JP3745187B2 - Linked vehicle behavior control device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a behavior control apparatus for a connected vehicle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There are trailer swing phenomenon, jackknife phenomenon, etc. as vehicle behavior peculiar to the connected vehicle, and various countermeasures have been disclosed in order to suppress these abnormal behavior. Of these, the initial is based on at least one of the coupling angle between the towed vehicle and the towed vehicle and its time derivative, and the dynamic rotational curvature radius (or steering angle) of the vehicle and at least one of its time derivative. It is known that there is provided a means for controlling to release the braking force to the towed vehicle when a sway phenomenon (a sign such as a trailer swing phenomenon) is determined (see JP-A-5-85330). As for the jackknife phenomenon, there are some which limit the relative rotation of the connecting point when they are turned on, based on the limit switch arranged around the connecting point and the switch linked to the operation lever of the retarder. (See JP-A-7-257335, JP-A-6-219340, JP-A-6-55968, JP-A-9-263272).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In particular, in the case of the former (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-85330), in order to detect the connection angle as a control parameter for suppressing abnormal vehicle behavior (such as trailer swing phenomenon), a spring-type floating roller on the saddle surface of the fifth wheel coupler and A potentiometer that operates according to the rotation is assembled, and the rotation angle of the spring-type floating roller accompanying the relative rotation around the king pin between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle is calculated from the output of the potentiometer. However, in such a detection mechanism, there is a high possibility that the spring-type floating roller will slip and wear, and it is difficult to ensure good detection accuracy and durability. Further, there may be a problem that it is not easy to assemble and maintain the spring-type floating roller and the potentiometer to the fifth wheel coupler.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a detection means capable of accurately measuring a connection angle with a simple configuration.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the first invention, in the connected vehicle behavior control device that detects the connecting angle between the towed vehicle and the towed vehicle as a parameter, the connecting angle is detected by either the towed vehicle or the towed vehicle. And a means for generating an output corresponding to the turning angle position, and supporting the free end of the arm through a fixed point set on the other hand, As an example, an elastic expansion / contraction means that allows relative rotation exceeding the detection range of the connection angle between the towed vehicle and the towed vehicle is provided .
[0006]
In the second invention, in the behavior control apparatus according to the first invention, when the straight angle of the vehicle is determined from the means for detecting the rudder angle and the detection signal, the output corresponding to the turning angle position of the arm is 0. And means for initializing as described above.
[0007]
According to a third aspect, in the behavior control apparatus according to the first aspect, the means for detecting the connection state of the vehicle, the means for detecting the vehicle body speed, the means for detecting the steering angle, and a detection signal based on these detection signals. Means for initializing the output corresponding to the turning angle position of the arm as 0 only when the vehicle is in a connected state, the vehicle body speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value and the rudder angle is 0, and a predetermined time has elapsed in that state; Are provided.
[0008]
According to a fourth aspect, in the behavior control apparatus according to the first aspect, a means for notifying the detected value of the connection angle is provided.
[0009]
【The invention's effect】
In the first invention, the arm is provided between one of the towed vehicle and the towed vehicle so as to be able to turn around these connection points, and the free end is supported by the other fixed point. It turns with relative rotation around the connecting point. For this reason, it becomes possible to detect the connection angle between the towed vehicle and the towed vehicle in real time from the output corresponding to the turning angle position of the arm.
[0010]
In addition , even if the turning of the arm exceeding the detection range of the connection angle between the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle is restricted, the relative rotation exceeding the detection range of the connection angle between the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle is achieved by elastic expansion and contraction means. Therefore, the vehicle can be slowly turned at a large connection angle at an intersection or the like.
[0011]
In the second aspect of the invention, when the straight traveling state of the vehicle is determined from the detection signal of the steering angle , the output corresponding to the turning angle position of the arm at that time is initialized with the connection angle set to 0. Etc. (for example, the displacement of the fixed point that supports the free end of the arm) can be detected accurately. In the third invention, when it is determined that the vehicle is in a connected state, the vehicle body speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and the steering angle is 0, an output corresponding to the turning angle position of the arm is output only when a predetermined time has elapsed in that state. Initialization is performed with the connection angle set to zero.
[0012]
In the fourth aspect of the invention, the notification of the connection angle allows the driver to make use of this information for safe driving (such as avoiding abnormal vehicle behavior and turning it back).
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is a tractor (towed vehicle), 2 is a trailer (towed vehicle), and a coupler 3 (fifth wheel coupler) is mounted at the rear center of the tractor 1. A kingpin (not shown) is arranged in the center of the front part of the. The fifth wheel coupler 3 is provided with a jaw mechanism (not shown) at the center lower portion of the saddle 4 that supports the front portion of the trailer 2, and a king pin received at the center of the saddle 4 is locked in a freely connected state. Further, when the lock of the jaw mechanism is released, the king pin can be removed from the saddle 4, so that the trailer 2 can be separated from the tractor 1.
[0014]
A mount bracket 5 is fixed at the center of the rear portion of the tractor 1, and the saddle 4 is supported by a pair of left and right upright portions 6 via a balancer shaft 7. In order to detect the connecting angle between the tractor 1 and the trailer 2, a potentiometer 8 is disposed at the center (on the same axis as the king pin) between the mount brackets 5, and the base end of the arm 9 is connected to the rotation shaft 8 a (input shaft). Pin-coupled to freely rotate in the vertical direction. An arm support bracket 11 is disposed at the front center of the trailer 2, and the other end (free end) of the arm 9 is pin-coupled to the bracket 11 so as to freely rotate in the left-right direction.
[0015]
When relative rotation about the connecting point (kingpin) occurs between the tractor 1 and the trailer 2, the movement is transmitted to the input shaft 8 a of the potentiometer 8 via the arm 9 that rotates following the rotation. Is done. Since the potentiometer 8 generates an output (voltage value) corresponding to the rotation angle of the input shaft 8a, if the output of the potentiometer 8 corresponding to the connection angle of 0 (straight traveling state of the connected vehicle) is determined, the output of the potentiometer 8 is used. The connection angle can be calculated.
[0016]
The turning of the arm 9 is restricted by the standing portion 6 of the mount bracket 5. In control to suppress abnormal vehicle behavior (jackknife phenomenon etc.), even if the turn of the arm 9 is restricted by the upright portion 6 of the mount bracket 5, the connection angle within that range is sufficient, and beyond that Although a connection angle is not required, there is a possibility that a large connection angle exceeding the restriction range (connection angle detection range) for turning of the arm 9 may be required when the vehicle slowly turns at an intersection or the like. .
[0017]
For this reason, when the damper spring 10 is interposed on the front end side (arm support bracket 11 side) as a part of the arm 9 and the turning of the arm 9 is restricted by the standing portion 6 of the mount bracket 5, the elasticity of the damper spring 10. A large connection angle exceeding the detection range of the connection angle can be allowed by deformation (extension / contraction). Note that the arm support bracket 11 may be omitted if the damper spring 10 of the arm 9 is hooked on the connector 12a (fixed to the trailer 2 side) of the jumper hose 12 as shown in FIG. It becomes possible.
[0018]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the control system, 20 is a control unit mounted on the tractor 1, 21 is a coupler switch for detecting a connected state (the locked state of the jaw mechanism) where the king pin is rotatable with respect to the fifth wheel coupler 3, 22 Is a vehicle body speed detection means, 24 is a steering angle sensor of the tractor 1, 23 is a connection angle detection means, 26 is a display unit (including an alarm lamp and an alarm buzzer) disposed in the cab of the tractor 1, and 25 is a brake of the trailer 2. Represents a modulator. The vehicle body speed detection means 22 includes a rotation sensor arranged for each wheel of the tractor 1 and a rotation sensor arranged for each wheel of the trailer 2, and calculates an average value of these outputs (wheel speeds) as the vehicle body speed. The connection angle detection means 23 has the above-described configuration (such as the potentiometer 8 and the arm 9), and calculates a connection angle corresponding to the output of the potentiometer 8.
[0019]
The control unit 20 controls the brake modulator 25 of the trailer 2 and the display unit 26 of the cab based on each input signal (coupler switch signal, vehicle speed signal, steering angle signal, connection angle signal). In the control unit 20, whether the coupler switch 21 is on (the king pin is connected to the fifth wheel turnable 3 so as to be rotatable) and the output (vehicle speed) of the vehicle speed detecting means 22 is a predetermined value (for example, 15 km / h) or more. Means (not shown) for determining whether or not and means (not shown) described later are set. Each means operates when the coupler switch 21 is on and the vehicle body speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, while the operation is stopped when the coupler switch 21 is off or the vehicle body speed is less than the predetermined value.
As each means, means for reading the output (connection angle) of the connection angle detection means 23, means for calculating the connection angular velocity from the connection angle, means for reading the detection value (steering angle) of the steering angle sensor 24, and the steering angle as a display unit Means for displaying the connecting angle (and the connecting angular velocity) in 26, means for calculating the lateral acceleration from the vehicle body speed and the steering angle, and connecting angle thresholds a ₁ and a ₂ (a ₁ <a ₂ ) corresponding to the lateral acceleration. And means for setting connection angular velocity threshold values b ₁ and b ₂ (b ₁ <b ₂ ) (threshold values a ₁ and b ₁ for alarm, threshold values a ₂ and b ₂ for trailer brake , When the detected value of the connecting angle is not less than the connecting angle threshold value a ₁ and the connecting angular velocity threshold value is not less than the connecting angular velocity threshold value b ₁ , the alarm lamp of the display unit 26 is maintained until a predetermined release condition is satisfied. And means to activate alarm buzzer The operation command to the brake modulator 25 of the trailer 2 to the detected value is connecting angle threshold a ₂ or more and coupling the angular velocity threshold for connecting angle is coupled angular velocity threshold b ₂ higher than a predetermined cancellation condition is satisfied Means for outputting. As the predetermined release condition, the connection angle is set to a predetermined value (upper limit value of the normal range corresponding to the steering angle) or the vehicle body speed is set to a specified value (lower limit value of the control region: for example, 5 km / h).
[0024]
With such a configuration, when the connection angle is equal to or greater than the connection angle threshold value a ₁ and the connection angular velocity is equal to or greater than the connection angular velocity threshold value b ₁ , the alarm buzzer and the alarm lamp are kept until a predetermined release condition is satisfied. Operate. Further, when the connection angle is equal to or greater than the connection angle threshold value a ₂ and the connection angular velocity is equal to or greater than the connection angular velocity threshold value b ₂ , the braking force is automatically applied to the wheels of the trailer 2 until a predetermined release condition is satisfied. To be granted. Therefore, the driver can accurately know that an abnormal vehicle behavior (jackknife phenomenon or the like) is likely to occur due to the operation of the alarm buzzer and the alarm lamp. Further, the tractor 1 is stretched to 0 by the braking force applied to the wheels of the trailer 2 so that the tractor 1 is pulled from the rear side, and an abnormal movement (vehicle behavior) of the linking angle can be corrected. In addition, since the connecting angle is also displayed in real time on the display unit 26 in the cab, the driver can use this information for safe driving (such as avoiding abnormal vehicle behavior and reestablishing it).
[0025]
The connecting angle detection means 22 is provided with an assembly error (for example, displacement of a fixed point that supports the free end of the arm 9), in particular, the damper spring 10 that forms the free end of the arm 9 on the connector 12a of the jumper hose 12. In such a case (see FIG. 4), there is a possibility that the output of the potentiometer 8 corresponding to a connection angle (actual value) of 0 will change. For this reason, a function for initializing the correspondence between the output of the potentiometer 8 and the connection angle is added to the control unit 20 with the connection angle set to 0 as a reference.
[0026]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining this function . In step 1, it is determined whether or not the coupler switch 21 is ON. In step 2, it is determined whether the vehicle body speed is a predetermined value (for example, 30 km / h). In step 3, it is determined whether the detected value (steering angle) of the steering angle sensor 24 is zero. When a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) elapses with all the determinations in Step 1 to Step 3 being “yes”, the process proceeds from Step 4 and Step 5 to Step 6, and the output of the potentiometer 8 at that time is connected to the connecting angle. Is initialized to correspond to 0.
[0027]
Thereby, when the tractor 1 and the trailer 2 are in the straight traveling state, the correspondence relationship between the output of the potentiometer 8 and the connection angle is updated, so that the output of the potentiometer 8 corresponding to the connection angle of 0 changes as described above. Even if it occurs, the connection angle corresponding to the output of the potentiometer 8 can be accurately obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view of a coupled vehicle that represents an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of the same.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the main part of the same.
FIG. 4 is a side view of an essential part showing another embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control system.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the control contents of the control unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Tractor 2 Trailer (semi-trailer)
3 Fifth wheel coupler 8 Potentiometer 9 Arm 10 Damper spring 11 Arm support bracket 12 Jumper hose 20 Control unit 22 Vehicle speed detection means 23 Connection angle detection means 24 Steering angle sensor 25 Trailer brake modulator 26 Display unit

Claims (4)

In a connected vehicle behavior control device that detects a connecting angle between a towed vehicle and a towed vehicle as a parameter, as a means for detecting the connecting angle, either the towed vehicle or the towed vehicle is centered on the connection point between the two. A swivelable arm and a means for generating an output corresponding to the swivel angle position are provided, and the other end supports the free end of the arm via a fixed point, while the tow vehicle and the cover are part of the arm. An apparatus for controlling behavior of a connected vehicle, characterized in that an elastic expansion / contraction means that allows relative rotation exceeding a detection range of a connection angle with a towing vehicle is provided . A means for detecting a rudder angle and a means for initializing an output corresponding to a turning angle position of an arm as a connection angle of 0 when a straight traveling state of the vehicle is determined from the detection signal are provided. The behavior control apparatus of the connection vehicle which concerns on description of 1. Means for detecting the connected state of the vehicle, means for detecting the vehicle body speed, means for detecting the steering angle, and based on these detection signals, the vehicle is in the connected state, the vehicle body speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and the steering angle is zero. The connection according to claim 1, further comprising means for initializing an output corresponding to the turning angle position of the arm so that the connection angle is 0 only when a predetermined time has elapsed in that state. Vehicle behavior control device. The behavior control apparatus for a connected vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying a detected value of the connection angle.

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