Steering pivot axis orientation measurement apparatus and method
First Claim
1. In a system for measuring steering pivot axis orientation for either of a pair of steerable wheels supporting a vehicle, wherein said system has cross toe sensors and vertical sensors mounted on the steerable wheels, the improvement comprisingmeans for receiving cross toe measurements and measurements relative to vertical from said sensors at two arbitrary and distinct operator selected steering angles of the pair of steerable wheels,a microprocessor connected to said means for receiving for providing steering axis inclination output, andconsole means connected to said microprocessor for providing steering axis inclination indicia.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure herein relates to apparatus and method for finding the orientation of a steering pivot axis for a wheel in a pair of steerable wheels in a vehicle suspension system, wherein arbitrary steering directions are imparted to the wheels and measurements are taken of the steering directions and the other steerable wheel alignment characteristics of interest. The measurements are transmitted to a computer which serves to calculate caster, steering axis inclination and the orientation of the steering pivot axis relative to a defined three dimensional alignment coordinate system.
26 Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a system for measuring steering pivot axis orientation for either of a pair of steerable wheels supporting a vehicle, wherein said system has cross toe sensors and vertical sensors mounted on the steerable wheels, the improvement comprising
means for receiving cross toe measurements and measurements relative to vertical from said sensors at two arbitrary and distinct operator selected steering angles of the pair of steerable wheels, a microprocessor connected to said means for receiving for providing steering axis inclination output, and console means connected to said microprocessor for providing steering axis inclination indicia.
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4. In a system for measuring steering pivot axis orientation for either of a pair of steerable wheels supporting a vehicle wherein said system has cross toe sensors and vertical sensors mounted on the steerable wheels, the improvement comprising
means for receiving cross toe measurements and measurements relative to vertical from said sensors at two arbitrary and distinct operator selected steering angles of the pair of steerable wheels, read only memory containing steering axis inclination values corresponding to said two arbitrary and distinct vertical and cross toe sensor measurements, said read only memory being connected to said means for receiving and providing steering axis inclination output, and console means connected to said read only memory for providing steering axis inclination indicia.
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6. In a system for measuring steering pivot axis orientation for either of a pair of steerable wheels supporting a vehicle, wherein said system has cross toe sensors and vertical sensors mounted on the steerable wheels, the improvement comprising
means for receiving cross toe measurements and measurements relative to vertical from said sensors at two arbitrary and distinct operator selected steering angles of the pair of steerable wheels, a microprocessor connected to said means for receiving for providing caster output, and console means connected to said microprocessor for providing caster indicia.
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9. In a system for measuring steering pivot axis orientation for either of a pair of steerable wheels supporting a vehicle, wherein said system has cross toe sensors and vertical sensors mounted on the steerable wheels, the improvement comprising
means for receiving cross toe measurements and measurements relative to vertical from said sensors at two arbitrary and distinct operator selected steering angles of the pair of steerable wheels, read only memory containing caster values corresponding to said two arbitrary and distinct vertical and cross toe sensor measurements, said read only memory being connected to said means for receiving and providing caster output, and console means connected to said read only memory for providing caster indicia.
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11. In a method for use by an operator of a wheel alignment system for measurement of orientation characteristics of a steering pivot axis for steerable wheels in a vehicle suspension system, wherein the angle of the plane of at least one of the pair of steerable wheels is measured relative to a straight ahead steering direction and relative to vertical in two different steering directions and the steering pivot axis orientation characteristic of the one of the pair of steerable wheels is obtained from the measured angles, the improvement, comprising the steps of
steering the steerable wheels in a first operator selected arbitrary direction, steering the steerable wheels in a second operator selected arbitrary direction, and providing indication of the steering pivot axis orientation characteristic to the operator in accordance with the measured angles.
Specification