Vehicle Combination Stability via Lateral Acceleration Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Long vehicle combinations with multiple towed vehicles are prone to instability issues such as trailer swinging and jack-knifing, especially during high-speed maneuvers and braking, which existing solutions fail to adequately address, particularly for combinations with multiple trailers.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that uses lateral acceleration determining means on both the towing and towed vehicles, along with a vehicle combination model to establish a desired delay value, allowing for the control of steered axles and individual brakes to synchronize the lateral acceleration of towed vehicles with the towing vehicle, thereby stabilizing the vehicle combination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the length and number of towed vehicles in a vehicle combination is increased to improve transport efficiency, then the load capacity and transport efficiency are improved, but the stability of the vehicle combination deteriorates and it becomes more prone to rolling over, jack-knife, and trailer swing out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where sensors on the towing vehicle detect lateral acceleration and communicate this information to braking ECUs on towed vehicles. The system continuously monitors the state of the vehicle combination and adjusts brake forces on towed vehicles based on the towing vehicle's lateral acceleration, creating a feedback loop that stabilizes the combination during lane changes and curves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by having the towing vehicle's lateral acceleration detected and communicated to towed vehicles before significant instability occurs. The braking ECU on each towed vehicle receives advance information about the towing vehicle's motion and pre-adjusts brake forces to prevent trailer swing out and jack-knife conditions before they develop.
2Reliability
If electronic brake force distribution and anti-lock brakes are implemented to improve stability, then some types of accidents are reduced, but the solution is insufficient for vehicle combinations with multiple towed vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the electronic brake force distribution system to be universal across vehicle combinations with any number of towed vehicles. Each towed vehicle is equipped with its own braking ECU and sensors, allowing the system to function independently for each trailer while maintaining coordination with the towing vehicle, making the solution adaptable to various configurations including road trains with multiple trailers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the vehicle combination into independent control units, with each towed vehicle having its own braking ECU and sensor system. This segmentation allows each trailer to be controlled independently based on its own conditions and the towing vehicle's lateral acceleration, enabling the system to handle multiple towed vehicles effectively rather than treating them as a single unit.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the trailer is allowed to swing from side to side during lane changes or curves, then the vehicle combination can maintain its natural stability correction when traveling straight, but it may bump into other vehicles or scare drivers in the vicinity
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control to detect lateral acceleration of the towing vehicle during lane changes or curves and communicates this to towed vehicles. By monitoring the towing vehicle's motion in real-time and responding with coordinated brake forces, the system suppresses excessive trailer swing that would otherwise occur naturally, preventing impacts with surrounding traffic while maintaining controlled stability corrections.
Data Source
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AI summary
An arrangement for improving stability of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and at least one towed vehicle, where the at least one towed vehicle comprises at least one actively steered axle and/or individual brake on at least one axle, where the towing vehicle and the at least one towed vehicle each comprises a lateral acceleration determining means for determining the lateral acceleration of the vehicle and the at least one towed vehicle, where the arrangement further comprises a vehicle combination model adapted for determining a desired delay value between the lateral acceleration of the towing vehicle and the lateral acceleration of the at least one towed vehicle, where the arrangement is adapted to stabilise the at least one towed vehicle by using the determined lateral acceleration of the towing vehicle and the desired delay value for the at least one towed vehicle to establish a desired lateral acceleration for the at least one towed vehicle, and to control the steered axle and/or the individual brake of the at least one towed vehicle such that the determined lateral acceleration of the at least one towed vehicle corresponds to the desired lateral acceleration of the at least one towed vehicle. The lateral acceleration may be estimated or measured. The advantage of the invention is that the stability of a vehicle combination can be improved, which in turn improves the road safety.