Stability enhancing system for tow-vehicle towing trailer-assembly with trailer sensors

• US 7,447,585 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tandy Engineering & Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tandy Engineering & Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Tandy, Donald Frank Jr., Tandy, Donald Frank Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/416,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 280/423.1, 280/763.1, 280/476.1, 180/14.2
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/06 Tractor-trailer swaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/207 Towing force
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability

Abstract

A system for providing enhanced stability, control, and management for a tow-vehicle towing a trailer assembly with trailer sensors is disclosed. The system includes a tow-vehicle with an electronic stability enhancing system in communication with a processor with memory and computer instructions. The system includes sensors located on the tow-vehicle and the trailer for detecting engagement with the trailer when communicating with an integrated circuit system and for detecting force, motion, and combinations thereof, when communicating with the processor. Computer instructions instruct the processor to identify specifications representing the tow-vehicle and trailer assembly and to calculate force values and motion values affecting the tow-vehicle and trailer assembly. Computer instructions can provide instructions for braking to at least one wheel of the tow-vehicle and the trailer using the force values, motion values, the electronic stability enhancing system, and specifications of the tow-vehicle and the trailer assembly.

Claims

1. A stability enhancing control system for a tow-vehicle with a connected trailer assembly, wherein the stability enhancing control system comprises:

a. an electronic stability enhancing system;

b. a processor with memory located on the tow-vehicle and in communication with the electronic stability enhancing system;

c. tow-vehicle sensors located on the tow-vehicle for detecting the engagement with a trailer, wherein the tow-vehicle sensors are adapted to communicate with a trailer electrical system on the trailer and the processor on the tow-vehicle;

d. trailer sensors located on the trailer for detecting a force, a motion or combinations thereof, and communicating with the trailer electrical system and the processor on the tow-vehicle;

e. computer instructions adapted for instructing the processor to identify specifications representing the tow-vehicle, wherein the specifications comprise a tow-vehicle length, a tow-vehicle height, a tow-vehicle width, a tow-vehicle weight, a tow-vehicle inertia value, a tow-vehicle wheel configuration, a tow-vehicle wheel size, a tow-vehicle tire characteristic, a tow-vehicle suspension characteristic, and combinations thereof;

f. computer instructions adapted for instructing the processor to identify specifications representing the trailer, wherein the specifications comprise at least one trailer characteristic;

g. computer instructions adapted for calculating at least one force, at least one motion, and combinations thereof, affecting the tow-vehicle and the connected trailer assembly, wherein the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, are a member selected from the group consisting of;

a lateral force, a lateral motion, a translational motion, an angular motion, a steering input, a steering rate, a vehicle speed, a braking force, a braking pressure, a throttle position, a brake pedal position, a wheel speed, and combinations thereof;

h. computer instructions for applying braking to at least one wheel of the tow-vehicle using;

the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, the electronic stability enhancing system, and the specifications of the tow-vehicle with the connected trailer assembly; and

i. computer instructions for applying braking to at least one wheel of the trailer using;

the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, the electronic stability enhancing system, the specifications of the tow-vehicle and connected trailer assembly, and the at least one trailer characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tow-vehicle comprises a brake adjacent to each wheel of the tow-vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the brake is a member selected from a group of brake types consisting of:

an electric brake, a hydraulic brake, a pneumatic brake, and combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the brake on the tow-vehicle is a different type of brake than a brake on the trailer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer comprises a brake adjacent to each wheel of the trailer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the brake on the trailer is a member selected from a group of brake types consisting of:

an electric brake, a surge brake, a hydraulic brake, a pneumatic brake, and combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer comprises between one and fifteen axles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the tow-vehicle is a member selected from the group consisting of:

a passenger car, a tractor, a sport utility vehicle, a pick-up truck, a medium truck, a heavy truck, a semi-truck, a van, a recreational vehicle, a bus, or other motorized vehicle having a brake adjacent to each wheel.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer is a member selected from the group consisting of:

an equipment trailer, a pop-up trailer, semi-trailer, tandem trailer, a recreational trailer, a house trailer, a boat trailer, a horse trailer, a utility trailer, a motorcycle trailer, a race car trailer, an enclosed trailer, a dump trailer, a car hauler trailer, or other trailer having at least two wheels.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tow-vehicle sensors located on the tow-vehicle comprise a device for detecting a completed electrical circuit, other integrated circuit system, and combinations thereof

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the tow-vehicle sensors identify the existence of a trailer when a connection is completed between a lighting system of the tow-vehicle and a lighting system of the trailer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer sensor located on the trailer is wireless and adapted to communicate with the processor on the tow-vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tow-vehicle sensor on the tow vehicle is a member selected from the group consisting of:

a position sensor, a force sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a torque sensor, a steering wheel angle sensor, a steering wheel rate sensor, and combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer sensor on the trailer is a member selected from the group consisting of:

a proximity braking sensor, a position sensor, a force sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a torque sensor, and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer characteristic comprises a member selected from the group consisting of:

a trailer length, a trailer width, a trailer height, a trailer weight, a trailer wheel configuration, a trailer wheel size, a trailer tire characteristic, a trailer suspension characteristic, a trailer dimensional characteristic, a trailer inertia value, and combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions use the specifications and characteristics of the tow-vehicle and the trailer to reduce sway, pitch, roll, and yaw of the tow-vehicle with the connected trailer assembly when the at least one characteristic exceeds a preset limit.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer instructions adjust engine power to alter the at least one force, the at least one motion, and combinations thereof, of the tow-vehicle with the connected trailer assembly.