Fifth wheel hitch engagement system
A fifth wheel hitch assembly is shown and described. The fifth wheel hitch system may comprise a jaw fixed about a pivot pin and a biasing member biasing the jaw to a closed position. The fifth wheel hitch assembly may also include a kingpin guide positioned opposite the jaw, where the kingpin guide is adapted to engage and retain a kingpin against the jaw.
1 . A fifth wheel hitch system comprising:
a head defining a throat portion, wherein the throat portion is configured to receive a kingpin;
a jaw pivotally mounted about a pivot pin to securer a kingpin, thereby being rotatable between a closed position and an open position,
a jaw biasing member operatively coupled to the jaw and configured to apply a bias to the jaw towards the closed position,
wherein the jaw biasing member is configured to bias the jaw to the closed position, thereby locking the kingpin subsequent to the kingpin being received by the throat portion;
a kingpin detector member comprising an engagement portion configured to contact the kingpin, thereby rotating the kingpin detector member such that the engagement portion is displaced from the throat portion as the kingpin is received by the throat portion;
a handle lockout member operatively engaged with the kingpin detector member via a biasing member; and
an engagement handle defining a guide slot, wherein, upon displacement of the engagement portion of the kingpin detector member, the handle lockout member is configured to disengage the engagement handle, thereby freeing the engagement handle to move along a path defined by the guide slot.
2 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 1 , wherein the jaw is configured to, upon being contacted by the kingpin, rotate to the open position against the bias of the jaw biasing member to receive the kingpin.
3 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 1 , wherein the handle lockout member is configured to disengage the engagement handle, thereby freeing the engagement handle to move along a path defined by the guide slot.
4 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator system comprising an indicator face having two sensor states.
5 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 4 , wherein a first of the two sensor states comprises a locked position, wherein the locked position is configured to indicate that the jaw is in the closed position, thereby securing the jaw in the throat portion, and wherein a second of the two sensor states comprises an unlocked position, and wherein the unlocked position is configured to indicate that the kingpin is able to be received or removed from the throat portion.
6 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 4 , wherein the indicator system is coupled with an indicator biasing member that is configured to bias the indicator face to an unlocked position that corresponds to when the kingpin detector member is not displaced from the throat position by the kingpin.
7 . A fifth wheel hitch system comprising:
a head defining a throat portion, wherein the throat portion is configured to receive a kingpin;
a jaw pivotally mounted about a pivot pin to secure the kingpin, thereby being rotatable between a closed position and an open position,
a kingpin detector member comprising an engagement portion configured to contact the kingpin, thereby rotating the kingpin detector member such that the engagement portion is displaced from the throat portion as the kingpin is received by the throat portion;
a handle lockout member operatively engaged with the kingpin detector member via a biasing member; and
an engagement handle defining a guide slot, wherein, upon displacement of the engagement portion of the kingpin detector member, the handle lockout member is configured to disengage the engagement handle, thereby freeing the engagement handle to move along a path defined by the guide slot.
8 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 7 , further comprising a guide bolt received in the guide slot, the guide bolt configured to constrain motion of the engagement handle along a path defined by the guide slot.
9 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 7 , wherein the guide slot comprises a first segment corresponding to an uncoupling range and a second segment corresponding to a coupling range, the segments being contoured to sequence movement of the engagement handle relative to rotation of the jaw.
10 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 9 , wherein the first segment and the second segment intersect to sequentially guide the engagement handle outward and to provide rotational movement of the engagement handle.
11 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 7 , wherein the guide slot includes a closed end defining a hard stop that limits travel of the engagement handle in an open position and prevents over-travel of the jaw.
12 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 7 , wherein a jaw biasing member is operatively coupled to the jaw, thereby applying a bias to the jaw towards the closed position;
wherein the jaw is configured to, upon being contacted by the kingpin, rotate to the open position against the bias of the jaw biasing member to receive the kingpin, and
wherein the jaw biasing member is configured to bias the jaw to the closed position, thereby locking the kingpin subsequent to the kingpin being received by the throat portion.
13 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 7 , further comprising an indicator system comprising an indicator face having two sensor states comprising a locked position and an unlocked position.
14 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 13 , wherein the locked position is configured to indicate that the jaw is in the closed position, thereby securing the jaw in the throat portion, and wherein the unlocked position is configured to indicate that the kingpin is able to be received or removed from the throat portion.
15 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 7 , wherein the indicator system is coupled with an indicator biasing member that is configured to bias the indicator face to the unlocked position when the kingpin detector member is not displaced from the throat position by the kingpin.
16 . A fifth wheel hitch system comprising:
a head defining a throat portion, wherein the throat portion is configured to receive a kingpin;
a jaw pivotally mounted about a pivot pin to secure the kingpin, thereby being rotatable between a closed position and an open position;
a jaw biasing member operatively coupled to the jaw and configured to apply a bias to the jaw towards the closed position;
wherein the jaw is configured to, upon being contacted by the kingpin, rotate to the open position against the bias of the jaw biasing member to receive the kingpin, and
wherein the jaw biasing member is configured to bias the jaw to the closed position, thereby locking the kingpin subsequent to the kingpin being received by the throat portion;
a kingpin detector member comprising an engagement portion configured to contact the kingpin, thereby rotating the kingpin detector member such that the engagement portion is displaced from the throat portion as the kingpin is received by the throat portion;
a handle lockout member operatively engaged with the kingpin detector member via a biasing member;
an engagement handle defining a guide slot, wherein, upon displacement of the engagement portion of the kingpin detector member, the handle lockout member is configured to disengage the engagement handle, thereby freeing the engagement handle to move along a path defined by the guide slot.
17 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 16 , wherein the handle lockout member is rotatable between an engaged position and a disengaged position such that, in the engaged position, the handle lockout member engages the engagement handle in a defined position to prevent rotation, pivoting, or movement of the engagement handle.
18 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 16 , wherein the handle lockout member is configured to hold the engagement handle in a rotated position corresponding to the jaw being maintained clear of the throat portion, whereby disengagement of the handle lockout member releases the engagement handle to allow the jaw to rotate toward the closed position under the bias of the jaw biasing member.
19 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 16 , wherein the handle lockout member comprises a retention portion positioned to engage a complementary surface of the engagement handle when the engagement handle is in a rotated position corresponding to the jaw being held open.
20 . The fifth wheel hitch system of claim 16 , wherein the handle lockout member, when holding the engagement handle in the rotated position, prevents rotation of the jaw toward the closed position so that the kingpin is able to uncouple or to be removed from the throat portion.