Rear Wheel Steering Control for Trailer Hitch Angle Convergence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear wheel steering (RWS) control systems do not account for vehicles with trailers, leading to a jackknife phenomenon when the hitch angle exceeds a critical limit due to maximum controllable front and rear wheel steering angles.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus for controlling rear wheel steering in vehicles with trailers, utilizing a computing device to select a target rear wheel steering angle based on the hitch angle, and adjusting the control proportion to prevent jackknife by increasing the rear wheel steering angle as the hitch angle increases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If maximum controllable front wheel steering angle and maximum controllable rear wheel steering angle are used, then steering capability is improved, but the hitch angle cannot converge to 0 and jackknife phenomenon occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of rear wheel steering angle based on real-time hitch angle sensing. The control system continuously monitors the hitch angle and adjusts the rear wheel steering angle proportionally, transitioning from static maximum steering to dynamic adaptive steering that maintains hitch angle convergence while preserving steering capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a feedback control mechanism where a sensor detects the hitch angle value and feeds this information back to the control system. The controller then adjusts the rear wheel steering angle based on this feedback, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents jackknife by continuously correcting the hitch angle toward zero.
2Reliability
If rear wheel steering control is increased to prevent jackknife, then hitch angle convergence is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from fixed maximum steering angle to a variable steering angle that is proportional to the sensed hitch angle value. This parameter transformation simplifies the control logic by establishing a direct proportional relationship between hitch angle and rear wheel steering angle, avoiding complex control algorithms while ensuring convergence.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically adjusts the rear wheel steering angle based on the sensed hitch angle without requiring external intervention or complex decision-making. The system serves itself by using the hitch angle sensor output directly to determine the required rear wheel steering correction, reducing control complexity through self-regulation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is for controlling rear wheel steering of a vehicle including a tractor and a trailer connected to each other. The apparatus includes a computing device having a processor and a storage medium on which one or more programs configured to be executable by the processor are recorded. The one or more programs include instructions for executing an operation of selecting a target rear wheel steering angle based on a minimum hitch angle between a tractor and a trailer and a sensed hitch angle value between the tractor and the trailer. The minimum hitch angle is not converged by a controllable front wheel steering angle and a controllable rear wheel steering angle of the tractor.