System and method for filling a trailer reservoir
AssigneeBendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
InventorsPaul C Niglas, Michael D Tober, Randy J Salvatora
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller on a tractor portion of an articulated vehicle includes an electrical input port adapted to receive an electrical input signal based on a command to unpark a trailer portion of the articulated vehicle and an electronic processor adapted to: receive the electrical input signal from the electrical input port; identify, based on the electrical input signal, when the command to unpark the trailer is received at the electrical input port; and based on the command to unpark the trailer, transmit an electrical output signal to an electrical output port for causing supplemental compressed air to be communicated from the tractor to the trailer for filling an air tank on the trailer using a quick-fill mode.
Claims13
A method for controlling a filling operation of an air tank on a trailer portion of an articulated vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving an electrical input signal based on a command to unpark the trailer;
- identifying, based on the electrical input signal, when an operator of the vehicle desires to unpark the trailer;
- and
- based on the command to unpark the trailer, communicating a supplemental portion of the compressed air from a tractor portion of the articulated vehicle to the trailer for filling the air tank on the trailer using a quick-fill mode, wherein the supplemental portion of the compressed air is added to a primary portion of the compressed air resulting in an increased volumetric flow of the compressed air to the trailer.
A system for communicating compressed air, the system comprising:
- a tractor protection valve, on a tractor of an articulated vehicle, the tractor protection valve including:
- a pneumatic supply line communicating the compressed air from the tractor to a trailer reservoir on a trailer of the articulated vehicle;
- a pneumatic control line communicating the compressed air from the tractor to a trailer control valve that selectively controls communication of the compressed air from the trailer reservoir to a trailer brake based on a pressure in the pneumatic control line;
- and
- a one-way check valve permitting the compressed air to be communicated from the control line to the supply line, based on relative pressures in the supply line and the control line;
- an electronic controller on the tractor, the controller comprising:
- an electrical input port adapted to receive an electrical input signal based on a command to disengage a trailer park brake;
- an electronic processor adapted to:
- receive the electrical input signal from the electrical input port;
- identify, based on the electrical input signal, when the command to disengage the trailer park brake is received at the electrical input port;
- and
- based on the command to disengage the trailer park brake, transmit an electrical output signal to an electrical output port for causing a supplemental portion of the compressed air to be communicated from the tractor to the trailer reservoir via the control line, the one-way check valve and the supply line, the supplemental portion of the compressed air is added to a primary portion of the compressed air in the supply line and results in an increased volumetric flow of the compressed air to the trailer reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.