Simple guide device and vehicle inspection device

Abstract

To realize a detachable guide device that enhances the effect of suppressing the wobble of a vehicle during an inspection, is easy to install and remove, and is easy to use.SOLUTION: A simple type guide device according to the present disclosure is used for a vehicle inspection apparatus that includes: a pair of measuring rollers which is arranged in parallel to each other along a floor surface; and a lifter for raising and lowering wheels that is provided between the pair of measuring rollers and can vertically move. The guide device includes: a base part; at least one protrusion which is provided on a lower surface side of the base part and can be fit to a hole that opens on an upper surface of the lifter; and a guide roller which is supported rotatably on a shaft part fixed on the upper surface side of the base part. When the protrusion fits to the hole and the base part is arranged on the upper surface of the lifter, the guide roller is arranged so as to be opposed to an outer peripheral side lateral surface of a wheel supported by the pair of measuring rollers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a simplified guide device used during vehicle inspection, and a vehicle inspection apparatus provided with the simplified guide device.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In vehicle maintenance factories and the like, during vehicle inspections and the like, measurement rollers arranged along the floor surface are used, and vehicle wheels are placed on the measurement rollers to perform vehicle inspection. For example, when inspecting the brake braking force and speedometer of a vehicle, brake rollers for measuring the vehicle's brake braking force and speed rollers for measuring speed are arranged in parallel with each other in a pit formed on the floor surface, and measurement is performed with the wheels placed on these two measurement rollers. When measuring the brake braking force, the shift lever of the vehicle is set to the N (neutral) range, the two measurement rollers are rotated by a motor or the like, and the brake is depressed to detect the braking force generated at that time.

[0003] When inspecting the speedometer, as one method, the vehicle is made to travel on its own with the shift lever of the vehicle set to the D (drive) range, for example, the indicated value of the inspection equipment at 40 km / h is compared with the value of the speedometer provided on the vehicle to check the error of the speedometer provided on the vehicle. As another method, an electric motor rotates the two measurement rollers to rotate the wheels, so that the indicated value of the inspection equipment is compared with the value of the speedometer provided on the vehicle.

[0004] In the above inspection, particularly when inspecting the front wheels of front-wheel drive vehicles (FF vehicles) and four-wheel drive vehicles (4WD vehicles), incorrect steering operation may cause the vehicle to wander left and right, leading to a risk of the wheels derailing from the measurement rollers. Therefore, fixed guide rollers are provided on the outer side of the measurement rollers in the width direction of the vehicle to prevent the wheels from derailing from the measurement rollers. However, since the tread width and the entry position onto the measurement roller differ depending on the vehicle, the gap between the wheel and the guide roller may become large, and in such cases, the left-right wandering of the vehicle may not be suppressed.

[0005] Therefore, the inspection device described in Patent Document 1 uses a wheel derailment prevention device in which two guide rollers are attached to a support plate, and the support plate is placed above the measuring roller in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction of the measuring roller, so that the two guide rollers can be positioned close to the wheel. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-014480 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The wheel derailment prevention device described in Patent Document 1 involves attaching both ends of a support plate, to which guide rollers are mounted, to a frame housing measuring rollers. However, attaching the support plate to the frame and removing it after inspection is time-consuming. Furthermore, the support plate has the necessary length and weight to span across the two measuring rollers, making it difficult to carry and inconvenient to use. There is also the issue of needing to secure storage space when not in use.

[0008] This disclosure is made in view of the circumstances described above, and aims to realize a detachable guide device that can enhance the effect of suppressing vehicle swaying during inspection, is easy to install and remove, and is user-friendly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the simplified guide device according to the present disclosure is a simplified guide device used in a vehicle inspection device comprising a pair of measuring rollers arranged in parallel with each other along a floor surface, and a wheel lifter provided between the pair of measuring rollers and movable up and down, comprising a base, at least one projection provided on the lower surface side of the base and capable of fitting into a hole opening in the upper surface of the lifter, and a guide roller rotatably supported on a shaft fixed to the upper surface side of the base, wherein when the projection is fitted into the hole and the base is positioned on the upper surface of the lifter, the guide roller is positioned opposite the outer peripheral side surface of a wheel supported by the pair of measuring rollers.

[0010] Furthermore, one embodiment of the vehicle inspection device according to this disclosure comprises a pair of measuring rollers arranged in parallel to each other along the floor surface, a wheel lifter provided between the pair of measuring rollers and movable up and down, and the above-mentioned simple guide device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one embodiment of the simplified guide device and vehicle inspection device described herein, the simplified guide device can be fixed to the upper surface of the lifter and positioned near the wheels. Therefore, even if the vehicle supported by the measuring rollers sways from side to side during inspection, the guide rollers can prevent the sway from escalating. Furthermore, the simplified guide device can be easily attached to and removed from the upper surface of the lifter, and is lightweight and compact, making it easy to use, including for portability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of a vehicle inspection device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a front view of a simplified guide device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a front view of a simplified guide device according to another embodiment. [Figure 5]This is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the wheel and the guide roller when they come into contact. [Figure 6] This is a front view of a simplified guide device according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a side view as seen from direction B in Figure 6. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, several embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in or shown in these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative examples. For example, expressions describing relative or absolute arrangements such as "in a certain direction," "along a certain direction," "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," "concentric," or "coaxial" should not only strictly describe such arrangements, but also describe states of relative displacement with tolerances or angles or distances that allow for the same function to be achieved. For example, expressions such as "identical," "equal," and "homogeneous" that describe things being in an equal state not only describe a state of being strictly equal, but also describe a state in which there is a tolerance or a difference that is sufficient to achieve the same function. For example, expressions describing shapes such as squares or cylinders shall not only represent geometrically precise shapes such as squares or cylinders, but also shapes that include protrusions, chamfers, etc., to the extent that the same effect can be achieved. On the other hand, expressions such as "to possess," "to be equipped with," "to have," "to include," or "to have" a single component are not exclusive expressions that exclude the existence of other components.

[0014] Figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle inspection device 10 according to one embodiment, and Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the vehicle inspection device 10 includes a pair of measurement rollers 14 and 16 arranged in parallel to each other along the floor surface F, that is, with their axial directions oriented substantially in the same direction, in a pit P formed in the floor surface F of a vehicle maintenance shop or the like. The measurement rollers 14 and 16 are spaced apart such that their axial lines extend along the floor surface F, and a lifter 18 that is movable in parallel in the vertical direction is provided between these rollers. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the upper ends of the outer peripheral surfaces of the measurement rollers 14 and 16 are arranged at substantially the same level as the height of the floor surface F.

[0015] As shown in Figure 2, the lifter 18 has an upper surface 20 substantially parallel to the floor surface F, and the lifter 18 is configured to be slidable up and down by a drive unit (not shown) while the upper surface 20 maintains this posture. At least one, usually a plurality of holes 22 are opened in the upper surface 20 of the lifter. The simple guide device 40 is arranged on the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18 during inspection.

[0016] When inspecting a vehicle, first, the lifter 18 is placed in the raised position, the vehicle advances toward the vehicle inspection device 10, and the wheels 100 ride onto the lifter 18. Thereafter, the lifter 18 descends, and the wheels 100 are placed on the pair of measurement rollers 14 and 16. In this state, the inspection is performed by causing the wheels 100 to self-propel or rotating the measurement rollers 14 and 16.

[0017] Figure 3 and Figure 4 are front views showing simple guide devices 40A and 40B according to some embodiments. In Figure 3 and Figure 4, the simple guide device 40 has a base portion 42, and at least one protrusion 46 that can be fitted into the hole 22 is provided on the lower surface side of the base portion 42. Further, a shaft portion 48 is fixed to the upper surface side of the base portion 42, and the guide roller 44 is rotatably supported by the shaft portion 48. In the embodiments illustrated in Figure 3 and Figure 4, a shaft hole 44b is formed on the central axis of the guide roller 44, and the shaft hole 44b is loosely fitted onto the shaft portion 48, whereby the guide roller 44 is rotatably supported relative to the shaft portion 48.

[0018] During inspection, the simple guide device 40 is fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18 by fitting the projection 46 into the hole 22. With the base 42 fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18, the guide roller 44 is configured to be positioned opposite the outer peripheral side of the wheel 100, which is supported by a pair of measuring rollers 14 and 16.

[0019] According to this embodiment, even if the vehicle sways in the axial direction of the measuring rollers 14 and 16 (hereinafter also referred to as the "roller axis direction") while the wheel 100 supported by the measuring rollers 14 and 16 is rotated for inspection, the simple guide device 40 is fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter and positioned close to the wheel 100 in the roller axis direction. Therefore, the guide roller 44 can suppress any vehicle sway exceeding a certain amount in the roller axis direction. This prevents the vehicle sway from escalating.

[0020] Furthermore, the simple guide device 40 can be easily attached to and detached from the upper surface 20 of the lifter by inserting the projection 46 into the hole 22 and removing it from the hole 22 after inspection. In addition, since the simple guide device 40 is basically composed only of a base 42 and guide rollers 44, it can be made lighter and smaller, making it easy to use, including for carrying. Moreover, by forming multiple holes 22 at appropriate positions on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the installation position of the simple guide device 40 in the direction of the roller axis can be changed according to the tread width of the vehicle to be inspected and the position where the wheels 100 ride up in the direction of the roller axis. As a result, even if the vehicle model changes, the simple guide device 40 can be placed near the wheels 100 that are placed on the measuring rollers 14 and 16, so that even if the vehicle sways in the direction of the roller axis, the guide rollers 44 can suppress the expansion of the sway.

[0021] The vehicle inspection device 10 illustrated in Figure 1 is an inspection device for testing the brake force and speedometer of a vehicle. A box-shaped frame 12 is embedded in a pit P formed in the floor surface F, and the upper edge 12a of the frame 12 is at approximately the same height as the floor surface F. This vehicle inspection device 10 is equipped with inspection sections 10a and 10b. For example, when inspecting a four-wheeled vehicle, the left and right wheels 100a and 100b of the front or rear wheels of the four-wheeled vehicle are inspected by inspection sections 10a and 10b, respectively. In the figure, arrow a indicates the direction of vehicle entry. The vehicle enters in the direction of arrow a, and the left wheel 100a enters inspection section 10a and stops, and the right wheel 100b enters inspection section 10b and stops.

[0022] Rollers 14 (14a, 14b) are used to measure speed, and rollers 16 (16a, 16b) are used to measure brake force. The speed rollers 14 are positioned downstream of the brake rollers 16 in the direction of vehicle entry. To measure brake force, the vehicle's shift lever is set to the N (neutral) range, the speed rollers 14 and brake rollers 16 are rotated by a motor or similar device, the vehicle's brakes are applied, and the braking force generated on the brake rollers 16 at that time is detected.

[0023] When inspecting the speedometer, one method involves driving the vehicle with the shift lever in the D (drive) range and comparing the reading from the inspection equipment with the reading from the vehicle's speedometer at, for example, 40 km / h to check the error of the vehicle's speedometer. Another method involves rotating two measuring rollers with an electric motor to rotate the wheels and comparing the reading from the inspection equipment with the reading from the vehicle's speedometer to check the error of the vehicle's speedometer.

[0024] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, a storage section 24 having a closing lid 26 is provided between the inspection sections 10a and 10b. Inside the storage section 34 are drive equipment such as a motor and reduction gear for rotating the speed roller 14 and brake roller 16, and inspection equipment such as a load cell for detecting braking force and a rotary encoder for detecting the rotational speed of the measuring rollers 14 and 16. The lifter 18 has a plate-like body 28 arranged parallel to the floor surface F, and a support member 30 that extends in the vertical direction, with one end connected to the lower surface of the plate-like body 28 and the other end connected to a drive unit (not shown) for raising and lowering the lifter 18.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the base portion 42 constituting the simplified guide device 40 (40A, 40B) according to several embodiments has a first plate portion 50 (50a, 50b) and a second plate portion 52 (52a, 52b). The first plate portion 50 has at least one projection 46 formed on its lower surface 54. The second plate portion 52 extends inclined relative to the first plate portion 50, and a shaft portion 48 is fixed to the upper surface 56 of the second plate portion 52. The inclination angle θ of the second plate portion 52 with respect to the first plate portion 50 is formed to be acute. The shaft portion 48 is erected in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 56 of the second plate portion 52.

[0026] Because the second plate portion 52 is inclined with respect to the first plate portion 50, the projection 46 fits into the hole 22, the lower surface 54 of the first plate portion 50 is superimposed on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, and when the base portion 42 is fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the first plate portion 50 is positioned almost horizontally, similar to the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18. As shown in Figure 2, when L is the straight line connecting the contact point Pc between the wheel 100, which is positioned on the measuring rollers 14 and 16, and the center of rotation O of the wheel 100, the second plate portion 52 has an inclination angle θ with respect to the first plate portion 50, and thus can approximate the inclination of the shaft portion 48 and the straight line L with respect to the vertical direction. In other words, the inclination angle θ of the second plate portion 52 approximates the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction of the tangent line T of the outer surface of the wheel 100 passing through the contact point Pc.

[0027] As a result, the outer surface 102 of the wheel 100 and the outer surface 44a of the guide roller 44 have similar inclinations of their respective axis of rotation. Therefore, friction between them is reduced when they come into contact. Consequently, the guide roller 44 can smoothly guide the wheel 100.

[0028] Furthermore, since the second plate portion 52 is positioned on one side of the first plate portion 50 and extends inclined relative to the first plate portion 50, when the projection 46 is fitted into the hole 22 and the base portion 42 is fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter, that is, when the simple guide device 40 is fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter such that the extending direction of the second plate portion 52 is perpendicular to the roller axis direction, the guide roller 44 can be positioned near the contact point Pc. Since the contact point Pc is always in approximately the same position even if the diameter of the wheel 100 is different, by positioning the guide roller 44 near the contact point Pc, the guide roller 44 can always be positioned facing the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100 so that it can guide wheels of different diameters.

[0029] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the guide roller 44 is positioned closer to the contact point Pc on the speed roller 14 side. However, the orientation of the simple guide device 40 may be reversed so that the guide roller 44 is positioned closer to the contact point Pc on the brake roller 16 side. Normally, during brake force and speed meter inspections, the rotation direction b of the measuring rollers 14 and 16 and the rotation direction c of the wheel 100 are set so that the vehicle travels in the direction of arrow a, i.e., towards the front of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 2. Therefore, since the vehicle load is mainly applied to the speed roller 14, positioning the guide roller 44 closer to the contact point Pc on the speed roller 14 side can improve the effect of suppressing vehicle sway.

[0030] Figure 3 is a front view showing a simplified guide device 40A according to one embodiment. In Figure 3, the base 42A of the simplified guide device 40A is composed of a first substrate 58 having a first plate portion 50a and a second substrate 60 having a second plate portion 52a and a third plate portion 62. The second plate portion 52a is inclined with respect to the third plate portion 62 at an angle of inclination θ. The lower surface 62a of the third plate portion 62 is connected to the upper surface 64 of the first plate portion 50a.

[0031] Thus, since the base portion 42A is composed of a first substrate 58 having a first plate portion 50a on which a protrusion 46 is formed, and a second substrate 60 having a second plate portion 52a to which the shaft portion 48 is fixed, the processing of each of the first substrate 58 and the second substrate 60 is easy. Therefore, the base portion 42A can be easily formed by joining the first substrate 58 and the second substrate 60.

[0032] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the first substrate 58 is made of a flat plate-like body. The second plate portion 52a and the third plate portion 62 constituting the second substrate 60 are both made of flat plate-like bodies, and the second plate portion 52a is integrally formed with respect to the third plate portion 62 with an acute inclination angle θ. Therefore, processing of the first substrate 58 and the second substrate 60 is easy. The first substrate 58 and the second substrate 60 are detachably joined by bolts 65 with the upper surface 64 of the first substrate 58 and the lower surface 62a of the third plate portion 62 in contact with each other.

[0033] Furthermore, the shaft portion 48 is erected almost perpendicularly to the upper surface 56 of the second plate portion 52a, and the second plate portion 52a is inclined with respect to the third plate portion 62 at an angle θ. Therefore, when the base portion 42A is positioned on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the orientation of the shaft portion 48 can be made almost parallel to the straight line L. As a result, the inclination of the rotation axis of the wheel 100 and the guide roller 44 are similar, so when the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100 and the outer peripheral surface 44a of the guide roller 44 come into contact, friction between them is suppressed, and the wheel 100 can be smoothly guided by the guide roller 44.

[0034] Furthermore, in the simplified guide device 40A illustrated in Figure 3, since the guide roller 44 is positioned on one side in the longitudinal direction of the base 42A (left-right direction in Figure 3), when the base 42A is positioned on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the guide roller 44 can be positioned on one side in the width direction (w direction in Figure 1) of the lifter 18. In addition, since the second plate portion 52a is inclined with an inclination angle θ relative to the third plate portion 62, the guide roller 44 can be positioned near the contact point Pc of the measuring roller 14 or 16. This makes it possible to always position the guide roller 44 facing the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100 so that it can guide wheels of different diameters.

[0035] Figure 4 is a front view of a simplified guide device 40B according to another embodiment. In Figure 4, the base portion 42B of the simplified guide device 40B includes a third substrate 66 having a first plate portion 50b, a second plate portion 52b, and a fourth plate portion 68 connecting the first plate portion 50b and the second plate portion 52b. Because the base portion 42B has the above configuration, it can be easily manufactured by using a single flat plate-like body and bending it, thus enabling compactness and low-cost manufacturing.

[0036] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the first plate portion 50b, the second plate portion 52b, and the fourth plate portion 68 are integrally formed, the second plate portion 52b is positioned with an acute inclination angle θ relative to the first plate portion 50b, and the fourth plate portion 68 extends in a direction perpendicular to the first plate portion 50b. Therefore, the inclination of the second plate portion 52b with respect to the fourth plate portion 68 is (90 degrees - θ). Furthermore, the shaft portion 48 is erected almost perpendicular to the upper surface 56 of the second plate portion 52b. Therefore, when the base portion 42B is positioned on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the orientation of the shaft portion 48 can be made almost parallel to the straight line L. As a result, the inclination of the rotation axis of the wheel 100 and the guide roller 44 are similar, so when the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100 and the outer peripheral surface 44a of the guide roller 44 come into contact, friction between them is suppressed, and the wheel 100 can be smoothly guided by the guide roller 44.

[0037] Furthermore, since the guide roller 44 is positioned on one side in the longitudinal direction of the base 42B (left-right direction in Figure 4), when the base 42B is positioned on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the guide roller 44 can be positioned on one side in the width direction (w direction in Figure 1) of the lifter 18. In addition, since the second plate portion 52b is inclined with an inclination angle θ relative to the first plate portion 50b, the guide roller 44 can be positioned near the contact point Pc of the measuring roller 14 or 16. This allows the guide roller 44 to always be positioned facing the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100, enabling it to guide wheels of different diameters.

[0038] In the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4, the head portion 48a of the shaft portion 48 has a larger diameter than the shaft hole 44b formed on the central axis of the guide roller 44. This allows the guide roller 44 to rotate without coming off the shaft portion 48.

[0039] Furthermore, in the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4, one projection 46 is formed at each longitudinal end of the lower surface 54 of the first plate portion 50a or 50b. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 1, multiple holes 22 are formed in two rows near the long sides of two sides along the longitudinal direction of the lifter 18 (i.e., the axial direction of the measuring rollers 14 and 16) on the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18. The two projections 46 formed on the lower surface 54 of the first plate portion 50a or 50b are fitted into the two holes 22 formed at the same position along the longitudinal direction of the lifter 18. As a result, the simplified guide devices 40A and 40B are positioned such that their longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the roller axis direction (i.e., the guide roller 44 is positioned close to the speed roller 14 or brake roller 16), as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, since multiple holes 22 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the simple guide devices 40A and 40B can be positioned at appropriate locations along the longitudinal direction of the lifter 18.

[0040] Furthermore, since the two protrusions 46 are provided at both longitudinal ends of the lower surface 54 of the first plate portion 50a or 50b, the distance between the two protrusions 46 can be made large. This allows the simple guide device 40A or 40B to be stably fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18.

[0041] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the outer circumferential surface 44a of the guide roller 44 has a conical shape, with the diameter being larger on the side closer to the base 42. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the wheel 100 and the guide roller 44 according to this embodiment when they are in contact, and is a view from a direction perpendicular to the roller axis direction.

[0042] As shown in Figure 5, the outer circumferential surface 44a of the guide roller 44 is inclined so as to be closer to the wheel 100 on the side closer to the base 42, that is, on the lower side of the wheel 100. Therefore, when the outer circumferential side surface 102 of the wheel 100 contacts the outer circumferential surface 44a of the guide roller 44, the force f that the guide roller 44 receives from the wheel 100 at the contact point Pc acts diagonally downward, and is divided into a horizontal component fh acting horizontally and a vertical component fv acting downward. In this way, a downward vertical component fv acts on the guide roller 44, and this downward vertical component fv prevents the protrusion 46 from coming out of the hole 22 formed in the lifter 18. Therefore, the simple guide device 40 can be stably fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter 18.

[0043] Furthermore, even when the wheel 100 is equipped with a flat tire, the outer surface 44a of the guide roller 44 is inclined to be close to the wheel 100 on the lower side of the wheel 100, so the contact point Pc is located on the outer edge side of the outer side surface 102 of the flat tire. Therefore, there is no risk of the guide roller 44 contacting the wheel of the flat tire and damaging it.

[0044] Figure 6 is a front view of a simplified guide device 40C according to one embodiment, as viewed from the opposite side of the wheels 100 positioned on the measuring rollers 14 and 16. Figure 7 is a side view as viewed from direction B in Figure 6, that is, as viewed from the speed roller 14 side in Figure 1. In Figure 7, the wheels 100 are located to the right of the simplified guide device 40C as viewed from the plane of the paper.

[0045] The simplified guide device 40C shown in Figures 6 and 7 has a recess 70 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the projection 46, on the side opposite to the side facing the wheel 100 positioned on the measuring rollers 14 and 16. On the other hand, a retaining part 72 is positioned on the lifter 18 side opposite the recess 70, and the retaining part 72 is configured to be insertable into the recess 70. During inspection, when the outer circumferential side surface 102 of the wheel 100 contacts the outer circumferential surface 44a of the guide roller 44 and a force f is applied from the wheel 100 to the guide roller 44, the guide roller 44 moves in the direction of arrow d from the position shown in Figure 7, causing the retaining part 72 to enter the recess 70 and fit into the recess 70. The retaining part 72 acts as a stopper to prevent the projection 46 from coming out of the hole 22, so that the simplified guide device 40C can be stably fixed to the upper surface 20 of the lifter.

[0046] In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the projection 46 has a circular cross-section to facilitate loose fitting into the circular hole 22. Therefore, the bottom surface 70a of the recess 70 has a planar shape perpendicular to the direction of arrow d. The recess 70 may have a shape other than that shown in Figures 6 and 7. Also, the retaining portion 72 shown in Figures 6 and 7 is formed from the wall portion of the lifter 18 that forms the hole 22, but it may be made of a different member from the lifter 18.

[0047] In another embodiment, a protrusion may be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the projection 46, and a recess may be formed on the lifter 18 side opposite to the protrusion into which the protrusion can enter, so that when the guide roller 44 moves in the direction of arrow d, these protrusions and recesses fit together.

[0048] As described above, the vehicle inspection device 10 according to one embodiment includes a pair of measuring rollers 14 and 16 arranged in parallel to each other along the floor surface F, a wheel lifter 18 provided between the pair of measuring rollers 14 and 16 and movable vertically, and a simple guide device 40 having the above configuration. The simple guide device 40 is positioned on the upper surface 20 of the lifter so that it can be positioned close to the wheels 100 in the axial direction of the measuring rollers 14 and 16, thereby preventing the vehicle from becoming more swayed in the axial direction of the measuring rollers 14 and 16 by the guide rollers 44. Furthermore, the simple guide device 40 is easy to attach and detach from the upper surface 20 of the lifter and is basically composed only of a base 42 and guide rollers 44, so it can be made lighter and smaller, and therefore has the advantage of being easy to use, including for carrying.

[0049] As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment of the vehicle inspection device 10, a box-shaped frame 12 is installed in a pit P formed in the floor surface F, and measuring rollers 14, 16 and a lifter 18 are housed inside the frame 12. Of the upper edge 12a of the frame 12, a notch 32 is formed in the inner edge side portion 12a1, including the inner edge of the upper edge 12a located between the measuring rollers 14 and 16, in the upper edge 12aa that extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the measuring rollers 14 and 16. A storage portion 34 capable of housing a simple guide device 40 is formed in the notch 32. When the simple guide device 40 is housed in the storage portion 34, the guide roller 44 is configured to be positioned opposite the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100 supported by the measuring rollers 14 and 16 during inspection.

[0050] According to this embodiment, when not being inspected, the simple guide device 40 can be stored in the storage compartment 34 formed on the upper edge 12a of the frame 12, eliminating the need to secure a separate storage space. Furthermore, when an inspection is being performed and it is not necessary to install the simple guide device 40 on the upper surface 20 of the lifter, the simple guide device 40 can be stored in the storage compartment 34. Even when stored in the storage compartment 34, the guide roller 44 is positioned opposite the outer peripheral side surface 102 of the wheel 100 supported by the measuring rollers 14 and 16, thus preventing the wheel 100 from wobbling in the direction of the roller axis from increasing.

[0051] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the storage section 34 formed in the notch 32 has a bottom wall 36, and one or more holes 38 are formed in the bottom wall 36 that open to the upper surface of the bottom wall 36. The simple guide device 40 is housed in the storage section 34 with the projections 46 formed on the base 42 detachably fitted into the holes 38. The one or more holes 38 are positioned to match the arrangement of the one or more projections 46 formed on the base 42 so that the one or more projections 46 formed on the base 42 are fitted into the holes 38.

[0052] The contents described in each of the above embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows:

[0053] 1) A simplified guide device according to one embodiment is a simplified guide device (40) used in a vehicle inspection device (10) comprising a pair of measuring rollers (14, 16) arranged in parallel to each other along the floor surface (F), and a wheel lifter (18) provided between the pair of measuring rollers (14, 16) and movable up and down, the 40 comprising a base (42) and a hole (22) provided on the lower side of the base (42) that can be fitted into the upper surface (20) of the lifter (18) The device comprises at least one posable projection (46) and a guide roller (44) rotatably supported on a shaft (48) fixed to the upper surface of the base (42), wherein when the projection (46) is fitted into the hole (22) and the base (42) is positioned on the upper surface (20) of the lifter (18), the guide roller (44) is positioned opposite the outer peripheral side surface (102) of the wheel (100) supported by the pair of measuring rollers (14, 16).

[0054] With this configuration, the simple guide device (40) can be positioned close to the wheels (100) on the upper surface (20) of the lifter in the width direction of the vehicle. Therefore, when performing inspections by rotating the wheels (100) supported by a pair of measuring rollers (14, 16), even if the vehicle sways in the axial direction of the measuring rollers (14, 16), the guide rollers (44) can prevent the sway from expanding.

[0055] Furthermore, the simple guide device (40) is fixed by fitting a projection (46) provided on the base (42) into a hole (22) opening in the upper surface (20) of the lifter, making it easy to attach and detach from the lifter (18). Also, since the simple guide device (40) basically consists only of the base (42) and guide roller (44), it can be made lighter and smaller, thus improving ease of use, including portability. Moreover, by forming multiple holes (22) opening in the upper surface (20) of the lifter and arranging them at appropriate positions on the upper surface (20), the position of the simple guide device (40) on the upper surface (20) of the lifter can be changed according to the tread width of the vehicle being inspected and the position of the wheels (100) on the measuring rollers (14, 16). As a result, it can always be positioned near the wheels (100) even if the vehicle model changes, thus providing a vehicle sway suppression effect for different vehicle types.

[0056] 2) A simplified guide device according to another embodiment is the simplified guide device described in 1), wherein the base (42) has a first plate portion (50) to which the projection (46) is connected to the lower surface (54), and a second plate portion (52) that extends inclined with respect to the first plate portion (50), and to which the shaft portion (48) is fixed to the upper surface (56).

[0057] With this configuration, the second plate portion (52) to which the shaft portion (48) supporting the guide roller (44) is fixed extends at an inclination relative to the first plate portion (50). Therefore, when the base portion (42) is positioned on the upper surface (20) of the lifter, the inclination of the shaft portion (48) approximates the inclination of the straight line (L) connecting the rotation center (O) of the wheel (100) and the contact point (Pc) between the wheel (100) and the measuring rollers (14, 16) supported by the measuring rollers (14, 16). Furthermore, by positioning the guide roller (44) near the contact point (Pc), the inclination of the rotational axes of the wheel (100) and the guide roller (44) are similar. Therefore, when the outer peripheral side surface (102) of the wheel (100) and the outer peripheral surface (44a) of the guide roller (44) come into contact, friction between them is suppressed, thereby allowing the guide roller (44) to smoothly guide the wheel (100).

[0058] Furthermore, since the position of the contact point (Pc) is always in approximately the same position even when the diameter of the wheel (100) is different, by positioning the guide roller (44) near the contact point (Pc), the guide roller (44) can always be positioned facing the outer peripheral side surface (102) of the wheel (100) that can guide wheels (100) of different diameters.

[0059] 3) A further embodiment of the simplified guide device is the simplified guide device described in 2), wherein the base (42A) includes a first substrate (58) having the first plate portion (50a), and a second substrate (60) having the second plate portion (52a) and a third plate portion (62) whose lower surface (62a) is bonded to the upper surface (64) of the first plate portion (50a).

[0060] With this configuration, the base (42A) is made up of a first base (58) including a first plate portion (50a) having a protrusion (46) and a second base (60) including a second plate portion (52a) having a shaft portion (48), so the processing of each of the first substrate (58) and the second substrate (60) is easy. Accordingly, the base (42A) is formed by joining the upper surface (64) of the first plate portion (50a) and the lower surface (62a) of the third plate portion (62), so the formation of the base (42A) is also easy.

[0061] 4) A further embodiment of the simplified guide device is the simplified guide device described in 2), wherein the base (42B) includes a third substrate (66) having the first plate portion (50b), the second plate portion (52b), and a fourth plate portion (68) connecting the first plate portion (50b) and the second plate portion (52b).

[0062] With this configuration, the base (42B) can be manufactured by bending a single plate-like body, making the manufacturing of the base (42B) easy and allowing the base (42B) to be made compact.

[0063] 5) A further embodiment of the simplified guide device is the simplified guide device described in any of 1) to 4), wherein the outer circumferential surface (44a) of the guide roller (44) has a conical shape in which the side closer to the base (42) has a larger diameter.

[0064] With this configuration, the outer surface (44a) of the guide roller (44) is positioned so that its upper side is inclined away from the wheel (100) relative to the outer surface (102) of the wheel (100). Therefore, when the wheel (100) comes into contact with the guide roller (44) during inspection, the load (f) applied from the wheel (100) to the guide roller (44) is applied diagonally downward relative to the guide roller (44), and this load (f) is divided into a horizontal component force (fh) and a downward component force (fv). In this way, a downward component force (fv) acts on the guide roller (44), which prevents the protrusion (46) from coming out of the hole (22) formed in the lifter (18), and allows the simple guide device (40) to be stably fixed to the upper surface (20) of the lifter. Furthermore, because the outer circumferential surface (44a) of the guide roller (44) has the shape described above, the contact point (Pc) of the guide roller (44) with respect to the outer circumferential side surface (102) of the wheel (100) can be set on the outer edge side of the wheel (100). This eliminates the risk of the guide roller (44) contacting the wheel of the wheel (100) located inside the tire and damaging the wheel.

[0065] 6) A further different embodiment of the simplified guide device is the simplified guide device described in any of 1) to 5), wherein a first recessed portion (70) is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the projection (46) on the side opposite to the side facing the wheel (100), and a second recessed portion (72) is provided on the lifter (18) side opposite to the recessed portion (70) and capable of fitting into the first recessed portion (70).

[0066] With this configuration, since the first protrusion (70) and the second protrusion (72) are provided, when the wheel (100) comes into contact with the guide roller (44) during inspection, a force is applied that moves the first protrusion (70) toward the second protrusion (72). Then, the first protrusion (70) and the second protrusion (72) fit together, preventing the protrusion (46) from coming out of the hole (22) formed in the upper surface (20) of the lifter, so that the simple guide device (40) can be stably fixed to the upper surface (20) of the lifter.

[0067] 7) A vehicle inspection device according to one embodiment comprises a pair of measuring rollers (14, 16) arranged in parallel to each other along the floor surface (F), a wheel lifter (18) provided between the pair of measuring rollers (14, 16) and movable up and down, and a simple guide device (40) as described in any of 1) to 6).

[0068] With this configuration, the vehicle inspection device (10) is equipped with the above-mentioned simple guide device (40). When performing inspection by rotating the wheels (100) placed on a pair of measuring rollers (14, 16), the simple guide device (40) can be positioned close to the wheels (100) on the upper surface (20) of the lifter in the width direction of the vehicle. Therefore, even if the vehicle sways, the swaying can be prevented from expanding. In addition, the simple guide device (40) is easy to attach and detach from the upper surface (20) of the lifter, and can be made lighter and smaller, which has the advantage of being easy to use, including for carrying.

[0069] 8) A vehicle inspection device according to another embodiment further comprises the vehicle inspection device described in 7), wherein the pair of measuring rollers (14, 16) and the lifter (18) are housed in a box-shaped frame (12) installed in a pit (P) formed in the floor surface (F), and the upper edge (12a) of the frame (12) extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the pair of measuring rollers (14, 16) A notch (32) is formed in the inner edge portion (12a1) including the inner edge of the upper edge portion (12a) located in between, and a storage portion (34) capable of housing the simple guide device (40) is formed in the notch (32), and when the simple guide device (40) is housed in the notch (32), the guide roller (44) is configured to be positioned opposite the outer peripheral side surface (102) of the wheel (100) which is placed on the pair of measuring rollers (14, 16).

[0070] With this configuration, when not being inspected, the simple guide device (40) can be stored in the storage compartment (34) formed on the upper edge (12a) of the frame (12), and therefore there is no need to secure a separate storage place for the simple guide device (40). Furthermore, when an inspection is performed, the simple guide device (40) can be removed from the storage compartment (34) and placed on the upper surface (20) of the lifter. During inspections when it is not necessary to place the simple guide device (40) on the upper surface (20) of the lifter, with the simple guide device (40) stored in the storage compartment (34), the guide roller (44) is positioned opposite the outer peripheral side surface (102) of the wheel (100) which is placed on a pair of measuring rollers (14, 16), thus preventing the guide roller (44) from increasing the swaying of the vehicle. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 10. Vehicle inspection device 10a, 10b Inspection Department 12 Frame 12a Upper edge 12a1 Medial marginal portion 14, 16 Measuring rollers 14 (14a, 14b) Speed ​​Roller 16 (16a, 16b) Brake rollers 18 Lifters 20 Top side 22, 38 holes 24, 34 Storage compartments 26 Closing lid 28 Plate-like body 30 Support member 32 Notch 36 Bottom wall 40 (40A, 40B, 40C) Simple Guide Device 42(42A, 42B) base 44 Guide rollers 44a Outer surface 44b Shaft hole 46. ​​Protrusion 48 Shaft section 48a head 50 (50a, 50b) First plate section 52(52a, 52b) 2nd plate part 54 Bottom side 56, 64 Top 58 First substrate 60 Second board 62 Third plate part 62a Bottom side 65 volts 66 Third board 68 4th plate part 70 Recess (first recessed / uneven portion) 70a Bottom 72 Retaining part (second uneven part) 100(100a, 100b) wheels 102 Outer periphery side F Floor L straight line O Center of rotation P Pit PC contact point T tangent f force fh horizontal component force fv vertical force w (width direction) θ Tilt angle

Claims

1. A simple guide device used in a vehicle inspection device, comprising a pair of measuring rollers arranged parallel to each other along the floor surface, and a wheel lifter provided between the pair of measuring rollers and movable vertically, The base and, A projection is provided on the lower surface side of the base and is capable of fitting into a hole opening on the upper surface of the lifter, A guide roller rotatably supported on a shaft fixed to the upper surface side of the base, Equipped with, A simple guide device configured such that when the projection is fitted into the hole and the base is positioned on the upper surface of the lifter, the guide roller is positioned opposite the outer peripheral side of a wheel supported by the pair of measuring rollers.

2. The aforementioned base is, A first plate portion to which the aforementioned protrusion is connected on the lower surface, A second plate portion that extends inclined with respect to the first plate portion, the second plate portion having the shaft portion fixed to its upper surface. The simplified guide device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned base is, A first substrate having the first plate portion, The second substrate includes the second plate portion and a third plate portion whose lower surface is joined to the upper surface of the first plate portion. The simplified guide device according to claim 2.

4. The base includes a third substrate having a first plate portion, a second plate portion, and a fourth plate portion connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion. The simplified guide device according to claim 2.

5. The simplified guide device according to claim 1, wherein the outer circumferential surface of the guide roller has a conical shape with a larger diameter on the side closer to the base.

6. A first recessed portion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion on the side opposite to the side facing the wheel, and a second recessed portion is provided on the lifter side, facing the first recessed portion and capable of fitting into the first recessed portion. The simplified guide device according to claim 1.

7. A pair of measuring rollers arranged parallel to each other along the floor surface, A wheel lifter, which is movable up and down, is provided between the pair of measuring rollers. A simplified guide device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A vehicle inspection device equipped with the following features.

8. The pair of measuring rollers and the lifter are housed in a box-shaped frame installed in a pit formed on the floor surface, A notch is formed in the inner edge portion of the upper edge of the frame body, which extends in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the pair of measuring rollers, and which includes the inner edge of the upper edge located between the pair of measuring rollers, and a storage portion capable of housing the simple guide device is formed in the notch, The vehicle inspection device according to claim 7, wherein when the simplified guide device is housed in the notch, the guide roller is positioned opposite the outer peripheral side of the wheel that has ridden on the pair of measuring rollers.

Images