Systems and methods for setting front axle load restoration

• US 9,522,582 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sackett, Ray Andrew, Cullen, James Gerard, Weston, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/274,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 701/124, 701/38, 701/70, 280/124.1, 280/405.1, 280/5.514, 280/455.1, 340/440, 414/482
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/24 characterised by arrangements for particular functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/247 for improving weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/30 for sway control , e.g. stabilising or anti-fishtail devices; Sway alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/12 having electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/18 Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication; Recording devices; Scales, e.g. graduated

Abstract

A system for setting front axle load restoration for a load distributing trailer hitch that is used to hitch a trailer to a motor vehicle may include at least one sensor associated with a wheel of the motor vehicle. The system may further include at least one controller configured to receive signals from the at least one sensor to estimate one or more corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals. The at least one controller may be configured to calculate a load restoration that is required at a front axle of the motor vehicle to achieve a recommended load restoration based on the one or more estimated corner weights.

Claims

1. A system for setting front axle load restoration for a load distributing trailer hitch used to hitch a trailer to a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one sensor associated with a wheel of the motor vehicle; and

at least one controller configured to receive signals from the at least one sensor to estimate one or more corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals,

wherein the at least one controller is configured to calculate a load restoration that is required at a front axle of the motor vehicle to achieve a recommended load restoration based on the one or more estimated corner weights.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a height sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an air spring pressure transducer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommended load restoration is predetermined by the vehicle'"'"'s manufacturer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more sensors associated with each front wheel of the motor vehicle, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive signals from the one or more sensors associated with each front wheel of the motor vehicle to estimate a corner weight associated with each front wheel of the motor vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to estimate one or more unloaded corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals from the at least one sensor.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one controller is configured to estimate one or more loaded corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals from the at least one sensor.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller is configured to compare each estimated unloaded corner weight with each respective estimated loaded corner weight to calculate the load restoration.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to estimate one or more restored corner weights of the motor vehicle based on the signals from the at least one sensor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to compare each estimated restored corner weight with each respective estimated loaded corner weight to determine whether the load distribution hitch needs further adjustment to achieve the recommended load restoration.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a notification system configured to indicate to a user to set a load restoration of the load distributing trailer hitch based on the calculated load restoration.

12. A method for setting front axle load restoration for a load distributing trailer hitch used to hitch a trailer to a motor vehicle, comprising:

before the trailer is hitched to the motor vehicle, estimating at least one unloaded front corner weight of the motor vehicle with a controller of the motor vehicle;

after the trailer is hitched to the motor vehicle, estimating at least one loaded front corner weight of the motor vehicle with the controller;

calculating a load restoration for a front axle of the motor vehicle, with the controller, based on a comparison of the unloaded and loaded front corner weights; and

identifying a recommended adjustment to a load distributing trailer hitch, with the controller, based on the load restoration.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving one or more signals associated with a front wheel of the motor vehicle, and

wherein estimating the unloaded and loaded front corner weights comprises estimating the unloaded and loaded front corner weights based on the one or more signals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the one or more signals comprises receiving one or more signals indicative of a height of the front wheel of the motor vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the one or more signals comprises receiving one or more signals indicative of a pressure in a front air spring of the motor vehicle.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising notifying a user of the recommended adjustment with a notification system in communication with the controller.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein notifying the user of the recommended adjustment comprises recommending adjustment of load bars of the trailer hitch to provide a desired amount of tension.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein calculating the load restoration comprises calculating a required load restoration to achieve a recommended load restoration that is predetermined by the vehicle'"'"'s manufacturer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising estimating at least one restored front corner weight of the motor vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising comparing the restored and loaded front corner weights to determine a load restoration that is provided by the load distributing trailer hitch.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying an additional recommended adjustment to the load distributing trailer hitch, with the controller, if the provided load restoration does not equal the recommended load restoration.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising notifying a user of the additional recommended adjustment with a notification system in communication with the controller, wherein notifying the user of the additional recommended adjustment comprises recommending additional adjustment of load bars of the trailer hitch to provide either more load restoration or less load restoration.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein recommending additional adjustment of the load bars comprises recommending adjustment of the load bars to provide either more tension or less tension.

24. A system for setting front axle load restoration for a load distributing trailer hitch used to hitch a trailer to a motor vehicle, comprising:

a controller associated with the motor vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to estimate at least one unloaded front corner weight of the motor vehicle before the trailer is hitched to the motor vehicle and at least one loaded front corner weight of the motor vehicle after the trailer is hitched to the motor vehicle and calculate a load restoration for a front axle of the motor vehicle based on a comparison of the unloaded and loaded front corner weights,

wherein the controller is further configured to identify a recommended adjustment to the load distributing trailer hitch based on the load restoration.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the load restoration based on a required load restoration to achieve a recommended load restoration that is predetermined by the vehicle'"'"'s manufacturer.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the unloaded and loaded front corner weights based on signals received from one or more signals associated with a front wheel of the motor vehicle.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the unloaded and loaded front corner weights based one or more signals indicative of a height of the front wheel of the motor vehicle.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the unloaded and loaded front corner weights based one or more signals indicative of a pressure in a front air spring of the motor vehicle.