System for Determining a Vehicle Load

• US 20090048790A1
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Provost Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth, near Dublin
• Original Assignee: The Provost Fellows and Scholars of the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth, near Dublin
• Inventors: Basu, Biswajit, Geraghty, Thomas Dermot
• Application Number:
  US12/224,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/42
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/12 having electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3728 with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network

Abstract

A system (1) for determining a load of a vehicle such as a HGV. The system (1) comprises a plurality of strain gauges (2) mounted on each axle (3, 4) of the HGV. Each strain gauge (2) is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of the axles (3, 4) to measure the strain exerted on each axle (3, 4) in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of each axle (3, 4). The strain gauges (2) are mounted on the axles (3, 4) at locations on the axles (3, 4) at which the axles (3, 4) exhibit a substantially linear strain-load relationship. These locations are determined, by performing a finite element analysis of the axles (3, 4). The system (1) also comprises a master control unit (5), carried on-board the HGV5 for calculating the HGV load responsive to the longitudinal strain measured by the strain gauges (2). The load exerted by the HGV on the road surface may then be calculated responsive to the calculated HGV load. The strain gauges (2) may be employed to measure in real-time the longitudinal strain exerted on the nodes (3, 4) of the HGV while the HGV is moving, and the master control unit (5) may be employed to calculate in real-time the HGV load while the HGV is moving. The system (1) further comprises a transmitter for transmitting information from the HGV to a central server at a location remote from the HGV.

Claims

1-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A system for determining a vehicle load, the system comprising:

—

measuring means comprising at least one strain gauge configured to be mounted on at least one vehicle axle, to measure strain exerted on said at least one vehicle axle in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one vehicle axle;

wherein the measuring means is configured to be mounted at one or more locations on the at least one vehicle axle at which said axle exhibits a substantially linear strain-load relationship;

calculating means to calculate the vehicle load in response to the measured strain;

determining means configured to perform finite element analysis of a vehicle axle to determine one or more locations on a vehicle axle at which the vehicle axle exhibits a substantially linear strain-load relationship; and

wherein the determining means is configured to perform 3-D finite element modelling of a vehicle axle to determine strain distribution in the vehicle axle.

57. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the measuring means comprises a first strain gauge configured to be mounted on one side of a vehicle axle and a second strain gauge configured to be mounted on an opposite side of the vehicle axle.

58. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the measuring means is configured to measure the strain exerted on at least one axle of a moving vehicle, and the calculating means is configured to calculate the moving vehicle load.

59. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the measuring means is configured to measure in real-time strain exerted on at least one vehicle axle, and the calculating means is configured to calculate in real-time vehicle load.

60. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the measuring means is configured to measure strain exerted on at least one axle of a stationary vehicle, and the calculating means is configured to calculate the stationary vehicle load.

61. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the calculating means is configured to receive vehicle speed data and location data and for relating said data to load data.

62. The system as claimed in claim 61, wherein the calculating means is configured to calculate the vehicle load by means of a predetermined relationship between load and strain.

63. The system as claimed in claim 62, wherein the calculating means is configured to perform finite element analysis of a vehicle axle to obtain the relationship between load and strain.

64. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the calculating means is configured to calculate, responsive to the calculated vehicle load, the load exerted by a vehicle on a road surface.

65. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the calculating means is configured to be carried on board a vehicle, and to transmit information including vehicle load data from a vehicle to a location remote from the vehicle.

66. The system as claimed in claim 65, wherein the information includes vehicle speed information and vehicle location information.

67. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the calculating means is configured to be located remote from a vehicle, the system comprises a wireless transmitter for transmitting strain data, and the calculating means comprises a wireless interface to receive strain data.

68. The system as claimed in claim 56, wherein the measuring means comprises strain gauges configured for mounting on a plurality of vehicle axles.

69. A vehicle assembly comprising:

—

a vehicle; and

a system for determining the vehicle load as claimed in claim 56.

70. A method of determining a vehicle load, the method comprising the steps of:

—

measuring strain exerted on at least one axle of the vehicle; and

responsive to the measured strain, calculating the vehicle load,

wherein;

the strain exerted on the at least one vehicle axle in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the at least one vehicle axle is measured;

the method comprises the step of mounting a measuring means on the at least one vehicle axle;

the measuring means is mounted on the at least one vehicle axle at one or more locations on the at least one vehicle axle at which said axle exhibits a substantially linear strain-load relationship;

the method comprises the step of determining using finite element analysis the one or more locations on the at least one vehicle axle at which said axle exhibits a substantially linear strain-load relationship.

71. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the vehicle is moving;

and wherein the strain exerted on the at least one vehicle axle is measured in real-time, and wherein the vehicle load is calculated in real-time.

72. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the vehicle is stationary.

73. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the vehicle load is calculated on board the vehicle.

74. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the vehicle load is calculated at a location remote from the vehicle.

75. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the method comprises the step of transmitting information from the vehicle to a location remote from the vehicle.

76. The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein measured strain information is transmitted.

77. The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein the vehicle load information is transmitted.

78. The method as claimed in claim 75, wherein vehicle speed and location information is transmitted.

79. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the vehicle load is calculated based on a finite element analysis of the at least one vehicle axle, and the vehicle load is calculated by accessing a predetermined database of load values versus strain values.

80. The method as claimed in claim 79, wherein the method comprises the step of performing a finite element analysis of the at least one vehicle axle to populate the database of load values versus strain values.

81. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the method comprises the step of calculating, responsive to the calculated vehicle load, the load exerted by the vehicle on a road surface.

82. The method as claimed in claim 70, wherein the measuring means measures strain in all vehicle axles.