Test system for testing front wheel drive components of automobiles
AssigneeMTS Systems Corporation
InventorPaul S. Petersen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A test system uses the four square principle for loading front wheel drive units of automobiles under torque, and provides the necessary loads on the front wheel drive unit for adequate testing. The unit under test may be subjected to "steering" loads; to torque; to axial loads; and to "jounce" which simulates vertical loads on front wheel drives of automobiles caused by road irregularities, holes or other obstacles. The present device permits application of all of these loads into four separate front-wheel drive-steering units for efficient testing. The mechanical configuration insures the ability to precisely control the loads in the various modes of operation.
Claims19
A four square test apparatus for testing rotating specimens under torsion including a main frame, first means supported on said main frame for mounting at least one pair of test members to be tested for rotation about generally parallel, spaced axes, said first means comprising a subframe having at least a pair of support members, each support member extending laterally of the subframe and laterally of the axis of rotation of the test members on both sides of the subframe to form end guide portions, a pair of elongated guide members mounted on said main frame, the end guide portion of both support members on one lateral side of the subframe being slidably mounted on one of the guide members and the end guide portion of both support members on the other lateral side of the subframe being slidably mounted on the other of the guide members, means for loading said test members in torsion relative to each other while supported on said main frame, means for rotating said test members simultaneously, and means for moving said first means reciprocally as guided by the guide members during rotation of both of said test members.
In a four square test arrangement including a main frame, and wherein a pair of rotating members for mounting specimens such as front wheel drive hubs for vehicles are mounted about separate parallel axes, and having means for loading at least one specimen in torsion, and including power means to rotate said specimen and rotating members when under torsion loading, the improvement comprising a center frame assembly mounted on said main frame for holding the specimen at desired locations, said center frame comprising a plurality of individual sections separable in direction along a first axis, said sections including individual separable sections for supporting and rotatably mounting said rotating members when assembled, and tension rod means connected to an end section at one end and passing through other sections;
- means at an end section at the other end of the assembly for permitting said tension rod means to be placed under tension for clamping the end sections toward center sections for placing the sections between the end sections under compression.
A test stand for testing specimens that rotate and which also are capable of pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation comprising a main frame having an upper support and a base, a center subframe mounted on said main frame, means for rotatably supporting at least one specimen on said center subframe, a loading and drive frame assembly pivotally mounted to said main frame about a first axis generally perpendicular to the rotational axis of the one specimen, said loading and drive frame assembly comprising an upper arm pivotally mounted on the upper support and a lower arm pivotally mounted on said base, said arms extending outwardly from the first axis, and a drive housing connected to both of said arms and forming a structural member supporting the outer ends of the arms relative to each other, means for controlling pivotal movement of said loading and drive frame assembly about said first axis, and means for effecting a rotational drive to said specimen from the drive housing of said loading and drive frame.
A test stand for testing rotating members including a main frame, said main frame having a base plate and a top plate;
- first and second loading frame assemblies mounted between said top plate and base plate along opposite sides of the main frame and extending laterally from said main frame, said first and second loading and drive frame assemblies, each comprising separate arms having inner ends pivotally mounted to the base plate and top plate respectively, and a drive housing movably supported on the arms of each loading and drive frame assembly spaced from the pivot axis thereof, said first and second loading and drive frame assemblies being respectively mounted for movement about pivotal axes that are generally perpendicular to the top plate and which are spaced apart from each other;
- a subframe assembly, said subframe assembly including means for rotatably mounting at least two rotating members about generally parallel axes perpendicular to the pivot axes of said loading and drive frame assemblies;
- vertical guide means mounted on said main frame;
- means for slidably guiding said subframe assembly on said vertical guide means for movement generally parallel to the axes of pivot of said loading and drive frame assemblies;
- said rotating members comprising housings having flanges at opposite ends thereof, and each of said housing flanges facing one of said loading and drive frame assemblies;
- test specimen hub members mounted at each end of each rotating member, each test specimen hub member including a mounting flange and a relatively rotatable wheel hub portion, and a universal joint drive drivably coupled to the wheel hub portion, the flanges on the housings of the rotating members being directly coupled to the rotating wheel hub portions;
- drive shaft means drivably coupled to said rotating wheel hub portions through the universal joints therein and extending to the respective adjacent loading and drive frame assembly;
- means in the drive housings on the loading and drive frame assemblies coupled for simultaneous, drivably rotating the first and second rotating housings through said wheel hub portions and universal joints therein;
- means for loading said wheel hub portions and the universal joints therein in torsion relative to each other;
- means mounted on said top plate and connected to reciprocate said subframe assembly while said wheel hub portions are being rotated through said loading and drive frame assemblies;
- a load ring mounted on the mounting flange of each of said test specimen hub members, said load rings restraining the mounting flange from rotation and including leg members extending generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel hub portions;
- actuator means for loading the legs of the load rings in direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel hub portions;
- means on said subframe for loading said load rings in direction generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel hub portions independently to the loading parallel to the axis of such rotation;
- and
- means for sensing each of the torsion loads and the loads in direction parallel to and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel hub portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.