Assisted parking maneuvers for vehicles coupled in a towed recharging arrangement

US11623637B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ford Global Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Stuart C. Salter · White Lake, US
• Kenneth Patrick McHugh · Canton, US
• Peter Phung · Windsor, CA
• David Brian Glickman · Southfield, US
• Paul Kenneth Dellock · Northville, US
• John Robert Van Wiemeersch · Harper Woods, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 28, 2021
• Grant date: Apr 11, 2023
• Expiry date: Dec 29, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T90/16
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Leading and trailing electrified vehicles are coupled together in a towing arrangement for in-flight transfer of an electrical charge between their battery systems. With the vehicles connected by a towing device, a parking maneuver is initiated in which the trailing vehicle leads the leading vehicle. For the parking maneuver, one of the vehicles is designated (e.g., automatically or by driver agreement) to be an active steering vehicle and the other vehicle to be a passive steering vehicle. At least the passive steering vehicle comprises an electrically-controlled steering actuator. During movement, a turning (e.g., steering angle) of the active steering vehicle is monitored. Based on the turning of the active steering vehicle, an assistive steering angle is determined for the passive steering vehicle. The electrically-controlled steering actuator is commanded according to the assistive steering angle. The parking maneuver may be reverse or forward.