Method and device for damping pendulum oscillations of a trailer

• US 20040249547A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Nenninger, Gero
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02

Abstract

A method for stabilizing a vehicle combination composed of a towing vehicle and a trailer or semitrailer, in which when a snaking motion of the trailer or semitrailer is detected, braking interventions are implemented for damping the snaking motion, in which symmetrical braking interventions are implemented first, and asymmetrical braking interventions are implemented if the desired subsidence behavior of the snaking motion is not achieved through the symmetrical braking interventions.

Claims

1. A method for stabilizing a vehicle combination, including a towing vehicle and a trailer or semitrailer, the method comprising:

implementing, when a snaking motion of the trailer or semitrailer is detected, braking interventions for damping the snaking motion, wherein symmetrical braking interventions with respect to the wheels of at least one axle are implemented first, and asymmetrical braking interventions with respect to the wheels of at least one axle are implemented if a predetermined setpoint subsidence behavior of the snaking motion is not achieved by the symmetrical braking interventions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the setpoint subsidence behavior of the snaking motion is given by a setpoint curve over time that is determined for a differential variable, into which there enters at least one transverse dynamic vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the differential variable is the differential amplitude which results as the amplitude of the difference between the setpoint yaw rate and the actual yaw rate, and the setpoint curve is a setpoint subsidence curve for the differential amplitude.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the setpoint subsidence curve for the differential amplitude is determined by extrapolation over time as a function of an estimated maximum value for the differential amplitude, the estimated maximum value either prevailing at the time of detection of a snaking state of the vehicle which requires damping or it is determined at this point in time.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

a system deviation is determined which is obtained as the difference between the instantaneous yaw rate difference which is obtained as the difference between the instantaneous actual yaw rate and the instantaneous setpoint yaw rate, and the setpoint value of the differential variable derived from the setpoint curve over time for the instantaneous point in time; and

asymmetrical braking interventions are implemented if an absolute value of the system deviation exceeds a predetermined first limiting value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the asymmetrical braking interventions are terminated when the absolute value of the system deviation again falls below a predetermined second limiting value.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a setpoint yaw torque which is to be applied by the asymmetrical braking intervention is determined from the system deviation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the system deviation is used to determine the side of the vehicle on which the asymmetrical braking intervention should be performed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a prevailing snaking motion is recognized based on an analysis of the curve of a differential variable over time, at least one transverse dynamic vehicle variable entering into this differential variable.

10. A device for stabilizing a vehicle combination, including a towing vehicle and a trailer or semitrailer, comprising:

a braking arrangement to implement braking interventions for damping a snaking motion when the snaking motion of the trailer or semitrailer is detected, wherein symmetrical braking interventions with respect to the wheels of at least one axle are implemented first, and asymmetrical braking interventions with respect to the wheels of at least one axle are implemented if a predetermined setpoint subsidence behavior of the snaking motion is not achieved by the symmetrical braking interventions.