Towing Vehicle Reversing Assistance Angular Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is challenging for drivers of towing vehicles to navigate reversing with a hitched vehicle to be towed, as they must continuously correct the trajectory, and existing parking assistance systems become inoperative when a vehicle to be towed is attached, requiring manual steering adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines the angular position of the vehicle to be towed relative to the towing vehicle and uses a parking assistance device to control the steering of the towing vehicle's front wheels, maintaining a straight direction during reversing, while allowing driver activation and deactivation of the assistance for straight-line reversing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a driver manually steers a towing vehicle during reversing with a hitched vehicle, then the driver can continuously correct the trajectory, but the driver effort and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The parking assistance device automatically performs steering corrections by using sensors to detect the angular position of the towed vehicle and the steering actuator to adjust the front wheels, enabling the system to self-correct the trajectory without continuous manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical steering control with an automated system comprising detection means (sensors), calculation means (control unit), and actuation means (steering actuator), substituting the driver's manual steering actions with an automated electromechanical control system
2Ease of manufacture
If a parking assistance device is pre-equipped on a towing vehicle, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but the device becomes inoperative when a vehicle to be towed is hitched
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its operation based on whether a vehicle is hitched, automatically activating the parking assistance function when needed and deactivating it when not needed, allowing the same device to serve multiple operational states effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The parking assistance device is designed to perform multiple functions: it operates in standard parking assistance mode when no vehicle is hitched, and automatically switches to recoil assistance mode when a vehicle is hitched, making it a universal system that handles both operational scenarios
3Stability of the object's composition
If the steering actuator is controlled to maintain straight-line direction during recoil, then the towing vehicle and towed vehicle maintain a substantially rectilinear path, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously detects the angular position of the towed vehicle using sensors, feeds this information to the control unit which calculates the required steering angle, and adjusts the steering actuator accordingly, creating a closed-loop feedback control system that maintains trajectory stability
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives raw sensor data about the towed vehicle's angular position, processes this information through calculation algorithms, and generates appropriate control signals for the steering actuator, mediating between detection and actuation
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
This solution enables the towing vehicle and vehicle to be towed to maintain a substantially straight direction during reversing, reducing driver effort and allowing the reuse of pre-equipped parking assistance devices, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter (13) for transmitting ultrasonic signals, the vehicle (2) to be towed being adapted to reflect said ultrasonic signals
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The system has a determination unit i.e. angular sensor, for determining an angular position (theta) of a towing vehicle (2) with respect to a tractor vehicle (1), and for providing control signal containing the angular position. A tractor vehicle parking assisting device includes a steering actuator to actuate front steering wheels (10) of the tractor vehicle. A steering actuator control unit receives the signal, and provides a steering angle (alpha) determined according to the signal, to the actuator for maintaining the tractor vehicle and the towing vehicle along a rectilinear direction. An independent claim is also included for a method for reversing assistance of a tractor vehicle towed to a towing vehicle.