U.S. patent application number 13/263366 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-01 for method and control system for a fifth wheel coupling sliding device having detection of the bent position of towing vehicles and trailers.
Invention is credited to Jose Manuel Alguera Gallego.
Application Number | 20120053797 13/263366 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42229022 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120053797 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Alguera Gallego; Jose
Manuel |
March 1, 2012 |
METHOD AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A FIFTH WHEEL COUPLING SLIDING DEVICE
HAVING DETECTION OF THE BENT POSITION OF TOWING VEHICLES AND
TRAILERS
Abstract
A method and a system for controlling a sliding device for a
fifth wheel coupling arranged on a towing vehicle, wherein the
sliding device includes a substructure having at least one guide
rail oriented in the driving direction, a movable slide, which
supports the fifth wheel coupling and engages on the guide rail,
and a control unit, to which a motorized drive unit for moving and
an actuator for fixing the slide are connected. The invention was
based on the problem of providing a method or a control system that
minimizes the risk of the trailer bumping into the cab of the
towing vehicle, in particular during an evasion maneuver. The
problem is solved, among other things, in that a measurement is
performed to detect the bent position of the towing vehicle and the
trailer, the signal of the measurement is processed in the control
unit, and a start-up of the motorized drive unit and/or of the
actuator is initiated using said signal.
Inventors: |
Alguera Gallego; Jose Manuel;
(Aschaffenburg, DE) |
Family ID: |
42229022 |
Appl. No.: |
13/263366 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
April 8, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/054664 |
371 Date: |
October 7, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 53/0814
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/49 |
International
Class: |
G05D 3/00 20060101
G05D003/00; B60R 99/00 20090101 B60R099/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 9, 2009 |
DE |
10 2009 002 334.8 |
Claims
1. A method for control of a sliding device for a fifth wheel
coupling (3) arranged on a towing vehicle, comprising the steps of:
the sliding device comprises a substructure having at least one
guide rail oriented in a driving direction, a movable slide, which
supports the fifth wheel coupling and engages on the guide rail,
and a control unit, to which a motorized drive unit for moving the
slide and an actuator for fixing the slide relative to the guide
rail are connected, performing a measurement to detect a bent
position of towing vehicle and trailer, processing a signal of the
measurement into a control signal in the control unit, initiating a
start-up of one or more of the motorized drive unit and the
actuator therewith, and generating an angle or distance gradient
from the signal of the measurement in the control unit, or this is
relayed to the control unit.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a braking gradient is
generated from a braking signal of the vehicle's brake system in
the control unit or a braking gradient is processed from the
vehicle's brake system.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the slide is locked by
the actuator upon exceeding a predetermined braking gradient and
falling below a predetermined angle gradient.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a locked position of
the slide is released by the actuator upon exceeding a
predetermined braking gradient and exceeding a predetermined angle
gradient.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the slide is moved into
a rear position by the drive unit after releasing the locked
position.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein an actual speed of the
towing vehicle is provided to the control unit and below a
predetermined minimum speed the slide is held in a rear position on
the guide rail or rails.
7. A control system for control of a sliding device for a fifth
wheel coupling arranged on a towing vehicle, comprising: the
sliding device that comprises a substructure having at least one
guide rail oriented in a driving direction, a movable slide, which
supports the fifth wheel coupling and engages on the guide rail,
and a control unit, to which a motorized drive unit for moving the
slide and an actuator for fixing the slide relative to the guide
rail are connected, wherein the control unit is connected to at
least one sensor, which provides a measured value for detecting a
bent position of towing vehicle and trailer, and it interacts with
one or more of the drive unit and the actuator, wherein the control
unit calculates an angle or distance gradient from a change in the
measured value per unit of time.
8. The control system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor is
disposed in an area of the steering system and the sensor detects a
steering wheel angle of the towing vehicle.
9. The control system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor
interacts with one or more of a steering wheel, a steering linkage,
and a steering gear.
10. The control system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor
detects a relative angle between the towing vehicle and the
trailer.
11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor is
a rotary encoder.
12. The control system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor is
a distance sensor for detecting a gap width (W) between a driver's
cabin and a front of trailer and it can recognize a bent position
from a decrease in the gap width (W).
13. The control system according to claim 7, wherein the control
unit is connected to a brake system of the towing vehicle and the
control unit receives a braking gradient from the braking system,
or generates such a value.
14. The control system according to claim 13, wherein the slide is
locked by the actuator upon exceeding a predetermined braking
gradient and falling below a predetermined angle gradient.
15. The control system according to claim 14, wherein the locked
position of the slide is released upon exceeding a predetermined
braking gradient and exceeding the predetermined angle
gradient.
16. The method according to claim 3, wherein a locked position of
the slide is released by the actuator upon exceeding a
predetermined braking gradient and exceeding a predetermined angle
gradient, and wherein the slide is moved into a rear position by
the drive unit after releasing the locked position.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein an actual speed of
the towing vehicle is provided to the control unit and below a
predetermined minimum speed the slide is held in a rear position on
the guide rail or rails.
18. The control system according to claim 8, wherein the sensor
interacts with one or more of a steering wheel, a steering linkage,
and a steering gear.
19. The control system according to claim 16, wherein the control
unit is connected to a brake system of the towing vehicle and the
control unit receives a braking gradient from the braking system,
or generates such a value.
20. The control system according to claim 19, wherein the slide is
locked by the actuator upon exceeding a predetermined braking
gradient and falling below a predetermined angle gradient, and
wherein the locked position of the slide is released upon exceeding
a predetermined braking gradient and exceeding the predetermined
angle gradient.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a method for control of a sliding
device for a fifth wheel coupling arranged on a towing vehicle,
comprising the steps of: the sliding device comprises a
substructure having at least one guide rail oriented in a driving
direction, a movable slide, which supports the fifth wheel coupling
and engages on the guide rail, and a control unit, to which a
motorized drive unit for moving the slide and an actuator for
fixing the slide relative to the guide rail are connected,
performing a measurement to detect a bent position of towing
vehicle and trailer, processing a signal of the measurement into a
control signal in the control unit, and initiating a start-up of
one or more of the motorized drive unit and the actuator therewith.
Furthermore, a control system for a sliding device that is
especially suited to implementing the method of the invention is
placed under protection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Such a sliding device is known, for example, from DE 10 2005
060 124 A1. With the help of a motorized drive unit, a slide with
the fifth wheel coupling located thereon can be moved in the
lengthwise axis of the vehicle on two parallel disposed guide rails
and locked in a predetermined position. When driving fast on the
expressway with few curves, the fifth wheel coupling should be
moved as close as possible to the driver's cabin, in order to keep
the gap between the driver's cabin and the front of the trailer as
small as possible and minimize turbulence in this area. According
to the known publication, the control unit of the sliding device is
connected to the vehicle's control unit so that information as to
the vehicle's speed can be called up and the gap between towing
vehicle and trailer can thus be adjusted in controlled operation.
However, this leads to the problem that the trailer, drawn up as
close as possible to the driver's cabin, cannot easily swing past
the driver's cabin when negotiating a tight curve, and the corners
of the trailer will strike the driver's cabin. This problem also
exists with a panic braking, that is, a sudden full braking without
avoidance maneuver, which is recognized by evaluation of a braking
signal going into the control unit and triggering an extremely
rapid backward movement of the slide to increase the gap size.
[0003] Another prior art is disclosed by DE 10 2004 045 662 A1 with
a sliding device, whose slide position is detected by a position
sensor. The signal of the position sensor is provided to a control
mechanism. When the gap is too narrow between driver's cabin and
front of the trailer, it can also activate the drive unit of the
sliding device and thereby move the slide backward.
[0004] In practice, however, it has been found that the detecting
of the braking signal and the vehicle's speed are in any case
suited to recognizing a panic braking without subsequent avoidance
maneuver. Here, even when the fifth wheel coupling has been drawn
forward, the remaining gap between towing vehicle and trailer is
generally sufficient. A simultaneous avoidance maneuver, often
leading to a striking of one corner of the trailer against the
driver's cabin of the towing vehicle, cannot be detected with the
known device. The determining of the position of the slide is not
very precise, especially during heavy load-shifting reactions of
the trailer, but also in the case when operating equipment is
located at the front end of the trailer, so that there is an
additional uncertainty as to whether the trailer can swing past the
rear of the towing vehicle without collision.
[0005] For this reason, the problem of the invention was to provide
a method and a control system that minimizes the risk of a
collision of the trailer with the driver's cabin of the towing
vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The problem is solved according to the invention with a
method in which a measurement is performed to detect the bent
position of towing vehicle and trailer, the signal of the
measurement is processed into a control signal in the control unit,
and a start-up of the motorized drive unit and/or the actuator is
initiated therewith.
[0007] By bent position is meant an angled position of the towing
vehicle and the trailer in relation to the vehicle's lengthwise
axis. In the frequently used sliding devices, the slide is moved on
two parallel guide rails by means of a motorized drive unit, such
as a hydraulic cylinder, and after reaching the intended position
it is secured at both sides to the guide rails. For this, an
actuator such as a pneumatically or hydraulically operated cylinder
usually moves locking pieces in the direction of the guide rails
and is brought into form-fitting engagement with them. This locking
of the slide to the guide rails takes strain off the motorized
drive unit, especially during heavy braking or collisions.
[0008] Instead of a form-fitting locking, it is also possible to
dimension the motorized drive unit with sufficient size and do
without additional form-fit locking elements. In this embodiment,
by actuator is meant a blocking valve, which entraps the fluid
located in the interior of the cylinder.
[0009] During fast travel on the expressway, the trailer is brought
up close to the driver's cabin of the towing vehicle by the sliding
device, in order to keep the gap width between driver's cabin and
front of the trailer as narrow as possible. This minimizes
turbulence and, thus, also the fuel consumption. In event of a
sudden avoidance maneuver, the fixation of the slide is released
and the slide is pushed back on the guide rails. With the help of
the method of the invention, the spatial position of the trailer is
directly monitored, so that when parts of the trailer come close a
moving of the slide to a rear position is initiated.
[0010] Preferably, an angle gradient or in the case of a distance
measurement a distance gradient is generated from the signal of the
measurement in the control unit, or this is relayed to the control
unit. The terms angle gradient and distance gradient are used
synonymously and merely underscore the possibilities of different
measurement values detected. The angle or distance gradient shows
the steering wheel movement during driving or a change in the
measured value furnished by the sensor per unit of time, in order
to adjust the size of the gap in this way. With this procedure,
there is no need to quantitatively infer the magnitude of the
current bend angle and use it to determine the position of the
fifth wheel coupling on the guide rails. With this procedure, it is
possible to determine in advance whether the steering movement
performed by the driver is due to negotiating a long curve in
normal driving operation or a sudden avoidance maneuver. Thus, in
particular, a quick adjustment is accomplished in an emergency,
i.e., in the case of a fast avoidance maneuver.
[0011] It has been found to be especially advantageous to
additionally generate a braking gradient from the braking signal of
the vehicle's brake system in the control unit or relay such to the
control unit. The braking gradient serves to indicate whether a
strong or weak application of the brakes was done by the driver.
One can use as the parameter for this, e.g., the brake pressure or
the pedal movement per unit of time. In particular, the available
pedal movement of the vehicle's brakes can be detected by two
sensors, situated at the beginning and end of the pedal movement.
During a sudden panic braking, the driver will step quickly on the
brake pedal to avoid an impending accident. This results in a fast
pedal movement and a correspondingly high braking gradient.
[0012] The slide can be locked by the actuator upon exceeding a
predetermined braking gradient and dropping below a predetermined
angle gradient. This scenario corresponds to the driving situation
of a full application of the brakes with no significant movement of
the steering wheel. Even if the trailer draws near to the driver's
cabin due to shifting-load reactions, no collision is expected. For
this reason, the actuator remains in the locked position, while in
the case of a form-fitting engagement an additional safety is
achieved, since the slide is not held solely by the motorized drive
unit. The involvement of the aforementioned parameter can be used
advantageously to move the relevant safety systems into a readiness
mode. Thus, for example, the hydraulic pump of the motorized drive
unit can run up to speed, in order to provide a sufficiently high
operating pressure as a precaution.
[0013] Advantageously, the locked position of the slide is released
by the actuator upon exceeding a predetermined braking gradient and
exceeding the predetermined angle gradient. In this scenario, there
is a sudden steering maneuver of the driver in addition to a full
braking, since it is sometimes necessary to avoid an obstacle. To
avoid a collision of the front of the trailer with the driver's
cabin of the towing vehicle, the slide must be brought into a rear
position on the guide rails and thereby increase the gap width
between front of trailer and driver's cabin. For this, it is
necessary to release the locked position of the slide.
[0014] Advisedly, the actual speed of the towing vehicle is also
provided to the control unit and below a predetermined minimum
speed the slide is held in a rear position on the guide rail or
rails. This procedure prevents a continual movement of the slide at
low driving speeds or during shunt operation. Any way, the air
resistance is hardly a factor here. Furthermore, when parked or in
shunt operation this prevents an unintentional backward movement of
the trailer and, thus, damage to vehicles, buildings, or other
objects located behind the trailer.
[0015] The invention is likewise implemented for a control system,
in which the control unit is connected to at least one sensor,
which provides a measured value for detecting the bent position of
towing vehicle and trailer, and it interacts with the drive unit
and/or the actuator.
[0016] According to a first advantageous embodiment, the sensor is
disposed in the area of the steering system and it detects the
steering wheel angle of the towing vehicle. From the steering wheel
angle of the towing vehicle, one can indirectly infer the bent
position. This arrangement is especially preferred, since a signal
from the sensor is available to the system very early in time,
i.e., immediately after the steering motion. In this case the
sensor can interact in particular with the steering wheel and/or
the steering linkage and/or the steering gear.
[0017] In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the
sensor detects the relative angle between towing vehicle and
trailer. A sensor suitable for this can be, for example, a rotary
encoder. The rotary encoder should be disposed, for example, on or
in the fifth wheel coupling. In this case, a rotor can bear against
the underside of the trailer plate and detect a sideways movement
of the trailer. It is also possible to sense the rotary movement of
the kingpin inserted into the fifth wheel coupling.
[0018] According to a third embodiment, the sensor can be a
distance sensor for detecting the gap width between driver's cabin
and front of trailer and it can recognize a bent position from a
decrease in the gap width. When driving straight, the lengthwise
axes of the towing vehicle and the trailer coincide. A distance
sensor, arranged for example at the center, would measure a maximum
distance. Once a curve begins, the inside corner of the trailer
drifts in the direction of the lengthwise axis of the towing
vehicle, so that the distance sensor measures a reduced distance
between driver's cabin and front of trailer.
[0019] The above-described embodiment provides an especially direct
measurement value, which reflects especially well the actual
spatial conditions. Furthermore, the described use of a distance
sensor can be utilized also to maintain a minimum distance between
driver's cabin and towing vehicle in normal operation.
[0020] On occasion, it can happen with trailers that the distance
from the kingpin to the front of the trailer is dimensioned very
long and furthermore at times additional equipment is installed on
the front of the trailer. In these cases, the distance sensor
prevents the trailer from being drawn toward the driver's cabin
during normal driving operation on high-speed expressways.
[0021] Advisedly, the control unit will calculate from the change
in the measured value per unit of time an angle gradient or, in the
case of the above-described third embodiment, a distance
gradient.
[0022] Furthermore, it has proven to be advantageous for the
control unit to be connected to the brake system of the towing
vehicle and to receive a braking gradient from the braking system,
or to generate such a value.
[0023] Advantageously, the slide is locked by the actuator upon
exceeding a predetermined braking gradient and falling below a
predetermined angle gradient.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] Advantageously, the locked position of the slide is released
upon exceeding a predetermined braking gradient and exceeding a
predetermined angle gradient.
[0025] For better comprehension, the invention will now be
explained more closely by means of 6 figures. There are shown:
[0026] FIG. 1: a side view of a towing vehicle with a sliding
device and attached trailer according to the prior art;
[0027] FIG. 2: a bottom view of the sliding device represented in
FIG. 1, and
[0028] FIG. 3: a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the
control system according to the invention;
[0029] FIG. 4: a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the
control system according to the invention;
[0030] FIG. 5: a schematic side view of a third embodiment of the
control system according to the invention;
[0031] FIG. 6: a schematic side view of the control system shown in
FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic side view an articulated vehicle
with a towing vehicle 2 and a trailer 9 mechanically attached to
it. The mechanical connection between the vehicles 2, 9 occurs via
a fifth wheel coupling 3, which is arranged on a slide 5 and can
move in the vehicle's lengthwise axis on two guide rails 4 spaced
parallel to each other. The movement of the fifth wheel coupling 3
occurs during driving operation by its own specially provided
motorized drive unit 7 in the form of a hydraulic cylinder and
serves primarily to adjust the gap width W between the rear side of
the driver's cabin 21 and the front of the trailer 22.
[0033] The sliding device 1 can be seen in an enlarged bottom view
in FIG. 2. On the slide 5 there is an actuator 8, at right angles
to the guide rails 4, with locking pieces 23a, 23b formed at the
end, engaging in form-fitting manner with complementary seats (not
shown) of the guide rails 4 and thereby locking the slide 5 to the
guide rails 4. Before a movement of the slide 5 with the motorized
drive unit 7, the locking pieces 23a, 23b are retracted via the
actuator 8, which releases the mechanical locking.
[0034] A first embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3.
Here, the steering wheel 15 of the steering system 13 in the
driver's cabin 21 is monitored by a sensor 12 and thereby
recognizes a steering movement or change in the steering angle 14
(see FIG. 6). Alternatively, the sensor 12 could also detect the
steering linkage 16 or parts of the steering gear 17. The sensor 12
is connected to an electronic control unit 6, which is furthermore
connected to the motorized drive unit 7 and the actuator 8. Thanks
to the control unit 6 and the sensor 12, an indirect inference is
made as to the bent position of the trailer 9 relative to the
towing vehicle 2.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows a rear position 11a and a front position 11b of
the slide 5 and, thus, the front of the trailer 22, where for sake
of clarity the front position 11b is shown with dotted lines. The
front position 11b corresponds to the minimum gap width W.sub.1 and
the rear position 11a to the maximum gap width W.sub.2. The minimum
gap width W.sub.1 is dimensioned such that a full swinging of the
front of the trailer 22 without a collision with the driver's cabin
21 is not possible.
[0036] Starting from the minimum gap width W.sub.1 adjusted at high
speed, in event of a steering maneuver this is recognized by the
sensor 12 and provided to the control unit 6 as a measurement
value. Depending on the angle gradient, that is, the steering wheel
movement per unit of time, the actuator 8 is retracted upon
exceeding a predetermined steering wheel gradient, thereby
releasing the locking of the slide 5. After this, the motorized
drive unit 7 forces the slide back to the rear position 11a, in
order to produce a maximum gap width W.sub.2.
[0037] Additional system safety is achieved by additionally
considering signals from the vehicle's brake system 10. In only a
braking signal is present, the control unit 6 can leave the
fixation of the slide 5 alone and additionally place the motorized
drive unit 7 and the actuator 8 in a readiness mode.
[0038] An alternative detection of the bent position occurs in the
control system according to FIG. 4. As the sensor 12 here, a rotary
encoder 19 is used, installed in the contour of the fifth wheel
coupling, in order to detect a swinging of the trailer 9 relative
to the towing vehicle 2. The rotary encoder 19 is connected
directly to the control unit 6, which in turn indirectly infers
from the signal provided a bent position of the trailer 9 relative
to the towing vehicle 2, corresponding to the relative angle 18
(see FIG. 6).
[0039] FIGS. 5 and 6 show another alternative embodiment of the
invention, in which the sensor 12 is formed by a distance sensor 20
disposed on the rear wall of the driver's cabin 21. If a single
distance sensor 20 is used, this should be placed, as is especially
conspicuous in FIG. 6, centrally in the area of the lengthwise axis
of the towing vehicle 2.
[0040] FIG. 6 shows the end of a negotiated curve, wherein the
wheels 25a, 25b of the front axle 24 are deflected by a steering
angle 14 with respect to straight driving movement. The inside
corner of the front of the trailer 22 is situated in the area of
the lengthwise axis of the towing vehicle 2 and stands directly
opposite the distance sensor 20. In this position, the distance
sensor 20 measures the least possible gap width W. In the
subsequent straight travel and swinging back of the trailer 9, the
distance sensor 20 shows the largest possible gap width W. For
curves in the opposite direction, the gap width W detected by the
distance sensor 20 decreases in the same way.
[0041] Thus, from the measured value of the distance sensor 20 the
control unit 6 indirectly determines a bent position corresponding
to the relative angle 18 of trailer 9 and towing vehicle 2.
[0042] List of reference numbers [0043] 1 sliding device [0044] 2
towing vehicle [0045] 3 fifth wheel coupling [0046] 4 guide rail
[0047] 5 slide [0048] 6 control unit [0049] 7 motorized drive unit
[0050] 8 actuator [0051] 9 trailer [0052] 10 vehicle's brake
system, brake system [0053] 11a rear position of the slide [0054]
11b front position of the slide [0055] 12 sensor [0056] 13 steering
system [0057] 14 steering angle [0058] 15 steering wheel [0059] 16
steering linkage [0060] 17 steering gear [0061] 18 relative angle
[0062] 19 rotary encoder [0063] 20 distance sensor [0064] 21
driver's cabin [0065] 22 front of the trailer [0066] 23a, b locking
piece, actuator [0067] 24 front axle [0068] 25a, b wheel [0069] W
towing vehicle/trailer gap width [0070] W.sub.1 minimum gap width
[0071] W.sub.2 maximum gap width
* * * * *