Wheel aligner cordless communications unit

• US 5,592,383 A
• Filed: 09/07/1994
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Technologies Incorporated (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FMC Corporation
• Inventors: Coburn, David R., Rogers, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARK, COLLIN
• Application Number:
  US08/301,455
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/559, 33/286, 33/288, 379/56, 379/58, 379/60, 455/73, 356/138, 356/139.09, 356/152.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/315 for testing wheel alignment

Abstract

A wheel aligner comprises a communications unit attachable to the conventional heads and the console to provide for cordless communication of information between the heads and the console in the absence of cables.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading a wheel aligner comprising at least two wheel-mountable alignment heads for generating wheel orientation data, a console including processor means for processing the data and a cable for transmitting the data from each head to the console, which comprises:

removing the cable;

providing cordless transceiver means for each head and the console;

electrically connecting the cordless transceiver means to the heads and the console to provide for communication between the heads and the console without the cable.

2. A system for upgrading a wheel aligner comprising at least two wheel-mountable alignment heads having angle sensors for generating wheel orientation data, a console including processor means for processing the data and a cable for transmitting the data from each head to the console, the system comprising:

a first unit attachable to one of the heads and including a first radio transceiver and means for coupling the first radio transceiver to the head angle sensors;

a second unit attachable to the console and including a second radio transceiver and means for coupling the second radio transceiver to the processor means;

wherein the cable is removed and the wheel orientation data is transmitted from the head to the console via the first and second radio transceivers.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second radio transceivers operate at 2.4 GigaHertz.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second radio transceivers operate using spread spectrum technology.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first and second radio transceivers operate using channel hopping technology.

6. In combination with a vehicle wheel aligner comprising at least two alignment heads mountable to adjacent wheels of a vehicle for generating outputs indicative of the relative orientations of the wheels, a console including processor means for computing alignment values of the vehicle from the outputs, and conventional electrical cables extending between the alignment heads and the console for transmission of the outputs, the alignment heads each having cable connectors for receiving corresponding plugs on the ends of the conventional cables, the improvement comprising:

a first retrofit unit attachable to at least one of the alignment heads;

the first retrofit unit comprising a first wireless transceiver, first means for converting the outputs into signals capable of being transmitted by the wireless transceiver, and a cable for connecting the first converting means to the head through the cable connector;

a second retrofit unit attachable to the console;

the second retrofit unit comprising a second wireless transceiver in wireless communication with the first wireless transceiver, second means for converting the signals received by the second wireless transceiver into data capable of being processed by the processor means, and a cable for connecting the second converting means to the console;

wherein the conventional cables are removed and the outputs are instead communicated to the console by means of the wireless transceivers.