IP Library Granted Patent US 9,744,822
Granted Patent B2
US 9,744,822 · App. 14/731,975 · Granted Aug 29, 2017

Trailer coupling

Inventors: Volker Burkhardt (Moeglingen, DE); Bernd Noatsch (Sindelfingen, DE)
Assignee: Scambia Holdings Cyprus Limited
B60D1/54B60D1/06B60D1/065B60D1/485B60D1/56B60D1/64H01R33/945B60D2001/544
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,744,822
App. No.
14/731,975
Granted
Aug 29, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

In order to solve the problem, in the case of a trailer coupling comprising a ball neck supporting a coupling ball, and also comprising a socket receptacle for a socket for the power supply of units acting on the coupling ball, the socket having a socket housing with a housing sleeve, which is provided with an insertion opening, and the insertion opening being closable by a cover that is mounted pivotably on the housing sleeve, of being able to mount the sockets as conveniently and easily as possible, it is proposed that the socket receptacle has a receiving channel, into which the housing sleeve extends starting from a first side of the socket receptacle, that the housing sleeve bears against the first side of the socket receptacle via a bearing surface, and that the housing sleeve is fixed to the socket receptacle by a retaining element, which is fitted starting from a second side of the socket receptacle and which is supported on the socket receptacle and is connected to the housing sleeve by a latched connection.

Claims (22)

1. Trailer coupling comprising a ball neck supporting a coupling ball, and also comprising a socket receptacle arranged on the ball neck for a socket for the power supply of units acting on the coupling ball, the socket having a socket housing with a housing sleeve, which is provided with an insertion opening, and the insertion opening being closable by a cover that is mounted pivotably on the housing sleeve, the socket receptacle has a receiving channel, into which the housing sleeve extends starting from a first side of the socket receptacle, in that the housing sleeve bears against the first side of the socket receptacle via a bearing surface, and in that the housing sleeve is fixed to the socket receptacle by a retaining element, which is fitted starting from a second side of the socket receptacle and which is supported on the socket receptacle and is connected to the housing sleeve by a latched connection, the retaining element has a portion extending on an outer peripheral side of said housing sleeve and is supported by said portion in the receiving channel.

2. Trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is supported by said portion on a conically widening wall region of the receiving channel.

3. Trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is supported via a supporting flange on a second side of the socket receptacle opposite the first side.

4. Trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is secured on the socket receptacle in a manner fixed against rotation by positively-locking elements.

5. Trailer coupling according to claim 4 , wherein the retaining element has a positively-locking element, which enters into a rotationally fixed positively-locking connection with a positively-locking element of the socket receptacle.

6. Trailer coupling according to claim 4 , wherein the socket receptacle, as positively-locking element, has a pocket extending from the second side of the socket receptacle into the receiving channel.

7. Trailer coupling according to claim 6 , wherein the retaining element has a body engaging with the pocket.

8. Trailer coupling according to claim 5 , wherein the positively-locking elements extend parallel to a fitting direction of the retaining element.

9. Trailer coupling according to claim 4 , wherein the retaining element and the housing sleeve are connectable to one another in a manner fixed against rotation relative to one another in at least one rotary position.

10. Trailer coupling according to claim 9 , wherein the retaining element and the housing sleeve are connected in a manner fixed against rotation by positively-locking elements.

11. Trailer coupling according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the positively-locking elements is arranged on the housing sleeve and/or the retaining element in a number of angular positions about the centre axis, the other positively-locking element engaging with the first-mentioned positively-locking element.

12. Trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the latched connection is effective in a position-independent manner within a latching region extending in the fitting direction.

13. Trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is latchable to the housing sleeve in that either the housing sleeve or the retaining element has a latching toothing with a series of latching teeth extending parallel to the fitting direction and the retaining element or the housing sleeve has a counter-toothing with at least one latching tooth meshing with the series of latching teeth.

14. Trailer coupling according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is formed as part of a housing cover for closing the housing sleeve on a side opposite the insertion opening.

15. Trailer coupling comprising a ball neck supporting a coupling ball, and also comprising a socket receptacle arranged on the ball neck for a socket for the power supply of units acting on the coupling ball, the socket having a socket housing with a housing sleeve, which is provided with an insertion opening, and the insertion opening being closable by a cover that is mounted pivotably on the housing sleeve, the socket receptacle has a receiving channel, into which the housing sleeve extends and the receiving channel has an indentation for receiving a sensor connection line, the sensor connection line is guided along an outer surface of a retaining element.

16. Trailer coupling according to claim 15 , wherein the retaining element has a guide for the sensor connection line.

17. Trailer coupling according to claim 15 , wherein the sensor connection line is guided in the housing cover.

18. Trailer coupling according to claim 15 , wherein a plug connection for the sensor connection line is arranged in the housing cover.

19. Trailer coupling according to claim 18 , wherein a plug connection of a plug contact unit for the sensor connection line is integrated in the housing cover.

20. Trailer coupling according to claim 15 , wherein a receiving space for an electronic circuit is provided in the housing cover.

21. Trailer coupling according to claim 20 , wherein the housing cover has a receiving space for an electronic circuit connected to the sensor connection line.

22. Trailer coupling according to claim 15 , wherein the sensor connection line is guided to a sensor system associated with the ball neck.

Assignments (9)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2020
From: ACPS AUTOMOTIVE HOLDING 2 B.V.
To: ACPS AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 052426/0647 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 17, 2020
From: BOSAL ACPS HOLDING 2 B.V.
To: ACPS AUTOMOTIVE HOLDING 2 B.V.
Reel/Frame 052434/0440 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 1, 2018
From: BOSAL NEDERLAND B.V.
To: BOSAL ACPS HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 046527/0282 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 1, 2018
From: DE MIENT B.V.
To: BOSAL NEDERLAND B.V.
Reel/Frame 046526/0706 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 1, 2018
From: BOSAL ACPS HOLDING 1 B.V.
To: BOSAL ACPS INTERMEDIATE HOLDING B.V.
Reel/Frame 046529/0150 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 1, 2018
From: BOSAL ACPS INTERMEDIATE HOLDING B.V.
To: BOSAL ACPS HOLDING 2 B.V.
Reel/Frame 046529/0451 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 1, 2018
From: BOSAL ACPS HOLDING B.V.
To: BOSAL ACPS HOLDING 1 B.V.
Reel/Frame 046527/0802 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 31, 2018
From: SCAMBIA HOLDINGS CYPRUS LIMITED
To: DE MIENT B.V.
Reel/Frame 046510/0622 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2015
From: BURKHARDT, VOLKER; NOATSCH, BERND
To: SCAMBIA HOLDINGS CYPRUS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036819/0385 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2014 108 071 · Jun 6, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150352915A1 · Dec 10, 2015