Claims
- 1. A vehicle chassis dynamometer system, for selectively testing vehicle wheel power output and braking, on a vehicle having at least two drive wheels, comprising:first and second dynamometer units for communication with said two drive wheels, each unit comprising a roller for contact with a vehicle drive wheel, a motoring and power absorption unit in communication with said roller, said roller and motoring and power absorption unit mounted on a substrate; a speed sensor for measuring rotary speed of each roller; a torque sensor associated with each motoring and power absorption unit for detecting torque between said power absorption unit and said substrate; a dynamometer controller linked to each dynamometer unit, said controller having a separate logic circuit associated with each dynamometer unit, each said logic circuit comprising roller speed feedback means for controlling rotary speed of each said roller independently the other of said rollers, whereby the rotary speed thereof may be set at a selected set point; total force calculation means for determining total vehicle braking or drive force applied to each dynamometer unit; and differential wheel power calculations means for quantitatively measuring, calculating, visually displaying and/or storing for subsequence recall, the difference between braking or vehicle drive power of right and left vehicle wheels.
- 2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said dynamometer controller measures absolute vehicle braking force for each of said right and left vehicle wheels, as well as any quantitative difference in braking force between said right and left vehicle wheels.
- 3. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said dynamometer controller measures total vehicle wheel power output for each of said right and left vehicle wheels, as well as quantitative power output difference between said right and left vehicle wheels.
- 4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein four roller dynamometer units are provided for testing vehicle power output and/or braking forces on a four wheel drive vehicle, each of said four dynamometer units being associated with an independent logic circuit within said dynamometer controller for independent speed and force control and measurement.
- 5. A method for testing vehicle power output or braking force, in a vehicle having at least two drive wheels, comprising in steps of:providing a testing system as defined in claim 1; positioning at least two vehicle drive wheels on corresponding right and left dynamometer units; applying a force to each said right and left hand dynamometer units with said vehicle wheels; measuring said force with said right and left hand units and measuring the difference in force between said units; displaying said difference in force and/or storing information for subsequent retrieval.
- 6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said motoring and power absorption units operate in a power absorption mode whereby the motoring and power absorption units are driven by said vehicle wheels, and said dynamometer controller measures force output of said vehicle wheels and the difference between the force output of said right and left hand ventricle wheels.
- 7. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said motoring and power absorption units operate in a motoring mode whereby the motoring and power absorption units drive said vehicle wheels and said vehicle applies a braking force to said vehicle wheels, with said braking force applied by each vehicle wheel and the difference in braking force between said vehicle wheels, being calculated by said controller.
RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/081,816 filed on May 20, 1998 now ABN. which claims benefit of Provisional Appln No. 60/047,353 filed May 21, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 246 345 |
Nov 1987 |
EP |
0 522 198 A1 |
Jan 1993 |
EP |
WOX9732189 |
Sep 1997 |
WO |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/047353 |
May 1997 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/081816 |
May 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/488704 |
|
US |