METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING A CRITICAL SNAKING MOTION OF A TRAILER OF A VEHICLE COMBINATION

• US 20150353096A1
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: BAUST, Benjamin, BEISSWENGER, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 9,682,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/30 for sway control , e.g. stabilising or anti-fishtail devices; Sway alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/14 Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 Yaw movement
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/00 Steering specially adapted for trailers combined traction and steering hitches B60D
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/005 operated from tractor steering system

Abstract

A method is provided for the detection of a critical snaking motion of a trailer of a vehicle combination, in which a setpoint yaw rate of the trailer is ascertained from the transverse acceleration of the trailer and the longitudinal speed of the vehicle combination, the actual yaw rate of the trailer is ascertained using a yaw rate sensor, and by a comparison of the curve over time of the setpoint yaw rate and the actual yaw rate, the presence of a critical snaking motion of the trailer is ascertained.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a critical snaking motion of a trailer of a vehicle combination, comprising:

ascertaining a setpoint yaw rate of the trailer from a transverse acceleration of the trailer and a longitudinal speed of the vehicle combination;

ascertaining an actual yaw rate of the trailer using a yaw rate sensor; and

ascertaining a presence of the critical snaking motion of the trailer by comparing a curve over time of the setpoint yaw rate and a curve over time of the actual yaw rate.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the critical snaking motion is detected as present, if a phase shift of the curve oscillating with time of the setpoint yaw rate relative to the curve oscillating with time of the actual yaw rate exceeds a specified threshold value.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the critical snaking motion is detected as present, if an amplitude difference between the curve oscillating with time of the setpoint yaw rate and the curve oscillating with time of the actual yaw rate exceeds a specified threshold value at a specified time after a beginning of the oscillations.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the critical snaking motion is detected as present, if a growth rate of an amplitude difference between the curve oscillating with time of the setpoint yaw rate and the curve oscillating with time of the actual yaw rate exceeds a specified threshold value.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, in the case of ascertaining the presence of the critical snaking motion of the trailer, implementing on the towing vehicle at least one of a driver-independent braking intervention, a driver-independent steering intervention, and a driver-independent engine torque-reducing intervention.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, in the case of ascertaining the critical snaking motion of the trailer, implementing a driver-independent braking intervention on the trailer.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in the case of an ascertained critical snaking motion of the trailer, if a non-presence of the critical snaking motion of the towing vehicle is ascertained using a sensor mounted on the towing vehicle, transmitting information on the snaking motion of the trailer to a driver, wherein none of at least one of a driver-independent braking intervention, a driver-independent steering intervention, and a driver-independent engine torque-reducing intervention takes place.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the ascertaining of the transverse acceleration the ascertaining of the actual yaw rate of the trailer take place by a sensor mounted on the trailer.

9. A device for detecting a critical snaking motion of a trailer of a vehicle combination, comprising:

an arrangement for ascertaining a setpoint yaw rate of the trailer from a transverse acceleration of the trailer and a longitudinal speed of the vehicle combination;

an arrangement for ascertaining an actual yaw rate of the trailer using a yaw rate sensor; and

an arrangement for ascertaining a presence of the critical snaking motion of the trailer by comparing a curve over time of the setpoint yaw rate and a curve over time of the actual yaw rate.