Invention Application
- Patent Title: METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR A LOAD-SENSING HITCH UTILIZING A SYSTEM OF STRAIN GAUGES
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Application No.: US16848486Application Date: 2020-04-14
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Publication No.: US20210318189A1Publication Date: 2021-10-14
- Inventor: Kevin Stanton Giaier , Bryce Reinert , Andrew Niedert , Joshua Norwood , Jorge Rivas , Peter Kowalow , Rebecca Giaier
- Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicant Address: US MI Dearborn
- Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US MI Dearborn
- Main IPC: G01L1/22
- IPC: G01L1/22 ; B60D1/58

Abstract:
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges. An example apparatus includes a hitch including a first support including a first end, a second end, and a mid-portion located between the first end and the second end, the mid-portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first end or the cross-sectional area of the second end, a strain gauge located at the mid-portion of the first support, a frame attachment to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle, the support coupled to the frame attachment, and a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from the strain gauge.
Public/Granted literature
- US11524534B2 Methods and apparatus for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges Public/Granted day:2022-12-13
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