Load monitoring, braking control, and height management

A load monitoring system comprising:

• a cross-flow passage;
• a cross-flow air pressure sensor configured to output cross-flow pressure information indicative of an air pressure within the cross-flow passage;
• an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the cross-flow pressure information into digital cross-flow pressure information;
• a first pneumatic circuit having a first leveling valve configured to adjust independently a pressure within one or more air springs of a first side of a vehicle or a trailer;
• and
• a second pneumatic circuit having a second leveling valve configured to adjust independently a pressure within one or more air springs of a second side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• wherein the cross-flow passage connects the first leveling valve and the second leveling valve, the first and second leveling valves are configured to establish pneumatic communication between the first and second pneumatic circuits via the cross-flow passage when the first leveling valve is not adjusting independently the pressure in the one or more air springs of the first side and the second leveling valve is not adjusting independently the pressure in the one or more air springs of the second side, and the cross-flow pressure information is used for monitoring a load in the vehicle or the trailer.

A load monitoring method comprising:

• using a cross-flow air pressure sensor to output cross-flow pressure information indicative of an air pressure within a cross-flow passage, wherein the cross-flow passage connects a first leveling valve of a first pneumatic circuit with a second leveling valve of a second pneumatic circuit, the first level circuit is configured to adjust independently pressure of one or more air springs of a first side of a vehicle or a trailer, the second leveling valve is configured to adjust independently pressure of one or more air springs of a second side of the vehicle or the trailer, and the first and second leveling valves are configured to establish pneumatic communication between the first and second pneumatic circuits when the first leveling valve is not adjusting independently the pressure of the one or more air springs of the first side and the second leveling valve is not adjusting independently the pressure of the one or more air springs of the second side;
• wherein the cross-flow pressure information indicates the air pressure retained within the cross-flow passage, and varies when the first or second leveling valves have established pneumatic communication between the first and/or second pneumatic circuits and the cross-flow passage, and the cross-flow pressure information indicates the higher of (i) an air pressure within the first pneumatic circuit when the first leveling valve is not independently adjusting the pressure of the air springs of the first side of the vehicle or trailer and (ii) an air pressure within the second pneumatic circuit when the second leveling valve is not adjusting independently the pressure of the air springs of the second side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the cross-flow pressure information into digital cross-flow pressure information at one or more measurement times;
• and
• using a computer to use the digital cross-flow pressure information to calculate a cross-flow-based weight on one or more axles of the vehicle or the trailer at the first and subsequent measurement times.

A system comprising:

• (1) a first pneumatic circuit including:
• (1A) a first air spring configured to support a first axle of a vehicle or a trailer on a first side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• (1B) a second air spring configured to support a second axle of the vehicle or the trailer on the first side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• (1C) a third air spring configured to support a third axle of the vehicle or the trailer on the first side of the vehicle or the trailer, wherein the second axle is located between the first and third axles;
• (1D) a first air line that connects the first and second air springs of the first pneumatic circuit;
• (1E) a second air line that connects second and third air springs of the first pneumatic circuit;
• and
• (1F) a first leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of the first side of the vehicle or the trailer by increasing or decreasing an amount of air in the first, second, and third air springs of the first pneumatic circuit;
• and
• (2) a second pneumatic circuit including:
• (2A) a first air spring configured to support the first axle of the vehicle or the trailer on a second side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• (2B) a second air spring configured to support the second axle of the vehicle or the trailer on the second side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• (2C) a third air spring configured to support the third axle of the vehicle or the trailer on the second side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• (2D) a first air line that connects the first and second air springs of the second pneumatic circuit;
• (2E) a second air line that connects second and third air springs of the second pneumatic circuit;
• and
• (2F) a second leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of the second side of the vehicle or the trailer by increasing or decreasing an amount of air in the first, second, and third air springs of the second pneumatic circuit.

A system comprising:

• a first leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of a first side of a vehicle or a trailer by increasing or decreasing an amount of air in one or more air springs on the first side of the vehicle or trailer;
• a second leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of a second side of the vehicle or the trailer by increasing or decreasing an amount of air in one or more air springs on the second side of the vehicle or trailer;
• a raise lower valve (RLV) configured to:
• in response to a leveling valve height control input, allow the first and second leveling valves to adjust independently the heights of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer;
• in response to a raise input, raise the height of one or both of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer and prevent the first and second leveling valves from adjusting independently the heights of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer;
• and
• in response to a lower input, lower the height of one or both of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer and prevent the first and second leveling valves from adjusting independently the heights of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer.

A method performed by a raise lower valve (RLV), the method comprising:

• in response to a leveling valve height control input, allowing a first leveling valve to adjust independently a height of a first side of a vehicle or a trailer and a second leveling valve to adjust independently a height of a second side of the vehicle or the trailer;
• in response to a raise input, raising the height of one or both of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer and preventing the first and second leveling valves from adjusting independently the heights of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer;
• and
• in response to a lower input, lowering the height of one or both of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer and preventing the first and second leveling valves from adjusting independently the heights of the first and second sides of the vehicle or the trailer.

A raise lower valve (RLV) comprising:

• one or more housings including one or more passages;
• one or more supply seals in the one or more passages;
• one or more delivery seals in the one or more passages;
• a first actuator configured to move the one or more supply seals in the one or more passages;
• a second actuator configured to move the one or more delivery seals in the one or more passages;
• and
• a controller configured to control the first and second actuators to move the one or more supply seals and the one or more delivery seals in the one or more passages.

An air management system for a vehicle or trailer, the air management system comprising:

• a first pneumatic circuit having a first leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of a first side of a first axle of the vehicle or the trailer;
• a second pneumatic circuit having a second leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of a second side of the first axle of the vehicle or the trailer;
• and
• a first cross-flow line connecting the first leveling valve with the second leveling valve;
• a third pneumatic circuit having a third leveling valve configured to adjust independently a height of a second axle of the vehicle or the trailer;
• and
• a second cross-flow line connecting the third leveling valve with the first cross-flow line;
• wherein the first, second, and third leveling valves are configured to establish pneumatic communication between the first, second, and third pneumatic circuits when the first leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the first side of the first axle, the second leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the second side of the first axle, and the third leveling valve is not independently adjusting the height of the second axle.