Vehicle immobilization mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11091133-B2
Application number	US-201816237519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2018
Priority date	Dec 31, 2017
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for immobilization of a vehicle include a remote device coupled to a network, the remote device including a transceiver, and a vehicle including a communication interface coupled to the network, the communication interface configured to provide telematics data to, and receive commands from, the transceiver. The system further includes an energy store on the vehicle, the energy store configured to supply electrical power to the communication interface. In some embodiments, at least one of the commands received from the transceiver is configured to immobilize the vehicle. In some cases, the at least one command received from the transceiver is configured to release air pressure in an air line of the vehicle to actuate a plurality of air brakes on the vehicle, or to actuate a wheel-lock mechanism within an electrically powered drive axle on the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for remotely immobilizing a vehicle, the system comprising:
a first brake subsystem configured to actuate a plurality of air brakes coupled to axles of the vehicle when an air pressure in a first air line is below a specified value;
a release valve fluidly connected to the first air line, wherein the release valve has at least a first operating position in which the air pressure in the first line is maintained, and a second operating position in which the air pressure in the first air line is released to reduce the air pressure to a value below the specified value and actuate the plurality of air brakes to immobilize the vehicle; and
a communication interface coupled to the release valve, wherein the communication interface is configured to receive, based on designated operation hours for the vehicle, commands from a remote transceiver to position the release valve into one of the first and second operating positions.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a tractor-trailer vehicle; and
wherein the first brake subsystem includes one of a tractor brake system and a trailer brake system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a tractor-trailer vehicle; and
wherein the communication interface is attached to a tractor unit of the tractor-trailer vehicle or to a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy store coupled to the release valve and the communication interface to provide electrical power to both.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote transceiver is implemented as part of a user device or a network-connected service platform.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the release valve is configured to move to the second operating position in response to telematics data related to the vehicle that is received by the communication interface from the remote transceiver.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a towed vehicle for use in combination with a towing vehicle, the towed vehicle having an electrically powered drive axle configured to supply supplemental torque to one or more wheels of the towed vehicle to supplement a primary motive force applied through a separate drivetrain powered by a fuel-fed engine of the towing vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a tractor-trailer vehicle, wherein the plurality of air brakes include:
a first set of air brakes coupled to axles of a tractor unit of the tractor-trailer vehicle; and
a second set of air brakes coupled to axles of a trailer of the tractor-trailer vehicle,
wherein, when the release valve is positioned in the second operating position, first set of air brakes, the second set of air brakes, or both the first and second sets of air brakes are actuated.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an air compressor to supply pressurized air; and
one or more reservoirs to store the compressed air and to supply the pressurized air to at least the first air line and a second air line.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second brake subsystem configured to actuate the plurality of air brakes by supplying the pressurized air to the plurality of air brakes via the second air line when an operator of the vehicle depresses a brake pedal.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first brake subsystem includes an emergency brake subsystem, and wherein the second brake subsystem includes a service brake subsystem.

12. A system for immobilizing a towed vehicle, the system comprising:
a towed vehicle for use in combination with a towing vehicle, the towed vehicle having an electrically powered drive axle configured to supply supplemental torque to one or more wheels of the towed vehicle to supplement a primary motive force applied through a separate drivetrain powered by a fuel-fed engine of the towing vehicle;
an energy store configured to supply the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power in a first mode of operation and further configured to receive energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a second mode of operation; and
a communication interface coupled to the electrically powered drive axle, wherein the communication interface is configured to receive, based on designated operation hours for the vehicle, commands from a remote transceiver to actuate a wheel-lock mechanism within the electrically powered drive axle,
wherein the actuation of the wheel-lock mechanism includes actuation of a locking flange within a differential of the electrically powered drive axle to immobilize the towed vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the energy store is configured to supply electrical power to the wheel-lock mechanism and the communication interface.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the locking flange is configured to lock one or more gears of the differential of the electrically powered drive axle.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the remote transceiver is implemented as part of a user device or a network-connected service platform; and
wherein the wheel-lock mechanism is configured to actuate in response to telematics data related to the vehicle that is received by the communication interface from the remote transceiver.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the telematics data includes one or more of:
vehicle location, vehicle diagnostics, vehicle activity, and driver performance.

17. A system comprising:
a remote device coupled to a network, the remote device including a transceiver; and
a vehicle including:
a communication interface coupled to the network, the communication interface configured to provide telematics data to, and receive commands from, the transceiver; and

an energy store on the vehicle, the energy store configured to supply electrical power to the communication interface,
wherein at least one of the commands received from the transceiver is configured to immobilize the vehicle based on designated operation hours for the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one command received from the transceiver is configured to release air pressure in an air line of the vehicle to actuate a plurality of air brakes on the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one command received from the transceiver is configured to actuate a wheel-lock mechanism within an electrically powered drive axle on the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the telematics data includes one or more of:
vehicle location, vehicle diagnostics, vehicle activity, and driver performance.

Assignees

• Hyliion Inc

Inventors

• Healy Thomas Joseph

Classifications

• B60T13/683

  in pneumatic systems or parts thereof (in vacuum systems B60T13/72) · CPC title

• B60T13/586

  the retarders being of the electric type · CPC title

• B60T7/20

  specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of {or overrunning by} trailer (inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08) · CPC title

• B60T7/16

  operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle · CPC title

• F16D61/00

  Brakes with means for making the energy absorbed available for use (F16D57/00 takes precedence) · CPC title