APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING FOUR-WHEEL STEERING CHARACTERISTIC OF AUTOMOBILE

摘要

PURPOSE:To measure the steering angles of front wheels within an entire steering ranges thereof, by providing a touch type sensor measuring the steering angles of the front wheels and an angle-of-rotation detector. CONSTITUTION:A front wheel angle measuring means 60 composed of a touch type sensor is constituted so that a support shaft 62 is mounted to a frame 65 and a measuring plate 61 is mounted to the front end of said shaft 62 in a freely revolvable manner through a ball joint 62a. When the measuring plate 61 receives external force, said measuring plate 61 is revolved around the joint 62a corresponding to the external force by the distortion of springs 63a, 63b and the deformation of a link 63c. Therefore, when the measuring plate 61 is brought into contact with the side surface of the tire of each of front wheels, said measuring plate 61 is inclined corresponding to the inclination of the tire and, therefore, when the inclination of the measuring plate 61 is measured by three displacement measuring device 64, the toe-in angle, steering angle and camber angle of each front wheel can be measured. By this method, the steering angle of each front wheel can be measured in the entire steering range thereof.