Hand-portable shock absorber tester

Abstract

A method and apparatus for testing shock absorbers in situ on automotive vehicles, the apparatus including, generally, a light-weight, hand-carried console which in the preferred embodiment includes its own source of energy so that it is truly portable, and which also has an oscillation detector in the form of an accelerometer supported thereon. The console of the apparatus is preferably placed on the fender of the vehicle, directly over the tire or wheel to which the shock absorber to be tested is coupled. The console has thereon easily observable light indicators to visually indicate the number of times the vehicle oscillates up and down. Initially, the vehicle is bounced a pre-determined number of times to activate the apparatus, five times in the disclosed embodiment, with each bounce, that is, each up and down, being visually indicated by means of operating lights. An alarm or warning also is provided to audibly indicate that the vehicle has been bounced the proper amount of times and should be released. The subsequent oscillations, each up and down, thereafter are counted and visually indicated by the indicator lights to provide a visual record of the number of oscillations made by the vehicle after it was released. The number of oscillations so made by the vehicle are an indication of the relative condition of the shock absorber. Generally, three or less oscillations indicate a good shock absorber, while four oscillations may suggest a marginal condition. Five or more oscillations would indicate an unsatisfactory shock absorber, as specified by the Department of Transportation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.