Trailer Stabilization Braking With Independent Brake Light Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trailers lack a safe and reliable mechanism for stabilizing their movement and indicating braking interventions independently of the towing vehicle's braking system, especially when disconnected from its electrical system.
Innovation Solution
A trailer stabilization system with an actuator and electronic computing unit that can independently control braking and brake lights, powered by a separate energy storage device, allowing for stabilization and visual indication of braking even when disconnected from the towing vehicle's electrical system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the trailer uses the towing vehicle's electrical system for braking control, then the braking system can be operated, but the trailer cannot indicate braking interventions independently when disconnected from the electrical system
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical system is segmented into the towing vehicle's electrical system and the trailer's separate energy storage device. The control system is divided into the towing vehicle's braking system and the trailer's independent stabilization control unit with actuator, allowing independent operation when disconnected
Solution Approach 2:
The energy storage device and control unit are extracted as independent components from the towing vehicle's electrical system. This allows the trailer to store energy locally and operate braking indication and stabilization functions independently when disconnected from the towing vehicle
2Stability of the object's composition
If the trailer stabilization device operates independently without towing vehicle braking activation, then trailer stability is improved, but following road users cannot be alerted to the braking intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives feedback from the actuator about braking interventions on the trailer. When the actuator activates the braking device to stabilize the trailer, the control unit detects this and automatically activates the brake light to provide visual feedback to following road users
Solution Approach 2:
The brake light changes from off to illuminated state (visual color/brightness change) to indicate that a braking intervention is occurring on the trailer, making the stabilization action visible to following road users
3Loss of information
If the brake light is always activated to indicate braking, then road user awareness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake light is activated periodically or intermittently based on actual braking events detected by the control unit. The light turns on when braking is detected and turns off when braking stops, rather than remaining continuously illuminated
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit automatically controls the brake light activation based on detected braking conditions without requiring continuous external input. The system serves itself by detecting when braking occurs and automatically illuminating the brake light only during those periods
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a trailer (12) for a towing vehicle (14), with two ground contact elements (24) by means of which the trailer (12) can be supported downwards on a (16) ground, with a braking device (28) for braking the ground contact elements (24), with a brake light (34), and with a trailer stabilization device (38) which has an actuator (40) by means of which the braking device (28) can be actuated and thereby at least one of the ground contact elements (24) can be braked.An electronic computing device (42) is provided by means of which the actuator (40) can be controlled and thereby operated in order to actuate the braking device (28) of the trailer (12), wherein the electronic computing device (42) is designed to control the brake light (34) in order to emit light to an environment (36) of the trailer (12) by means of the brake light (34) when the braking of the at least one ground contact element (24) is effected by means of the electronic computing device (42) by controlling the actuator (40).