Chassis monitoring system having overload detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10112485-B2
Application number	US-201615157238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A monitoring system is disclosed for use with a rolling chassis of a vehicle. The monitoring system may include a tire sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a current tire condition of the rolling chassis, and a load sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of an actual load placed on the rolling chassis. The monitoring system may also include a controller in communication with the tire sensor and the load sensor. The controller may be configured to determine based on the first signal a theoretical load that the rolling chassis is capable of supporting given the current tire condition. The controller may also be configured to make a first comparison of the actual load with the theoretical load, and to selectively generate a first alert based on the first comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A monitoring system for a rolling chassis, comprising:
a tire sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a current tire condition of the rolling chassis;
a first load sensor associated with a first air spring of the rolling chassis configured to generate a second signal indicative of an actual load placed on the rolling chassis;
at least a second load sensor associated with a second air spring of the rolling chassis that is configured to generate a third signal indicative of the actual load on the rolling chassis; and
a controller in communication with the tire sensor and the load sensor, the controller being configured to:
determine based on the first signal a theoretical load that the rolling chassis is capable of supporting given the current tire condition;
make a first comparison of the actual load with the theoretical load; and
selectively generate a first alert based on the first comparison;
determine imbalanced loading of the rolling chassis based on the first and third signals; and
selectively generate a second alert based on the second comparison.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the current tire condition includes at least one of a tire pressure and a tire temperature.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2 , wherein the current tire condition includes both the tire pressure and the tire temperature.

4. The monitoring system of claim 2 , wherein the first load sensor is a pressure sensor associated with a suspension of the rolling chassis.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4 , wherein the second signal generated by the pressure sensor relates to a change in air pressure required by the suspension to maintain a neutral height of the rolling chassis above a ground surface when the actual load is placed on the rolling chassis.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the actual and theoretical loads by referencing the first and second signals with at least one map stored in a memory associated with the controller.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
make a third comparison of the actual load with a maximum load; and
selectively generate a third alert based on the third comparison, regardless of the first signal.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7 , wherein the first alert is an alert instructing an operator to adjust tire pressure.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the third alert is an alert instructing an operator to decrease loading of the rolling chassis.

10. The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to selectively generate an alert informing the operator of an elevated tire temperature based on the first signal.

11. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the second alert is an alert instructing the operator to redistribute the actual load on the rolling chassis.

12. A method of monitoring loading of a rolling chassis, comprising:
detecting a current tire condition of the rolling chassis;
detecting an actual load placed on the rolling chassis;
determining a theoretical load that the rolling chassis is capable of supporting given the current tire condition;
making a first comparison of the actual load with the theoretical load; and
selectively alerting an operator based on the first comparison
detecting an actual load placed on the rolling chassis includes detecting a first pressure of a first air spring of the rolling chassis;
the method further includes detecting a second pressure of a second air spring of the rolling chassis;
determining imbalanced loading of the rolling chassis based on the first and second pressures; and
responsively instructing the operator to redistribute the actual load on the rolling chassis.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the current tire condition includes at least one of a tire pressure and a tire temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting the actual load includes detecting a suspension pressure of the rolling chassis.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein selectively alerting the operator based on the first comparison includes instructing the operator to adjust tire pressure.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including:
making a second comparison of the actual load with a maximum load; and
instructing the operator to decrease loading of the rolling chassis based on the second comparison, regardless of the current tire condition.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the theoretical load by referencing the tire condition with at least one map stored in memory.

18. A vehicle, comprising:
a rolling chassis having a plurality of tires and an air suspension with a plurality of air springs;
a body operatively connected to the rolling chassis via the air suspension;
a plurality of tire sensors, each associated with a corresponding tire of the plurality of tires and configured to generate a first signal indicative of at least one of a pressure and a temperature of the corresponding tire;
a plurality of load sensors, each associated with a corresponding air spring of the suspension, including a first load sensor associated with a first air spring and configured to generate a second signal indicative of a change in pressure resulting from an actual load being placed on the rolling chassis and a second load sensor associated with a second air spring and configured to generate a third signal indicative of the actual load on the rolling chassis; and
a controller in communication with the plurality of tire sensors and the plurality of load sensors, the controller being configured to:
determine based on the first signals a theoretical load that the rolling chassis is capable of supporting given the pressures and temperatures of the plurality of tires;
make a first comparison of the actual load with the theoretical load;
selectively generate a first alert based on the first comparison;
determine imbalanced loading of the rolling chassis based on the first and third signals;
selectively generate a second alert based on the second comparison
make a third comparison of the actual load with a maximum load; and
selectively generate a third alert based on the third comparison, regardless of the first signals.

Assignees

• Faraday & Future Inc

Inventors

• HOMSANGPRADIT Brian Andrew
• TARLOFF Benjamin Charles

Classifications

• B60W50/0098

  Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60W40/13

  Load or weight · CPC title

• B60K28/08 Primary

  responsive to conditions relating to the cargo, e.g. overload · CPC title

• B60W30/02

  Control of vehicle driving stability · CPC title

• B60K28/10

  responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle · CPC title