Methods and systems for monitoring coupling of fifth wheels to kingpins

Abstract

A fifth wheel system includes a fifth wheel configured to couple to a kingpin of a towed trailer such that vibrations are generated when the fifth wheel couples to the kingpin. A sensor in operative association with the fifth wheel and configured to sense the vibrations and generates vibration data. A controller receives the vibration data and processes the vibration data to detect a presence or an absence of a predetermined vibration component that occurs when the fifth wheel properly couples to the kingpin. An indicator indicates proper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the predetermined vibration component is present.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fifth wheel system comprising:
 a fifth wheel configured to couple to a kingpin of a towed trailer, wherein vibrations are generated by the fifth wheel when the fifth wheel couples to the kingpin;   a sensor configured to sense external vibrations applied thereto and being in operative association with the fifth wheel such that the sensor is further configured to sense the vibrations generated by the fifth wheel and generate vibration data;   a controller configured to receive the vibration data and process the vibration data to detect presence or absence of a vibration component within the vibration data that occurs when the fifth wheel properly couples to the kingpin; and   an indicator that indicates proper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the vibration component is present.   
     
     
         2 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 1 , wherein the vibration component comprises one of a vibration frequency, a magnitude, an amplitude, a dominant frequency component, or a spectral signature. 
     
     
         3 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator indicates improper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the vibration component is absent. 
     
     
         4 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer or a piezoelectric sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 1 , wherein the vibration data is processed by performing a spectral analysis. 
     
     
         6 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is coupled to a handle of the fifth wheel. 
     
     
         7 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller identifies a time section of the vibration data, and wherein the controller processes the time section to detect presence or absence of the vibration component in the time section. 
     
     
         8 . A fifth wheel system comprising:
 a fifth wheel configured to couple to a kingpin of a towed trailer, wherein vibrations are generated by the fifth wheel when the fifth wheel couples to the kingpin;   a sensor in operative association with the fifth wheel and configured to sense the vibrations generated by the fifth wheel and generate vibration data;   a controller configured to receive the vibration data and process the vibration data to detect presence or absence of a vibration component that occurs when the fifth wheel properly couples to the kingpin; and   an indicator configured to indicate proper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the vibration component is present.   
     
     
         9 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 8 , wherein the vibration component comprises one of a vibration frequency, a magnitude, an amplitude, a dominant frequency component, or a spectral signature. 
     
     
         10 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 8 , wherein the indicator indicates improper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the vibration component is absent. 
     
     
         11 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer or a piezoelectric sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 8 , wherein the vibration data is processed by performing a spectral analysis. 
     
     
         13 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is coupled to a handle of the fifth wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The fifth wheel system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller identifies a time section of the vibration data, and wherein the controller processes the time section to detect presence or absence of the vibration component in the time section. 
     
     
         15 . A method for monitoring coupling of a fifth wheel to a kingpin of a towed trailer, the method comprising:
 sensing, with a sensor configured to sense vibrations applied thereto, vibrations generated when the fifth wheel couples to the kingpin;   generating vibration data based on the sensed vibrations;   processing the vibration data to detect presence or absence of a vibration component within the vibration data that occurs when the fifth wheel properly couples to the kingpin; and   indicating proper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the vibration component is present.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the vibration component comprises one of a vibration frequency, a magnitude, an amplitude, a dominant frequency component, or a spectral signature. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising indicating improper coupling of the fifth wheel to the kingpin when the vibration component is absent. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the processing the vibration data comprises performing a spectral analysis. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising identifying a time section of the vibration data and processing the time section to detect presence or absence of the vibration component in the time section. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising coupling the sensor to a handle of the fifth wheel.