Test apparatus for simulating off-road conditions for vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsTimothy Pistole, Mark Thomas Weston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A test apparatus for simulating road conditions for a motor vehicle. The test apparatus includes a platform, a pair of roller assemblies, and a driveshaft. The pair of roller assemblies are coupled to the platform. Each pair of roller assemblies being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle. The driveshaft is secured between the pair of roller assemblies and is configured to transmit rotary power from one of the pair of roller assemblies to the other of the pair of roller assemblies. An orientation of the platform is adjustable.
Claims20
A test apparatus for simulating off-road conditions for a motor vehicle, the test apparatus comprising:
- a platform;
- front and rear roller assemblies coupled to the platform, each of the front roller assembly and the rear roller assembly being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle, the front roller assembly located near a front end of the platform and the rear roller assembly located entirety rearward of the front roller assembly near a rear end of the platform;
- and
- a driveshaft secured between the front roller assembly and the rear roller assembly and configured to transmit rotary power from one of the front roller assembly and the rear roller assembly to the other of the front roller assembly and the rear roller assembly, the driveshaft extends parallel to a longitudinal direction of the platform,
- wherein an orientation of the platform is adjustable, and
- wherein the driveshaft includes a first portion, a second portion, and a clutch positioned between the first and second portions and movable between a first position in which the first and second portions are fixed for rotation with each other, and a second position in which the first and second portions rotate relative to each other.
A test apparatus for simulating off-road conditions for a motor vehicle, the test apparatus comprising:
- a platform;
- front and rear modular roller assemblies coupled to the platform, each of the front modular roller assembly and the rear modular roller assembly is adjustable along a length of the platform and being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle, the front modular roller assembly located near a front end of the platform and the rear modular roller assembly located entirely rearward of the front modular roller assembly near a rear end of the platform;
- and
- a driveshaft secured between the front modular roller assembly and the rear modular roller assembly and configured to transmit rotary power from one of the front modular roller assembly and the rear modular roller assembly to the other of the front modular roller assembly and the rear modular roller assembly, the driveshaft extends parallel to a longitudinal direction of the platform,
- wherein the driveshaft includes a first portion, a second portion, and a clutch positioned between the first and second portions and movable between a first position in which the first and second portions are fixed for rotation with each other, and a second position in which the first and second portions rotate relative to each other.
A test apparatus for simulating off-road conditions for a motor vehicle, the test apparatus comprising:
- a crane;
- a platform;
- a plurality of suspension devices, each suspension device secured at a first end to a respective corner of the platform and at a second end to the crane,
- a pair of roller assemblies coupled to the platform, each one of the pair of roller assemblies being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle, each roller assembly includes:
- first and second roller devices, each of the first and second roller devices configured to receive a respective wheel of the pair of wheels;
- and
- an axle secured between the first and second roller devices;
- and
- a driveshaft secured between the pair of roller assemblies and configured to transmit rotary power from one of the pair of roller assemblies to the other of the pair of roller assemblies,
- wherein the crane is configured to adjust an orientation of the platform and,
- wherein the driveshaft includes a first portion, a second portion, and a clutch positioned between the first and second portions and movable between a first position in which the first and second portions are fixed for rotation with each other, and a second position in which the first and second portions rotate relative to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.