Title of Invention

AN EQUIPMENT FOR WHEEL ALIGNING AND ENGINE ANALYSING OF AN AUTOMOBILE

Abstract

AN EQUIPMENT FOR WHEEL ALIGNING AND ENGINE ANALYZING OF AN AUTOMOBILE An equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing of an automobile comprising a wheel aligner, an engine analyser and a computer for computing and providing the aUgnment and analyser parameters of the autombile in the form of a display and/or print out; the said wheel aligner comprising at least two sensor arms for attaching to the left and right front wheels of the automobile and two rear LED cabinets for attaching to the left and right rear wheels of the automobile; the said engine analyser comprising a timing light, probes/clips and cable for connecting to the engine; the computer comprising a PC mother board for selecting the test functions and processing the information from measurements, a key board for inputing the information, a hard disk for storing information in accordance with a dedicated software and a monitor for displaying information; a printer for providing print out of the measured and analysed data; interface connecting boards for connecting the measured data from the wheel aligner and engine analyzer to the computer and a cable arm for holding the cables and the probes/clips for connecting to various locations of the automobile. Fig. 1

Full Text

This invention relates to an equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing of an automobile. The equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing of an automobile according to the invention comprises a wheel aligning section, an engine analysing section and a computer system for providing necessary information for alignment of the wheels and analysing the engine parameters of an automobile accurately and makes it possible to oarryout suoh checks with speed. The equipment according to the invention measures accurately wheel alignment parameters such as Toe,Camber caster and Kingpin inclination within an accuracy of two to five minutes in automobiles of light and heavy vehicles. It also measures the important parameters of engine of an automobile suoh as condition of battery, condition of charging system, ignition timing, H T voltage, power balance in between the engine cylinders and fuel injection timing. It can be used to analyse both petrol engines and diesel engines. Individual sensing units are connected to the computer which provides the final display of parameters measured. Some of the parameters can be adjusted ON-line. The computer system is provided with a hard disk installed with a wheel alignment software and an engine analyser software, system memory, monitor, keyboard and printer. Thus the invention provides an equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing of an automobile oomprising a wheel aligner, an engine analyser and a computer for computing and providing the alignment and analyser parameters of the autombile in the form of a display and/or print out; the said wheel aligner comprising at least two sensor arms for attaching to the left and right front wheels of the automobile and two rear LED cabinets for attaching to the left and right rear wheels of the automobile; the said engine analyser comprising a timing light, probes/clips and cables for connecting to the engine of the automobile; the computer comprising a PC motherboard for selecting the test functions and processing the information from measurements, a key board for inputing the information, a hard disk for storing information in accordance with a dedicated software and a monitor for displaying information; a printer for providing print out of the measured and analysed data; interface connecting boards for connecting the measured data from the wheel aligner and engine analyser to the computer and a cable arm for holding the cables and the probes/olips for connecting to various locations of the automobile. The equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is the front view of the equipment according to the invention; Figure 2 is the rear view of the equipment according to the invention; Figure 3 is the front view of the sensor arm; Figure 4 is the side view of the sensor arm through A; Figure 5 Is a view of the sensor arm through a plane B-B shown in figure 4 with components seen after removal of arm cabinet fixed on the back plate. Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the sensor arm through a plane C-C shown in figure 3; Figure 7 is the front view of the rear LED cabinet; Figure 8 is the view of the rear LED cabinet in the direction A shown in figure 7; Figure 9 is the view of the rear LED cabinet through plane B-B shown in figure 8, with components seen after removal of LED cabinet fixed on the back plate. Figure 10 is the cirouit configuration of the equipment according to ^h** invent inn? nnH Figure 11 is the flow chart indicating the operation of the equipment according to the invention. The equipment according to the invention comprises a wheel aligner, an engine analyser and a computer. The engine analyser comprises a timing light (6) and probes/clips (7). The probes/clips are connected to the various parts of the automobile to measure important parameters that determine the condition of the engine. The probes/clips (7) are provided with cables (9) and is located on a cable arm (8). The wheel aligner consists of two sensor arms (4) and two rear LED cabinets (5). Each sensor arm (4) consist of an arm tube (20), at least one LED (28), a front charge couple device (CCD) camera (27) and a rear charge couple device (CCD) camera (26) and two angle sensors (24) such as clinometers. The sensor arm is provided with an arm holder knob (15) and a handle (18) for proper fitting and handling . The arm holder knob (15) goes into the bush which is attached with a backplate (23) of the sensor arm cabinet (22). A viewing glass (16) is provided so that light from LED can pass through it to the CCD camera. A cable connector (18) is provided on the sensor arm cabinet (22). The front CCD camera (27) with cover (21) is mounted on the arm tube (20). A buzzer (25) is provided on the back plate (23) of the sensor am for outputting the audio signals. A keypad (17) is also provided on the front side of the sensor am oabinet (22) to enter the datas acquired through sensor arm. The rear LED cabinet (5) comprises an LED (37) and a spirit level (32) for leveling the rear LED oabinet horizontally, A lens (36) is provided to focus the light from the LED to the rear CCD camera (28). A viewing glass (30) is provided on the rear LED cabinet (5) for allowing the light to reach the rear CCD camera (26) and a cable connector (31) is provided for connecting the cable. A handle (33) and an arm holder knob (29) are provided on the rear LED cabinet (5) for proper handling and fitting of the rear LED cabinet. An arm holder knob (29) is provided on a back plate (35) of the rear LED cabinet (34). The sensor arms (4) are mounted to the front wheels for carrying out the two wheel alignment. Each front wheel is fitted with a sensor arm while aligning. The rear LED cabinets are mounted on the back wheels. The LED in the right sensor arm is located such that it can act as a source of light for the front CCD camera (27) in the left sensor arm which is mounted perpendicular to the wheel plane. The rear CCD camera (28) is mounted parallel to the wheel plane so that it can receive light rays from the LED (37) in the rear LED cabinet (34). which is mounted parallel to the wheel plane. The computer comprises a PC motherboard (101), a hard disc (104), a monitor (1) and a keyboard (3). The computer provides the output parameters of wheel alignment and engine analysis with the help of suitable interfaces provided in the unit. The computer is provided with a wheel alignment software and an engine analysis software in the same hard disk (104) and share the system resources available on the computer such as monitor (1) keyboard (3), printer (2), hard disk (104) and system memory without conflicts. An EA connector PCB (109) connects all the cables coming from the engine analyser to an EA interface board (103) and an interface unit (10) consisting of a transformer (110) and a personality board (102) connects all the cables from the wheel aligner to the mother board (101). The personality board interacts with the computer directly. The EA interface board (103) Interacts with PC motherboard (101) through an EAADC card (107) and the PC mother board (101) Interacts with the EA interface board (103) either directly or through the said EAADC card (107). A super video graphic adaptor (SVGA) card (108) is connected in between the motherboard and the monitor since the software is menu driven and provides on line help to the user at various points In the program sequence. The probes and clips (7) provided for engine analysis Interacts with the EA Interface board (103) through the EA connector PCB (109). The output of the EA interface board (103) is also given to a speaker (25) for audible signal. It is desirable to provide a voltage stabilizer (112) connected to the AC mains for supplying stabilized voltage to the equipment. Preferably a separate DC power supply (105) provides supply to PC - mother board (101) and EA interface board (103) through an SMPS power distribution PCB (106). The same DC power supply (105) provides supply to hard disk (104). Power supply is also given to the personality board and EA interface board through transformers (110, 111) respectively. Preferably the equipment is also provided with cable holding (11) and cable clamps (12). For the easy movement of the equipment, it is preferably provided with caster wheels (13). The wheel alignment procedure is as follows. Initially the vehicle is taken to the pit keeping the front wheels on a rotary plate and rear wheels on a rear wheel slider. Then the front sensor arm and rear LED cabinets are fitted to the wheels. The measurement is carried out and the data is fed to the computer. The computer proceses the measured data and the output is given through the interfacing boards to the printer or to the display or both. The engine analysis procedure includes connecting all the clips and probes to various parts of the engine for measurement and the measured data is fed to the computer through the EA interface board. For carrying out a four wheel alignment on a vehicle the two rear LED cabinet (5) are replaced with two rear sensor arms consisting of a front CCD camara fixed perpendicular to the wheel plane, an angle sensor, an LED parallel to the wheel plane and another LED perpendicular to the wheel plane and a spirit level to level the rear sensor arm horizontally. The equipment according to the invention is cost effective and space saving. The procedure is less time consuming since the wheel alignment and the engine analysis are done in the same bay without moving the vehicle from one bay to the other. WE CLAIM: 1. An equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing of an automobile comprising a wheel aligner, an engine analyser and a computer for computing and providing the alignment and analyser parameters of the autombile in the form of a display and/or print out; the said wheel aligner comprising at least two sensor arms (4) for attaching to the left and right front wheels of the automobile and two rear LED cabinets (5) for attaching to the left and right rear wheels of the automobile; the said engine analyser comprising a timing light (6), probes/clips (7) and cable (9) for connecting to the engine; the computer comprising a PC mother board (101) for selecting the test functions and processing the information from measurements, a key board (3) for inputlng the information, a hard disk (104) for storing information in accordance with a dedicated software and a monitor (1) for displaying information; a printer (2) for providing print out of the measured and analysed data; interface connecting boards (102,103) for connecting the measured data from the wheel aligner and engine analyser to the computer and a cable arm (8) for holding the cables (9) and the probes/clips(7) for connecting to various locations of the automobile. 2. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said sensor arm (4) comprises an arm tube (20), a rear CCD camera (28), a front CCD camera (27), an LED (28) and two angle sensors (24). 3 The equipment as claimed In claim 1, wherein the said rear LED cabinet (5) comprises an LED (37), a lens (36) for focusing the light from the said LED (37), a sprit level (32) for leveling the said rear LED cabinet (5) horizontally. 4. The equipment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said Interface connecting board (102) interfaces the said sensor arms (4) and rear LED cabinets (5) with the said E*C mother board (101). 5. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said interface connecting board (103) interfaces the said probes (7) and said timing light (6) to the said PC mother board (101). 6. The equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein a voltage stabilizer (112) is provided to supply stabilized voltage to the apparatus. 7. An equipment for wheel aligning and engine analysing of an automobile substantially as herein described.

Documents:

0983-mas-1999 abstract duplicate.pdf

0983-mas-1999 abstract.jpg

0983-mas-1999 abstract.pdf

0983-mas-1999 claims duplicate.pdf

0983-mas-1999 claims.pdf

0983-mas-1999 correspondence-others.pdf

0983-mas-1999 correspondence-po.pdf

0983-mas-1999 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

0983-mas-1999 description (complete).pdf

0983-mas-1999 drawings duplicate.pdf

0983-mas-1999 drawings.pdf

0983-mas-1999 form-1.pdf

0983-mas-1999 form-19.pdf

0983-mas-1999 form-26.pdf