Trailer Brake Temperature Estimation for Overheating Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural trailers often lack on-board assistant systems like electronic trailer suspension, ABS, and ESP, making it difficult to determine the coupling force and monitor the health of trailer brake systems, particularly in situations like brake fading due to overheating, which existing systems like European Patent Application Publication EP 1441938A1 fail to address adequately for agricultural trailers.
Innovation Solution
A brake temperature estimation system using sensors for incline, brake line pressure, and vehicle speed to derive a braking count and downhill count, providing different levels of heating warnings and automatically controlling trailer braking assist functions based on these counts to prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex temperature determination methods using detailed vehicle and trailer characteristics are used, then temperature estimation accuracy is improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential parameters needed for temperature estimation (brake actuation duration and intensity) from the complex set of vehicle and trailer characteristics. By taking out only the critical factors rather than using all available data, the system achieves adequate temperature estimation without requiring complex computations or detailed knowledge of towing vehicle and trailer characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple, readily available sensor data (brake pressure and duration) instead of expensive or complex measurement systems. The approach treats temperature estimation as a simplified monitoring function that doesn't require precision engineering, using basic electronic components and straightforward algorithms that are easy to implement and maintain.
2Measurement precision
If detailed knowledge of towing vehicle and trailer characteristics is required, then temperature determination accuracy is improved, but ease of operation and applicability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal temperature estimation method that works across different towing vehicle and trailer combinations without requiring vehicle-specific calibration or detailed characteristic data. The system uses generic brake actuation parameters that are common to all trailer braking systems, making the solution broadly applicable and easy to implement regardless of the specific vehicle or trailer model.
3Stability of the object's composition
If brake activation is increased to reduce coupling force, then vehicle stability is improved, but brake overheating risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors brake actuation duration and intensity, then uses this information to estimate brake temperature and provide warnings to the driver. This feedback loop allows the system to detect when excessive brake activation is occurring and alert the operator to potential overheating, enabling corrective action before brake failure occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides preliminary warning before actual brake failure occurs by estimating temperature based on actuation history and alerting the driver in advance. This preliminary action allows the driver to take preventive measures (such as reducing brake usage or increasing following distance) before the brakes actually overheat and fail, maintaining vehicle stability while avoiding the harmful effect of overheating.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for brake temperature estimation of a trailer. The incline of the surface along which the trailer is being towed is sensed, as well as a brake line pressure to the trailer and the speed. A braking count is derived from braking time periods and a downhill count is derived from downhill driving time periods. An indicator of the brake temperature is then based on the braking count and the downhill count.