IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0881824
(2010-09-14)
|
등록번호 |
US-8104185
(2012-01-31)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Gray, Brian K.
- Jackson, David A.
- Swayne, Ronald D.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
27 |
초록
▼
A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The assembly comprises a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; a
A lightweight wheel clamp assembly is provided for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle. The assembly comprises a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; and a rod having a threaded portion and an attachment portion near a first end of the rod. The first bracket is attachable to the attachment portion of the rod, and the handle is threaded to engage the threaded portion of the rod, such that when a user grasps and rotates the handle, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel.
대표청구항
▼
1. A wheel clamp assembly for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle, the assembly comprising: a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; anda rod having a thre
1. A wheel clamp assembly for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle, the assembly comprising: a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a handle rotatably mounted to the second bracket; anda rod having a threaded portion, and an attachment portion proximal a first end of the rod;wherein the first bracket is attachable to the attachment portion of the rod; andwherein the handle is threadingly engagable with the threaded portion of the rod, such that when a user grasps and rotates the handle, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket is rotatably mounted to the attachment portion of the rod, further comprising a handwheel fixedly mounted at a second end of the rod. 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a handle body and a jaw movably mounted to the handle body and threadingly engagable with the threaded portion of the rod; wherein the jaw is movable by the user from a first position where it is threadingly engaged with the threaded portion of the rod to a second position where it is not threadingly engaged with the rod; andwherein when the jaw is in the first position and the user grasps and rotates the handle body, the distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel, and when the jaw is in the second position, the second bracket and handle are slidably movable relative to the rod. 4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the first bracket is adjustably mounted to the attachment portion of the rod. 5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the first bracket is rotatably mounted to the attachment portion of the rod, and a handwheel is fixedly mounted at a second end of the rod so that when the jaw is in the first position and the user rotates the handwheel while preventing the handle from rotating, the distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted. 6. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the jaw is pivotably mounted to the handle body such that it is pivotable from the first position to the second position by the user, and a spring is mounted between the handle body and the jaw to bias the jaw to the first position. 7. The assembly of claim 3, comprising a second movable jaw opposed to the jaw and mounted to the handle body, the second jaw being threadingly engageable with a corresponding opposed portion of the threaded portion of the rod, wherein the jaw and the second jaw are movable from the first position to the second position. 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the second jaw is pivotably mounted to the handle body such that it is pivotable from the first position to the second position by the user, and a spring is mounted between the handle body and the second jaw to bias the second jaw to the first position. 9. The assembly of claim 1, comprising a marking on the second bracket for enabling a camera vision system to find the location of the second bracket. 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket is pivotally attachable to the attachment portion of the rod. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the attachment portion of the rod has a transverse hole, and the first bracket has a corresponding through-hole, and the first bracket is attachable to the attachment portion via a fastener extending through the through-hole and engagable with the transverse hole. 12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the attachment portion of the rod has a plurality of the transverse holes spaced from each other such that the first bracket is attachable to the rod via any one of the plurality of transverse holes. 13. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a rod extension having a first end attachable to the attachment portion of the rod to extend the length of the rod, the rod extension having a transverse hole for attaching the first bracket to the rod extension. 14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the rod extension has a connection portion at a second end opposite its first end for attaching a second rod extension to further extend the length of the rod. 15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the first end of the rod has a hollow portion, and the rod extension has a connection portion engagable with the hollow portion to attach the rod extension to the rod. 16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the rod extension has a hollow portion at an end opposite the connection portion for engaging a second rod extension to further extend the length of the rod. 17. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the transverse hole is threaded, and the fastener is a bolt that is threadingly engageable with the transverse threaded hole. 18. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the fastener is a pin having a ball detent for engaging the first bracket to retain the pin in the transverse hole. 19. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket comprises two grabbers for engaging the vehicle wheel, and the second bracket comprises exactly one grabber for engaging the vehicle wheel, wherein the grabbers of the first and second brackets cooperate to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel when the distance between the first and second brackets is adjusted. 20. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket comprises at least one grabber for engaging the vehicle wheel; wherein the second bracket comprises a central hub and a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the hub, each of the arms having a grabber for engaging the vehicle wheel, and a spring for biasing the arms towards each other, such that when the distance between the first and second brackets is adjusted so the grabbers of the first and second brackets engage the vehicle wheel, the second bracket arms move away from each other as the distance between the first and second brackets is thereafter reduced, until the wheel clamp assembly is rigidly attached to the vehicle wheel. 21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the pair of arms share a common pivot point on the hub, and the spring is a coil spring attached to both arms. 22. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second bracket comprises a hub, an arm extending outward from the hub, and a grabber at a distal end of the arm for engaging the vehicle wheel, the arm extending from the hub such that the grabber is offset from the hub along an axial direction of the rod; wherein the second bracket and the handle are threadable onto the rod so that the handle is between the first and second brackets; andwherein the second bracket and the handle are threadable onto the rod so that the second bracket is between the first bracket and the handle. 23. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the rod has an outer peripheral facet, and the second bracket has a corresponding through-hole for slidably engaging the rod's outer peripheral facet such that when the when user grasps and rotates the handle to adjust the distance between the first and second brackets, the second bracket does not substantially rotate relative to the rod. 24. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the jaw and the spring are for moving the jaw from the first position to the second position when a predetermined tension is exerted on the threaded portion of the rod when user grasps and rotates the handle. 25. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first bracket has a measuring device mounting location for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element to the first bracket. 26. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second bracket has a measuring device mounting location for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element to the second bracket. 27. A wheel clamp assembly for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle, the assembly comprising: a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a handle mounted to the second bracket;a threaded shaft having a first threaded portion threaded in a first direction, and a second threaded portion threaded in a second direction opposite the first direction; anda handwheel fixedly attached to an end of the shaft;wherein the first bracket is threadingly engaged with the first threaded portion of the shaft, and the handle is threadingly engaged with the second threaded portion of the shaft, such that when a user rotates the handwheel while preventing the handle from rotating, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel. 28. The assembly of claim 27, comprising a marking on the second bracket for enabling a camera vision system to find the location of the second bracket. 29. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the handle comprises a handle body and a jaw movably mounted to the handle body and threadingly engagable with the second threaded portion of the shaft; wherein the jaw is movable by the user from a first position where it is threadingly engaged with the second threaded portion to a second position where it is not threadingly engaged with the shaft; andwherein when the jaw is in the first position and a user rotates the handwheel while preventing the handle from rotating, the distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel, and when the jaw is in the second position, the second bracket and handle are slidably movable relative to the rod. 30. The assembly of claim 29, wherein the jaw is pivotably mounted to the handle body such that it is pivotable from the first position to the second position by the user, and a spring is mounted between the handle body and the jaw to bias the jaw to the first position. 31. The assembly of claim 29, comprising a second movable jaw opposed to the jaw and mounted to the handle body, the second jaw being threadingly engageable with a corresponding opposed portion of the second threaded portion of the shaft, wherein the jaw and the second jaw are movable from the first position to the second position. 32. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the second jaw is pivotably mounted to the handle body such that it is pivotable from the first position to the second position by the user, and a spring is mounted between the handle body and the second jaw to bias the second jaw to the first position. 33. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the jaw and the spring are for moving the jaw from the first position to the second position when a predetermined tension is exerted on the threaded portion of the rod when user grasps and rotates the handle. 34. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the first bracket has a measuring device mounting location for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element to the first bracket. 35. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the second bracket has a measuring device mounting location for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element to the second bracket. 36. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the handle is rotatably mounted to the second bracket. 37. A wheel clamp assembly for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle, the assembly comprising: a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel; anda rod;wherein the first bracket is fixedly attachable to the rod; andwherein the second bracket is slidably movable on the rod, and includes a lock for fixedly attaching the second bracket to a selected position on the rod for adjusting a distance between the first and second brackets to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel. 38. The assembly of claim 37, wherein the first bracket has a measuring device mounting location for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element to the first bracket. 39. The assembly of claim 38, wherein the second bracket has a measuring device mounting location for adjustably mounting a wheel alignment element to the second bracket. 40. The assembly of claim 37, wherein the lock comprises a lever pivotably mounted to the second bracket and engageable with the rod. 41. The assembly of claim 37, wherein the rod has an outer peripheral facet, and the second bracket has a corresponding through-hole for slidably engaging the rod's outer peripheral facet such that the second bracket does not substantially rotate relative to the rod. 42. The assembly of claim 41, wherein the rod has at least one flat facet. 43. The assembly of claim 42, wherein the rod has a substantially triangular cross-section. 44. The assembly of claim 37, wherein the second bracket comprises a hub, an arm extending outward from the hub, and a grabber at a distal end of the arm for engaging the vehicle wheel, the arm extending from the hub such that the grabber is offset from the hub along an axial direction of the rod; wherein the second bracket is engageable with the rod so that the lock is between the first and second brackets; andwherein the second bracket is engageable with the rod so that the second bracket is between the first bracket and the lock. 45. A wheel clamp assembly for attaching to a vehicle wheel for performing a wheel alignment on the vehicle, the assembly comprising: a first bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a second bracket for engaging the vehicle wheel;a handle mounted to the second bracket;a shaft having a threaded portion; anda handwheel fixedly attached to an end of the shaft;wherein the first bracket is threaded in a first direction and is threadingly engaged with the threaded portion of the shaft, and the handle is threaded in a second direction opposite the first direction and is threadingly engaged with the threaded portion of the shaft, such that when a user rotates the handwheel while preventing the handle from rotating, a distance between the first and second brackets can be adjusted to rigidly attach the wheel clamp assembly to the vehicle wheel.
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