Vehicle Load Feedback Control for Centrifugal Force Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for monitoring commercial vehicle loads are inaccurate due to uneven loading and fail to account for centrifugal forces during turns, leading to safety hazards such as fishtailing and jack knifing.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle load regulating system that measures onboard loading data using sensors to calculate centrifugal force, providing feedback to regulate vehicle motion through a closed-loop system, including monitoring pressure changes and contact points within the trailer compartment to determine load weight and location, and using this information to adjust frictional force and vehicle speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional height sensors are mounted on vehicle suspension or air-spring system to monitor vehicle bed height, then overload monitoring is achieved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to uneven loading and cargo movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverload monitoring capabilityVSAvoidvehicle bed height measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary calculation approach: instead of directly measuring vehicle bed height with sensors mounted on suspension systems, the system uses weight sensors on the cargo bed to measure cargo weight, then calculates the centrifugal force component that affects height measurement. This intermediary calculation compensates for measurement errors caused by uneven loading and cargo movement, resolving the contradiction between maintaining monitoring capability and improving measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If vehicle bed height is monitored using sensors on suspension system, then real-time overload detection is possible, but safety hazards from centrifugal force effects during turns cannot be detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time overload detection speedVSAvoidfishtailing and jack knifing risks
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the counterweight principle by calculating and compensating for the centrifugal force effect on vehicle bed height during turns. The system determines the centrifugal force component based on vehicle speed, turn radius, and cargo weight, then subtracts this effect from the raw height measurement. This counteracts the harmful influence of centrifugal force, enabling accurate overload detection and preventing fishtailing and jack knifing accidents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring vehicle parameters (speed, turn radius) and cargo weight, calculating the centrifugal force effect, and adjusting the height measurement in real-time. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the overload detection system accounts for dynamic conditions during turns, maintaining safety while enabling real-time monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Quantity of substance

If cargo weight is measured to determine load conditions, then overload can be detected, but uneven distribution and movement of load cannot be identified

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecargo weight measurementVSAvoidload distribution and movement information
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the cargo bed into multiple measurement zones with separate weight sensors distributed across different locations. Instead of a single total weight measurement, the system segments the cargo bed into front, middle, and rear sections, each with its own sensors. This segmentation enables detection of load distribution patterns and movement between zones, while still providing total cargo weight information, thus resolving the contradiction between quantity measurement and distribution information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

The system effectively prevents vehicle overturning and reduces the risk of fishtailing or jack knifing by accurately assessing load conditions and adjusting vehicle dynamics in real-time, enhancing safety during high-speed turns.

Implementation Method 1

monitoring, by way of the sensing module, the onboard loading data relative to a change in an amount of pressure pressing on a floor of a trailer compartment of the motor vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure sensing: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

determining, by way of a processing unit, a centrifugal force of a motor vehicle relative to the onboard loading data measure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP4311698A1Vehicle load regulating system and method thereof
Publication Date: 2024.01.31 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP4311698A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4311698A1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4311698A1 patent drawingFigure 2c~2d

AI summary

This disclosure relates to a method of regulating a vehicle load of a motor vehicle. The method comprising: measuring, by way of a sensing module, an onboard loading data of a motor vehicle; transmitting, by way of a vehicle bus, the onboard loading data measured to a processing unit of a motor vehicle load regulating system; receiving, by way of a processing unit, the onboard loading data measured; and determining, by way of a processing unit, a centrifugal force of a motor vehicle relative to the onboard loading data measure, characterized by that the method further comprises: executing, by way of the processing unit, a feedback mechanism for regulating a motion of a motor vehicle in response to the centrifugal force determined. A vehicle load regulating system, a computer program and computer-readable medium having stored thereon the computer program is also disclosed.