Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-21
2004-11-16
Black, Thomas G. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
C701S048000, C701S070000, C701S072000, C701S078000, C701S083000, C701S092000, C701S093000, C701S037000, C701S038000, C701S039000, C180S089100, C180S170000, C280S170000, C280S446100, C303S155000, C303S115600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06819980
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the priority of German Application No. 101 30 407.2, filed Jun. 23, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to 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.
Known rollover protection methods on semitrailers are based on the principle of performing brief test brakings—so-called “test-brake inshots”—on the wheels on both sides of the semitrailer continuously while in motion, and measuring the accelerations of the wheels during these test brakings. With the wheels lifted, excessively high wheel accelerations are measured by the test brakings—in much the same way as in known ABS brake control—from which a rollover condition of the semitrailer is inferred, resulting in an automatic warning to the driver of the vehicle.
These methods have the disadvantage, however, that they detect whether the wheels have already lifted. It is then often already too late to initiate rollover protection measures. The fact that a large amount of wear occurs in the brake system due to the test brakings that continuously have to be performed is to be seen as a further disadvantage.
The object of the invention is to create a rollover protection method which predicts the onset of rollover in semitrailers before lifting of the wheels occurs and which can be performed without test brakings.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by the emission of warning signals for the driver of the vehicle when driving inappropriately. For this purpose, the center of gravity of the load of the semitrailer is calculated in an on-board computer, and is used, together with the known weight of the loaded semitrailer, to calculate a rollover limit as a function of instantaneous driving parameters in the on-board computer. When the vehicle exceeds this limit, a warning is issued to the driver. Developments of the invention are specified herein.
The method according to the invention is based on the principle that the position of the center of gravity of the semitrailer is determined for an existing load, and used together with the measured, instantaneous lateral acceleration of the trailer—or alternatively with the measured road speed and the measured lock angle of the front wheels—to calculate a limit for the lateral acceleration of the trailer or alternatively for the road speed at a given lock angle, up to which any onset of rollover is safely avoided. If this rollover limit is exceeded, the driver is warned and/or automatic intervention in the control of the vehicle is undertaken.
The solution according to the invention advantageously allows the rollover to be predicted and reduces the brake system wear, since no test brakings have to be performed.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5747683 (1998-05-01), Gerum et al.
patent: 6324447 (2001-11-01), Schramm et al.
patent: 2002/0095251 (2002-07-01), Oh et al.
patent: 2003/0058118 (2003-03-01), Wilson
Ma et al., Worst-case manoeuvres for the roll-over adn jackkknife or articulated vehicles, 1998, IEEE, 2263-2267, pp. 2263-2267.
Bauer Wolf-Deitrich
Mayer Christian Michael
Schwarzhaupt Andreas
Spiegelberg Gernot
Black Thomas G.
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Marc McDieunel
LandOfFree
Method for the avoidance of rollover phenomena in semitrailers does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for the avoidance of rollover phenomena in semitrailers, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for the avoidance of rollover phenomena in semitrailers will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3274280