Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system has a vertical central column with a carriage movable along its length, and a pair of camera arms pivotably attached to the carriage, each with a camera pod. The camera pods each have a camera for capturing image data of a respective vehicle-mounted target. One pod also has a calibration target disposed in a known relationship to its camera, and the other pod has a calibration camera disposed in a known relationship to its camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The camera arms pivot between an extended position where the cameras are disposed to capture image data of the vehicle targets and the calibration camera is disposed to capture images of the calibration target, and a folded position where the aligner has a width smaller than the width between the camera pods.

Abstract: A method of installing a diffuser in an air cycle machine includes placing a first housing on a shaft, placing a seal plate on the shaft, and placing a diffuser on the shaft. Next, the diffuser and the seal plate are aligned with an alignment tool. The alignment tool has a first annular surface to align with a radially outer surface of the seal plate and a second annular surface to align with an annular flange on the diffuser. Finally, the diffuser is fastened to the seal plate and the alignment tool is removed from the diffuser and the seal plate.

Abstract: A portable vehicle alignment system has a vertical central column with a carriage movable along its length, and a pair of camera arms pivotably attached to the carriage, each with a camera pod. The camera pods each have a camera for capturing image data of a respective vehicle-mounted target. One pod also has a calibration target disposed in a known relationship to its camera, and the other pod has a calibration camera disposed in a known relationship to its camera for capturing images of the calibration target. The camera arms pivot between an extended position where the cameras are disposed to capture image data of the vehicle targets and the calibration camera is disposed to capture images of the calibration target, and a folded position where the aligner has a width smaller than the width between the camera pods.

Abstract: A device and method for measuring the thickness and position tolerance of a wheel bolt hole. The device includes a screw, a handle, a detection pillar and a base plate, where the handle and the base plate are fixed via the screw; the detection pillar is fixed onto the base plate through interference fit; and the detection pillar a bolt hole. The position tolerance and thickness of a bolt hole are measured simultaneously, and the labor intensity is reduced, and the existing bolt hole position tolerance detection tool can be modified for the use as the tool of the device, saving costs. The tool can detect the thickness of a bolt hole and qualitatively determine the range where the difference between the value of bolt hole thickness and the standard value approximately lies, and can be used for the grading of bolt hole thickness values based.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a device for monitoring the thickness of a wheel valve hole on line, which is mainly composed of a frame, a base plate, a lifting cylinder, a first bracket, a bearing base, a linear bearing, a mounting plate, a guide shaft, a lifting shaft, a first servo motor, a first synchronous pulley, a connecting plate, a synchronous belt, a second synchronous pulley and the like, wherein the base plate, a third bracket and a second mounting rack are fixed on the frame, a visual sensor is mounted on the third bracket, the mounting plate is fixed on the base plate via the first bracket, the bearing base is fixed on the mounting plate, and the lifting shaft is mounted on the bearing base via the linear bearing.

Abstract: A vehicle measurement station utilizing at least one displacement sensor disposed on each opposite side of a sensor region of a vehicle inspection lane to acquire displacement measurement data, associated with a moving vehicle passing through the sensor region. Each displacement sensor is configured to acquire measurement data along at least three discrete and vertically spaced measurement axes. A processing system receives the acquired data for evaluation, identification of outlier data points, and for determining a measurement associated with a characteristic of the moving vehicle, such as vehicle velocity, axle alignment, wheel alignment, or dimensions.

Abstract: A vehicle measurement station utilizing at least one displacement sensor systems disposed on each opposite side of a sensor region of a vehicle inspection lane to acquire measurement data, associated with a vehicle passing through the sensor region. Each displacement sensor system is configured to acquire measurement data along at least three discrete and vertically spaced measurement axis in response to a trigger signal indicating the presence of a vehicle moving through the inspection lane. A processing system receives the acquired data for evaluation, identification of outlier data points, and for determining a measurement associated with a characteristic of the moving vehicle.

Abstract: A portable tool designed for effective and efficient lateral truing of damaged spoked wheels, in particular bicycle wheels, is described. The tool is mountable on the bicycle frame, and allows the user to position the truing gauge with four spatial degrees of freedom. The inventive tool features a non-rigidly mounted (floating) truing indicator tip to maintain accurate tool alignment when in contact with a rotating wheel rim that is severely bent out the of the plane of the rim by decoupling rim forces from the rest of the tool. In addition, the combination of the floating action of the truing tip and its construction from a soft polymeric material avoids scratching or otherwise marring the surface of the rim during the truing procedure.

Abstract: A portable tool designed for effective and efficient lateral truing of damaged spoked wheels, in particular bicycle wheels, is described. The tool is mountable on the bicycle frame, and allows the user to position the truing gauge with four spatial degrees of freedom. The inventive tool features a non-rigidly mounted (floating) truing indicator tip to maintain accurate tool alignment when in contact with a rotating wheel rim that is severely bent out the of the plane of the rim by decoupling rim forces from the rest of the tool. In addition, the combination of the floating action of the truing tip and its construction from a soft polymeric material avoids scratching or otherwise marring the surface of the rim during the truing procedure.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel and hub apparatus capable of dynamically and precisely truing a bicycle wheel, and a method thereof, is provided. The bicycle wheel and hub apparatus includes a hub, including a hub body and a hub mounting plate, adaptable to a center hole of the bicycle wheel, a mounting device for mounting the hub onto the bicycle wheel, and a plurality of set screws for truing the bicycle wheel relative to the hub.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a system that has a plurality of devices in which the position of a device of the plurality of devices relative to another device of the plurality of devices is self-calibrated. In one embodiment, the system is a five-camera aligner for use in aligning motor vehicle wheels. In this embodiment, the aligner includes a first camera pod having two alignment cameras and a calibration camera, and a second camera pod having another two alignment cameras and a calibration target. Because the aligner has four alignment cameras and a calibration camera, the aligner is often referred to as a five-camera aligner. For illustration purposes, the first camera pod is herein referred to as the left camera pod and the second camera pod is herein referred to as the right camera pod. In one embodiment, the left camera pod is placed to the left of the aligner, and the right camera pod is placed to the right of the aligner.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle wheel alignment in non-contact fashion with high accuracy is disclosed. A laser light source (4) emits a laser beam of a predetermined geometric pattern toward the wheel side surface. A laser beam control device (6) controls the width of the laser beam in such a manner as to be radiated only in a predetermined range of the wheel side surface. Two laser light sources (120), (121) emit non-parallel laser beams. A photdetecting device (122) receives the two laser beams and converts them to two corresponding image data. A processing unit calculates the distance between the two images based on the two image data and calculates the wheel alignment based on the same distance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in aligning automotive wheels. The apparatus includes a body having a first end and a second end, and including an aperture at the first end arranged to receive a wheel assembly lug; an adjustable camber liquid level arranged longitudinally within the body; and, a horizontal liquid level arranged perpendicularly to the adjustable camber liquid level. The method includes the steps of measuring camber of an automotive wheel with the tool of the invention affixed to a single lug of the wheel assembly, where the tool comprises a liquid level having a horizontal liquid level and a camber liquid level, and the measuring consists of zeroing the horizontal liquid level and the camber liquid level prior to making a repair of the vehicle; removing the tool from the single lug; performing the repair of the vehicle; re-affixing the tool to the single lug; and, adjusting the camber of the wheel assembly such that the horizontal liquid level and the camber liquid level are re-zeroed.

Abstract: A non-contact type wheel alignment measuring apparatus includes a fixed-focal-length lens and a pair of light sources located on the opposite sides of the lens for projecting a pair of laser beams onto the side surface of a wheel to be measured. The apparatus also includes a CCD sensor on which images reflecting from the wheel are formed and the distance between the two images is detected as a function of pixels of CCD sensor between them. The information of this distance (or the number of pixels) is utilized to determine the distance between the measuring apparatus and a point of interest on the wheel. With two or more such information for different locations on the wheel, its alignment characteristic, such as toe-in and camber angles, can be determined.