Hitch ball angle sensor
A hitch ball assembly includes a hitch ball supported on a housing, a bore within the hitch ball and housing, and a pin rotatable with respect to the hitch ball and housing. The pin is configured to engage a trailer coupler and rotate therewith. An angle sensor measures rotation of the pin to determine rotational movement of the trailer.
1. A hitch ball assembly comprising:
a housing;
a hitch ball positioned on said housing;
a bore extending within said hitch ball and said housing;
a pin positioned within said bore and rotatable with respect to said hitch ball and said housing;
an angle sensor configured to sense rotation of said pin;
wherein said pin is configured to engage a trailer coupler and rotate therewith;
a collar disposed about an exterior surface of said pin; and
a washer fixed to said hitch ball and configured to retain said pin within said bore.
2. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein said angle sensor is a non-contact sensor.
3. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a deformable material on a tip of said pin.
4. The hitch ball assembly of claim 3 , wherein the deformable material is rubber.
5. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spring positioned in within said bore and configured to bias said pin towards said coupler.
6. The hitch ball assembly of claim 5 , wherein said spring is a coil spring.
7. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes an opening in communication with said bore.
8. The hitch ball assembly of claim 7 , wherein said opening is arranged approximately perpendicular to said bore.
9. The hitch ball sensor of claim 8 , wherein said angle sensor is positioned in communication with said opening.
10. The hitch ball sensor of claim 1 further comprising one or more magnets positioned on said pin to interface with said angle sensor.
11. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a threaded bolt extending from said housing and connected to a ball mount.
12. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pin is retained within said bore by one or more bearings.
13. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein said angle sensor comprises a magneto-resistive sensing element.
14. The hitch ball assembly of claim 13 , wherein the magneto-resistive sensing element includes an array of magneto-resistive sensing bridges.
15. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein the angle sensor is configured to provide an input signal to one or more components of a towing vehicle.
16. The hitch ball assembly of claim 15 , wherein the towing vehicle is configured to modify at least one of a braking output, an engine control output or an engine transmission output based on the angle sensor signal.
17. The hitch ball assembly of claim 15 , wherein the one or more components of a towing vehicle includes a trailer brake controller configured to modify a trailer brake signal based on the angle sensor signal to reduce sway of a trailer.
18. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein the angle sensor has a resolution of at least 0.05 degrees.
19. The hitch ball assembly of claim 1 , wherein said pin is configured to not rotate in response to vertical movements of said coupler with respect to said hitch ball.