Trailer Brake Deceleration for Fault-Limited Vehicle Combinations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle combinations with tractor and trailer vehicles face safety risks due to undetected electrical, mechanical, or functional faults in critical components, which can lead to unstable braking and reduced driving safety.
Innovation Solution
A method where the brake control unit of the tractor vehicle monitors the functionality of relevant components and initiates deceleration of the trailer vehicle using the trailer brake system, adjusting the trailer brake pressure to maintain a safe maximum speed, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and allowing the driver to continue journeying at a reduced speed if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the brake control unit continuously monitors all vehicle components for functionality, then driving safety is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brake control unit performs preliminary monitoring of component functionality before critical failures occur. By continuously checking electrical, mechanical, and functional states of brakes, sensors, and communication systems, the system detects potential issues early and can alert the driver or automatically adjust braking parameters to maintain safety without requiring complex real-time intervention systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where the brake control unit receives status information from various sensors and components, evaluates their functionality, and adjusts braking operations accordingly. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain high reliability by adapting to component degradation or failures while keeping the monitoring architecture relatively simple through centralized control.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the brake control unit adjusts brake pressure to prevent wheel locking, then braking stability is improved, but response time and control complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brake control unit pre-calculates optimal brake pressure adjustments based on detected wheel slip conditions and stored friction coefficient data. By having pre-programmed response strategies and maintaining ready-access to friction characteristics, the system can rapidly adjust brake pressure without requiring complex real-time computation, thus improving response time while maintaining braking stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical feedback mechanisms with electronic sensors and electronic control. Electronic wheel speed sensors and electronic brake pressure control allow for faster and more precise adjustments compared to traditional mechanical linkages, reducing response time while maintaining or improving braking stability through electronic modulation of brake pressure.
3Reliability
If the system reduces maximum speed to a safe level upon detecting faults, then safety is improved, but productivity and journey time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the maximum permitted speed based on the severity and type of detected faults. Rather than applying a fixed speed reduction, the brake control unit modulates speed limits in real-time according to component functionality assessments. This allows the vehicle to maintain higher speeds when components are functioning normally and automatically reduces speed only when necessary, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (speed limits) based on the functional state of vehicle components. By monitoring component health and adjusting the maximum speed parameter accordingly, the system optimizes the trade-off between safety and productivity. When components are healthy, the vehicle operates at full speed; when faults are detected, the system adjusts the speed parameter to a safe level, minimizing the impact on journey time while maintaining safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is for operating a vehicle combination having a tractor and at least one trailer. A brake control unit of a tractor brake system monitors the braking behavior of the tractor or the vehicle combination, and if necessary the brake pressure at each of the wheel brakes of the tractor, and initiates the deceleration of the trailer. To improve the driving safety of the vehicle in the event of limitation of the functionality of components of the vehicle combination, at least one vehicle component of the tractor and/or of the trailer, the vehicle component being relevant for driving safety, is monitored with regard to functionality, and in the event of detection of a limitation of the functionality of a component, the brake control unit of the tractor brake system decelerates the vehicle combination using a trailer brake system of the trailer.