Tractor protection valve assembly and electro-pneumatic brake system of a tractor vehicle

1. An electro-pneumatic tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) to be used in a tractor vehicle ( 1 ), for supplying a trailing vehicle ( 3 ) with a trailer supply pressure and with a trailer brake control pressure for enabling trailer brake processes of a trailer pneumatic brake system ( 4 ) of the trailing vehicle ( 3 ), the tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) comprising:

a trailer supply input ( 84 ) for receiving at least one supply pressure,

a trailer service output ( 87 ) for delivering the trailer supply pressure to a trailer supply line ( 120 ),

a first supply input ( 81 ) for receiving a primary driver brake pressure and a second supply input ( 82 ) for receiving a secondary driver brake pressure, both the primary driver brake pressure and the secondary driver brake pressure to be supplied from a dual brake valve ( 14 ) actuated by a driver brake pedal ( 10 ),

a vent ( 86 ) for venting at least one internal conduit ( 33 ) of the electro-pneumatic tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ),

a first electrically controlled pneumatic valve ( 92 , 92 ) to receive a first electric control signal (S 1 ) to start a trailer assistance brake process without actuation of the driver brake pedal ( 10 ), and

a trailer control output ( 85 ) for delivering the trailer brake control pressure to a connected trailer control line ( 121 ) for starting a trailer brake process, the trailer control output ( 85 ) delivering the trailer brake control pressure in case of at least one of the following situations: the primary brake control pressure being supplied to the first supply input ( 81 ), the secondary brake control pressure being supplied to the second supply input ( 82 ), or the first electric control signal (S 1 ) signaling an assistance brake process,

wherein the electro-pneumatic tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) further comprises one single casing ( 8 a ), in which the first supply input ( 81 ), the second supply input ( 82 ), the trailer supply input ( 84 ), the trailer control output ( 85 ), the vent opening ( 86 ) and the trailer service output ( 87 ) are accommodated,

wherein the first electrically controlled pneumatic solenoid valve ( 92 ) is a 2/2-solenoid valve configured for receiving the first electric control signal (S 1 ),

further comprising a second electrically controlled pneumatic solenoid valve ( 93 ) configured for receiving a second electric control signal (S 2 ),

wherein the first and second electrically controlled pneumatic solenoid valves ( 92 , 93 ) are configured for enabling phases of pressure increase, pressure holding and pressure release at the trailer control output ( 85 ).

2. The tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising at least a first two-way valve ( 26 ) with two inputs ( 26 - 1 , 26 - 2 ) and one output ( 26 - 3 ) for passing through a maximum pressure of two applied pressures to the output ( 26 - 3 ).

3. The tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 2 ,

wherein the highest pressure out of the primary driver brake pressure received at the first supply input ( 81 ), of the secondary driver brake pressure received at the second supply input ( 82 ), and of a brake control pressure produced for assistance brake processes, is passed through as the trailer brake control pressure.

4. The tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 3 , further configured for receiving a pressure signal or supply pressure from a trailer assistance control valve ( 18 ) to be actuated by a driver for initiating a selective trailer brake as assistance anti-Jackknife brake function, the pressure signal or supply signal being one of the plurality of pressures.

5. The tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a tractor protection valve ( 27 ) pneumatically controlled by a trailer supply pressure, the tractor protection valve ( 27 ) comprising an input port ( 27 - 1 ), an output port ( 27 - 2 ), and a venting port ( 27 - 3 ), the tractor protection valve ( 27 ) configured for delivering the trailer brake control pressure to the trailer control output ( 85 ) when the trailer supply pressure acts on a control input ( 27 - 0 ) of the tractor protection valve ( 27 ).

6. The tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the casing ( 8 a ) is a die-cast part comprising bores forming conduits and further bores for inserting internal valves.

7. The tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the trailer service output ( 87 ) is connected to the trailer service input ( 84 ) via at least one bore of the casing ( 8 a ), for passing the supply pressure received at the trailer supply input ( 84 ) through and delivering it as trailer brake supply pressure.

8. An electro-pneumatic brake system ( 2 ) for a tractor vehicle ( 1 ), comprising a tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) according to claim 1 ,

a driver brake pedal ( 10 ) and a dual brake valve ( 14 ) to be actuated by the drivers brake pedal ( 10 ),

a primary reservoir ( 11 ) and a secondary reservoir ( 12 ), which are connected to the first supply input ( 81 ) and the second supply input ( 82 ) of the tractor protection valve assembly ( 8 ) to be passed through the dual brake valve ( 14 ) as analog driver's brake pressures in dependence of the actuation of the driver brake pedal ( 10 ),

a trailer supply valve ( 20 ) connected to the trailer supply input ( 84 ),

a trailer supply valve handle ( 21 ) to be actuated for opening the trailer supply valve ( 20 ) to provide the trailer service output ( 87 ) with the trailer brake supply pressure,

an electric control unit ( 6 ) outputting the at least one electric control signal (S 1 , S 2 ) to the first solenoid valve ( 92 ) for enabling an assistance brake procedure of the trailing vehicle ( 3 ).

9. The electro-pneumatic brake system ( 2 ) according to claim 8 , further comprising an external driver assistance system ( 5 ) outputting external brake request signals (XBR) to the electric control unit ( 6 ), the electric control unit ( 6 ) outputting the at least first control signal (S 1 ) in dependence of the external brake request signals (XBR).

10. The electro-pneumatic brake system ( 2 ) according to claim 9 , the external driver assistance system being selected of the group consisting of;

cruise control (CC), automatic cruise control (ACC) or pre-crash system for preventing a crash or lowering the damage in case of a crash.

11. The electro-pneumatic brake system ( 2 ) according to claim 8 , further comprising a stability control system by selectively actuating brakes, wherein the electric control unit ( 6 ) realizes a stability control of the trailing vehicle ( 3 ) by outputting the at least first control signal (S 1 ).

12. The electro-pneumatic brake system ( 2 ) according to claim 8 , further comprising a trailer control valve ( 18 ) delivering a pressure signal or primary supply pressure and a trailer control valve handle ( 19 ) to actuate the trailer control valve ( 18 ) to initiate a selective trailer brake process as Anti-Jackknife process.