greater than approximately 10 degrees per second.

18 . A system for controlling actuation of a fifth wheel actuator of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors each associated with at least one of the vehicle cab and trailer, the plurality of sensors provided to gather data indicative of the vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle yaw and fifth wheel actuator position;

a controller in communication with the sensors, the controller being provided to evaluate vehicle speed over a predetermined time interval, vehicle acceleration, steer angle, steer rate, articulation angle and articulation rate, the controller further being provided to generate a movement event output signal resulting from the evaluated vehicle speed over a predetermined time interval, vehicle acceleration, steer angle, steer rate, articulation angle and articulation rate; and

a fifth wheel actuator movable between a forward position in which the fifth wheel actuator is closest to the cab of the vehicle and a rearward position in which the fifth wheel actuator is farthest from the cab of the vehicle, the fifth wheel actuator being responsive to generation of the movement event output signal by the controller.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein a movement event output signal is generated when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed threshold over the predetermined time interval, the yaw rate is less than a predetermined yaw threshold value, the vehicle acceleration is less than a predetermined acceleration threshold value, and the fifth wheel actuator is in its rearward position.