Vehicle alignment system

摘要

An improved vehicle alignment system includes automatic angle and distance range calibration whereby various vehicle distances such as track width and wheelbase may be measured electro-optically during the alignment process. The system also includes an improved process which results in shorter measurement cycles for the sensors by utilizing an electronic shutter control. The sensors work in pairs, and a novel synchronization scheme is used to ensure that the emitters of one sensor are not radiating at the same time the emitters of the other sensor of that pair are radiating and to determine which emitter of the pair corresponding to a sensor is radiating. Reflections of the emitters from nearby surfaces are discriminated from direct transmissions so that the angle of incidence is accurately determined. Moreover, determination of the angle of incidence is simplified by use of a lens whose image position varies in a specific manner as the imaged object moves radially away from the axis of the lens. The present system is particularly suited for measuring difficult alignment measurements such as toe-out on turns electro-optically with a minimal number of sensors.