A steering tie rod fracture alarm and emergency control device, method and vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of steering tie rod fracture alarm and emergency control device, method and vehicle, including steering tie rod, the both ends of steering tie rod are respectively connected left fixed support and right fixed support, steel wire rope parallel to steering tie rod is equipped between left fixed support and right fixed support, the device further includes tension sensor, and tension sensor is used to detect the tension of steel wire rope;And tension sensor is connected with vehicle controller and the tension value is fed back to vehicle controller.By setting parallel with the steel wire rope of steering tie rod and the sensor for detecting its tension, abnormal signal can be captured in time through the change of mechanical relationship when steering tie rod breaks off instantaneously.Steel wire rope provides preliminary mechanical connection for axle system after breaking, avoids vehicle completely out of control, creates time for active safety intervention, and improves the safety redundancy and controllability of truck when facing sudden failure of steering system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of vehicle technology, specifically relating to a tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control device, method, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a critical component of the entire vehicle, the front axle of a truck not only bears important load-bearing functions but also directly affects the vehicle's steering performance. The steering tie rod, as a core component of the front axle system, is responsible for connecting the left and right steering knuckles, ensuring coordinated steering by both tires, and is a vital part for guaranteeing vehicle handling stability and driving safety. However, in actual operation, trucks often experience risks of tie rod breakage due to prolonged heavy loads, frequent impacts from complex road conditions, and material fatigue. Once the tie rod breaks, the vehicle will instantly lose its steering ability, and the driver will be unable to react correctly without warning, easily leading to serious traffic accidents.

[0003] Currently, when a vehicle's tie rod breaks, drivers typically only detect the malfunction through abnormal looseness in the steering wheel and a feeling of loss of control, lacking a systematic warning system. Furthermore, due to complete steering failure, vehicles often cannot pull over in time and are forced to stop in the driving lane, causing traffic congestion and greatly increasing the risk of secondary accidents such as rear-end collisions, posing a significant threat to road safety. Therefore, how to promptly issue a warning after a tie rod breaks and maintain the vehicle's steering ability within a certain range to assist the driver in safely pulling over has become a pressing technical problem to be solved in the commercial vehicle sector. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a steering tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control device, method, and vehicle to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0006] A steering tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control device includes a steering tie rod, with a left fixed bracket and a right fixed bracket connected to both ends of the steering tie rod, and a steel wire rope parallel to the steering tie rod provided between the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket. The device also includes a tension sensor for detecting the tension on the steel wire rope; and the tension sensor is connected to a vehicle controller and feeds back the tension value to the vehicle controller.

[0007] As an optional embodiment, the left fixed bracket, the right fixed bracket, the wire rope and the tension sensor are detachably connected by fasteners, and the steering tie rod is movably connected to the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket.

[0008] As an optional embodiment, the tie rod is respectively fixed to the ends of the left fixing bracket and the right fixing bracket. At least two steel wire ropes are provided, and one of the steel wire ropes is fixed to the other ends of the left fixing bracket and the right fixing bracket so as to be disposed opposite to the tie rod.

[0009] As an optional embodiment, the steel wire ropes are rotatably connected to the left fixing bracket and the right fixing bracket, so that the steel wire ropes can bear part of the steering force after the tie rod breaks, and maintain the steering ability of the vehicle at a low speed.

[0010] As an optional embodiment, at least one of the left fixing bracket or the right fixing bracket is provided with a connecting plate, and the connecting plate includes a first connecting end connecting the left fixing bracket or the right fixing bracket and a second connecting end connecting the steel wire rope.

[0011] As an optional embodiment, the connecting plate includes an induction part located between the first connecting end and the second connecting end, and the induction part is partially connected to both the first connecting end and the second connecting end, and the tensile force sensor is arranged on the induction part.

[0012] This application also includes a method for alarming and emergency control of tie rod breakage. The method is applied to the device described in any one of the above. The vehicle controller is connected to the vehicle instrument. The method includes: [[ID=!4]]

[0013] The tensile force sensor continuously detects the tensile force F received by the two steel wire ropes and converts the tensile force F into an electrical signal and transmits it to the vehicle controller;

[0014] The vehicle controller compares F with a preset threshold F1: if F < F1, it is determined that the tie rod is not broken and no control signal is issued; if F ≥ F1, it is determined that the tie rod is broken, and the vehicle controller generates a fault alarm signal and outputs it to the vehicle instrument for display.

[0015] Further, the preset threshold F1 is the tensile force value of the tie rod when the vehicle steers in an unloaded state.

[0016] Further, the vehicle controller is connected to the engine ECU. When it is determined that the tie rod is broken, the vehicle controller generates an engine speed reduction instruction and sends the reduction instruction to the engine ECU, and the engine ECU controls the engine to slowly reduce the output speed so that the vehicle decelerates smoothly.

[0017] This application also includes a vehicle equipped with the tie rod breakage alarming and emergency control device described in any one of the above.

[0018] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects achieved by this application are as follows:

[0019] (1) By setting up a steel wire rope parallel to the steering tie rod and a sensor for detecting its tension, a system capable of monitoring the working status of the tie rod in real time was constructed. It can capture abnormal signals in time through changes in mechanical relationship at the moment the steering tie rod breaks, providing crucial physical information input for subsequent alarm and emergency control, and realizing the transformation from no monitoring to real-time perception.

[0020] By combining mechanical backup (steel cable) with electronic sensing (tension sensor), this system not only serves as a fault detection mechanism, but its steel cable structure also provides a preliminary mechanical connection to the axle system after a breakage, laying a solid structural foundation for maintaining partial steering function. Compared to traditional vehicles where the driver is completely passive and the vehicle is utterly out of control after such a failure, this device, through its pre-positioned sensing system, transforms unpredictable mechanical faults into data signals that can be processed in real time by the controller. This creates time for proactive safety intervention, improving the safety redundancy and controllability of trucks facing sudden steering system failures.

[0021] (2) By monitoring the tension F of the steel wire rope in real time and comparing it with the preset threshold F1, the system can accurately and automatically judge the state of the steering tie rod. This type of threshold comparison algorithm is simple and reliable, with low computational burden and fast response speed. It is very suitable for real-time operation in the vehicle controller. Once the system determines that a breakage has occurred (F≥F1), it will immediately generate a fault alarm signal and output it to the vehicle instrument panel. This ensures that the driver can get a clear and explicit visual warning at the first time, which facilitates the driver to respond in time and provides the information premise and psychological preparation for the driver to take safety measures in the future. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an emergency control device in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of an alarm and emergency control method in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0026] 1-Steering tie rod, 2-Left fixed bracket, 3-Right fixed bracket, 4-Wire rope, 5-Connecting plate, 6-First connecting end, 7-Second connecting end, 8-Sensing part, 9-Tension sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this application, a detailed explanation is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of this application and the features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0029] Furthermore, it should be understood in the description of this application that the terms "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0030] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the "above" or "below" of the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0032] This application provides a steering tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control device, such as... Figure 1As shown, the device includes a steering tie rod 1, with a left fixed bracket 2 and a right fixed bracket 3 connected to its two ends respectively. A steel wire rope 4 parallel to the steering tie rod 1 is provided between the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3. The device also includes a tension sensor 9, which is used to detect the tension on the steel wire rope 4. The tension sensor 9 is connected to the vehicle controller and feeds back the tension value to the vehicle controller.

[0033] By setting up a steel wire rope 4 parallel to the steering tie rod 1 and a sensor for detecting its tension, a system capable of monitoring the working status of the tie rod in real time was constructed. It can promptly capture abnormal signals through changes in mechanical relationships at the moment the steering tie rod 1 breaks, providing crucial physical information input for subsequent alarms and emergency control, and realizing the transformation from no monitoring to real-time perception.

[0034] By combining the mechanical backup (wire rope 4) with electronic sensing (tension sensor 9), not only is fault detection achieved, but the wire rope 4 structure also provides a preliminary mechanical connection to the axle system after a breakage, laying a solid structural foundation for maintaining partial steering function. Compared to traditional vehicles where the driver is completely passive and the vehicle is utterly out of control after such a fault, this device, through its pre-positioned sensing system, transforms unpredictable mechanical faults into data signals that can be processed in real time by the controller. This creates time for proactive safety intervention, improving the safety redundancy and controllability of trucks facing sudden steering system failures.

[0035] As an optional embodiment, the left fixed bracket 2, the right fixed bracket 3, the wire rope 4 and the tension sensor 9 are detachably connected by fasteners, and the steering tie rod 1 is movably connected to the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3.

[0036] The detachable connection facilitates the installation, routine maintenance, and replacement of damaged parts, reducing subsequent maintenance costs and time, and improving the product's practicality and economy. The movable connection method ensures that the steering tie rod 1 can freely swing and extend as necessary for steering during normal operation without affecting the function and performance of the original steering system. It avoids interference from additional devices on the normal operation of the vehicle, ensuring functional reliability while also taking into account ease of assembly and compatibility with the original vehicle.

[0037] Preferably, the steering tie rod 1 is fixed to the ends of the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3 respectively, and at least two wire ropes 4 are provided, one of which is fixed to the other end of the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3 so that it is arranged opposite to the steering tie rod 1.

[0038] The system's reliability and balance are enhanced. By using two or more steel wire ropes 4, a simple redundant system is formed. If one rope fails unexpectedly, the other can still function, significantly improving the robustness and fail-safe capability of the emergency device. Furthermore, its placement opposite the steering tie rod 1 allows for more symmetrical transmission of steering forces. This helps ensure more synchronized and stable steering of the left and right wheels after the tie rod breaks, providing smoother and more controllable emergency steering in critical situations and avoiding secondary risks such as vehicle swerving due to uneven force distribution.

[0039] Furthermore, one is located at the end of the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3, which is opposite to the steering tie rod 1 to ensure the overall structural stability. The other is located on the side close to the steering tie rod 1, which can more effectively replace its connection at the original location when the steering tie rod 1 breaks, and can maintain the connection and stress stability at both ends of the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3.

[0040] As an optional embodiment, the wire rope 4 is rotatably connected to the left fixed bracket 2 and the right fixed bracket 3 so that the wire rope 4 bears part of the steering force after the steering tie rod 1 breaks, thus maintaining the vehicle's steering ability at low speeds.

[0041] This solution optimizes the force transmission path, ensuring smooth implementation of emergency functions. The rotating connection allows the steel cable 4 to move freely and remain slack during normal driving, without interfering with the original steering system. In the event of a tie rod breakage, the steel cable 4 can immediately tighten and efficiently bear part of the steering force through the hinge point, smoothly transmitting the force to the steering knuckle. This helps restore the mechanical characteristics of the steering tie rod 1, effectively maintaining the vehicle's basic steering ability at low speeds. This provides the driver with the possibility of controlling the vehicle to pull over, solving the safety hazard of "the vehicle being unable to steer and stopping in the middle of the road" in the background technology.

[0042] As an optional embodiment, at least one of the left fixed bracket 2 or the right fixed bracket 3 is provided with a connecting plate 5, the connecting plate 5 including a first connecting end 6 for connecting the left fixed bracket 2 or the right fixed bracket 3 and a second connecting end 7 for connecting the wire rope 4.

[0043] One end of the connecting plate 5 is connected to the fixed bracket, and the other end is connected to the steel wire rope 4, realizing efficient force transmission and transition. This makes the entire device more compact, reasonable, and modular, simplifies the assembly relationship between various components, and improves the overall structural rigidity and reliability. At the same time, it provides a stable installation platform for the tension sensor 9, avoiding the measurement error or damage risk that may be caused by directly installing the sensor on dynamic components, and creating favorable conditions for accurate tension detection.

[0044] Preferably, the connecting plate 5 includes an induction part 8 located between the first connection end 6 and the second connection end 7, and the induction part 8 is partially connected to both the first connection end 6 and the second connection end 7, and the tension sensor 9 is arranged on the induction part 8.

[0045] By designing the connecting plate 5 to include an induction part 8 and implementing "partial connection" of this part with both ends, a micro-strain area is formed. The tension sensor 9 is arranged on the induction part 8, which can capture the tiny deformation caused by the force on the wire rope 4 more accurately and directly, so that the efficiency of converting mechanical force into electrical signal is higher and the anti-interference ability is stronger. It avoids measuring the macroscopic force of the entire bracket or large components, reduces the influence of irrelevant variables, ensures that the system can quickly and accurately identify the sudden force state of the wire rope 4 after the cross tie rod breaks, and reduces the probability of misjudgment and missed judgment.

[0046] As Figure 2 shown, the present application further includes a method for cross tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control. The method is applied to the device in any of the above embodiments. The vehicle controller is connected to the vehicle instrument. The method includes:

[0047] The tension sensor 9 continuously detects the tension F received by the two wire ropes 4 and converts the tension F into an electrical signal and transmits it to the vehicle controller;

[0048] The vehicle controller compares F with a preset threshold F1: If F < F1, it is determined that the cross tie rod 1 has not broken, and no control signal is issued; if F ≥ F1, it is determined that the cross tie rod 1 has broken, and the vehicle controller generates a fault alarm signal and outputs it to the vehicle instrument for display.

[0049] By continuously monitoring the tension F of the wire rope 4 and making a logical comparison with the preset threshold F1, an accurate and automatic judgment of the state of the cross tie rod 1 is achieved. Such an algorithm based on threshold comparison is simple and reliable, has a small computational burden, and a fast response speed, and is very suitable for real-time operation in the vehicle controller. Once it is determined that a break has occurred (F ≥ F1), the system will immediately generate a fault alarm signal and output it to the vehicle instrument, which ensures that the driver can obtain a clear and definite visual warning in the first time, facilitating the driver to respond in a timely manner and providing an information premise and psychological preparation for the driver to take subsequent safety measures.

[0050] Furthermore, the preset threshold F1 is the tension value of the cross tie rod 1 during steering in the vehicle's no-load state.

[0051] This approach makes fault diagnosis criteria more scientific, reasonable, and reliable. By selecting the tension value under no-load conditions as the benchmark, the interference of load variation, the largest variable, on the threshold setting is eliminated. This makes the threshold a relatively fixed and easily calibrated value, ensuring the consistency of the system's judgment under different load conditions. It avoids the complexity of dynamically adjusting the threshold due to different loads, reducing the design difficulty of the control system and significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of fault diagnosis. It also effectively prevents false alarms from occurring during normal heavy-load steering.

[0052] Furthermore, the vehicle controller is connected to the engine ECU. When it is determined that the steering tie rod 1 has broken, the vehicle controller generates an engine deceleration command and sends the deceleration command to the engine ECU. The engine ECU controls the engine to slowly reduce the output speed so that the vehicle decelerates smoothly.

[0053] In the event of a severe tie rod failure, immediately cutting off power or slamming on the brakes could exacerbate the risk of loss of vehicle control. This solution uses the vehicle controller to instruct the engine ECU to smoothly reduce engine speed, thus achieving gradual deceleration. This gradual deceleration avoids vehicle instability caused by a sudden power interruption and provides the driver with ample time and a controllable speed to use remaining steering ability to pull the vehicle to the side of the road, guiding the vehicle to a smooth and safe stop rather than coming to an uncontrolled stop in the middle of the lane. This fundamentally prevents secondary rear-end collisions and enhances the system's active safety.

[0054] This application also includes a vehicle equipped with a steering tie rod 1 fracture alarm and emergency control device as described in any of the above claims. The vehicle is equipped with this device, enabling it to actively protect itself in response to a steering tie rod 1 fracture failure, thereby improving safety.

[0055] For any parts not mentioned in this application, existing technologies may be used or referenced.

[0056] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0057] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A steering tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control device, characterized in that, It includes a tie rod. Both ends of the tie rod are respectively connected to a left fixed bracket and a right fixed bracket. A steel wire rope parallel to the tie rod is arranged between the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket. The device further includes a tension sensor for detecting the tension received by the steel wire rope. And the tension sensor is connected to the vehicle controller and feeds back the tension value to the vehicle controller.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left fixed bracket, the right fixed bracket, the steel wire rope and the tension sensor are detachably connected by fasteners, and the tie rod is movably connected to the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tie rod is respectively fixed to the ends of the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket. At least two steel wire ropes are provided, and one of the steel wire ropes is fixed to the other ends of the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket so as to be arranged opposite to the tie rod.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The steel wire rope is rotatably connected to the left fixed bracket and the right fixed bracket, so that the steel wire rope can bear part of the steering force after the tie rod breaks and maintain the steering ability of the vehicle at a low speed.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the left fixed bracket or the right fixed bracket is provided with a connecting plate. The connecting plate includes a first connecting end connecting the left fixed bracket or the right fixed bracket and a second connecting end connecting the steel wire rope.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connecting plate includes an induction part between the first connecting end and the second connecting end, and the induction part is partially connected to both the first connecting end and the second connecting end. The tension sensor is arranged on the induction part.

7. A method for alarming and emergency control of a broken steering tie rod, characterized in that, The method is applied to the device according to any one of claims 1-6. The vehicle controller is connected to the vehicle instrument. The method includes: The tension sensor continuously detects the tension F received by the two steel wire ropes and converts the tension F into an electrical signal and transmits it to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller compares F with a preset threshold F1: if F < F1, it is determined that the tie rod is not broken and no control signal is issued; if F ≥ F1, it is determined that the tie rod is broken. The vehicle controller generates a fault alarm signal and outputs it to the vehicle instrument for display.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The preset threshold F1 is the tension value received by the tie rod during steering in the vehicle's no-load state.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The vehicle controller is connected to the engine ECU. When it is determined that the tie rod is broken, the vehicle controller generates an engine speed reduction command and sends the speed reduction command to the engine ECU. The engine ECU controls the engine to slowly reduce the output speed so that the vehicle decelerates smoothly.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a tie rod breakage alarm and emergency control device according to any one of claims 1-6.

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