Trailer Brake Deceleration for Impaired Vehicle Combination Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle combinations with towing vehicles and trailers are at risk of driving instability and safety hazards due to undetected functional impairments in critical components, which can lead to unsafe driving conditions if not addressed promptly.
Innovation Solution
A method where the brake control unit of the towing vehicle independently adjusts the trailer brake pressure to decelerate the vehicle combination, monitoring various components for functional impairments and initiating deceleration to maintain safety, even if the driver is unaware of the issue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the driver continues driving without noticing functional impairments, then productivity is maintained, but driving safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The brake control unit continuously monitors brake slip of trailer axles and compares it against threshold values to detect functional impairments. This feedback mechanism alerts the driver to safety issues while maintaining continuous driving, resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis by automatically monitoring its own components (brake slip detection) and notifying the driver of impairments. This self-service approach ensures safety without requiring constant driver intervention, allowing continuous operation while maintaining safety awareness.
2Reliability
If the brake control unit actively monitors and adjusts brake pressure, then driving safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake control unit performs multiple functions: it controls brake pressure during normal operation, monitors brake slip for safety detection, and provides driver alerts. This multi-functionality improves safety without requiring separate dedicated monitoring systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring and control functions are merged into a single brake control unit rather than being separate systems. This integration improves safety through continuous monitoring while avoiding the complexity increase that would result from additional independent systems.
3Reliability
If separate trailer brake electronics are used, then system reliability is improved, but communication requirements and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brake control unit acts as an intermediary that communicates with the trailer brake electronics, translating control signals and receiving feedback. This intermediary approach maintains system reliability through dedicated trailer electronics while managing communication complexity through a centralized control interface.
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 approach ensures driving stability and safety by automatically adjusting the vehicle speed to a safe maximum based on detected component impairments, preventing further safety risks and maintaining control of the vehicle combination.
Implementation Method 1
pneumatically actuated wheel brakes on each wheel. The braking effect of these service brake systems is adjustable via the set brake pressure
Implementation Method 2
This can be done, for example, by comparing the wheel speed determined from the wheel rotation speed with a vehicle reference speed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle combination (7) comprising a towing vehicle (5) and at least one towed vehicle (6), wherein a brake control unit (30) of a towing vehicle brake system (3) monitors the braking behaviour of the towing vehicle (5) or of the vehicle combination (7) and, as required, causes the relevant braking pressure P on the wheel brakes (13) of the towing vehicle (5) and deceleration of the towed vehicle (6). In order to improve the driving safety of the vehicle in the event that the functionality of vehicle components of the vehicle combination is restricted, according to the invention at least one vehicle component of the towing vehicle (5) and/or of the towed vehicle (6) which is determined to be relevant for the driving safety of the vehicle is monitored with respect to its functionality and the brake control unit (30) of the towing vehicle brake system (3) decelerates the vehicle combination (7) via a towed vehicle brake system (4) of the towed vehicle (6) in the event of detection (1) that the functionality of a vehicle component is restricted.