US-12624983-B2 - Vehicular load sensing system and method using tilt sensors

US12624983B2US 12624983 B2US12624983 B2US 12624983B2US-12624983-B2

Abstract

A system and method calculates a vehicle load on a suspension system of a vehicle using a plurality of tilt angle sensors. The angle sensors are attached to the suspension system and configured to measure an angle with respect to gravity. A first angle sensor is configured to measure a first angle. A second sensor configured to measure a second angle. The measured first and second angles are combined to obtain a combined value representative of a vehicle load adjusted for tilt.

Inventors

Robert Zwijze
Gerard Klaasse
Corbin J. Los
Sietse Hendriks
Dennis Kamphuis

Assignees

SMARTWITNESS USA, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210729

Claims (4)

1 . A vehicle comprising: a chassis configured to support a body of the vehicle; a wheel axle having a first end configured to support a first wheel on a first side of the chassis and a second end configured to support a second wheel on a second side of the chassis; a suspension system configured to deflect relative to at least one of (a) the chassis and (b) the wheel axle in response to a load on the vehicle; a first angle sensor disposed on at least one of (a) the chassis and (b) the wheel axle, the first angle sensor being configured to measure a first angle associated with the one of the chassis or the wheel axle; a second angle sensor coupled to a sway bar of the suspension system, the second angle sensor being configured to measure a second angle associated with the sway bar of the suspension system; and a load measurement system comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions implemented by the one or more processors to perform actions comprising: determining, based at least in part on the first angle, a first load associated with the chassis or the wheel axle; determining, based at least in part on the second angle, a second load associated with the suspension system; and determining, based on the first load and the second load, a measured vehicle load adjusted for tilt.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a component associated with the suspension system is a linkage associated with a connection member that compresses in response to the load on the vehicle.
3 . A vehicle comprising: a chassis configured to support a body of the vehicle; a suspension system comprising (1) a wheel axle having a first end configured to support a first wheel on a first side of the chassis and a second end configured to support a second wheel on a second side of the chassis, and (2) a sway bar having an elongated central portion extending between two spaced-apart end portions, each spaced-part end portion angled relative to the central portion, the sway bar configured to deflect relative to at least one of (a) the chassis and (b) the wheel axle in response to a load on the vehicle; a first leaf spring coupled to the wheel axle proximate the first side of the chassis; a second leaf spring coupled to the wheel axle proximate the second side of the chassis; a first angle sensor coupled to at least one of (i) the wheel axle proximate the first wheel and (ii) the first leaf spring, the first angle sensor being configured to measure a first angle; a second angle sensor coupled to at least one of (i) the wheel axle proximate the second wheel, (ii) the second leaf spring and (iii) the sway bar, the second angle sensor being configured to measure a second angle; and a load measurement system comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions implemented by the one or more processors to perform actions comprising: determining, based at least in part on the first angle, a first load associated with the chassis; determining, based at least in part on the second angle, a second load associated with the chassis; and determining, based on the first load and the second load, a measured vehicle load adjusted for tilt; a third angle sensor disposed on at least one of (a) the wheel axle and (b) the chassis and configured to measure a third angle, wherein the determining the measured vehicle load comprises, at least in part, determining a first difference between the first angle and the third angle and a second difference between the second angle and the third angle; wherein the third angle sensor is disposed, in a lateral direction, between the first angle sensor and the second angle sensor; and wherein: the first leaf spring extends between a first end and a second end, the second leaf spring extends between a third end and a fourth end, the first angle sensor is attached to the first leaf spring proximate the first end of the first leaf spring; and the second angle sensor is attached to the sway bar proximate a middle of the central portion of the sway bar.
4 . A vehicle comprising: a chassis configured to support a body of the vehicle; a suspension system comprising (1) a wheel axle having a first end configured to support a first wheel on a first side of the chassis and a second end configured to support a second wheel on a second side of the chassis, and (2) a sway bar having an elongated central portion extending between two spaced-apart end portions, each spaced-part end portion angled relative to the central portion, the sway bar configured to deflect relative to at least one of (a) the chassis and (b) the wheel axle in response to a load on the vehicle; a first leaf spring coupled to the wheel axle proximate the first side of the chassis; a second leaf spring coupled to the wheel axle proximate the second side of the chassis; a first angle sensor coupled to at least one of (i) the wheel axle proximate the first wheel and (ii) the first leaf spring, the first angle sensor being configured to measure a first angle; a second angle sensor coupled to at least one of (i) the wheel axle proximate the second wheel, (ii) the second leaf spring and (iii) the sway bar, the second angle sensor being configured to measure a second angle; and a load measurement system comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions implemented by the one or more processors to perform actions comprising: determining, based at least in part on the first angle, a first load associated with the chassis; determining, based at least in part on the second angle, a second load associated with the chassis; and determining, based on the first load and the second load, a measured vehicle load adjusted for tilt; and the wheel axle includes a first axle arm proximate the first wheel and a second axle arm proximate the second wheel; the first angle sensor is configured to determine an angular deflection of the first axle arm proximate the first wheel; and the second angle sensor is configured to determine an angular displacement of at least one of the spaced-part end portion of the sway bar.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This Application is a national stage entry under 35 USC § 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2021/043749, filed Jul. 29, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/058,859, filed Jul. 30, 2020, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY The subject disclosure relates to sensing vehicular loads, and more particularly to load sensing on tractor-trailer suspension systems using tilt angle sensors. BACKGROUND OF TECHNOLOGY Large-scale tractor-trailer vehicles are designed to support heavy loads. In tractor-trailer vehicles for example, freight is contained in a cargo area. The weight of the freight is distributed to a chassis of the vehicle. The weight and its distribution may affect operation of the vehicle so that monitoring the status of the suspension system and other components can provide valuable information, increase safety, and improve overall performance and reliability. In some cases, sensors can be included to measure the vehicle load. However, installing sensors on an existing vehicle can be difficult. Some conventional applications have considered using strain sensors to measure a vehicle load. However, integrating strain sensors can be complex from both a calibration and mechanical coupling standpoint. Also, the installation of sensors can affect the mechanical structure of the vehicle, and therefore may be undesirable. Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and techniques to measure a vehicle load without installing sensors and/or adversely affecting the vehicle. SUMMARY OF THE TECHNOLOGY In light of the needs described above, in at least one aspect, the subject technology relates to a vehicular load sensing system that determines a vehicle load by combining measured data from angle sensors. The angle sensors are easy to install and can be attached to an existing suspension system using a simple clamp, for example, or can be installed via other installation methods that are not intrusive and/or restrictive on an existing structure of a vehicle as opposed to traditional load sensing equipment. The load sensing system combines data and/or information from multiple sensors to adjust for vehicle tilt and/or obtain an accurate measurement of vehicle load based on the combined data. This can be particularly advantageous for tractor-trailers where knowing the total vehicle load is important, and vehicle load can change significantly depending on the vehicle freight at a given time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed systems and techniques pertain will more readily understand how to make and use the same, reference may be had to the following drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary tractor configured in accordance with the subject technology. FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an exemplary vehicle suspension system with angle sensors, in accordance with examples of the subject technology. FIG. 3 is side view of the vehicle suspension system of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of select components of the vehicle suspension system of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a graph plotting the error of various sensor combinations over various loads under test conditions. FIG. 6 is another graph plotting error of a sensor combination over various loads under test conditions. FIG. 7 is a partial front view of an alternative implementation of the vehicle suspension system of FIG. 2. FIG. 8 is a front view of an exemplary angle sensor configured in accordance with the subject technology. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example process for determining a measured vehicle load adjusted for tilt, according to implementations of this disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The subject technology overcomes many of the prior art problems associated with load sensing on vehicle including tractor-trailer trucks. In brief summary, the subject technology provides a load sensing system which combines data and/or information from multiple, easy to install, angle sensors, to determine vehicle load. The advantages, and other features of the systems and methods disclosed herein, will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings which set forth representative examples of the present disclosure. Like reference numerals are used herein to denote like parts. Further, words denoting orientation such as “upper,” “lower,” “distal,” and “proximate” are used to help describe the location of components with respect to one another. For example, an “upper” surface of a part is merely meant to describe a surface that is separate from the “lower” surface of that same part. No words denoting orientation are used to describe an absolute orientation (e.g., where an “upper” part must always be at a higher eleva