Wheel Alignment Equipment User Interface For Selection Of Heavy Duty Vehicle Axle Configurations
AssigneeHunter Engineering Company
InventorJohn Boncek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle wheel alignment measurement system adapted for use with a variety of heavy duty vehicles such as truck and trailers, and which provides the user with a graphical interface for selecting and customizing vehicle axle configurations, axle types, and measurement procedures associated with individual axles. Responsive to the user selection and customization, the vehicle wheel alignment measurement system generates a corresponding alignment inspection and/or adjustment procedure for the given vehicle configuration.
Claims21
A vehicle wheel alignment measurement system adapted for use with a variety of heavy duty vehicles, comprising
- a processing system configured with software instructions to provide a graphical interface having interactive elements for receiving operator input to
- a. identify a vehicle axle configuration of a heavy duty vehicle,
- b. identify a reference axle on said heavy duty vehicle, and
- c. designate steerable and/or non-steerable axles;
- wherein said processing system is further configured to utilize said identified vehicle configuration, said identified reference axle, and each designated steerable and/or non-steerable axles to generate an inspection and/or measurement procedure directing a sequence of required axle measurements for said heavy duty vehicle, and to further provide operator instructions on said graphical interface for placement of optical targets or measurement sensors associated with said generated at least one vehicle inspection and/or measurement procedure.
A method for generating at least one vehicle inspection and/or measurement procedure for use with a heavy duty vehicle, comprising
- receiving through a graphical user interface, operator input to
- a. identify a vehicle axle configuration,
- b. identify a reference axle on the vehicle, and
- c. designate steerable and/or non-steerable axles;
- responsive to said received operator input, generating at least one vehicle inspection and/or measurement procedure utilizing said identified vehicle configuration, said identified reference axle, and each designated steerable and/or non-steerable axle, said generated procedure including steps for displaying instructions for sequential placement of a set of optical targets or measurement sensors on each of said vehicle axles to said operator in said graphical user interface, and for acquiring and/or determining a set of measurements for each of said vehicle axles.
A method for generating a customized wheel and/or axle alignment measurement procedure for a heavy duty vehicle, comprising
- identifying an axle configuration for said heavy duty vehicle, said identification of axle configuration including a count of axles designated as front axles, and a count of axles designated as rear axles;
- designating a reference axle for said heavy duty vehicle;
- identifying each steerable or each non-steerable axle on said heavy duty vehicle;
- generating a wheel and/or axle alignment measurement procedure responsive to said identified axle configuration, said designated reference axle, and each identified steerable or non-steerable axle, said generated procedure including a sequence for placement of a set of optical targets or measurement sensors on each axle of said heavy duty vehicle and a sequence for acquisition and/or determination of a set of measurements for each of said axles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.