Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the rotational axis and the rotating center of a vehicle wheel by means of at least two image capture units assigned to each other in position and situation during the journey of the vehicle, and by means of an analysis unit arranged downstream of said units, processing the recorded image information, taking into account multiple wheel features (10) present on the wheel or attached for the measurement, and by means of at least one bodywork feature present on the bodywork or attached for the measurement, wherein 2D-coordinates of the wheel features (10) and of the at least one bodywork feature are synchronously detected, and from these the 3D-coordinates of the features are calculated at certain time intervals and counted back to a previously established reference time point or corresponding reference position of the vehicle wheel, taking into account the distance traveled by the at least one bodywork feature relative to the reference position.

Abstract: A method and device are described for measuring a chassis and for measuring the chassis geometry of a vehicle, which includes providing a chassis measurement system having four measurement heads situated in known positions relative to one another, of which each has a monocular image recording device, the position of the measurement heads relative to one another being known, and the distance of the front measurement heads from one another differing from the distance of the rear measurement heads from one another; recording a respective front wheel, or a measurement target attached thereto, in at least one first run-in position of the vehicle using the rear measurement heads; recording the four wheels, or the measurement targets attached thereto, using each of the four measurement heads, in a first main measurement position and in a second main measurement position of the vehicle; carrying out local 3D reconstructions in order to determine the translation vectors, the rotation vectors, and the wheel angles of r

Abstract: In a method for wheel suspension alignment, the following steps are carried out: providing a wheel suspension alignment system having four measuring heads situated in a known position with respect to one another, of which each has a monocular picture recording device, the relative position of the measuring heads with respect to one another being known; recording in each case one wheel or a measuring target mounted on it in an initial position of the vehicle, using each of the four measuring heads; shifting the vehicle from the initial position to at least one further position; recording in each case one wheel, or a measuring target mounted on it, of the vehicle standing in the further position, using each of the four measuring heads; recording a reference target having a known pattern mounted on the vehicle, using one of the four measuring heads in at least one of the initial position and the further position of the vehicle, and determining from this an absolute scale for the measuring heads; carrying out loc

Abstract: A target system for optical chassis alignment includes a target and a target mounting element having a target receiving element to which the target is attached. The target mounting element is attachable to a wheel of a motor vehicle so that the target is aligned at an angle to the wheel center plane. A significant mark at a known distance from a reference plane and at least two additional undetermined marks are situated on the target.

Abstract: A set according of target assemblages for optical chassis measurement encompasses at least two target assemblages that are each provided for mounting on a wheel of a motor vehicle, as well as a respective target and a target holder having a target receptacle on which the target is mounted. Each of the target holders is mountable on a wheel of a motor vehicle in such a way that the target is oriented at an angle to the wheel center plane. A significant mark and at least two further undetermined marks are disposed on the target, and the spacing of the significant mark from a reference plane of the respective target assemblage is unknown, but the same in each case for all target assemblages.

Abstract: A method and a device are provided for the optical axle alignment of wheels of a motor vehicle. At the wheels that are to be aligned, targets are mounted, having optically recordable marks, the targets being recordable by measuring units that have stereo camera devices. In a referencing process, using a referencing device that is integrated into the measuring units, a measuring position reference system is established for the measuring units. In a calibration process, in which a local 3D coordinate system is established using at least three marks of the target, the determination of a reference plane is carried out, using a significant mark of the target. Finally, using the reference plane, a vehicle longitudinal center plane is ascertained, while taking into account the measuring location reference system.

Abstract: A chassis measuring system according to the invention includes at least one pair of first and second measuring heads (2, 21), which are situated diametrically opposed in the transverse vehicle direction, each measuring head (2, 21) having at least one measuring camera (4, 8; 14, 18) and an illumination device (6, 10; 16, 20) pointing in the same direction as the measuring camera (4, 8; 14, 18), as well as a data processing unit, which is connected to the measuring heads (2, 12) and designed in such a way that it determines the position parameters of the measuring heads (2, 12) relative to each other by comparing the image of the illumination device (16, 20) of the second measuring head (12) recorded by the measuring camera (4, 8) of the first measuring head (2) with stored reference images.

Abstract: A method according for wheel suspension alignment includes the following: providing a wheel suspension alignment system having four measuring heads situated in a known position with respect to one another, of which each has a monocular picture recording device; recording at least three geometrical details of one wheel, respectively, of a vehicle standing in an initial position, using each of the four measuring heads; carrying out a relative motion between the vehicle, on the one hand, and the measuring heads, on the other hand, from the initial position (A) into at least one further position (E), the relative position of the measuring heads with respect to one another being known; recording at least three geometrical details of one wheel, respectively, of the vehicle standing in the further position (E), using each of the four measuring heads; carrying out local 3D reconstructions for determining the translation vectors, the rotation vectors and the wheel rotational angles between the at least two positions,

Abstract: For optical chassis measurement of motor vehicles at a testing site that has at least one measuring unit having at least two imaging devices associated with one another in position and location, the measuring units are oriented with respect to the testing site with reference characteristics located fixedly at the testing site, evaluation in an evaluation device is effected on a basis orientation data and associated data obtained, for determining chassis data of a motor vehicle, in addition to the reference characteristics located fixedly at the testing site, at least one reference device is positioned which is usable in mobile fashion at the testing site with reference characteristics, and with a totality of reference characteristics in the evaluation device, the orientation data and the association data of the measuring units are obtained, and thus a common measuring station coordinate system is defined.

Abstract: A measuring station for measuring vehicles has at least one laser source, which emits laser radiation (20) during operation, and a safety system, which includes at least one sensor, which is set up to detect objects. The safety system is configured in such a way that it switches off the laser source when at least one sensor detects an object which approaches a region in which the laser radiation emitted by the laser source has a particularly high intensity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the rotational axis and the rotating center of a vehicle wheel by means of at least two image capture units assigned to each other in position and situation during the journey of the vehicle, and by means of an analysis unit arranged downstream of said units, processing the recorded image information, taking into account multiple wheel features (10) present on the wheel or attached for the measurement, and by means of at least one bodywork feature present on the bodywork or attached for the measurement, wherein 2D-coordinates of the wheel features (10) and of the at least one bodywork feature are synchronously detected, and from these the 3D-coordinates of the features are calculated at certain time intervals and counted back to a previously established reference time point or corresponding reference position of the vehicle wheel, taking into account the distance traveled by the at least one bodywork feature relative to the reference position.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical measurement device with an image acquisition unit, which has at least two camera units (10) on a holding structure, assigned to each other, using local arrangement and alignment. A stable, low-cost design is obtained by the fact that the holding structure has a one-piece supporting body (1) with mounting structures molded thereon, in which the camera units (10) are accommodated (FIG. 2).

Abstract: Optical chassis measurement of motor vehicles is carried out by a measuring arrangement equipped with at least one measuring device, in which one or more image capturing devices associated with one another in terms of their position and location record the surface geometry of a vehicle or measurement points arranged on the vehicle, carry out a referencing and/or orientation of the at least one measuring device in relation to the measuring station with reference features that are arranged at particular measuring station coordinates in the measuring station and, based on orientation data and/or association data obtained and based on measurement data obtained during execution of the axle measurement, an evaluation is carried out in an evaluation unit in order to ascertain chassis data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optically measuring an undercarriage and/or for dynamically testing undercarriage components of a motor vehicle (1). At least one wheel (2) and/or at least one section of the vehicle (1) is illuminated with a light pattern (15) of structured light by means of an illumination device (11), and the reflected light (4?) is received by means of an imaging sensor unit (12, 13) and evaluated in an evaluation unit (16). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method. Even in suboptimal light conditions in the surrounding environments, a robust measurement is achieved because the structured light is emitted by the illumination device in a narrow band in a specified narrow emission wavelength range, and because the light is likewise detected by means of the sensor unit (12, 13) in a receiving wavelength range corresponding to the emission wavelength range and is evaluated in the evaluation unit (16), wherein foreign light influences are removed.

Abstract: A method for checking a vibration damper of a motor vehicle in the installed state includes setting start values of the damping constant kA, the spring rate cA, and the body mass mA for a wheel of a motor vehicle; inducing a vertical vibration of the motor vehicle with the aid of a defined excitation sRreal; determining the theoretical body vibration excursion sAmodel; optically detecting the positions of the wheel and the body shell of the motor vehicle at a plurality of detection instants during the vibration; minimizing the error function formed from the deviations between the theoretical body vibration excursion sAmodel and the observed body vibration excursion sAreal at the detection instants, and determining the damping constant kA, the spring rate cA, and the body mass mA therefrom; and determining the damping measure ? of the vibration damper.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optically measuring a chassis at a testing station. According to said method, radiation that is reflected by a surface structure of a vehicle, comprising at least one wheel (5) and a surrounding bodywork section, is detected by a measuring device with the aid of appropriate sensors, and at least the wheel plane and the wheel center point are determined by an evaluation of the positional data obtained by means of the detected radiation. To achieve a reliable, precise measurement of the chassis in a simple operation, the surface structure of at least the vehicle bodywork section and at least the wheel is scanned, over its entire surface or at least by any two lines that record both the wheel and the bodywork, using a laser beam (12) that is emitted by the measuring device (10), and at least two surface profiles are obtained from the scanned surface structure as characteristic structures.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the wheel geometry and/or axle geometry of motor vehicles by means of an optical measuring apparatus. According to said method, at least two recording points are assigned to each other and are referenced in relation to the measuring space with the aid of an image recording system, optionally taking into account reference characteristics and vehicle body characteristics, an object segment (6) comprising the wheel (5) that is to be measured is detected from different perspectives, and the position of wheel characteristics in the measuring space is evaluated during the measurement.

Abstract: For optical chassis measurement of motor vehicles at a testing site that has at least one measuring unit having at least two imaging devices associated with one another in position and location, the measuring units are oriented with respect to the testing site with reference characteristics located fixedly at the testing site, evaluation in an evaluation device is effected on a basis orientation data and associated data obtained, for determining chassis data of a motor vehicle, in addition to the reference characteristics located fixedly at the testing site, at least one reference device is positioned which is usable in mobile fashion at the testing site with reference characteristics, and with a totality of reference characteristics in the evaluation device, the orientation data and the association data of the measuring units are obtained, and thus a common measuring station coordinate system is defined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optically measuring a chassis at a testing station. According to said method, radiation that is reflected by several optically distinguishable characteristic structures on a vehicle, comprising at least one wheel and a surrounding bodywork section, is detected by a measuring device with the aid of an image capture unit and at least the wheel plane and the wheel centre point are determined by an evaluation of the positional data obtained by means of the detected radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optically measuring a chassis at a testing station. According to said method, radiation that is reflected by a surface structure of a vehicle, comprising at least one wheel (5) and a surrounding bodywork section, is detected by a measuring device with the aid of appropriate sensors, and at least the wheel plane and the wheel centre point are determined by an evaluation of the positional data obtained by means of the detected radiation. To achieve a reliable, precise measurement of the chassis in a simple operation, the surface structure of at least the vehicle bodywork section and at least the wheel is scanned, over its entire surface or at least by any two lines that record both the wheel and the bodywork, using a laser beam (12) that is emitted by the measuring device (10), and at least two surface profiles are obtained from the scanned surface structure as characteristic structures.