Fifth Wheel Control for Articulated Vehicle Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for adjusting wheel axle load distribution in articulated vehicles, such as semi-trailer combinations, are cumbersome and require manual operation, especially for inexperienced operators, leading to inefficiencies and potential stability issues.
Innovation Solution
A fifth wheel control arrangement featuring a biased hinge joint with an actuator to control biasing and damping forces, coupled with a control unit that automatically adjusts these forces based on input sensor signals to achieve a target wheel axle load and enhance vehicle stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual control interface is used to adjust wheel axle load distribution, then operator can control the force distributing and dampening device, but adjustment process is not straightforward and requires personal experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts wheel axle load distribution using sensors, control unit, and actuator without requiring manual operator intervention. The control unit receives signals from sensors about the current load distribution and automatically controls the actuator to adjust the fifth wheel position, achieving self-service operation that eliminates the need for operator experience and manual adjustment complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical adjustment system with an automated electromechanical system. Sensors detect load distribution parameters and send signals to a control unit, which then actuates the actuator to adjust the fifth wheel position. This substitution of manual mechanical operation with sensor-based detection and automated control resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity
2Productivity
If actuator controls biasing force of biased hinge joint, then wheel axle load distribution is optimized, but requires automatic control system with sensors and control unit
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control where sensors continuously monitor wheel axle load distribution and send signals to the control unit. The control unit compares the current state with the desired state and automatically adjusts the actuator position accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables rapid optimization of load distribution while using a relatively simple control architecture that only requires basic sensing and actuation components
Solution Approach 2:
The automatic control system operates autonomously to optimize wheel axle load distribution. The sensors detect load conditions, the control unit processes this information, and the actuator automatically adjusts the fifth wheel position without external intervention. This self-service capability achieves rapid productivity improvement while keeping the control system complexity manageable through direct sensor-actuator coupling
Data Source
AI summary
A fifth wheel control arrangement (100) for an articulated vehicle comprising a fifth wheel having a biased hinge joint and an actuator (115) arranged to control a biasing force and/or a damping force of the biased hinge joint. The control arrangement comprises a control unit configured to automatically control the actuator in response to one or more input sensor signals associated with a current state of the articulated vehicle, to obtain a target wheel axle load of the articulated vehicle and/or to stabilize the articulated vehicle.