Self-calibrating wheel aligner with improved portability
First Claim
1. A portable vehicle alignment system, comprising:
- a base;
a substantially vertical central column rigidly attached to and supported by the base, the central column having a carriage mounted to move along a length of the central column; and
a pair of camera arm assemblies, each camera arm assembly having a proximal end pivotably attached to the movable carriage, and a distal end comprising a camera pod;
wherein a first one of the camera pods comprises a first camera for capturing image data of a first target mounted on a vehicle, and a calibration target disposed in a known relationship to the first camera;
wherein a second one of the camera pods comprises a second camera for capturing image data of a second target mounted on the vehicle, and a calibration camera disposed in a known relationship to the second camera for capturing images of the calibration target; and
wherein the camera arm assemblies are pivotable between an extended position where the first and second cameras are respectively disposed to capture image data of the first and second targets mounted on the vehicle, the calibration camera is disposed to capture images of the calibration target, and the aligner has a first width between the two camera pods, and a folded position where the aligner has a second width smaller than the first width between the camera pods.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable vehicle alignment system has a vertical central column with a carriage movable along its length, and a pair of camera arms pivotably attached to the carriage, each with a camera pod. The camera pods each have a camera for capturing image data of a respective vehicle-mounted target. One pod also has a calibration target disposed in a known relationship to its camera, and the other pod has a calibration camera disposed in a known relationship to its camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The camera arms pivot between an extended position where the cameras are disposed to capture image data of the vehicle targets and the calibration camera is disposed to capture images of the calibration target, and a folded position where the aligner has a width smaller than the width between the camera pods.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A portable vehicle alignment system, comprising:
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a base; a substantially vertical central column rigidly attached to and supported by the base, the central column having a carriage mounted to move along a length of the central column; and a pair of camera arm assemblies, each camera arm assembly having a proximal end pivotably attached to the movable carriage, and a distal end comprising a camera pod; wherein a first one of the camera pods comprises a first camera for capturing image data of a first target mounted on a vehicle, and a calibration target disposed in a known relationship to the first camera; wherein a second one of the camera pods comprises a second camera for capturing image data of a second target mounted on the vehicle, and a calibration camera disposed in a known relationship to the second camera for capturing images of the calibration target; and wherein the camera arm assemblies are pivotable between an extended position where the first and second cameras are respectively disposed to capture image data of the first and second targets mounted on the vehicle, the calibration camera is disposed to capture images of the calibration target, and the aligner has a first width between the two camera pods, and a folded position where the aligner has a second width smaller than the first width between the camera pods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification