Device for determining the wheel and/or axle geometry of motor vehicles

• US 6,397,164 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Uffenkamp, Volker, Nobis, Guenter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/582,277
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150,94,95,105 356/138,139.03,139.09,155 700/279 33/203,288,203.12
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/275 for testing wheel alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/146 Two or more cameras imaging the same area
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/16 Active or passive device attached to the chassis of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/20 Vehicle in a state of translatory motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/30 Reference markings, reflector, scale or other passive device
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/303 fixed to the ground or to the measuring station

Abstract

A device for determining the wheel and/or axle geometry of motor vehicles in an inspection room using an optical measuring device having at least two image pick-up devices, which, from at least two different perspectives, record images from a marking device (or optical target), inclusive of at least one wheel feature arranged on each wheel, and including an evaluation device. The marking device further includes an automobile body feature and a reference feature arrangement, including at least three reference features for use in obtaining geometrical wheel and axle data. The inspection room is defined between the reference feature arrangement and the driving surface plane. The position of the reference features in the inspection room is known or stored in the evaluation device. The marking device is detected while the motor vehicle is being driven past. The at least one wheel feature is detected to define a wheel plane in at least three different rotational positions of the wheel, and the at least one automobile body feature is detected at the same time to define the vehicle'"'"'s motion coordinates. The evaluation device defines at least the wheel and/or axle geometry from the relative position of the wheel plane to the vehicle'"'"'s motion coordinates.

Claims

1. A system for determining at least one of a wheel geometry and an axle geometry of a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

an optical measuring device including at least two image pick-up devices for recording images from at least two different perspectives from a marking device including at least one wheel feature arranged on a corresponding wheel of the vehicle, and

an evaluation device;

wherein;

the marking device further includes an automobile body feature and a reference feature arrangement, the reference feature arrangement including at least three reference features, spatial positions of the at least three reference features being known in the evaluation device;

each of the at least two image pick-up devices includes a detecting arrangement for detecting the marking device while the motor vehicle drives past, and for detecting the at least one wheel feature to define a wheel plane in at least three different rotational positions of the corresponding wheel, and for detecting the automobile body feature to define motion coordinates of the vehicle; and

the evaluation device is installed to define the at least the one of the wheel geometry and the axle geometry from a position of the wheel plane relative to the motion coordinates.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reference feature arrangement includes a spatially designable mount support arrangement, at least one of the at least three reference features being one of at least a reference structure and an applied reference feature.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least three reference features are spatially offset from one another with respect to an image recording position.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the at least three reference features, the at least one wheel feature and the automobile body feature include a retro-reflecting mark; and

at least one of the at least two image pick-up devices is a camera.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical measuring device is one of:

arranged at only one position to jointly detect all wheels of the vehicle; and

arranged so that the at least one of the wheel geometry and the axle geometry is determinable for one side of the vehicle as the one side of the vehicle is driven past, and is determinable for another side of the vehicle as the another side of the vehicle is driven past.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two image pick-up devices are provided on both sides of a measuring station to determine the at least one of the wheel geometry and the axle geometry on both sides of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical measuring device includes at least three image pick-up devices.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one of a light source and a plurality of light sources for illuminating the at least three reference features, the at least one wheel feature, and the automobile body feature;

wherein the one of the light source and the plurality of light sources are arranged around a lens of at least one of the at least two image pick-up devices for use with a retro-reflecting mark.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one of the light source and the plurality of light sources radiate light in a range that is invisible to the human eye.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least three reference features, the at least one wheel feature, and the automobile body feature bears coding information detectable by the at least two image pick-up devices.