Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A system (100) for balancing a vehicle (300), the system (100) comprising:
at-least one cylinder (120) adapted to the vehicle (300);
a weight (130) adapted to the cylinder (120), the cylinder (120) configured to move the weight (130) away from the vehicle (300);
a sensor (110) for monitoring position of the vehicle (300);
and
a control unit (140) configured to:
receive position information of the vehicle (300) from the sensor (110);
determine a deviation in position of the vehicle (300) from a normal position to a lifted position with respect to a ground surface; and
operate the cylinder (120) to move the weight (130) away from the vehicle if the vehicle (300) is in the lifted position to restore the vehicle (300) to the normal position.

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder (120) is a double acting hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylinder (120) is adapted to a front-end of the vehicle (300).

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor (110) is provided adjacent to a front axle of the vehicle (300).

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor (110) is a position sensor.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein amount of displacement/movement of the weight away from the vehicle is depend upon angle of the vehicle with respect to the ground in the lifted position.

7. A method for balancing a vehicle (300), the method comprising the steps of:
monitoring position of the vehicle (300) by a sensor (110);
receiving at a control unit (140) position information of the vehicle (300) from the sensor (110);
determining by the control unit (140) a deviation in position of the vehicle (300) from a normal position to a lifted position with respect to a ground surface; and
operating a cylinder (120) provided on the vehicle (300), the cylinder (120) having a weight (130) adapted thereto, the cylinder (120) upon operation causes the weight (130) to move away from the vehicle (300) if the vehicle (300) is in the lifted position to restore the vehicle (300) to the normal position.
, Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] The invention relates to a system and method for balancing a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] Vehicles used for heavy-duty operations have auxiliary implements or trailers attached at their rear-end. These types of vehicles include work vehicles such as tractor, bulldozer, trailer, excavator, harvester, harvest machine, cultivator, cultivate machine, cargo vehicle, utility vehicle, multifunctional vehicle, multipurpose vehicle/machine, leisure vehicle, pickup vehicle, load vehicle/machine, transport vehicle, agricultural vehicle. The auxiliary implements, and the trailer enables the vehicle to carry out heavy duty operations. While the vehicle is configured to remain stable or in a normal position even while carrying out such operations, under extreme load or overload conditions or due to any sudden change in acceleration, load on the vehicle tends to pull back the vehicle. Due to such pull load the vehicle tends to lift from front end, and causes the vehicle to topple over or roll over leading to fatal accidents.
[003] Hence, there is a need to prevent or at-least stabilize the vehicle from toppling over.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[004] Accordingly, the present invention in one aspect provides a system for balancing a vehicle, the system comprising at-least one cylinder adapted to the vehicle, a weight adapted to the cylinder, the cylinder configured to move the weight away from the vehicle, a sensor for monitoring position of the vehicle, and a control unit configured to receive position information of the vehicle from the sensor, determine a deviation in position of the vehicle from a normal position to a lifted position with respect to a ground surface, and operate the cylinder to move the weight away from the vehicle if the vehicle is in the lifted position to restore the vehicle to the normal position.
[005] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for balancing a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of monitoring position of the vehicle by a sensor, receiving at a control unit position information of the vehicle from the sensor; determining by the control unit a deviation in position of the vehicle from a normal position to a lifted position with respect to a ground surface, and operating a cylinder provided on the vehicle, the cylinder having a weight adapted thereto, the cylinder upon operation causes the weight to move away from the vehicle if the vehicle is in the lifted position to restore the vehicle to the normal position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[006] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
Figure 1 shows block diagram for a system for balancing a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a method for balancing the vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3A to 3D illustrates working of the system on the vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[007] The present invention is directed towards balancing a vehicle under load condition, thereby preventing overturning or rolling over of the vehicle which may be overloaded.
[008] Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a system 100 for balancing a vehicle. As discussed hereinbefore, the vehicle in ordinary course of operation remains in a normal position. However, under over load or extreme loaded conditions at rear-end of the vehicle, the vehicle tends to get unbalanced to a lifted position, whereby front-end of the vehicle is in the air. The vehicle is considered to be in the lifted position if the vehicle is lifted by at-least 5º with respect to ground surface. The system 100 of the present invention compensates or overcomes such imbalance and maintains the vehicle in the normal position.
[009] The system 100 comprises of at-least one sensor 110, at-least one cylinder 120, a weight 130 and a control unit 140. The sensor 110 is a position sensor configured to monitor position of the vehicle, whereby the sensor detects the change in angular position of the vehicle with respect to ground surface. The sensor 110 is preferably provided adjacent to front-axle of the vehicle. However, the sensor 110 may be installed on other parts of the vehicle whereby the sensor 110 can monitor change in position of the vehicle with respect to ground.
[010] The weight 130 is adapted to the vehicle via the cylinder 120, and the cylinder 120 is adapted to the vehicle body such that the weight 130 projects in the opposite direction of the loading. The cylinder is adapted to the weight via brackets or other suitable mechanical linkages. Also, the cylinder is mounted on the vehicle via brackets or other suitable mechanical linkages. The cylinder 120 upon operation moves the weight 130 away from the vehicle. The movement or position of the weight 130 away from the vehicle counter balances the vehicle which is in the lifted position. Accordingly, any overloading of the vehicle on the rear end will be balanced by the weight 130 installed at the front-end. In this regard, the weight 130 is displaced by a pre-determined distance away from the vehicle, whereby amount of displacement/movement of the weight away from the vehicle is dependent upon angle of the vehicle with respect to the ground in the lifted position. Such displacement of the weight 130 shifts center of gravity of the vehicle, thereby compensating for the imbalance caused due to overloading at the rear-end. In an embodiment, the cylinder 120 is a double acting hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.
[011] As shown, the sensor 110 and the cylinder 120 are connected with the control unit 140. The control unit 140 in an embodiment of the invention is an electronic control unit of the vehicle, which is already on board the vehicle. Alternately, control unit 140 can be a dedicated unit installed specifically for the system 100 of the present invention. The control unit 140 receives position information of the vehicle from the sensor 110. As soon as the control unit 140 determines that the vehicle has deviated from its normal position to the lifted position, the control unit 140 operates the cylinder 120. The cylinder 120 upon operation causes the weight 130 to move away from the vehicle to restore the vehicle to the normal position. Once, the vehicle is restored to the normal position, the cylinder is retracted, and the weight adapted on the cylinder comes back to its original position.
[012] Figure 2 shows a method for balancing a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In order to implement such a method, the invention is used or integrated with the system discussed hereinbefore. The method begins at step 2A, whereby a sensor monitors by position of the vehicle. Thereafter at step 2B, a control unit receives position information of the vehicle from the sensor 110. At step 2C, the control unit determines a deviation in position of the vehicle from a normal position to a lifted position with respect to ground surface, and operates a cylinder 120 if the vehicle is in the lifted position to restore the vehicle to the normal position. The cylinder is provided on the vehicle, and the cylinder has a weight adapted thereto. The cylinder upon operation causes the weight 130 to move away from the vehicle to restore the vehicle to the normal position. Once, the vehicle is restored to the normal position, the cylinder is retracted, and the weight adapted on the cylinder comes back to its original position.
[013] Reference is made to figure 3A to 3D, which illustrates working of the present invention. As shown through the figures, a weight 130 is adapted to a front-end of a vehicle 300. In figure 3A, the vehicle 300 is in a normal position. In the normal position, center of gravity point of the vehicle 300 is about the center of the vehicle 300. The center of gravity point of the vehicle is denoted by ‘G’. As shown in figure 3B, the vehicle 300 is under load/overload condition, whereby the vehicle 300 has deviated from its normal position to a lifted position. At this instant, the center of gravity point G of the vehicle 300 is still about the center. As the system 100 of the present invention detects that the vehicle 300 is in the lifted position, the system 100 causes the weight 130 to move away from the vehicle 300. As the weight 130 is moved away as shown in figure 3C, the center of gravity point G shifts to point G’ which is towards front end of the vehicle 300. The shift or correction in the center of gravity point causes the vehicle 300 to stabilize and restore itself to the normal position as shown in figure 3D.

[014] Advantageously, the system 100 of the present invention auto-corrects or automatically stabilizes position of the -vehicle 300 which has unbalanced or lifted due to over load, thereby avoiding fatal accidents.

[015] While the present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.