Steering wheel level verification with alignment sensors attached
AssigneeSnap-on Incorporated
InventorsCarl W. Pruitt, George M. Gill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle wheel alignment system may include wheel alignment sensors configured to measure toe angles of steerable wheels on the vehicle, a user interface configured to communicate information to a user, and a processing system. The processing system may be configured to cause the user interface to communicate instructions to rotate a steering wheel on the vehicle and to communicate centering information that is pertinent to whether the steering wheel is substantially centered with respect to the steerable wheels based at least in part on the toe angles.
Claims22
A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
- wheel alignment sensors configured to measure toe angles of steerable wheels on the vehicle;
- a user interface configured to communicate information to a user;
- and
- a processing system configured to cause the user interface to communicate instructions to rotate a steering wheel on the vehicle to a position other than level and to communicate centering information that is pertinent to whether the steering wheel is substantially centered with respect to the steerable wheels based at least in part on the toe angles, wherein the processing system is also configured to determine whether the steering wheel is substantially centered with respect to the steerable wheels and to cause the user interface to communicate the results of this determination.
A vehicle wheel alignment system comprising:
- wheel alignment sensors configured to measure toe angles of steerable wheels on the vehicle;
- a user interface configured to communicate information to a user;
- a processing system configured to determine whether a steering wheel on the vehicle is substantially centered with respect to the steerable wheels based at least in part on determining whether the toe angles are substantially equal;
- and
- a rotational position sensor that is different from the wheel alignment sensors and that is configured to measure the rotational position of the steering wheel.
A process for verifying the alignment of steerable wheels in a vehicle having a steering wheel and linkages between the steerable wheels and the steering wheel that has hysteresis comprising:
- rotating the steering wheel in a first direction while the vehicle is at rest at least until the rotation causes the steerable wheels to turn;
- rotating the steering wheel in a second direction opposite the first direction while the vehicle is at rest until the toe angles of the steerable wheels are substantially equal;
- and
- determining whether there is a misalignment between the steering wheel and the steerable wheels based on whether the steering wheel is substantially centered.
A process for verifying the alignment of steerable wheels in a vehicle having a steering wheel and linkages between the steerable wheels and the steering wheel that has hysteresis comprising:
- rotating the steering wheel in a first direction while the vehicle is at rest at least until the rotation causes the steerable wheels to turn;
- rotating the steering wheel in a second direction opposite the first direction while the vehicle is at rest until the steering wheel is substantially centered;
- and
- determining whether there is a misalignment between the steering wheel and the steerable wheels based on whether the toe angles of the steerable wheels are substantially equal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.