Method of measuring the weight of bulk liquid material within a trailer
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsKenny Jay Elliott, William Edward Eberhardt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method of measuring the weight of bulk liquid material within a container of a tractor-trailer combination in which air bag pressure of a pneumatic suspension system is sensed and correlated with the weight of the bulk liquid material within the container. In accordance with the method, the tractor engine is turned off and supplemental pressurized air is introduced into a pneumatic circuit feeding compressed air to the air bags and while not applying the brakes of the trailer.
Claims7
A method of measuring the weight of bulk liquid material within a container of a trailer of a tractor-trailer, the container being supported by a pneumatic suspension system of the trailer supplied with compressed air by a compressor powered by an internal combustion engine of the tractor, said method comprising:
- turning off the internal combustion engine so that the compressed air is not being replenished to the pneumatic suspension system from the tractor;
- releasing trailer brakes of the trailer to allow the trailer to freely flex;
- introducing supplemental pressurized air into a pneumatic circuit of the pneumatic suspension system at a pressure above a required pressure to support the container at a ride-height after having been filled with a predetermined load of the bulk liquid material;
- measuring air bag pressure of air bags within the pneumatic suspension system, the air bags being connected to the pneumatic circuit to receive the supplemental pressurized air;
- and
- correlating the air bag pressure with the weight of the bulk liquid material located within the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.