METHOD FOR DETERMINING A CONTACT FORCE ON A UTILITY VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for determining a contact force on a utility vehicle includes providing the utility vehicle with a first wheel axle and a second wheel axle, determining a drive slip of the second wheel axle, and a road surface-specific determination data set associated with a traction coefficient in dependence on the drive slip, and determining the contact force on the second wheel axle based on the drive slip of the second wheel axle and the road surface-specific determination data set.

Claims

1. A method for determining a contact force on a utility vehicle, comprising: providing the utility vehicle with a first wheel axle and a second wheel axle, determining a drive slip of the second wheel axle, and a road surface-specific determination data set associated with a traction coefficient in dependence on the drive slip; and determining the contact force on the second wheel axle based on the drive slip of the second wheel axle and the road surface-specific determination data set.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving the road surface-specific determination data set from a road surface-specific base data set associated with the first wheel axle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising deriving the road surface specific determination data set from the base data set based on at least one of a vehicle speed of the utility vehicle, a steering status of the utility vehicle, a driving track of the first wheel axle, a driving track of the second wheel axle, a rolling radius of at least one wheel of the first wheel axle, and a rolling radius of at least one wheel of the additional wheel axle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the base data set reflects a traction coefficient in dependence on the drive slip.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising: providing a plurality of different road surface-specific data sets, each of which reflects a traction coefficient in dependence on a drive slip; determining a value of a traction coefficient and a value of a drive slip on the first wheel axle; and determining the road surface-specific base data set in dependence on the determined values of the traction coefficient and the drive slip from the provided different road surface-specific data sets.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising representing a road surface-specific determination data set or a road surface-specific base data set by a characteristic curve.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step comprises providing the first wheel axle as a front axle and the second wheel axle as a rear axle of the utility vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a braking device or an all-wheel clutch of the utility vehicle based on the determined contact force.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: transferring a torque from a wheel axle to another wheel axle via the all-wheel clutch; controlling the all-wheel clutch so that the transferred torque does not exceed a predefined maximum torque; and determining the maximum torque in dependence on a maximum braking torque.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the maximum braking torque in dependence on a maximum traction coefficient.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising defining the maximum traction coefficient as a maximum value of a road surface-specific data set associated with a traction coefficient in dependence on a drive slip.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the road surface-specific data set from a plurality of provided different road surface-specific data sets, wherein the determining step is based on a vehicle traction value determined for the utility vehicle and a vehicle drive slip value determined for the utility vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the vehicle traction value based on the determined contact force.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a utility vehicle,

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a characteristic curve field with a representation of a traction coefficient in dependence on a drive slip for different road surfaces,

[0044] FIG. 3 shows characteristic curve fields for determination of the road surface on a wheel axle and estimation of the traction coefficient on a different wheel axle in a first embodiment,

[0045] FIG. 4 shows characteristic curve fields for determination of the road surface on a wheel axle and estimation of the traction coefficient on a different wheel axle in another embodiment,

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram with a contact force determined according to the method of the present disclosure as a starting parameter, and

[0047] FIG. 6 shows a block diagram with a maximal transfer torque determined according to the method of the present disclosure as a starting parameter for control of an all-wheel clutch of a utility vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIG. 1 schematically shows a utility vehicle 10, which is designed in particular as a tractor or the like. The utility vehicle 10 has, as a first wheel axle, a front axle 12 and, as an additional wheel axle, a rear axle 14. A drive force F_drv_RF is associated with a right front wheel RF of the front axle 12 and a drive force F_drv_LF is associated with a left front wheel LF. A drive force F_drv_RR is associated with a right rear wheel RR of the rear axle 14 and a drive force F_drv_LR is associated with a left rear wheel LR. The contact forces F_con_RF and F_con_LF act on the front wheels, while the contact forces F_con_RR and F_con_LR act on the rear wheels. The utility vehicle 10 travels along a direction of travel 16 at a travel speed v_veh. Here a total drive force F_drv_total is transferred by the drive train of the utility vehicle and is divided into the already mentioned drive forces F_drv_RF, F_drv_LF, F_drv_RR, and F_drv_LR. A traction coefficient _RF and _LF and a drive slip s_RF and s_LF are associated with the two front wheels RF and LF, while a traction coefficient _RR and _LR and a drive slip s_RR and s_LR are associated with the two rear wheels.

[0049] The utility vehicle 10 travels on a road surface 18, which can have different surface properties (for example, asphalt, loamy sand, mud). The surface property of the driving track 20 of the front axle 12 on the one hand and the surface property of the driving track 22 of the rear axle 14 on the other hand can be the same (for example, in the case of a dry and solid road surface 18 or if the driving tracks 20, 22 are different) or can be different (for example, in the case of a wet road surface and identical driving tracks 20, 22).

[0050] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the front axle 12 is connected to a support structure 24 of the utility vehicle 10 via a suspension (for example, a hydraulic cylinder), while the rear axle 14 is connected unsuspended to the support structure. A contact force of the suspended front axle 12 can therefore be calculated, for example, as the sum of a spring force measured there by a sensor and the weight force of the unsuspended axle mass with respect to the front axle 12. For the unsuspended rear axle 14 such a determination of contact forces is not possible.

[0051] According to the method, a contact force on the rear axle 14, i.e., either for just one wheel RR or LR, or for both wheels, or for the entire wheel axle, is determined by first starting from the general physical equation:

=F_drv/F_con(1),

[0052] where is a traction coefficient (for example, of an individual wheel _RR or _LR on the rear axle 14), F_drv is the drive force (for example, of an individual wheel F_drv_RR or F_drv_LR, or on the entire rear axle 14), which is usually directed in the direction of travel 16, and F_con is the contact force (for example, of an individual wheel F_con_RR or F_con_LR, or on the entire rear axle 14).

[0053] The following mathematical/physical considerations are in part explained generally and can correspondingly be applied to each of the two rear wheels RR and LR of the rear axle 14, so that the contact force F_con_RR or F_con_LR can be determined for each rear wheel.

[0054] Generally, the contact force F_con is obtained according to equation (1) as

F_con=F_drv/(2).

[0055] The drive force F_drv of the rear axle 14 is known in that the drive forces F_drv_RF and F_drv_LF of the two front wheels RF and LF are derived from the total drive force F_drv_total in accordance with the drive train. The two drive forces F_drv_RF and F_drv_LF are assumed to be known, since they are estimated in the usual way, for example, on the basis of a torque measurement at the front axle or a measurement process, as is known, for example, from DE 10 2015 212 897 A1.

[0056] Thus, the two drive forces F_drv_RR and F_drv_LR can be estimated as each being half the drive force F_drv on the rear axle 14.

[0057] Therefore, only the traction coefficient according to equation (2) remains to be determined. This is done according to the present disclosure by employing the drive slip s_RR or s_LR associated with the rear axle 14 and a road surface-specific determination data set. Here the drive slip s_RR or s_LR is calculated for each rear wheel in the usual way, in particular via the speed of travel v_veh of the utility vehicle 10, the wheel rpms n_RR or n_LR, and the rolling radius of the tires r_RR or r_LR at the rear wheels RR and LR, s_RR/LR=(2.Math.r_RR/LR.Math.n_RR/LRv_veh)/(2r_RR/LR.Math.n_RR/LR).

[0058] The road surface-specific determination data set reflects a traction coefficient in dependence on a drive slip s. Starting from the drive slip s_RR or s_LR on a rear wheel of the rear axle 14, which is known as described above, the unknown relevant traction coefficient _RR or _LR can thus be determined via the determination data set, which takes place by reading from a characteristic curve field, as explained below. Then, the relevant contact force F_con_RR or F_con_LR on the rear axle 14 can be determined from the determined traction coefficients _RR or _LR.

[0059] The road surface-specific determination data set itself is represented by a characteristic curve that is still to be described and is made available in that it is derived from a road surface-specific base data set. The base data set is likewise a characteristic curve that is still to be described, which reflects a traction coefficient in dependence on a drive slip s. The base data set is associated with the front axle 12, i.e., the wheel axle or an individual wheel RF or LF. It is selected or determined from a plurality of provided different road surface-specific data sets.

[0060] According to FIG. 2, the different road surface-specific data sets are made available as a characteristic curve field. Different characteristic curves KL reflect a traction coefficient in dependence on a drive slip s. One can learn from the diagram in FIG. 2 that individual characteristic curves KL or characteristic curve regions are dependent on road surface 18, thus are different in a road surface-specific way. For example, the characteristic curve regions concrete, asphalt (dry), dry loam, and mud are shown. In turn, road surface specifically different characteristic curves KL can be found within each characteristic curve region.

[0061] Illustrative determinations of the road surface-specific base characteristic curve as base data set and the road surface-specific determination characteristic curve as determination data set are explained below by means of FIG. 3.

[0062] For the two front wheels RF and LF the values of the traction coefficients _RF and _LF are available via the known contact and drive forces on the front axle 12. Likewise, the values of the drive slip s_RF and s_LF are available for the two front wheels RF and LF by calculating them in the usual way, i.e., by analogy with the calculation of the already explained drive slip s_RR or s_LR on the rear axle 14.

[0063] In dependence on these values the base characteristic curves KL_RF and KL_LF, which are indicated by a thick line in FIGS. 3 and 4, and which are associated with the front axle 12, are determined for the two front wheels RF and LF.

[0064] In the case according to FIG. 3, it is established by means of suitable physical parameters (for example, the vehicle speed v, steering status of the utility vehicle 10, driving track 20 of the front axle 12, driving track 22 of the rear axle 14, rolling radius of the wheels RF, LF of the front axle 12, rolling radius of the wheels RR, LR of the rear axle 14) that the rear wheels RR, LR use a different driving track than the front wheels RF, LF. In this case the determination characteristic curve associated with the rear axle 14 is identical to the base characteristic curve, i.e., the determination characteristic curve KL_RR, which is indicated with a heavy line and is associated with the right rear wheel RR, is identical to the base characteristic curve KL_RF and the determination characteristic curve KL_LR indicated with a heavy line and associated with the left rear wheel LR is identical to the base characteristic curve KL_LF.

[0065] In the case according to FIG. 4, it is established by means of suitable physical parameters (for example, the vehicle speed v, steering status of the utility vehicle 10, driving track 20 of the front axle 12, driving track 22 of the rear axle 14, rolling radius of the wheels RF, LF of the front axle 12, rolling radius of the wheels RR, LR of the rear axle 14) that the rear wheels RR, LR use the same driving track as the front wheels RF, LF. In this case, the determination characteristic curve KL_RR or KL_LR, which is indicated with a heavy line and is associated with the rear axle 14, is to be corrected on the basis of the base characteristic curve KL_RF or KL_LF in the direction of a more compact road surface 18.

[0066] In both of the cases according to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the drive slip s_RR and s_LR associated with the rear axle 14 is already known, as described above. Thus, the unknown value of the traction coefficient can be determined in each case by means of the determination characteristic curve KL_RR and KL_LR.

[0067] Summarizing, one can, as represented by means of FIG. 5, and using the method with the knowledge of the total drive force F_drv_total, the drive forces F_drv_RF, F_drv_LF on a first wheel axle, the drive slip s_RF, s_LF on the first wheel axle, the drive slip s_RR, s_LR on an additional wheel axle, the traction coefficient _RF and _LF on the first wheel axle, optionally additional parameters such as speed of travel v_veh, rolling radius R_roll of the individual wheels RF, LF, RR, LR, provided characteristic curves KL, which each reflect a traction coefficient for different ground properties in dependence on a drive slip, and a contact force, F_con_RR or F_con_LR on the additional wheel axle, in particular the rear wheel axle 14, can be determined, without a force sensor mechanism or the like on the additional wheel axle being necessary for this.

[0068] According to FIG. 6, contact forces F_con_RF, F_con_LF on the front axle 12 and F_con_RR, F_con_LR on the rear axle 14 of the utility vehicle 10 are determined in order to control a braking device 26 or an all-wheel clutch 28 of the utility vehicle 10 in dependence on the determined contact forces F_con_RF, F_con_LF, F_con_RR, F_con_LR. Here it is not necessary to determine individual contact forces F_con_RF, F_con_LF, F_con_RR, F_con_LR by the method explained by means of FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. Rather, in another embodiment, individual contact forces F_con_RF, F_con_LF, F_con_RR, F_con_LR can be determined in any desired way so as to realize a control according to FIG. 6.

[0069] The control according to FIG. 6 is based on the consideration that in the case of the utility vehicle 10, in particular a tractor, the all-wheel drive is activated in a braking operation. Here the all-wheel drive is completely engaged via an all-wheel clutch. As a consequence of the activation of the all-wheel drive, the braking force on the rear wheels RR, LR also acts on the front wheels RF, LF via the drive train of the utility vehicle 10. This leads to an enhanced braking of the front wheels RF, LF. In order to avoid any locking of the front wheels, a maximum braking torque can be defined for each front wheel RF, LF:

M_Br-max_RF=_max.Math.F_con_RF.Math.R_tire(3)

[0070] for the right front wheel RF and

M_Br-max_LF=_max.Math.F_con_LF.Math.R_tire(4)

[0071] for the left front wheel LF. The tire radii R_tire of the front wheels RF, LF are assumed to be known, likewise the contact forces F_con_RF, F_con_LF, as explained above. The maximum traction coefficient _max, as the maximum value of a characteristic curve KL that is to be determined, can be taken from the provided characteristic curve field according to FIG. 2. The applicable characteristic curve KL is determined by determining a traction coefficient _veh of the utility vehicle 10 and a drive slip s_veh of the utility vehicle 10.

[0072] The following is valid for the traction coefficient _veh:

_veh=F_drv_total/(F_con_RF+F_con_LF+F_con_RR+F_con_LR)(5)

[0073] The following is valid for the drive slip s_veh:

s_veh=(v_vehv_wheel)/v_wheel(6),

[0074] where in what follows v_wheel=v_RR and v_wheel=v_LR for the wheel speed.

[0075] A pertinent maximum drive slip that should be reached by an ABS (antilocking system) device on the front axle 12 in order to achieve a maximum braking in accordance with the maximum braking torque M_Br-max_RF, M_Br-max_LF can also be found from the maximum traction coefficient _max in the applicable characteristic curve KL,

[0076] In this way, the front axle 12 of the utility vehicle 10, which is the main axle involved in the braking operation, can be operated in its optimum traction range, so that any locking of the front axle is avoided. Here a torque is set for the all-wheel clutch 28 such that its torque capacity does not exceed the maximum transfer torque. Since there should be no effect on the braking device 26, the braking torques M_Br_RF (on the front wheel RF) and M_Br_LF (on the front wheel LF) applied by the operating brake are dependent on the position of the brake pedal or the brake pressure and are assumed to be known. This results in a maximum permissible transfer torque M_T-max, which should be transferred from the brakes of the rear axle 14 to the front axle 12 via the all-wheel clutch 28 as:

M_T-max=(M_Br-max_VM_Br_V)/T(7),

[0077] where M_Br-max_V is the sum of the maximum braking torques M_Br-max_RF and M_Br-max_LF, M_Br_V is the sum of the braking torques M_Br_RF and M_Br_LF, and T is the transfer of the all-wheel clutch 28 with respect to the end drive with respect to the front axle 12.

[0078] If there is an active differential in the front axle 12, equation (7) should be modified as follows:

M_T-max=2.Math.M_Br_min/T(8),

[0079] where M_Br_min is the smaller of the two values (M_Br-max_RFM_Br_RF) and (M_Br-max_LFM_Br_LF).

[0080] While embodiments incorporating the principles of the present disclosure have been described hereinabove, the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments. Instead, this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.