Method for stabilizing a tractor vehicle-trailer combination during travel

A device for stabilizing a tractor vehicle-trailer combination during travel, in which a tractor vehicle and at least one trailer are connected to one another via at least one pivot joint, comprising:

• a sensor unit which modulates a first signal, which, alone or together with other variables, represents a setpoint buckling angle, which characterizes a driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, and/or a setpoint buckling angle velocity between the tractor vehicle and the trailer, which characterizes a driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between multiple ones of the trailers, and a second signal, which represents an actual buckling angle, which characterizes the effective actual movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, and/or an actual buckling angle velocity, which characterizes the effective actual movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between multiple ones of the trailers;
• and
• an analysis electronics unit (ECU) configured, at least depending on the first signal and the second signal, to perform the following:
• ascertain the setpoint buckling angle and/or the setpoint buckling angle velocity between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between multiple ones of the trailers,
• ascertain the actual buckling angle and/or the actual buckling angle velocity,
• ascertain a deviation between the setpoint buckling angle and the actual buckling angle and/or between the setpoint buckling angle velocity and the actual buckling angle velocity, and
• generate a control signal for activating at least one vehicle component to control the movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination in the direction toward a driving-stable movement state, when the ascertained deviation exceeds a threshold value;
• wherein a variable characterizing a movement of the at least one trailer is used to ascertain the setpoint buckling angle, wherein the variable includes at least a curve radius of the trailer, wherein the curve radius is ascertained depending on a lateral acceleration of the trailer and the velocity of the trailer and at least one of the following variables:
• a) wheel speeds of at least one left and at least one right wheel of the trailer and a velocity of the trailer, and b) a yaw rate of the trailer and the velocity of the trailer, and
• wherein the threshold value is variably set depending on driving conditions.

A tractor vehicle-trailer combination, comprising:

• a tractor vehicle;
• at least one trailer connected to the tractor trailer via at least one pivot joint;
• and
• a device for stabilizing the tractor vehicle-trailer combination during travel, in which the tractor vehicle and the at least one trailer are connected to one another via the at least one pivot joint, including:
• a sensor unit which modulates a first signal, which, alone or together with other variables, represents a setpoint buckling angle, which characterizes a driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, and/or a setpoint buckling angle velocity between the tractor vehicle and the trailer, which characterizes a driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between multiple ones of the trailers, and a second signal, which represents an actual buckling angle, which characterizes the effective actual movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, and/or an actual buckling angle velocity, which characterizes the effective actual movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between multiple ones of the trailers;
• and
• an analysis electronics unit (ECU) configured, at least depending on the first signal and the second signal, to perform the following:
• ascertain the setpoint buckling angle and/or the setpoint buckling angle velocity between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between multiple ones of the trailers,
• ascertain the actual buckling angle and/or the actual buckling angle velocity,
• ascertain a deviation between the setpoint buckling angle and the actual buckling angle and/or between the setpoint buckling angle velocity and the actual buckling angle velocity, and
• generate a control signal for activating at least one vehicle component to control the movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination in the direction toward a driving-stable movement state, when the ascertained deviation exceeds a threshold value;
• wherein a variable characterizing a movement of the at least one trailer is used to ascertain the setpoint buckling angle, wherein the variable includes at least a curve radius of the trailer, wherein the curve radius is ascertained depending on a lateral acceleration of the trailer and the velocity of the trailer and at least one of the following variables:
• a) wheel speeds of at least one left and at least one right wheel of the trailer and a velocity of the trailer, and b) a yaw rate of the trailer and the velocity of the trailer, and
• wherein the threshold value is variably set depending on driving conditions.