Onboard Semi-Trailer Scale Using Air Suspension Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semi-trailers often exceed weight limits, causing road damage and incurring fines, as existing methods lack efficient real-time weight monitoring capabilities during loading.
Innovation Solution
An onboard semi-trailer scale system that correlates air pressure in the suspension air bag to the load weight using a pressure transducer, processing module, and display module, providing real-time weight feedback to prevent overloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If real-time weight monitoring is implemented using pressure transducers and electronic systems, then measurement precision and productivity are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses air pressure as an intermediary parameter to indirectly measure weight. The pressure transducer measures air pressure in the suspension system, which correlates to the load weight, avoiding direct weight measurement sensors on the trailer structure. This reduces installation complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the existing air suspension system components (air bags, air lines) already present in the semi-trailer as part of the measurement mechanism. The air pressure naturally changes with load weight, providing self-measuring capability without requiring additional active sensing infrastructure on the trailer itself.
2Device complexity
If existing weight monitoring methods are used, then device complexity remains low, but measurement precision and real-time monitoring capability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical weight sensors or scale systems with an electronic pressure sensing system. The pressure transducer converts mechanical air pressure into electrical signals for digital processing and display, providing more precise real-time measurements while utilizing electronic rather than purely mechanical measurement principles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate, real-time weight monitoring, ensuring the semi-trailer is loaded to maximum capacity within legal limits, preventing road damage and fines, while being easy to use and maintain.
Implementation Method 1
A pressure transducer is attached to the bleed line from the air bag where the pressure transducer converts the air pressure in the air bag to an electric signal
Data Source
AI summary
A scale for mounting on a semi-trailer having an air bag in the suspension and an air line connected to the air bag includes a pressure transducer for connecting to the air line and measuring the pressure in the air bag, and to send a signal correlated to the sensed pressure, a process module in electric communication with the pressure transducer and configured to receive the signal therefrom wherein the process module is configured to correlate the signal from the pressure transducer to a weight of a load on the trailer, and a display module configured to receive a signal from the process module indicating the sensed weight and display the sensed weight of the load on the semi-trailer. A method for monitoring weight includes converting pressure in the air line to a weight of the semi-trailer, which can be monitored in real-time.