Trailer brake control
First Claim
1. A trailer anti-swing brake control method for articulated vehicles (10) of the type comprising a tractor (12) and a trailer (14) connected at an articulating connection (34/176) defining a pivot axis (176) about which the trailer is pivotable relative to the tractor, an articulation angle (AA) of said vehicle defined by the included angle defined by a longitudinally extending axis of the trailer (202) passing through said pivot axis relative to a longitudinally extending axis of the tractor (200) passing through said pivot axis, said tractor (12) including a pair of steerable wheels (148, 150) and a steer angle (SA) defined by the included angle between a line (234) perpendicular to the horizontal axis of rotation of said steerable wheels and a line (236) parallel to said tractor longitudinally extending axis (200), a tractor brake system, a trailer brake system, a driver operated brake effort demand device (76/78) for providing a demand input signal indicative of the magnitude of operators demand for vehicle braking, a trailer brake control means (174) responsive in at least one operating mode for causing the trailer brake system to be applied with an operating force generally proportional to the magnitude of said demand input signal, said control method characterized by:
- determining (170/172) a value indicative of at least one of the articulation angle (AA) and a time derivative of the articulation angle (dAA/dt) and providing at least one articulation input signal indicative thereof;
determining a value indicative of at least one of tractor turning radius of curvature and a time derivative of tractor turning radius of curvature;
determining at least one reference value (REF1, REF2) as a function of at least one of the values indicative of tractor turning radius of curvature and a time derivative of tractor turning radius of curvature; and
receiving and processing said input signals and said predetermined values (70) according to predetermined logic rules to detect the existence of conditions indicative of at least one of incipient and initial trailer brake induced trailer swing events.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A brake control system/method for preventing or arresting and minimizing trailer brake induced trailer-swing in an articulated vehicle (10) is provided. The control system/method senses or calculates values indicative of articulation angle (AA) and/or time derivatives thereof (dAA/dt,) and indicative of vehicle dynamic turning radius of curvature (DTRC), or of steer angle (SA), and/or a time derivative thereof, and processes same to sense conditions indicative of an incipient or initial trailer brake induced trailer-swing event.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A trailer anti-swing brake control method for articulated vehicles (10) of the type comprising a tractor (12) and a trailer (14) connected at an articulating connection (34/176) defining a pivot axis (176) about which the trailer is pivotable relative to the tractor, an articulation angle (AA) of said vehicle defined by the included angle defined by a longitudinally extending axis of the trailer (202) passing through said pivot axis relative to a longitudinally extending axis of the tractor (200) passing through said pivot axis, said tractor (12) including a pair of steerable wheels (148, 150) and a steer angle (SA) defined by the included angle between a line (234) perpendicular to the horizontal axis of rotation of said steerable wheels and a line (236) parallel to said tractor longitudinally extending axis (200), a tractor brake system, a trailer brake system, a driver operated brake effort demand device (76/78) for providing a demand input signal indicative of the magnitude of operators demand for vehicle braking, a trailer brake control means (174) responsive in at least one operating mode for causing the trailer brake system to be applied with an operating force generally proportional to the magnitude of said demand input signal, said control method characterized by:
-
determining (170/172) a value indicative of at least one of the articulation angle (AA) and a time derivative of the articulation angle (dAA/dt) and providing at least one articulation input signal indicative thereof; determining a value indicative of at least one of tractor turning radius of curvature and a time derivative of tractor turning radius of curvature; determining at least one reference value (REF1, REF2) as a function of at least one of the values indicative of tractor turning radius of curvature and a time derivative of tractor turning radius of curvature; and receiving and processing said input signals and said predetermined values (70) according to predetermined logic rules to detect the existence of conditions indicative of at least one of incipient and initial trailer brake induced trailer swing events. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A trailer anti-swing brake control system for articulated vehicles (10) of the type comprising a tractor (12) and a trailer (14) connected at an articulating connection (34/176) defining a pivot axis (176) about which the trailer is pivotable relative to the tractor, an articulation angle (AA) of said vehicle defined by the included angle defined by a longitudinally extending axis of the trailer (202) passing through said pivot axis relative to a longitudinally extending axis of the tractor (200) passing through said pivot axis, said tractor (12) including a pair of steerable wheels (148, 150) and a steer angle (SA) defined by the included angle between a line (234) perpendicular to the horizontal axis of rotation of said steerable wheels and a line (236) parallel to said tractor longitudinally extending axis (200), a tractor brake system, a trailer brake system, a driver operated brake effort demand device (76/78) for providing a demand input signal indicative of the magnitude of operators demand for vehicle braking, a trailer brake control means (174) responsive in at least one operating mode for causing the trailer brake system to be applied with an operating force generally proportional to the magnitude of said demand input signal, said control system characterized by:
-
means for determining (170/172) a value indicative of at least one of the articulation angle (AA) and a time derivative of the articulation angle (dAA/dt) and providing at least one articulation input signal indicative thereof; means for determining a value indicative of at least one of tractor turning radius of curvature and a time derivative of tractor turning radius of curvature; means for determining at least one reference value (REF1, REF2) as a function of at least one of the values indicative of tractor turning radius of curvature and a time derivative of tractor turning radius of curvature; and means for receiving and processing said input signals and said determined values (70) according to predetermined logic rules to detect the existence of conditions indicative of at least one of incipient and initial trailer brake induced trailer swing events. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification