Rear collision warning device for a truck trailer
AssigneeGrote Industries, Inc.
InventorsAdam Slade, Devin Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rear collision warning device for trailers that may include one or more sensors, a control circuit, and one or more warning devices. In one aspect, the sensors are configured to monitor a predetermined zone behind a trailer and to optionally trigger warnings as predetermined criteria are satisfied. In another aspect, the control circuit controls the warning devices to emit a warning signal in the form of flashing lights, strobes, audible alarms, and the like, or to send warning notifications to a remote server, an app, or to a cab mounted display. The sensors, circuits, and warning devices are optionally mounted together in a separate housing and mounted at or near the rear of the trailer.
Claims28
A collision warning device for a truck trailer, comprising:
- a rear-facing sensor defining a detection zone behind the trailer, wherein the rear-facing sensor is operable to detect a following vehicle behind the trailer;
- a control circuit responsive to the rear-facing sensor, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a collision parameter selected from the group consisting essentially of:
- (a) time to collision;
- (b) distance between the sensor and the following vehicle;
- (c) closure rate between the sensor and the following vehicle;
- and (d) combinations thereof;
- and
- a rear-facing warning device responsive to the control circuit, wherein the rear-facing warning device is operable to emit a warning signal toward the following vehicle;
- wherein the sensor communicates with a trailer nose box via a data bus in the trailer;
- and
- wherein the warning device receives power from a metallic power cable of the trailer that provides more than 18 volts to the sensor.
The device of claim 13, wherein the operator indicator includes a computer that is operable to display a notification received by the computer, and wherein the computer is operable to receive collision warning notifications sent by the control circuit when a collision warning is triggered.
A collision warning device for a truck trailer, comprising:
- a sensor facing a rear direction and configured to detect a following vehicle behind the trailer;
- a control circuit responsive to the sensor, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a time to collision for the following vehicle, to compare the time to collision to triggering criteria, and to trigger a collision warning when the triggering criteria are satisfied;
- a warning indicator facing the rear direction that is responsive to the control circuit, wherein the warning indicator has one or more lamps that are arranged and configured to emit a warning signal away from the rear of the trailer, wherein the triggering criteria include predetermined thresholds specifying activation of one or more amber lamps when the time to collision is less than six seconds, activation of one or more red lamps when the time to collision is less than four seconds, and activation of the one or more red and amber lamps when the time to collision is less than two seconds;
- and
- a housing containing the sensor, the warning indicator, the one or more lamps, and the control circuit, wherein the housing is mountable at the rear of the trailer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.