Device for detecting the measured quantities of a drive vehicle and/or the measured quantities of a trailer or semitrailer mechanically linked to a drive vehicle, in particular a trailer or semitrailer

• US 6,327,903 B1
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hecker, Falk, Jundt, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US09/351,484
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 731/21, 731/28, 731/29, 738/625.7, 303/123, 340/453, 340/438, 340/431
• US Class Current: 73/129
• 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: B62D 53/0871 with stabilising means, e.g. to prevent jack-knifing, pitching, rolling, buck jumping stabilising in general B62D37/00; tractors B62D49/08

Abstract

A device for detecting measured quantities of a drive vehicle, in particular of a tractor, and/or measured quantities of a trailer or semitrailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle. In addition to a coupling device for transmission of force between the drive vehicle and the trailer or semitrailer, at least one connecting device is present. At least one first detection arrangement for detecting a measured quantity of the drive vehicle and/or at least one second detection arrangement for detecting a measured quantity of the trailer or semitrailer is inserted in the connecting device.

Claims

1. A device for detecting measured quantities of at least one of a drive vehicle, a trailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, and a semitrailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, the device comprising:

at least one connecting device situated between, on the one hand, the drive vehicle and, on the other hand, at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer, the at least one connecting device including at least one of;

(a) at least one first detecting arrangement for detecting a first measured quantity of the drive vehicle, and (b) at least one second detecting arrangement for detecting a second measured quantity of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer,

wherein the at least one connecting device includes the at least one first detecting arrangement, and the at least one first detecting arrangement directly measures the first measured quantity of the drive vehicle.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive vehicle includes a tractor.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes at least one of a connecting cable and a connecting line.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a mounting device for mounting on the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the mounting device includes at least one of a plug, a socket and a coupling.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the first detection arrangement is situated in the mounting device.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising means, situated in the mounting device, for horizontally aligning the first detection arrangement.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a mounting device for mounting on the drive vehicle.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the mounting device includes at least one of a plug, a socket and a coupling.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the second detection arrangement is situated in the mounting device.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second detection arrangement includes a sensor for detecting at least one of:

a yaw rate of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer;

a transverse acceleration acting on the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer; and

an angle between, on the one hand, the drive vehicle and, on the other hand, the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

12. The device according to claim 10, further comprising means, situated in the mounting device, for horizontally aligning the second detection arrangement.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device remains connected to the drive vehicle when the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer is unhitched from the drive vehicle.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a CAN bus; and

a control device situated in the drive vehicle,

wherein at least one of the first detection arrangement and the second detection arrangement can transmit detected data via the CAN bus to the control device.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a connecting cable through which a lighting system of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer is supplied with power from the drive wheel.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes an ABS connecting cable through which a control device of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer is supplied with a voltage from the drive vehicle.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a connecting cable that connects a control device of the drive vehicle to a control device of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer, for providing an exchange of data.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a connecting line through which a braking medium is transported, for at least one of storage and control, into the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

19. The device according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining a quantity describing an angle between the drive vehicle and the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer as a function of at least one quantity detected for the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connecting device is not a coupling device for transmitting a drive force between the drive vehicle and at least one of the trailer and semitrailer.

21. A device for detecting measured quantities of at least one of a drive vehicle, a trailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, and a semitrailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, the device comprising:

at least one connecting device situated between, on the one hand, the drive vehicle and, on the other hand, at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer, the at least one connecting device including at least one of;

(a) at least one first detecting arrangement for detecting a first measured quantity of the drive vehicle, and (b) at least one second detecting arrangement for detecting a second measured quantity of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer,

wherein the at least one connecting device is adapted to be mounted only one way with respect to the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

22. A device for detecting measured quantities of at least one of a drive vehicle, a trailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, and a semitrailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, the device comprising:

at least one connecting device situated between, on the one hand, the drive vehicle and, on the other hand, at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer, the at least one connecting device including at least one of;

(a) at least one first detecting arrangement for detecting a first measured quantity of the drive vehicle, and (b) at least one second detecting arrangement for detecting a second measured quantity of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer,

wherein the at least one connecting device is adapted to be mounted only one way with respect to the drive vehicle.

23. A device for detecting measured quantities of at least one of a drive vehicle, a trailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, and a semitrailer operatively connected to the drive vehicle, the device comprising:

at least one connecting device situated between, on the one hand, the drive vehicle and, on the other hand, at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer, the at least one connecting device including at least one of;

(a) at least one first detecting arrangement for detecting a first measured quantity of the drive vehicle, and (b) at least one second detecting arrangement for detecting a second measured quantity of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer,

wherein the at least one connecting device includes the at least one second detecting arrangement, and the at least one second detecting arrangement directly measures the second measured quantity of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the drive vehicle includes a tractor.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes at least one of a connecting cable and a connecting line.

26. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a mounting device for mounting on the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

27. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a mounting device for mounting on the drive vehicle.

28. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device remains connected to the drive vehicle when the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer is unhitched from the drive vehicle.

29. The device according to claim 23, further comprising:

a CAN bus; and

a control device situated in the drive vehicle,

wherein at least one of the first detection arrangement and the second detection arrangement can transmit detected data via the CAN bus to the control device.

30. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a connecting cable through which a lighting system of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer is supplied with power from the drive wheel.

31. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes an ABS connecting cable through which a control device of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer is supplied with a voltage from the drive vehicle.

32. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a connecting cable that connects a control device of the drive vehicle to a control device of the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer, for providing an exchange of data.

33. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device includes a connecting line through which a braking medium is transported, for at least one of storage and control, into the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

34. The device according to claim 23, further comprising means for determining a quantity describing an angle between the drive vehicle and the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer as a function of at least one quantity detected for the at least one of the trailer and the semitrailer.

35. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one connecting device is not a coupling device for transmitting a drive force between the drive vehicle and at least one of the trailer and semitrailer.