System and method for measuring the grip performance of a vehicle

A method for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel having a vertical and an axial centerline and being mounted on an upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along a longitudinal centerline and having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to an instantaneous load force vector comprising at least one intermediate load member extending between a first end pivotally-coupled to said upright and a second end pivotally-coupled to said chassis, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) interposing a load isolation member between said first end of each said intermediate load member and said upright, each said load isolation member being configured as having a defined geometry isolating each said intermediate load member from said upright for measurement of the load force vectors acting on each said intermediate load member;
• (b) measuring a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load force vector acting on each said intermediate load member;
• (c) resolving with respect to a relative plane each load force vector of step (b) into at least one load force component;
• and
• (d) summing said load force components to derive at least one total load force component which corresponds to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.

A method for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel having a vertical and an axial centerline and being mounted on an upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along a longitudinal centerline and having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to an instantaneous load force vector comprising at least one intermediate load member extending between a first end pivotally-coupled to said upright and a second end pivotally-coupled to said chassis, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) interposing a load isolation member between said second end of each said intermediate load member and said chassis, each said load isolation member being configured as having a defined geometry isolating each said intermediate load member from said chassis for measurement of the load force vectors acting on each said intermediate load member;
• (b) measuring a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load force vector acting on each said intermediate load member;
• (c) resolving with respect to a relative plane each load force vector of step (b) into at least one load force component;
• and
• (d) summing said load force components to derive at least one total load force component which corresponds to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.

A method for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel being mounted on an upright and having a vertical and an axial centerline and an axle having a first end supporting said wheel and a second end received by said upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along a longitudinal centerline an having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to an instantaneous load force vector, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) interposing a load carrier member intermediate said upright and said axle, said load carrier member being configured as having a defined geometry for measurement of a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load forces acting between said axle and said upright;
• (b) measuring a magnitude and relative direction of at least one instantaneous load force vector acting on said load carrier member;
• and
• (c) resolving with respect to a relative plane the load force vector of step (b) into at least one load force component corresponding to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.

A system for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel having a vertical and an axial centerline and being mounted on an upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along a longitudinal centerline and having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to an instantaneous load force vector, said system comprising:

• at least one force sensor for providing load force output signals corresponding to a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load force vector acting on each said support member supporting said chassis on said wheel;
• and
• a processor responsive to said load force output signals for resolving with respect to a relative plane each said force vector into a first load force component, a second load force component normal to said first component, and a third load force component normal to said first and said second component, for relating each said first load force component to a reference plane to derive a first normalized load force component, for relating each said second load force component to said reference plane to derive a second normalized load force component normal to said first normalized load force component, for relating each said third load force component to said reference plane to derive a third normalized load force component normal to said first and said second normalized load force component, and for summing said normalized first, second, and third load force components to derive total normalized first, second, and third load force components which correspond to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.

A system for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel having a vertical and an axial centerline and being mounted on an upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along an longitudinal centerline and having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to on instantaneous load force vector comprising at least one intermediate load member extending between a first end pivotally-coupled to said upright and a second end pivotally-coupled to said chassis, said system comprising:

• a load isolation member interposed between said first end of each said intermediate member and said upright, each said load isolation member being configured as having a defined geometry isolating each said intermediate load member from said upright;
• at least one force sensor interposed between each said load isolation member and said upright for providing load force output signals corresponding to a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load force vector acting on each said intermediate member;
• and
• a processor responsive to said load force output signals for resolving with respect to a relative plane each said force vector into at least one load force component, and for summing said load force components to derive at least one total load force component which corresponds to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.

A system for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel having a vertical and an axial centerline and being mounted on an upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along a longitudinal centerline and having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to an instantaneous load force vector comprising at least one intermediate load member extending between a first end pivotally-coupled to said upright and a second end pivotally-coupled to said chassis, said system comprising:

• a load isolation member interposed between said second end of each said intermediate member and said chassis, each said load isolation member being configured as having a defined geometry isolating each said intermediate load member from said chassis;
• at least one force sensor interposed between each said second load isolation member and said chassis for providing load force output signals corresponding to a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load force vector acting on each said intermediate member;
• and
• a processor responsive to said load force output signals for resolving with respect to a relative plane each said force vector into at least one load force component, and for summing said load force components to derive at least one total load force component which corresponds to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.

A system for measuring a grip force between at least one wheel of a vehicle and a ground surface which defines a ground plane at said wheel, said wheel being mounted on an upright and having a vertical and an axial centerline and an axle having a first end supporting said wheel and a second end received by said upright, and said vehicle extending between a forward and a rearward portion along a longitudinal centerline and having a chassis extending between said forward and said rearward portion, said chassis having a lower surface defining a bottom plane of said vehicle and being supported on said wheel by at least one support member which is subjected to an instantaneous load force vector, said system comprising:

• a load carder member interposed between said upright and said axle, said load carrier member being configured as having a defined geometry for measurement of a magnitude and relative direction of an instantaneous load forces acting between said axle and said upright;
• at least one force sensor interposed between said load carrier member and said upright for providing load force output signals corresponding to a magnitude and relative direction of at least one instantaneous load force vector acting between said axle and said upright;
• and
• a processor responsive to said load force output signals for resolving with respect to a relative plane said load force vector into at least one load force component corresponding to an instantaneous grip force developed between said wheel and said ground surface.