Smart towing system
View Patent ↗The present disclosure provides a towing system for controlling the operation of a towed vehicle through the towing vehicle, where the towing vehicle comprises an assembly of a control lever, an e-pedal, and a dashboard screen, wherein the control lever is pulled backwards to generate and collect energy from the towed vehicle into a battery and control lever is pushed forward to use such energy to selectively propels the towing vehicle forward to gain momentum thus easing the load on the engine of the towing vehicle.
1 . A towing system within a towing vehicle comprising:
a control lever, the control lever being manually operated by an operator of the towing vehicle to directly control acceleration and deacceleration of a towed vehicle by commanding movement of an e-pedal in forward or backward direction;
a dashboard screen, the dashboard screen being connected to a towed vehicle dashboard camera positioned to face a controller screen of the towed vehicle, the dashboard screen configured to display in real-time, information mirrored from the controller screen of the towed vehicle; and
the e-pedal, the e-pedal being directly connected to a pedal of the towed vehicle to allow the operator of the towing vehicle to control acceleration and deacceleration of the towed vehicle,
wherein the operator of the towing vehicle manages energy production by the towed vehicle through coordinated use of the control lever and the e-pedal, and uses such energy to propel the towing vehicle.
2 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the control lever, the e-pedal and the dashboard screen are located in close vicinity to a towing vehicle operating system.
3 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the towed vehicle comprises at least one electric motor and at least one battery.
4 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the control lever is pulled backwards to
collect energy from the towed vehicle when the towed vehicle is in motion;
store such energy into a battery located within the towed vehicle; and
use such energy to propel the towing vehicle in a forward direction.
5 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the control lever is a stick control lever or a switch control lever.
6 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the control lever is not a stick control lever or a switch control lever.
7 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the control lever directly controls the acceleration or deceleration of the towed vehicle through the e-pedal.
8 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the dashboard screen is connected to a towed vehicle controller, such that information displayed on a towed vehicle controller screen is displayed in real-time on the dashboard screen.
9 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the e-pedal is connected to a pedal of the towed vehicle to control the acceleration or deceleration of the towed vehicle.
10 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the towed vehicle is an electric vehicle.
11 . The towing system of claim 1 , wherein the towing vehicle is a recreational vehicle, a motorhome, a commercial vehicle, or a non-commercial vehicle.
12 . A towing system within a towing vehicle to selectively propel the towing vehicle using a towed vehicle, comprising:
a control lever, the control lever being manually operated by an operator of the towing vehicle to control and maintain energy production within the towed vehicle;
a dashboard screen, the dashboard screen being connected to a towed-vehicle camera positioned to view operational features of the towed vehicle, the dashboard screen configured to display, in real time, the operational features of the towed vehicle; and
an e-pedal, the e-pedal being directly connected to a pedal of the towed vehicle to allow the operator of the towing vehicle to accelerate or decelerate the towed vehicle, wherein the operator of the towing vehicle generates energy from the towed vehicle through coordinated use of the control lever and the e-pedal, and uses such energy to selectively propel the towing vehicle.
13 . The towing system of claim 12 , wherein the control lever is pulled backwards to generate and collect energy from the towed vehicle into a battery, and the control lever is pushed forward to use such energy stored in the battery to propel the towing vehicle in a forward direction.
14 . The towing system of claim 12 , wherein the e-pedal is connected to a pedal of the towed vehicle to control the acceleration or deceleration of the towed vehicle.
15 . The towing system of claim 12 , wherein the dashboard screen is connected to the towed vehicle, wherein the dashboard screen displays at least one operation of the towed vehicle in real-time.
16 . The towing system of claim 12 , wherein the towed vehicle is an electric vehicle.
17 . The towing system of claim 12 , wherein the towing vehicle is a recreational vehicle, a motorhome, a commercial vehicle, or a non-commercial vehicle.
18 . A method of using a towing system for operating a towed vehicle and using energy generated within the towed vehicle to propel a towing vehicle, comprising:
connecting the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle using a tow bar;
manually operating a control lever within the towing vehicle by pulling the control lever in a backward direction to collect energy generated by the towed vehicle when the towed vehicle is in motion, the generated energy being stored in a battery within the towed vehicle;
monitoring, on a dashboard screen located within the towing vehicle, real-time information indicative of the levels of energy generated or energy collected in the battery of the towed vehicle; and
manually operating the control lever by pushing the control lever forward to transfer the energy stored in the battery of the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle, wherein the transferred energy propels the towing vehicle and helps move the towing vehicle with speed.
19 . The method of using the towing system of claim 18 , wherein the towed vehicle is an electric vehicle.
20 . The method of using the towing system of claim 18 , wherein the towing vehicle is a recreational vehicle, a motorhome, a commercial vehicle, or a non-commercial vehicle.