Towing Vehicle Torque Reduction for Trailer Brake Tension
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for motor vehicles with trailers equipped with electronic braking systems and rear area monitoring cause excessive tension and wear on the trailer's brakes and tires when automatic braking occurs during reverse maneuvers, leading to premature wear and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method where the engine control unit of the motor vehicle reduces the torque of the drive motor based on data from the trailer's rear area monitoring and brake light activation requests, using the CAN bus system to evaluate and adjust the torque to minimize tension and load on the trailer's brakes and tires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electronic brake system of the trailer brakes automatically when rear area monitoring detects an obstacle, then the trailer vehicle is stopped safely, but excessive tension occurs between the motor vehicle and trailer vehicle causing accelerated wear on brakes and tires
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit applies preliminary anti-action by reducing the torque of the drive motor before or during the trailer's automatic braking operation. When the control unit receives a braking command from the trailer's electronic brake system, it simultaneously reduces the motor torque to counteract the braking force, thereby preventing excessive tension in the coupling and reducing wear on brakes and tires while maintaining safe stopping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having the control unit continuously monitor the operational state of the trailer's electronic brake system through the data connection (CAN bus or power line). When the control unit detects that the trailer brake system is activated, it receives this feedback signal and automatically adjusts the motor torque accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that coordinates the motor vehicle's torque output with the trailer's braking actions
2Power
If the motor vehicle continues to apply full torque while the trailer brakes automatically, then the motor vehicle maintains its driving force, but the trailer brakes and tires experience accelerated wear due to opposing forces
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit applies dynamics by dynamically adjusting the torque output of the drive motor based on real-time operational conditions. Instead of maintaining constant torque, the control unit modulates the torque level in response to the trailer's braking state, thereby adapting the power delivery to match the actual mechanical conditions and reducing wear on trailer components while preserving driving capability when appropriate
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for influencing the control system of a motor vehicle (10) with a drive motor (12) and at least one trailer (11), wherein the trailer has an electronic braking system with rear-view monitoring and can actuate the brakes of the trailer when approaching an obstacle in reverse and can send a request to the motor vehicle to activate its brake lights (18, 19). According to the invention, the control system of the motor vehicle (10) reduces the torque of the drive motor (12) when the rear-view monitoring of the trailer (11) is active and the trailer is braking or sends a request to the motor vehicle to activate its brake lights.