Electronic braking system and method for drawbar trailers

A braking system for braking a drawbar trailer having axles including a front axle and at least one further axle, each of the axles having at least two wheels, the braking system comprising:

• first sensors for generating first sensor signals representing an axle load of at least one of the axles, ones of the first sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• second sensors for generating second sensor signals representing rotational speed of the wheels of the axles, ones of the second sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• an EBS modulator associated with the front axle;
• a pressure accumulator for providing and storing a pneumatic operating pressure;
• brakes for braking the drawbar trailer, the brakes being actuable by a pneumatic brake pressure;
• at least one of a brake line and a transmission unit for transmitting brake signals generated in a towing vehicle between the towing vehicle and the drawbar trailer;
• a control unit configured to:
• receive the brake signals and the first and second sensor signals, and
• determine the axle load;
• and
• an adapter configured to adapt a value of the pneumatic operating pressure to the pneumatic brake pressure, the pneumatic brake pressure being feedable to the brakes by feed lines, the adapter being actuable by a drive unit, wherein the adapter is integrated into the EBS modulator;
• wherein the control unit is configured to:
• detect a value of the pneumatic brake pressure for actuating the brakes as a function of the axle load of the front axle and the at least one further axle as well as the received brake signals;
• and
• actuate the adapter such that the detected brake pressure is modulated with the same value at the front axle and at the at least one further axle.

A method for braking a drawbar trailer having a front axle and at least one further axle, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating first sensor signals representing an axle load of at least one of the front axle and the at least one further axle using first sensors, ones of the first sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• generating second sensor signals representing rotational speed of the wheels of the axles using second sensors, ones of the second sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• transmitting brake signals generated in a towing vehicle between the towing vehicle and the drawbar trailer using at least one of a brake line and a transmission unit;
• providing and storing a pneumatic operating pressure using a pressure accumulator;
• receiving, via a control unit of an EBS modulator:
• information transmitted from at least one of the brake line and the transmission unit,
• the brake signals, and
• the first and second sensor signals;
• determining the axle load using the control unit;
• detecting a value of the brake pressure for actuating brakes as a function of the axle load and the brake signals using the control unit;
• actuating an adapter of the EBS modulator for adapting a value of said operating pressure to said brake pressure using the control unit;
• adapting the value of said operating pressure to the brake pressure using the adapter;
• feeding the brake pressure to the brakes using feed lines;
• and
• braking the drawbar trailer using the brakes, the brakes being actuated with the brake pressure, wherein an ABS modulator associated with the at least one further axle reduces the brake pressure fed to the at least one further axle as needed to prevent the at least one further axle from locking.

A method for braking a drawbar trailer having a front axle and at least one further axle, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating first sensor signals representing an axle load of at least one of the front axle and the at least one further axle using first sensors, ones of the first sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• generating second sensor signals representing rotational speed of the wheels of the axles using second sensors, ones of the second sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• transmitting brake signals generated in a towing vehicle between the towing vehicle and the drawbar trailer using at least one of a brake line and a transmission unit;
• providing and storing a pneumatic operating pressure using a pressure accumulator;
• receiving, via a control unit:
• information transmitted from at least one of the brake line and the transmission unit,
• the brake signals, and
• the first and second sensor signals;
• determining the axle load using the control unit;
• calculating a mean value of the detected axle loads;
• detecting a value of the brake pressure for actuating brakes as a function of the axle load and the brake signals using the control unit;
• actuating an adapter for adapting a value of the operating pressure to the brake pressure using the control unit,
• adapting the value of the operating pressure to the brake pressure using the adapter;
• feeding the brake pressure to the brakes using feed lines;
• and
• braking the drawbar trailer using the brakes, the brakes being actuated with the brake pressure.

A method for braking a drawbar trailer having a front axle and at least one further axle, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating first sensor signals representing an axle load of at least one of the front axle and the at least one further axle using first sensors, ones of the first sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• generating second sensor signals representing rotational speed of the wheels of the axles using second sensors, ones of the second sensor signals being assigned to corresponding ones of the axles;
• transmitting brake signals generated in a towing vehicle between the towing vehicle and the drawbar trailer using at least one of a brake line and a transmission unit;
• providing and storing a pneumatic operating pressure using a pressure accumulator;
• receiving, via a control unit:
• information transmitted from at least one of the brake line and the transmission unit,
• the brake signals, and
• the first and second sensor signals;
• determining the axle load using the control unit;
• detecting a value of the brake pressure for actuating brakes as a function of the axle load and the brake signals using the control unit based on characteristic field lines selected as a function of at least one of the signals from the group consisting of the first and second sensor signals and the brake signals;
• actuating an adapter for adapting a value of the operating pressure to the brake pressure using the control unit;
• adapting the value of the operating pressure to the brake pressure using the adapter;
• feeding the brake pressure to the brakes using feed lines;
• and
• braking the drawbar trailer using the brakes, the brakes being actuated with the brake pressure.