VEHICLE WEIGHT SENSING METHODS AND SYSTEMS
First Claim
1. A method of characterizing a vehicle to determine gross axle weights associated with the vehicle, the vehicle including a sprung mass operatively associated with supporting a payload, an unsprung mass including two or more axles, and a fluid suspension system operatively associated with supporting the sprung mass and controlling the height of the sprung mass relative to the unsprung mass, the fluid suspension system including one or more fluid suspension members operatively disposed between the sprung mass and the axles, a fluid control device, a pressurized fluid source, an exhaust passage in fluid communication with the one or more fluid suspension members through the fluid control device, one or more pressure sensors operatively associated with the fluid suspension members, and an electronic control unit operatively associated with the fluid control device, the method of characterizing the vehicle comprising:
- a) measuring a first gross axle weight of each axle of the vehicle unloaded;
b) adjusting the height of the sprung mass, relative to the unsprung mass, to a predetermined height by one of supplying fluid to the fluid suspension members and exhausting fluid from the fluid suspension members;
c) measuring a first pressure associated with each of the fluid suspension members;
d) loading the sprung mass with a characterization load;
e) measuring a second gross axle weight of each axle of the vehicle loaded with the characterization load;
f) adjusting the height of the sprung mass, relative to the unsprung mass, to the predetermined height by one of supplying fluid to the one or more fluid suspension members and exhausting fluid from the one or more fluid suspension members;
g) measuring a second pressure associated with each of the fluid suspension members; and
h) creating a computer readable database which correlates a plurality of pressures associated with the fluid suspension members with a gross axle weight of the respective axles with the fluid suspension members supporting the sprung mass at the predetermined height, wherein the first gross axle weights and the respective measured first pressures provide a first data set, and the second gross axle weights and the respective measured second pressures provide a second data set to create the database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are vehicle weight sensing methods and systems. According to one aspect of this disclosure, provided is a method of characterizing a vehicle to determine gross axle weights by accessing a computer readable database which correlates a plurality of pressures associated with fluid suspension members incorporated into the vehicle.
112 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of characterizing a vehicle to determine gross axle weights associated with the vehicle, the vehicle including a sprung mass operatively associated with supporting a payload, an unsprung mass including two or more axles, and a fluid suspension system operatively associated with supporting the sprung mass and controlling the height of the sprung mass relative to the unsprung mass, the fluid suspension system including one or more fluid suspension members operatively disposed between the sprung mass and the axles, a fluid control device, a pressurized fluid source, an exhaust passage in fluid communication with the one or more fluid suspension members through the fluid control device, one or more pressure sensors operatively associated with the fluid suspension members, and an electronic control unit operatively associated with the fluid control device, the method of characterizing the vehicle comprising:
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a) measuring a first gross axle weight of each axle of the vehicle unloaded; b) adjusting the height of the sprung mass, relative to the unsprung mass, to a predetermined height by one of supplying fluid to the fluid suspension members and exhausting fluid from the fluid suspension members; c) measuring a first pressure associated with each of the fluid suspension members; d) loading the sprung mass with a characterization load; e) measuring a second gross axle weight of each axle of the vehicle loaded with the characterization load; f) adjusting the height of the sprung mass, relative to the unsprung mass, to the predetermined height by one of supplying fluid to the one or more fluid suspension members and exhausting fluid from the one or more fluid suspension members; g) measuring a second pressure associated with each of the fluid suspension members; and h) creating a computer readable database which correlates a plurality of pressures associated with the fluid suspension members with a gross axle weight of the respective axles with the fluid suspension members supporting the sprung mass at the predetermined height, wherein the first gross axle weights and the respective measured first pressures provide a first data set, and the second gross axle weights and the respective measured second pressures provide a second data set to create the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 18)
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6. A method of characterizing a vehicle to determine gross axle weights associated with the vehicle, the vehicle including a sprung mass operatively associated with supporting a payload, an unsprung mass including two or more axles, and a fluid suspension system operatively associated with supporting the sprung mass and controlling the height of the sprung mass relative to the unsprung mass, the fluid suspension system including one or more fluid suspension members operatively disposed between the sprung mass and the axles, a fluid control device, a pressurized fluid source, an exhaust passage in fluid communication with the fluid suspension members through the fluid control device, one or more pressure sensors operatively associated with the fluid suspension members, and an electronic control unit operatively associated with the fluid control device, the method of characterizing the vehicle comprising:
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a) measuring gross axle weight of each axle with the vehicle unloaded; b) adjusting the height of the sprung mass, relative to the unsprung mass, to a predetermined height by one of supplying fluid to the fluid suspension members and exhausting fluid from the fluid suspension members; c) measuring a first pressure associated with each of the fluid suspension members; d) determining a second gross axle weight of each axle for a second pressure associated with the fluid suspension members, the second pressure greater than the first pressure and the second gross axle weight of the axles determined by accessing load data associated with the fluid suspension members, wherein the load data provides one or more sprung mass weights for one or more respective pressures associated with the fluid suspension members at a height associated with the predetermined sprung mass height, and the second gross axle weight of the axles is calculated as a function of the first gross axle weight, the first pressure, the sprung mass weight for the second pressure and the second pressure; and e) creating a computer readable database which correlates a plurality of pressures associated with the fluid suspension members with a plurality of gross axle weights of the respective axles with the fluid suspension members supporting the sprung mass at the predetermined height, wherein the first gross axle weights and the respective measured first pressures provide a first data set, and the second gross axle weights and the respective measured second pressures provide a second data set to create the database. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
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Specification