Tools – For adjusting variable positioned parts
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-04-03
Eley, Timothy V. (Department: 3723)
Tools
For adjusting variable positioned parts
C081S485000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209427
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tools used in performing vehicle wheel alignment. he invention has particular applicability to tools for adjustably spacing vehicle suspension components during an alignment procedure.
BACKGROUND ART
When performing vehicle suspension alignment procedures, such as wheel camber adjustment, it is often necessary to adjust spacing between suspension components. For example, when setting camber on a McPherson strut-type suspension, typically the top anchor of the strut to knuckle assembly is loosened to allow movement of the strut, and the wheel is positioned as necessary by changing the position of the strut relative to the frame or knuckle assembly of the vehicle (i.e., by moving the top of the strut towards or away from the longitudinal center line of the vehicle). The top anchor is thereafter secured. When setting camber on a vehicle equipped with an upper wishbone arrangement other than with McPherson struts, the inner anchors of the wishbone are loosened, the wheel positioned as necessary by changing the location of the wishbone relative to the frame or inner body structure of the vehicle (i.e., by moving the wishbone towards or away from the longitudinal center line of the vehicle), and the inner anchors are thereafter secured.
Many vehicle suspension systems do not provide a mechanical means for positioning the wheel during the adjustment procedure, thus requiring manual application of force by the technician to the strut or wishbone to position the wheel. Since suspension adjustment procedures typically require the weight of the vehicle to be on the suspension during the procedure, such application of force can be problematic, depending on the weight of the vehicle and the location of the suspension members. This problem is especially acute if the vehicle is equipped with upper wishbones and “slot-type” adjustment holes for the wishbones.
A tool for moving a suspension member, especially a McPherson strut, to position a wheel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,651 (Perez). Referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, Perez teaches an expanding adjustment tool comprising a spreader plate
16
pivotally mounted to an engaging yoke
12
, a handle
18
for facilitating placement of the tool between two members to be adjusted, and a crank-operated adjustment assembly
20
for pivoting spreader plate
16
relative to yoke
12
. In use, spreader plate
16
engages the frame or inner body of the vehicle, and yoke
12
engages the strut while crank
30
is turned to move spreader plate
16
and yoke
12
apart to move the strut.
Disadvantageously, Perez' adjustment tool is not easily adaptable to perform adjustments on differently-configured vehicles. For example, although spreader plate
16
and yoke
12
are suitably sized for moving the strut on one vehicle, they may be too large or small, or incorrectly shaped, for moving the strut of a different vehicle; e.g., a vehicle produced by another manufacturer. In other words, if the tool is designed to fit a first vehicle, it may not fit between the components of another vehicle, may not bear properly against the components, or both. Similarly, crank
30
is inconvenient to operate on some vehicles due to space constraints, and handle
18
is not of the proper length for manipulation of the tool on some vehicles. Thus, a number of differently sized tools must be purchased and stored if alignment is to be performed on a variety of vehicles, increasing costs. Furthermore, Perez' adjustment tool is not suitable for performing adjustments on vehicles having upper wishbones instead of struts because yoke
12
does not fit between the wishbone and the vehicle frame or inner body.
There exists a need for an expanding adjustment tool for suspension alignment that is usable on a wide variety of vehicles, including vehicles equipped with McPherson struts or upper wishbones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a single wedge-type adjustment tool that is easily adaptable to perform adjustments on vehicles of different sizes and configurations, including vehicles equipped with McPherson struts or upper wishbones, as well as to perform certain rear suspension adjustments currently performed only with factory-provided special tools.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other advantages are achieved in part by an adjustment tool comprising a first arm, a first tip detachably mounted to a distal end of the first arm, a second arm pivotably mounted relative to the first arm, a second tip detachably mounted to a distal end of the second arm; and an adjuster for pivoting the first and second arms relative to each other to adjust a distance between the first and second tips. To facilitate mounting and changing of the tips, one of the first and second tips can comprise a socket-like recess, and the distal end of one of the first and second arms may comprise a protruberance having a detent ball for retainably engaging the socket-like recess. To facilitate operation of the adjusting tool of the present invention, the adjuster is rotatable for pivoting the first and second arms relative to each other, and a distal end of the adjuster is engagable with a standard ratchet for rotating the adjuster, or comprises a telescoping crank handle for rotating the adjuster.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only the preferred embodiments of the present invention is shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. As will be realized, the present invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1814368 (1931-07-01), Chapman
patent: 4086828 (1978-05-01), Mader
patent: 5212859 (1993-05-01), Hagerty
patent: 5327802 (1994-07-01), Yu
patent: 5535651 (1996-07-01), Perez
patent: 5590573 (1997-01-01), Detable
Eley Timothy V.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nguyen Dung Van
Snap-on Incorporated
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