Anti-jackknifing apparatus and method

Abstract

An anti-jackknife unit includes a housing, an accelerometer, a shaft, a tongue having an open interior portion, wherein the tongue is coupled to the shaft, a motor coupled to the shaft and configured to rotate the shaft based upon at least an output of the accelerometer, so as to move the tongue between (i) a deployed position, and (ii) an undeployed position, a rotational position sensor within the housing, a linear position sensor within the housing, at least one heater located within the housing configured to operate when a temperature is below a specified setting, and a solenoid coupled to the shaft and configured to lock the shaft. A related method is also disclosed.

Description

Docket No.: 1184.002PCTANTI-JACKKNIFING APPARATUS AND METHODFIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates to articulated vehicles and, more particularly, to devices that limit over-articulation of such vehicles.BACKGROUND

[0002] "Jackknifing" is well known as the loss of steering control due to overarticulation, beyond some critical angle that typically can occur with a tractor / trailer combination.

[0003] Various devices are known that provide protection against jackknifing.

[0004] Tractor / trailers are used throughout the world in various geographic terrains and climates. Jackknifing, although a problem irrespective of location, can become a very serious problem in hilly and mountainous regions, for example, Western North America, Europe, Asia and parts of South America. In such regions, changes in elevation can cause significant temperature reductions to at or below freezing temperatures and slick conditions due to, for example, ice, snow and sleet, which, coupled with the twisting roads necessary to make such terrain passable, significantly increases the possibility of jackknifing.SUMMARY

[0005] This disclosure describes solutions that provide significant advances in addressing the aforementioned problems.

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure involves an anti -jackknife unit including a housing, having a first part and a second part spaced from the first part; an accelerometer associated with the anti -jackknife unit; a shaft; a tongue, having an open interior portion, wherein the tongue is coupled to the shaft, and wherein the shaft extends between the first part and the second part; a motor, coupled to the shaft, and configured to rotate the shaft, based upon at least an output of the accelerometer, so as to move the tongue between (i) a deployed position, where the tongue can engage a fork of a fifth wheel of a vehicle when the antijackknife unit is mounted on a trailer or other conveyance, and (ii) an undeployed position where the tongue cannot engage a fork of a fifth wheel of a vehicle; a rotational position sensor within the housing; a linear position sensor within the housing and coupled to the shaft; at least one heater located within the housing configured to operate when a temperature is below a specified setting; and a solenoid, coupled to the shaft, wherein the solenoid is configured to lock the shaft when the tongue is in either the deployed position or the undeployed position.Docket No.: 1184.002PCT

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure involves a method of controlling an antijackknife unit. The method involves detecting when a vehicle and trailer or other conveyance, coupled together via connection involving a fifth wheel, is moving; determining whether the movement is forward and of a speed in excess of a specified threshold; unlocking a shaft, coupled to a tongue of the anti -jackknife unit when the speed is in excess of the specified threshold; powering an electric motor to cause the shaft to rotate the tongue from an undeployed position to a deployed position between forks of the fifth wheel; causing a solenoid to lock the shaft once the tongue has reached the deployed position; and controlling a heater within the anti -jackknife unit such that when a temperature reading external to the anti -jackknife unit is below a specified setting, the heater will be turned on until the temperature reading external to the anti -jackknife unit is above the specified setting.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] This disclosure is further described in the detailed description that follows, with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numbers appearing in the various drawings and description designate corresponding or like elements among the different views, and in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates, in simplified form, a top view of an example of an improved anti -jackknifing system in accordance with the teachings herein;

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates, in simplified form, a top perspective view of the improved antijackknifing system of FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates, in simplified form, a top view of the improved anti -jackknifing system of FIG. 1;

[0012] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate, in simplified form, bottom perspective views of representative examples of the operational movement of the tongue relative to the housing and fifth wheel;

[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates, in simplified form, the operational internal workings of the antijackknifing unit;

[0014] FIGS. 8A-8B illustrate, in simplified form, a flowchart for the operation of one example variant of an anti -jackknife system in accordance with the teachings herein; and

[0015] FIG. 9 illustrates, in simplified form, a representative example of an alternative tongue 900 suitable for use in systems employing the teachings herein.Docket No.: 1184.002PCTDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] U.S. Pat. Nos. 11,142,265 and 11,731,713 are each incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and disclose alternative ways of detecting movement and velocity that can be employed in connection with the teachings herein.

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates, in simplified form, a top view of an example of an improved anti -jackknifing system 100 in accordance with the teachings herein.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 involves an anti -jackknifing unit 102 and a fifth wheel 104.

[0019] As shown, the fifth wheel 104 includes conventional components such as a top plate 106, having a pair of forks 108a, 108b defining a single or double "V"-shaped opening (also known as a kingpin opening or kingpin gap) 110, a kingpin lock 112, for example, a Holland coupling, and one or more mounting plates or brackets 114, via which the fifth wheel is coupled to a vehicle (not shown).

[0020] The anti -jackknifing unit 102 is made up of a housing 116, containing the operational workings of the anti -jackknifing unit 102 and a movable tongue 118. Ideally, the housing is ideally hermetically sealed against intrusion of water vapor into the housing 116, although this may not be necessary for some implementation variants, for example, if the major components (e.g., motor, receiver, accelerometer, solenoid) that would be affected by water or water vapor are themselves hermetically sealed. The housing is constructed to be mounted to a trailer or other conveyance that will be coupled to a vehicle, via a kingpin within the kingpin lock 112 of the fifth wheel 104.

[0021] The tongue 118 is ideally formed of solid bar stock formed in a generally substantially trapezoidal or substantially pentagonal external peripheral shape that has at least one open area within the periphery so as to be strong but light (for reasons that will be described below), with sides 120a, 120b each oriented at an angle relative to both an imaginary line along the longitudinal direction of the housing 116 and an imaginary line perpendicular to the imaginary longitudinal line. The angle is ideally selected such that when the face surface of a side 120a, 120b of the tongue 118 contacts a surface of an inner edge 122a, 122b of a fork 108a, 108b, the side 120a, 120b will substantially be in contact with the corresponding inner edge 122a, 122b of the respective fork 108a, 108b.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates, in simplified form, a top perspective view of the improved antijackknifing system 100 of FIG. 1.

[0023] In FIG 2, the tongue 118 is in the deployed position and the opening 202 within the tongue 118 can be more clearly seen.Docket No.: 1184.002PCT

[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates, in simplified form, a top view of the improved anti -jackknifing system 100 of FIG. 1 oriented where the deployed tongue 118 limits lateral movement between the vehicle (not shown) to which the fifth wheel 104 is coupled relative to the trailer or other conveyance (not shown) to which the anti -jackknifing unit 102 is coupled, by virtue of the face surface of the side 120b contacting the inner edge 122b of the fork 108b along the surface area denoted "A".

[0025] In general, the tongue 118 is pivotably moveable through a range of about 180 degrees, although this is an advantage, not a requirement. Some implementations can have the tongue 118 pivotably movable through a greater or lesser range, the key requirement being that it must be movable from a deployed position, where it can engage a fork of the fifth wheel to limit the lateral movement between the vehicle relative to the trailer or other conveyance, to a position where the tongue cannot engage a fork of the fifth wheel (or absent an actual jackknife condition occurring).

[0026] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate, in simplified form, bottom perspective views of representative examples of the operational movement of the tongue 118 relative to the housing 116 and fifth wheel 104. For simplicity, it is to be assumed that the fifth wheel 104 is actually coupled to a vehicle and the housing 116 is actually coupled to a trailer or other conveyance, with the vehicle and trailer or other conveyance being coupled in the conventional manner via a kingpin (not shown) that is locked in place via the kingpin lock 112.

[0027] In FIG. 4, the tongue 118 is shown in the fully disengaged position. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the tongue is coupled to a shaft 400 that can rotate to pivot the tongue 118 through an arc of, in this variant, 180 degrees.

[0028] In FIG. 5, the tongue 118, through rotation of the shaft 400, has pivoted about 50 degree from the fully disengaged position.

[0029] In FIG. 6, the tongue 118, through rotation of the shaft 400, has pivoted a full 180degrees from the fully disengaged position to the fully engaged position.

[0030] FIG. 7 illustrates, in simplified form, the operational internal workings of the anti- jackknifing unit 102.

[0031] As shown, and noted above, the tongue 118 is coupled to a shaft 400 that extends into both sides 702a, 702b of the housing 116.

[0032] The control side 702a of the housing 116 contains a DC motor 704 coupled to the shaft 400 via, respectively, via a gearbox 706 and a slip shaft coupler 708. The DC motor is selected to cause the tongue 118 to rapidly deploy from the fully disengaged position to theDocket No.: 1184.002PCT fully engaged position within about one second or less. This is the reason why the tongue is shaped to have the opening 202, i.e., to reduce weight and the force required to deploy it, while preserving the strength necessary to effectively prevent jackknifing when the tongue 118 engages the inner edges 122a, 122b of the forks 108a, 108b.

[0033] In addition, a shaft lock solenoid 710 is provided to lock / unlock the shaft 400 to prevent the DC motor 704 from being subjected to torsional loading from the shaft 440 and tongue 118 when not in use. In addition, the control side 702a of the housing 116 includes a rotational position sensor 712, coupled to at least one of the motor 704 or the shaft 400, and a linear position sensor 714 coupled to the shaft 400. These sensors 712, 714 are used to determine the deployment (rotational) position of the tongue 118 and movement / position of the tongue 118 along the longitudinal direction of the housing 116 (z.e., side-to-side).

[0034] Finally, the control side 702a of the housing 116 includes a heater 716a.

[0035] The side 702b opposite the control side 702a houses a counterpart heater 716b and a spring 718, coupled to the shaft, configured to cause the tongue 118 to self center (z.e., return to an unloaded normal or neutral position). Depending upon the particular implementation variant, the spring 718 can be made up of a conventional coil spring, a set of Belleville washers, or any other spring-type mechanism capable of causing the tongue 118 to self center at least when not deployed. In addition, the spring 718 is configured to allow for up to about 15 degrees of swing of the trailer or other conveyance relative to the vehicle without the tongue reaching the limiting surfaces 720 established by the sides 702a, 702b.

[0036] The non-control side 702b also includes a heater 716b. The heaters 716a, 716b are small and, depending upon the particular implementation variant, may be electric heaters, ceramic heaters, infrared heaters or oil-filled heaters. The heaters 716a, 716b can be controlled by a thermostat that turns them on and off. For example, depending upon the particular implementation, the heaters 716a, 716b could be controlled to turn on when the exterior temperature drops below a specified temperature, or when the temperature inside at least one side 702a, 702b of the housing 116 drops below a specified temperature, or, in some cases, based upon one or more readings from an altimeter, and / or a location oft he vehicle obtained from global positioning satellite (GPS) / satellite navigation (SatNav) data. The heaters 716a, 716b, advantageously act to, for example, keep the components operating in colder temperatures, reduce the prospect of a failure from wear / brittleness due to either temperature effects over an extended period or otherwise then-current extremely low external temperatures. In addition, with some variants, the heaters can optionally help reduce or prevent accumulation of moisture within the housing 116, reducing the prospect of failure toDocket No.: 1184.002PCT properly operate due to icing or, long term, due to excess wear and / or failure due to corrosion.

[0037] In general, the anti -jackknife unit 102 will operate under control of remotely- located control software 722, for example, a computer program or application program ("app") running on a computing device mounted in the vehicle or a computing device temporarily associated with the vehicle (e.g., the computing device could be a computer, tablet, smart phone, smart watch, etc.), operable by the driver, that communicates (typically wirelessly, but, in some variant implementations, the connection can be wired) with a corresponding receiver or other control circuitry 724 within the housing 116.

[0038] Finally, optionally, some variants of the anti -jackknife unit 102 may include an accelerometer 726 in, or associated with, the housing 116.

[0039] Having described the various components of the anti -jackknife system 100 and, more particularly, the anti -jackknife unit 102, the operation will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8A-8B.

[0040] FIGS. 8A-8B illustrate, in simplified form, a flowchart 800 for the operation of one example variant of an anti -jackknife system in accordance with the teachings herein.

[0041] The operation begins when the trailer or other conveyance is connected to a vehicle via a fifth wheel and communication is established between the control software and the anti -jackknife unit (Step 802). The control software then monitors until the accelerometer or other data source detects movement of the vehicle (Step 804). If movement is detected, the control software determines whether the movement is forward or in reverse (Step 806). If the movement is in reverse, the anti -jackknife unit's tongue 118 remains undeployed (Step 808) and the control system continues monitoring movement (Step 804).

[0042] If the direction of movement is forward, then the control system, via the accelerometer or other data source, monitors the speed of movement (Step 810) relative to a pre-set speed threshold (Step 812), for example, approximately 3.22 km / hr. (2 miles / hr). If the speed threshold is not exceeded, the anti -jackknife unit's tongue 118 remains undeployed (Step 814) and the control system continues monitoring the speed (Step 810). If the speed threshold is exceeded, power is applied to the solenoid (Step 816) to release a lock holding the shaft and then power is applied to the motor (Step 818) to rotate the tongue 118 to the deployed position. The control system checks to determine if the shaft is fully rotated (Step 820) such that the tongue 118 is fully deployed. If not, the motor continues to be powered (Step 818). If so, power is shut off to both the motor and solenoid (Step 822) so that the shaft is locked in place.Docket No.: 1184.002PCT

[0043] Then, concurrently, the controller monitors the speed (Step 824) and the longitudinal position of the tongue 118, via the shaft 400, relative to the centered (z.e., nondeviated, neutral or zero) position (Step 826) for deviation from the centered position. If there is a deviation, the control system checks to determine if the deviation is approaching the limit (Step 828), the control system will indicate a jackknife risk (Step 830). Depending upon the particular implementation, this can be through use of one or more indicator lights, for example with green indicating no jackknife risk and red indicating a jackknife risk, an audio sound to indicate a jackknife risk or any other indication.

[0044] At the same time the longitudinal position of the tongue 118 is being monitored, as noted above, the controller also monitors the speed (Step 824) to determine if the speed has dropped below the threshold (Step 832). If not, the speed monitoring continues.

[0045] If the speed has dropped below the threshold the controller will then send power to the solenoid to unlock the shaft (Step 834) and then power the motor to rotate the shaft to bring the tongue 118 back to the undeployed position (Step 836).

[0046] The control system checks to determine if the shaft is fully rotated (Step 838) such that the tongue 118 is now back to the undeployed position. If not, the motor continues to be powered (Step 836). If so, power is shut off to both the motor and solenoid (Step 840) so that the shaft is locked in place. Then monitoring of the longitudinal position of the tongue ceases (Step 842) and the process returns to the start (Step 804).

[0047] At this point it should be noted that, although variants of the tongue 118 will generally have an open area 202, for purposes of lightness and speed of deployment, for some variants, the potential forces that may be applied to the tongue to have a fully open design. Accordingly, for those variants, the tongue can have a minimal internal supports or bracing to reduce the risk of tongue deformation of damage.

[0048] In addition, once vehicle movement is detected, the temperature control aspect is initiated. In that regard, the temperature is monitored (Step 844) relative to a specified temperature setting (Step 846) as described above. If the temperature is not below the specified setting, monitoring continues (Step 844). If, at any point, the temperature drops below the specified setting, the heater 716a, 716b in the housing 116 is turned on (Step 848). As the temperature changes relative to the specified setting (Step 850), if the temperature remains below the specified setting the heater 716a, 716b remains on, and if the temperature rises above the specified setting, the heater716a, 716b is turned off (Step 852).

[0049] FIG. 9 illustrates, in simplified form, a representative example of an alternative tongue 900 suitable for use in systems employing the teachings herein. As shown, the tongueDocket No.: 1184.002PCT900 includes some internal structure 902, in this example variant, in the form of open hexagons or an open honeycomb structure, to provide additional strength and structural rigidity, while not adding significant weight to the tongue.

[0050] The foregoing outlines, generally, the features and technical advantages of one or more implementations that can be constructed based upon the teachings in this disclosure in order that the following detailed description may be better understood. However, the advantages and features described herein are only a few of the many advantages and features available from representative examples of possible variant implementations and are presented only to assist in understanding. It should be understood that they are not to be considered limitations on the invention as defined by the appended claims, or limitations on equivalents to the claims. For instance, some of the advantages or aspects of different variants are mutually contradictory, in that they cannot be simultaneously present in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features or advantages may be applicable to one aspect and inapplicable to others. Thus, the foregoing features and advantages should not be considered dispositive in determining equivalence. Additional features and advantages, although not detailed herein, will be apparent from the teachings of the description, drawings, and claims.

Claims

Docket No.: 1184.002PCTCLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. An anti -jackknife unit, comprising: a housing, having a first part and a second part spaced from the first part; an accelerometer associated with the anti -jackknife unit; a shaft; a tongue, having an open interior portion, wherein the tongue is coupled to the shaft, and wherein the shaft extends between the first part and the second part; a motor, coupled to the shaft, and configured to rotate the shaft, based upon at least an output of the accelerometer, so as to move the tongue between(i) a deployed position, where the tongue can engage a fork of a fifth wheel of a vehicle when the anti -jackknife unit is mounted on a trailer or other conveyance, and(ii) an undeployed position where the tongue cannot engage a fork of a fifth wheel of a vehicle; a rotational position sensor within the housing; a linear position sensor within the housing and coupled to the shaft; at least one heater located within the housing configured to operate when a temperature is below a specified setting; and a solenoid, coupled to the shaft, wherein the solenoid is configured to lock the shaft when the tongue is in either the deployed position or the undeployed position.

2. The anti -jackknife unit of claim 1, wherein the tongue has a generally trapezoidal or pentagonal peripheral shape.

3. The anti -jackknife unit of claim 2, further comprising: a receiver, within the housing.

4. The anti -jackknife unit of claim 1, wherein the motor is capable of moving the tongue from the undeployed position to the deployed position within a time of one second or less.

5. The anti -jackknife unit of claim 4, wherein the shaft has an unloaded neutral position between the first part and the second part of the housing, the anti -jackknife unit further comprising:Docket No.: 1184.002PCT a spring, coupled to the shaft, wherein the spring is selected urge the tongue, via the shaft towards the unloaded neutral position.

6. The anti -jackknife unit of claim 1, further comprising: a receiver, within the housing.

7. The anti -jackknife unit of claim 1, wherein the motor is capable of moving the tongue from the undeployed position to the deployed position within a time of one second or less.

8. A method of controlling an anti -jackknife unit, comprising: detecting when a vehicle and trailer or other conveyance, coupled together via connection involving a fifth wheel, is moving; determining whether the movement is forward and of a speed in excess of a specified threshold; unlocking a shaft, coupled to a tongue of the anti -jackknife unit when the speed is in excess of the specified threshold; powering an electric motor to cause the shaft to rotate the tongue from an undeployed position to a deployed position between forks of the fifth wheel; causing a solenoid to lock the shaft once the tongue has reached the deployed position; and controlling a heater within the anti -jackknife unit such that when a temperature reading external to the anti -jackknife unit is below a specified setting, the heater will be turned on until the temperature reading external to the anti -jackknife unit is above the specified setting.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, when the tongue is in the position between forks of the fifth wheel and the movement is of a different speed below the specified threshold, the method comprises: unlocking the shaft; powering the electric motor to cause the shaft to rotate the tongue to an undeployed position; causing the solenoid to lock the shaft once the tongue has reached the undeployed position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, when the electric motor is powered to cause the shaft to rotate the tongue to the undeployed position, the method further comprises:Docket No.: 1184.002PCT ending monitoring of a longitudinal position of the tongue.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: monitoring longitudinal movement of the tongue relative to an unloaded neutral position; and indicating, when the longitudinal movement approaches a specified limit, a jackknife risk.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, when the electric motor is powered to cause the shaft to rotate the tongue to the undeployed position, the method further comprises: ending the monitoring of the longitudinal position of the tongue.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining involves use of an accelerometer.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving control signals, for the powering the electric motor, from a control unit remote from the anti -jackknife unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control unit is a computing device running an application program.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the electric motor is configured to cause the shaft to rotate the tongue from an undeployed position to the deployed position between the forks of the fifth wheel in one second or less.

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