Abstract: An annunciator system annunciates a mode of a platoon operation being performed between first and second platooning vehicles travelling cooperatively in accordance with a selected mode of the platoon operation. First and second visual indicators generate first and second visual signals having different colors based on visual indicator command signals generated by an annunciator control unit that operates to generate the first and second visual indicator command signals based on a determined mode of the platoon operation being performed between the associated first and second platooning vehicles. The visual annunciator system may be installed on the rear of platooning capable commercial vehicles in an unambiguous location so that it is not confused with other vehicle lamps, and is of a low intensity that does not shine directly at following traffic. The annunciator system generates two different visual colors that may be illuminated and/or flashed to encode the platoon operating mode.

Abstract: A controller is adapted to output a predetermined input voltage signal across a Wheatstone bridge electrical circuit including a spring as a resistance in one leg of the Wheatstone bridge. The controller receives a response of a measured voltage across the Wheatstone bridge. The controller compares the predetermined input voltage with the measured voltage and determines a status of the spring based on the comparison.

Abstract: A platoon management control uses the GPS position of the rear of a lead vehicle. The lead vehicle deceleration demand is overlaid upon the position of the rear of the lead vehicle. The following vehicle uses its own GPS position along with the radar or vision system of the following vehicle to determine the rear of the lead vehicle. When a lead vehicle's deceleration signal is subtracted from the position of the rear of the forward vehicle as determined by the following vehicle, the deceleration profile must be within an acceptable window to be valid. Also, one or more local sensors on adjacent platooning vehicles are used to communicate encoding scheme selection information and also to communicate the deceleration command signals. This permits the following vehicle to decode the deceleration command signals using a decoding scheme corresponding to the encoding scheme indicated as being used by the leading vehicle.

Abstract: A backup power supply system and a method for providing power to an electrical load are provided. The system includes at least one supercapacitor, a battery and a power supply controller. The controller is configured to determine whether an output of a primary power supply for the load meets a first predetermined condition, determine, when the output of the primary power supply does not meet the first predetermined condition, a level of current required by the load, provide current to the load from the supercapacitor if the level of current required by the load meets a second predetermined condition, and, provide current to the load from the battery if the level of current required by the load does not meet the second predetermined condition until an output of the battery meets a third predetermined condition and thereafter provide current to the load from the supercapacitor.

Abstract: Platoon management control systems and methods arrange two or more vehicles cooperatively travelling seriatim as a platoon along an associated roadway into a platoon arrangement in accordance with their relative braking capabilities and other brake-related performance characteristics such as braking efficiency. Braking efficiency can change over time and is in general affected by many factors such as brake temperature, brake type, burnishing, vehicle weight, number of tires, tire wear, vehicle loading, road surface type and weather conditions. The relative braking capabilities are learned or otherwise calculated or determined in each vehicle and shared between the vehicles of the platoon. The platoon may be reorganized based on differences between the learned or otherwise calculated or determined relative braking capabilities.

Abstract: A compressor includes a stationary housing disposed about a central axis and having a radially inner surface defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced cavities opening into an interior space of the housing. The compressor further includes a plurality of fluid volume control members, each of which is disposed within one of the plurality of cavities and defines a fluid chamber within the cavity sealed relative to the interior space. An eccentric shaft is disposed within the interior space of the housing and configured for rotation about the central axis. A hypocycloid rotor is disposed within the interior space of the housing and supported on the eccentric shaft. The rotor defines a plurality of lobes configured for movement into and out of each cavity responsive to rotation of the shaft to displace the fluid volume control member in each cavity and adjust a volume of each fluid chamber.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically controlling a set of platooning vehicles travelling on a roadway to respond to a presence of a non-platooning emergency vehicle based on situational factors such as roadway configuration, emergency vehicle status, and a location of the platooning vehicle as being approaching from ahead or from behind. An emergency vehicle sensor unit senses a presence and an urgency status of the emergency vehicle near a platooning vehicle. A roadway configuration sensor unit generates roadway configuration data representative of a sensed configuration of the roadway. A control unit generates an emergency vehicle avoidance platoon control command signal based on the roadway configuration, presence, and urgency data for use by the set of platooning vehicles to maneuver the platoon away from a path of the emergency vehicle.

Abstract: A compressor comprises a first compressor piston assembly including a first compressor piston head having a bottom side and a longitudinal central axis. The compressor also comprises a first nozzle arranged to direct a first oil stream towards the bottom side of the first compressor piston head to cool the piston assembly. The compressor further comprises a second nozzle arranged to direct a second oil stream towards the bottom side of the first compressor piston head to cool the piston assembly. Each of the oil streams is substantially parallel to each other and to the longitudinal central axis to provide a flow of oil to cool the piston assembly and to reduce an oil carryover by the first compressor piston assembly by up to about fifty percent as compared to a compressor having no nozzles directing oil streams towards the bottom side of the first compressor piston head.

Abstract: A polygonal coupling couples torque source to a torque consumer such that input and output portions of the coupling may elastically rotate relative to one another during torque transfer to accommodate rotational speed variations in delivery of torque from the torque source. In an embodiment the torque source is an internal combustion engine with an integrated switchable coupling between the engine crankshaft and a torque transfer segment supporting a motor-generator. The polygonal coupling includes axially-overlapping polygonal-shaped male and female portions which cooperate to pass torque between the output of the integrated switchable coupling and an input of the torque transfer segment. At least one of the male and female portions includes recesses which form flexible arms adjacent to the lobes of the polygonal shape that allow the portions to rotate relative to one another over small angular displacements, and thereby improve damping of crankshaft rotational vibrations.

Abstract: A camera assembly includes a circuit board on which an imager is mounted, and a lens assembly mounted over the imager to the circuit board. The camera assembly further includes a first infrared light source mounted on the circuit board at a first location, and a second infrared light source mounted on the circuit board at a second location. A first light pipe is mounted to the circuit board at the first location, while a second light pipe is mounted to the circuit board at the second location. The circuit board, lens assembly, first and second infrared light sources, and first and second light pipes are disposed in a housing, which includes a front housing and a rear housing. The first and second light pipes extend from the circuit board to the front housing such that light is conveyed from the first and second infrared light sources, respectively, to an illumination exit plane of the camera assembly.

Abstract: In the event of a pneumatic trailer connection failure between a tractor and trailer of, e.g., a commercial vehicle, a pressure protection valve (PPV) is provided on the air line between a double check valve that supplies air from one or more service reservoirs and a trailer parking valve without a flow restrictor, which transmits the air to the trailer connection for supplying the trailer brakes. When output pressure on the PPV drops below a predetermined closing pressure threshold due to the connection failure, the PPV closes to protect the tractor brake air supply. Upon restoration of the trailer connection and upon input pressure at the PPV exceeding a predetermined opening pressure threshold, the PPV opens and the trailer brake system is charged more quickly than can be achieved using a conventional trailer parking valve with a flow restrictor.

Abstract: A wheel speed sensor includes a housing having a longitudinal axis. The housing receives a speed measurement instrument and faces an exciter ring upon insertion into an opening in a sensor mounting block spaced from the excite ring such that the instrument senses rotation of the exciter ring. A plurality of springs are mounted in the housing and project radially outwardly therefrom with at least a subset of the springs engaging a surface of the opening in the sensor mounting block. Each spring has first and second ends over molded by the housing and an intermediate section between the first and second ends spaced from a radially outer surface of the housing.

Abstract: A brake control signal amplification system that is designed to assist with the compliance to the FMVSS-121 Safety Standard for an air braked vehicle is described which comprises a trailer control module (TCM) that provides pneumatic signal to a trailer of the vehicle, a tractor protection valve (TPV) that protects a tractor air brake system in the event of a pneumatic disconnection from the trailer, and a pilot relay valve (PRV) coupled between the TCM and the TPV, wherein the PRV amplifies a control signal received from the TCM and delivers an amplified control signal to the to the TPV. The TPV delivers the amplified control signal to a control coupling for a trailer portion of a vehicle and delivers an air supply to a supply coupling for the trailer of the vehicle.

Abstract: A perimeter electric machine cooling arrangement includes a cooling conduit arranged to remove heat from an integrated housing containing an electric motor and a power inverter. The electrical connections between the electric motor and the power inverter are provided by flexible, pre-formed busbars that are arranged in pass over liquid cooling connections in the region between the electric motor and the power inverter. The integrated housing includes an intermediate cover over the electric motor and the power inverter portions of the housing, with a window through which the busbars can pass to reach the electric motor. The housing is further provided with an outer housing cover and seals that isolate the electric motor and the power inverter from the exterior environment and one another.

Abstract: A controller on a tractor portion of an articulated vehicle includes an electrical input port adapted to receive an electrical input signal based on a command to unpark a trailer portion of the articulated vehicle and an electronic processor adapted to: receive the electrical input signal from the electrical input port; identify, based on the electrical input signal, when the command to unpark the trailer is received at the electrical input port; and based on the command to unpark the trailer, transmit an electrical output signal to an electrical output port for causing supplemental compressed air to be communicated from the tractor to the trailer for filling an air tank on the trailer using a quick-fill mode.

Abstract: A controller comprises an electronic communication line configured to receive a system brake request control signal representing a requested system brake application and an identified urgency.

Abstract: An oil sequestering, air-drying cartridge device comprises a pair of tandem fluid diodes for respectively preventing backflow of moist air into an oil coalescing filter and preventing backflow of dry air into a desiccant material. The device comprises an outer cartridge skin and a middle shell concentrically nested between the cartridge skin and an inner shell. The middle shell houses channel walls having offset wave-like contours that prevent backflow of moist air into the oil filter, and the inner shell comprises similar channel walls that prevent backflow of dry air into the desiccant, which is positioned between the inner and middle shells.

Abstract: Systems and methods monitor driver behavior for vehicular fleet management in a fleet of vehicles using driver-facing imaging device. The systems and methods herein relate generally to vehicular fleet management for enhancing safety of the fleet and improving the performance of the fleet drivers, and further relate to monitoring the operation of fleet vehicles using one or more driver-facing imaging devices disposed in the fleet vehicles for recording activities of the fleet drivers and their passengers, storing information relating to the monitored activities, selectively generating warnings related to the monitored activities, and reporting the monitored activities to a central fleet management system for use in enhancing the safety of the vehicles of the fleet and for helping to improve the performance of the fleet drivers.

Abstract: A system and method for pre-trip inspection of a tractor trailer are provided. The system includes a communications gateway configured for electronic communication with a vehicle control system of the tractor-trailer and a computing device configured for communication with the vehicle control system through the communications gateway. The device is configured to display an instruction to a user to perform a task of the pre-trip inspection and receive an input associated with the task from the user. The input is indicative of an operating characteristic of the tractor-trailer. The device may be further configured to determine whether the operating characteristic meets a predetermined condition. The device is further configured to transmit an instruction to the vehicle control system through the communications gateway when the operating characteristic does not meet the predetermined condition. The instruction establishes a restriction on operation of the tractor-trailer.

Abstract: A braking controller and method in a towing vehicle towing one or more towed vehicles as a combination vehicle provides brake control of the one or more towed vehicles based on a level of braking force applied to the towing vehicle. A non-enhanced braking mode applies a first level of braking force to the towed vehicles in a predetermined reduced proportion relative to the level of braking force applied to the towing vehicle, and an enhanced braking mode applies a second level of braking force to the towed vehicles greater than the first level of braking force. The enhanced braking mode strategy is used unless trailer capability information reported by one or more the trailers fails to match against expected trailer capability information.