Abstract: An apparatus and method for preventing the unintentional formation of a vacuum below a suction cup prior to raising a central part of a suction cup to intentionally create a vacuum to attach the suction cup to a surface, including forming a series of separate bumps circumferentially spaced apart from each other and projecting down from the suction cup and engaging a surface to which the suction cup is to be attached.

Abstract: A measuring arm is made up of a pair of main links pivotally connected together at one end, and a pair of shorter end links each pivotally connected at one end to an other end of each main link. A distance sensor is able to be attached to an end of one of the end links, and to either of a pair of support bases mounted at different locations on a relatively fixed structure. The measuring arm is particularly useful in inspecting contoured surfaces of seals installed on an automobile to aid in detecting defective seals.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for evaluating closing performance of a door in which the door engages an engagement element included in the device which is detachably mounted to fixed structure adjacent the door and which is moved by an opening movement of the door. An elastic element such as a spring is deflected by the motion of the engagement element to generate elastic potential energy which is detected and shown by a detector/display so that the point of release of the door is determined when the potential energy reaches that corresponding to a predetermined minimum mechanical energy level. The door is then swung in a closing direction by the potential energy stored in the elastic element and it can be immediately determined if the door closure performance is met by the door becoming fully closed.

Abstract: A pair of laser distance sensors are arranged to impinge a respective laser beam on a respective one of a pair of surfaces on a reference target installed on a car door to determine the extent of misalignment of a door latch and striker by determining the extent of any vertical door movement induced by such misalignment. The use of oppositely inclined surfaces eliminates the effect of small mispositioning of the reference target surfaces and the laser distance sensors. A side by side arrangement of the laser distance sensors can also be used to determine the door closing speed.

Abstract: A pair of laser distance sensors are arranged to impinge a respective laser beam on a respective one of a pair of surfaces on a reference target installed on a car door to determine the extent of misalignment of a door latch and striker by determining the extent of any vertical door movement induced by such misalignment. The use of oppositely inclined surfaces eliminates the effect of small mispositioning of the reference target surfaces and the laser distance sensors. A side by side arrangement of the laser distance sensors can also be used to determine the door closing speed.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring relative speed of two members such as an automobile door and adjacent body structure with two laser sources spaced apart at a known spacing to successively illuminate a series of spots extending across an adjacent surface of the other member with the distance to each spot determined by sensors using laser triangulation. The time elapsed in generating the respective sets of signals is determined and the relative speed computed therefrom and displayed.

Abstract: A measurement system and method to determine the operating characteristics of a door closure sensor technology and others. The objective of the device is to obtain in a simple manipulation, accurate, high speed data. Among the identified metrics are elements such as speed, three dimensional position, hinge orientation, cabin pressure, sound quality, inertia, work, input energy and others. Another part elaborates the methodology for data acquisition and analysis to obtain reliable results reducing user dependency.

Abstract: A measurement system and method to determine the operating characteristics of a door closure sensor technology and others. The objective of the device is to obtain in a simple manipulation, accurate, high speed data. Among the identified metrics are elements such as speed, three dimensional position, hinge orientation, cabin pressure, sound quality, inertia, work, input energy and others. Another part elaborates the methodology for data acquisition and analysis to obtain reliable results reducing user dependency.