Brake Control Unit for Towed Vehicles Using Speed and Pressure Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake control units for towed vehicles are inadequate in controlling brakes at low speeds, leading to aggressive braking or locking, and fail to optimize brake control based on towing vehicle speed and driver input, such as hydraulic pressure, resulting in jerking or inadequate braking.
Innovation Solution
A brake control unit that receives speed signals from both towing and towed vehicles, generates a brake output signal based on these inputs, and adjusts the signal to optimize braking by estimating driving conditions and modifying the brake output to compensate for variations in towed vehicle characteristics, including deceleration and road conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a brake control unit uses only a deceleration sensor to determine brake output signal magnitude, then the system is simple, but braking becomes too aggressive at low speeds causing jerking or brake locking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple input signals (deceleration sensor output, speed signal from vehicle speed sensor, and pressure signal from brake pressure transducer) to determine the brake output signal magnitude. This merging of multiple sensing mechanisms allows the system to maintain simplicity while achieving smooth braking control across all speed ranges, specifically preventing the aggressive braking and locking issues that occur with deceleration-only control at low speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the brake output signal based on real-time operating conditions by incorporating speed-dependent and pressure-dependent modulation. The brake control unit modifies the output signal magnitude according to the current speed and brake pressure, creating a dynamic control response that adapts to varying driving conditions, thereby eliminating the static, aggressive braking behavior at low speeds.
2Speed
If brake control is based solely on deceleration signal, then response is fast, but braking efficiency deteriorates at low speeds due to lack of speed compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the actual brake pressure through the pressure transducer and comparing it with the desired brake output signal. The control unit adjusts the brake output signal based on this feedback, ensuring accurate braking force application. This feedback mechanism maintains fast response while improving reliability at low speeds by preventing over-braking and locking conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameters from deceleration-only to a composite parameter that includes speed and pressure components. By modifying the brake output signal magnitude as a function of both speed and pressure parameters, the system achieves fast response when needed while ensuring reliable, smooth braking at low speeds through appropriate parameter modulation.
3Force
If maximum brake output signal is applied regardless of speed, then stopping power is maximized, but brake locking occurs at low speeds reducing control precision
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality control by adjusting the brake output signal magnitude according to the specific operating condition (speed and pressure). Instead of applying uniform maximum braking force in all conditions, the control unit modulates the force locally based on real-time sensor inputs, ensuring optimal braking force is applied only when necessary while maintaining precision control at low speeds to prevent locking.
Data Source
AI summary
Towed vehicles can be extremely heavy. Accordingly, it is too much of a burden to the braking system of a towing vehicle to not have brakes on the towed vehicle. Controlling the brakes of the towed vehicle must be accurately applied otherwise very dangerous conditions can be created. A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle is, therefore, needed. The method comprises receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle, receiving pressure signals based on pressure of a hydraulic brake system of the towing vehicle, and generating a brake output signal based on the speed signals and the pressure signals.