A method for adjusting four-wheel alignment of a minibus and a vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses a minibus four-wheel positioning adjustment method and a vehicle, wherein the minibus four-wheel positioning adjustment method comprises adjusting a rear inclination angle, and the step of adjusting the rear inclination angle comprises the following steps: acquiring the distance between a left front lower control arm ball head and a right rear leaf spring U-shaped bolt to obtain a left diagonal line length; acquiring the distance between a right front lower control arm ball head and a left rear leaf spring U-shaped bolt to obtain a right diagonal line length; setting an acceptable offset value; and adjusting the left diagonal line length and the right diagonal line length so that the difference between the left diagonal line length and the right diagonal line length is not greater than the acceptable offset value. The application ingeniously realizes intuitive adjustment of the rear inclination angle through adjustment of the left diagonal line length and the right diagonal length, better meets the requirements of minibus four-wheel positioning, and is favorable for improving driving safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a testing method, and more particularly to a method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Caster angle refers to the angle between the kingpin or superpin and the vertical line to the ground when viewed from the side of the vehicle. During four-wheel alignment, the caster angle needs to be corrected. For minibuses, due to their longer wheelbase, the alignment parameter adjustment is different from that of passenger cars. It is necessary to prioritize the accuracy of the caster angle. However, the caster angle parameter cannot be displayed in real time on current four-wheel alignment equipment. Therefore, it is difficult for workers to know whether the caster angle has been adjusted properly during four-wheel alignment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus and a vehicle, so as to solve one or more technical problems existing in the prior art, and at least provide a beneficial option or create conditions.

[0004] A method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to a first aspect of the present invention.

[0005] A method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus includes adjusting the caster angle, wherein the steps for adjusting the caster angle include: Obtain the distance between the ball joint of the left front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the right rear leaf spring to get the length of the left diagonal; Obtain the distance between the ball joint of the right front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the left rear leaf spring to get the length of the right diagonal; Set the acceptable offset value; Adjust the lengths of the left diagonal and the right diagonal so that the difference between them is no greater than an acceptable offset value.

[0006] This technical solution has at least the following beneficial effects: The distance between the ball joint of the left front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the right rear leaf spring is measured as the left diagonal length, and the distance between the ball joint of the right front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the left rear leaf spring is measured as the right diagonal length. The accessible offset value is determined according to different vehicle models. Then, by directly monitoring and adjusting the distances between the ball joints of the left front lower control arm and the right rear leaf spring, and the distances between the ball joints of the right front lower control arm and the left rear leaf spring, symmetry is confirmed with intuitive measurement data, thus ensuring the symmetry of the left and right tilt angles. In this way, by adjusting the lengths of the left and right diagonals, the tilt angle is cleverly and intuitively adjusted, better meeting the requirements of four-wheel alignment for minibuses and improving driving safety.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the acceptable offset value is 5 mm.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, adjusting the length of the left diagonal and the length of the right diagonal includes adjusting the rear mounting point eccentric shim of the left front lower control arm and the rear mounting point eccentric shim of the right front lower control arm.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, before adjusting the caster angle, the steering wheel is centered. The step of centering the steering wheel includes: centering the steering wheel, obtaining the toe angle of the left wheel and the toe angle of the right wheel; comparing the toe angle of the left wheel with the toe angle of the right wheel, and if the two are not equal, rotating the steering wheel to make them equal, removing the steering wheel, re-centering and reassembling it.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a vehicle status confirmation is performed before centering the steering wheel, the vehicle status confirmation including confirming whether the vehicle height is correct.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention further includes adjusting the camber angle, the step of adjusting the camber angle comprising: adjusting the front mounting point eccentric shim of the left front lower control arm to correct the camber angle of the left wheel; and adjusting the front mounting point eccentric shim of the right front lower control arm to correct the camber angle of the right wheel.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention further includes adjusting the toe angle, wherein the step of adjusting the toe angle includes adjusting the length of the left steering tie rod and the length of the right steering tie rod to correct the toe angle.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the adjustment of the camber angle, the adjustment of the slant angle, and the adjustment of the toe angle are performed sequentially from first to last.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the difference between the length of the left steering tie rod and the length of the right steering tie rod is less than 3 mm.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle includes wheels, the wheels of which are adjusted using the above-described four-wheel alignment method for minibuses.

[0016] This technical solution has at least the following beneficial effects: when a vehicle needs to be aligned for four wheels, the tilt angle can be intuitively adjusted by adjusting the lengths of the left and right diagonals, which better meets the requirements for four-wheel alignment of minibuses and helps improve driving safety.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be derived from the description. It will become apparent, or will be understood through the practice of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly explained below. Obviously, the described drawings are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Those skilled in the art can obtain other design schemes and drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the process for adjusting the tilt angle of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is the overall flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0023] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0024] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installing," and "connecting" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0025] A method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus, referring to Figure 1 This includes adjusting the caster angle, the steps of which include: S310, obtain the distance between the ball joint of the left front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the right rear leaf spring, and obtain the length of the left diagonal; S320, obtain the distance between the ball joint of the right front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the left rear leaf spring, and obtain the length of the right diagonal; S330, set the acceptable offset value; S340, Adjust the length of the left diagonal and the length of the right diagonal so that the difference between them is not greater than an acceptable offset value.

[0026] As mentioned above, the distance between the ball joint of the left front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the right rear leaf spring is measured as the left diagonal length, and the distance between the ball joint of the right front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the left rear leaf spring is measured as the right diagonal length. The contact offset value is determined according to different vehicle models. At this time, by directly monitoring and adjusting the distance between the ball joint of the left front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the right rear leaf spring, and the distance between the ball joint of the right front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the left rear leaf spring, the symmetry is confirmed with intuitive measurement data, thereby ensuring the symmetry of the left and right tilt angles. In this way, by adjusting the lengths of the left and right diagonals, the tilt angle is cleverly adjusted intuitively, which better meets the requirements of the four-wheel alignment of the minibus and helps to improve driving safety.

[0027] In the S330, depending on the different models, the required difference between the length of the left diagonal line and the right diagonal line will vary. Generally, the acceptable offset is 5 mm, that is, the difference between the length of the left diagonal line and the right diagonal line is no more than 5 mm.

[0028] In S340, the diagonal length is adjusted by changing the position of the ball head by adjusting the lower control arm. Specifically, adjusting the left diagonal length includes adjusting the eccentric shim at the rear mounting point of the left front lower control arm. Clockwise adjustment increases the tilt angle, and counterclockwise adjustment decreases the tilt angle, reaching its extreme value after rotating 90°. The right diagonal length includes adjusting the eccentric shim at the rear mounting point of the right front lower control arm. The adjustment direction is opposite to that of the left side. Clockwise adjustment decreases the tilt angle, and counterclockwise adjustment increases the tilt angle, also reaching its extreme value after rotating 90°.

[0029] Before performing S300, the positioning parameters are adjusted first. Specifically, in S200, the steering wheel is centered. The steps for centering the steering wheel include: centering the steering wheel, obtaining the toe angles of the left and right wheels; comparing the toe angles of the left and right wheels, and if they are not equal, rotating the steering wheel to make them equal, removing the steering wheel, re-centering, and reassembling it. By completing the S200 steering wheel centering, the accuracy of wheel positioning before adjustment is improved. Adjusting the caster angle only after ensuring the toe angles of the left and right wheels are equal reduces the impact on the adjusted caster angle when other parameters are adjusted after the caster angle adjustment is complete.

[0030] In practical applications, when comparing the toe angle of the left wheel with that of the right wheel in S200, the two values ​​do not need to be exactly equal. The difference between the two angles should not exceed 40 minutes. If this condition is met, proceed to the next step, S300. If this condition is not met, turn the steering wheel to make the toe angle of the left wheel and the toe angle of the right wheel meet the condition. Then, remove the steering wheel from the steering column of the rotating assembly inside the vehicle, straighten and center the steering wheel, and reassemble it onto the steering column of the rotating assembly. At this time, the length of the steering tie rod cannot be adjusted. Continue with S300.

[0031] To further improve the accuracy of four-wheel alignment adjustment for minibuses, vehicle status confirmation is performed before centering the steering wheel. This confirmation includes verifying the vehicle height, which is typically a constant value, such as between 477 mm and 487 mm. In practical applications, vehicle status confirmation also includes checking the correct assembly relationship between the front and rear wheels and the vehicle body in the X direction. For example, the distance between the rear edge of the tire and the wheel arch should be 20 mm to 22 mm; the eccentric shims at the front and rear mounting points of the lower control arm should be correctly installed; the eccentric shims should have a large area facing upwards on the vehicle; and the left and right steering tie rods should be of equal length.

[0032] The four-wheel alignment adjustment of a minibus also includes adjusting the camber angle. The steps for adjusting the camber angle include: adjusting the eccentric shim at the front mounting point of the left front lower control arm to correct the camber angle of the left wheel; and adjusting the eccentric shim at the front mounting point of the right front lower control arm to correct the camber angle of the right wheel. By correcting and adjusting the camber angle, driving safety can be further improved. In practical applications, for correcting the camber angle of the left wheel, adjusting the eccentric shim at the front mounting point of the left front lower control arm clockwise increases the positive camber angle, while adjusting it counterclockwise decreases the positive camber angle, reaching its extreme value at a 90-degree rotation. Similarly, for correcting the camber angle of the right wheel, adjusting the eccentric shim at the front mounting point of the right front lower control arm counterclockwise increases the positive camber angle, while adjusting it clockwise decreases the positive camber angle.

[0033] In the four-wheel alignment adjustment of a minibus, this invention also includes adjusting the toe angle. The step of adjusting the toe angle includes adjusting the lengths of the left and right steering tie rods to correct the toe angle. By correcting and adjusting the toe angle, driving safety can be further improved. In practical applications, for adjusting the toe angle of the left and right wheels, lengthening the left and right steering tie rods increases the positive toe angle of the wheel, while shortening the left and right steering tie rods decreases the positive toe angle of the wheel.

[0034] In the above embodiments, the adjustment of the caster angle, camber angle and toe angle can be performed in any order. However, since the adjustment of the caster angle is particularly important in minibuses, the first requirement is that the caster angle meets the usage conditions. In this embodiment, the adjustment of the caster angle, the adjustment of the camber angle and the adjustment of the toe angle are performed in sequence.

[0035] After the toe angle is adjusted, the adjusted state is confirmed. The tightening torque of each tightening position must meet the requirements, and the difference between the length of the left steering tie rod and the length of the right steering tie rod is less than 3 mm.

[0036] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle includes wheels, said wheels being adjusted using the aforementioned four-wheel alignment method for minibuses. In practical applications, the vehicle can be a commercial vehicle, such as a van, bus, small truck, or large trailer. The vehicle can be a gasoline-powered vehicle or a new energy vehicle. When the vehicle is a new energy vehicle, it can be a hybrid vehicle or a pure electric vehicle.

[0037] When a vehicle needs four-wheel alignment, the caster angle can be intuitively adjusted by adjusting the lengths of the left and right diagonals, which better meets the requirements for four-wheel alignment of minibuses and helps improve driving safety.

[0038] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these equivalent modifications or substitutions are all included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus, characterized in that: This includes adjusting the caster angle, and the steps for adjusting the caster angle include: Obtain the distance between the ball joint of the left front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the right rear leaf spring to get the length of the left diagonal; Obtain the distance between the ball joint of the right front lower control arm and the U-bolt of the left rear leaf spring to get the length of the right diagonal; Set the acceptable offset value; Adjust the lengths of the left diagonal and the right diagonal so that the difference between them is no greater than an acceptable offset value.

2. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acceptable offset value is 5 mm.

3. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment of the length of the left diagonal and the length of the right diagonal includes adjusting the eccentric shim of the rear mounting point of the left front lower control arm and the eccentric shim of the rear mounting point of the right front lower control arm.

4. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before adjusting the caster angle, the steering wheel is centered. The steps for centering the steering wheel include: Center the steering wheel and obtain the toe angles of the left and right wheels; Compare the toe angle of the left wheel with the toe angle of the right wheel. If they are not equal, rotate the steering wheel to make them equal, remove the steering wheel, re-align it, and reassemble it.

5. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 4, characterized in that: Before centering the steering wheel, the vehicle status must be checked, including confirming whether the vehicle height is correct.

6. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes adjusting the camber angle, the steps of which include: Adjust the eccentric shim at the front mounting point of the left front lower control arm to correct the camber angle of the left wheel; Adjust the eccentric shim at the front mounting point of the right front lower control arm to correct the camber angle of the right wheel.

7. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes adjusting the toe angle, the steps of which include adjusting the length of the left steering tie rod and the right steering tie rod to correct the toe angle.

8. The method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 7, characterized in that: The adjustment of the tilt angle, the adjustment of the camber angle, and the adjustment of the toe angle are performed sequentially from first to last.

9. A method for adjusting the four-wheel alignment of a minibus according to claim 8, characterized in that: The difference between the length of the left steering tie rod and the length of the right steering tie rod is less than 3 mm.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: Includes wheels, which are adjusted using the four-wheel alignment method for minibuses as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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