Battery management for vehicle alignment sensor
First Claim
1. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
- a wheel alignment sensor assembly adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle wheel to measure alignment angles thereof, said sensor assembly including a battery to provide power during measurement of said alignment angles, said sensor assembly further including a sensor housing and an adapter for securing the sensor housing to a vehicle wheel, said sensor housing being removably secured to said adapter;
a storage station for said sensor assembly, said storage station including means for holding said sensor assembly in a predetermined position with respect to the storage station, said storage station including a power source for charging the sensor assembly battery, said means for holding the sensor assembly in a predetermined position including means disposed on the storage station for accepting and holding in place the sensor assembly adapter while the sensor housing is secured to the adapter;
means for automatically interconnecting the sensor assembly battery and the power source to charge the sensor assembly battery when the sensor assembly is disposed in the predetermined position with respect to the storage station.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle wheel alignment system includes a battery powered wheel alignment sensor assembly and a a storage station for the sensor assembly. The storage station is designed to hold the sensor assembly by the wheel adapter in a predetermined position with respect to the storage station. It also includes a power source for charging the sensor assembly battery. An interlock arrangement automatically interconnects the sensor assembly battery and the power source to charge the sensor assembly battery when the sensor assembly is disposed in the predetermined position. A display is operatively connected to the wheel alignment sensor assembly for displaying measured alignment information. A battery level measuring circuit measures the state of discharge of the sensor assembly battery by examining the battery voltage and generates a signal proportional to the measured battery voltage. The display is controlled to also display an analog representation thereon indicative of the level of discharge of the sensor assembly battery.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
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a wheel alignment sensor assembly adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle wheel to measure alignment angles thereof, said sensor assembly including a battery to provide power during measurement of said alignment angles, said sensor assembly further including a sensor housing and an adapter for securing the sensor housing to a vehicle wheel, said sensor housing being removably secured to said adapter; a storage station for said sensor assembly, said storage station including means for holding said sensor assembly in a predetermined position with respect to the storage station, said storage station including a power source for charging the sensor assembly battery, said means for holding the sensor assembly in a predetermined position including means disposed on the storage station for accepting and holding in place the sensor assembly adapter while the sensor housing is secured to the adapter; means for automatically interconnecting the sensor assembly battery and the power source to charge the sensor assembly battery when the sensor assembly is disposed in the predetermined position with respect to the storage station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
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a wheel alignment sensor assembly adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle wheel to measure alignment angles thereof, said sensor assembly including a battery to provide power during measurement of said alignment angles, said sensor assembly further including a sensor housing and an adapter for securing the sensor housing to a vehicle wheel, said sensor housing being removably secured to said adapter; a storage station for said sensor assembly, said storage station including means for holding said sensor assembly in a predetermined position with respect to the storage station, said storage station including a power source for charging the sensor assembly battery, said means for holding the sensor assembly in a predetermined position including means disposed on the storage station for accepting and holding in place the sensor assembly adapter while the sensor housing is secured to the adapter; an interlock for preventing the application of power to the power source terminals until the sensor assembly is disposed in the predetermined position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
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a wheel alignment sensor assembly adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle wheel to measure alignment angles thereof, said sensor assembly including a battery to provide power during measurement of said alignment angles; a display operatively connected to the wheel alignment sensor assembly for displaying measured alignment information; battery level measuring means for measuring the level of discharge of the sensor assembly battery and for generating a signal proportional to the measured battery level; means responsive to the battery level measuring means for controlling the display to display indicia thereon indicative of the level of discharge of the sensor assembly battery. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
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a wheel alignment sensor assembly adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle wheel to measure alignment angles thereof, said sensor assembly including a battery to provide power during measurement of said alignment angles; battery level measuring means for measuring the level of discharge of the sensor assembly battery and for providing a signal proportional to the measured battery level. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification