Control system, vehicle and method
First Claim
1. A central tire inflation system for a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of inflation control valves for controlling inflation of a respective tire; and
a first gas source for supplying pressurized gas to the inflation control valves,the system further comprising a first gas inlet valve for controlling the supply of gas from the first gas source to a fluid gallery, the system comprising a plurality of gallery outlet valves each arranged to control gas flow between the fluid gallery and a respective tire supply line, each tire supply line being provided in fluid communication with the inflation control valve of a respective tire and arranged to supply gas from the fluid gallery to the inflation control valve, the gallery being provided with an exhaust valve for exhausting gas therein and at least two gallery pressure sensors for measuring a pressure of gas in the gallery,at least one electronic controller being configured to perform at least one system check comprising a gallery pressure sensor check, the gallery pressure sensor check comprising, with the gallery outlet valves and first gas inlet valve closed, causing the gallery exhaust valve to open and monitoring the pressure in the gallery according to each of the at least two gallery pressure sensors, wherein if the pressure in the gallery according to the at least two gallery pressure sensors does not correspond to a predetermined datum pressure, the electronic controller determines that the system has failed the system check, wherein if the control means determines that the system has failed a system check the electronic controller is configured not to permit inflation or deflation of one or more tires by the system,wherein the first gas source comprises a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of gas supplied by the first gas source, the electronic controller being configured to perform a system check comprising a first gas source pressure sensor check, wherein the first gas source pressure sensor check comprises, with the gallery pressure equal to the datum pressure value, the gallery exhaust valve closed and the gallery outlet valves closed, opening the first gas inlet valve to the gallery wherein the first gas source is in fluid communication with the gallery, and comparing a pressure of gas measured by the first gas source pressure sensor with a pressure in the gallery according to each of the at least two gallery pressure sensors, the system being configured to determine that the system has failed the first gas source pressure sensor check in dependence on the comparison.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A central tire inflation system for a vehicle having a plurality of inflation control valves for controlling inflation of a respective tire, a first gas source for supplying pressurized gas to the inflation control valves, a first gas inlet valve for controlling the supply of gas from the first gas source to a fluid gallery, and a plurality of gallery outlet valves each arranged to control gas flow between the fluid gallery and a respective tire supply line that supplies gas from the fluid gallery to the inflation control valve. The gallery has two gallery pressure sensors for measuring a pressure of gas in the gallery. An electronic controller performs a gallery pressure sensor check that involves, with the gallery outlet valves and first gas inlet valve closed, causing the gallery exhaust valve to open and monitoring the pressure in the gallery according to each of the gallery pressure sensors.
11 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A central tire inflation system for a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of inflation control valves for controlling inflation of a respective tire; and a first gas source for supplying pressurized gas to the inflation control valves, the system further comprising a first gas inlet valve for controlling the supply of gas from the first gas source to a fluid gallery, the system comprising a plurality of gallery outlet valves each arranged to control gas flow between the fluid gallery and a respective tire supply line, each tire supply line being provided in fluid communication with the inflation control valve of a respective tire and arranged to supply gas from the fluid gallery to the inflation control valve, the gallery being provided with an exhaust valve for exhausting gas therein and at least two gallery pressure sensors for measuring a pressure of gas in the gallery, at least one electronic controller being configured to perform at least one system check comprising a gallery pressure sensor check, the gallery pressure sensor check comprising, with the gallery outlet valves and first gas inlet valve closed, causing the gallery exhaust valve to open and monitoring the pressure in the gallery according to each of the at least two gallery pressure sensors, wherein if the pressure in the gallery according to the at least two gallery pressure sensors does not correspond to a predetermined datum pressure, the electronic controller determines that the system has failed the system check, wherein if the control means determines that the system has failed a system check the electronic controller is configured not to permit inflation or deflation of one or more tires by the system, wherein the first gas source comprises a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of gas supplied by the first gas source, the electronic controller being configured to perform a system check comprising a first gas source pressure sensor check, wherein the first gas source pressure sensor check comprises, with the gallery pressure equal to the datum pressure value, the gallery exhaust valve closed and the gallery outlet valves closed, opening the first gas inlet valve to the gallery wherein the first gas source is in fluid communication with the gallery, and comparing a pressure of gas measured by the first gas source pressure sensor with a pressure in the gallery according to each of the at least two gallery pressure sensors, the system being configured to determine that the system has failed the first gas source pressure sensor check in dependence on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling a central tire inflation system for a vehicle by means of control means, the method comprising:
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a plurality of inflation control valves for controlling inflation of a respective tire; a first gas source for supplying pressurized gas to the inflation control valves; a first gas inlet valve for controlling the supply of gas from the first gas source to a fluid gallery; a plurality of gallery outlet valves each arranged to control gas flow between the fluid gallery and a respective tire supply line, each tire supply line being provided in fluid communication with the inflation control valve of a respective tire and arranged to supply gas from the fluid gallery to the inflation control valve, the gallery being provided with an exhaust valve for exhausting gas therein and at least two gallery pressure sensors for measuring a pressure of gas in the gallery; a first gas source pressure sensor for measuring a pressure of gas supplied by the first gas source, the method comprising performing at least one system check, the at least one system check comprising a gallery pressure sensor check, the gallery pressure sensor check comprising, with the gallery outlet valves and first gas inlet valve closed, causing the gallery exhaust valve to open and monitoring the pressure in the gallery according to each of the at least two gallery pressure sensors, wherein if the pressure in the gallery according to the at least two gallery pressure sensors does not correspond to a predetermined datum pressure, the control means determines that the system has failed the system check, whereby if the control means determines that the system has failed a system check the method comprises not permitting inflation or deflation of one or more tires by the system, and the method further comprising performing a system check comprising a first gas source pressure sensor check, wherein the first gas source pressure sensor check comprises, with the gallery pressure equal to the datum pressure value, the gallery exhaust valve closed and the gallery outlet valves closed, opening the first gas inlet valve to the gallery wherein the first gas source is in fluid communication with the gallery, and comparing a pressure of gas measured by the first gas source pressure sensor with a pressure in the gallery according to each of the at least two gallery pressure sensors, the control means determining that the system has failed the first gas source pressure sensor check in dependence on the comparison.
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Specification