Dynamometer for simulating the inertial and road load forces encountered by motor vehicles

In a dynamometer for simulating the inertia and road load for motor vehicles having a pair of driven wheels on a common axis of rotation, wherein a torque transducer and speed sensor provide signals representative of the torque transmitted to or from the wheels and the speed of the wheels, respectively;

• the combination comprising:
• a stationary frame;
• a pair of co-axial spaced rolls, each of the rolls being arranged to engage one of the driven wheels of the vehicle;
• an electric motor having a housing mounted on the frame and positioned between the rolls, the motor including a shaft and bearings which rotatably support the shaft in the housing, the shaft extending from each end of the housing along an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the driven wheels of the vehicle when positioned on the dynamometer;
• each of the rolls being mounted on a respective end of the motor shaft so that the entire weight of the rolls and the portion of the vehicle resting on the rolls is transmitted to the housing through said bearings;
• and
• control means responsive to the vehicle wheel speed and torque signal for controlling the motor to supply power to or absorb power from the rolls so that the torque applied to or received from the vehicle wheels is representative of a force associated with a selected simulated inertia and road load for the vehicle.

In a dynamometer for simulating the inertia and road load for motor vehicles having a pair of driven wheels on a common axis of rotation, wherein a torque transducer and speed sensor provide signals representative of the torque transmitted to or from the wheels and the speed of the wheels, respectively;

• the combination comprising:
• a stationary frame;
• a pair of spaced rolls, each of the rolls being arranged to engage one of the driven wheels of the vehicle;
• an electric motor including a housing and a shaft supported on the frame and positioned between the rolls;
• each of the rolls being mounted on a respective end of the shaft for rotation therewith, the shaft being journaled in and supported relative to the frame by bearings located solely between the rolls so that the entire weight of the rolls is transmitted to the housing and frame through said bearings;
• and
• control means responsive to the vehicle wheel speed and the torque transmitted to or from the vehicle wheels for controlling the motor to supply power to or absorb power from the rolls so that the torque applied to or received from the wheels is representative of a force associated with a selected simulated inertia and road load for the vehicle.

An improved dynamometer apparatus for simulating the inertia and road load for motor vehicles having a pair of driven wheels in which a pair of spaced rolls, arranged to engage and support the vehicle driven wheels, are coupled to an electric motor for applying a braking torque or motoring torque to the wheels in response to signals representative of the speed of the rolls and the torque applied to or received from the rolls by the motor to simulate the inertia and road load forces which the vehicle would experience under actual operation over a road bed, the improvement comprising:

• a stationary frame;
• the electric motor having a housing mounted on the frame and positioned between the rolls, the motor including a shaft and bearings which rotatably support the shaft in the housing, the shaft extending from each end of the housing;
• and
• each of the rolls being mounted on a respective end of the motor shaft for rotation therewith so that the entire weight of the rolls and the portion of the vehicle weight supported thereon is transmitted to the housing through said bearings.