Patent ID: 11898935
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 19:
20. A test apparatus for simulating off-road conditions for a motor vehicle, the test apparatus comprising:
a crane;
a platform;
a plurality of suspension devices, each suspension device secured at a first end to a respective corner of the platform and at a second end to the crane,
a pair of roller assemblies coupled to the platform, each one of the pair of roller assemblies being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle, each roller assembly includes:
first and second roller devices, each of the first and second roller devices configured to receive a respective wheel of the pair of wheels; and
an axle secured between the first and second roller devices; and

a driveshaft secured between the pair of roller assemblies and configured to transmit rotary power from one of the pair of roller assemblies to the other of the pair of roller assemblies,
wherein the crane is configured to adjust an orientation of the platform and,
wherein the driveshaft includes a first portion, a second portion, and a clutch positioned between the first and second portions and movable between a first position in which the first and second portions are fixed for rotation with each other, and a second position in which the first and second portions rotate relative to each other.