JPH11278319A - Combination-vehicle relative angle detection system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a combination-vehicle relative angle detection system and a method for the system of a simple and low-cost structure, insusceptible to pitching and rolling. SOLUTION: A tractor 1 is provided in its rear with distance measuring means 6A and 6B spaced at a fixed interval to measure the distance to a trailer 2. The difference between the two measured distances and the fixed distance are applied to simple geometrical knowledge and a trigonometric function to compute the combination-vehicle relative angle θ. This constitution is extremely simple and inexpensive. When the vehicles combined roll or pitch, the distances the two distance measuring means 6A and 6B measure vary by the same value, which cancels out in the difference calculation and thus has no effects on the computed combination-vehicle relative angle θ.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connected vehicle relative angle detecting device and method for detecting an angle between connected vehicles in a connected vehicle in which a main vehicle and a slave vehicle are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Vehicles include a connected vehicle comprising a main vehicle (towing vehicle, hereinafter referred to as "tractor") and a slave vehicle (towed vehicle, hereinafter referred to as "trailer") connected thereto. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing such a conventional connected vehicle. In FIG. 9, 1 is a tractor, 2 is a trailer, 3 is a coupler, and 4, 5 are wheels. The trailer 2 is connected to a coupler 3 of the tractor 1 by connecting a kingpin (not shown) attached to a lower surface of a front part of the tractor 1 to the tractor 1.
Linked to

When such a connected vehicle turns, first, the leading tractor 1 turns, and then the trailer 2 turns by being pulled by the leading tractor 1. At that time, the tractor 1 and the trailer 2 turn away from each other. The shifted angle is the relative angle of the connected vehicle. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a relative angle of the connected vehicle. The reference numerals correspond to those in FIG. 9, 30 is the tractor center line, 31 is the trailer center line, and θ is the relative angle of the connected vehicle. Since the tractor center line 30 indicates the direction in which the tractor 1 is facing and the trailer center line 31 indicates the direction in which the trailer 2 is facing, the connected vehicle relative angle θ is obtained as the angle formed by them.

In a connected vehicle, it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of a jackknife phenomenon or a trailing wing during running, but in order to prevent such a phenomenon and enhance steering stability, control of steering angle control and braking force control is required. There are various studies. When performing such control, it is important to accurately grasp the attitude of the connected vehicle. The connected vehicle relative angle is an important factor in grasping the posture of the connected vehicle.

[0005] Therefore, several proposals have been made for detecting the relative angle of the connected vehicle. For example, JP-A-62-29
Japanese Patent Publication No. 471 proposes a technique in which a gear mechanism for a gear and a rack is provided at a coupler portion and a hydraulic mechanism is provided for detection. JP-A-6-87462, JP-A-6-25
Japanese Patent No. 5529 proposes a technique in which a turntable and a lever are provided in a coupler portion and a hydraulic mechanism is provided for detection. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-332973 discloses a technique in which a magnetic scale is provided in an arc shape on the lower surface of a trailer, a magnetic sensor is provided on a side surface of a coupler, and a detection is made based on how much the magnetic sensor has rotated along the magnetic scale. Has been proposed.

[0006]

However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Sho 62-29471 and Hei 6-87462 disclose the aforementioned technology.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-255529 has a problem that the structure is complicated, the number of parts is large, and the cost is high.
The method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2973 has a problem that when the connected vehicle is pitched or rolled, it is easily affected by the pitching or rolling. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, and to provide an apparatus and method for detecting a relative angle of a connected vehicle which has a simple structure, is inexpensive, and is not affected by pitching and rolling. Things.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a connected vehicle relative angle detecting apparatus according to the present invention is installed in a tractor constituting a connected vehicle in a rearward direction at a predetermined distance in parallel with the tractor. Distance measuring means and a second distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the first and second distance measuring means, and a distance measured by the first distance measuring means and the second distance measuring means, respectively. And calculating means for calculating the relative angle of the connected vehicle based on the predetermined distance.

In the method for detecting a relative angle of a connected vehicle according to the present invention, the first distance measuring means and the second distance measuring means are provided on a tractor constituting the connected vehicle in parallel at a predetermined distance rearward. The distance between the trailer and the trailer connected to the tractor, and based on the distance measured by the first distance measuring means and the second distance measuring means and the fixed distance, the relative angle of the connected vehicle Was determined by calculation.

(Summary of operation to be solved) The distance between the tractor and the trailer is measured by distance measuring means installed in parallel at a fixed distance, and the difference between the two distances obtained by the measurement and the fixed distance are calculated. Based on this, the relative angle of the connected vehicle is calculated by a trigonometric function. When the tractor and the trailer roll or pitch, the distances measured by the distance measuring means change by the same value, so that the distances are canceled at the stage of taking the difference, and the relative vehicle angle obtained by calculation is affected. Will not come out.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a connected vehicle to which the present invention has been applied. The reference numerals correspond to those in FIG.
Is a direct-acting displacement sensor, and 7 is a calculating means. The direct-acting displacement sensor 6 is a type of distance measuring means, is installed on the tractor 1 side, and has a contact tip contacting the wall surface of the trailer 2 facing the tractor 1.
The calculation means 7 is, for example, a controller configured as a computer. The signal of the distance detected by the direct-acting displacement sensor 6 is sent to the calculating means 7, where the calculation for obtaining the relative angle of the connected vehicle is performed. In this embodiment, as a means for measuring the distance between the tractor 1 and the trailer 2, a device using a direct-acting displacement sensor that mechanically contacts the trailer 2 to measure the distance is shown.
Other types of distance measuring means may be used.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the linear motion type displacement sensor 6. Reference numerals correspond to those in FIG. 1, 10 is a direct-acting displacement sensor main body, 11 is an inner rod, 12 is a contact ball,
13, 14 are mounting brackets, 15 is a mounting base, 16 is a support base, 17 is a contact ball unit, 18-1, 18-2.
Is a screw hole, 19 is a screw, and 20 is a wiring. Support 16
A mounting base 15 is fixed on the mounting base 15, and the direct-acting displacement sensor main body 10 is mounted on the mounting base 15 by mounting brackets 13 and 14 and screws 19. The screw 19 is screwed into the screw holes 18-1 and 18-2.

The inner rod 11 is linearly movable in and out of the direct-acting displacement sensor main body 10 in the direction of the arrow. A contact ball unit 17 including the contact ball 12 is provided at the tip. . The contact ball 12 is always brought into contact with the wall surface of the trailer 2 and the inner rod 1
The distance between the trailer 2 and the trailer 2 is detected by detecting the displacement 1. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 4, the direct-acting displacement sensor main body 10 basically has a potentiometer structure, and a wiring 20 is provided for that purpose. The signal of the displacement of the inner rod 11 is obtained from the wiring 20, and the relative angle of the connected vehicle is calculated based on the signal.

FIG. 2 is a side view and a plan view of the direct-acting displacement sensor 6. The reference numerals correspond to those in FIGS. FIG. 2A is a view of the direct-acting displacement sensor 6 as viewed from the side. The support base 16 is attached to a portion behind the tractor 1 and facing a wall surface of the trailer 2. The contact ball 12 is constantly pressed against the wall surface of the trailer 2. The inner rod 11 is a trailer 2
The trailer 2 is retracted into the linear motion type displacement sensor main body 10 when it is pushed, and protrudes when the trailer 2 moves far away.

FIG. 2B is a top view of the direct-acting displacement sensor. Since two linear displacement sensors are provided and used in parallel, two are shown. To distinguish them,
Each code is given a subscript of A or B. The linear displacement sensors 6A and 6B are provided in parallel to the rear of the tractor 1. L is both inner rods 11A and 11B
The distance between the inner rods, that is, the distance between the inner rods, S _A and S _B is the protrusion stroke of the inner rods 11A and 11B. If the connected vehicle is going straight,
The wall surface of the trailer 2 with which the contact balls 12A and 12B are in contact is perpendicular to the inner rods 11A and 11B, and the protruding strokes S _A and S _{B of both} are the same.
From the signal lines 20A and 20B, the protruding strokes S _A and S
The detection signal of _B is extracted.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the principle structure of the direct-acting displacement sensor main body 10. As shown in FIG. The reference numerals correspond to those in FIG.
1, 22, 23 are terminals, 24 is a resistor, 25 is a brush, 2
6 is a spring. The spring 26 is a spring that resiliently pushes the inner rod 11 in the projecting direction.
Is compressed when pressed against the trailer wall. Terminal 21,
A voltage is applied to both ends of the resistor 24 via the resistor 22, and the brush 25 attached to the inner rod 11
4 slide on. The resistor 24 and the brush 25 form a kind of potentiometer, and a voltage signal corresponding to the displacement of the inner rod 11 is obtained from the terminal 23.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the operation of the linear displacement sensor according to the present invention. The reference numerals correspond to those in FIG.
A and 6B are direct-acting displacement sensors provided in parallel with each other. As shown, when the tractor 1 turns to the right with respect to the trailer 2, the inner rod of the right-side linear displacement sensor 6A is pushed and retracted, and the inner rod of the left-side linear displacement sensor 6B protrudes. That is, there is a difference in the protrusion stroke of the inner rod. Based on this difference, the connected vehicle relative angle θ is detected. The principle will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the principle of detecting the connected vehicle relative angle θ in the present invention. FIG. 6A is a diagram of a portion of a linear motion displacement sensor. P and R are inner rods 11
A contact point between the A and 11B and the wall surface of the trailer 2, Q is a perpendicular leg lowered from the point P to the inner rod 11B. P
The distance between Q is equal to the distance L between the inner rods in FIG. If the tractor 1 is turning to the right, the projecting stroke S _A of the right inner rod 11A protruding stroke S _B of the small, and the left side of the inner rod 11B becomes larger. If the difference between the two strokes is D, then D = S _B -S
_A.

FIG. 6 (b) shows a triangle PQR extracted and drawn. In FIG. 5, it is immediately apparent from the consideration of the elementary geometry regarding the triangle that the relative angle θ of the connected vehicle is equal to the angle P in FIG.
Since the triangle PQR is a right-angled triangle with the angle Q being a right angle, the connected vehicle relative angle θ (= angle P) is obtained by the following equation. tan θ = D / L The distance L between the inner rods is a value known at the stage when the linear displacement sensor 6 is installed, and the stroke difference D is obtained from detection signals from the linear displacement sensors 6A and 6B. . Therefore, θ is obtained by the above equation.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the connected vehicle to which the present invention is applied when rolling. The symbols correspond to those in FIG.
Dotted lines 2-1 and 2-2 are trailers when rolling. FIG. 7A shows a case where the trailer 2 is rolling to the left, and FIG. 7B shows a case where the trailer 2 is rolling to the right. In the case of rolling, the contact balls at the tips of the linear displacement sensors 6A and 6B only slide in the roll direction, and there is no difference in the protruding stroke. That is, the connected vehicle relative angle detection device of the present invention is not affected by rolling.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the pitching of the connected vehicle to which the present invention is applied. As shown, the tractor 1
When the pitching occurs so that the upper part of the trailer 2 approaches the upper part of the trailer 2, the linear motion displacement sensors 6A and 6B are pressed to the same extent by the wall surface of the trailer 2 and compressed. Conversely, if pitching occurs so that the upper part of the tractor 1 and the upper part of the trailer 2 are separated, the linear motion type displacement sensor 6
A and 6B extend to the same extent.

That is, at the time of pitching, both of them are compressed or expanded in the same manner, so that no stroke difference occurs. Therefore, the connected vehicle relative angle detection device of the present invention is not affected by pitching. In the above-described embodiment, as a means for measuring the distance between the tractor and the trailer, a direct-acting displacement sensor that mechanically contacts and measures the trailer is used, but a different type of distance measuring means (for example, , A distance measuring means using a laser) can also be used.

[0022]

As described above, in the apparatus and method for detecting the relative angle of a connected vehicle according to the present invention, the distance between the tractor and the trailer is measured by the distance measuring means installed in parallel at a fixed distance. Based on the difference between the two distances obtained by the above and the fixed distance, the connected vehicle relative angle is obtained by calculating a trigonometric function. Therefore, when the tractor and the trailer roll or pitch, the distances measured by the distance measuring means both change by the same value. Will not be affected.
Means for measuring the distance between the tractor and the trailer is
The cost is lower than that using a gear mechanism or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a connected vehicle to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side view and a plan view of a linear displacement sensor.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a linear motion type displacement sensor.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the principle structure of a linear motion type displacement sensor main body;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation state of the linear displacement sensor according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a principle of detecting a relative angle of a connected vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the connected vehicle according to the present invention is rolling.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the connected vehicle according to the present invention is pitched;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a conventional coupled vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a relative angle of a connected vehicle;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tractor, 2,2-1, 2-2 ... Trailer, 3 ... Coupler, 4,5 ... Wheel, 6, 6A, 6B ... Direct-motion displacement sensor, 7 ... Calculation means, 10, 10A, 10B ... Straight Dynamic displacement sensor body, 11, 11A, 11B ... inner rod, 12, 12A, 12B ... contact ball, 13, 13
A, 13B, 14, 14A, 14B ... mounting bracket,
13-1: screw hole, 15, 15A, 15B: mounting base, 1
6, 16A, 16B: support base, 17: contact ball unit, 18-1, 18-2: screw hole, 19: screw, 20,
20A, 20B ... wiring, 21, 22, 23 ... terminals, 24
... resistance, 25 ... brush, 26 ... spring, 30 ... tractor center line, 31 ... trailer center line, L ... distance between inner rods, D ... stroke difference, [theta] ... relative angle of connected vehicle

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first distance measuring means which is installed parallel to a tractor constituting a connected vehicle rearward at a predetermined distance and which measures a distance between a trailer connected to the tractor and a second distance measuring means. Distance measuring means, and calculating means for calculating a relative angle of the connected vehicle based on the distance measured by each of the first distance measuring means and the second distance measuring means and the fixed distance. A coupled vehicle relative angle detecting device, characterized in that: 2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said first and second distance measuring means are provided at a predetermined distance in parallel to a tractor forming a connected vehicle and extend rearward from said trailer. Measuring the distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and calculating the relative angle of the connected vehicle based on the distance measured by the first distance measuring means and the second distance measuring means and the fixed distance. Vehicle relative angle detection method.