Electrical braking device for vehicle trailers and method for operation thereof

• US 20050006952A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alois Kober GmbH (DexKo Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Al-Ko Kober AG
• Inventors: Kohler, Robert, Kober, Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 7,438,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/124
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/065 characterised by the hitch mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/143 characterised by the mounting of the draw-gear on the towed vehicle B60D1/187 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/167 consisting of articulated or rigidly assembled bars or tubes forming a V-, Y-, or U-shaped draw gear B60D1/173 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/242 for supporting braking actions, e.g. braking means integrated with hitches; Braking sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/08 Overrun brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/66 Electrical control in fluid-pressure brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 with electrical assistance or drive
• 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 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations

Abstract

A method for electric braking of a vehicle trailer and a device for vehicle trailers is provided. The vehicle trailer has a rigid hitch or drawbar arrangement (7) and is braked by the overrun forces generated as a result of braking of the tractor vehicle (2). The brake device (1) has a force measuring arrangement which can be mounted at the rigid hitch arrangement (7) and statically records the compression and tension forces acting axially on the hitch arrangement (7) using tensometer strips (24, 25) to determine the wheel brake force needed for braking via a controller that correspondingly actuates the electrical wheel brakes.

Claims

1. An electric brake device for vehicle trailers with a rigid hitch arrangement and a trailer coupling, the device comprising:

a brake means has having a power supply unit that can be connected to a towing vehicle,

an control for determining the braking force needed; and

a sensing means is designed as a force-sensing device, which can be mounted at the rigid hitch arrangement and picks up the axial tensile and compressive forces acting in the hitch arrangement without movement.

2. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the force-sensing device has a plurality of electric wire strain gauges

3. A brake device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the wire strain gauges are arranged on both sides at the rigid pipe section having massive walls.

5. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the straight pipe section is rigidly connected with the trailer coupling.

6. A brake device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the pipe section is made in one piece with the coupling housing of the trailer coupling.

7. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pipe section is rigidly connected with the hitch arrangement by means of a fastening means with a clamp and screw connection.

8. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pipe section is fastened to a mounting fitting with a hitch plate, with a clamping part surrounding it on the outside.

9. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wire strain gauges are arranged at the pipe section axially in the middle area between the trailer coupling and the clamping part

10. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mounting fitting has an axial hump for guiding the pipe section.

11. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mounting fitting is rigidly connected with the front end of one or more said hitch ties.

12. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control is arranged in the pipe section.

13. A brake device in accordance with claim 12, wherein electric control lines are installed to the electric wheel brakes in the crossties of the chassis.

14. A brake device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a power supply of the electric brake device having a connection cable with contacts for connection with the lines for brake light and permanent plus of the towing vehicle.

15. An electric brake device, in accordance with claim 1, the further comprising a brake head is designed as an add-on piece for a hitch arrangement and has the trailer coupling with the pipe section, the wire strain gauges, the control, the power supply unit and the mounting fitting.

4. A brake device in accordance with claim, wherein the wire strain gauges are arranged in the area of the neutral axis of the pipe section.

16. A process for actuating an electric brake device of a vehicle trailer which is equipped with a rigid hitch arrangement and a trailer coupling, wherein a brake device has a power supply unit, which can be connected to a towing vehicle, electric wheel brakes and a sensing means as well as a control for determining and introducing the necessary braking forces, wherein the overriding forces generated at the vehicle trailer during the braking of the towing vehicle are sensed at the rigid hitch arrangement as axial tensile and compressive forces acting in the hitch arrangement without movement based on compressions or strains by means of said wire strain gauges.