High volume vehicle inspection system and methods

摘要

An inspection system for use in measuring several vehicle conditions in a high volume vehicle inspection line. A plurality of sensors are installed on a vehicle for measuring a plurality of vehicle conditions to assist in the rapid evaluation of critical vehicle conditions or parameters. At least one tool is positioned along a vehicle path in a monitoring station. As the vehicle passes through the monitoring station, the tool received electronic data from the plurality of sensors and displays one or more signals to alert an inspector of acceptable or unacceptable vehicle conditions. In one example, the plurality of sensors includes tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) data from the vehicle tires to rapidly assess the condition of the tire air pressure and other monitored tire conditions.

主权项

1. An inspection system for use in inspecting one or more operating conditions of a high volume quantity of transportation vehicles, the system comprising:
a path of travel for through passage of a high volume quantity of transportation vehicles; an inspection station positioned along the path of travel; a plurality of vehicle operating condition sensors comprising a tire pressure monitoring system tire air pressure measuring sensor connected to each vehicle wheel in pressurized air communication with an interior of a respective pneumatic tire, the plurality of tire air pressure measuring sensors including a first tire air pressure measuring sensor configured to transmit a sensor first measurement of tire air pressure on a first passage of the first tire air pressure measuring sensor through the inspection station at a first time and a sensor second measurement of tire air pressure on a second passage of the first tire air pressure measuring sensor through the inspection station at a second time subsequent to the first time; a tire pressure monitoring system tool physically unconnected and independent of the plurality of tire air pressure measuring sensors, the tire pressure monitoring system tool comprising a first tire pressure monitoring system tool stationarily mounted on a first side of the path of travel and a second tire pressure monitoring system tool stationarily mounted on a second side of the path of travel opposite the first side in the inspection station, wherein each of the first and the second tire pressure monitoring system tools configured to receive a tire air pressure measuring sensor first sensor measurement of the tire air pressure operating condition and a tire air pressure measuring sensor second sensor measurement of the tire air pressure operating condition from the respective tire pressure monitoring system tire air pressure measuring sensor passing through a respective tire pressure monitoring system tool data communication beam; an electronic data memory storage device physically unconnected and independent of the tire air pressure measuring sensors in data communication with the first and the second tire pressure monitoring system tool to electronically store in the memory storage device the tire air pressure measuring sensor first measurement data of the tire air pressure operating condition and the tire air pressure measuring sensor second measurement data of the tire air pressure operating condition at the respective first and second times; a data processor physically unconnected and independent of the tire air pressure measuring sensors and in data communication with the memory storage device for comparing the tire air pressure measuring sensor first measurement of the tire air pressure operating condition and the tire air pressure measuring sensor second measurement of the tire air pressure operating condition; and an indicator device in electronic communication with the processor adapted to signal a user to a predetermined condition following the tire pressure monitoring system tool comparison of the tire air pressure measuring sensor first measurement data of the tire air pressure operating condition and the tire air pressure measuring sensor second measurement data of the tire air pressure operating condition.