Method and apparatus for reducing vehicle rollover
OwnerMicky G. Gilbertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor detects force or other indications of an impending rollover of a motorized land vehicle. Upon detection of a threshold force value, the sensor actuates an applicator that delivers traction reducing fluid to the contact patch between at least one of the vehicle tires and the ground. The vehicle is enabled to dissipate the rollover inducing force by sliding laterally in preference to rolling over.
Claims15
An apparatus for reducing the danger of vehicle rollover under conditions of steering induced lateral force applied to a moving land vehicle having front and rear ends, at least a first pair of steerable, ground engaging tires located in a front position and a second pair of ground engaging tires located in a rear position, comprising:
- a fluid capable of reducing traction of a ground engaging tire when the fluid is applied to the contact patch of the tire with the underlying ground;
- a reservoir containing a volume of said fluid;
- an applicator, selectively activatable between active and inactive modes, when in active mode delivering fluid from the reservoir to the proximity of the contact patch of at least one of the ground engaging tires;
- control means for sensing a rollover predictive factor effecting the vehicle and activating the applicator to active mode in response to detection of at least a preselected value of the rollover predictive factor;
- whereby the vehicle is enabled to dissipate the lateral force by sliding laterally.
A method for reducing the danger of vehicle rollover under application of a steering induced lateral force applied to a moving land vehicle having a front end, a rear end, a pair of steerable and laterally spaced apart front tires, and a pair of laterally spaced apart rear tires, comprising:
- sensing a rollover predictive factor effecting the vehicle;
- determining from said sensed factor that a predetermined threshold danger of overturn has been reached;
- and
- in response to said determination, applying to a tire contact patch of at least one of the vehicle tires a fluid capable of reducing ground traction of the tire;
- whereby the vehicle is enabled to dissipate the steering induced lateral force by sliding laterally.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.