Title:
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING SYMMETRY OF THE STEERING SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2003046476
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and system for determining symmetry and Ackermann geometry status of the steering system of a vehicle. A system according to the invention determines symmetry of the steering system based on toe angle differences of the steerable wheels. Thus, no specification is required for determining symmetry of the steering system. The invention determines symmetry of the steering system based on normalized toe angles. Consequently, the steerable wheel does not have to be positioned at a specific angle. Additionally, the present invention determines symmetry in the steering system of a vehicle without requiring turning steering wheels through a large angular range. Hence, technician efforts in steering the wheel are reduced. The invention also provides an improved alignment procedure that implements determination of symmetry of the steering system into the alignment procedure. The present invention provides a novel machine-implemented procedure to determine Ackermann geometry status of a steering system based on theoretical Ackermann angles.
Inventors:
DALE JAMES L JR (US)
JACKSON DAVID A (US)
JACKSON DAVID A (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/037486
Publication Date:
February 12, 2004
Filing Date:
November 22, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
SNAP ON TECH INC (US)
DALE JAMES L JR (US)
JACKSON DAVID A (US)
DALE JAMES L JR (US)
JACKSON DAVID A (US)
International Classes:
G01M17/007; B62D3/00; B62D17/00; G01B11/275; (IPC1-7): G01B11/275
Foreign References:
| US5014227A | 1991-05-07 | |||
| US4574490A | 1986-03-11 | |||
| US5978077A | 1999-11-02 |
Download PDF: