Vehicle test stand and method for carrying out measurement and adjustment work on a vehicle and for carrying out driving simulations using the vehicle test stand
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023786491
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-10-24
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-25
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle test benches face limitations in dynamically adjusting wheel geometry parameters without causing mechanical stresses, particularly during toe angle changes, and struggle to simulate complex driving scenarios effectively.
The vehicle test bench design allows for mechanical coupling and uncoupling of drive and load units from the wheel rollers, reducing the moment of inertia and enabling dynamic adjustment of wheel geometry parameters while simulating driving scenarios by decoupling during high-braking conditions to prevent mechanical stresses and uncontrolled movements.
This design enhances the dynamic adjustment of wheel geometry parameters without mechanical stress and effectively simulates driving scenarios, including cornering and braking, by reducing the moment of inertia and decoupling during high-braking conditions, ensuring safety and precision.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] DESCRIPTION
[0002] Vehicle test bench and methods for carrying out measurement and adjustment work on a vehicle and for carrying out driving simulations using the vehicle test bench
[0003] The present invention relates to a vehicle test bench according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for carrying out measuring and adjustment work on a vehicle and for carrying out driving simulations using such a vehicle test bench according to claim 10.
[0004] This is a vehicle test bench with wheel mounts for the wheels of a vehicle to be tested.
[0005] The vehicle test bench is designed so that each wheel or wheel combination has a wheel hub on each side of an axle. If the vehicle has twin wheels on one or more axles, these pairs of wheels each rest on a common wheel hub. These twin wheels are considered wheel combinations in the sense explained.
[0006] The wheel mounts can be designed as so-called crown rollers. The wheel mount then has a roller. The respective wheel rests on the crown line of the roller. Typically, so-called retaining rollers are also present, which rest on the respective wheel in front of and behind the respective vehicle wheel to keep the wheel on the crown line of the crown roller without causing it to slip.
[0007] The wheel mounts can also be designed as so-called double rollers. When the wheel mount is designed with the double roller, the respective vehicle wheel sinks between these two rollers so that the wheel rests on both rollers. How deep the wheel sinks depends on the distance between the two rollers, the diameter of the rollers, and the diameter of the wheel. A vehicle test bench of this type is already known (DE 10 2015 115 607 A1). The wheel mounts of the vehicle test bench described therein have rollers on which the wheels of the vehicle to be tested rest. These rollers can rotate about a vertical axis (perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the rollers). This allows forces to be transferred from the rollers of the wheel mount to the respective wheels of the vehicle by rotating the rollers of the wheel mount using a drive element. In this context, this does not mean that the rollers are set in rotation about their longitudinal axis.In this context, it is rather meant that the rollers located in the horizontal plane are rotated in such a way that the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller changes in the horizontal plane. This makes it possible to transmit forces to the vehicle wheel by changing the position of the longitudinal axis of the rollers of the wheel hub relative to the respective wheel axis of the upright wheel. A clutch is provided through which the drive element can be engaged or disengaged.
[0008] Other types of wheel hubs are also known as floating plates. These have an operating state in which the floating plates are mounted with low-friction bearings, allowing the floating plates to follow changes in the steering angle of the wheel resting on them. These floating plates are used for adjusting the chassis geometry parameters (toe and camber angles of the vehicle's wheels). If the vehicle's adjustment devices for the toe and camber angles are activated, this leads to a rotation of the wheel - with regard to the toe angle - which would also occur if a corresponding steering angle of the wheel were adjusted via the steering wheel when the toe angle of the wheel is set.This type of floating plate is used for adjusting the chassis geometry parameters because the floating plate follows the changes in the toe angle during adjustment work in such a way that no mechanical stresses arise between the rollers of the wheel hub and the wheel resting on them. The drive and / or loading units are positively and / or non-positively connected to at least one roller of the wheel hub in order to transmit forces to this roller. The drive and / or loading unit can be equipped with a drive by which the respective roller of the wheel hub is driven or braked in the sense of rotation around its longitudinal axis, counter to the drive or braking torques transmitted to the respective roller by the vehicle's wheel.It is also possible to couple an inertial mass to the roller (load unit) in addition to or as an alternative to this drive, so that the moment of inertia of the roller is increased when the load unit is engaged.
[0009] In this case, each wheel hub has a support structure. One or two rollers are mounted on each support structure (depending on whether the wheel hub is equipped with a single roller or double rollers). The wheels of the vehicle to be tested rest on these rollers in the manner described above.
[0010] At least one of the rollers of a wheel hub is assigned a drive and / or load unit.
[0011] The first operating state is the operating state of the freely rotatable floating plate.
[0012] In this operating mode, measurements and adjustments of the chassis geometry parameters (toe angle and camber angle of the wheels) can be performed. In this operating mode, the wheel hub rollers rotate around the vertical axis to follow changes in the orientation of the wheel axis of the currently mounted wheel during adjustment of the chassis geometry parameters.
[0013] In the first operating state of the wheel mounts, the respective support device is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis such that, in this first operating state of the wheel mount, the support device is mounted for free rotation. The support device is thus rotatable due to forces transmitted from the upright wheels of the vehicle to the rollers.
[0014] This means that the functionality of the wheel mount used in vehicle test benches where driving simulations are carried out has been expanded so that adjustment work on the parameters of the chassis geometry can also be carried out in this vehicle test bench.
[0015] It is already known from the prior art (DE 10 2004 001 439 A1 and EP 2 677 293 B1) to design a vehicle test bench in such a way that, in a first operating state, measurement and adjustment work on the parameters of the chassis geometry can be carried out, and in a second operating state, driving simulations can be carried out. For this purpose, drive units are provided for the rollers of the wheel hubs, with which, in the second operating state, forces can be introduced by driving or braking the rollers with regard to rotation about their longitudinal axis, which forces act on the respective wheel of the vehicle. In the first operating state, the rollers of the wheel hubs are mounted in such a way that, with regard to rotation about a vertical axis, these rollers can follow the rotations of the wheels in the sense of a steering angle of the wheels if this steering angle changes while the adjustment work is carried out.The drive units remain connected to the rollers of the wheel hubs in such a way that these drive units rotate around the vertical axis when the respective roller rotates.
[0016] The present invention is based on the object of expanding the possible applications of the vehicle test bench.
[0017] According to the present invention, at least parts of the drive and / or loading units can be mechanically coupled and uncoupled from the respective roller.
[0018] In the design of the vehicle test bench according to the present invention, at least the connectable and detachable parts of the drive and / or load units are not arranged on the respective support device. The connectable and detachable parts of the drive and / or load units are mechanically connectable and detachable to the respective roller.
[0019] This coupling and decoupling goes beyond the coupling and decoupling of the drive and / or load unit on the state-of-the-art vehicle test bench. During coupling and decoupling, the drive and / or load unit remains mechanically connected to the respective roller. Separation via the coupling occurs only to the extent that there is no longer any frictional connection between an output of the drive unit and the load unit related to the rotation of the roller around its longitudinal axis. The same applies when an electric motor acting as the drive unit is de-energized.
[0020] The mechanical coupling and uncoupling according to the present invention means that a separation occurs to the extent that, upon mechanical uncoupling, the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading unit represent a separate component (or several separate components) relative to the roller, which no longer has any connection to the roller. In particular, upon uncoupling of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading unit, these parts are also uncoupled with respect to a rotation of the respective roller (and thus also of the other roller of the wheel mount and the support device) about the vertical axis.
[0021] In this embodiment, it is therefore advantageous that the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or load unit
[0022] > through the possibility of mechanical decoupling from the roll and
[0023] > The fact that the drive and / or loading unit is not mounted on the support device means that, in this decoupled state, it does not need to rotate with the support device when it rotates. The moment of inertia with respect to rotation of the support device about the vertical axis is thus reduced. This is particularly advantageous for performing adjustment work on the chassis geometry parameters. During this adjustment work, the adjustment devices on the vehicle are operated in such a way that the chassis geometry parameters of the individual wheels change. It is advantageous if no mechanical stresses occur in the chassis and / or the wheels.
[0024] For this reason, the respective wheel hub of the wheel on which adjustment work is being carried out is in its initial operating state. To avoid mechanical stresses, it is important that the wheel hub is mounted with as little friction as possible so that the support device follows the forces introduced by the wheel (particularly when the toe angle setting is changed) by rotating this change in the toe angle with high dynamics. This low-friction bearing (i.e. negligible in the force balance) means that the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the roller of the wheel hub is adjusted to the toe angle of the wheel in such a way that no permanent deviations occur between the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the roller of the wheel hub in relation to the toe angle of the wheel, because frictional forces from the bearing of the wheel hub are included in the force balance.
[0025] In order to avoid mechanical stresses in the chassis of the vehicle, it is also advisable that this "following" of the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the roller(s) of the wheel support to the change in the orientation of the wheel axis of the upright wheel takes place as quickly as possible.
[0026] In order to avoid these mechanical stresses as effectively as possible, it has proven advantageous not only to ensure that the wheel holder (supporting device) reaches the respective position in which the orientation of the longitudinal axes of the rollers correlates with the toe angle of the upright wheel at the end of the adjustment process, but also to design the dynamics of the rotational movement of the supporting device in such a way that the orientation of the longitudinal axes of the rollers follows the change in the respective toe angle as quickly as possible. In this respect, the design in which the connectable and detachable parts of the drive and / or loading unit are not mounted on the supporting device and can be mechanically decoupled from the respective roller is advantageous.In this uncoupled state, the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading unit do not contribute to the moment of inertia that influences the dynamics of the rotational movement of the wheel hub with the support device around the vertical axis in the first operating state. This moment of inertia is reduced in this first operating state of the wheel hub by the mechanical decoupling of the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading unit, so that the orientation of the rollers of the wheel hubs follows a change in the respective track angle with very good dynamics in this first operating state.
[0027] Furthermore, in the embodiment according to claim 1, the connection of the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units to the respective roller of the wheel hub during the mechanical coupling of the drive and / or loading units to the respective roller is designed such that this connection follows a rotation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller about the vertical axis. Alternatively or in addition to this embodiment of the connection of the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units to the respective roller, the drive and / or loading units in the vehicle test bench can be movable in the horizontal plane such that the longitudinal axis of the connection of the drive and / or loading units to the respective roller follows the change in the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller during a rotation of the support device about the vertical axis.
[0028] The mechanical coupling and decoupling can refer to the drive and / or load units as a whole or just to parts of the drive and / or load unit. If only parts of the drive and / or load unit can be mechanically coupled and uncoupled, this can be useful if the respective roller is to be connected to both a drive unit and a load unit. The drive unit - for example, as an electric motor - drives or brakes the corresponding roller in its rotation about the longitudinal axis relative to the rotation of the wheel on top. The load unit is a flywheel which increases the moment of inertia of the respective roller with respect to rotation about its longitudinal axis. The moment of inertia of the load unit also requires it to have a large mass.If the drive and / or load unit is not intended to be completely mechanically coupled and uncoupled, but only parts of the drive and / or load unit, it proves to be a sensible design in this context to design the load unit so that it can be mechanically coupled and uncoupled in the sense described here, while the drive unit remains mechanically coupled to the respective roller. In the first operating state, the drive unit can then be uncoupled. Disengagement can be achieved by providing a clutch through which the drive train between the drive unit and the respective roller can be separated, or - in the case of an electric motor - by disconnecting the electric motor from the electrical power supply to such an extent that the electric motor is free of current and voltage, so that the rotor of the electric motor rotates when the roller rotates about its longitudinal axis.In the case described here, the “housing” of the drive train of the drive unit remains connected to the respective roller.
[0029] It is also within the scope of the invention that the drive and / or loading unit can also be completely mechanically coupled and uncoupled from the respective roller.
[0030] This first operating state of the wheel hubs must be distinguished from the operating state in which the wheel hub support devices are not mounted for free rotation, but are either fixed with respect to rotation around a vertical axis or are selectively rotated by a drive mechanism in order to apply forces to the respective vehicle wheel via this rotation. The targeted rotation of the wheel hub allows the vehicle to be positioned laterally in the vehicle test bench. This also allows for the simulation of cornering.
[0031] The support device is mounted so that it can rotate about a vertical axis. The rotation of the support device also allows the rollers (mounted on the support device) to rotate in the same direction. In this context, this does not mean that the rollers can rotate about their longitudinal axis. This rotatability means that the rollers can rotate about the vertical axis—i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rollers.
[0032] The integration of wheel mounts in the functional scope of claim 1 into a vehicle test bench advantageously results in the fact that such a vehicle test bench can be used both to measure and adjust parameters of the chassis geometry (toe angle; camber angle of the vehicle's wheels) and to simulate driving situations of the vehicle (for example, braking processes with rotating wheels or more complex driving situations of the vehicle with accelerations and - if the wheel mounts are rotatable via drive means - also cornering).
[0033] To carry out the simulation of the driving situations, drive and / or load units are assigned to at least one of the rollers of a wheel hub.
[0034] Furthermore, at least parts of the drive and / or load units can be mechanically coupled and uncoupled from the respective roller.
[0035] In contrast to the known state of the art, the drive and / or load unit is not only separated with regard to the frictional connection via a clutch or switched off as an electric motor without current and voltage, but is completely mechanically separated from the respective roller in the uncoupled state and mechanically reconnected when coupled.
[0036] In the design of the vehicle test bench according to claim 2, the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the respective drive and / or load unit are mechanically uncoupled in the first operating state of the wheel support.
[0037] This has the advantage of reducing the masses to be moved. This also applies in particular to the moment of inertia. In the design of the vehicle test bench according to claim 3, the drive and / or load units are fully mechanically coupled in the second operating state of the wheel hubs for conducting driving simulations of the vehicle. Depending on specific driving situations, the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or load units are mechanically decoupled.
[0038] This offers the advantage that driving resistances can be simulated via the connected drive and / or load units (possibly also conditions that cause vehicle acceleration, such as driving downhill). The wheel hub roller connected to the drive and / or load unit is accelerated or decelerated accordingly by the drive and / or load unit. By connecting a load unit, the moment of inertia of the roller can be increased.
[0039] In the second operating state, the drive and / or load units are generally coupled to the respective rollers of the wheel mounts. In connection with claim 6, a driving situation is described in which it is expedient to decouple the connectable and detachable parts of the drive and / or load units during a running driving situation.
[0040] Claim 4 relates to a vehicle test bench in which, in the second operating state of the wheel supports, the support device is rotatable about at least one vertical axis by drive means, so that by the rotation of the respective support device, forces are transmitted via the at least one roller of the wheel support to the upright wheel of the vehicle to be tested.
[0041] With such a vehicle test bench design, it is also possible to position the vehicle laterally in the vehicle test bench by rotating the wheel mount accordingly, or even to simulate cornering. In the design of the vehicle test bench according to claim 5, parts of the drive means are mechanically decoupled from the support device in the first operating state of the respective wheel mount.
[0042] This advantageously allows the moments of inertia that counteract a rotation of the support device of the respective wheel support about the vertical axis to be further reduced when, in the first operating state, forces are introduced from the respective wheel of the vehicle onto the rollers of the wheel support.
[0043] In the design of a vehicle test bench according to claim 6, in the second operating state of the wheel mounts, the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or load units are mechanically decoupled when carrying out driving simulations at least when the specific driving situation consists in the vehicle being braked with a braking force that is above a defined threshold value.
[0044] When the drive and / or load units are fully coupled, the reaction forces during high-force braking can cause the vehicle to be lifted out of the wheel wells. This can cause damage to the vehicle. Furthermore, such more or less uncontrolled movements of the vehicle can pose a safety risk.
[0045] It has therefore proven advantageous to mechanically decouple the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or load units during such heavy braking. This results in a significant reduction in the counterforces to the vehicle's braking forces. With the drive and / or load units completely decoupled, only the comparatively low moments of inertia of the rollers, in conjunction with the frictional forces between the respective wheel and the respective roller, counteract the vehicle's braking torque. This results in the rollers being brought down to a speed of "0" correspondingly quickly, so that no reaction forces to the vehicle's braking forces act on the vehicle.If the drive and / or load units are not completely mechanically decoupled, but only parts of the drive and / or load units, this still advantageously leads to a reduction in the moments of inertia and - if applicable - drive forces that counteract the braking process of the vehicle via the rollers.
[0046] By uncoupling the connectable and uncoupable parts of the drive and / or load units during heavy braking, it can be prevented that the vehicle's wheels are lifted out of the wheel mounts of the vehicle test bench during braking.
[0047] Insofar as the connection of the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or load units with the respective roller of the wheel holder during the mechanical coupling of the drive and / or load units with the respective roller is designed such that this connection follows a rotation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller about the vertical axis, this can be done, for example, according to claim 7, in that a homokinetic cardan shaft is a component of this connection.
[0048] To the extent that the drive and / or load units in the vehicle test bench are movable in the horizontal plane such that the longitudinal axis of the connection between the drive and / or load units and the respective roller follows the change in the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller when the support device rotates about the vertical axis, this also applies to the parts of the drive and / or load units that cannot be mechanically coupled or decoupled, provided that these parts are mounted on the support device. These parts rotate when the support device rotates about the vertical axis.
[0049] For those parts of the drive and / or loading units that are not mounted on the support device, the longitudinal axis of the connection between these parts of the drive and / or loading units and the respective roller can follow the change in orientation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller when the support device rotates about the vertical axis, in that these parts of the drive and / or loading units that are not mounted on the support device are movable in the horizontal plane in the direction of the X coordinate (longitudinal axis of a vehicle standing in the vehicle test bench) and the Y coordinate (transverse direction in the horizontal plane to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle standing in the vehicle test bench). This displaceability in the X and Y directions can further be combined with the connection being implemented by a constant velocity joint shaft.This makes it possible to take into account the fact that the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub roller in the vehicle test bench changes when the support device (and thus also the wheel hub roller) is rotated. Alternatively or in addition to the design of the connection with a constant velocity joint shaft, the parts of the drive and / or load units that are not attached to the respective support device can also be mounted in such a way that these parts of the drive and / or load units are not only displaceable in the X and Y directions in the horizontal plane, but can also be rotated in such a way that the orientation of the connection of these parts of the drive and / or load units to the respective roller is adapted to the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller.The corresponding parts of the drive and / or loading units that are not mounted on the respective support device can be mounted on a carrier that is aligned in a first position such that the connection of these parts of the drive and / or loading units is oriented in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the respective roller. The carrier of the drive and / or loading unit can then be guided in the sense of a forced guide on a circular line in the horizontal plane, which is concentric to the intersection point of the horizontal plane with the vertical axis about which the support device can be rotated. Advantageously, the vertical axis also intersects the longitudinal axis of the respective roller to which the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units are or can be coupled.This allows the parts of the drive and / or loading unit that are not attached to the support device to be moved in such a way that they can be displaced in the X and Y directions and at the same time rotated so that the orientation of the connection between the corresponding parts of the drive and / or loading unit corresponds to the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the roller. This connection can advantageously include a constant velocity joint shaft. This can absorb mechanical stresses that can arise because the drive and / or loading unit follows the rotational movement of the support device. This "following" results in a (slight) time delay, so that the resulting mechanical stresses can be compensated for by the constant velocity joint shaft.
[0050] In the design of the vehicle test bench according to claim 7, a constant velocity joint shaft is a component of the connection of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or load unit during the mechanical coupling of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or load units to the respective roller.
[0051] In the design of the vehicle test bench according to claim 8, the mechanical coupling and decoupling of the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or load unit to the respective roller takes place by means of a coupling element which is a Hirth toothing.
[0052] In the embodiment of the vehicle test bench according to claim 9, a vehicle conveyor system is assigned to the vehicle test bench. This vehicle conveyor system makes it possible to automatically convey the vehicle to be tested into the vehicle test bench and then place it down so that the vehicle's wheels rest on the wheel mounts of the vehicle test bench.
[0053] In this state, the vehicle can be subjected to measurement and adjustment work, as well as testing procedures. Once this is complete, the vehicle can be retrieved by the vehicle conveyor system and then removed from the vehicle test bench.
[0054] Claim 10 relates to a method for carrying out measuring and adjustment work on a vehicle and for carrying out a vehicle test using a vehicle test bench according to one of claims 1 to 10. The method comprises the following steps for a vehicle whose wheels rest on the wheel mounts of the vehicle test bench:
[0055] (i) Carrying out measurement and adjustment work on parameters of the chassis geometry, with the respective wheel mounts in the first operating state and
[0056] (ii) Simulation of driving conditions for the vehicle to be tested, with the wheel hubs in the second operating state.
[0057] This method describes the procedure for performing the adjustment work for the chassis geometry parameters and for conducting driving simulations on a test bench whose wheel mounts - according to the embodiments of claims 1 to 6 - are configured to carry out the two measures according to steps (i) and (ii). It is clear that the designations (i) and (ii) are merely markings that indicate a list. This does not imply a specification of the order of these two steps. It is also possible to first conduct driving simulations on the vehicle test bench and then perform the adjustment work for the chassis geometry parameters. However, the order of step (ii) after step (i) has the advantage that the chassis geometry parameters have already been fully adjusted when the driving simulations are carried out on the vehicle.
[0058] In the method according to claim 10, reference to claim 9 means that the two steps (i) and (ii) are performed on a vehicle that has been conveyed into the vehicle test stand and placed there so that the vehicle's wheels rest on the wheel mounts of the vehicle test stand. After performing the two steps (i) and (ii), the vehicle is picked up again by the vehicle conveyor system and removed from the vehicle test stand.
[0059] Claim 11 relates to a method using a vehicle test bench with a vehicle conveyor system. In the vehicle test bench, the wheel supports each have double rollers. The wheel supports of the vehicle test bench have lifting means with a first operating position for lifting the vehicle's wheels relative to a second operating position of the lifting means, in which the vehicle's wheels are sunk between the two rollers of the wheel supports during simulated vehicle journeys. Here, the vehicle is picked up by the vehicle conveyor system in a synchronized manner with the adjustment of the lifting means to their first operating position.
[0060] The lifting devices can be lifting sleepers, which are explained below in connection with Figure 3. The lifting devices can also consist of the distance between the longitudinal axes of the two rollers of a wheel hub being adjustable in the horizontal plane. If the distance between the longitudinal axes of the two rollers is set to a minimum, the vehicle wheel will have sunk a correspondingly minimal amount between the two rollers. If the distance between the longitudinal axes of the two rollers is set to a larger amount, the wheel will have sunk correspondingly deeper. The distance between the longitudinal axes of the rollers can therefore be used as a lifting device. The minimum distance between the rollers then corresponds to the first operating position of the lifting devices. If the rollers are set so that their longitudinal axes are further apart, this corresponds to the second operating position.The minimum distance between the longitudinal axes of the rollers is determined by the radius of the rollers and, apart from other design constraints, is at least the sum of the radii of the two rollers.
[0061] The synchronization of the setting of the first operating position of the lifting equipment with the picking up of the vehicle for removal proves to be advantageous because the picking up of the vehicle by the vehicle conveying system takes place when the wheels of the vehicle are no longer sunk between the rollers of the wheel holders in order to carry out measuring and adjustment work on the parameters of the chassis geometry or to simulate vehicle travel.
[0062] As described in the previous explanations, the mechanical coupling and decoupling of the drive and / or load units should be dependent on certain operating conditions (e.g., braking the vehicle with a braking force above a threshold value), the mechanical decoupling can be automated by a control unit detecting the corresponding operating conditions. The control unit uses actuators to act on the elements that mechanically couple and uncouple the drive and / or load units under the corresponding operating conditions.
[0063] Switching between the first and second operating states can also occur depending on a request signal being input that measurement and adjustment work on the chassis geometry parameters is to be carried out. In response to this request signal, the wheel hubs can be switched to the first operating state (if necessary one after the other, in order to stabilize the position and orientation of the vehicle via the wheel hubs that are then not in the first operating state). When a confirmation signal is input that the measurement and adjustment work on the chassis geometry parameters has been completed, the wheel hubs can be switched to the second operating state in order to carry out driving simulations. During the driving simulations, the drive and / or load units can then be mechanically uncoupled again depending on the detected operating conditions.
[0064] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing. It shows:
[0065] Fig. 1 : a vehicle test bench with a vehicle conveyor system, Fig. 2: the vehicle test bench according to Figure 1 without the vehicle conveyor system,
[0066] Fig. 3: a wheel support with double rollers and a drive and / or
[0067] Load unit assigned to one of the two rollers of the wheel hub,
[0068] Fig. 4: the wheel support according to Figure 3 without the drive and / or load unit,
[0069] Fig. 5: a perspective view (top view) of a wheel holder, in which an embodiment of a rotation of the support device (support plate) about a vertical axis is shown, wherein the rotation is effected by a motor drive,
[0070] Fig. 6: a view of the wheel holder from Figure 5 from below and
[0071] Fig. 7: an alternative construction for mechanically coupling and uncoupling the connectable and uncoupable parts of the drive and / or load units.
[0072] Figure 1 shows a vehicle test bench 1. The forward direction of travel of a vehicle located in the vehicle test bench 1 is indicated by the arrow provided with the reference number 8.
[0073] A vehicle conveyor system can be seen, which is explained below.
[0074] The vehicle conveyor system comprises guide elements 2 and 3 arranged laterally alongside a track along which the vehicle is to be moved. These guide elements can be conveyor belts.
[0075] The vehicle conveyor system also has gripping elements 4 and 5.
[0076] The gripping element 5 is shown to have two guide means 6 and 7. These guide means 6 and 7 are shown in Figure 1 in a first position, in which the guide means 6 is located in front of a wheel of the vehicle. The guide means 7 is located behind the wheel of the vehicle. Each of the guide means 6 and 7 has a roller that, in the first position shown in Figure 1, rests against the respective wheel of the vehicle.
[0077] The guide means 6 and 7 can be pivoted into a second position, which is not shown in detail here. For this purpose, these guide means 6 and 7 can each be rotated about a vertical axis by means of an actuating unit. This means that the guide means 6 can be pivoted forward in the direction of travel of the vehicle and the guide means 7 can be pivoted rearward in the direction of travel of the vehicle. These vertical axes are located in the area of the guide element 3, so that the lane of the vehicle's wheel is clear when the guide means 6 and 7 are pivoted into the second position. When the guide elements 6 and 7 are in the first position, the vehicle's wheel is gripped. When the gripping elements 4 and 5 are moved along the guide elements 2 and 3, the vehicle is moved along with the movement of the gripping elements 4 and 5. The movement of the gripping elements 4 and 5 along the guide elements 2 and 3 is synchronized.
[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle can be "parked" by the vehicle conveyor system by pivoting the guide means 6 and 7 into the second position (i.e., the guide means 6 and 7 are opened). The vehicle can be picked up again by the vehicle conveyor system by pivoting the guide means 6 and 7 into the first position, so that the guide means 6 and 7 are again located in front of (guide means 6) and behind (guide means 7) the respective wheel of the vehicle.
[0079] The vehicle wheel is moved according to the movement of gripping elements 4 and 5 when their guide means 6 and 7 are in the first position (and each grips a wheel of the vehicle). The vehicle wheel remains on the floor of the hall (or the lanes of vehicle test bench 1) and rolls along it as the vehicle moves. For this purpose, the vehicle brakes are released, the vehicle's drive unit is disengaged, and / or a transmission is in neutral (manual transmission) or in "N" (automatic transmission).
[0080] Figure 2 shows the vehicle test bench 1 according to Figure 1 without the vehicle conveyor system.
[0081] Four wheel supports 201, 202, 203, and 204 can be seen, each supporting a wheel of a vehicle to be tested. It can be seen that the wheel supports each have double rollers, so that the respective supported wheel of the vehicle sinks between the two rollers of the respective wheel support. It can be seen that the wheel supports 202 and 204 can be moved relative to the wheel supports 201 and 203 in the direction of arrow 8 or opposite to the direction of arrow 8. This allows the vehicle test bench 1 to be adjusted to test vehicles with different wheelbases. Adaptation to the vehicle's track width can be achieved by making the length of the axles of the double rollers of the wheel supports large enough to accommodate the different track widths of different vehicles.If necessary, the test bench can be adapted in this regard by making the wheel supports 201 and 203 and 202 and 204 displaceable relative to one another in the horizontal plane in a direction perpendicular to the direction of arrow 8.
[0082] In the illustration of Figure 2, the reference numbers 213 and 214 as well as 215 and 216 indicate that the length of the lanes for the vehicle in the vehicle test bench 1 for the entry and exit (or the entry and exit) of the vehicle change in length in the corresponding areas, so that continuous lanes are available for the wheels of the vehicle.
[0083] The illustration in Figure 2 also shows that the vehicle test bench 1 contains measuring units 205, 206, 207, and 208, which can be used to measure the chassis geometry parameters (toe angle, camber angle) of the respective wheels of the vehicle under test. The measuring units can be configured, for example, as described in DE 102006 036 671 A1 or DE 10 2019 131 863 A1.
[0084] It can also be seen that a drive and / or loading unit 209, 210, 211 and 212 is each assigned to the individual wheel mounts 201, 202, 203 and 204 such that this drive and / or loading unit 209, 210, 211 and 212 each acts on one of the two rollers of the wheel mounts 201, 202, 203 and 204. The wheel mounts 201, 202, 203, 204 with the loading units 209, 210, 211 and 212 are described in more detail in Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 shows one of the wheel mounts 201 to 204, which are illustrated in Figure 2 in the vehicle test bench. The wheel mount 301 has two rollers 302 and 303. This means that the wheel holder 301 is a wheel holder with double rollers (302, 303).
[0085] A lifting threshold 304 is visible. When the vehicle exits the vehicle test bench, this lifting threshold 304 is raised. This raises the corresponding wheel of the vehicle so that this wheel is no longer sunk between the two rollers 302 and 303. This makes it easier to exit the vehicle from the vehicle test bench.
[0086] Furthermore, a drive and / or loading unit 305 can be seen, which in the embodiment shown here is assigned to the roller 303 of the wheel holder 301.
[0087] The drive and / or loading unit can have an electric motor, via which the roller 303 of the wheel holder 301 can be driven or braked relative to a rotation of the wheel resting on the wheel holder 301. Alternatively or in addition to the electric motor, the drive and / or loading unit can have a flywheel, which (with the drive and / or loading unit 305 coupled to the roller 303) increases the moment of inertia of the roller 303. This can be used, for example, to simulate driving resistance or the kinetic energy of the vehicle. The moment of inertia of the rollers 302 and 303 counteracts a change in the rotational speed of the resting wheel via the frictional forces of the two rollers 302 and 303 relative to the resting wheel of the vehicle.
[0088] It can be seen that the two rollers 302 and 303 of the wheel holder 303 are arranged on a support device 306. This support device 306 is mounted in such a way that this support device 306 can be rotated about a vertical axis.
[0089] In a first operating state of the wheel support 301, the support device 306 is freely rotatable in the sense that the rotation of the support device 306 follows the forces that are introduced onto the rollers 302 and 303 of the wheel support 301 via a change in the wheel axis of the upright wheel of the vehicle.
[0090] There is also a second operating state in which this support device can be rotated about the vertical axis by drive means in such a way that by such a rotation of the support device 306, forces are introduced onto the upright wheel of the vehicle by changing the longitudinal axis of the rollers 302 and 303.
[0091] If the vehicle's steering wheel is not held, the wheel axis of the upright wheel follows the rotation of the longitudinal axis of rollers 302 and 303 as the support device 306 rotates around the vertical axis. Furthermore, forces are applied to the vehicle's wheel that act in a lateral direction. This positions the entire vehicle laterally on the rollers of the wheel mounts. If the vehicle's steering wheel is held, the wheel does not rotate; instead, the vehicle is only positioned laterally on the rollers of the wheel mounts.
[0092] It can be seen that the drive and / or loading unit 305 is connected to the roller 303 via a constant velocity joint shaft 307.
[0093] The drive and / or loading unit 305 can be completely mechanically decoupled from the roller 303. For this purpose, the two Hirth gear elements 308 and 309 cooperate. For mechanical coupling and uncoupling, the Hirth gear element 308 can be moved toward the Hirth gear element 309 so that these two Hirth gear elements 308 and 309 are engaged. For mechanical uncoupling, the Hirth gear element 308 can be moved away from the Hirth gear element 309 in the axial direction so that these two Hirth gear elements 308 and 309 are separated.
[0094] It can be seen that the drive and / or loading unit 305 is not arranged on the support device 306. In the mechanically decoupled state of the drive and / or loading unit 305 (the two Hirth gear elements 308 and 309 are then separated - as shown in Figure 3), the support device 306 with the rollers 302 and 303 arranged thereon can be rotated about the vertical axis without the drive and / or loading unit 305 having to be rotated. This also applies to the machine elements arranged between the drive and / or loading unit 305 up to and including the Hirth gear element 308. This also applies to the constant velocity joint shaft 307 and the drive means with which the Hirth gear element 308 is moved in order to engage or separate the two Hirth gear elements 308 and 309.
[0095] The constant velocity joint shaft 307 is variable in length to the extent that it can compensate for the change in the distance between the drive and / or load unit 305 and the Hirth gear element 308 during coupling and uncoupling.
[0096] Furthermore, the constant velocity joint shaft 307 can compensate for changes in the orientation of the longitudinal axes of the Hirth gear elements 308 and 309—at least during rotations of the support device around the vertical axis with the drive and / or loading unit 305 connected. This applies at least when these changes in orientation occur only by small angles.
[0097] If, when the drive and / or loading unit 305 is decoupled, rotations of the support device 306 around the vertical axis are to be enabled, even by larger angles, it is advantageous to movably mount the drive and / or loading unit as well as the machine elements between the drive and / or loading unit up to and including the Hirth gear element 308. This mobility can relate to a displacement in the horizontal plane in the direction of arrow 8 as well as perpendicular to arrow 8. Particularly advantageously, the drive and / or loading unit 305 is mounted such that it is movable on a circular path whose center point is the intersection point of the horizontal plane with the vertical axis around which the support device 306 is rotatable.This rotatability means that the constant velocity joint shaft 307 only has to compensate for small changes in position caused by the mechanical inertia with which the drive and / or loading unit 305 follows a rotation of the support device 306.
[0098] Advantageously, the Hirth toothing (308, 309) of the wheel holder is separated in the first operating state of the wheel holder 301.
[0099] In the second operating state, the Hirth gearing (308, 309) is advantageously mechanically coupled in order to carry out simulations of a vehicle journey.
[0100] Figure 4 shows the wheel mount 301 according to Figure 3 without the drive and / or load unit. Components identical to those in Figure 3 are provided with identical reference numerals. It can be seen that the Hirth gear element 309 is connected to the roller 303 via a belt drive 401.
[0101] Figure 5 shows a perspective view (top view) of a wheel mount 501, illustrating an embodiment of a rotation of the support device (carrier plate) 502 about a vertical axis. This rotation can be effected by a drive element. The drive element can be an electric motor. The illustration in Figure 5 shows that the wheel mount has two rollers 302 and 303 and a rim 503 with internal teeth. A gear 504 is engaged with its teeth either permanently or releasably with the internal teeth of the rim 503.
[0102] The drive element can rotate the gear 504 so that it interacts with the ring 503 with the internal toothing as an epicyclic gear when the toothing of the gear 504 is in engagement with the internal toothing of the ring 503.
[0103] The support device 502 is attached to the ring 503, so that the support device 502 rotates with the ring 503 when the ring 503 rotates. The illustration in Figure 5 shows that a combination of a drive unit 505 with a loading unit 506 can be present as the drive and / or loading unit.
[0104] The loading unit 506 is a flywheel for increasing the moment of inertia of the driven roller 303 when the loading unit 506 is mechanically coupled. This mechanical coupling can be realized via a Hirth gear 507. Reference numeral 508 designates a constant velocity joint shaft, which is a component of the connection between the loading unit 506 and the roller 303. If necessary, a clutch can also be integrated into this connection, so that at different speeds of the roller 303 with respect to the rotation about its longitudinal axis and the rotation of the flywheel, a slow coupling can continuously adjust the rotational speed of the flywheel to the rotational speed of the roller 303.
[0105] It is fundamentally possible to use two corresponding clutch discs instead of the Hirth toothing 507. In this case, however, the clutch discs are designed to be open and without a surrounding housing, so that when this clutch is opened, the described mechanical decoupling of the load unit 506 can be implemented by separating the two clutch discs. This applies to the mechanical coupling and decoupling not only for the exemplary embodiment shown here, but also fundamentally for other structural designs of the wheel mount in conjunction with the respective drive and / or load unit. The difference between the Hirth toothing 507 and the connection via the clutch discs is that the Hirth toothing 507 is a positive connection, whereas the connection via the two clutch discs is a non-positive connection.
[0106] The loading unit 506 and the connection between the loading unit 506 and the roller 303 are not mounted on the support device 502. In the initial operating state of the wheel support, this loading unit 506 is mechanically decoupled. This reduces the moment of inertia of the wheel support with respect to rotation about the vertical axis. As a result, the rollers 302, 302 of the wheel support follow changes in the orientation of the wheel axis with high dynamics.
[0107] It can be seen that a drive unit 505 is present, which acts on the roller 303 via a belt drive 509, so that the roller 303 can be accelerated or decelerated via the drive unit 505 relative to the rotations of a stationary wheel. The belt drive 509 engages the roller 303 in such a way that this belt drive 509 remains in operative connection with the roller 303, even when the Hirth gear 507 is open.
[0108] It can be seen that the drive unit 505 and the belt drive 509 are also mounted on the support device 502. Therefore, the drive unit 505 is also rotated around the vertical axis with the rollers of the wheel support in the first operating state. The drive unit is therefore advantageously designed so that its weight and, in particular, its moment of inertia with respect to rotation of the rollers of the wheel support around the vertical axis remain as low as possible. This design has the advantage that the drive unit 505 remains mechanically coupled to the roller 303. Therefore, in this embodiment, only the load unit is mechanically decoupled for the rotation of the rollers of the wheel support around the vertical axis.
[0109] If necessary, a clutch can be provided for this drive unit 505 to separate the drive train. If the drive unit 505 is an electric motor, it can be switched off without current or voltage. If the wheel, in addition to a change in the orientation of the wheel axis during adjustment, also undergoes rotation around the wheel axis, the two rollers 302 and 303 are freely rotating. This largely prevents stresses in the chassis.
[0110] Figure 6 shows a bottom view of the wheel mount 501 from Figure 5. The drive element 601, via which the gear 504 can be driven, can be seen. The illustration in Figure 6 particularly shows that the drive unit 505 is mounted on the support device 502.
[0111] In the second operating state of the wheel holder, the drive element 601 and the epicyclic gear (gear 504 and internal toothing of the ring 503) are in an operating state in which the support device 502 is rotatable about the vertical axis via the drive element 601.
[0112] In the first operating state, the gear 504 of the epicyclic gear can be separated from the internal toothing of the rim 503 to such an extent that the support device 502 can rotate freely as a result of forces transmitted from the vehicle wheel to the rollers of the wheel hub, without being braked by the drive element 601. Through this mechanical separation of the gear 504 of the epicyclic gear from the internal toothing of the rim 503, the rotating parts of the drive of the support device 502 are mechanically decoupled from (driven) rotation about the vertical axis. The rotating parts of the drive in this sense are the gear 504 of the epicyclic gear, the rotor of the drive element 601, and the (rotating) connection of the drive element 601 to the gear 504 of the epicyclic gear.The inertial masses and thus also the moments of inertia for the rotation of the support device 502 about the vertical axis due to forces transmitted from the respective wheel of the vehicle to the rollers of the wheel support are thereby advantageously minimized. In order to be able to perform the driven rotation of the support device 502 about the vertical axis caused by the drive element 601, the drive element 601 is not attached to the support device 502.
[0113] As an alternative to this configuration (mechanical separation of gear 504 from the internal toothing of ring gear 503) for the first operating state, it is also possible to de-energize drive element 601. The rotating parts of the drive (rotor of drive element 601, gear 504 of the epicyclic gear, and the connection between drive element 601 and gear 504 of the epicyclic gear) then remain mechanically coupled and are rotated upon rotation of support device 502 as a result of forces introduced into the rollers of the wheel mounts by the respective wheel of the vehicle.
[0114] It is obvious that the power transmission from the drive element 601 to the rotation of the support device 502 does not necessarily have to be realized via an epicyclic gear. The first operating state of the wheel receptacles differs from the second operating state in that in the first operating state there is no force-locking and / or form-locking connection between the drive element 601 and the support device 502, whereas in the second operating state there is a force-locking and / or form-locking connection between the drive element 601 and the support device 502, so that the support device 502 can be rotated about the vertical axis by means of the drive element 601.
[0115] Advantageously, the corresponding components of the drive are mechanically decoupled from the support device in the first operating state, so that the inertial masses and moments of inertia for the rotation of the support device 502 about the vertical axis in the first operating state are minimized.
[0116] Figure 7 shows an alternative design for mechanically coupling and uncoupling the connectable and uncoupable parts of the drive and / or load units.
[0117] The mechanical coupling and uncoupling of the connectable and uncoupleable parts can be carried out in the following ways, for example:
[0118] > Force-locking connection:
[0119] > Clutch discs without clutch housing - according to the explanations in connection with Figure 5,
[0120] > Gripping elements that grip a disc in a force-fitting manner - similar to the function of a chuck with clamping jaws (known from machine tools such as lathes, wood turning machines or also as drill chucks on drilling machines), positive connection: Hirth toothing > Clamping system in which gripping elements engage in counter-gripping bearings in which the gripping elements are held in a form-fitting manner.
[0121] Figure 7 shows a clamping system 701 in which gripping elements 702 are arranged on a plate 703 in such a way that these gripping elements 702 are inserted into counter-gripping bearings 704 which are arranged on a plate 705 when the plates 703 and 705 are moved towards each other (and are correctly positioned relative to each other with regard to a rotation about the bisector of the plates 703 and 705).
[0122] The counter-gripping bearings 704 advantageously also have locking elements which, when closed, hold the gripping elements 702 in a form-fitting manner in the respective counter-gripping bearing 704. The direction of movement of the locking elements is advantageously oriented perpendicular to the direction of movement of the gripping elements 702 when engaging and disengaging from the respective gripping element 704.
[0123] In the context of the present invention, one of the two plates 703 or 705 is attached to the roller of the wheel support on which the drive and / or loading units are to act. The other of the two plates 705 or 703 represents the final connection of the connectable and detachable parts of the drive and / or loading devices to this roller of the wheel support.
[0124] In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 7, three gripping elements 702 and three counter-gripping elements 704 are provided. A different number of gripping elements 702 and, accordingly, counter-gripping elements 704 may also be provided. It is only important that the gripping elements 702 and the counter-gripping elements 704 interact to form a positive-locking anti-rotation mechanism of the two plates 703 and 705 relative to one another.
Claims
CLAIMS Vehicle test bench (1 ) with wheel supports (201 , 202, 203, 204; 301 ; 501 ) for the wheels of a vehicle to be tested, > wherein the wheel receptacles (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) each have a support device (306; 502) on which one or two rollers (302, 303) are mounted, on which the wheels of the vehicle to be tested stand, wherein at least one of the rollers (303) of a wheel receptacle (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 502) is assigned a drive and / or loading unit (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 505, 506), wherein in a first operating state of the wheel receptacles (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501), the respective support device (306; 502) is mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis is, > wherein in this first operating state of the wheel support (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) the support device (306; 502) is mounted to rotate freely, so that the support device (306; 502) is rotatable as a result of forces transmitted from the upright wheels of the vehicle to the rollers (302, 303), characterized in that > that at least parts of the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) can be mechanically coupled and uncoupled (308, 309) to the respective roller (303), > that at least the connectable and decoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) are not arranged on the respective support device (306; 502), > wherein the connection of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) with the respective roller (303) of the wheel holder (201, 202, 203, 204; 301) during the mechanical coupling (308, 309; 507) of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) with the respective roller (303) is carried out in such a way is that this connection follows a rotation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller (303) around the vertical axis (307) and / or > wherein the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 505, 506) in the vehicle test bench (1) are movable in the horizontal plane such that the longitudinal axis of the connection (307, 308; 309; 507, 509) of the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 505, 506) with the respective roller (303) follows the change in the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the respective roller (303) upon rotation of the support device (306; 502) about the vertical axis. Vehicle test bench according to claim 1, characterized in that in the first operating state of the wheel holder (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) the connectable and decoupleable parts of the respective drive and / or load unit (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) are completely mechanically decoupled (308, 309; 507). Vehicle test bench according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in > that in the second operating state of the wheel mounts (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) for carrying out driving simulations of the vehicle, the respective drive and / or load unit (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 505, 506) is completely mechanically coupled (308, 309; 507) and > that, depending on specific driving situations, the connectable and decoupleable parts of the respective drive and / or load unit (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) are completely mechanically decoupled (308, 309; 507). Vehicle test bench according to claim 3, characterized in that in the second operating state of the wheel receptacles (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501), the support device (306; 502) is rotatable about at least one vertical axis by drive means (601, 503, 504), so that by rotating the respective support device (306; 502) forces are transmitted to the upright wheel of the vehicle to be tested via the at least one roller (302, 303) of the wheel receptacle (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501). Vehicle test bench according to claim 4, characterized in that parts of the drive means (601, 504) are mechanically decoupled from the support device (306; 502) in the first operating state of the wheel holder (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501).Vehicle test bench according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that in the second operating state of the wheel mounts (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501), the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or load units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) are mechanically uncoupled (308, 309; 507) when carrying out driving simulations at least when the specific driving situation consists in the vehicle being braked with a braking force that is above a defined threshold value. Vehicle test bench according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a component of the connection of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading unit (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) in the mechanical coupling of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading units (209, 210, 211, 212; 305) to the respective roller (303) is a homokinetic cardan shaft (307; 508).Vehicle test bench according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that. that the mechanical coupling and decoupling of the connectable and uncoupleable parts of the drive and / or loading unit (209, 210, 211, 212; 305; 506) to the respective roller (303) takes place by means of a coupling member which is a Hirth toothing (308, 309; 507).
9. Vehicle test bench according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the vehicle test bench (1) is assigned a vehicle conveyor system (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) for automatically conveying the vehicle into the vehicle test bench (1) and for setting down the vehicle such that the vehicle's wheels rest on the wheel mounts (201, 202, 203, 204; 301) of the vehicle test bench (1). > for picking up the vehicle by the vehicle conveyor system (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), and for conveying the vehicle out of the vehicle test bench (1).
10. A method for carrying out measuring and adjustment work on a vehicle and for carrying out a vehicle test using a vehicle test bench (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps for a vehicle whose wheels rest on the wheel supports (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) of the vehicle test bench (1): (i) Carrying out measuring and adjustment work on parameters of the chassis geometry, wherein the respective wheel mounts (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) are in the first operating state and (ii) simulating driving conditions for the vehicle to be tested, the wheel hubs (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) being in the second operating state. Method according to claim 10 using a vehicle test bench according to claim 9, characterized in that > that the wheel supports (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) each have double rollers (302, 303), > that the wheel supports (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) of the vehicle test bench (1) have lifting means (304) with a first operating position for lifting the wheels of the vehicle relative to a second operating position of the lifting means (304), in which the wheels of the vehicle are in the position between the two rollers (302, 303) of the Wheel receptacles (201, 202, 203, 204; 301; 501) are in a sunken position when carrying out simulated journeys of the vehicle, and that the picking up of the vehicle by the vehicle conveyor system (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) is synchronized with the setting of the lifting means (304) in their first operating position.