Tractor/Trailer Combinations

• US 20140025245A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GKN Land Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: GKN Autostructures Ltd. (AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Fanourakis, Angelo, Mason, Bachrun, Hill, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0444 Arrangement on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/207 Towing force
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/147 Trailers, e.g. full trailers or caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/06 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/08 Fifth wheel traction couplings tractors for handling trailers in terminals B62D49/007
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/0871 with stabilising means, e.g. to prevent jack-knifing, pitching, rolling, buck jumping stabilising in general B62D37/00; tractors B62D49/08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 59/04 driven from propulsion unit on trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/12 with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels for manoeuvring purposes only B60S

Abstract

A tractor unit (10) and a trailer unit (14) are connected by a connecting pin (33) on one unit (12, 14) which is in use received in an opening (21) in a connecting surface of the other unit, the connecting pin (33) including a sensor device (70) to sense loads imposed on the connecting pin (33) as the trailer unit (14) tends to decelerate or accelerate relative to the tractor unit (12), there being a control system, including a controller (65) which receives signals from the sensor device (70) representative of loads imposed on the connecting pin (33), and at least one electrical motive machine (50) is controlled, the machine (50) being capable of being electrically driven by power from an electrical storage device to provide drive to drive at least one ground engaging wheel (45a, 45b) and of generating electrical power for storage by an electrical storage device (58), such as to minimise the loads imposed on the connecting pin (33).

Claims

1. In combination, a tractor unit and a trailer unit, the tractor unit and the trailer unit being coupled by a connection device which permits of relative angular movement between the tractor unit and the trailer unit about a generally upright axis, the connection device including a connecting pin which extends from a connecting surface of one of the trailer unit and the tractor unit, and is in use received in an opening in a connecting surface of the other of the tractor unit and the trailer unit, the connecting pin including a sensor device to sense loads imposed on the connecting pin as the trailer unit tends to decelerate or accelerate relative to the tractor unit, there being a control system, including a controller, the controller receiving signals from the sensor device of the connecting pin representative of the loads imposed on the connecting pin, the trailer unit including a pair of ground engaging wheels, one at each side of the trailer unit, at least one electrical motive machine which is capable of being electrically driven by power from an electrical storage device to provide drive to drive at least one of the ground engaging wheels to tend to accelerate the trailer relative to the tractor unit, and of generating electrical power for storage by the electrical storage device, in response to the trailer unit tending to accelerate relative to the tractor unit, and wherein the controller in use, controls the electrical motive machine in response to the signals from the sensor device to minimise the loads imposed on the connecting pin.

2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the connecting pin of the connection device is provided on the trailer unit, and the opening in which the connecting pin is in use received is provided in a connecting surface of the tractor unit.

3. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the controller of the control system is provided on the trailer unit.

4. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the electrical storage device is provided on the trailer unit.

5. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the control system of the trailer unit is substantially independent of the tractor unit.

6. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the sensor device includes a first sensor part and a second sensor part, the first and second sensor parts being located to sense loads at diametrically opposite positions of the connecting pin.

7. A combination according to claim 6 wherein, when the tractor unit and the trailer unit are in longitudinal alignment so that drive wheels of the tractor unit are in straight ahead positions in line with the ground engaging wheels of the trailer unit, the first sensor part senses loads at a forwardly facing region of the connecting pin as the trailer unit tends to decelerate relative to the tractor unit, and the second sensor part senses loads at a rearwardly facing region of the connecting pin as the trailer unit tends to accelerate relative to the tractor unit.

8. A combination according to claim 6 wherein the first and second sensor parts are carried by the connecting pin, and as the trailer unit turns relative to the tractor unit, the sensor devices turns with the trailer unit.

9. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the sensor device is of the kind which senses local strains by changing electrical resistance.

10. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the electrical motive machine is capable of providing variable drive to the or each ground engaging wheel when in drive mode, and is capable of providing a variable resistance braking effect when operated in electrical generating mode.

11. A combination according to claim 1 wherein to enable drive between the electrical motive machine and the ground engaging wheel or wheels to be isolated, there is provided a clutch apparatus.

12. A combination according to claim 11 wherein the clutch apparatus is between the wheel and the electrical motive machine, the clutch being controllable to engage and disengage drive by the controller.

13. A combination according to claim 11 wherein the controller engages and disengages the clutch to fulfill control criteria of a control algorithm.

14. A combination according to claim 13 wherein in the second operating mode, when the state of charge of the electrical power of the electrical power storage device becomes low, the controller, in accordance with the control algorithm, controls the clutch and the electrical motive machine such as to increase or maximise the generation of electrical power for storage, so that the electrical power of the electrical power storage device is restored.

15. A combination according to claim 13 wherein the control algorithm is adaptive to non-local criteria.

16. A combination according to claim 15 wherein the control system has an input to receive information relating to the geographic position of the combination which provides a positional input, and an input to receive route information relating to the proposed route of the combination, and the control system includes a control algorithm which uses the positional and route information in a control regime which seeks to ensure that the electrical storage device does not become depleted if electrical power beyond a predetermined state of charge as the combination travels from a starting location to a destination along the proposed route.

17. A combination according to claim 16 wherein the positional and/or route information includes information relating to the number and severity of up and down inclines, and turns and straights along the proposed route, the control algorithm, from such information, predicting the state of charge of the electrical storage device along the proposed route, and predicting the electrical power which will be required along the proposed route, in order to operate the combination to minimise loads imposed on the connecting pin.

18. A combination according to claim 16 wherein the positional information is provided by a Global Positioning System.

19. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the trailer unit includes a storage area to accommodate the electrical storage device.

20. A combination according to claim 19 where the trailer unit include a decking for carrying a load to be transported, the decking being supported by a chassis.

21. A combination according to claim 20 wherein the chassis includes a pair of longitudinally extending chassis members, the storage area being provided between pair of longitudinally extending chassis members.

22. A combination according to claim 21 wherein the electrical storage device is supported by a cradle which is readily mountable and dismountable relative to the chassis members.

23. A combination according to claim 21 wherein the storage area is positioned generally centrally across the trailer unit width, and betw

24. A combination according to claim 21 wherein the controller of the control system is stored in the storage area.

25. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the ground engaging wheels of the trailer unit are brakable by one or braking devices, the braking devices being controlled by a brake controller in response to braking commands provided by a driver in a cab of the tractor unit.

26. A combination according to claim 25 wherein the controller of the control system suspends its control of the at least one electrical motive machine when the brakes are applied such as would otherwise provide drive to the at least one ground engaging wheel.

27. A combination according to claim 1 wherein the ground engaging wheels of the trailer unit at least one of which is driven by the at least one electrical motive machine, the at least one electrical motive machine and the clutch where provided, are provided as an auxiliary unit which is in use secured to a chassis of the trailer unit by a suspension.

28. A combination according to claim 27 in which both of the pair of ground engaging wheels are driven by the at least one electrical motive machine, with there being a clutch apparatus for each wheel which is controlled by the controller to engage and disengage drive between each wheel and the at least one electrical motive machine.

30. A trailer unit for a combination according to claim 1.

31. A method of adapting a trailer unit which in use is coupled to a tractor unit, for use as trailer unit of a combination according to claim 1, the method including providing the trailer unit with a connecting pin which extends from a connecting surface of the trailer unit, which connecting pin is in use, received in an opening provided on a tractor unit, to provide a connection device which permits of relative angular movement between the tractor unit and the trailer unit about a generally upright axis, the connecting pin including a sensor device to sense loads imposed on the connecting pin as trailer unit in use, tends to decelerate or accelerate relative to the tractor unit, mounting on a chassis of the trailer unit an auxiliary unit which includes at least one electrical motive machine which is capable of being electrically driven to provide drive to at least one of a pair of ground engaging wheels of the auxiliary unit, and of generating electrical power, mounting on the trailer unit a controller of a control system, connecting the controller to receive signals from the sensor device of the connecting pin, mounting on the chassis an electrical storage device to provide power to the electrical motive machine for drive, and to store power generated by the electrical motive machine.

33. A method of operating a combination according to claim 1 which includes controlling the electrical motive machine by providing electrical power from the electrical storage device to drive the at least one of the pair of ground engaging wheels or permitting the electrical motive machine to generate electrical power for storage in the electrical storage device in accordance with a control algorithm to minimise loads imposed on the connecting pin in use.

29. A combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

32. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. A connection device for providing a connection between a tractor unit and a trailer unit which permits of relative angular movement between the tractor unit and the trailer unit about a generally upright axis, the connection device including a connecting pin and an opening, the connecting pin extending from a connecting surface of one of the trailer unit and the tractor unit, and being in use, received in an opening in a connecting surface of the other of the tractor unit and the trailer unit, the connecting pin including a sensor device to sense fore and aft loads imposed on the connecting pin relative to the trailer unit as the trailer unit tends to decelerate or accelerate relative to the tractor unit.

36. (canceled)