Process to prevent the overturning of a vehicle

Details Process to prevent the overturning of a vehicle Process to prevent the overturning of a vehicle

2000-11-21

2002-05-07

Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Land vehicle alarms or indicators

Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...

C340S441000, C340S438000, C180S282000, C701S072000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06384719

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a process to prevent the overturning of a utility vehicle having several axles and equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Utility vehicles such as trucks or buses, in particular those with a high center of gravity, have a tendency to topple over in curves traveled at excessive speeds especially on roads with good grip. Such accidents cannot always be anticipated and prevented by the conventional regulation of dynamics of vehicle movement (RDVM) since in such cases the adherence limits of the wheels to the road are not exceeded until just before the wheels lift off the road. Regulation of dynamics of vehicle movement (RDVM) produces a stabilizing moment in a known manner by braking individual wheels. The need exists, however, to anticipate the threat of the vehicle overturning in sufficient time to warn the driver so that the driver can take corrective steps before it is too late.
A process of this type is known from, e.g., DE 19 602 879 C1. In this patent document, a process for the detection of toppling-over danger of a vehicle is described, in which a decrease of tilting stability of the vehicle in a curve is ascertained by using an ABS control module. When a decrease in tilting stability is detected, a light braking action is initiated on the vehicle's wheels. The known process has the advantage that additional, expensive sensors to implement the process are not needed.
Another process is known from EP 0 798 615 A1 for the improvement of travel stability (RDVM) which functions with a plurality of directly or indirectly developed vehicle data which are combined by means of a complicated algorithm. Among other things, the pressure differential between right and left air suspension bellows is also measured in this case. Sensors are installed specifically only on the towing vehicle unit in this case. The process serves to reduce the probability of the trailer overturning.
It can also be envisioned that in order to reduce the possibility of a vehicle overturning, a maximum lateral acceleration in curves could be accepted as a function of the vehicle load, decreasing as that load increases. The load in this case can be estimated through the acceleration behavior of the vehicle. It is a disadvantage of this process that the exact level of the center of gravity and the distribution of the load are not taken into consideration. Therefore, the admissible curve speeds cannot be fully utilized.
It is the object of the present invention to devise a process for preventing the overturning of a vehicle which requires only simple means and also takes into account uneven loads. In this case, the admissible vehicle speeds in curves going in either direction are to be fully utilized, especially for trucks, buses, trailers, and vehicles on rails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved in a process for preventing overturning of a utility vehicle equipped with an ABS or EBS braking system, which comprises:
(a) detecting the load on two corresponding wheels at each side of the vehicle;
(b) when the vehicle is traveling in a curve to the left or right, determining the lateral acceleration of the vehicle;
(c) simultaneously determining the change in load value for the inner of the two corresponding wheels at that lateral acceleration value;
(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for a curve in the other direction;
(e) from the lateral acceleration value and the associated changes in load values, determining and storing limit acceleration values for curves to the left and to the right, which limit acceleration values represent the lateral acceleration of the vehicle as it travels in a curve to the left or to the right which result in no load on an inner wheel of the vehicle;
(f) continuously monitoring the lateral acceleration of the vehicle; and
(g) when the lateral acceleration of vehicle as it travels in a curve to the left or to the right reaches a predetermined percentage (e.g, 70-80%) of the limit acceleration value for a curve in that direction, emitting a signal which causes the vehicle to slow down thereby, preventing it from overturning. The emitted signal may be a warning signal to the driver, an actuation signal which automatically throttles the engine, or a braking signal which automatically brakes the vehicle.


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