초록 ▼

The present invention relates to automotive vehicle brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to an improved on-car brake lathe apparatus and a method for compensating for runout between an on-car brake lathe and a vehicle wheel hub to which the on-car brake

The present invention relates to automotive vehicle brake lathes configured for resurfacing brake rotor components, and in particular, to an improved on-car brake lathe apparatus and a method for compensating for runout between an on-car brake lathe and a vehicle wheel hub to which the on-car brake lathe is secured for a brake rotor resurfacing operation.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An on-car brake lathe system for resurfacing a brake rotor of a vehicle brake assembly, the brake lathe system having a support structure securing a drive motor, an adjustable cutting head, and output spindle adapted for coupling to a vehicle wheel hub and rotationally

The invention claimed is: 1. An on-car brake lathe system for resurfacing a brake rotor of a vehicle brake assembly, the brake lathe system having a support structure securing a drive motor, an adjustable cutting head, and output spindle adapted for coupling to a vehicle wheel hub and rotationally driven about a drive axis by the drive motor, further comprising: a sensor configured to produce at least one steady-state measurement indicative of runout present between the output spindle stopped at an associated discrete rotational position and the vehicle wheel hub; a rotational position detector configured to produce a signal representative of the discrete rotational position of said output spindle about the drive axis, associated with the steady-state measurement indicative of runout from the sensor; a microprocessor configured to receive a plurality of said steady-state measurements and associated discrete rotational position signals, and to calculate a runout characteristic between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub. 2. The brake lathe system of claim 1 further including an aligning joint coupled between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub. 3. The brake lathe system of claim 2 wherein said aligning joint includes a mounting flange coaxially coupled to the output spindle; a annular member coaxially coupled to said mounting flange at an adjustable inclination; and an adjustment element disposed between said mounting flange and said annular member radially outward from said drive axis, said adjustment element configured to alter an inclination between said mounting flange and said annular member. 4. The brake lathe system of claim 3 further including an adjustment mechanism configured to alter a position of said adjustment element parallel to said drive axis. 5. An on-car brake lathe system for resurfacing a brake rotor of a vehicle brake assembly, the brake lathe system having a support structure securing a drive motor, an adjustable cutting head, and output spindle adapted for coupling to a vehicle wheel hub and rotationally driven about a drive axis by the drive motor, further comprising: a sensor configured to produce a steady-state measurement indicative of runout present between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub at a discrete rotational position; a rotational position detector configured to produce a signal representative of a discrete rotational position of said output spindle; a microprocessor configured to receive a plurality of said steady-state measurements and associated discrete rotational position signals, and to calculate a runout characteristic between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub; an aligning joint coupled between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub; said aligning joint includes a mounting flange coaxially coupled to the output spindle, an annular member coaxially coupled to said mounting flange at an adjustable inclination, and an adjustment element disposed between said mounting flange and said annular member radially outward from said drive axis, said adjustment element configured to alter an inclination between said mounting flange and said annular member; and an adjustment mechanism configured to alter a position of said adjustment element parallel to said drive axis including a tapered adjustment bolt in engagement with said adjustment element, said tapered adjustment bolt oriented perpendicular to said drive axis. 6. An on-car brake lathe system for resurfacing a brake rotor of a vehicle brake assembly, the brake lathe system having a support structure securing a drive motor, an adjustable cutting head, and output spindle adapted for coupling to a vehicle wheel hub and rotationally driven about a drive axis by the drive motor, further comprising: a sensor configured to produce a steady-state measurement indicative of runout present between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub at a discrete rotational position; a rotational position detector configured to produce a signal representative of a discrete rotational position of said output spindle; a microprocessor configured to receive a plurality of said steady-state measurements and associated discrete rotational position signals, and to calculate a runout characteristic between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub; an aligning joint coupled between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub, said aligning joint including a mounting flange coaxially coupled to the output spindle, an annular member coaxially coupled to said mounting flange at an adjustable inclination, and an adjustment element disposed between said mounting flange and said annular member radially outward from said drive axis, said adjustment element configured to alter an inclination between said mounting flange and said annular member; and wherein said adjustment element including a wedge secured between said annular member and said mounting flange, said wedge configured for movement parallel to said drive axis. 7. The brake lathe system of claim 2 wherein said microprocessor is further configured to control actuation of the drive motor to rotate said aligning joint to an adjustment position responsive to said calculated runout characteristic. 8. A method for measuring lateral runout between a rotational axis of an on-car brake lathe output spindle and a rotational axis of a vehicle wheel hub assembly to which the on-car brake lathe output spindle is operatively coupled by an adapter for the resurfacing of a vehicle wheel brake rotor, comprising: obtaining at least three steady-state measurements of characteristics associated with the operative coupling between the on-car brake lathe output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub assembly, each steady-state measurement obtained when the output spindle is stationary at an associated discrete rotational position about the drive axis; calculating a sinusoidal representation of runout between the rotational axis of the on-car brake lathe output spindle and the rotational axis of the vehicle wheel hub assembly from said at least three steady-state measurements and associated rotational positions. 9. A method for runout compensation between a brake rotor and a brake lathe system having an adjustment element including an annular member coupled between an output spindle of the brake lathe and a vehicle wheel hub assembly, comprising: obtaining at least three steady-state measurements of runout between said output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub assembly, each of said at least three steady-state measurements obtained with the output spindle stationary and at associated rotational positions about the drive axis; identifying a single runout compensation rotational position from said at least three measurements and associated rotational positions; rotating said output spindle to said identified runout compensation rotational position; actuating said adjustment element to alter an axial inclination between the output spindle and the vehicle wheel hub assembly. 10. The method for runout compensation of claim 9 further including the step of establishing the output spindle and the annular member in a parallel configuration. 11. An improved brake lathe system for resurfacing a workpiece, the brake lathe system including a pair of linearly adjustable cutting tips configured to engage one or more surface of the workpiece, the improvement comprising: at least one vibration sensor operatively configured to detect vibrations associated with contact between at least one of the cutting tips and the workpiece surface and to generate a signal representative of said detected vibrations; a cutting tip contact indicator circuit configured to receive said signal representative of said detected vibrations; and wherein said cutting tip contact indicator circuit is further configured to provide a visual indication of contact between at least one of said cutting tips and a surface of the workpiece responsive to receipt of said signal. 12. The improved brake lathe system of claim 11 wherein said cutting tip contact indicator circuit incorporates an audio component configured to provide an audible indication of contact between at least one of said cutting tips and the workpiece surface responsive to said signal representative of said detected vibrations. 13. An improved brake lathe for resurfacing a brake component of a vehicle brake assembly, the brake lathe having an adjustable cutting head supporting first and second cutting tips in an adjustable, linearly spaced, configuration, said first and second cutting tips selectively coupled to a threaded shaft for coaxial linear movement responsive to, and proportional to, rotational movement of the threaded shaft, the improvement comprising: a rotational position sensor operatively coupled to said threaded shaft, said sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a current rotational position of said threaded shaft; a microprocessor operatively coupled to said sensor to receive said rotational position signal, said microprocessor configured to utilize a plurality of received rotational position signals, representative of a change in rotational position of said threaded shaft, to calculate a displacement measurement associated with linear movement of at least one of the first and second cutting tips proportional to said change in said rotational position of said threaded shaft; and wherein said microprocessor is configured to display said displacement measurement on a measurement display. 14. The improved brake lathe of claim 13 wherein said displacement measurement is a depth of cut measurement for at least one of the first and second cutting tips, said depth of cut defined as a measure of linear movement by said cutting tip towards the brake component from a point of initial contact with said brake component. 15. The improved brake lathe of claim 13 wherein said plurality of received rotational position signals define at least one reference position signal. 16. The improved brake lathe of claim 13 wherein said plurality of received rotational position signals define at least one calibration position signal. 17. A brake lathe for resurfacing a brake component of a vehicle brake assembly, comprising: an output spindle adapted to couple the brake lathe to the brake component; a linearly adjustable cutting head configured with first and second cutting tips for engagement with a surface of the brake component; a drive motor operatively coupled to at least said output spindle to drive said output spindle and the brake component about a rotational axis; a microprocessor configured with software instructions for control of said drive motor and said linearly adjustable cutting head; a communications circuit configured to communicate with at least one remote vehicle service device external to the brake lathe; and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to utilize said communication circuit to receive brake specification data associated with the resurfacing of a brake component from said at least one remote vehicle service device. 18. The brake lathe of claim 17 wherein said microprocessor is further configured to utilize said received brake component specification data to establish a limit on a range of movement for said linearly adjustable cutting head. 19. The brake lathe of claim 17 wherein said drive motor is a variable speed drive motor, and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to utilize said received brake component specification data to establish an initial rotational speed for said variable speed drive motor to drive said output spindle and the brake component. 20. The brake lathe of claim 17 wherein said drive motor is a variable speed drive motor, and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to utilize said received brake component specification data to establish an initial linear feed rate for said adjustable cutting head. 21. The brake lathe of claim 17 wherein said microprocessor is further configured to communicate at least one brake component resurfacing result to said at least one external device. 22. An on-car brake lathe for resurfacing a vehicle brake component coupled to a vehicle wheel hub assembly, comprising: a support structure; a drive motor secured to said support structure; an output spindle rotationally driven by said drive motor, said output spindle adapted to couple to the vehicle wheel hub assembly; at least one inclination sensor responsive to an angle of inclination of said support structure relative to gravity to generate a signal representative of an inclination of said support structure; and a microprocessor operatively coupled to said at least one inclination sensor to receive said signal, said microprocessor configured to control said drive motor responsive to said signal representing an inclination of said support structure exceeding a predetermined value to stop rotation of said drive motor. 23. An on-car brake lathe for resurfacing a vehicle brake component coupled to a vehicle wheel hub assembly, comprising: a support structure; a drive motor secured to said support structure; an output spindle mounted to said support structure and rotationally driven about a drive axis by said drive motor, said output spindle adapted to couple to the vehicle wheel hub assembly; and an operator console rotationally coupled to said support structure on an axis parallel to said drive axis and wherein said operator console is rotationally independent of said output spindle and inclination of said support structure to maintain a selected inclination relative to gravity. 24. The on-car brake lathe of claim 23 wherein said operator console includes an operator interface having at least one display element adapted to provide a visual display of data to an operator and at least one input control adapted to receive input from said operator.