Stabilization of a vehicle combination

• US 10,266,163 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF CV Systems Global GmbH
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Tudosie, Cosmin
• Primary Examiner(s): Frejd, Russell
• Application Number:
  US15/751,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20180229701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/03 Driver counter-steering; Avoidance of conflicts with ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2250/03 Vehicle yaw rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/303 Stability control with active acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/248 Trailer sway, e.g. for preventing jackknifing
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/32 responsive to a speed condition, e.g. acceleration or deceleration using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17 ; B60T8/28 takes precedence; electric devices on electrically propelled vehicles indicating the wheel slip B60L3/10; measuring linear or angular speed per se G01P3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/145 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/406 : between left and right wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 : Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 : related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 : Yaw movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 : related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models

Abstract

A vehicle combination comprising a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, each vehicle including wheels on different sides of the vehicle and wheel brakes associated with the wheels. A method for controlling the vehicle combination includes determining a yaw rate difference between a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle; determining, on the basis of the yaw rate difference, that an orientation of one of the vehicles deviates from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination; and activating a wheel brake of the vehicle on only one side of the vehicle in order to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle relative to the intended travel direction.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a yaw rate difference between a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle;

on a basis of the yaw rate difference, determining that an orientation of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle deviates from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination;

providing wheels on different sides of the vehicle and, in each case, and wheel brakes being associated with each of the wheels;

activating at least one wheel brake of the vehicle concerned on only one side of the vehicle in order to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle relative to the intended travel direction;

accelerating a wheel on an unbraked side of the vehicle to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle; and

intermittently applying the wheel brake of the wheel on the braked side of the vehicle and increasing the acceleration of the wheel on the unbraked side of the vehicle, during braking pauses, to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the intended travel direction on the basis of a steering angle of a steered wheel of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising determining the intended travel direction on the basis of a speed of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the yaw rate difference on the basis of a time derivative of an articulation angle enclosed by the tractor vehicle relative to the trailer vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a length of the vehicle combination on the basis of a variation of the yaw rate difference while driving around a known curve.

6. A control unit for a vehicle combination comprising a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the control unit comprises:

a sensor system for determining a yaw rate difference between a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle;

a processing device for determining, on a basis of the yaw rate difference, an orientation deviation of one of the tractor and the trailer vehicle which is deviating from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination;

each of the tractor and the trailer vehicle having wheels on different sides of the respective vehicle and respective wheel brakes being associated with each of the respective wheels;

the processing device being designed to activate a desired wheel brake of the vehicle, on only one side of the vehicle, in order to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle relative to the intended travel direction of the vehicle;

the processing device being designed to activate acceleration of a wheel on an unbraked side of the vehicle to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle; and

the processing device being designed to activate intermittent application of the wheel brake of the wheel on the braked side of the vehicle, and increasing the acceleration of the wheel on the unbraked side of the vehicle, during braking pauses, to counter the orientation deviation of the vehicle.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the processing device is designed to control the vehicle combination autonomously.

8. A method of controlling a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle, each of the trailer vehicle and the tractor vehicle having wheels located on opposed lateral sides thereof, and each of the wheels have a respective brake, the method comprising the following steps:

determining a yaw rate of the tractor vehicle via a first yaw rate sensor, and determining a yaw rate of the trailer vehicle via a second yaw rate sensor;

determining a yaw rate difference, via either a processing device or one of the first and the second yaw rate sensors, between the yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and the yaw rate of the trailer vehicle;

determining, based on the yaw rate difference, when at least one of the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle is deviating from an intended travel direction of the vehicle combination;

activating, via a control device, at least one wheel brake located on only one lateral side of the at least one of the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle that is deviating from the intended travel direction to counter the deviation from the intended travel direction; and

providing the vehicle concerned with a plurality of wheels, arranged one behind another, on both sides of the vehicle, and activating the wheel brakes of the wheels in accordance with their position in relation to a driving direction of the vehicle, consecutively from a rear toward a front the vehicle.