Method of determining the height of the gravity center of a vehicle
AssigneeVolvo Truck Corporation
InventorsJean-Baptiste Doray, Fabrice Ranc
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The height of the center of gravity of a vehicle having at least 3 axles is estimated using the slippage rate of the wheels.
Claims10
Method of determination of the height of the gravity center HG (HGr, Hg, HGst) of a vehicle, or an element of the vehicle, wherein 3 reference points Pa, Pb and Pc are predetermined, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) determining the tangential forces TAn (TAax, TAbx, TAcx) at all the axles An (Aa, Ab, Ac) of the vehicle, during a first acceleration phase,
- b) deducing from the tangential forces TAn (TAax, TAbx, TAcx) determined in step a) the corresponding normal forces NAn (NAax, NAbx, NAcx) during the first acceleration phase,
- c) determining the normal force NPb at one of the predetermined reference points Pb, during a first acceleration phase, using the values determined in steps a) and b),
- d) repeating steps a), b), and c) at least once during a second acceleration phase, distinct from the first acceleration phase, and
- deducing from the preceding steps a), b), c) and d) the height of the gravity center HG (HGr, Hg, HGst) of the vehicle, or an element of the vehicle, by computing the normal forces NPa, NPb and NPc at the 3 predetermined reference points Pa, Pb and Pc, using an algorithm wherein in step a) the tangential forces TAn are determined according to the formula (1):
- TAnx=Q·VAnx+FAnx (1) wherein:
- TAnx denotes the tangential force at an axle An during a braking period x,
- Q denotes the brake factor,
- VAnx denotes the braking pressure applied at an axle An during a braking period x, and
- FAnx denotes the driving force applied at an axle An during a braking period x.
A-Method of determination of the height of the gravity center HG (HGr, Hg, HGst) of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a tractor having at least three axles (Aa, Ab, Ac) and a semi-trailer, wherein 3 reference points Pa, Pb and Pc are predetermined, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) determining the tangential forces TAn (TAax, TAbx, TAcx) at all the axles An (Aa, Ab, Ac) of the vehicle, during a first acceleration phase,
- b) deducing from the tangential forces TAn (TAax, TAbx, TAcx) determined in step a) the corresponding normal forces NAn (NAax, NAbx, NAcx) during the first acceleration phase,
- c) determining the normal force NPb at one of the predetermined reference points Pb, during a first acceleration phase, using the values determined in steps a) and b),
- d) repeating steps a), b), and c) at least once during a second acceleration phase, distinct from the first acceleration phase, and
- deducing from the preceding steps a), b), c) and d) the height of the gravity center HG (HGr, Hg, HGst) of the vehicle, or an element of the vehicle, by computing the normal forces NPa, NPb and NPc at the 3 predetermined reference points Pa, Pb and Pc, using an algorithm wherein in step a) the tangential forces TAn are determined according to the formula (1):
- TAnx=QVAnx+FAnx (1) wherein:
- TAnx denotes the tangential force at an axle An during a braking period x,
- Q denotes the brake factor,
- VAnx denotes the braking pressure applied at an axle An during a braking period x, and
- FAnx denotes the driving force applied at an axle An during a braking period x.
Method of determination of the height of the gravity center HG (HGr, Hg, HGst) of a vehicle, or an element of the vehicle, wherein 3 reference points Pa, Pb and Pc are predetermined, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) determining the tangential forces TAn (TAax, TAbx, TAcx) at all the axles An (Aa, Ab, Ac) of the vehicle, during a first acceleration phase,
- b) deducing from the tangential forces TAn (TAax, TAbx, TAcx) determined in step a) the corresponding normal forces NAn (NAax, NAbx, NAcx) during the first acceleration phase,
- c) repeating steps a) and b) at least once during a second acceleration phase, distinct from the first acceleration phase, and
- deducing from the preceding steps a), b), and c) the height of the gravity center HG (HGr, Hg, HGst) of the vehicle, or an element of the vehicle, by computing the normal forces NPa, NPb and NPc at the 3 predetermined reference points Pa, Pb and Pc, using an algorithm wherein in step a) the tangential forces TAn are determined according to the formula (1):
- (1) TAnx=QVAnx+FAnx wherein:
- TAnx denotes the tangential force at an axle An during a braking period x,
- Q denotes the brake factor,
- VAnx denotes the braking pressure applied at an axle An during a braking period x, and
- FAnx denotes the driving force applied at an axle An during a braking period x.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.