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EP-4741182-A1 - MITIGATION OF JACK-KNIFING

EP4741182A1EP 4741182 A1EP4741182 A1EP 4741182A1EP-4741182-A1

Abstract

A computer system (17) comprising processing circuitry (19) configured to provide, in response to an indication (21) that, for a vehicle combination (1) comprising a tractor (3) having a front axle (7), a first rear axle (9), and a second rear axle (11) longitudinally further away from the front axle (7) than the first rear axle (9) is, and a trailer (5) coupled to the tractor (3) with a fifth-wheel coupling (13), a risk of jack-knifing is higher than a predefined threshold risk, an instruction (31) to operate at least one actuator (15) comprised in the tractor (3) to redistribute a total axle load of the tractor (3) in such a way that a first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3) is decreased and a second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3) is increased.

Inventors

  • ÖZKAN, BASAR

Assignees

  • Volvo Truck Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241112

Claims (15)

  1. A computer system (17) comprising processing circuitry (19) configured to provide, in response to an indication (21) that, for a vehicle combination (1) comprising a tractor (3) having a front axle (7), a first rear axle (9), and a second rear axle (11) longitudinally further away from the front axle (7) than the first rear axle (9) is, and a trailer (5) coupled to the tractor (3) with a fifth-wheel coupling (13), a risk of jack-knifing is higher than a predefined threshold risk, an instruction (31) to operate at least one actuator (15) comprised in the tractor (3) to redistribute a total axle load of the tractor (3) in such a way that a first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3) is decreased and a second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3) is increased.
  2. The computer system (17) of claim 1, wherein: the at least one actuator (15) comprises a first rear suspension actuator (25a-b) configured to control a suspension of the first rear axle (9) and a second rear suspension actuator (27a-b) configured to control a suspension of the second rear axle (11); and the processing circuitry (19) is configured to provide, to the second rear suspension actuator (27a-b), an instruction to increase the second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3).
  3. The computer system (17) of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry (19) is configured to provide, to the first suspension actuator (25a-b), an instruction to decrease the first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3).
  4. The computer system (17) of any of claims 1-3, wherein the processing circuitry (19) is configured to provide the instruction to operate the at least one actuator (15) in such a way that redistribution of the total axle load of the tractor (3) is achieved within a predefined time from the indication (21) of the risk of jack-knifing being higher than the threshold risk.
  5. The computer system (17) of any of claims 1-4, wherein the processing circuitry (19) is configured to: receive a set of vehicle combination motion parameter values; and estimate the risk of jack-knifing based on the set of vehicle combination motion parameter values.
  6. The computer system (17) of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry (19) is configured to estimate the risk of jack-knifing additionally based on a vehicle model of the vehicle combination.
  7. The computer system (17) of any of claims 1-6, wherein the processing circuitry (19) is configured to: receive an indication (33) of a braking operation for the vehicle combination (1); and provide the instruction (31) to operate the at least one actuator (15) comprised in the tractor in response to receiving the indication (33) of the braking operation.
  8. The computer system (17) of any of claims 1-7, wherein the processing circuitry (19) is configured to provide, in response to an indication that the risk of jack-knifing has changed from being higher than the predefined threshold risk to being lower than the predefined threshold risk, an instruction to operate the at least one actuator (15) comprised in the tractor (3) to redistribute the total axle load of the tractor (3) in such a way that the first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3) is increased and the second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3) is decreased.
  9. A suspension system (22) of a tractor (3) configured to be coupled to a trailer (5) with a fifth-wheel coupling (13), the suspension system (22) comprising: a first rear suspension actuator (25a-b) configured to control a suspension of a first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3); a second rear suspension actuator (27a-b) configured to control a suspension of a second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3); and the computer system (17) of any of claims 1-8.
  10. A vehicle (3) comprising: a front axle (7); a first rear axle (9); a second rear axle (11) longitudinally further away from the front axle (7) than the first rear axle (9) is; a fifth-wheel coupling (13) for coupling a trailer (5) to the vehicle (3) to thereby form a vehicle combination (1); and the suspension system (22) of claim 9.
  11. A computer-implemented method comprising: providing, in response to an indication (21) that, for a vehicle combination (1) comprising a tractor (3) having a front axle (7), a first rear axle (9), and a second rear axle (11) longitudinally further away from the front axle (7) than the first rear axle (9) is, and a trailer (5) coupled to the tractor (3) with a fifth-wheel coupling (13), a risk of jack-knifing is higher than a predefined threshold risk, an instruction (31) to operate at least one actuator (15) comprised in the tractor (3) to redistribute a total axle load of the tractor (3) in such a way that a first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3) is decreased and a second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3) is increased.
  12. The method of claim 11, wherein: the at least one actuator (15) comprises a first rear suspension actuator (25a-b) configured to control a suspension of the first rear axle (9) and a second rear suspension actuator (27a-b) configured to control a suspension of the second rear axle (11); and the method comprises providing, to the second rear suspension actuator (27a-b), an instruction to increase the second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3).
  13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method comprises providing, to the first suspension actuator (25a-b), an instruction to decrease the first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3).
  14. The method of any of claims 11-13, wherein the method comprises providing, in response to an indication that the risk of jack-knifing has changed from being higher than the predefined threshold risk to being lower than the predefined threshold risk, an instruction to operate the at least one actuator (15) comprised in the tractor (3) to redistribute the total axle load of the tractor (3) in such a way that the first rear axle load on the first rear axle (9) of the tractor (3) is increased and the second rear axle load on the second rear axle (11) of the tractor (3) is decreased.
  15. A computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry (19) comprised in the computer system (17) of any one of claims 1-8, the method of any of claims 11-14.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to control of a vehicle. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to mitigation of jack-knifing. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND In a vehicle combination, such as a tractor semitrailer combination, certain driving conditions may result in so-called j ack-knifing. It would be desirable to reduce the risk of jack-knifing in a vehicle combination comprising a tractor having a front axle, a first rear axle, and a second rear axle longitudinally further away from the front axle than the first rear axle, and a trailer coupled to the tractor with a fifth-wheel coupling. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to provide, in response to an indication that, for a vehicle combination comprising a tractor having a front axle, a first rear axle, and a second rear axle longitudinally further away from the front axle than the first rear axle is, and a trailer coupled to the tractor with a fifth-wheel coupling, a risk of jack-knifing is higher than a predefined threshold risk, an instruction to operate at least one actuator comprised in the tractor to redistribute a total axle load of the tractor in such a way that a first rear axle load on the first rear axle of the tractor is decreased and a second rear axle load on the second rear axle of the tractor is increased. The first aspect of the disclosure may seek to mitigate jack-knifing for a vehicle combination in which the tractor has two rear axles and at least one actuator controllable to redistribute the axle load of the tractor. The disclosure is based on the observation that the longitudinal position of the fifth-wheel coupling between tractor and trailer has an impact on the tendency for j ack-knifing of a vehicle combination, and the realization that an effect on the tendency for j ack-knifing analogous to that obtained by longitudinally moving the fifth-wheel coupling can be obtained by temporarily redistributing the total axle load of the tractor in such a way that the combined load on the two rear axles is shifted towards the rear of the tractor. A technical benefit may include to prevent or at least reduce the occurrence of jack-knifing for this type of vehicle combination. The redistribution of the axle load may be carried out even if this would result in an axle load of an individual axle that could be temporarily higher than an allowed axle load for the road, since the benefit of an avoided jack-knifing is higher than the implications of a temporary deviation from regulations. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the at least one actuator may comprise a first rear suspension actuator configured to control a suspension of the first rear axle and a second rear suspension actuator configured to control a suspension of the second rear axle; and the processing circuitry may be configured to provide, to the second rear suspension actuator, an instruction to increase the second rear axle load on the second rear axle of the tractor. A technical benefit may include that control of a suspension actuator to increase the axle load may be fast, so that the jack-knifing mitigating axle load redistribution can be achieved shortly after the indication of the risk of jack-knifing being higher than the predefined threshold. This may increase the capability of avoiding jack-knifing. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuitry may be configured to provide, to the first suspension actuator, an instruction to decrease the first rear axle load on the first rear axle of the tractor. A technical benefit may include that control of a suspension actuator to increase the axle load may be fast, so that the jack-knifing mitigating axle load redistribution can be achieved shortly after the indication of the risk of jack-knifing being higher than the predefined threshold. This may increase the capability of avoiding j ack-knifing. As an alternative or complement to controlling the first rear suspension actuator and/or the second rear suspension actuator, one or more other actuators may be controlled to achieve the desired axle load redistribution. For example, a lift axle actuator controllable to lift one of the first rear axle and the second rear axle may be used. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the processing circuitry may be configured to provide the instruction to operate the at least one actuator in such a way that redistribution of the total axle load of the tractor is achieved within a predefined time from the indication of the risk of jack-knifing being higher