Intelligent four-wheel alignment instrument and positioning method for all vehicle types

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intelligent four-wheel alignment instrument and a positioning method for all vehicle models, and belongs to the field of automobile technology. Through the fifth target disk on the left and right measuring units and the middle camera module, the coordinate system positions of the target disks fixed on the four wheels obtained by the left and right measuring units are unified into one coordinate system, so that the four-wheel alignment of different vehicle models can be easily realized, and the space requirement is limited, and it is suitable for various venues. In addition, the four-wheel alignment method is accurate and fast, has high stability, and the overall operation process is simple, which greatly improves work efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of automobiles, in particular to the technical field of four-wheel alignment methods, and specifically refers to an intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types and a aligning method. Background Art

[0002] The four-wheel alignment devices commonly used in the domestic market currently mainly use three-dimensional imaging technology. They mainly include a column placed in front of the vehicle and a crossbeam with 2 or 4 sets of cameras, a control cabinet, a computer and 4 reflective discs, a fixture and four-wheel alignment measurement software. The two sets of cameras use USB3.0 technology to connect the computer and measurement software, shoot and collect the image information of the reflective target discs installed on the four vehicles moving in the space of 0°-25°, and then compare and analyze the image information with the measurement software to obtain the vehicle and timely four-wheel alignment data.

[0003] The existing four-wheel alignment instruments using three-dimensional imaging technology have the following disadvantages: ① unstable image signal transmission; ② the front and rear opposed installation occupies a large area, has few applicable sites, and has high investment costs; ③ the measurement of medium and large passenger cars and commercial vehicles with a wheelbase of more than 2.2m and a wheelbase of more than 4.5m is limited, and it cannot be used for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles; ④ the working space is small, the operation is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the use efficiency is low. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the above-mentioned prior art and to provide an intelligent four-wheel aligner and positioning method for all types of vehicles, which is suitable for all venues, all types of vehicles, and multiple spaces, has accurate and fast measurement, high stability, simple operation, and high application efficiency.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types of the present invention has the following structure:

[0006] The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types includes four target disks, two measuring units and a processing unit. The four target disks are respectively fixed on the four wheels to be positioned. The two measuring units are respectively arranged between the front and rear wheels on the left and right sides. The two measuring units each include two front and rear camera modules. One of the two measuring units includes a fifth target disk, and the other includes a middle camera module facing the fifth target disk. The processing unit is respectively connected to the two measuring units by signals to control the measuring units to shoot each of the target disks, and calculates and obtains four-wheel alignment data based on the images of each target disk obtained.

[0007] The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types also includes a mobile power supply, and the output ends of the mobile power supply are respectively connected to the two measuring units.

[0008] The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types also includes four clamps and two fixed platforms. The four target disks are fixed to the corresponding wheels through the clamps respectively. The two measuring units are respectively arranged on the left and right sides through the fixed platforms and are located in the middle position of the front and rear wheels on one side.

[0009] In the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types, the measuring unit also includes a level bubble and a touch display arranged on the upper surface.

[0010] In the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types, the measuring unit further comprises a wireless signal transceiver subunit, and the wireless signal transceiver subunit is connected to the processing unit via a wireless signal.

[0011] The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types also includes a main display and a control unit, and the main display and the control unit are both connected to the processing unit.

[0012] The present invention also provides a four-wheel alignment method implemented by using the above-mentioned intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types, which comprises the following steps:

[0013] (1) Each camera module on the two measuring units shoots the corresponding target disk to obtain images of the target disks and the fifth target disk respectively fixed on the four wheels, and the target disk coordinate system position of each target disk;

[0014] (2) The processing unit calculates the body coordinate system, the world coordinate system and the coordinate system of the target disks fixed on the four wheels according to the target disk coordinate system posture of each target disk;

[0015] (3) Push the cart to different postures and obtain the coordinate system of the target disk fixed on the four wheels in different postures;

[0016] (4) Calculate the rotation axis vector of the target disk fixed on the four wheels according to the result of step (3) and transform it into the vehicle body coordinate system;

[0017] (5) Calculate and obtain four-wheel alignment data.

[0018] In the four-wheel alignment method, the step (2) specifically comprises the following steps:

[0019] (21) unifying the camera modules of the left and right measurement units into a vehicle body coordinate system according to the fifth target disk image captured by the middle camera module;

[0020] (22) Taking any one of the five camera modules as the world coordinate system;

[0021] (23) The coordinate system positions of the target disks fixed on the four wheels captured by the four camera modules and unified into a vehicle body coordinate system are projected into the world coordinate system.

[0022] In the four-wheel alignment method, the cart is pushed to 20 degrees and 0 degrees to obtain the coordinate system of the target disk fixed on the four wheels in different postures.

[0023] In the four-wheel alignment method, the toe angle, camber angle, setback angle and thrust angle of the four-wheel alignment are calculated.

[0024] The intelligent four-wheel aligner and positioning method for all types of vehicles of the present invention are adopted. Through the fifth target disk on the left and right measuring units and the middle camera module, the coordinate system postures of the target disks fixed on the four wheels obtained by the left and right measuring units are unified into one coordinate system. Therefore, the four-wheel positioning of different types of vehicles can be conveniently realized, and the space requirement is limited, and it is suitable for various venues. In addition, the four-wheel positioning method is accurate, fast, highly stable, and the overall operation process is simple, which greatly improves work efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the measurement unit structure.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic flow chart of the four-wheel alignment method of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to more clearly understand the technical content of the present invention, the following embodiments are given in detail.

[0029] See also Figure 1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types of the present invention.

[0030] In one embodiment, the intelligent four-wheel alignment instrument for all vehicle types includes four target plates, two measuring units and a processing unit. The four target plates are fixed to the corresponding wheels by clamps, and the two measuring units are respectively set on the left and right sides by a fixed platform and are located in the middle of the front and rear wheels on one side. The two measuring units, such as Figure 2 As shown, both include two front and rear camera modules 1, 2 and camera fill light boards 9, 10, one of the two measuring units includes a fifth target disk (small target disk) 3, and the other includes an intermediate camera module facing the fifth target disk 3, and the processing unit is respectively connected to the controller 5 (including a control chip and a USB hub) of the two measuring units by signal, so as to control the measuring unit to shoot each of the target disks, and calculate and obtain four-wheel positioning data according to the obtained images of each target disk. The measuring unit may also include an external power supply 4 and a USB / charging interface 8.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the intelligent four-wheel alignment instrument for all vehicle types further comprises a mobile power supply 6, the output ends of which are respectively connected to the two measuring units. The mobile power supply 6 can also be Figure 2 The measurement unit further comprises a wireless signal transceiver subunit, which may be a WIFI module integrated in the controller 5, and the wireless signal transceiver subunit is connected to the processing unit via wireless signals.

[0032] In another preferred embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, the measuring unit further includes a level bubble 7 and a touch display (not shown in the figure) arranged on the upper surface. The touch display is connected to the controller 5 to control the measuring unit and display its working status.

[0033] In a more preferred embodiment, the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types further comprises a main display and a control unit, and both the main display and the control unit are connected to the processing unit.

[0034] The present invention also provides a four-wheel alignment method using the above-mentioned intelligent four-wheel alignment instrument for all vehicle types, such as Figure 3 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0035] (1) Each camera module on the two measuring units shoots the corresponding target disk to obtain images of the target disks and the fifth target disk respectively fixed on the four wheels, and the target disk coordinate system position of each target disk;

[0036] (2) The processing unit calculates the body coordinate system, the world coordinate system and the coordinate system of the target disks fixed on the four wheels according to the target disk coordinate system posture of each target disk;

[0037] (3) Push the cart to different postures, which can be 20 degrees and 0 degrees, and obtain the coordinate system of the target disk fixed on the four wheels at different postures;

[0038] (4) Calculate the rotation axis vector of the target disk fixed on the four wheels according to the result of step (3) and transform it into the vehicle body coordinate system;

[0039] (5) Calculate and obtain four-wheel alignment data, including toe angle, camber angle, setback angle and thrust angle.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the step (2) specifically comprises the following steps:

[0041] (21) unifying the camera modules of the left and right measurement units into a vehicle body coordinate system according to the fifth target disk image captured by the middle camera module;

[0042] (22) Taking any one of the five camera modules as the world coordinate system;

[0043] (23) The coordinate system positions of the target disks fixed on the four wheels captured by the four camera modules and unified into a vehicle body coordinate system are projected into the world coordinate system.

[0044] In practical applications, the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all types of vehicles of the present invention includes two groups of measuring units with five cameras and lenses, five groups of reflective target disks and four three-claw or four-claw fixtures, a computer, a display, a printer, a control cabinet, a 470×470 corner disk and a 3D four-wheel aligner measurement software. The two groups of measuring units are installed at the center point of the left and right platform sides of the mother-and-child scissor or four-post lift, and the five groups of reflective disks are respectively installed on the front, back, left, and right four tires and the inner end face of the left measuring unit through a fixture and a bracket. The internal reference of the 3D four-wheel aligner measurement software is installed in the integrated host of the two groups of measuring units, and the external reference is installed in the computer in the control cabinet. By moving the vehicle forward and backward by 20° or 8cm, the industrial cameras of the left and right measuring units respectively shoot the target disks installed on the four tires, and the image information in the moving space of 0° to 20° is compared and analyzed by a computer, and the vehicle's timely and accurate four-wheel alignment measurement data is synchronously displayed on the display screens of the measuring unit and the host computer.

[0045] Among them, the five camera groups included in the measurement unit are industrial cameras. Among the five optical lenses, four groups are 8-12mm, and the optical lens of the middle camera module is 35mm.

[0046] The dots on the five target disks, including the fifth target disk, are arranged in a 5×5 or 7×7 design. The target disks on the four wheels can be used in three ways: five in front and seven in the back, five in front and five in the back, and seven in front and seven in the back.

[0047] The measuring unit can use a mobile power supply (power bank) to output 20V voltage to the integrated host and camera, light board and touch screen. A dual circuit design of mobile power supply (wireless power supply) and 220V wired direct power supply can be used. The power bank is 45-65W 20000-30000 mAh, and the output voltage is 20V.

[0048] There are three installation methods for the measuring unit, including installation on the center of the outer sides of the left and right platforms of the mother-and-child lift, installation on the center of the left and right platforms in the trenches on both sides of the vehicle, which can be easily adapted to different space environments.

[0049] The data transmission between the left and right measuring units and the upper computer host computer adopts wireless transmission technologies such as 5G network, WIFI, and local area network to transmit data and information to each other through wireless communication. This makes the connection between the measuring unit and the host computer more flexible and reduces the requirements for the space environment.

[0050] The aligner also includes components such as control cabinet, 470×470 steering wheel, foot brake lock, steering wheel holder, triangular pads and rubber transition plate. The application method of these components is the same as that of conventional four-wheel aligners.

[0051] Different from the traditional 3D four-wheel aligner, the present invention adopts five groups of camera modules installed in the left and right measuring units respectively. Four of the five groups respectively shoot the target disks installed on the four tires of the car. The biggest feature is that the fifth group of camera modules in the right measuring unit is arranged horizontally to shoot the fifth target disk (small target disk) set on the left measuring unit. After calculation, the five groups of camera modules are connected into an overall coordinate system, four of which shoot the tire target disk. Finally, the four target disks form a complete coordinate system, so that the required four-wheel alignment data can be calculated.

[0052] The present invention adopts a brand-new machine vision calculation process. The four target disks form a complete coordinate system. The middle camera module of the right measuring unit is then used to shoot the small target disk on the left, so that all the coordinate systems photographed and calculated for the target disks on both sides are brought together, and any one of the five camera modules is used as the world coordinate system. The coordinate system postures of the four target disks are projected into the world coordinate system. After that, through cart measurement, the vehicle body coordinate system, the tire rotation axis vector, and the vector after the rotation axis vector is transformed into the world coordinate system can be calculated in real time, from which the toe angle, camber angle, caster angle, thrust angle, setback angle and other parameters in the four-wheel alignment are calculated.

[0053] In addition, a non-cart measurement method can also be used, that is, the measurement process does not require a cart. After entering the measurement, the reflective target disk is directly photographed and the measurement result data is calculated immediately. This method can save a lot of time and is convenient for operation.

[0054] The intelligent automobile four-wheel alignment instrument for all types of vehicles of the present invention can meet the installation and use requirements of all workstations equipped with parent-child scissor type, four-post and trench runway type lifts. The left and right measuring units are respectively installed at the center points on both sides of the lift platform, and four reflective target plates are corresponding to the four wheels one by one through special clamps. The vehicle is moved forward and backward by 20° or 8cm, and the whole vehicle measurement can be completed in 20 seconds. The display screens of the left and right measuring units and the main display screen on the control cabinet synchronously display timely and accurate data of the whole vehicle four-wheel alignment of the detected vehicle, and the adjustment margin is prompted by color changes and icon position changes. The operation is quick and easy and clear at a glance.

[0055] Compared with the four-wheel aligner with two sets of cameras arranged front and back in the prior art, the obvious advantages of the present invention are:

[0056] ① The present invention can be used in various sites. Any workstation that can install a scissor lift, a four-post lift, or a trench runway lift can use the present invention (the site depth can be 4 meters or more). The current technology requires a site depth of 7 meters or more. Compared with the prior art, the present invention meets the needs of more users and greatly saves users' investment costs.

[0057] ② It can accurately measure the four-wheel alignment of all vehicle models and can be used for both large and small vehicles, covering all vehicle models with a wheelbase of 1.6 meters to 12 meters. The existing technology can only measure the four-wheel alignment of vehicles with a wheelbase of less than 4 meters, which cannot take into account both large and small vehicles.

[0058] ③ The image information transmission between the measuring unit and the main control unit of the present invention adopts wireless transmission technologies such as 5G, local area network, and Internet of Things, which enhances the stability, reliability, speed and convenience of image transmission. The existing image transmission uses USB3.0 technology, which has the disadvantages of easy interruption, the influence of data line length on measurement results, and complicated wiring.

[0059] ④ The measuring unit in the present invention is bound together with the lift platform, and the working space of low-position measurement and high-position adjustment can be adjusted as needed through the lifting structure of the lift, truly realizing a working experience of head high and chest out, free retraction and extension, labor-saving and time-saving, easy and efficient, and completely saying goodbye to the low working space where people have to bend down, feel cramped and unable to use their strength. The existing technology usually fixes the low-position measurement and high-position adjustment at the same height, which cannot meet the different heights of operators, resulting in time-consuming and inefficient operation.

[0060] The intelligent four-wheel aligner and positioning method for all types of vehicles of the present invention are adopted. Through the fifth target disk on the left and right measuring units and the middle camera module, the coordinate system postures of the target disks fixed on the four wheels obtained by the left and right measuring units are unified into one coordinate system. Therefore, the four-wheel positioning of different types of vehicles can be conveniently realized, and the space requirement is limited, and it is suitable for various venues. In addition, the four-wheel positioning method is accurate, fast, highly stable, and the overall operation process is simple, which greatly improves work efficiency.

[0061] In this specification, the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. However, it is apparent that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. An intelligent four-wheel aligner for all types of vehicles, characterized by: It includes four target disks, two measuring units and a processing unit, the four target disks are respectively fixed on the four wheels to be positioned, the two measuring units are respectively arranged between the front and rear wheels on the left and right sides, the two measuring units each include two front and rear camera modules, one of the two measuring units includes a fifth target disk, and the other includes an intermediate camera module facing the fifth target disk, each camera module on the two measuring units shoots the corresponding target disk to obtain images of each target disk and the fifth target disk, and the target disk coordinate system posture of each target disk; the processing unit is respectively connected to the two measuring units by signals to control the measuring units to shoot each target disk, and according to the obtained target disk images and the target disk coordinate system posture of each target disk, the camera modules of the left and right measuring units are unified into a vehicle body coordinate system through the fifth target disk image shot by the intermediate camera module; any one of the five camera modules is used as the world coordinate system, and the coordinate system postures of the target disks on the four wheels unified into a vehicle body coordinate system are projected into the world coordinate system; Calculate and obtain four-wheel alignment data.

2. The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a mobile power supply, and the output ends of the mobile power supply are respectively connected to the two measuring units.

3. The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes four fixtures and two fixed platforms. The four target disks are fixed on the corresponding wheels through the fixtures. The two measuring units are respectively set on the left and right sides through the fixed platforms and are located in the middle position of the front and rear wheels on one side.

4. The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types according to claim 1, characterized in that: The measuring unit further comprises a level bubble and a touch display arranged on the upper surface.

5. The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types according to claim 4, characterized in that: The measuring unit further comprises a wireless signal transceiver subunit, and the wireless signal transceiver subunit is connected to the processing unit via a wireless signal.

6. The intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a main display and a control unit, and both the main display and the control unit are connected to the processing unit.

7. A four-wheel alignment method using the intelligent four-wheel aligner for all vehicle types according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: (1) Each camera module on the two measuring units shoots the corresponding target disk to obtain images of the target disks and the fifth target disk fixed on the four wheels, as well as the target disk coordinate system position of each target disk; (2) The processing unit unifies the camera modules of the left and right measurement units into a vehicle body coordinate system based on the target disk coordinate system posture of each target disk through the fifth target disk image captured by the middle camera module; and uses any one of the five camera modules as a world coordinate system to project the coordinate system postures of the target disks on the four wheels unified into the vehicle body coordinate system into the world coordinate system; (3) Push the cart to different postures and obtain the coordinate system of the target disk fixed on the four wheels in different postures; (4) Calculate the rotation axis vector of the target disk fixed on the four wheels based on the result of step (3) and transform it into the vehicle body coordinate system; (5) Calculate and obtain four-wheel alignment data.

8. The four-wheel alignment method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The step (3) is specifically as follows: pushing the cart to 20 degrees and 0 degrees, and obtaining the coordinate system of the target disk fixed on the four wheels in different postures.

9. The four-wheel alignment method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The step (5) specifically comprises: calculating the toe angle, camber angle, setback angle and thrust angle of the four-wheel alignment.

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