# US 10,766,482 B2 · Method for stabilizing a tractor vehicle-trailer combination during travel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,482 B2 - Document ID: US10766482B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/578,664 - Filed: 2016-06-02 - Published: 2018-06-07 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-02 - Assignees: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH - Applicants: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH - Inventors: Hermann Buchner; Florian Finkl; Martin Mederer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766482B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/02: Control of vehicle driving stability - B60D 1/30: for sway control {; Sway alarm means} - B60T 8/1708: {for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations} - B60T 8/248: {Trailer sway, e.g. for preventing jackknifing} - B60T 8/323: {Systems specially adapted for tractor-trailer combinations} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/184: with wheel brakes - B60W 40/10: related to vehicle motion - B62D 53/0871: {with stabilising means, e.g. to prevent jack-knifing, pitching, rolling, buck jumping (stabilising in general B62D37/00; tractors B62D49/08)} - B60T 2230/06: Tractor-trailer swaying - B60W 2510/20: Steering systems - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2520/125: Lateral acceleration - B60W 2520/14: Yaw - B60W 2520/22: Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer - B60W 2520/28: Wheel speed - B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque - B60W 2710/18: Braking system - B60W 2720/22: Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B60D: VEHICLE CONNECTIONS - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A method and device for stabilizing a tractor vehicle-trailer combination during travel, in which tractor vehicle and trailer are connected via at least one pivot joint, including: ascertaining a setpoint buckling angle for a driving-stable setpoint movement of the combination, and/or a setpoint buckling angle velocity for a driving-stable setpoint movement of the combination, between the combination or between two trailers; ascertaining an actual buckling angle for the effective actual movement of the combination, and/or an actual buckling angle velocity for the effective actual movement of the combination, between the tractor vehicle and trailer or between multiple trailers; ascertaining a deviation between the setpoint and actual buckling angles and/or between the setpoint and actual buckling angle velocities, and if the deviation exceeds a threshold value, generating a control signal to activate at least one vehicle component to control movement of the combination in a direction toward a driving-stable movement state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method 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, the method comprising: a) ascertaining, via an analysis electronics unit (ECU) and a sensor unit, a setpoint buckling angle, which characterizes a driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, and/or a setpoint buckling angle velocity, which characterizes a driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, between the tractor vehicle and the trailer or between two trailers; b) ascertaining, via the analysis electronics unit (ECU) and a sensor unit, 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 trailers; c) ascertaining, via the analysis electronics unit (ECU) and a sensor unit, 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 d) when the ascertained deviation exceeds a threshold value, generating, via the analysis electronics unit (ECU), a control signal to activate at least one vehicle component to control the movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination in the direction toward a driving-stable movement state; wherein one of the following is satisfied: in task d), the engine torque of a drive engine of the tractor vehicle is changed, or in task d), at least one wheel brake of the tractor vehicle and/or the at least one trailer is closed or closed with a higher degree of closing in relation to an already existing closing state, to generate a torque which stabilizes the movement state, 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein in task d), the engine torque of the drive engine of the tractor vehicle is changed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein in task d), the at least one wheel brake of the tractor vehicle and/or the at least one trailer is closed or closed with the higher degree of closing in relation to the already existing closing state, to generate the torque which stabilizes the movement state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the actual buckling angle is measured directly by a buckling angle sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the actual buckling angle is ascertained indirectly from output signals of at least one sensor deviating from a buckling angle sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the actual buckling angle is ascertained indirectly from output signals of at least two yaw rate sensors and/or acceleration sensors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertainment of the setpoint buckling angle, which characterizes the driving-stable setpoint movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination, is performed by a predefined mathematical vehicle model, wherein at least one variable characterizing the movement of the tractor vehicle and/or at least one variable characterizing the movement of at least one trailer is incorporated as an input variable in the predefined mathematical vehicle model. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the variable characterizing a movement of the tractor vehicle is at least one of the following variables: a steering angle of the tractor vehicle, an axle spacing of the tractor vehicle, and a velocity of the tractor vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the variable characterizing a movement of the tractor vehicle and the variable characterizing a movement of the at least one trailer includes at least one of: (i) the yaw rate of the tractor vehicle and the yaw rate of the at least one trailer, or (ii) the yaw rate of one trailer and the yaw rate of a further trailer attached to the one trailer, wherein the at least one trailer includes the trailer and the further trailer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated after the determination that the ascertained deviation has exceeded the threshold value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is only generated when it has previously been determined that the tractor vehicle-trailer combination has exceeded a lower limiting velocity and/or executes forward travel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold value becomes smaller with a rising velocity of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination and becomes larger with sinking velocity of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal for activating the at least one vehicle component, which controls the movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination in the direction toward a driving-stable movement state, is generated depending on the distance of the deviation from the threshold value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one vehicle component is activated by the control signal to a state which brings the movement of the tractor vehicle-trailer combination in the direction of a driving-stable movement state as a function of an increase in the absolute value of the difference between the deviation and the threshold value. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the sensor unit includes a buckling angle sensor, which directly detects the actual buckling angle, and which generates the second signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the sensor unit includes a steering angle sensor of the tractor vehicle and at least one sensor for measuring the velocity of the tractor vehicle and/or the trailer, wherein the analysis electronics unit (ECU) generates the first signal depending on these signals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the sensor unit includes at least one yaw rate sensor of the tractor vehicle and at least one yaw rate sensor of the trailer, and wherein the analysis electronics unit (ECU) generates the first signal. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The tractor vehicle-trailer combination of claim 19, wherein the analysis electronics unit is arranged on the tractor vehicle or on the at least one trailer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The tractor vehicle-trailer combination of claim 20, wherein the analysis electronics unit (ECU) is arranged on the at least one trailer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The tractor vehicle-trailer combination of claim 21, wherein the analysis electronics unit (ECU) is integrated in a brake control device of the at least one trailer.