Vehicle combination and method for controlling a drive

A method for controlling a drive arranged on a trailer and coupled to a wheel of the trailer, comprising:

• providing a control unit and a sensor, wherein the control unit is connected to the sensor and the drive via signal lines and/or mechanically;
• measuring an angle between a towing vehicle and the trailer and/or a rotational speed of a wheel on the towing vehicle and/or a rotational speed of a wheel on the trailer, wherein at least one first sensor senses the angular orientation between the towing vehicle and the trailer;
• transmitting the measured value or values in the form of a signal to the control unit, including at least of the signal of the first sensor to the control unit;
• determining actual values via the control unit and comparing the actual values with limiting values, wherein the limiting values are stored in a memory of the control unit or are calculated by the control unit, wherein at least one actual value is an actual angle which is the angular deviation of the longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle and of the trailer from 180° in the horizontal, and wherein at least one limiting value is a limiting angle;
• and
• actuating the drive as a function of a switching logic which is stored in the control unit, wherein the control unit activates the drive only if the actual angle is smaller than the limiting angle;
• wherein the control unit controls a valve arrangement which controls an inflow of hydraulic fluid to the drive, and wherein the drive includes a hydrostatic motor;
• wherein another actual value of the actual values is an actual speed of the trailer and/or an actual speed of the towing vehicle and wherein another limiting value of the limiting values is a limiting speed, and wherein the control unit actives the drive only if the actual speed of the trailer and/or the actual speed of the towing vehicle is less than or equal to 15 km/h.

A vehicle combination, comprising:

• a towing vehicle;
• a trailer including a drive coupled to a wheel of the trailer;
• and
• a control unit configured to receive a signal of a sensor;
• wherein the control unit controls an operation of the drive as a function of the signal, wherein a first sensor senses an angular orientation between the towing vehicle and the trailer and transmits it as a first signal to the control unit, wherein the control unit determines an actual angle from the first signal and compares the actual angle with a limiting angle between the towing vehicle and the trailer, wherein the control unit activates the drive only if the actual angle is smaller than the limiting angle, and wherein the limiting angle is between 10° and 45°;
• wherein the control unit is configured to determine an actual speed of the trailer and/or the towing vehicle and compare the actual speed to a limiting speed, wherein the control unit activates the drive only if the actual speed is less than or equal to 15 km/h.