Method for weighing a vehicle, and measuring system and measuring arrangement therefor

• US 9,804,017 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
• Inventors: Cornu, David, Hofmann, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Paul D
• Application Number:
  US14/353,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 702175
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/02 for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/022 for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies in motion G01G19/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/024 using electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/025 wheel-load scales

Abstract

A method for determining the weight G of a vehicle (1) while the vehicle is travelling on a section (3) of road (4) uses at least one weigh-in-motion (WIM) sensor (5) that is narrower than the length of the footprint of a wheel in the direction of vehicle travel. When the vehicle (1) travels along this section (3) of road (4) both the wheel loads F_i(t) of all the wheels (2) or twin wheels i, and the speed v_i(t) of the vehicle (1) during the entire passing are acquired as time functions, and during evaluation of the data for determining the weight G the speeds v_i(t) and their change over time are used as weighting of the simultaneously determined wheel loads F_i(t).

Claims

1. A method for determining the weight G of a vehicle travelling on a section of road and having a vehicle wheel footprint having its length measured in the direction of vehicle travel during the weight determination of the vehicle, the method comprising:

employing a weigh-in-motion (WIM) sensor that has a width that elongates in a direction that is substantially parallel to the direction of vehicle travel during the weight determination of the vehicle and that is narrower than the length of the vehicle wheel footprint;

using the WIM sensor in acquiring the wheel load of each wheel (i) as a time function F_i(t) when the vehicle travels along the section of road;

acquiring the speed v(t) of the vehicle as a time function simultaneously with acquiring the wheel load F_i(t) of the wheel (i); and

using the speed v(t) and the change in the speed v(t) over time as weighting of the simultaneously determined wheel load F_i(t) to evaluate the data for determining the weight G.

2. The method according to claim 1, the steps according to which

a) the wheel load F_i(t) of follows:

each wheel i in the case of a single wheel vehicle, or in the case of a vehicle with twin wheels then of each twin wheel of the vehicle with twin wheels, is individually acquired as a time function, during rolling on the road, by at least one WIM sensor;

b) the speed v(t) of the vehicle, at least while all the wheels or twin wheels pass over a WIM sensor, is determined as a time function;

c) the determined wheel loads F_i(t) are synchronised with the determined speed values v(t) and are multiplied by each other F_i·

v;

d) each of the resulting products F_i·

v is integrated over the time dt during the entire passing over of the vehicle to produce the integral I_i; and

e) each of the integrals I_i is multiplied by its respective one of a plurality of calibration constants K_i and all of these products of I_i and K_i are added up for determining the weight G.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the speed v(t) of the vehicle is acquired by means of radar or by means of the laser Doppler velocimetry method.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the speed v(t) of the vehicle is acquired by means of a device comprising an array of beams, which array is arranged in the direction of movement of the vehicle, through which array the wheels of the vehicle travel in turn as they travel over the WIM sensors.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the beams in the array are spaced apart from one another by a distance between the beams in the array that at most corresponds to the width of the WIM sensor.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the array is at least sufficiently long so that when the vehicle passes, always at least one beam of the array is not interrupted by a wheel.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the beams in the array are spaced apart from one another by a distance between the beams in the array that at most corresponds to approximately half the width of the WIM sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein any passing speeds of vehicles are admissible as passing speeds of the vehicles.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein by means of a device it is determined which wheels/twin wheels i with all the trailers are to be allocated to a vehicle composition in order to determine the total weight of the vehicle composition.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle speeds v(t) and the wheel loads F(t) of all the wheels/twin wheels are acquired a second time on at least a second WIM sensor, which in the direction of travel is arranged downstream of the first WIM sensor, in order to improve the accuracy of weight determination.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein each wheel load/twin wheel load with the associated speed is analysed at each WIM sensor and the average of both results is taken into account in further determining the vehicle weight G.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a toll for transit is levied based on the determined weight data G.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the passing speeds of vehicles can include speeds when the vehicle is in reverse.

14. A measuring system for determining the weight G of a vehicle while it is travelling on a section of road, taking into account the speed of the vehicle and its changes over time during determination of the weight of the vehicle, the measuring system comprising:

at least one WIM sensor for installation in the section of road, which WIM sensor is configured for determining data about passing wheel loads F(t) in a time-dependent manner, and wherein the at least one WIM sensor in the direction of travel is narrower than the length of the footprint of a wheel of the vehicle;

a device for determining data about the speed v(t) of the vehicle as a time function while the vehicle is travelling on the section of road; and

an evaluation unit for evaluating the determined data, the evaluation unit configured for communicating with the WIM sensor and the device.

15. The measuring system according to claim 14, additionally comprising a device for determining the end of a vehicle composition that travels on a section of road and includes a beam grid that is established across the road and configured for communicating with the evaluation unit.

16. The measuring system according to claim 14, wherein the device for determining the speed of vehicle is one selected from one of the following devices for determining speed:

a radar, a device measuring by means of laser Doppler velocimetry methods, and a device for generating and acquiring an array of beams.

17. The measuring system according to claim 14, additionally comprising induction loops that are installed in the road surface for determining the end of the vehicle composition that travels on the section of the road, the induction loops being configured for communicating with the evaluation unit.

18. A measuring arrangement for determining the weight G of a vehicle while it is travelling on a section of road, taking into account the speed of the vehicle and its changes over time during determination of the weight of the vehicle, comprising:

at least one WIM sensor installed in the section of road, which WIM sensor can acquire passing wheel loads F(t) in a time-dependent manner;

a device for determining the speed v(t) of a vehicle as a time function while the vehicle is travelling on the section of road;

an evaluation unit for evaluating the determined vehicle weight data and vehicle speed data, the evaluation unit being configured for communicating with the WIM sensor and the device; and

wherein the WIM sensor is installed in the road across the direction of travel so that the surface of said WIM sensor is flush with the road surface, and wherein the WIM sensor is narrower in the direction of travel than the length of the footprint of a wheel of the vehicle.