Method for the avoidance of rollover phenomena in semitrailers

• US 20030050741A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ramsle Technology Group GmbH LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Mayer, Christian Michael, Spiegelberg, Gernot, Schwarzhaupt, Andreas, Bauer, Wolf-Deitrich
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0233 Vehicle tilting, overturning or roll over
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2230/03 Overturn, rollover

Abstract

In a method for the avoidance of rollover phenomena in semitrailers with the emission of warning signals for the driver of the vehicle when driving inappropriately, the center of gravity of the load of the semitrailer is calculated in an on-board computer. From the center of gravity thus determined and the known weight of the loaded semitrailer, the on-board computer calculates a rollover limit as a function of instantaneous driving parameters, on exceeding of which limit a warning is issued to the driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for the avoidance of rollover phenomena in a semitrailer with the emission of warning signals for a driver of said semitrailer when driving inappropriately, wherein a center of gravity of a load of the semitrailer is calculated in an on-board computer and, from said center of gravity, thus determined, and a known weight of said semitrailer, said on-board computer calculates a rollover limit as a function of instantaneous driving parameters, on exceeding of which limit a warning is issued to said driver of said semitrailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a lateral acceleration of said semitrailer is continuously determined by methods of measurement in said onboard computer and is compared with said rollover limit determined as a maximum admissible lateral acceleration of said trailer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a steering angle and a road speed are continuously determined by methods of measurement, and, in said on-board computer, said steering angle and said road speed are compared with said rollover limit determined as maximum admissible road speed for said steering angle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in addition to emission of warning signals, a speed of said semitrailer is automatically reduced by actuators activated according to said on-board computer, if said rollover limit is exceeded.

5. A method for avoiding rollover in a semitrailer, comprising:

calculating a rollover limit as a function of driving parameters; and

emitting a warning when said semitrailer exceeds said rollover limit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said driving parameters comprise a weight of said semitrailer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said driving parameters comprise a center of gravity of said semitrailer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said center of gravity is determined by an on-board computer.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said driving parameters comprise a lateral acceleration of said semitrailer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said rollover limit is determined by comparing said lateral acceleration to a maximum admissible lateral acceleration of said semitrailer.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein said driving parameters comprise a steering angle and a road speed of said semitrailer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said rollover limit is determined by comparing said road speed to a maximum admissible road speed of said semitrailer, wherein said maximum admissible road speed is a function of said steering angle.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising reducing a speed of said semitrailer when said semitrailer exceeds said rollover limit.

14. A method for avoiding rollover in a semitrailer, comprising:

determining a center of gravity of a load in said semitrailer;

calculating a rollover limit as a function of driving parameters of said semitrailer, and of said center of gravity; and

emitting a warning when said semitrailer exceeds said rollover limit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said driving parameters comprise a weight of said semitrailer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said driving parameters comprise a lateral acceleration of said semitrailer.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said rollover limit is determined by comparing said lateral acceleration to a maximum admissible lateral acceleration of said semitrailer.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said driving parameters comprise a steering angle and a road speed of said semitrailer.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said rollover limit is determined by comparing said road speed to a maximum admissible road speed of said semitrailer, wherein said maximum admissible road speed is a function of said steering angle.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising reducing a speed of said semitrailer when said semitrailer exceeds said rollover limit.