Trailer Control Valve Check Valve Air Pressure Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current control strategies for electronically applying trailer brakes do not compensate for loss of air volume due to pneumatic or electronic failures, nor verify the delivery of required air pressure to the trailer.
Innovation Solution
A trailer control valve system with an electronic control port, pneumatic supply ports, and a first pneumatic check valve that independently manages pneumatic fluid communication based on pressure and electronic signals to ensure reliable air delivery, including a relay valve and solenoid valves to selectively communicate fluid between supply and control ports, and a check valve to maintain fluid communication with the relay valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a relay valve is used to apply full system air pressure to the ABS modulator, then the trailer brakes can be applied electronically, but there is no mechanism to compensate for air volume loss due to pneumatic or electronic failures
Solution Approach 1:
A check valve is introduced as an intermediary component between the air supply and the relay valve. This check valve maintains a persistent pneumatic connection that ensures air can be delivered to the trailer even when the electronic control system fails, thus mediating between the electronic control port and the pneumatic delivery system to guarantee reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The check valve is pre-configured to maintain pneumatic connectivity before failure occurs. By establishing the pneumatic path in advance through the check valve, the system ensures that air delivery capability is already in place and does not need to be re-established after an electronic or pneumatic failure.
2Ease of operation
If the pneumatic control port is proportionally fluidly communicating with the second supply based on driver brake demand, then precise brake control is achieved, but the system cannot verify that required air pressure has been delivered to the trailer
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve provides feedback by maintaining a visible pneumatic connection that confirms air delivery capability. The persistent pneumatic path through the check valve serves as a physical indicator that the system is capable of delivering air to the trailer, providing verification information without interfering with the proportional control mechanism.
3Reliability
If the first supply and second supply are in independent pneumatic circuits, then system redundancy is improved, but the complexity of managing multiple pneumatic circuits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The check valve merges the two independent pneumatic circuits by providing a connection path between them. While the supplies remain independently regulated, the check valve creates a unified fail-safe mechanism that allows air to flow from either supply to the trailer, reducing the operational complexity of managing completely separate circuits.
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
Compensates for air volume loss and verifies air pressure delivery to the trailer, ensuring effective brake application even in the presence of pneumatic or electronic failures by maintaining fluid communication and pressure integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a first check valve delivery port fluidly communicating with the relay valve pneumatic supply port. The first pneumatic check valve controls the fluid communication of the first supply of the pneumatic fluid with the relay valve pneumatic supply port based on the pressure of the first supply of the pneumatic fluid at the valve pneumatic supply port.
Data Source
AI summary
A trailer control valve comprises a valve electronic control port adapted to receive an electronic control signal; a valve pneumatic supply port unrestrictedly fluidly communicating with a first supply of a pneumatic fluid; a valve pneumatic control port normally proportionally fluidly communicating with a second supply of the pneumatic fluid based on a pressure representing a driver brake demand, the first supply of the pneumatic fluid being in an independent pneumatic circuit from the second supply of the pneumatic fluid; and a valve delivery port selectively fluidly communicating with at least one of the valve pneumatic supply port and the valve pneumatic control port based on the electronic control signal, the pressure representing the driver brake demand and a pressure of the first supply of the pneumatic fluid. A first pneumatic check valve includes a first check valve supply port fluidly communicating with the first supply of the pneumatic fluid; and a first check valve delivery port fluidly communicating with the relay valve pneumatic supply port. The first pneumatic check valve controls the fluid communication of the first supply of the pneumatic fluid with the relay valve pneumatic supply port based on the pressure of the first supply of the pneumatic fluid at the valve pneumatic supply port.