Force or torque measuring device for a motorized vehicle with an attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10866153-B2
Application number	US-201916361302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A measuring device ( 60 ) is configured for measuring forces or torques between a motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and a trailer or attachment which is towed or pushed thereby. The measuring device ( 60 ) has at least three sensor elements ( 79, 80 ) arranged on a carrier ( 71 ), transversely with respect to a virtual longitudinal axis of the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and spaced apart from one another. The measuring device ( 60 ) is arranged in a coupling region between the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and the pulled or pushed trailer or attachment. In order to transmit their measured values, the sensor elements ( 79, 80 ) are connected to an evaluation device ( 40 ), which is configured to convert these measured values into signals for force displays and/or torque displays according to magnitude and direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) for measuring forces or torques between a motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and an attachment towed or pushed thereby, the measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) comprising:
a carrier ( 20 , 31 , 45 , 71 );
an evaluation device ( 40 ); and
at least three sensor elements ( 22 , 34 , 47 , 79 , 80 ) arranged on the carrier ( 20 , 31 , 45 , 71 ), transversely with respect to a virtual longitudinal axis of the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and spaced apart from one another,
wherein the measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) is arranged in a coupling region between the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and the attachment,
and wherein the sensor elements ( 22 , 34 , 47 , 79 , 80 ) are connected to the evaluation device ( 40 ) and configured to transmit measured values,
the evaluation device ( 40 ) being configured to convert the measured values into signals for displaying at least one quantity representing a force or a torque according to magnitude and direction,
wherein the at least three sensor elements are four sensor elements ( 47 ) serving as force sensors and are configured as load cells, strain gauges or SAW elements,
wherein the four sensor elements ( 47 ) are arranged on four measuring arms ( 45 a ), offset with respect to one another by between 60° and 120° and extending radially, of a carrier ( 45 ) in the form of a measuring cross,
wherein the carrier ( 45 ) is a measuring cross coupled to a baseplate ( 48 ) in a frictionally locking, positively locking or materially joined fashion,
and the carrier ( 45 ) is clamped in between the baseplate ( 48 ) and a standard coupling carrier ( 26 ).

2. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the evaluation device ( 40 ) has a data connection to a driving state management system, which is configured to detect unstable driving situations from the measured values of the sensor elements ( 22 , 34 , 47 , 79 , 80 ) and to initiate counter-steering measures.

3. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the driving state management system is configured to generate, from the measured values from the sensor elements ( 22 , 34 , 47 , 79 , 80 ), control signals for actuators for bringing about an adjustment matching of the braking effect of the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and of the trailer or of the attachment to one another.

4. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) is mounted on the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) as a module package between a standard suspension frame ( 8 ) and a screw-on receptacle ( 6 ) for the standard suspension frame ( 8 ),
and a standard attachment device ( 17 , 27 , 29 ) is fastened directly to the standard suspension frame ( 8 ).

5. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the standard attachment device ( 17 , 27 , 29 ) is a standard open-end coupling ( 17 , 27 ) or a standard ball head coupling ( 29 ).

6. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the standard attachment device ( 17 , 27 , 29 ) is fastened to the standard suspension frame ( 8 ) in a detachable and vertically adjustable fashion.

7. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) in configured to be mounted on the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) as a module package on a standard suspension frame ( 8 ) and is screwed to a standard attachment device ( 17 , 27 , 29 ) via a coupling carrier ( 26 ) arranged on the standard suspension frame ( 8 ).

8. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the standard attachment device ( 17 , 27 , 29 ) is a standard open-end coupling ( 17 , 27 ) or a standard ball head coupling ( 29 ).

9. The measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the coupling carrier ( 26 , 61 ) is fastened to the standard suspension frame ( 8 ) in a detachable and vertically adjustable fashion.

10. The measuring device ( 44 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein pre-stress is applied to the measuring arms ( 45 a ) of the carrier ( 45 ) via expansion screws ( 50 ) arranged between a screw-on plate ( 28 ) of a standard hitch ( 27 , 29 ) and a standard coupling carrier ( 26 ).

11. The measuring device ( 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier ( 45 , 71 ) has, protruding axially from the measuring arms ( 45 a , 74 , 75 ) a central hub ( 46 , 77 ) directed toward the baseplate ( 48 , 63 ) and supported on the baseplate ( 48 , 63 ), the central hub being coupled to the baseplate ( 48 , 63 ) in a frictionally locking, materially joined or positively locking fashion.

12. The measuring device ( 44 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, at radially outer ends of the measuring arms ( 45 a ) of the carrier ( 45 ), axial projections ( 45 c ) facing the standard coupling carrier ( 26 ) are formed as spacer elements for the measuring arms ( 45 a ) with respect to the standard coupling carrier ( 26 ).

13. The measuring device ( 44 , 60 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central hub ( 46 , 77 ) engages in a depression ( 48 c , 86 ) in the baseplate ( 48 , 63 ) and is fastened therein by a fastening screw ( 49 , 70 ), which engages a wall element ( 48 d , 68 ) of the baseplate ( 48 , 63 ) through a drilled hole ( 48 e , 69 ).

14. The measuring device ( 44 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring device ( 44 ) is embodied as a module package composed of the screw-on plate ( 28 , 30 ), the standard hitch device ( 27 , 29 ), the adapter plate ( 35 ), the baseplate ( 48 ), the carrier ( 45 ) in the form of a measuring cross, and the standard coupling carrier ( 26 ) which are braced with respect to one another by the expansion screws ( 50 ), in such a way that the module package is configured to be attached in a vertically adjustable fashion to a standard suspension frame ( 8 ) fastened to the motorized vehicle ( 1 ).

15. The measuring device ( 60 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring device ( 60 ) is embodied as a module package composed of the screw-on plate ( 81 ), the standard hitch device ( 27 , 29 ), the baseplate ( 48 ), the carrier ( 71 ) in the form of a measuring cross and the standard coupling carrier ( 61 ), which are connected to one another by fastening screws ( 65 , 66 , 70 , 84 , 85 ), in such a way that the module package is configured to be attached in a vertically adjustable fashion to a standard suspension frame ( 8 ) fastened to the motorized vehicle ( 1 ).

16. A measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) for measuring forces or torques between a motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and an attachment towed or pushed thereby, the measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) comprising:
a carrier ( 20 , 31 , 45 , 71 );
an evaluation device ( 40 ); and
at least three sensor elements ( 22 , 34 , 47 , 79 , 80 ) arranged on the carrier ( 20 , 31 , 45 , 71 ), transversely with respect to a virtual longitudinal axis of the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and spaced apart from one another,
wherein the measuring device ( 42 , 43 , 44 , 60 ) is arranged in a coupling region between the motorized vehicle ( 1 ) and the attachment,
and wherein the sensor elements ( 22 , 34 , 47 , 79 , 80 ) are connected to the evaluation device ( 40 ) and configured to transmit measured values,
the evaluation device ( 40 ) being configured to convert the measured values into signals for displaying at least one q

Assignees

• Wabco Gmbh

Inventors

• Brütt Mirko
• Bührke Johannes
• Frerichs Ludger
• Hanke Steffen
• Kemper Sebastian
• Thielke Lars

Classifications

• G01L5/1627

  of strain gauges (using piezoresistors G01L5/162) · CPC title

• B60T8/17

  Using electrical or electronic regulation means to control braking {(detecting or indicating faulty operation B60T8/885)} · CPC title

• A01B59/00

  Devices specially adapted for connection between animals or tractors and agricultural machines or implements · CPC title

• B60T1/00

  Arrangements of braking elements, i.e. of those parts where braking effect occurs {specially for vehicles} · CPC title

• B60T8/1708

  for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations · CPC title