Apparatuses and methods for braking a tractor-trailer combination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137204-A1
Application number	US-201414896243-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 4, 2013
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Apparatus for braking a coupled tractor-trailer combination ( 10 ) in which the tractor ( 11 ) includes a drive train ( 12 ) one or more operational parameters of which is adjustable and having an engine and at least one ground-engaging member driveably connected thereto via an adjustable ratio transmission; and the trailer includes at least one ground engaging member having at least one trailer brake ( 28 ), includes a control circuit ( 36 ) for the trailer brake ( 28 ) having a control device and one or more fault detectors, the apparatus also including a controller that adjusts one or more parameters of the drive train in response to detection of one or more faults by one or more said fault detectors.
A method of operating the apparatus includes carrying out such adjustment when one or more faults is detected.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for braking a coupled tractor-trailer combination in which a tractor of the tractor-trailer combination includes a drive train, one or more operational parameters of which are adjustable, an engine, and at least one first ground-engaging member driveably connected thereto via an adjustable ratio transmission, and in which a trailer of the tractor-trailer combination includes at least one second ground-engaging member having at least one trailer brake, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a control circuit for the at least one trailer brake having a control device and one or more fault detectors of one or more faults; and a controller configured to adjust at least one of the one or more operational parameters of the drive train in response to detection of at least one of the one or more faults by the one or more fault detectors.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic control circuit, and wherein the control device comprises a control valve.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tractor includes at least one tractor brake, the tractor brake comprises a hybrid pneumatic-hydraulic brake, the at least one trailer brake comprises a pneumatic brake, and the control device comprises a control valve.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is operatively connected to the control valve.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is operatively connected to transmit one or more transmission ratio shift commands to the adjustable ratio transmission, and wherein the one or more operational parameters comprises a transmission ratio.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to induce a delay in adjustment of the transmission ratio.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the engine includes a throttle or a governor, the controller is operatively connected to transmit one or more throttle or governor control commands to the throttle or the governor, and the one or more operational parameters comprises a throttle or governor setting.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the transmission ratio so as to maintain a deceleration of the tractor-trailer combination below a threshold value on detection of the at least one fault of the one or more faults.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more fault detectors include a control circuit pressure detector configured to generate a signal indicative of detection of one fault of the one or more faults when hydraulic or pneumatic brake fluid pressure deviates from a commanded pressure value by more than an error threshold.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more fault detectors include detectors of one or more engine and/or transmission faults, one or more detectors of application of one or more automatically applicable brakes of the tractor and/or the trailer, one or more detectors of failure of the drive train, one or more detectors of broken wires, or a combination thereof.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , including one or more alert devices operatively connected to the controller so as to generate an audible and/or visible alert to an operator of the tractor on detection of the at least one of the one or more faults.

12 . A method of braking a coupled tractor-trailer combination in which a tractor of the tractor-trailer combination includes a drive train,. one or more operational parameters of which are adjustable, an engine, and at least one first ground-engaging member driveably connected thereto via an adjustable ratio transmission, in which a trailer of the tractor-trailer combination includes at least one second ground-engaging member having at least one trailer brake, and in which an apparatus includes a controller, and a control circuit for the at least one trailer brake having a control device and one or more fault detectors of one or more faults, wherein the method comprises:
using the controller to adjust at least one of the one or more operational parameters of the drive train in response to detection of at least one of the one or more faults by the one or more fault detectors.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein using the controller to adjust the at least one of the one or more operational parameters of the drive train in response to detection of the at least one of the one or more faults includes adjusting a ratio of the adjustable ratio transmission and/or a setting of a throttle or governor so as to maintain deceleration of the tractor-trailer combination below a threshold value.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to induce a delay in the adjustment of the ratio of the adjustable ratio transmission.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more fault detectors includes a control circuit pressure detector, and the method includes generating in the control circuit pressure detector a signal indicative of detection of one fault of the one or more faults when hydraulic or pneumatic brake fluid pressure deviates from a commanded pressure value by more than an error threshold.

16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more fault detectors include one or more detectors of one or more engine and/or transmission faults, one or more detectors of application of one or more automatically applicable brakes of the tractor and/or the trailer, one or more detectors of failure of the drive train, and one or more detectors of broken wires, and detection of the least one of the one or more faults includes generating a fault signal by any one or more of the one or more detectors of the one or more engine and/or transmission faults, the one or more detectors of the application of the one or more automatically applicable brakes of the tractor and/or the trailer, the one or more detectors of failure of the drive train, and the one or more detectors of the broken wires.

17 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the tractor-trailer combination includes one or more alert devices operatively connected to the controller, and wherein the method includes generating an alert that is audible and/or visible to an operator of the tractor on detection of the at least one of the one or more faults.

18 . A tractor-trailer combination including the apparatus according to claim 1 .

19 . A tractor-trailer combination including one or more programmable devices programmed to perform the method according to claim 12 .

20 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is operatively connected to the control valve.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Morselli Riccardo

Classifications

• B60T2270/40

  Failsafe aspects of brake control systems · CPC title

• B60T17/221

  Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems (hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M) · CPC title

• B60W30/18109 Primary

  Braking · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B60T15/46

  for retarding braking action to prevent rear vehicles of a vehicle train overtaking the forward ones · CPC title