US 5,690,347 A · Tractor trailer integrated jackknife control device

Abstract

An integrated jackknife control device for a tractor trailer assembly requires minimal if any modification to the existing fifth wheel coupler of the tractor trailer. The device comprises a computer controlled braking system including one or more pivot brakes acting directly on the trailer body, sensors which detect tractor trailer conditions indicative of incipient or full-fledged jackknifing and possibly other hazardous conditions such as collision or panic braking, and a proportional controller which causes one or more brake to apply a resistive force directly to the trailer which increases proportionally with a sensed degree of trailer jackknifing. The braking system preferably will automatically remain in a standby mode during backing maneuvers and will allow the operator to actuate the braking system manually and also to reset or return the braking system to a standby condition.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A braking system for inhibiting a trailer of a tractor trailer assembly from jackknifing, said trailer comprising an underframe which has a front end portion supported on said tractor and a rear end portion supported on wheels, said braking system comprising:

(A) a source of pressurized fluid;
(B) a proportional control valve having an inlet port connected to said source of pressurized fluid and having an outlet port, said valve being controllable to selectively pressurize fluid in said outlet port to a variable level ranging from 0% of a maximum pressure level to 100% of said maximum pressure level;
(C) a fluid pressure cylinder fluidically coupled to said outlet of said valve;
(D) a friction brake which is mechanically coupled to said fluid pressure cylinder and which is located adjacent said underframe of said trailer;
(E) means for detecting an incipient trailer jackknife condition;
and
(F) means, coupled to said means for detecting and to said proportional control valve, for automatically controlling said proportional control valve to actuate said fluid pressure cylinder in response to a detected incipient jackknife condition to cause said brake to apply a resistive force to said underframe of said trailer that increases proportionally with a detected degree of trailer jackknifing.

4 more elements

A braking system for inhibiting a trailer of a tractor trailer assembly from jackknifing, said system comprising:

(A) a source of pressurized fluid;
(B) a proportional control valve having an inlet port connected to said source of pressurized fluid and having an outlet port, said valve being controllable to selectively pressurize fluid in said outlet port to a variable level ranging from 0% of a maximum pressure level to 100% of said maximum pressure level;
(C) a fluid pressure cylinder fluidically coupled to said outlet of said valve;
and
(D) a friction brake which is mechanically coupled to said fluid pressure cylinder, said brake being dimensioned and configured to apply a resistive force to said trailer which increases proportionally to the fluid pressure in said outlet port of said valve, wherein said fluid pressure cylinder includes an axially movable rod, and wherein said brake is a pivot brake which comprises
a stationary mounting bracket comprising a base and two opposed end legs extending upwardly from said base, each of said end legs having a hole formed therethrough,
a metal cylinder having a central axis, opposed axial ends, and an outer radial periphery, a friction pad being mounted on at least a portion of said outer radial periphery of said cylinder, said friction pad extending along substantially an entire axial length of said cylinder and extending around at least 30% of the circumference of said cylinder, said friction pad having semi-circular grooves formed in an outer peripheral surface thereof, and
a support rod which 1) extends eccentrically through said cylinder and out of said opposed axial ends thereof so as to be parallel with but offset from said central axis of said cylinder, 2) is rotatably journaled in said holes in said legs of said mounting bracket, and 3) is mechanically coupled to said fluid pressure cylinder by a crank having a first end attached to said support rod and a second end attached to said rod of said fluid pressure cylinder.

5 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

(A) a tractor including a cab and a trailer support frame presenting an upper horizontal surface;
(B) a trailer having a lower horizontal surface which extends along at least substantially an entire longitudinal length of said trailer;
(C) a fifth wheel coupler connecting said tailer to said tractor, said fifth wheel coupler including
(1) a lower plate mounted on said upper surface of said support frame, said lower plate having a socket formed therein,
(2) an upper plate mounted on said lower surface of said trailer, and
(3) a king pin which is attached to said upper plate, which extends downwardly from said upper plate, and which is received in said socket in said lower plate;
and
(D) a braking system mounted on said tractor, said braking system including a brake which is mounted on said trailer support frame, said brake including a friction pad which is movable non-linearly with respect to said lower horizontal surface of said trailer from a first, inoperative position in which it is spaced from said lower horizontal surface of said trailer to a second, braking position in which it directly engages said lower horizontal surface of said trailer at a location away from said upper plate so as to resist trailer jackknifing.

5 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

(A) a tractor including a cab and a trailer support frame presenting an upper horizontal surface;
(B) a trailer having a lower horizontal surface;
(C) a braking system mounted on said tractor, said braking system including a brake which is mounted on said trailer support frame, said brake including a friction pad which is movable from a first, inoperative position in which it is spaced from said lower horizontal surface of said trailer to a second, braking position in which it engages said lower horizontal surface of said trailer so as to resist trailer jackknifing, wherein said brake comprises an eccentric pivot brake the friction pad of which is pivotable about a pivot axis which is parallel with but offset from a central longitudinal axis of said brake;
and
(D) an actuator which selectively causes said brake to rotate about said pivot axis by an amount which is proportional to a calculated degree of trailer jackknifing, and wherein said pivot brake comprises
a stationary mounting bracket comprising a base and two opposed end legs extending upwardly from said base, each of said end legs having a hole formed therethrough,
a metal cylinder having a central axis, opposed axial ends, and an outer radial periphery, a friction pad being mounted on at least a portion of said outer radial periphery of said cylinder, said friction pad extending along substantially an entire axial length of said cylinder and extending around at least 30% of the circumference of said cylinder, said friction pad having semi-circular grooves formed in an outer peripheral surface thereof to channel debris away from said pad, and
a support rod which 1) extends eccentrically through said cylinder and said opposed axial ends thereof so as to be parallel with but offset from said central axis of said cylinder, 2) is rotatably journaled in said holes in said legs of said mounting bracket, and 3) is mechanically coupled to said fluid pressure cylinder by a crank having a first end attached to said support rod and a second end attached to a rod of said fluid pressure cylinder.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tractor trailer integrated jackknife control device

Life of this patent

Tractor trailer integrated jackknife control device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19