Device for the geometric measurement and inspection of wheeled vehicles

• US 6,075,589 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Muller Bem
• Original Assignee: Muller Bem
• Inventors: Muller, Patrice, Douine, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US08/691,896
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 356/139.09, 33/203.12, 33/203.18
• US Class Current: 356/139.09
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/275 for testing wheel alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/12 Method or fixture for calibrating the wheel aligner
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/28 Beam projector and related sensors, camera, inclinometer or other active sensing or projecting device
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/283 Beam projectors and related sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/306 Mirror, prism or other reflector

Abstract

A device for geometric measurement and inspection of wheeled vehicles includes structure for determining physical parameters usable for computation of the angles and distances characteristic of the vehicles to be inspected. Each device for determining a physical parameter includes at least one substantially horizontal light beam emitted by a light source, at least one image forming device of this source on an optical linear detector, and at least one optical linear detector, preferably of the CCD or PSD type, adapted to receive at least two substantially horizontal light beams from at least two separate sources.

Claims

1. An apparatus for geometric measurement and inspection of wheeled vehicles, comprising:

plural measuring heads adapted to be fixed to wheels of the vehicle being inspected, for determining the physical parameters representative of an individual geometric position of a first wheel relative to a vertical plane or relative to a horizontal plane, and physical parameters representative of relative geometric positions of the first wheel relative to a second wheel of the vehicle being inspected;

a first source of luminous emission fixed to the first wheel and adapted for emitting at least one first substantially horizontal light ray;

a second source of luminous emission fixed to the second wheel and adapted for emitting at least one second substantially horizontal light ray; and

at least one means for forming images of said first and second sources of luminous emission on a first optical linear detector fixed to a third wheel of the vehicle being inspected, said first optical linear detector being adapted for receiving the at least one first and second substantially horizontal light rays from said first and second sources of luminous emission respectively.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a said first optical linear detector is located within a casing and is sensitive to the at least one first and second substantially horizontal light rays produced by said first and second sources of luminous emission outside said casing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said plural measuring heads comprise four measuring casings disposed in a quadrilateral configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said plural measuring heads comprise four measuring casings arranged in a crossing configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising another of said means for forming images fixed on a second optical linear detector fixed to a fourth wheel of the vehicle being inspected, said second optical linear detector being adapted for receiving substantially horizontal light rays from said first source of luminous emission,

wherein said plural measuring heads comprise four measuring casings arranged to measure physical parameters along two diagonals of a quadrilateral formed by said four casings.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said means for formation of an image of a source of luminous emission is arranged to measure the relative altitudes of the casings relative to each other.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said means for image formation of a source of luminous emission comprise a cruciform slot means.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said measuring heads comprise casings located at the ends of arms extending outwardly of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said measuring heads comprise casings located at the ends of arms extending inwardly of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said measuring heads comprise casings located at the ends of arms extending forwardly of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said measuring heads comprise casings located at the ends of arms extending rearwardly of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said measuring heads comprise casings mechanically disconnectable from mounting arms on which they are mounted, so as to modify the mounting configuration of the casings on the vehicles to be inspected.

13. An apparatus for geometric measurement and inspection of wheeled vehicles, comprising:

plural measuring heads adapted to be fixed to wheels of the vehicle being inspected, for determining the physical parameters representative of an individual geometric position of a first wheel relative to a vertical plane or relative to a horizontal plane, and physical parameters representative of relative geometric positions of the first wheel relative to a second wheel of the vehicle being inspected;

a first source of luminous emission fixed to the first wheel and adapted for emitting at least one first substantially horizontal light ray;

a second source of luminous emission fixed to the second wheel and adapted for emitting at least one second substantially horizontal light ray; and

at least one means for forming images of said first and second sources of luminous emission on a first optical linear detector fixed to a third wheel of the vehicle being inspected, said first optical linear detector being adapted for receiving the at least one first and second substantially horizontal light rays from said first and second sources of luminous emission respectively,

wherein said first optical linear detector is located within a casing and is sensitive to the at least one first and second substantially horizontal light rays produced by said first and second sources of luminous emission outside said casing, and

wherein sat first optical linear detector receives at least one substantially horizontal light ray arranged to determine the physical parameters permitting the computation of vertical inclination angles.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each substantially horizontal light ray is emitted by a source of luminous emission mounted freely pivotally about a fixed axle relative to said first optical linear detector.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each substantially horizontal light ray is emitted by a source of luminous emission mounted as a pendant on a point fixed relative to said first optical linear detector.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each substantially horizontal light ray is emitted by a source of luminous emission mounted in fixed position relative to said first optical linear detector and is reflected, diaphragmed or focused by a corresponding member before illuminating said optical linear detector.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said member is reflecting member mounted pivotally about a fixed axis relative to said source of luminous emission and relative to said first optical linear detector.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said member is a mask comprising at least one slot for image definition mounted pivotally about an axle fixed relative to said source of luminous emission and relative to said first optical detector.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said mask comprises two slots for image definition.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said mask is in the shape of a box comprising two slots disposed on two separate surfaces of the box.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said mask is suspended by a Cardan mounting, with two degrees of pivotal freedom.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each substantially horizontal light ray is emitted by a luminous emission source mounted at the end of a flexible strip permitting pivoting, another end of said flexible strip being fixed relative to said first optical linear detector.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said corresponding member is secured on a resilient flexible blade secured to an end in fixed position relative to said first linear optical detector and carrying at its other end a counterweight.

24. An apparatus for geometric measurement and inspection of wheeled vehicles, comprising:

four measuring casings adapted to be fixed to wheels of the vehicle being inspected, for determining the physical parameters representative of an individual geometric position of a first wheel relative to a vertical plane or relative to a horizontal plane, and physical parameters representative of relative geometric positions of the first wheel relative to a second wheel of the vehicle being inspected;

four optical linear detectors being disposed each in a casing;

two double axis inclinometers disposed in two diagonally opposed casings;

a first source of luminous emission fixed to the first wheel and adapted for emitting at least one first substantially horizontal light ray;

a second source of luminous emission fixed to the second wheel and adapted for emitting at least one second substantially horizontal light ray; and

at least one means for forming images of said first and second sources of luminous emission on a first of said four optical linear detectors fixed to a third wheel of the vehicle being inspected, said first optical linear detector being adapted for receiving the at least one first and second substantially horizontal light rays from said first and second sources of luminous emission respectively.