Wheel alignment systems and methods
AssigneeFaraday & Future Inc.
InventorsBenjamin Charles Tarloff, Brian Andrew Homsangpradit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods for analyzing the alignment of at least one wheel of a vehicle using a non-contact locating system. Systems can include a tie rod with a three-dimensional target that is used by a non-contact measuring instrument to determine the position of the target in three dimensional space. The target may be pyramidal in shape. The position of the target may be indicative of a desired wheel alignment.
Claims20
A method of aligning a vehicle, the vehicle having a steering knuckle that is coupled to at least one control arm and at least one tie rod, the method comprising:
- projecting a laser on a target positioned on a movable portion of the tie rod;
- detecting at least a portion of the laser reflected from the target;
- determining a position of the target at least based in part on the detected laser;
- and
- adjusting the position of the target until the target is in a position indicative of a desired alignment.
A method verifying that a wheel of a vehicle is in a desired toe and camber position, the wheel coupled to a steering knuckle that is coupled to at least one control arm and at least one tie rod, the method comprising:
- measuring a ride height of the vehicle;
- retrieving a desired three dimensional position of a target disposed on a movable portion of the tie rod that is based at least in part on the measured ride height;
- determining a position of the target disposed on the movable portion of the tie rod with a non-contact measuring system;
- and
- comparing the determined position with the retrieved position to determine if the knuckle is in the desired toe and camber positions.
An independent suspension and steering system having a built-in target for a wheel alignment system, the suspension and steering system comprising:
- a knuckle couplable to a wheel;
- a control arm coupled to the knuckle and to a portion of a vehicle frame;
- the control arm movable about its connection to the frame;
- a tie rod coupled to the knuckle and to a portion of the steering system, the tie rod configured to have an adjustable length;
- and
- a target disposed on the tie rod;
- the target configured to reflect electromagnetic waves to a greater extent than the tie rod, the target capable of use with a system for determining the position of the target in three dimensional space during a wheel alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.