Vehicle ride height measurement apparatus and method
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorsJames L. Dale, Raymond Titsworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the vertical distance between a point on a vehicle and a reference line comprises a linear measuring device, a fixture to aid in the taking of linear measurements of the point along two oblique angles, and a computer for calculating the vertical distance from these two measurements.
Claims15
A device for determining the vertical distance between a point on a vehicle and a reference line which comprises:
- means for measuring the linear distance to the point;
- means for guiding the operation of the measuring means to obtain measurements of the linear distance to the point along at least two distinct oblique angles;
- and
- means for automatically computing the vertical distance between the point and the reference line from the at least two measurements made by the measuring means.
A device for determining the vertical distance between a point on a vehicle and a reference line which comprises:
- means for measuring the linear distance to the point;
- means for measuring the angle between the linear measuring means and the reference line;
- and
- means for automatically computing the vertical distance between the point on the vehicle and the reference line from the linear and angular measurements
A method of determining the condition of a vehicle from the angular orientations of first and second vehicle members with respect to a horizontal reference plane which comprises the steps of:
- positioning a measuring device in a vertical plane containing the first vehicle member;
- measuring the vertical and horizontal distances from the measuring device to each of a first point on the first vehicle member and a second point on the first vehicle member;
- calculating the angular orientation of the first vehicle member in the vertical plane from the vertical and horizontal distances measured for each point;
- positioning the measuring device in a vertical plane containing a second vehicle member;
- measuring the vertical and horizontal distances from the measuring device to each of a first point on the second vehicle member and a second point on the second vehicle member;
- calculating the angular orientation of the second vehicle member in the vertical plane from the vertical and horizontal distances measured for each point;
- comparing the angular orientation of the first vehicle member with the angular orientation of the second vehicle member;
- and
- determining from the comparison whether the vehicle is in need of repair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.