Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Wheel
Patent
1988-10-07
1991-08-13
Haroian, Harry N.
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Wheel
33336, 33301, G01B 2126
Patent
active
050384856
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a method for measuring wheel alignment, wherein the angle between the wheel and a reference basis is measured for each wheel with the aid of an angle measurement apparatus, an electric output signal corresponding to the respective angle is generated and the wheel alignment parameters to be found are calculated from the output signals.
Also the invention relates to a wheel alignment measurement apparatus, in particular for carrying out the above method by means of an angle measurement arrangement being connectable to the wheels for the purpose of track measurement and generating an electrical angle position output signal for each wheel, and with a calculation circuit for determining track measurement parameters out of the output signals of the angle measurement arrangement.
A method of the above kind and a corresponding wheel alignment measurement apparatus are known from the German patent specification 29 34 411. Thereing total of six angle measurement instruments is provided for; two angle measurement instruments being provided for at the front wheels for measuring the total track angle of the front wheels, two further angle measurement instruments being provided for at the left front wheel and the left rear wheel for measuring the angular positions of these wheels and two further angle measurement instruments being provided for at the right front wheel and the right rear wheel for measuring the angular positions of these wheels. The first two angle measurement instruments therein are rigidly connected to the further angle measurement instruments at the front wheels. The track measurement parameters can be determined on basis of the angular positions from all angle measurement instruments by means of suitable calculation circuitries.
This known wheel alignment measurement system already has the advantage, as compared to the commonly used wheel alignment measurement systems requiring a stationary measurement frame on which the vehicle to be measured is placed, that it is operable without an external reference system, however, the installation of the numerous angle measurement instruments at the individual wheels is troublesome and time-consuming and due to the plurality of angle measurement instruments required the known wheel alignment measurement system is comparatively complex in this respect, too.
As compared thereto, the present invention improves the known method and the known system such that the bulk of equipment required is reduced and the measurement is accelerated and simplified. Simultaneously, however, the local independence of the systems is maintained, i.e. the system still shall do without an external reference system.
The invention provides with respect to the method that an element being directionally stable in space independently of its local position is used as reference basis, that said directionally stable element is subsequently moved from wheel to wheel for measuring the respective angle and that upon every measurement the angle measured for the respective wheel is stored. The reference basis is in a particularly advantageous manner generated by a rotating gyroscope being suspended in a cardanic manner.
In case of the method of the present invention, thus only one single angle measurement instrument is required, wherein subsequently the track angles of the wheels to be measured are measured and thereupon the wheel alignment parameters are calculated on basis of the stored measurement values by suitable calculation circuits. Since the axis of rotation of a rotating gyroscope suspended in a cardanic manner always remains directionally stable in space, the angle measurement instrument may be moved in space in an arbitrary manner between two measurement operations without the direction of the axis of rotation of the gyroscope changing. Thus at every wheel, the angle is measured in relation to a continuously directionally stable axis.
The method according to the present invention permits a particularly simply and quick performance of the measurement operations si
REFERENCES:
patent: 3892042 (1975-07-01), Senften
patent: 4095902 (1978-06-01), Florer et al.
patent: 4126943 (1978-11-01), Senften
patent: 4151656 (1979-05-01), Hensley
patent: 4341021 (1982-07-01), Beissbarth
patent: 4383370 (1983-05-01), Van Blerk et al.
patent: 4458426 (1984-07-01), O'Conner et al.
patent: 4771546 (1988-09-01), Cavazos
PCT Application WO81/01047, Applicant: Hunter et al., Filed Oct. 2, 1980.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for the measurement of wheel alignment does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for the measurement of wheel alignment, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for the measurement of wheel alignment will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1518387