Wheel alignment systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10012499-B2
Application number	US-201615188678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for analyzing the alignment of at least one wheel of a vehicle using a non-contact locating system. Systems can include a tie rod with a three-dimensional target that is used by a non-contact measuring instrument to determine the position of the target in three dimensional space. The target may be pyramidal in shape. The position of the target may be indicative of a desired wheel alignment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of aligning a vehicle, the vehicle having a steering knuckle that is coupled to at least one control arm and at least one tie rod, the method comprising:
projecting a laser on a target positioned on a movable portion of the tie rod, the target comprising a three dimensional protrusion extending from surrounding surfaces of the tie rod;
detecting at least a portion of the laser reflected from the target;
determining a position of the target at least based in part on the detected laser; and
adjusting the position of the target until the target is in a position indicative of a desired alignment,
wherein the three dimensional protrusion is a unitary piece of the tie rod.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target is configured to reflect the laser to a greater extent than the tie rod.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three dimensional protrusion is pyramidal in shape.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the position of the target includes adjusting a length of the tie rod.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the position of the target includes adjusting a ride height of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the movable portion of the tie rod is movable with respect to the steering knuckle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is projected up from beneath the vehicle.

8. A method verifying that a wheel of a vehicle is in a desired toe and camber position, the wheel coupled to a steering knuckle that is coupled to at least one control arm and at least one tie rod, the method comprising:
measuring a ride height of the vehicle;
retrieving a desired three dimensional position of a target disposed on a movable portion of the tie rod that is based at least in part on the measured ride height;
determining a position of the target disposed on the movable portion of the tie rod with a non-contact measuring system; and
comparing the determined position with the retrieved position to determine if the knuckle is in the desired toe and camber positions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein measuring the ride height of the vehicle includes projecting a laser on to a target positioned on an underside of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the retrieving a desired three dimensional position includes retrieving information from a memory circuitry.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the position of the target disposed on the movable portion of the tie rod with a non-contact measuring system includes projecting a laser towards the target and detecting at least of portion of the laser reflected by the target.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the target is a three dimensional protrusion extending from the underside of the tie rod, the three dimensional protrusion have a pyramidal shape.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the target is a three dimensional indentation extending into the underside of the tie rod, the three dimensional indentation having a pyramidal shape.

14. An independent suspension and steering system having a built-in target for a wheel alignment system, the suspension and steering system comprising:
a knuckle couplable to a wheel;
a control arm coupled to the knuckle and to a portion of a vehicle frame; the control arm movable about its connection to the frame;
a tie rod coupled to the knuckle and to a portion of the steering system, the tie rod configured to have an adjustable length;
a target disposed on the tie rod; the target configured to reflect electromagnetic waves to a greater extent than the tie rod, the target capable of use with a system for determining the position of the target in three dimensional space during a wheel alignment; and
a second target disposed on an underside of the control arm, the second target configured to reflect electromagnetic waves to a greater extent than the control arm.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the target includes a three dimensional protrusion extending from surrounding surfaces of the tie rod.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the three dimensional protrusion is a unitary piece of the tie rod.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the three dimensional protrusion is pyramidal in shape.

Assignees

• Faraday & Future Inc

Inventors

• TARLOFF Benjamin Charles
• HOMSANGPRADIT Brian Andrew

Classifications

• G01B11/275 Primary

  for testing wheel alignment · CPC title

• B60G2200/10

  Independent suspensions · CPC title

• G01B2210/10

  Wheel alignment · CPC title

• B60G7/003

  of adjustable length · CPC title

• B60G2200/4622

  Alignment adjustment · CPC title