Apparatus onboard a vehicle for instructing axle alignment
First Claim
1. An apparatus onboard a vehicle for determining an axle'"'"'s thrust line, comprising:
- means to point having a first end originating at said axle and a second end ending at a sensor mounted adjacent to said axle; and
means to determine a relative position between said sensor and said means to point, whereby said thrust line of said axle with respect to a centerline of said vehicle is determined.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus that remains onboard a tractor and semi trailer vehicle for readily providing axle alignment instruction to an operator. The apparatus includes at least one indicator (28) for detecting an axle'"'"'s thrust line relative to the vehicle'"'"'s centerline. At least one sensor (40) for detecting the position of indicator (28) relative to the position of sensor (40). Upon axle deviation, indicator (28) position changes relative to sensor (40). Sensor (40) detect the change in the position of indicator (28). At least one signal is generated and transmitted to at least one receiver (68). Receiver (68) communicates the relation between indicator (28) and sensor (40) as alignment instruction of a particular axle (front or rear), particular side (left or right), particular direction in which to realign the axle (forward or rearward), and concludes when the axle'"'"'s alignment is correct.
64 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus onboard a vehicle for determining an axle'"'"'s thrust line, comprising:
means to point having a first end originating at said axle and a second end ending at a sensor mounted adjacent to said axle; and
means to determine a relative position between said sensor and said means to point, whereby said thrust line of said axle with respect to a centerline of said vehicle is determined.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for instructing axle alignment using an apparatus onboard a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
providing means onboard said vehicle for determining a relative position of the axle'"'"'s thrust line with respect to a centerline of said vehicle;
providing at least one instruction to align said axle base on said relative position.- View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for instructing realignment of an axle'"'"'s thrust line, comprising the steps of:
using onboard a vehicle means to detect movement of said axle'"'"'s thrust line with respect to a vehicle'"'"'s centerline;
determining at least one axle alignment instruction base on said movement.- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
Specification