Tractor-trailer axle center height control method and apparatus
First Claim
1. In a tractor-trailer combination including (i) a semitrailer tractor having (a) a front axle and (b) at least one drive axle having a predefined nominal axle load, (ii) a semitrailer having (c) a first axle and (d) at least one second axle, and (iii) an axle load adjusting device, including an axle center height drive for said first axle adapted to change a drive-axle axle load acting on said drive axle by adjustment of a center height of said first axle, said axle load adjusting device being adapted to automatically switch into a starting assistance mode in which a second-axle axle load acting on said at least one second axle is increased to a starting-assistance axle load that is less than a predefined maximum axle load,an axle center height controller adapted to automatically sense actuation of an off-road starting sensing device, and to increase said second-axle axle load to an off-road starting axle load that is greater than said predefined maximum axle load when said off-road starting sensing device is actuated.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tractor-trailer combination includes a semitrailer tractor having a front axle and at least one drive axle having a predefined nominal axle load, a semitrailer having a first axle and at least one second axle, and an axle load adjusting device, which has an axle center height drive for the first axle enabling the axle load acting on the drive axle to be changed by adjusting a center height of the first axle, that can automatically switch into a starting assistance mode in which the second-axle axle load is increased to a starting-assistance axle load that is always below a predefined maximum axle load. An axle center height controller is adapted to automatically detect actuation of an off-road starting sensing device, and increase the second-axle axle load to an off-road starting axle load that is greater than the maximum axle load if the off-road starting sensing device is actuated.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. In a tractor-trailer combination including (i) a semitrailer tractor having (a) a front axle and (b) at least one drive axle having a predefined nominal axle load, (ii) a semitrailer having (c) a first axle and (d) at least one second axle, and (iii) an axle load adjusting device, including an axle center height drive for said first axle adapted to change a drive-axle axle load acting on said drive axle by adjustment of a center height of said first axle, said axle load adjusting device being adapted to automatically switch into a starting assistance mode in which a second-axle axle load acting on said at least one second axle is increased to a starting-assistance axle load that is less than a predefined maximum axle load,
an axle center height controller adapted to automatically sense actuation of an off-road starting sensing device, and to increase said second-axle axle load to an off-road starting axle load that is greater than said predefined maximum axle load when said off-road starting sensing device is actuated.
-
13. A tractor-trailer combination, comprising:
-
(a) a semitrailer tractor including a front axle and at least one drive axle having a predefined nominal axle load; (b) a semitrailer including a first axle and at least one second axle; and (c) an axle load adjusting device adapted to assume a starting assistance mode in which a second-axle axle load acting on said at least one second axle is increased to a starting-assistance axle load that is less than a predefined maximum axle load, said axle load adjusting device including (i) an axle center height drive for said first axle adapted to change a drive-axle axle load acting on said drive axle by adjustment of a center height of said first axle, and (ii) an axle center height controller adapted to automatically sense actuation of an off-road starting sensing device, and to increase said second-axle axle load to an off-road starting axle load that is greater than said predefined maximum axle load when said off-road starting sensing device is actuated. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of sensing a location of said tractor-trailer combination, determining whether said location is within a predefined region, and increasing said second-axle axle load to said off-road starting axle load that is greater than said maximum axle load only when said location is within said predefined region.
Specification