Vehicle wheel alignment apparatus and method
First Claim
1. In a vehicle wheel alignment system, comprisingat least two alignment heads mountable on the vehicle wheels to be aligned,alignment measurement instruments in at least one alignment head providing alignment data,cordless alignment data transmission means mounted in the at least one alignment head in communication with said alignment measuring instruments,display means,cordless alignment data reception means in cordless communication with said transmission means and coupled to said display means, whereby alignment data provided by the alignment measuring instruments is shown at said display means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel alignment system includes either four wheel mountable alignment heads or two alignment heads and two retroreflectors or two alignment heads alone together with a control console and display. A main process unit is included in the console for performing calculations and for controlling systems function control components communications sequences. Each console function control component includes its own controller. The control console further includes a CRT display module and optional voice instruction and printer output modules. A bar code reader is available for quick specifications entry. Communications and decision making instructions are downloaded from the controller in each console function control component to the main processing unit at initialization. Communication between the heads and the console is accomplished either through the use of conducting cords or infrared transmission and reception. Each alignment head also includes a controller which controls collection of alignment data in parallel at each head as well as serial transmission from each head to the console during discrete transmission periods as required by the main processing unit.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. In a vehicle wheel alignment system, comprising
at least two alignment heads mountable on the vehicle wheels to be aligned, alignment measurement instruments in at least one alignment head providing alignment data, cordless alignment data transmission means mounted in the at least one alignment head in communication with said alignment measuring instruments, display means, cordless alignment data reception means in cordless communication with said transmission means and coupled to said display means, whereby alignment data provided by the alignment measuring instruments is shown at said display means.
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13. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising
a plurality of alignment heads adapted to be mounted on ones of the vehicle wheels in predetermined orientation relative thereto for providing data indicative of wheel alignment characteristics, means for digitizing said data, a functional control module located remotely from said alignment heads, and cordless trasmitting and receiving means for communicating said digitized data between said alignment heads and said functional control module.
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17. A method for providing measured wheel alignment parameters with the use of an alignment system having at least two alignment heads mountable on separate vehicle wheels and a remote console with a display for presenting intelligible wheel alignment information, comprising the steps of
mounting at least two wheel alignment heads on two of the vehicle wheels, measuring wheel alignment parameters of the two wheels, digitizing the measured wheel parameters, transmitting the digitized parameters line of sight to the console from at least one head, receiving the line of sight transmission at the console, coupling the received line of sight transmitted parameters to the display, and showing the alignment information in intelligible format.
Specification