Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-07-24
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S031000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266586
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a vibration monitoring system for use in a motor vehicle and more particularly to a system for stopping the vehicle in response to a prescribed condition sensed by the system.
BACKGROUND
The use of large trucks for towing cargo trailers is common for transporting goods along various roadways. The trucks tend to travel long distances and are thus subject to various types of failure due to their repeated use. It has been known for trailer tires to come loose from their hubs and for tires be shredded once a small rupture has occurred. A released wheel or tire carcass on the road is a major road hazard.
Canadian Patents Applications 2,199,649 and 2,226,829 describe a monitoring device for detecting failures associated with the wheels of trucks and trailers. The device comprises individual axle spindle sensors and an alarm for alerting a driver of the truck when the sensors detect a vibration on the wheels or axles which indicates a possible failure. While the device senses vibrations which may indicate a potential failure, a driver may ignore, fail to notice or even disable the alarm indicator.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided a vibration monitor for use in monitoring vibrations on a wheel of a vehicle, the monitor comprising:
sensor means associated with the wheel for producing a vibration signal in response to a vibration comprising repeated accelerations acting on the wheel over an elapsed period of time; and
disabling means for disabling the vehicle in response to receipt of a vibration signal from the sensor means which exceeds a prescribed vibration condition.
The use of the vibration monitor mounted on a truck for monitoring vibrations in the wheels of the truck reduces the risk of a dangerous accident resulting from a failure to one of the wheels or the axles of the truck. The disabling means ensures that the driver will be alerted and aware of possible failures by eliminating the risk of a driver ignoring or not noticing an indicator connected to the sensor means in place of the disabling means. The active feedback of the disabling means for halting the truck movement provides a greater guarantee of safety to other people on the road as opposed to relying upon the responsibility of the drivers of trucks on the road when the vibration monitor is not used.
The prescribed vibration condition preferably comprises an acceleration threshold and a time threshold such that a magnitude of the vibration must exceed the acceleration threshold and a duration of the vibration must exceed the time threshold in order for the disabling means to disable the vehicle.
The acceleration threshold is preferably adjustable over a range of magnitudes while the time threshold is preferably adjustable over a range of time limits.
The sensor means may comprise a pneumatic sensor such that the vibration signal is transmitted through a sensor line in the form of a variation in air pressure.
The disabling means preferably comprises a control element coupled to air brakes of the vehicle such that air pressure of the brakes is vented for applying the brakes when the control element receives the vibration signal.
The disabling means may alternatively comprise a control element coupled a throttle of the vehicle such that the vehicle is disabled when the control element receives the vibration signal.
An indicator may be coupled to the sensor line for indicating when the disabling means have been activated.
Preferably there is provided a reset element coupled to the disabling means such that when the vehicle is disabled, the vehicle remains disabled until the reset element is activated.
The reset element may comprise a manual switch coupled to the disabling means or a remote switch coupled to the disabling means such that an operator of the vehicle can reset the disabling means remotely.
The sensor means are preferably mounted on respective axles of the vehicle for sensing vibrations in the wheels and the axles of the vehicle.
One particular advantageous embodiment includes a wireless transmitter for each sensor and a receiver at the control for the disabling means. Instead of pneumatics, the sensor means may comprise an electrical sensor such that the vibration signal comprises an electrical signal which is representative of a vibration acting on the wheel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3677077 (1972-07-01), Merryman et al.
patent: 4458535 (1984-07-01), Juergens
patent: 5832398 (1998-11-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 5952564 (1999-09-01), Naito et al.
patent: 2226829 (1998-09-01), None
patent: 2203095 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 3817809 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 421065 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 357003502 (1982-01-01), None
Battison Adrian D.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Marc-Coleman Marthe Y.
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