AXLE PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20020014364A1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Published: 02/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Inc. (Oshkosh Corporation)
• Original Assignee: McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing Inc. (Oshkosh Corporation)
• Inventors: BARTLETT, WILLIAM P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,371,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/209
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0523 Regulating distributors or valves for pneumatic springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/318 two or more axles being mounted on a longitudinal rocking or walking beam
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/112 longitudinally arranged
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/152 Pneumatic spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/412 Pneumatic actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4702 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/62 Adjustable continuously, e.g. during driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/03 Silo or fluid transporting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/402 Extra load carrying wheels, e.g. tag axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/61 Load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/019 Inclination due to load distribution or road gradient
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/12 with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels for manoeuvring purposes only B60S

Abstract

An automated auxiliary axle deployment control system for a load-hauling vehicle having a time-variable payload and one or more fluid-operated auxiliary support axles comprising one or more load sensing devices for determining the payload distribution of the vehicle in real-time. One or more automatically operable pressure modulation valves adjusts the pressure applied to the one or more auxiliary axles to adjust the load carrying capacity thereof based on payload distribution. A signal processing system receives input signals from the one or more load sensing devices and produces output control signals for operating the pressure modulation valve(s).

Claims

1. An automated auxiliary axle deployment control system for a load-hauling vehicle having a time-variable payload and one or more fluid-operated auxiliary support axles comprising:

(a) one or more load sensing devices for determining the payload of the vehicle in real-time and producing an output signal indicative thereof;

(b) one or more automatically operable pressure modulation valves for adjusting the force applied to deploy each of said one or more auxiliary support axles to adjust the load carrying capacity thereof;

(c) signal processing system for receiving input signals from said one or more load sensing devices and producing output control signals for operating said pressure modulation valve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of load sensing devices at different locations on the vehicles.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising devices to cause each auxiliary axle to deploy and retract automatically based on said output control signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising devices to cause each auxiliary axle to deploy and retract automatically based on said output control signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 including devices to modulate the pressure to individual wheels of an auxiliary axle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system is computer controlled.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system controls a plurality of auxiliary axles.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including a plurality of weighing devices at different locations on the vehicles.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising devices to cause each auxiliary axle to deploy and retract automatically based on said output control signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising devices to cause each auxiliary axle to deploy and retract automatically based on said output control signals.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 including devices to modulate the pressure to individual wheels of an auxiliary axle.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the auxiliary axles include at least one tag axle.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fluid is hydraulic fluid.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fluid is air.

15-19. -19. Reserved

20. A method of controlling the deployment of one or more auxiliary axles in a load-hauling vehicle having a time-variable payload and one or more fluid-operated auxiliary axles in which the force exerted by the one or more fluid-operated auxiliary axles is varied automatically in response to a measured real-time payload.