Articulated vehicle jackknife prevention system
First Claim
1. A transportation safety apparatus for a vehicle combination,the vehicle combination including a leading vehicle that pulls a trailing vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of force sensors for measuring force on opposite sides of said trailing vehicle;
a wheel direction sensor for measuring aim-angle at which tires on said leading vehicle, that steer said leading vehicle, are turned;
at least one of;
a) a plurality of position sensors for measuring angle difference between the leading vehicle and the trailing vehicle; and
b) an angle sensor for measuring centerline angle between a leading centerline of the leading vehicle and a trailing centerline of the trailing vehicle; and
a processing unit for signaling jack knife risk based on said force measured by one of said force sensors, said wheel direction sensor, and at least one of said angle difference and said centerline angle.
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Abstract
A transportation safety apparatus for a vehicle combination, the vehicle combination including a leading vehicle that pulls a trailing vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of force sensors for measuring pressure on opposite sides of the trailing vehicle; a wheel direction sensor for measuring aim angle at which tires on the leading vehicle aim said leading vehicle; at least one of: a) a plurality of position sensors for measuring angle difference between the leading vehicle and the trailing vehicle; and b) an angle sensor for measuring centerline angle between a leading centerline of the leading vehicle and a trailing centerline of the trailing vehicle; and a processing unit for signaling jack knife risk based on force measured by one of the force sensors, the wheel direction sensor, and at least one of the angle difference and the centerline angle.
2 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A transportation safety apparatus for a vehicle combination,
the vehicle combination including a leading vehicle that pulls a trailing vehicle, said apparatus comprising: -
a plurality of force sensors for measuring force on opposite sides of said trailing vehicle; a wheel direction sensor for measuring aim-angle at which tires on said leading vehicle, that steer said leading vehicle, are turned; at least one of;
a) a plurality of position sensors for measuring angle difference between the leading vehicle and the trailing vehicle; and
b) an angle sensor for measuring centerline angle between a leading centerline of the leading vehicle and a trailing centerline of the trailing vehicle; anda processing unit for signaling jack knife risk based on said force measured by one of said force sensors, said wheel direction sensor, and at least one of said angle difference and said centerline angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for signaling risk of jack knife, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring, with force sensors, force on opposite sides of a trailing vehicle, that is trailing a leading vehicle; measuring aim angle at which tires on said leading vehicle, that steer said leading vehicle, are turned; measuring at least one of;
a) angle difference between the leading vehicle and the trailing vehicle based on output from a plurality of position sensors; and
b) centerline angle between a leading centerline of the leading vehicle and a trailing centerline of the trailing vehicle; andsignaling jack knife risk based on force measured by one of said force sensors, said wheel direction sensor, and at least one of said angle difference and said centerline angle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification