The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 19, 1983
Filed:
May. 18, 1981
John A Marten, Wauconda, IL (US);
Donald Legler, Fort Wayne, IL (US);
Jesse W Wagoner, Dundee, IL (US);
Sun Electric Corporation, Crystal Lake, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and corresponding method for detecting steering or front-end alignment defects in a vehicle, such as an automobile, having a steering wheel steerably connected to dirigible front wheels. Each side of the vehicle being tested is restrained from sideward motion by a retaining brace having a force transducer mounted therein. A roller mounted in a support floor rotates or allows the rotation of each of the front wheels of the vehicle. While the front wheels are rotated, the steering wheel of the vehicle is turned from center position through a relatively small angle of rotational to the right and then to the left (or vice versa). An angle indicating device measures the angles of steering wheel rotation. While the steering wheel is maintained momentarily at each of the respective angles of rotation, a rotating-force measuring device, such as a torque wrench, is used to measure the force exerted on the steering wheel and the force transducers, in cooperation with a readout device, are used to determine the force exerted on the respective retainers. All force values thus obtained are then mathematically compared to determine if a steering or front-end alignment defect exists in the vehicle.