US 9,802,587 B2 · Method of and apparatus for controlling the braking of a tractor trailer combination

Abstract

A method of controlling the braking of a tractor-trailer combination, in which the tractor includes a drive train having an engine and at least one ground-engaging member driveably connected thereto, at least one ground-engaging member of the tractor includes at least one tractor brake, and at least one ground-engaging member of the trailer includes at least one trailer brake, the operation of which depends at least in part on the operative condition of the at least one tractor brake, includes the steps of, on the initiation of operation of the at least one tractor brake and the at least one trailer brake to brake the tractor-trailer combination, commencing operation of a timer that times the duration of operation of the at least one tractor brake and/or the at least one trailer brake. On a parameter related to the duration of braking effort timed by the timer reaching or exceeding a threshold value, the method then includes adjusting the braking effort applied by the at least one trailer brake in order to achieve or maintain a chosen braking performance of the tractor-trailer combination.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of controlling braking of a tractor-trailer combination, in which the tractor includes a drive train having an engine, at least one ground-engaging member driveably connected to the engine, and at least one tractor brake that is capable of braking forward motion of the tractor, and in which the trailer includes at least one ground-engaging member having at least one trailer brake, the operation of which depends at least in part on the operative condition of the at least one tractor brake, the method comprising the steps of:

on the initiation of operation of the at least one tractor brake and the at least one trailer brake to brake the tractor-trailer combination, commencing operation of a timer that times a duration of operation of the at least one tractor brake and the at least one trailer brake;
and
adjusting a braking effort applied by the at least one trailer brake, generating a human-detectable alert that is detectable by an operator of the tractor, or a combination thereof, upon the duration of operation reaching or exceeding a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is based on the duration of operation and a measure or estimate of a braking force applied by the at least one tractor brake and the at least one trailer brake.

An apparatus, comprising:

a tractor having a drive train including an engine and at least one ground-engaging member driveably connected thereto via an adjustable-ratio transmission, the tractor including at least one tractor brake that is capable of braking forward motion of the tractor;
a trailer having at least one ground-engaging member that includes at least one trailer brake;
an activator for the at least one tractor brake;
an activator for the at least one trailer brake;
a timer for timing a duration of operation of the at least one trailer brake during endurance braking;
and
an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to initiate adjustment of the braking effort applied by the at least one trailer brake, to generate a human-detectable alert that is detectable by an operator of the tractor, or a combination thereof, upon the duration of operation reaching or exceeding a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is based on the duration of operation and a measure or estimate of a braking force applied by the at least one tractor brake and the at least one trailer brake.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and apparatus for controlling the braking of a tractor trailer combination

Life of this patent

Method of and apparatus for controlling the braking of a tractor trailer combination

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19