Patent ID: 12187133

The range of electric vehicles during trailer operation can be significantly increased, in particular, by means of the great amount of energy stored in the trailer.

It is advantageous that a lower trailer load is simulated by means of the controller, by means of an additional acceleration of the wheels of the trailer or by means of braking. In this way, even very light vehicles having a low drive power and a weakly designed chassis can pull large and heavy trailers. For example, it is conceivable that even vintage cars having only a low trailer load capacity can tow a travel trailer.

The stress on and wear of the towing motor vehicle is clearly reduced in that support can take place during load peaks, during initial movement, and during uphill driving. In particular, in the case of a towing vehicle having an internal combustion engine, adherence to upcoming exhaust gas standards can be achieved more easily, since trailer operation has only a slight effect on the engine stress and speed of rotation, as well as on fuel consumption, in that only a low effective trailer load is ensured. For example, it is possible to achieve a range during trailer operation of approximately 500 km in this way, even with an electric vehicle as the towing vehicle.

By means of the brake with its own energy supply in the trailer, which is independent of the towing vehicle, in particular the regenerative brake, not only the towing relief in the drive case but also the thrust relief can be permanently regulated and thereby ensured. In addition to regenerative braking, the service brake can be electrically activated in a supportive manner.

In an advantageous embodiment, the controller increases the support load by means of braking the electric motors, and thereby increases the possible transverse force of the rear wheels of the towing vehicle.

In particular or supplementally, the trailer can be braked “automatically” when driving along a curve, so as to increase the traction of the rear axle of the towing vehicle by means of an increased support load.

In a further development of the invention, the controller can control the electric motors of the two sides of the trailer separately and thereby exert a steering moment on the trailer.

The controller can also control a service brake of the wheels, optionally controlling the service brake of each side of the trailer individually.

Further sensor means can detect an articulation angle between the towing vehicle and the trailer, in particular by way of sensors or a camera and image processing software.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, regulation software of the controller comprises an observer that comprises a system model of the trailer, in particular on the basis of speeds of rotation of the wheels, transverse acceleration, and the articulation angle between the towing vehicle and the trailer, and, on the basis of this observer, compares the actual values, in particular the yaw rates, and turns the electric motors on and/or turns the service brake on.

In this regard, the regulation need of the towing/thrust relief can take place by means of different sensors acting together or individually and/or in model-based manner. A model-supported electronic system observer on the trailer, similar to an ESP, can determine the driving dynamics reference values of side slip angles and yaw angles of the trailer in relation to the towing vehicle on the basis of forces acting on a force sensor at the trailer coupling, wheel speeds of rotation, transverse acceleration, and articulation angles to the towing vehicle, and compare them with real values, for example of a yaw rate sensor, and intervene to correct the driving dynamics by way of the electric motors or the service brake.

In an advantageous embodiment, the controller can exert a pushing force on the towing vehicle, by way of the driven wheels, in particular when starting to move.

In this way, the result can be achieved, for example when starting to move, that not only the driven axle of the towing vehicle but also the trailer axle acts as a driving axle for the towing vehicle, and that better overall traction is achieved, similar to the situation for a vehicle with four-wheel drive. Fundamentally, it is also possible to “push” a towing vehicle, without any transverse forces, and thereby to create a reserve function, in particular for electric vehicles, in which the trailer serves as the sole emergency drive, so to speak. In this regard, for safety reasons the thrust force must be coordinated with the traction potential of the towing vehicle, in terms of regulation technology, or restricted to a value that is generally non-critical. This “emergency function” can serve, for example, for the purpose of being able to leave a hazardous location, or reaching the next charging station. In this regard, slight regeneration in the pushed “towing vehicle” can maintain a minimum charging state in the vehicle and thereby supply energy to vehicle safety systems such as brakes, steering, and lights, for example.

Alternatively or in addition, a retarder function can be integrated for when the battery is fully charged, which function can supplement or replace the service brake.

The goal of regulation is a force effect that is directed, essentially free of transverse force, at the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Actuators are the electric motors individual to the wheels (Torque Vectoring), if necessary supplemented by the service brake. In this regard, suitable sensors are required, for one thing force sensors at the coupling point in all three spatial directions (e.g., the longitudinal direction of the trailer, transverse direction of the trailer, and perpendicular direction of the trailer) (on the trailer or the towing vehicle), as well as, for another thing, force sensors or force/path sensors (spring deflection) in the longitudinal direction of the trailer, combined with articulation angle detection (sensor, camera, etc.) between the towing vehicle and the trailer, and the wheel moments on the trailer (equivalent to the transverse force effect on the trailer coupling).