Measurement of the load status of a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A device for measuring the force transmitted by a pneumatic spring, comprising a sensor for measuring the respective bellows pressure (p) arranged within the pneumatic spring, one additional sensor (E) for measuring the spring travel (e) arranged in or in the vicinity of the pneumatic spring, an electronic unit (ECU) for receiving data regarding the bellows pressure (p) from said sensor and the spring travel e) from said additional sensor and storing a function which describes the effective cross-sectional surface (A of the pneumatic spring depending on spring travel (e) of the respective pneumatic spring, and for calculating the force transmitted by the pneumatic spring exclusively from these data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In order to rapidly and inexpensively deliver information regarding the load status of a motor vehicle, in particular, a utility vehicle with at least one axle that is suspended on pneumatic springs, there is arranged a sensor for measuring the bellows pressure and one additional sensor for measuring the spring travel on each of the pneumatic springs used in the wheel suspensions of the motor vehicle, and to additionally process the pressure and the spring travel in an electronic control unit. In this case, the spring forces preferably are calculated and displayed first, whereafter the wheel forces and ulitmately the position of the center of gravity, as well as the total weight and/or the weight of the net load, are calculated and displayed. The information regarding the load status preferably is also utilized as an input quantity for other safety systems, e.g., for lowering a lift axle, for issuing a warning and/or for throttling the speed in accordance with the respective requirements. This information can also be evaluated for documenting a motor vehicle load and/or an accident.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A device for measuring the force transmitted by a pneumatic spring, comprising
a sensor for measuring the respective bellows pressure (p) arranged within the pneumatic spring, one additional sensor (E) for measuring the spring travel (e) arranged in or in the vicinity of the pneumatic spring, an electronic unit (ECU) for receiving data regarding the bellows pressure (p) from said sensor and the spring travel e) from said additional sensor and storing a function which describes the effective cross-sectional surface (A of the pneumatic spring depending on spring travel (e) of the respective pneumatic spring, and for calculating the force transmitted by the pneumatic spring exclusively from these data.
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2. A device for measuring the load status of a motor vehicle that is suspended on pneumatic springs and has at least 4 wheel positions that are distributed over at least 2 axles, with at least one axle being suspended on pneumatic springs comprising
a sensor (P) for determining the respective bellows pressure (p) within each pneumatic spring, one additional sensor (E) for measuring the spring travel (e) of each pneumatic spring, and an electronic control unit (ECU), for receiving the data regarding the bellows pressure (p) from said sensor and the spring travel (e) from said additional sensor for each pneumatic spring for storing a function which describes the effective cross-sectional surface (A) of the pneumatic spring depending on the spring travel (e) of the pneumatic spring for each of the pneumatic springs of said vehicle, and for calculating the transmitted spring force for each pneumatic spring exclusively from these data, with the actual wheel load for each wheel position being calculated in the electronic control unit (ECU) from the data regarding all spring forces, by utilizing stored data by way of the spring gauges and axle gauges, and with warning means and/or means for activating another safety system in case an overload of one or more wheel positions is calculated.
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20. A method for measuring the force transmitted by a pneumatic spring having a bellows, comprising
measuring respective bellows pressure (p) within the pneumatic spring and obtaining pressure data, measuring spring travel (e) and obtaining spring travel data, inputting said pressure data and said spring travel data into an electronic control unit (ECU), said (ECU) having stored therein a function which describes the effective cross-sectional surface (A) of the pneumatic spring depending on the spring travel (e) of the respective pneumatic spring, and calculating the force transmitted by the pneumatic spring exclusively from these data.
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21. A method for measuring the load status of a motor vehicle that is suspended on pneumatic springs and has at least 4 wheel positions that are distributed over at least 2 axles, with at least one axle being suspended on pneumatic springs comprising
determining the respective bellows pressure (p) within each pneumatic spring, measuring the spring travel (e) of each pneumatic spring, obtaining pressure data and spring travel data and inputting said data into an electronic control unit (ECU), said (ECU) having stored therein a function which describes the effective cross-sectional surface (A) of the pneumatic spring depending on the spring travel (e) of the pneumatic spring for each of the pneumatic springs, calculating the transmitted spring force for each pneumatic spring exclusively from these data, with the actual wheel load for each wheel position being calculated in the electronic control unit (ECU) from the data regarding all spring forces, by utilizing stored data by way of the spring gauges and axle gauges, and with the electronic control unit delivering at least one warning and/or activating another safety system in case an overload of one or more wheel positions is calculated.
Specification