Steering Control Apparatus for a Vehicle Air Brake System and Methods Therefor
AssigneeR. H. Sheppard Co., Inc.
InventorLinhang Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering control apparatus is provided for a vehicle train having a tractor towing a trailer. The steering control apparatus comprises a steering-angle position sensor arranged to provide a sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor. The steering control apparatus also comprises a controller arranged to (i) monitor the sensor output signal of the steering-angle position sensor, and (ii) transmit a signal to apply a differential in brake pressure on one side of opposite wheel ends of the trailer. The applied differential in brake pressure on the one side of the wheel ends of the trailer varies as a non-linear function of the sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor.
Claims20
A steering control apparatus for a vehicle train having a tractor towing a trailer, the steering control apparatus comprising:
- a steering-angle position sensor arranged to provide a sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor;
- and
- a controller arranged to (i) monitor the sensor output signal of the steering-angle position sensor, and (ii) transmit a signal to apply a differential in brake pressure on one side of opposite wheel ends of the trailer, wherein the applied differential in brake pressure on the one side of the wheel ends of the trailer varies as a non-linear function of the sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor.
A steering control apparatus for a vehicle train having a tractor towing a trailer, the steering control apparatus comprising:
- a steering-angle position sensor arranged to provide a sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor;
- and
- a controller arranged to (i) monitor the sensor output signal of the steering-angle position sensor, and (ii) transmit a signal to apply a differential in brake pressure on one side of opposite wheel ends of the trailer, wherein the applied differential in brake pressure on the one side of the wheel ends of the trailer varies as a function of the sensor output signal of the steering-angle position sensor modified by a ramp-rate coefficient and an offset coefficient.
A steering control apparatus for a vehicle train having a tractor towing a trailer, the steering control apparatus comprising:
- a steering-angle position sensor arranged to provide a sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor;
- and
- means for transmitting a signal to apply a differential in brake pressure on one side of opposite wheel ends of the trailer such that relationship between the applied differential in brake pressure on the one side of the wheel ends of the trailer and the sensor output signal indicative of steering angle of steering wheels of the tractor is other than a proportional linear relationship.
A method of operating a steering control apparatus of a vehicle train having a tractor towing a trailer, the method comprising:
- monitoring a linear sensor output signal of a steering-angle position sensor of the tractor in a working range of the steering-angle position sensor;
- and
- transmitting a signal to apply a non-linear differential in brake pressure on one side of opposite wheel ends of the trailer based upon the linear sensor output signal of the steering-angle position sensor of the tractor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.