System for determining the dynamic orientation of a vehicle wheel plane

US6545750B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC · US

Inventors

• Vladimir Roth · Akron, US
• David O. Stalnaker · Hartville, US
• Stanley J. Olesky · Akron, US
• John L. Turner · Tucson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 11, 2001
• Grant date: Apr 8, 2003
• Expiry date: Jan 11, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B11/2755
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system (10) for measuring the dynamic orientation of the plane of a wheel (12) on a vehicle (14). The system (10) includes a test surface (16) which rotates with the wheel (12) and a orientation-determining device (18) which is unattached to the vehicle (14). The test surface (16) is positioned in a plane corresponding to the plane of the wheel (12) and the orientation-determining device (18) determines the orientation of the plane of the test surface (12) at a specific point of time while the vehicle is being driven. A processor (20) receives output signals from the orientation-determining device (18) and converts the output signals into data corresponding to the orientation of the wheel plane for the specific instant in time.