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Vehicle axle control system

  • US 5,193,063 A
  • Filed: 05/04/1990
  • Issued: 03/09/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a control system for deploying or applying load to an auxiliary axle on a wheeled vehicle having a chassis frame, said frame being mounted through axle suspension means on at least two non-deployable axles, at least one of said non-deployable axles serving as a principal axle from which the load on said principal axle is measured and the total vehicle load is determined, said vehicle having further an auxiliary axle, wherein:

  • (a) said auxiliary axle is coupled to the chassis frame by an adjustable auxiliary axle suspension that permits such axle to be retracted to an inactive, raised position out of contact with the ground, and to be deployed by being lowered to a load-bearing position in contact with the ground; and

    wherein(b) said adjustable suspension is capable of deploying said auxiliary axle in a controlled manner so as to share a variable proportion of the total load of the vehicle being carried by all of its axles;

    said vehicle further comprising;

    (c) load sensing means for providing on a repetitive basis over time, while said vehicle is in motion, in the form of load signals, sample measurements of the momentary load carried by the principal axle;

    (d) first control means for deploying said auxiliary axle when the load on said principal axle as determined from said load sensing means is above a predetermined drop-point value;

    (e) second control means for retracting said auxiliary axle when the load on said principal axle as determined by said load sensing means is below a predetermined lift-point value;

    (f) third control means for controlling, in response to said load signals, the load carried by the auxiliary axle once it is deployed;

    the improvement comprising;

    (g) fourth control means connected to receive said load signals from said load sensing means and connected to said first, second and third control means for activation of at least one of said first, second or third control means by sending thereto an activation signal derived by processing said load signals by the comparison by said fourth control means of;

    (i) a time-averaged value for a series of sample load signals taken while said vehicle is in motion;

    with(ii) predetermined load signal values provided to said fourth control means for effecting actuation of said first, second and third control means.

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