Method for guaranteeing reliability of emergency operating conditions of a motor vehicle tyres

• US 7,455,140 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2002
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Runtsch, Gerd, Weissenger, Juergen, Baader, Dirk, Gaus, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLADO, CYNTHIA FRANCISCA
• Application Number:
  US10/492,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,285 Days
• Field of Search: 180/170, 180/412, 180/401, 701/93, 701/79, 701/29, 701/96, 731/464, 702/138
• US Class Current: 180/170
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/04 and means for comparing one electrical quantity, e.g. voltage, pulse, waveform, flux, or the like, with another quantity of a like kind, which comparison means is involved in the development of an electrical signal which is fed into the controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting

Abstract

In a method for ensuring safe tire emergency running operation in a motor vehicle that is equipped with tires that have emergency running properties when the tire pressure is greatly reduced or absent altogether, a device is provided for detecting an emergency running mode of the motor vehicle. The device for limiting the driving speed limits the driving speed of the motor vehicle whenever emergency running is detected.

Claims

1. A method for ensuring safe tire emergency running operation in a motor vehicle that is equipped with tires having emergency running properties when the tire pressure is greatly reduced or absent altogether, and a device which detects that the motor vehicle is in a tire emergency running mode, wherein:

upon detection of tire emergency running operation, a speed limiting device limits driving speed of the motor vehicle such that it cannot exceed a limit value;

at least one further predeterminable condition must be satisfied in order for the driving speed of the motor vehicle to be limited when tire emergency running operation is detected;

an accelerator pedal displacement threshold value is predetermined; and

limitation of driving speed is interrupted for a predeterminable period of time if the accelerator pedal is depressed beyond the pedal displacement threshold value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the full throttle position is predetermined as the accelerator pedal displacement threshold value; and

the limit on the driving speed is interrupted for a predeterminable period of time if the accelerator pedal is moved into the full throttle position.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

driving speed is recorded; and

a driving speed threshold value is set as a predeterminable condition; and

driving speed is limited to a predeterminable limit value when the recorded driving speed drops below the driving speed threshold value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the driving speed threshold value is equal to the limit value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

tire temperature is recorded;

a tire temperature threshold value is established as the predeterminable condition;

driving speed is limited to a predeterminable limit value when the recorded tire temperature is above the tire temperature threshold value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driving speed is limited to the predeterminable limit value when the recorded tire temperature remains above the tire temperature threshold value for at least a predeterminable period of time.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

a change in tire temperature time is determined;

a threshold value for the change in tire temperature is predetermined as the predeterminable condition; and

the driving speed is limited to a predeterminable limit value when the determined change in tire temperature over time exceeds the threshold value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the driving speed is limited to a predeterminable limit value when the determined change in the tire temperature over time exceeds the threshold value for the change in tire temperature for a predeterminable period of time.