Measuring and testing – Testing of shock absorbing device – In situ vehicle suspension
Patent
1994-11-04
1996-10-29
Chilcot, Richard
Measuring and testing
Testing of shock absorbing device
In situ vehicle suspension
73117, G01M 1700
Patent
active
055698360
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to apparatus for testing vehicle suspensions and a method of doing so.
It is important to all vehicle manufacturers to know how the suspension arrangements of their vehicles react under the forces experienced during driving, for instance forces arising during braking and acceleration and also transverse loading during cornering.
Vehicle manufacturers are also keen to ascertain how the wheel is inclined relative to the vehicle body during movement of the vehicle suspension under loading.
The present invention provides vehicle suspension testing apparatus comprising: support means for supporting thereon a vehicle wheel or a vehicle wheel hub, actuator means for applying a force to or for displacing the wheel support means, and sensor means for measuring the force on and/or displacement of the vehicle wheel or the vehicle wheel hub, wherein the wheel support means comprises air bearing means which in use raises the support means above the surface therebelow.
It has been found that the use of air bearing means is very signficant, since it is essential to allow the support means to move as freely as possible under loading of the actuators without resistance to motion. If mechanical bearings are used then these tend to oppose n some degree the motion of the support means and this can lead to inaccuracies in the measurements taken by the sensor means. This is of particular importance if the vehicle being tested is a large commercial vehicle, when large frictional forces can arise.
Preferably the support means has a flat lower exterior surface and the air bearing means comprises a plurality of individual air bearings each attached to the flat lower exterior surface of the support means fly attachment means which allows limited motion of the air bearings relative to the support means and which comprises resilient means acting between the said lowermost surface of the support means and the air bearings.
The provision of the attachment means as mentioned above is important since it allows the alignment of the support means relative to its supporting surface to ensure adequate lift at all parts of the support means and to enable even load distribution across the support means.
The present invention also provides vehicle suspension testing apparatus comprising: support means for supporting thereon a vehicle wheel or a vehicle wheel hub, actuator means for applying a force to or for displacing the wheel support means, and sensor means for measuring the forces on and or displacement of the vehicle wheel or the vehicle hub, wherein the actuator means is connected to the wheel support means by connection means either directly below the centre of the wheel hub or at a distance forwardly or rearwardly therefrom corresponding to the pneumatic trail or the tyre on the vehicle wheel, said connection means allowing free pivotal motion of the wheel support means.
It is important to ensure that the forces applied by the actuators remain applied to a desired point so that during rotation of the tyre during loading the point of loading does not alter such that a rotational moment is applied to the support means which could lead to erroneous measurements or complicated calculations in obtaining correct measurements.
Preferably the support means comprises a wheel plate far receiving thereon a vehicle wheel and the connection means is connected to the support means directly underneath the centre of the wheel plate.
The present invention also provides vehicle suspension testing apparatus comprising: support means for supporting thereon a vehicle wheel or a vehicle wheel hub, actuator means for applying a force to or for displacing the wheel support means, and sensor means for measuring the forces on and/or displacement of the vehicle wheel or the vehicle wheel hub, wherein the sensor means comprises a frame fixed relative to the wheel or wheel hub, and a wishbone arrangement extending between the frame and a wheel clamp member for attachment to the vehicle wheel or wheel hub, rotation sensors being provided
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Biegel Ronald
Chilcot Richard
Lotus Cars Limited
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