Trailer brake control in a tow vehicle

• US 20030117011A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ackley, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US10/042,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20030117011A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/686 in hydraulic systems or parts thereof
• 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 8/323 Systems specially adapted for tractor-trailer combinations

Abstract

A trailer braking system for use in vehicles with automated braking systems, such as anti-lock brake systems (ABS) or traction control systems (TCS), integrates the trailer brake controller physically and functionally into the on-board controller for the automated braking system of the tow vehicle.

Claims

1. An automatic brake controller for a vehicle, the controller comprising:

means for controlling brakes of the vehicle; and

means for controlling brakes of a trailer being towed by the vehicle.

2. The automatic brake controller of claim 1 wherein

the controller is adapted for receiving an input indicating application of the brakes of the vehicle and generating an output signal for applying the trailer brakes in response to receipt of the input indicating application of the vehicle brakes.

3. The automatic brake controller of claim 2 wherein;

the vehicle includes a brake pedal and a brake pedal switch actuated by application of the brake pedal; and

the input indicating application of the vehicle brakes is a signal indicating application of the brake pedal.

4. The automatic brake controller of claim 3 wherein the vehicle includes brake lamps and the signal is an electrical signal adapted to illuminate the brake lamps of the vehicle.

5. The automatic brake controller of claim 1 wherein:

the controller is adapted for receiving a signal indicating motion of the vehicle and applying the trailer brakes in response to the input indicating motion of the vehicle.

6. The automatic brake controller of claim 5 wherein:

the vehicle includes wheel speed sensors for sensing rotation of the wheels and generating a signal indicating wheel speed; and

the controller is adapted for receiving signals from the wheel speed sensors as the input indicating motion of vehicle motion.

7. The automatic brake controller of claim 1 further including means for adjusting the automatic application of the trailer brakes.

8. The automatic brake controller of claim 1 further including manual apply switch means for manually applying the trailer brakes.

9. A vehicle adapted for towing a trailer having brakes, the vehicle comprising:

wheels, brakes for stopping the wheels, wheel speed sensors for sensing the rotational speed of the wheels and providing a signal indicating rotational speed of the wheels; and

an automatic brake controller mounted in the vehicle, the controller comprising means for controlling the brakes of the vehicle and the brakes of the trailer in response to the signal indicating rotational speed of the wheels.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the vehicle includes driver operated actuator means for applying the vehicle brakes, and brake actuator sensing means for sensing application of the vehicle brakes and providing a signal indicating application of the vehicle brakes, and the automatic controller further comprises means for controlling the brakes of the vehicle and the brakes of the trailer in response to the signal indicating actuation of the brakes.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the vehicle includes a passenger compartment, and the automatic controller is mounted outside of the passenger compartment.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the means for adjusting the automatic application of the trailer brakes includes an adjustable output switch mounted within the passenger compartment.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 further including manual apply switch means mounted within the passenger compartment for manually applying the trailer brakes.

14. A method for operating a vehicle having wheels, and brakes for stopping the wheels, and adapted for towing a trailer having brakes, the method comprising:

controlling the brakes of the vehicle and the brakes of the trailer in response to the signal indicating rotational speed of the wheels of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle includes driver operated means for applying the vehicle brakes, and the method further comprises sensing application of the vehicle brakes by the driver and controlling the brakes of the vehicle and the brakes of the trailer in response to application of the vehicle brakes.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle includes a passenger compartment and an adjustable output switch mounted in the passenger compartment, and the method further comprises adjusting the automatic application of the trailer brakes with the adjustable output switch mounted within the passenger compartment.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising manually applying the trailer brakes.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle includes driver operated means for manually applying the trailer brakes and the method further comprises manually applying the trailer brakes.

19. A computer usable medium including a program for generating instructions for controlling brakes of a trailer and the brakes on the wheels of a vehicle towing the trailer, the program comprising:

computer program code that receives a signal indicating rotational speed of the wheels of the vehicle;

computer program code that calculates a control signal for applying the trailer brakes based on the rotational speed of the wheels of the vehicle; and

computer program code that generates the control signal for transmission to the trailer brakes.

20. The program of claim 19 further comprising:

computer program code that receives a signal indicating application of the vehicle brakes by a driver of the vehicle; and

computer program code that calculates the control signal for applying the trailer brakes based on application of the vehicle brakes by the driver.