Process to prevent the overturning of a vehicle

• US 6,384,719 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dieckmann, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/717,526
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 340/440, 340/441, 340/825.06, 340/438, 702/142, 702/145, 180/282, 180/285, 180/172, 180/197, 180/283, 180/290, 701/29, 701/124, 701/71, 701/72
• US Class Current: 340/440
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0523 Regulating distributors or valves for pneumatic springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/042 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/10 Railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/14 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/208 of wheel rotation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/51222 Pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/044 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0124 Roll-over conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/0194 transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/9124 Roll-over protection systems, e.g. for warning or control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/915 Suspension load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/922 EBV - Electronic brake force distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17554 specially adapted for enhancing stability around the vehicles longitudinal axle, i.e. roll-over prevention road vehicle drive control systems for roll-over prevention otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/18 responsive to vehicle weight or load, e.g. load distribution using electrical circuitry on regulation means B60T8/17; B60T8/30 takes precedence; responsive to weight and speed condition B60T8/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/243 : for roll-over protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 : Change of direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 : Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 : Cornering

Abstract

A process for preventing overturning of a utility vehicle equipped with an ABS or EBS braking system comprises:

(a) detecting the load on two corresponding wheels on each side of the vehicle;

(b) when the vehicle is traveling in a curve to the left or right, determining the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

(c) simultaneously determining the change in load value for the inner of the two corresponding wheels at that lateral acceleration value;

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for a curve in the other direction;

(e) from the lateral acceleration value and the associated changes in load values, determining and storing limit acceleration values for curves to the left and to the right, which limit acceleration values represent the lateral acceleration of the vehicle as it travels in a curve to the left or to the right which result in no load on an inner wheel of the vehicle;

(f) continuously monitoring the lateral acceleration the vehicle; and

(g) when the lateral acceleration of vehicle as it travels in a curve to the left or to the right reaches a predetermined percentage (e.g., 70-80%) of the limit acceleration value for a curve in that direction, emitting a signal which causes the vehicle to slow down, thereby preventing it from overturning. The emitted signal may be a warning signal to the driver, an actuation signal which automatically throttles the engine, or a braking signal which automatically brakes the vehicle.

Claims

1. A process for preventing overturning of a vehicle having a plurality of axles and equipped with an ABS or an EBS braking system, said vehicle having at least one wheel on each side of said vehicle mounted on each of said axles, said method comprising:

(a) detecting the load on corresponding wheels on each side of said vehicle,

(b) determining a lateral acceleration value of said vehicle as it travels in a curve to the left or to the right,

(c) simultaneously determining a change in load value for the inner one of said corresponding wheels for said lateral acceleration value,

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for said lateral acceleration value as said vehicle travels in a curve in the opposite direction,

(e) from said lateral acceleration value and the determined change in load values for curves to the left and right, determining and storing a limit acceleration value for a curve to the left and for a curve to the right which limit acceleration value represents the lateral acceleration of said vehicle when it travels in a curve resulting in no load on the inner one of said corresponding wheels;

(f) continuously monitoring the lateral acceleration of the vehicle; and

(g) when the lateral acceleration of the vehicle as it travels in a curve to the left or right reaches a predetermined percentage of the limit acceleration value for a curve in that direction, emitting a signal which causes the vehicle to slow down.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the load on said corresponding wheels is detected by measuring the air pressure in air suspension bellows located at each end of the axle on which said corresponding wheels are mounted.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the load on said corresponding wheels is detected by measuring the deflection of springs located at each end of the said axle on which said corresponding wheels are mounted.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the load on said corresponding wheels is detected by measuring the wheel loads at each end of the axle on which said corresponding wheels are mounted.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the signal which causes the vehicle to slow down is a warning signal to a driver of said vehicle.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the signal which causes the vehicle to slow down is an actuation signal which automatically throttles the engine of said vehicle.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the signal which causes the vehicle to slow down is an actuation signal which automatically brakes the vehicle.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the actuation signal selectively brakes different wheels of said vehicle.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the predetermined percentage is in the range of about 70% to about 80%.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the signal which causes the vehicle to slow down