Apparatus and method for determining vehicle wheel alignment measurements from three dimensional wheel positions and orientations

A wheel alignment apparatus for determining the alignment of the wheels of a vehicle in relation to a vertically movable surface upon which the vehicle wheels are disposed, said apparatus comprising:

• a first set of predetermined optical targets adapted to be mounted to wheels of a vehicle;
• a second set of predetermined optical targets disposed in a predetermined geometrical relationship with respect to the surface on which said vehicle wheels are disposed;
• at least one video camera disposed to receive images of said first optical targets and said second optical targets, each of said at least one video cameras having a field of view;
• a computer operatively connected to said at least one camera, said computer being responsive to the images of said first set of targets and to the images of said second set of targets to determine values of wheel alignment parameters of the vehicle relative to said surface on which said vehicle wheels are disposed;
• and
• an elevating mechanism operatively connected to the at least one video camera to raise and lower said at least one camera along a predetermined path, said elevating mechanism being responsive to vertical movement of the vertically movable surface to move said at least one camera correspondingly along said predetermined path.