US 2001/0037164 A1 · Method and device for determining the buckling angle between a front vehicle and a semitrailer of a vehicle

Abstract

A method and a device for determining a buckling angle between a front vehicle and a semitrailer or trailer of a motor vehicle is described. A first and a second electronic direction sensor are mounted on the front vehicle to detect the excursion of the longitudinal axis of the front vehicle about its vertical axis, as well as on the semitrailer or trailer to detect the excursion of the longitudinal axis of the semitrailer or trailer about its vertical axis. On the basis of the two values obtained by using the sensors indicating the absolute or relative vehicle orientation of the vehicle components, the buckling angle is determined. At least one of the two sensors is designed to detect the earth's magnetic field or, alternatively, is an inertia sensor.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for determining a buckling angle between a front vehicle and one of a semitrailer and a trailer of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

causing at least one electronic direction sensor to measure a first vehicle orientation indicating a first excursion of a longitudinal axis of the front vehicle about a vertical axis of the front vehicle;
causing at least one additional electronic direction sensor to measure a second vehicle orientation indicating a second excursion of a longitudinal axis of the one of the semitrailer and the trailer about a vertical axis of the one of the semitrailer and the trailer;
and
determining the buckling angle by evaluating a measurement of the first vehicle orientation and a measurement of the second vehicle orientation.

1 more element

A device for determining a buckling angle between a front vehicle and one of a semitrailer and a trailer of a motor vehicle, the buckling angle indicating an excursion of a longitudinal axis of the front vehicle about a vertical axis of the front vehicle with respect to an excursion of a longitudinal axis of the one of the semitrailer and the trailer about a vertical axis of the one of the semitrailer and the trailer, comprising:

a first electronic direction sensor, mounted on the front vehicle, with which a first vehicle orientation signal indicating the excursion of the longitudinal axis of the front vehicle about the vertical axis thereof can be obtained;
a second electronic direction sensor, mounted on the one of the semitrailer and the trailer and independent of the first electronic direction sensor, with which a second vehicle orientation signal indicating the excursion of the longitudinal axis of the one of the semitrailer and the trailer about the vertical axis thereof can be obtained;
and
a processing unit functionally connected to the first electronic direction sensor and the second electronic direction sensor and for determining the buckling angle as a function of the first vehicle orientation signal and the second vehicle orientation signal received respectively by the first electronic direction sensor and the second electronic direction sensor.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and device for determining the buckling angle between a front vehicle and a semitrailer of a vehicle

Life of this patent

Method and device for determining the buckling angle between a front vehicle and a semitrailer of a vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18