Heavy-duty vehicle, vehicle arrangement, and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a heavy-duty vehicle (100) comprising: at least one vehicle frame (102), on which at least one axle assembly (104) is disposed which comprises at least one wheel (106a, 106b) steerable about a substantially vertical steering axis (L); a steering device (108) which is associated with the at least one axle assembly (106) and is designed to control a steering angle (α) of the at least one wheel (106a, 106b) about the substantially vertical steering axis (L), the heavy-duty vehicle (100) also comprising a sensor device (110) with at least one sensor unit (112a-112f) which is designed to sense a further steering angle (β) of at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of a further heavy-duty vehicle (200) about a further substantially vertical steering axis (L'), wherein the steering device (108) has a signal connection to the sensor device (110) and is designed to control the steering angle (α) of the at least one wheel (106a, 106b) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) on the basis of the further steering angle (β) of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) sensed by the at least one sensor unit (112a-112f).

Description

[0001] Heavy goods vehicle, vehicle arrangement and procedure

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a heavy-duty vehicle comprising at least one vehicle frame on which at least one axle assembly is arranged, which comprises at least one wheel steerable about a substantially vertical steering axis, and a steering device which is assigned to the at least one axle assembly and is configured to control a steering angle of the at least one wheel about the substantially vertical steering axis. The invention further relates to a vehicle arrangement comprising at least the heavy-duty vehicle and at least one further heavy-duty vehicle. Finally, the invention relates to a method for operating the heavy-duty vehicle or the vehicle arrangement.

[0004] It should be noted at this point that the heavy goods vehicle and / or the other heavy goods vehicle can be either a motor-driven heavy goods vehicle or a towed heavy goods vehicle.

[0005] In order to be able to transport loads which have a comparatively great extent in a vehicle width direction and / or a vehicle longitudinal direction of a heavy-duty vehicle, it is known to combine several heavy-duty vehicles, which in this context can also be referred to as “heavy-duty modular vehicles”, to form a vehicle arrangement of heavy-duty vehicles. The heavy-duty vehicles of the vehicle arrangement can be arranged one behind the other in the vehicle longitudinal direction and / or next to one another in the vehicle width direction. Depending on the weight of the load to be transported, the heavy-duty vehicles of the vehicle arrangement can be directly adjacent to one another or can be at a predetermined distance from one another in the vehicle longitudinal direction and / or the vehicle width direction. For loads with a lower weight, a smaller number of axles, i.e. axle assemblies, are generally required than for loads with a higher weight.For loads with a comparatively high volume, i.e., a high extension in the vehicle width direction and / or the vehicle length direction, combined with a comparatively low weight, a vehicle arrangement with spaced-apart heavy-duty vehicles is often preferable. However, it should be noted at this point that, although the invention will be described in part below with reference to a vehicle arrangement with the objected heavy-duty vehicles, no limitation of any kind can be derived from this.

[0006] If the heavy-duty vehicle is combined with at least one other heavy-duty vehicle to form the aforementioned vehicle arrangement, all wheels of the heavy-duty vehicles should have matching steering angles around the essentially vertical steering axis when cornering the vehicle arrangement in order to avoid disproportionately high tire wear and / or damage to the load, and to achieve the most precise and easily controllable handling of the vehicle arrangement during cornering. Controlled driving and steering behavior is also required to position the vehicle arrangement as precisely as possible under the load to be transported.

[0007] If the heavy-duty vehicle and the at least one other heavy-duty vehicle are of a different type, for example, of different design or from different manufacturers, and are to be combined to form the vehicle arrangement, the problem arises that the steering angles of the heavy-duty vehicle and the at least one other heavy-duty vehicle are often difficult to coordinate with one another, since the steering systems of the heavy-duty vehicles often have to be controlled separately and cannot communicate with each other, or cannot communicate sufficiently with each other. This can accordingly lead to poor combination of heavy-duty vehicles of different types to form a vehicle arrangement or to disadvantageous handling of the vehicle arrangement, particularly during cornering and / or transverse travel.

[0008] It is therefore the object of the present invention to remedy this situation.

[0009] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a heavy-duty vehicle, comprising at least one vehicle frame, on which at least one axle assembly is arranged, which comprises at least one wheel steerable about a substantially vertical steering axis, and a steering device which is assigned to the at least one axle assembly and is designed to control a steering angle of the at least one wheel about the substantially vertical steering axis, wherein the heavy-duty vehicle further comprises a sensor device with at least one sensor unit which is designed to detect a further steering angle of at least one further wheel of a further heavy-duty vehicle about a further substantially vertical steering axis, wherein the steering device is in signal communication with the sensor device and is designed toto control the steering angle of at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle on the basis of the further steering angle of the at least one further wheel of the further heavy-duty vehicle detected by the at least one sensor unit.

[0010] With the heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention, it is possible to combine the heavy-duty vehicle and at least the further heavy-duty vehicle into a vehicle arrangement and to ensure proper driving behavior of the vehicle arrangement, in particular when cornering, without the steering device of the heavy-duty vehicle having to communicate with a further steering device of the further heavy-duty vehicle, i.e. without having to be in signal communication. By detecting the further steering angle of the at least one wheel of the further heavy-duty vehicle, the steering angle of the at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle can be adapted to the further steering angle, so that the vehicle arrangement can travel in a desired direction of travel without this leading to unreasonably high tire wear or insufficiently controllable cornering behavior of the vehicle arrangement, in particular due to resulting steering errors.

[0011] Preferably, therefore, the steering device, in particular a control unit integrated therein, and the further steering device, in particular a further control unit integrated therein, of the further heavy-duty vehicle are not in signal communication with one another.

[0012] For example, if one or more wheels of the other heavy-duty vehicle perform a steering movement to initiate cornering, the steering system of the heavy-duty vehicle can control or steer one or more of its wheels in accordance with the other heavy-duty vehicle, so that cornering can be performed according to the vehicle configuration and the vehicle configuration can follow a desired trajectory. The heavy-duty vehicle and the other heavy-duty vehicle can preferably have the same angular velocity during cornering.

[0013] The heavy-duty vehicle and the other heavy-duty vehicle can be spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the width direction of the heavy-duty vehicle and / or in the direction of travel of the heavy-duty vehicle. The predetermined distance can be, for example, a few centimeters up to several meters, in particular up to 100 meters and / or up to more than 100 meters and / or up to 1000 meters.

[0014] The sensor device can be configured to detect the steering angle of one or more or all of the additional wheels of the additional heavy-duty vehicle. If the steering angles of all of the additional wheels are not detected, the steering device can calculate missing steering angles of the additional wheels not being monitored on the basis of the actually detected steering angles, so that, in principle, not all of the additional wheels of the additional heavy-duty vehicle need to be monitored by means of a respective sensor unit. Due to the fact that the steering device does not have to be in signal communication with the additional steering device, in particular with an additional control unit integrated therein, of the additional heavy-duty vehicle, according to the invention, heavy-duty vehicles of different types, for example of different designs and / or of different manufacturers, can also be combined into one vehicle arrangement.

[0015] The heavy-duty vehicle can preferably be a system-specific heavy-duty vehicle, and the additional heavy-duty vehicle can be a non-system heavy-duty vehicle. The system-specific heavy-duty vehicle can, for example, be a heavy-duty vehicle of the applicant, while the non-system heavy-duty vehicle can, for example, be a heavy-duty vehicle of any other heavy-duty vehicle manufacturer. The sensor device is preferably connected to, in particular to a control unit, the steering device of the system-specific heavy-duty vehicle. The additional steering device of the at least one non-system heavy-duty vehicle, however, is preferably not signal-connected to the steering device of the system-specific heavy-duty vehicle.

[0016] In order to be able to adapt the steering angles, preferably of all steered, in particular forced-steered, wheels of the heavy-duty vehicle and the further heavy-duty vehicle to one another, it is proposed according to a preferred exemplary embodiment that the steering device, in particular a control unit assigned thereto, is configured to determine an instantaneous center of the further heavy-duty vehicle on the basis of the further steering angle of the at least one further wheel of the further heavy-duty vehicle detected by the at least one sensor unit, and based thereon to adjust the steering angle of the at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle such that an instantaneous center of the heavy-duty vehicle and the instantaneous center of the further heavy-duty vehicle essentially coincide. For this purpose, the steering device can be assigned, for example, a memory device in which a, preferably at least two-dimensional, coordinate system is stored.Furthermore, the memory device can store information about how the heavy-duty vehicle and the additional heavy-duty vehicle are arranged relative to one another in relation to the coordinate system. The arrangement of the heavy-duty vehicles relative to one another can be entered into the memory device, for example, by a user before or during commissioning of the heavy-duty vehicle or the vehicle arrangement. For this purpose, the steering device can comprise a corresponding user interface, for example in the form of a touchscreen or the like. The user interface can preferably be attached to the at least one heavy-duty vehicle or, if it is designed, for example, as a type of remote control, can be connected, preferably wirelessly, to the at least one heavy-duty vehicle.

[0017] If the steering angles of all wheels are not detected, the steering device can calculate missing steering angles of the unmonitored additional wheels on the basis of the determined instantaneous center of gravity of the additional heavy-duty vehicle and the respective position of the unmonitored additional wheels in the coordinate system, so that in connection with this exemplary embodiment, in principle, not all additional wheels of the additional heavy-duty vehicle need to be monitored by means of a respective sensor unit.

[0018] In principle, the at least one sensor unit can be arranged at any suitable location on the heavy-duty vehicle or the further heavy-duty vehicle, at which location the sensor unit is able to detect the further steering angle of at least one wheel of the further heavy-duty vehicle. However, the at least one sensor unit is preferably designed and intended to be arranged, preferably detachably, on the at least one further heavy-duty vehicle. Consequently, the at least one sensor unit can be arranged in a simple manner on the further heavy-duty vehicle, which, for example, originates from a different manufacturer than the heavy-duty vehicle, so that according to the invention the heavy-duty vehicle, in particular one which is native to the system, can be combined with a plurality of further heavy-duty vehicles, in particular those which are not part of the system, and can thus be used in a variety of ways.

[0019] The sensor unit can generally have any design suitable for sufficiently accurate detection of the additional steering angle. In particular, the sensor unit can be configured as a scanning element that can be attached to a suitable location on the additional heavy-duty vehicle in order to detect the additional steering angle. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, however, it is proposed that the at least one sensor unit be designed as a contactless sensor unit that is configured to detect the additional steering angle of the at least one additional wheel of the additional heavy-duty vehicle in a contactless, in particular optical, manner. The contactless sensor unit preferably allows the additional steering angle to be detected wear-free, and there is no need for a scanning mechanism specifically adapted to a particular application for mechanically scanning the additional steering angle or the like.

[0020] In a further development of the latter embodiment, the at least one sensor unit can comprise a lidar, for example, a 2D lidar, which can provide a reliable and repeatable optical measurement for determining the further steering angle. Alternatively, the sensor unit can comprise a camera, a laser, or the like, or be based on another contactless measuring principle.

[0021] The monitoring range of the at least one sensor unit should generally be adapted to a maximum adjustment range, i.e., steering angle range, of the at least one further wheel in order to be able to detect the further steering angle, preferably over the entire steering angle range. At the same time, a respective sensor unit should be able to monitor as comprehensive a range as possible in order to keep the number of required sensor units as low as possible. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the at least one sensor unit can therefore be configured to detect a predetermined range, which can extend essentially in a partially circular shape with a predetermined angle around the at least one sensor unit.

[0022] In a further development of the latter embodiment, the predetermined angle can be at least 180°, preferably at least 270°, particularly preferably at least 360° or more, which has proven sufficient with a corresponding arrangement of the at least one sensor unit. If the angle detected by the at least one sensor unit is stored, for example, in a storage device associated with the steering device, it is conceivable to detect an angle of more than 360°, i.e., more than one revolution or several revolutions around the further, substantially vertical steering axis.

[0023] Additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor unit can be configured to detect the further steering angle of at least two further wheels of the further heavy-duty vehicle arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the further heavy-duty vehicle. Consequently, the steering angles of two wheels arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the further heavy-duty vehicle can be detected with one sensor unit each, which reduces the number of required sensor units. The at least one sensor unit can be arranged, for example, between two adjacent wheels of the further heavy-duty vehicle in the direction of travel. Especially with such an arrangement of the at least one sensor unit, it can be sufficient if the aforementioned predetermined angle is at most 270°, in particular at most 180°.However, as already mentioned above, the predetermined angle may also be at least 270° or more, preferably at least 360° or more.

[0024] Alternatively, the at least one sensor unit can be configured to detect the additional steering angle of only one, preferably a single, additional wheel of the additional heavy-duty vehicle. In other words, a separate sensor unit can be assigned to each additional wheel whose steering angle is to be monitored. Consequently, even greater accuracy in detecting the steering angle can be achieved, although it should be noted that the number of required sensor units increases accordingly.

[0025] Particularly when the at least one sensor unit is configured to detect the further steering angle of the at least one wheel of the further heavy-duty vehicle in a contactless, preferably optical, manner, it is further proposed that the at least one sensor unit be configured to face at least one reflective portion of the at least one further wheel, in particular a wheel rim or a hubcap of the at least one further wheel, of the further heavy-duty vehicle, in order to detect the further steering angle. In particular, a wheel rim or a hubcap are usually made of a metallic material, in particular based on steel or aluminum, which—if necessary with additional processing of at least part of the surface of the hubcap or wheel rim—can lead to a correspondingly high reflectivity.

[0026] Furthermore, the sensor device can be connected to the at least one sensor unit wirelessly, in particular by radio, or by cable. This enables easy establishment of the signal connection between the sensor device and the at least one sensor unit, even if the at least one sensor unit is mounted on the additional heavy-duty vehicle spatially separate from the sensor device. The sensor device, including a corresponding evaluation unit, can preferably be mounted on the heavy-duty vehicle, so that the at least one sensor unit can only serve to transmit signals to the sensor device that indicate the additional steering angle of the additional heavy-duty vehicle.

[0027] To create a particularly stable signal connection between the sensor device and the at least one sensor unit that is less susceptible to radio interference, the sensor device can alternatively be connected to the at least one sensor unit via a cable. It is understood that when a vehicle assembly is composed of the heavy-duty vehicle and the additional heavy-duty vehicle, appropriate connecting cables must be provided to couple the sensor device to the at least one sensor unit.

[0028] Finally, the steering device can preferably also be configured to determine a steering mode of the further heavy-duty vehicle based on the further steering angle of the further heavy-duty vehicle detected by the sensor device, and to set a steering mode of the heavy-duty vehicle based on the steering mode of the further heavy-duty vehicle. Consequently, not only steering angles but also steering modes can be detected, and the steering mode of the heavy-duty vehicle can be adapted to the steering mode of the further heavy-duty vehicle. Possible steering modes include, for example, normal steering mode, crab steering mode, in which the respective heavy-duty vehicle moves in a direction that is non-parallel to a vehicle's longitudinal axis but linear, a helical steering mode, in which the respective heavy-duty vehicle turns on the spot, and the like.

[0029] It should also be noted that the sensor device may further comprise at least one further sensor unit, for example a radar, which is configured to detect at least one speed and / or one direction of travel of the additional heavy-duty vehicle. This ensures that the speed of the heavy-duty vehicle can also be controlled to match the speed of the additional heavy-duty vehicle, preferably enabling synchronous travel of the heavy-duty vehicle and the additional heavy-duty vehicle.If, in addition or alternatively, the direction of travel of the other heavy goods vehicle is detected, operational safety can also be increased because, for example, it can be detected at an early stage if the direction of travel of the heavy goods vehicle deviates from the direction of travel of the other heavy goods vehicle and the heavy goods vehicle and the other heavy goods vehicle move towards or away from each other in an undesirable manner, which can lead to a changed distance between the heavy goods vehicle and the other heavy goods vehicle.

[0030] According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a vehicle arrangement comprising at least the above-described heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention and at least the further heavy-duty vehicle. With regard to the advantages and effects of the vehicle arrangement, reference is made to the above discussion of the advantages and effects of the heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention. All statements relating to the heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention also apply to the vehicle arrangement according to the invention and vice versa. The vehicle arrangement can comprise one or more heavy-duty vehicles according to the invention and one or more further heavy-duty vehicles. The at least one heavy-duty vehicle and the at least one further heavy-duty vehicle can be arranged next to one another and / or one behind the other in the direction of travel of the heavy-duty vehicle.If the vehicle arrangement includes heavy-duty vehicles arranged both one behind the other and next to each other, these can be arranged in a matrix-like manner, for example.

[0031] According to yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method for operating a heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention, preferably as described above, or a vehicle arrangement according to the invention, preferably as described above, the method comprising:

[0032] Controlling a steering angle of at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle about a substantially vertical steering axis by means of a steering device of the heavy-duty vehicle,

[0033] Detecting a further steering angle of at least one further wheel of a further heavy-duty vehicle about a further substantially vertical steering axis by means of a sensor device which comprises at least one sensor unit, wherein the steering device is in signal communication with the sensor device, wherein the control of the steering angle of the at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle is carried out on the basis of the further steering angle of the at least one further wheel of the further heavy-duty vehicle detected by the at least one sensor unit.

[0034] Regarding the advantages and effects of the method, reference is made to the above discussion of the advantages and effects of the heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention and the vehicle assembly according to the invention. All statements regarding the heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention and / or the vehicle assembly according to the invention also apply to the method according to the invention, and vice versa.

[0035] In a further development, the method may further comprise: determining an instantaneous center of the further heavy-duty vehicle by means of the steering device on the basis of the further steering angle of the further heavy-duty vehicle detected by the sensor device, and based thereon, controlling the steering angle of the heavy-duty vehicle such that an instantaneous center of the at least one heavy-duty vehicle and the instantaneous center of the further heavy-duty vehicle substantially coincide.

[0036] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic partial plan view of another heavy-duty vehicle of the vehicle arrangement with a sensor unit arranged thereon.

[0039] In Figure 1, a heavy-duty vehicle according to the invention according to an embodiment is generally identified by the reference numeral 100.

[0040] A vehicle assembly according to the invention according to one exemplary embodiment is generally designated by reference numeral 300. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the vehicle assembly 300 comprises the heavy-duty vehicle 100 according to the invention and two further heavy-duty vehicles, namely the further heavy-duty vehicle 200 and the further heavy-duty vehicle 200'.

[0041] The heavy-duty vehicle 100 comprises a vehicle frame 102 on which a plurality of axle assemblies 104 are arranged. Each axle assembly 104 comprises at least two oppositely arranged wheels 106a and 106b, each of which is rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation D. The rotation of the wheels 106a and 106b about the axis of rotation D can correspond to a movement of the heavy-duty vehicle 100 in and against a direction of travel F. The wheels 106a and 106b of a respective axle assembly 104 are further steerable about a substantially vertical steering axis L, which can be realized, for example, by means of a bogie, via which a respective axle assembly 104 is rotatable relative to the vehicle frame 102.

[0042] The heavy-duty vehicle 100 further comprises a steering device 108, which is assigned to the axle assemblies 104 and is configured to control a steering angle α of each of the wheels 106a and 106b. For this purpose, the steering device 108 can, for example, control a hydraulic unit (not shown) of the heavy-duty vehicle 100 or the like, which can be operatively connected to the axle assemblies 104 and can preferably set a separate steering angle for each axle assembly 104. Furthermore, the hydraulic unit can be configured to hydraulically drive at least some of the axles 104, wherein, for example, a hydraulic motor, for example in the form of an axial piston motor or the like, can be arranged on each driven axle 104.

[0043] The vehicle assembly 300 further comprises a sensor device 110 arranged on the heavy-duty vehicle 100, which in turn can comprise a plurality of sensor units 112a-112f. The sensor units 112a-112f are attached to the further heavy-duty vehicle 200, in particular to a frame 202 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200. The sensor units 112a-112f can be in wireless signal communication with the sensor device 110, for example via radio. Each sensor unit of the sensor units 112a-112f can be provided to detect a further steering angle β about a further substantially vertical steering axis L' of wheels 206a and / or 206b of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 1, this is shown as an example for the sensor unit 112f.The sensor unit 112f can be configured to detect the further steering angle ß of at least two wheels 206b or axle assemblies 204 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200 arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel F of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200.

[0044] Alternatively, each of the sensor units 112a-112f can be provided only to detect the further steering angle ß of only one, preferably a single, wheel 206b or only one, preferably a single, axle assembly 204 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200. For this purpose, however, the number of sensor units must be increased to a number corresponding to the number of axle assemblies 204.

[0045] To ensure that the heavy-duty vehicle 100 essentially maintains a predetermined distance di while cornering, according to the invention the steering device 108 is in signal communication with the sensor device 110 and is configured to control the steering angle α of the wheels 106a and / or 106b of the axle assemblies 104 based on the further steering angle β of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200 detected by the sensor units 112a-112f. With the vehicle arrangement 300, it is therefore possible to combine the heavy-duty vehicle 100 and the further heavy-duty vehicle 200 and thereby ensure proper handling of the vehicle arrangement 300, in particular during synchronous cornering, without the steering device 108 having to communicate with a further steering device 208 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200, i.e., without having to be in signal communication.

[0046] The additional heavy-duty vehicle 200', which may, for example, be arranged at a further distance d2 relative to the additional heavy-duty vehicle 200, may in turn comprise an additional steering device 208', which may be in signal communication with the additional steering device 208. Synchronization of the steering angles of the additional heavy-duty vehicles 200 and 200' may thus be achieved, for example, in a known manner, by, for example, wireless communication between the steering devices 208 and 208'. Consequently, the steering angle ß and an additional steering angle ß' may also be coordinated with one another, so that the heavy-duty vehicles 200 and 200' can essentially maintain the predetermined distance d2 while cornering.

[0047] If the vehicle arrangement 300 shown in Fig. 1 is moving, for example, in the direction of travel F and cornering to the right, the steering angle ß' can be greater than the steering angles ß and α. The angle ß can in turn be greater than the angle α in order to ensure that the heavy-duty vehicle 100 and the other heavy-duty vehicles 200 and 200' each move around a common instantaneous center M. The instantaneous center M is shown schematically in Fig. 1 merely as an example, although an actual instantaneous center of the vehicle arrangement 300 can also be arranged at a location different from that in Fig. 1.

[0048] If the heavy-duty vehicle 100 and the other heavy-duty vehicles 200 and 200' are cornering at a substantially constant distance di and d2, respectively, the instantaneous center M corresponds to an instantaneous pole Mwo of the heavy-duty vehicle 100, an instantaneous pole M200 of the other heavy-duty vehicle 200, and an instantaneous pole M200' of the other heavy-duty vehicle 200'. In other words, the instantaneous poles M100, M200, and M200' essentially coincide. The steering device 108, in particular a control unit 109 assigned thereto, can thus be configured to determine the instantaneous center M200 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200 on the basis of the further steering angle ß detected by the sensor unit 112f, and based thereon to adjust the steering angle α of the axle assembly(s) 104 of the heavy-duty vehicle 100 such that the instantaneous center Mwo and the instantaneous center M200 coincide.The steering device 108 can further be configured to take into account the further steering angles detected by the sensor units 112a - 112e in order to be able to determine the instantaneous center M200 with greater accuracy.

[0049] For this purpose, the steering device 108, in particular the control unit 109 assigned thereto, can take into account a two-dimensional coordinate system with an x-axis and a y-axis, as shown by way of example in Figure 1. The control unit 109 can integrate how the heavy-duty vehicle 100 and the other heavy-duty vehicles 200 and 200' are arranged relative to one another with respect to the coordinate system. The arrangement of the heavy-duty vehicles relative to one another or relative to the coordinate system can be entered, for example, by a user before or during commissioning of the vehicle arrangement 300 via a user interface (not shown) on the heavy-duty vehicle 100.

[0050] To also set a speed and / or a direction of travel F200 further

[0051] In order to be able to monitor the speed of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200, the sensor device 110 can further comprise a further sensor unit 111, which can be designed, for example, as a radar and can be configured to detect the speed of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200, at least along the direction of travel F, and / or the direction of travel F200 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200. This can ensure that a speed of the heavy-duty vehicle 100 along the direction of travel F is also controlled to match a speed of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200, in order to preferably enable synchronous travel of the heavy-duty vehicle 100 and the further heavy-duty vehicle 200. The further heavy-duty vehicles 200 and 200' can communicate with each other accordingly via their control units 209 and 209' in order to coordinate the speeds along the direction of travel F.

[0052] Fig. 2 shows a schematic partial view of two axle assemblies 204 which are adjacent in the direction of travel F and are essentially identical in construction and are arranged on the vehicle frame 202 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200.

[0053] As can be seen in Figure 2, in which the sensor unit 112a is shown as an example, the sensor unit 112a can monitor the two axle assemblies 204 adjacent in the direction of travel F, in particular their wheels 206b, with regard to their steering angle β. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor unit 112a is designed as a two-dimensional lidar which has a measuring angle range Y of approximately 270 degrees. However, the measuring angle range y can also be higher or lower than shown in Fig. 2 and, for example, be only 180 degrees. The sensor unit 112a can be removably attached to the vehicle frame 202 of the further heavy-duty vehicle 200, in particular via a holding device 114, which is only schematically indicated in Fig. 2.

[0054] In order to optimize the measurement accuracy achieved by the sensor unit 112a, in particular the lidar 112a, each wheel 204 can preferably comprise a reflective section 216, which can in particular be a wheel rim or a hubcap, and can be made, for example, from a metallic material. Depending on the set steering angle ß, the reflective section 216 faces the sensor unit 112a or not. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2, for example, either the front axle assembly 204 in the direction of travel F or the rear axle assembly 204 in the direction of travel F always faces the sensor unit 112a.

[0055] It should also be added that the further steering devices 208 and 208' can also be designed analogously to the steering device 108 and can each control a hydraulic unit (not shown) of the heavy-duty vehicle 200 or 200', which can be operatively connected to the axle assemblies 204 or 204' in order to be able to steer the axle assemblies 204 or 204' or to drive the heavy-duty vehicles 200 or 200' in and against the direction of travel F.

Claims

Claims 1. Heavy-duty vehicle (100), comprising at least one vehicle frame (102), on which at least one axle assembly (104) is arranged, which comprises at least one wheel (106a, 106b) steerable about a substantially vertical steering axis (L), and a steering device (108) which is assigned to the at least one axle assembly (106) and is designed to control a steering angle (α) of the at least one wheel (106a, 106b) about the substantially vertical steering axis (L), wherein the heavy-duty vehicle (100) further comprises a sensor device (110) with at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f), which is designed to detect a further steering angle (β) of at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of a further heavy-duty vehicle (200) about a further substantially vertical steering axis (L'), wherein the steering device (108) is connected to the sensor device (110) is in signal communication and is designed toto control the steering angle (α) of the at least one wheel (106a, 106b) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) on the basis of the further steering angle (β) of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) detected by the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f).

2. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the steering device (108), in particular a control unit (109) assigned thereto, is configured to determine an instantaneous center (M200) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) on the basis of the further steering angle (ß) of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) detected by the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f), and based thereon to adjust the steering angle (α) of the at least one wheel (106a, 106b) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) such that an instantaneous center (M100) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) and the instantaneous pole (M200) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) essentially coincide.

3. Heavy-duty vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) is designed and intended to be arranged, preferably detachably, on the further heavy-duty vehicle (200).

4. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) is designed as a contactless sensor unit (112a - 112f) which is configured to detect the further steering angle (ß) of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) in a contactless, in particular optical, manner.

5. Heavy-duty vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) comprises a lidar (112a - 112f).

6. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) is configured to detect a predetermined area which extends substantially in a part-circle shape with a predetermined angle (y) around the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f).

7. Heavy-duty vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined angle (y) is at least 180°, preferably at least 270°, particularly preferably at least 360° or more.

8. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) is configured to detect the further steering angle (ß) of at least two further wheels (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel (F) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200).

9. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) is configured to detect the further steering angle (ß) of only one, preferably single, wheel (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200).

10. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) is configured to face at least one reflective portion (216) of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b), in particular a wheel rim or a hubcap, of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b), of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) in order to detect the further steering angle (ß).

11. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor device (110) is in signal connection with the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f) wirelessly, in particular by radio, or by cable.

12. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the steering device (108) is configured to determine a steering operating mode of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) on the basis of the further steering angle (ß) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) detected by the sensor device (110), and the steering device (108) is configured to set a steering operating mode of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) on the basis of the steering operating mode of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200).

13. Heavy-duty vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor device (110) further comprises at least one further sensor unit (111), for example a radar (111), which is configured to detect at least one speed and / or one direction of travel (F200) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200).

14. Vehicle arrangement (300) comprising at least the heavy-duty vehicle (100) according to one of the preceding claims and at least one further heavy-duty vehicle (200).

15. A method for operating a heavy-duty vehicle (100), preferably according to one of the preceding claims, or a vehicle assembly (300), preferably according to claim 14, the method comprising: Controlling a steering angle (a) of at least one wheel (106a, 106b) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) about a substantially vertical steering axis (L) by means of a steering device (108) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100), Detecting a further steering angle (ß) of at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of a further heavy-duty vehicle (200) about a further substantially vertical steering axis (L') by means of a sensor device (110) which comprises at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f), wherein the steering device (108) is in signal communication with the sensor device (110), wherein the control of the steering angle (α) of the at least one wheel (106a, 106b) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) is carried out on the basis of the further steering angle (ß) of the at least one further wheel (206a, 206b) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) detected by the at least one sensor unit (112a - 112f).

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising Determining an instantaneous center of gravity (M200) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) by means of the steering device (108) on the basis of the further steering angle (ß) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) detected by the sensor device (110), and based thereon, controlling the steering angle (a) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) such that an instantaneous center (M o) of the heavy-duty vehicle (100) and the instantaneous center (M200) of the further heavy-duty vehicle (200) substantially coincide.

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