Method and device for assessing the compatability of braking systems of a vehicle combination

• US 8,543,305 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heise, Bernd, Holst, Hans, Ronnenberg, Udo, Stender, Axel, Witte, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US12/451,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/71, 701/78, 701/81, 701/83, 701/91, 303/7, 303/8
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/18 Safety devices; Monitoring

Abstract

A method and a device for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination comprising a tractor and a trailer determine applied braking power (W_a) for a braking process of the trailer, and a required braking power for the braking process (W_b) of the trailer.

Claims

1. A method for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination having a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle, said vehicle combination including a suitably programmed control device having a memory, the method comprising the steps of (i) determining, utilizing said control device, an applied amount of braking energy from a start of a braking process of said trailer vehicle to an end of said braking process, (ii) determining, utilizing said control device, a required amount of braking energy from said start of said braking process to said end of said braking process, (iii) determining, utilizing said control device, a variable that is both a function of and a quotient formed from each of said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy, and (iv) adjusting said braking systems of said vehicle combination based on said variable, wherein said determining of said applied amount of braking energy comprises detecting an applied braking pressure in a brake cylinder of said trailer vehicle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said applied amount of braking energy is a function of at least one wheel circumferential speed of a wheel of said trailer vehicle and at least one brake cylinder pressure of a brake cylinder of said trailer vehicle.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of determining said applied amount of braking energy includes calculating said applied amount of braking energy according to the relationship:

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said variable is a function of said applied amount of braking energy for a plurality of braking processes, and said required amount of braking energy for said plurality of braking processes.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of outputting said variable.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting at least one of (i) said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy and (ii) said variable to a receiver unit by means of a telematics interface.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) said steps of determining said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy and (ii) said step of determining said variable is effected during a normal driving mode of said vehicle combination.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) said steps of determining said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy and (ii) said step of determining said variable is effected automatically.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of determining said variable excludes a braking process on a roadway having a longitudinal inclination in excess of a predefined limiting value.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of detecting said braking process on a roadway having a longitudinal inclination in excess of a predefined limiting value based on a speed gradient sensed before said braking process.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of adjusting said braking systems of said vehicle combination as a function of said variable.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of storing said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy in said control device, and presenting said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy via an interface.

13. A method for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination having a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle, said vehicle combination including a suitably programmed control device having a memory, the method comprising the steps of (i) determining, utilizing said control device, an applied amount of braking energy of a braking process of said trailer vehicle, (ii) determining, utilizing said control device, a required amount of braking energy of said braking process of said trailer vehicle, (iii) determining, utilizing said control device, a variable that is both a function of and a quotient formed from each of said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy, and (iv) adjusting said braking systems of said vehicle combination based on said variable, wherein said step of determining said required amount of braking energy includes calculating said required amount of braking energy according to the relationship:

14. A control device suitably programmed to effect a method for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination having a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle, the method comprising the steps of (i) determining, utilizing said control device, an applied amount of braking energy from a start of a braking process of said trailer vehicle to an end of said braking process, (ii) determining, utilizing said control device, a required amount of braking energy from said start of said braking process to said end of said braking process, (iii) determining, utilizing said control device, a variable that is both a function of and a quotient formed from each of said applied amount of braking energy and said required amount of braking energy, and (iv) adjusting said braking systems of said vehicle combination based on said variable, wherein said determining of said applied amount of braking energy comprises detecting an applied braking pressure in a brake cylinder of said trailer vehicle.

15. A method for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination having a towing vehicle and a trailer, said vehicle combination including a suitably programmed control device having a memory, the method comprising the steps of:

when said vehicle combination is being braked, determining braked trailer speed at the start of braking, and storing said braked trailer speed in said control device;

determining brake pressures in trailer brake cylinders and wheel speeds of trailer wheels braked by said trailer brake cylinders, and storing said brake pressures and wheel speeds in said control device;

when said vehicle combination is no longer being braked, determining unbraked trailer speed, and storing said unbraked trailer speed in said control device;

utilizing said control device, calculating an applied amount of braking energy Waj according to the relationship;

16. A control device suitably programmed to effect a method for assessing the compatibility of braking systems of a vehicle combination having a towing vehicle and a trailer, the method comprising the steps of:

when said vehicle combination is being braked, determining braked trailer speed at the start of braking, and storing said braked trailer speed in said control device;

determining brake pressures in trailer brake cylinders and wheel speeds of trailer wheels braked by said trailer brake cylinders, and storing said brake pressures and wheel speeds in said control device;

when said vehicle combination is no longer being braked, determining unbraked trailer speed, and storing said unbraked trailer speed in said control device;

utilizing said control device, calculating an applied amount of braking energy Waj according to the relationship;