JP3476530B2 - Vehicle running characteristic measuring device and vehicle wheel alignment adjusting method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle running characteristic measuring device and a vehicle wheel alignment adjusting method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a wheel inspection device for inspecting the stability of a wheel mounted on a vehicle during traveling, the mounting angle (mounting attitude angle) such as the toe angle, camber angle and caster angle of the wheel is measured. A wheel alignment tester and a side slip tester that measures the amount of side slip during running of two tires in front of a vehicle are known. In addition, the wheels attached to the car are rotated on the rollers to measure the lateral force of the tire generated at that time, and the toe values when the roller is rotated in the normal direction and the reverse direction are measured in angles and averaged. There is also known a device for obtaining a substantial toe value. Furthermore, as described in JP-A-3-218434, the sidewalls of the left and right tires are pressed and fixed from the outside of the vehicle so that the vehicle does not move in the left-right direction on the rollers. A device for measuring lateral force with a load cell is also known.

The toe angle and the camber angle provided on each wheel play an important role in the stability when the vehicle travels. According to the basic concept of wheel alignment, the camber angle is applied to the wheels for the purpose of making the car straight ahead, and for reducing the steering force of the steering wheel by reducing the tire scrub radius when steering the steering wheel. It is the angle provided. The toe angle is provided for the purpose of correcting the side slip of the tire due to the camber angle.

[0004]

The conventional wheel alignment tester described above generally measures the angle and size of each wheel and adjusts each angle to a target value set by the manufacturer. The manufacturer's set values are finely set for each vehicle type, and it is troublesome to refer to the set value for each vehicle type when actually performing wheel alignment adjustment.

Even if the wheel alignment is accurately adjusted to the manufacturer's set value, deterioration of the bushes and dampers due to manufacturing errors during manufacturing of the vehicle and aging, twisting of the vehicle body, and wheel setback (right and left of the wheel base). However, even if the wheel alignment is adjusted to the set value with the left and right wheels, the vehicle may not be able to travel straight ahead in a stable manner.

Further, the vehicle has a tire having a conicity force and a ply steer force more or less uniquely, and due to the influence of the camber angle, the vehicle travels in the same direction as the vehicle traveling direction. In many cases, it receives a force that advances in a biased direction.

Here, the price tear force is a force generated by the expansion and contraction of the belt in the tire ground contact portion. Since the belt is equipped with a bias ply, it undergoes in-plane shear deformation such that the fibers or wire cords of the belt move in parallel when expansion and contraction occur, and the tread rubber block is in-plane due to the deformation of the outermost belt. Undergoes shear deformation.
Due to this deformation, a steer torque is generated in the rolling tire, and when such torque is generated, the belt portion is twisted like a slip angle, which causes lateral force, that is, price tear force. To do. Conicity force is a force generated when, for example, the circumferential lengths of the left and right belt ends are different.

Further, when the size of the tire mounted on the vehicle is changed, or when the tire is changed to have a different grip, the force generated by the tire changes even if the wheel alignment is adjusted in the same manner. , The behavior of the car may become unstable. To fix this instability,
The only way is to change the wheel alignment little by little and make adjustments by trial and error while checking the running state of the car, which requires some experience and a great number of man-hours, and in reality it is hardly executed. .

The above-mentioned conventional side-slip tester basically cannot measure the side-slip of the front wheels, and therefore is not very useful for determining whether the vehicle can travel straight ahead.

In the device for rotating a roller and measuring the force thereof, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-218434, four wheels of the vehicle are mounted, and the vehicle is prevented from moving on each rotating roller. To prevent this, the side wall of the tire is sandwiched from both sides, but it is difficult to accurately measure the force acting on the ground contact surface of the tire because the lateral movement of the tire is restricted. Is. In addition, the conventional measuring device cannot accurately measure the force unless the ground speed of the roller is high, and it is difficult to adjust the wheel alignment while rotating the roller when the ground speed of the roller is high. ,
It is necessary to stop the rotation of the rollers and adjust the wheel alignment. When making such adjustments, it is difficult to make the adjustments as desired with a single adjustment.
There is a problem in that the work of the procedure of rotating the roller, stopping the roller, and adjusting the wheel alignment must be repeated many times, resulting in a large number of work steps.

If the wheel alignment adjustment is incorrect, the stability against turbulence such as wandering (meandering stability) performance and crosswind stability performance, abnormal tire friction,
It is a well-known fact that various inconveniences such as deterioration of fuel consumption and increase of noise generated by tires occur.

As described above, in the current wheel alignment adjusting method using the current wheel inspection device, the running performance of the vehicle and various tire performances are not sufficiently obtained.

Further, in a running characteristic measuring device such as a conventional wheel inspection device, the rollers on which the wheels are mounted cannot rotate around the vertical axis or be displaced in the vertical axis direction, so that the wheels are contacted in various states. There is a problem that the force acting on the ground cannot be accurately measured.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is a first object of the present invention to provide a vehicle running characteristic measuring device capable of accurately measuring a force acting on a ground contact surface of a wheel in various states. And

Further, the present invention is the simplest and accurate adjustment of the vehicle undercarriage to the optimum set value which is different from the tire type without being influenced by the distortion and deterioration due to the variation in the manufacturing process of the vehicle, the secular change and the deterioration, and the straight running is performed. A second object of the present invention is to provide a wheel alignment adjusting method for a vehicle, which can improve the steering performance and turning performance.

[0016]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 has one of the wheels mounted on a vehicle mounted thereon , and a contact portion with the wheel is horizontal and mounted.
A running path consisting of an endless track that rotates the wheels around the wheel axis.
A surface, a mechanism that translates the traveling road surface around the vertical axis and translates in the vertical axis direction, and is provided on the traveling road surface side,
The rotation amount of the traveling road surface around the vertical axis, the translation amount of the traveling road surface in the vertical axis direction , and a detection unit that detects a force acting on the traveling road surface are included.

The invention according to claim 2 is arranged at a position corresponding to each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle so that each of the wheels is mounted, and a contact portion with the wheels is horizontal and mounted.
Do not use an endless track that rotates the placed wheel around the wheel axis.
A traveling road surface, a mechanism for rotating each of the traveling road surfaces around a vertical axis and translating the traveling road surface in the vertical axis direction;
Provided on the side, the amount of rotation of each of the traveling road surfaces around the vertical axis, the amount of translation of each of the traveling road surfaces in the vertical axis direction , and the front
Detecting means for detecting the force acting on each of the traveling road surfaces ,
It is configured to include.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle wheel alignment adjusting method for adjusting the vehicle wheel alignment using the vehicle running characteristic measuring device according to the second aspect.
After adjusting so that the traveling road surfaces are substantially parallel to each other in substantially the same plane, each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle is arranged so that the center line of each traveling road surface and the center line of the vehicle become parallel. A first step of mounting the vehicle on each of the above, a second step of restraining the vehicle so that the vehicle does not move in the front-rear, left-right and vertical axis directions; In the rotated state, each of the traveling road surfaces is rotated about the vertical axis to position the traveling road surface at a position where each lateral force acting on each wheel is minimized, and each of the traveling road surfaces is independent. Drive the vehicle to rotate each wheel around the axle, rotate the left and right running road surfaces in the opposite directions around the vertical axis for each of the front and rear wheels mounted on the vehicle, and run the running road surface at each rotation position. Is translated in the vertical axis direction by a specified amount, and A fourth step of obtaining a rotation angle at which the variation amount of lateral force between the left and right wheels when advanced is substantially equal to each wheel, and each wheel mounted on the vehicle based on the rotation angle at which the variation amount of lateral force approximately matches. And a fifth step of correcting the toe angle of.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the traveling road surface is translated by a predetermined amount in the vertical axis direction while the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the respective axles. The amount of change in lateral force is measured, and it is judged whether the amount of change in lateral force measured for each of the front and rear wheels mounted on the vehicle is substantially the same between the left and right wheels. Can rotate the left and right traveling road surfaces in opposite directions about the vertical axis by a predetermined angle until the lateral force variation amounts substantially match, thereby obtaining a rotation angle at which the lateral force variation amounts substantially match. .

In the fifth step of the invention of claim 4, the position of the traveling road surface stopped in the third step is used as a reference.
It is effective to correct the toe angle of each wheel mounted on the vehicle by an angle obtained by reversing the sign of the rotation angle at which the variation of the lateral force is substantially the same.

[0021]

The invention of claim 1 is one of the wheels mounted on a vehicle.
One of which is a track that has a horizontal contact point with the wheel that rotates the wheel on which
It has a running road surface . This traveling road surface is capable of rotation around the vertical axis and translation along the vertical axis. Then, the amount of rotation of the traveling road surface around the vertical axis, the amount of translation of the traveling road surface in the vertical axis direction , and the force acting on the traveling road surface are detected by the detection means. This force includes lateral force acting in the axle direction, cornering force acting in the direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the wheels, rolling resistance of the wheels, and the like.

Therefore, while one of the wheels is placed on the traveling road surface and rotated about the axle, the traveling road surface is rotated about the vertical axis or translated in the vertical axis direction, and various physical quantities are detected by the detecting means. By detecting, the running characteristics of one wheel in various states can be accurately measured.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the vehicle running characteristic measuring devices of the first aspect are used, and each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle is placed on each of the plurality of running road surfaces.
A plurality of running characteristic measuring devices are arranged at positions corresponding to the respective wheels. Similar to the above, each of the plurality of traveling road surfaces is capable of rotation about the vertical axis and translation in the vertical axis direction, and the amount of rotation of each traveling road surface about the vertical axis and the vertical axis direction of each traveling road surface. Amount of translation and acts on the road surface
The force is detected by the detection means.

Therefore, each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle is placed on the traveling road surface to rotate the wheels independently around the wheel axis, and the traveling road surface is independently rotated around the vertical axis or in the vertical axis direction. When the vehicle is translated, the running characteristics of the vehicle in various states can be accurately measured.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for adjusting the wheel alignment of the vehicle using the vehicle traveling characteristic measuring device according to the second aspect. In the first step, the traveling road surfaces are substantially parallel to each other in substantially the same plane. After adjustment so that the center line of each traveling road surface and the center line of the vehicle are parallel to each other, each wheel mounted on the vehicle is placed on each traveling road surface. As a result, the vehicle is placed on a substantially horizontal plane. At this time, by fixing the traveling road surface so as not to move, each of the wheels can be easily placed on each of the traveling road surfaces.

In the second stage, the vehicle is restrained so as not to move in the front-rear direction, the left-right direction and the vertical axis direction. This allows you to rotate each of the wheels around the axle on the road,
The vehicle is restrained from moving even if the wheel is rotated around the vertical axis or the wheel is translated in the vertical axis direction.

In the third stage, the traveling road surface is rotated about the vertical axis while the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the respective axles, and the lateral forces acting on the respective wheels are detected. Detected by the means, stop the rotation of the traveling road surface around the vertical axis at a position where each of the lateral forces acting on each wheel is minimized,
Position the road surface. As this minimum value, 0 or a small value near 0 can be used.

In the fourth stage, the left and right traveling road surfaces of the front wheels and the rear wheels mounted on the vehicle are rotated around the vertical axis while the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the axles. While rotating in the opposite direction, the traveling road surface is translated by a predetermined amount in the vertical axis direction at each rotational position. And
The amount of change in lateral force between the left and right wheels when translated by a predetermined amount is detected by the detecting means, and the rotation angle at which the amount of change in lateral force between the left and right wheels substantially matches is obtained by the detecting means.

The rotation angle at which the variation of the lateral force is approximately equal to
When the traveling road surface is translated independently in the vertical axis direction, that is, vertically upward or downward, by a predetermined amount while the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the respective axles. If the amount of change in lateral force measured for each of the front and rear wheels mounted on the vehicle is approximately the same between the left and right wheels, and if they do not match Can be obtained by repeatedly rotating the left and right traveling road surfaces around the vertical axis in opposite directions by a predetermined angle until the lateral force variation amounts substantially match.
When rotating the left and right road surfaces in opposite directions about the vertical axis, they may be rotated asymmetrically, but by rotating them symmetrically, it becomes easier to obtain a rotation angle at which the variation in lateral force is substantially the same. .

According to the fourth step, when the wheels are displaced in the vertical axis direction, particularly in the vertically upward direction, the wheel positions where the variations in lateral force are substantially the same between the left and right wheels of the front wheels or the rear wheels, that is, on the bad road. Even if the wheel bumps up and down due to running or the like, it is necessary to find a wheel position at which the lateral force variation balances.

In the next fifth step, the toe angle of each wheel mounted on the vehicle is corrected based on the rotation angle at which the amount of change in lateral force substantially matches. With respect to this rotation angle, the wheel alignment can be adjusted by correcting the initial toe angle (toe angle before correction) of each wheel mounted on the vehicle with an angle obtained by reversing the sign of the rotation angle. In addition, the toe angle can be corrected by using the obtained sign of the rotation angle as it is by previously determining the code according to the toe angle correction direction.

As described above, according to the vehicle wheel alignment adjusting method of the third aspect of the present invention, even if the respective wheels are independently displaced in the vertical direction, the toe-in or the toe-in are adjusted so that the variations in the lateral forces are substantially the same. Toeout is required and wheel alignment is adjusted, which improves stability during running.

[0033]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below. First, an embodiment of the vehicle traveling characteristic measuring device according to the first aspect of the invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the base 10 has four screw rods 12 extending in the vertical axis direction, that is, in the vertical direction.
A to 12D are rotatably installed in parallel. The tips of the screw rods 12A to 12D are rotatably supported by the support frame 15. One end of the screw rod 12A penetrates the base 10, and the tip of the penetrating portion is connected to a vertical movement stepping motor 16 by a bevel gear 14. Screw rod 12A ~
Gears 18A to 18D are fixed to the base end side of 12D, and these gears 18A to 18D are connected by a chain 20.

An elevating table 22 is arranged in parallel with the base 10, and screw rods 12A to 12D are screwed into female screw holes formed in the elevating table 22.

Therefore, the vertical movement stepping motor 16
When is rotated, the threaded rods 12A through the chain 20
12D is rotated in the same direction, so that the lifting table 22 is moved up and down.

A displacement gauge 24 having a fixed portion 24A fixed to the base 10 and a movable portion 24B fixed to the lift table 22 is attached between the base 10 and the lift table 22. By moving up and down with respect to the fixed portion 24A together with the lifting table 22, the displacement of the lifting table 22 at the time of lifting based on the upper surface position of the base 10 is detected.

A rotary pedestal 26, in which a bearing is housed, is fixed to the lift table 22.
A support column 28, to which a rotary base 30 is fixed, is rotatably inserted at 6. Therefore, the rotary table 30 can be moved up and down in the vertical axis direction together with the lift table 22 and can be rotated around the vertical axis.

A rack 32 is provided at the corner of the turntable 30.
A, a stepping motor 32B and a pinion fixed to the output shaft of the stepping motor and meshed with the rack 32A, and a rotating mechanism 32 that can be moved up and down together with the rotating pedestal 26 are attached.

A semicircular gear 34 is fixed to the side surface of the support column 28. The gear 34 is connected to a rotary encoder 38 via a gear 36.

Therefore, when the stepping motor of the rotating mechanism 32 is driven, the rotary table 30 is rotated about the support column 28, that is, the vertical axis, by an angle corresponding to one step of the stepping motor, and the rotation angle at this time is the rotary encoder. Detected by 38.

A measuring device 40 equipped with a load sensor for detecting a load and a force sensor for detecting a force acting in the xy directions (the carrying direction and a direction orthogonal to the carrying direction which will be described later) is fixed to the turntable 30. A support frame 42 is fixed on the measuring device 40. The support frame 42 includes a drive wheel 44A that is rotatably supported, a driven gear 44B, a metal endless track 44C that is wound around the driven gear 44B and the drive gear 44A, and a plurality of rollers. A traveling road surface 44 including a road surface receiver 44D that horizontally holds a portion between the driven gear 44B and the drive gear 44A of the track 44C to form a road surface is supported. Further, the drive gear 44A is connected to a motor 44E that rotates the drive gear and travels on an endless track.

In the running characteristic measuring device, a lock device for locking the endless track 44C so as not to rotate, a lock device for locking the elevator base 22 so as not to move up and down, and a rotary base 30 for rotation. A locking device is attached to prevent the lock. Since these locking devices are generally known, their illustration is omitted.

[0044] According to the driving characteristics measurement device, the road surface
44 by rotating the wheel to the wheel axis by rotating the track 44C by rotating the motor 44E is placed one of the wheels, a road surface 44 in the vertical direction or is rotated about the vertical axis By translating, the load, lateral force, cornering force, rolling resistance, etc. acting on the wheel can be measured by the measuring device 40.

Further, a plurality of the above-mentioned running characteristic measuring devices (four in the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) are used, and four running road surfaces are used.
The traveling characteristic measuring device may be arranged at a position corresponding to each wheel so that each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle is mounted on each of the wheels 44 .

With this arrangement, each of the wheels mounted on the traveling road surface 44 is placed and the wheels are independently rotated about the wheel axis, and the traveling road surface 44 is independently rotated about the vertical axis. It is possible to measure the load acting on the four wheels mounted on the vehicle, the lateral force, the cornering force, the rolling resistance, etc.

Next, as described above, each of the four traveling road surfaces 44 is loaded with each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle.
A method for adjusting the wheel alignment of the vehicle by using the vehicle traveling characteristic measuring apparatus arranged at the position corresponding to each wheel will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vehicle running characteristic measuring device is arranged so that the running road surface 44 is located at a position corresponding to each wheel of the vehicle. Next, the stepping motor 16 of each running characteristic measuring device is driven to run.
While displacing the road surface 44 in the vertical axis direction, the rotation mechanism 3
2 rotates the turntable 30 is driven, and after traveling road surface 44 is adjusted so as to be substantially parallel on the substantially same horizontal plane, the travel path
The vehicle is placed on the traveling characteristic measuring device so that the center line of the surface 44 and the center line of the vehicle body are parallel to each other. In this case, run
The rotation angle of the road surface 44 about the vertical axis is 0 °. After that, use the lock device to turn the track 44C on the road 44
The turntable 30 and the lift 22 are fixed so as not to move.

Next, the vehicle 54 is prevented from moving by using a plurality of restraint jigs 50 for restraining the vehicle from moving in the vertical direction and a restraint jig 52 for restraining the vehicle from moving in the front / rear and left / right directions. To restrain. by this,
Rotate each of the wheels around the axle on the road surface 44 ,
The vehicle is restrained from moving even if the wheel is rotated around the vertical axis or the wheel is translated in the vertical axis direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the restraint jig 50 is made of rubber or the like and is inserted between the chassis and the running characteristic measuring apparatus main body board 56. Further, each of the restraint jigs 52 has a support column 60 fixed so as to be located on both sides of the vehicle body.
And a substantially L-shaped contact member 56 made of rubber or the like that is fixed to the column 60 and contacts the vehicle body.

In this state, the traveling road surface 44 is independently driven at a low speed (for example, 1 km / h) to rotate the wheels independently for each wheel around the axle, while traveling around the vertical axis.
Rotating the respective path surface 44 to detect the lateral force measurement device 40 obtains the detected lateral force is respectively 0 position, by stopping the rotation of the traveling road surface 44 at the determined position, run
The road surface 44 is positioned. The lateral force at the time of positioning may have a small value near 0.

The meaning of this stage is that the toe angle position at which the desired lateral force fluctuation amount is substantially the same between the left and right wheels and is the minimum is in the vicinity of each of the lateral forces. By facilitating adjustment.

Next, the road surface 44 each, independently driven while rotating each axle around the wheel, the traveling road surface 44
Each of them independently in the vertical direction by a predetermined amount (for example, 20 mm)
The amount of change in lateral force when the vehicle is translated and the traveling road surface 44 is displaced is measured for each of the front wheels and the rear wheels.

Table 1 shows a vehicle A having a front engine front drive with a displacement of 1,600 cc and a displacement of 2,000.
It shows the measurement result of the lateral force variation amount when the traveling road surface 44 is traveled at 1 km / h for each wheel and is displaced vertically upward by 20 mm for a vehicle B of 0 cc front engine rear drive. The lateral force is expressed in kilograms, and the pressure is expressed in kilograms per square centimeter.

[0055]

[Table 1]

However, "a" indicates "position", FL indicates the left front wheel, FR indicates the right front wheel, RL left rear wheel, and RR indicates the right rear wheel.
In addition, “b” indicates “lateral force variation”, “c” indicates “tire size”, “d” indicates “rim size”, and “e” indicates “internal pressure” (the same applies to the tables below).

Next, for each of the front and rear wheels mounted on the vehicle, it is determined whether or not the measured variations in lateral force are substantially the same between the left and right wheels. If they match,
Wheel alignment is normal and no adjustments are made.

When the lateral force fluctuation amounts do not substantially match between the left and right wheels (in Table 1, vehicle A and vehicle B do not match), the left and right traveling road surfaces 44 are each rotated around the vertical axis. in the reverse direction by a predetermined angle, in the same manner as described above in this state, the front and rear wheels, respectively, a predetermined amount vertically upward each independently of the traveling road surface 44 (e.g., 20 mm) variation in the lateral force with respect to a displacement The amount is measured, and it is determined whether or not the measured variation in lateral force is substantially the same between the left and right wheels. This run
The rotation of the road surface 44 about the vertical axis, the measurement of the lateral force variation amount, and the determination of whether or not the lateral force variation amounts substantially match are determined by rotating the traveling road surface 44 until the lateral force variation amounts substantially match. Change the angle symmetrically to the left and right wheels and repeat. When the variations in the lateral forces are substantially the same, the rotation angle is measured with reference to the position where each lateral force acting on each wheel is minimized.

When the traveling road surface 44 is changed in the opposite directions about the vertical axis, or when the traveling road surface 44 is rotated, it may be rotated asymmetrically. It becomes easier to find the matching rotation angle.

As a result, when the respective wheels are displaced vertically upwards, the lateral force fluctuation amounts of the left and right wheels of the front wheels or the rear wheels substantially coincide with each other, that is, the lateral force is exerted even if the wheels bump up and down. The wheel position that balances the fluctuation amount of is calculated.

Table 2 shows that the traveling road surface 44 is 1 km / wheel for each wheel.
The horizontal force variation and the measured value of the rotation angle when the lateral force variation is substantially the same between the left and right wheels after traveling at h and being displaced vertically upward by 20 mm are shown.

[0062]

[Table 2]

However, "F" indicates the "rotation angle (the displayed value of the road surface tachometer) when the variations in lateral force between the left and right wheels substantially match".
In is the angle when in is +, and out is the angle when out is +. In addition, g is the “lateral force variation amount”, and the variation amounts of the lateral force of the front wheels and the rear wheels of both vehicle A and vehicle B are substantially the same.

For reference, the amount of fluctuation of the lateral force when displaced vertically upward by 20 mm at the initial toe angle is shown in Table 3 below.

[0065]

[Table 3]

Next, the toe angle of each wheel mounted on the vehicle is corrected based on the rotation angle at which the variation in lateral force is substantially the same.
This rotation angle is a value measured by another alignment tester before adjustment, and it is used as a reference, so correct the toe angle of each wheel mounted on the vehicle by the angle that the sign of the rotation angle is reversed. You can adjust the wheel alignment with. In addition, the toe angle can be corrected by using the obtained sign of the rotation angle as it is by previously determining the code according to the toe angle correction direction.

Table 4 shows the initial toe angle and the corrected toe angle. In Table 4, the value in the column H is the toe angle measured by the wheel alignment tester before adjustment, and the value in the column L is the corrected toe angle. More specifically, the value obtained by adding the value in column F (before adjustment) to the value in column F (the rotation angle of the traveling road surface 44 when the variations in lateral force between the left and right wheels are approximately the same) is The value of the toe angle in the column.

[0068]

[Table 4]

The above correction amount is obtained by the sum of the initial toe angle and the value obtained by reversing the sign of the rotation angle in Table 3.

When the high-speed general running performance at a vehicle speed of 160 km / h was examined for vehicles A and B whose wheel alignment was adjusted as described above, the straight running stability was good, the steering was good, and the road surface was uneven. It was difficult to be affected by such disturbances. Also, when the lane change performance at a vehicle speed of 120 km / h was examined, the steering wheel of both vehicle A and vehicle B had excellent linearity and good response.

[0071]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, the traveling road surface is rotated about the vertical axis while one of the wheels is placed on the traveling road surface and rotated about the axle. By translating in the vertical axis direction and detecting various physical quantities by the detecting means, it is possible to accurately measure the running characteristics of one wheel in various states.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle is placed on the traveling road surface to rotate the wheels independently around the wheel axis, and the traveling road surface is vertically independent. By rotating around the axis or translating in the vertical axis direction, it is possible to obtain an effect that the traveling characteristics of the vehicle in various states can be accurately measured.

According to the inventions of claims 3 to 5, the toe-in or toe-out is determined so that the variation amounts of the lateral forces substantially match even if the respective wheels are independently displaced in the vertical direction, and the wheel alignment is performed. Since the adjustment is performed, the effect of improving the stability during traveling is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a running characteristic measuring device of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a vehicle running characteristic measuring device used for wheel alignment adjustment of the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a side view when the vehicle running characteristic measuring device is used for wheel alignment adjustment of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

22 Lifting platform 40 Measuring device 44 Road surface

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Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A wheel on which one of wheels mounted on a vehicle is mounted , and a contact portion with the wheel is horizontal and mounted.
Road surface consisting of an endless track that rotates the wheel around the wheel axis
And a mechanism for rotating the traveling road surface around the vertical axis and translating in the vertical axis direction, and a rotation amount about the vertical axis of the traveling road surface provided on the traveling road surface side, a translation amount in the vertical axis direction of the traveling road surface. , And the run
A traveling characteristic measuring device for a vehicle, comprising: a detecting unit that detects a force acting on a road surface . 2. The vehicle is mounted at a position corresponding to each of the wheels so that each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle is mounted ,
The contact part of the
A traveling road surface formed of an endless track, a mechanism for rotating each of the traveling road surfaces around a vertical axis and translating in the vertical axis direction, and a mechanism provided on the traveling road surface side, around each vertical axis of the traveling road surface. Of the vehicle, a translation amount of each of the traveling road surfaces in the vertical axis direction , and a detection unit that detects a force acting on each of the traveling road surfaces . 3. A vehicle wheel alignment adjusting method for adjusting wheel alignment of a vehicle using the vehicle running characteristic measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the traveling road surfaces are substantially parallel to each other in substantially the same plane. After the adjustment, the center line of each road surface and the center line of the vehicle are parallel to each other, and the first stage of mounting each of the wheels mounted on the vehicle on each of the road surfaces, front and rear, left and right, and A second step of restraining the vehicle so that the vehicle does not move in the vertical axis direction, and a state in which each of the traveling road surfaces is rotated around the vertical axis while the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the respective axles. The third step of rotating and positioning the traveling road surface at a position where each of the lateral forces acting on each wheel is minimized, and in a state where the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the respective axles. , Before mounted on the vehicle The left and right traveling road surfaces of the respective rear wheels are rotated in opposite directions about the vertical axis, and the traveling road surface is translated in the vertical axis direction by a predetermined amount at each rotational position. A fourth step of obtaining a rotation angle at which the lateral force variation amounts substantially match, and a fifth step at which the toe angle of each wheel mounted on the vehicle is corrected based on the rotation angle at which the lateral force variation amounts substantially match. A method for adjusting wheel alignment of a vehicle, including ,. 4. In the fourth stage, the lateral force when the traveling road surface is translated by a predetermined amount in the vertical axis direction in a state where the traveling road surfaces are independently driven to rotate the wheels around the respective axles. The amount of fluctuation is measured, and it is judged whether the amount of fluctuation in lateral force measured for each of the front and rear wheels mounted on the vehicle is substantially the same between the left and right wheels. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the rotation angle at which the variation amount of the lateral force is substantially equal is obtained by repeating the rotation of the traveling road surface by a predetermined angle in the opposite direction about the vertical axis until the variation amount of the lateral force is approximately equal. Wheel alignment adjustment method. 5. In the fifth step, the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle at an angle obtained by reversing the sign of the rotation angle at which the variation amount of the lateral force substantially matches with the position of the traveling road surface stopped in the third step as a reference. 5. The toe angle of each wheel that has been corrected is corrected.
Wheel alignment adjustment method for vehicles.