Method for detecting gross vehicle weight overload
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorAnthony P. Corrado
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of detecting gross weight overload of a vehicle comprising the steps of positioning one or more ultrasonic sensors on the vehicle so that said sensors measure the distance to a ground surface, using the sensors to measure height above the ground surface of the vehicle in a non-overloaded condition, adding known weights to the vehicle until maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) is attained, ascertaining height above the ground surface at this gross vehicle weight (GVW), and continuously measuring height of the ground surface and collecting height above the ground surface data to establish when an overload condition occurs.
Claims17
Method of detecting gross vehicle weight of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a vehicle height sensor on the vehicle such that the sensor measures the distance to a ground surface;
- loading the vehicle until the maximum gross weight of the vehicle is attained;
- ascertaining from the output of the sensor the height above the ground surface corresponding to a minimum height above ground associated with a maximum gross vehicle weight;
- and,
- indicating when the measured height is below said minimum height above ground;
- the vehicle having at least one additional sensor spaced from the first mentioned sensor and further including the steps of measuring the height above ground at each of the sensors to provide a baseline and subsequently measuring height above ground of the sensors and indicating when there is a predetermined difference in the height measurement between the baseline measurement and the subsequent corresponding measurement.
A method for measuring a predetermined condition of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- measuring the height of the vehicle above a ground surface and the tilt thereof using two sensors;
- and,
- determining when the measured height and tilt is outside a predetermined range;
- the vehicle having at least one sensor snared from the other of the two sensors and further including the steps of measuring the height above ground at each of the sensors to provide a baseline, subsequently measuring height above ground of the sensors and indicating when there is a predetermined difference in the height measurement between the baseline measurement and the subsequent corresponding measurement.
Apparatus for measuring a predetermined condition of a vehicle comprising:
- a pair of sensors for measuring the height of the vehicle above a ground surface and the tilt thereof;
- and,
- a unit determining when the measured height and tilt is outside a predetermined range;
- the vehicle having at least one of said sensors spaced from the other of said pair of sensors, said unit measuring the height above ground at each of the sensors to provide a baseline and subsequently measuring height above ground of the sensors and indicating when there is a predetermined difference in the height measurement between the baseline measurement and the subsequent corresponding measurement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.