Device for checking play and force on vehicle steering wheel

IPC classes for russian patent Device for checking play and force on vehicle steering wheel (RU 2273012):

G01M17/06 - of steering behaviour; of rolling behaviour (measuring steering angles G01B; measuring steering forces G01L)

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Method of and device for checking vehicle steering gear summary play / 2266530
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Device for checking play and force on vehicle steering wheel / 2273012
Proposed device has telescopic member with stops on ends for fastening said member on rim of steering wheel and device for determining angular position of steering wheel made in form of indicator and scale secured on telescopic member with possibility of turning in plane parallel to plane of steering wheel and displacement of center of turning along telescopic member, steering wheel force sensor installed on one of end of telescopic member and made in form of two-way dynamometer, device for indicating moment of beginning of turning of steerable wheels of vehicle, and source of laser beam to be used as indicator. Signaling device contains movable electric contact installed on frame or front axle of vehicle to be tested for contact with rim of one of vehicle steerable wheels, and portable light indicator connected to supply source through said electric contact. Stops of telescopic member are furnished with spring catches to improved reliability of fastening of telescopic member on steering wheel.

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Device for measuring camber and caster of car steerable wheels / 2308015
Device for checking steering geometry of vehicle steerable wheels contains horizontal platform with pads movable in horizontal plane for arrangement of steerable wheels of automobile. Using proposed device, measuring are carried out turning wheels with brakes applied. Device contains additionally two movable pads longitudinal displacement pickups and two movable pads cross displacement pickups. Values of cross displacement of movable pads indicated caster of steerable wheels and values of longitudinal displacement of movable pads, camber of steerable wheels.

FIELD: transport engineering; steering gears; testing facilities.

SUBSTANCE: proposed device has telescopic member with stops on ends for fastening said member on rim of steering wheel and device for determining angular position of steering wheel made in form of indicator and scale secured on telescopic member with possibility of turning in plane parallel to plane of steering wheel and displacement of center of turning along telescopic member, steering wheel force sensor installed on one of end of telescopic member and made in form of two-way dynamometer, device for indicating moment of beginning of turning of steerable wheels of vehicle, and source of laser beam to be used as indicator. Signaling device contains movable electric contact installed on frame or front axle of vehicle to be tested for contact with rim of one of vehicle steerable wheels, and portable light indicator connected to supply source through said electric contact. Stops of telescopic member are furnished with spring catches to improved reliability of fastening of telescopic member on steering wheel.

EFFECT: provision of universal device ensuring sufficient accuracy of measurement of steering wheel play and force at low labor input, both on vehicle with and without steering hydraulic booster.

5 cl, 1 dwg

The invention relates to a testing and diagnostic equipment and can be used to determine the technical condition of the vehicle's steering.

The known device for determining the technical condition of the steering control for backlash and stress on the steering wheel, such as K-402 and K-524.

Device model NIIAT K-402 (see "diagnosis Technology of the tractors. M: technological research Institute, 1973, s-182) is not fit for all vehicles with different design of the steering column, and therefore in some vehicles it is impossible to lock the pointer in the desired position relative to the graduated scale. The case of the device with the scale not securely attached to the rim of the steering wheel and can move relative to the rim when measuring backlash and effort on the steering wheel. In addition, the diameter of the rim of the steering wheel in different vehicles different, which imposes a certain error in the determination of backlash in degrees (because the scale is located on the steering wheel, and the pointer is at the center of rotation, for different diameters of the rim of the steering wheel, the scale should have a different calibration). Given the above, the measurement gap device K-402 associated with large errors and time-consuming.

Device-524 (see Luttmer steering cars. Manuals the manual TO-ME), which is closest to the device of the present invention, includes a telescopic body located at the ends of the lugs for mounting of the body on the rim of the steering wheel of the test vehicle, a device for determining the angular position of the steering wheel, made in the form of a pointer and a scale mounted on telescopic body can be rotated in a plane parallel to the plane of the steering wheel, and moving the center of rotation along the telescopic body, and the force sensor on the steering wheel, mounted on one end of the telescopic body. This device is only suitable for determining the motion of a given regulated force on the steering wheel of the automotive vehicle. The fastening device To-524 to the rim of the steering wheel unreliable, a pointer on a graduated scale is a rubber string, which is short-lived and does not provide sufficient accuracy of the reference rotation angle of the steering wheel. The scale has a calibration in one direction from zero, and when measuring backlash in the other direction has to put a graduated scale on the zero division regarding rubber string.

In addition, accounting for regulated effort on the steering wheel during its rotation is inaccurate, especially for steering control who their cars with power steering, where the force does not depend on the mass per driven wheel, and Troubleshooting units of power steering.

The present invention is to create a universal device with which it is possible with sufficient accuracy and at a low intensity to determine the backlash and stress on the steering wheel of various vehicles with power steering and without it.

This object is achieved in that the device for determining backlash and effort on the steering wheel of the vehicle containing the telescopic body located at the ends of the lugs for mounting of the body on the rim of the steering wheel of the test vehicle, a device for determining the angular position of the steering wheel, made in the form of a pointer and a scale mounted on telescopic body can be rotated to a plane parallel to the plane of the steering wheel, and moving the center of rotation along the telescopic body, and the force sensor on the steering wheel, mounted on one end of the telescopic body, according to the present invention is equipped with a signaling point start steering the vehicle under test, and a source of the laser beam to use the latter as an indicator of the scale.

The presence of the specified alarm means in the device according to the invention allows to count on the scale to measure the backlash of the steering wheel on the steering, which, in combination with a scale indicator in the form of a laser beam increases the accuracy of the measurement gap and including, in contrast to measurements of the motion of a given force on the steering wheel, provides accurate measurements of the specified backlash with sufficient accuracy for vehicles with power steering.

In the proposed invention the specified alarm means includes a movable electrical contact mounted on the frame or front axle of the test vehicle with the possibility of contact with the rim of one of the steered wheels of the vehicle, and a portable light detector connected to the power source through the electrical contact.

The ability to install electrical contact on the frame or front axle of the test vehicle can be provided by electromagnetic racks fixed on the metal part of the frame or front axle and pivotally connected to the electrical contact. The force sensor may be in the form of dynamometer double-acting. Lugs telescopic body mouthbut with a spring latches to improve the reliability of mounting of the telescopic body on the steering wheel. In addition, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the laser beam source provided with a hinge integral with the shell of the source magnetic base for mounting a source in the cabin of the vehicle under test.

The drawing shows a diagram of the device according to the present invention with the installation of this device on the respective elements of the vehicle under test.

The proposed device comprises a pad 1 and 2, mounted on the rim of the steering wheel 3 by means of spring latches (not shown) and located at the ends of the telescopic body 4. In focus 1 set the force sensor on the steering wheel 3, is made in the form of dynamometer 5 double-acting with a measuring range of ±10 kg Graduated scale 6 pivotally connected to the telescopic body 4 by means of the tripod head 7 mounted on the body 4 can be moved along the latter. Swivel scale 6 of the body 4 allows it to rotate around the axis of the hinge in a plane parallel to the plane of the steering wheel 3, which in combination with a telescopic (i.e. sliding) body 4 and movable along the body of the tripod 7 enables correct positioning of the scale 6 relative to the steering wheel 3 transport cf is the funds with different diameters of the steering wheel. The source housing 8 of the laser beam, is used as the pointer of the scale 6, hinged with magnetic base (drawing not labeled)for attachment of this source almost any metal parts inside the cab of the vehicle. The specified swivel (for example, in the form of a ball joint allows for indexing of the source 8 to the magnetic base for the corresponding guidance of the laser beam on the scale 6.

Means for signaling the start of steering includes an electromagnetic rack 9, mounted on a metal part of the frame or front axle 10 near the rim 11 of the guided wheel, electric plug 12 to connect it to the power supply voltage is 12 VDC, the movable electrical contact 13 which by means of a lever 14 pivotally connected with the bar 9, and the portable visual signalling device as mounted on a junction clamp (drawing not labeled) of the light bulb 15. For supplying power to the electromagnetic rack 9 and the bulb 15 is provided by wires 16.

Measurement of backlash and effort on the steering wheel of the vehicle using the device of the present invention is as follows.

The steering wheel is set in such a position, the button-driven wheel was in position, the corresponding rectilinear movement of the vehicle. Telescopic body 4 is installed with stops 1, 2 on the steering wheel rim 3. In focus 1 set the dynamometer 5. Scale 6 through tripod 7 is connected with the body 4 and is installed in a working position corresponding to the diameter of the steering wheel 3. The center hinge swivel scale 6 of the body 4 should be aligned with the center of rotation of the steering wheel 3. The source housing 8 of the laser beam through the magnetic base attaches to any metal parts inside the cab of the vehicle and rotate the housing relative to the magnetic substrate so that the laser beam as a pointer scale 6 was directed at her.

The plug 12 is connected to the power supply, for example to the standard power supply (12 V) of the vehicle (to the power outlet or cigarette lighter). The rack 9, which by means of the lever 14 is connected to the contact 13, mounted on a metal part of the frame or front axle 10 near the rim 11 of one of the steered wheels of the vehicle. By turning the lever 14 and the pin 13 is brought into contact with the rim 11 with the inner side of the latter at the level of the axis, to enable the contact 13 and due to this - ignition of the lamp 15. Then the light bulb 15 with terminal clamp is installed in the cabin of the vehicle, in order to observe the signal light 15 from the driver's seat.

Then carry out the measurement of the backlash of the steering wheel. For this purpose, the wheel 3 is turned to such a point in time when the contact 13 is opened and the bulb 15, respectively extinguished. With the help of a laser beam on the scale 6 is fixed to the first angular position of the steering wheel 3, corresponding to the specified time of repayment of the light bulb 15. Then the steering wheel 3 is turned in the other direction until the ignition of the bulb 15 and the scale 6 is fixed with a second angular position of the steering wheel corresponding to this point in time. The difference recorded on a scale of 6 angular positions of the steering wheel gives the value of total backlash in degrees.

Next, determine the force of rotation on the steering wheel. Pre rack 6 with the lever 14 and the pin 13 is removed from its mounting on the vehicle. If the steering is mechanical, then post the steered wheels, and if the actuator is equipped with power steering, start the vehicle engine and set the maximum engine speed. Acting on the corresponding handle 17 dynamometer 5, turn the steering wheel 3 180° first one side and then the other, and the corresponding scale 18 is applied on the handle 17, determine the force applied to relevo is at the wheel 3 to rotate the steering wheel.

As an example, using the device of the present invention in the above order was determined backlash and stress on the steering wheel of the tractor MTZ-80. The backlash of the steering wheel was 16±0,5°. Then started the engine, set the maximum speed of the crankshaft of diesel engine, and determined using a dynamometer force on the steering wheel, which amounted to 3±0.5 kg.

1. The device for determination of backlash and effort on the steering wheel of the vehicle containing the telescopic body located at the ends of the lugs for mounting of the body on the rim of the steering wheel of the test vehicle, a device for determining the angular position of the steering wheel, made in the form of a pointer and a scale mounted on telescopic body can be rotated in a plane parallel to the plane of the steering wheel, and moving the center of rotation along the telescopic body of the force sensor on the steering wheel, mounted on one end of the telescopic body, as well as signaling the beginning of steering feel of the vehicle, characterized in that means for signaling includes a movable electrical contact mounted on the frame or front axle of the test vehicle with the ability with which Prikosnovenie with the rim of one of the steered wheels of the vehicle, and portable light detector connected to the power source through the electrical contact, and the device is equipped with a source of a laser beam for use as a pointer on the scale.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical contact on the frame or front axle of the test vehicle provided by electromagnetic racks fixed on the metal part of the frame or front axle and pivotally connected to the electrical contact.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the force sensor is made in the form of dynamometer double-acting.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lugs telescopic body with a spring latches to improve the reliability of mounting of the telescopic body on the steering wheel.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the laser beam source provided with a hinge integral with the shell of the source magnetic base for mounting a source in the cabin of the vehicle under test.