Abstract:
A pneumatic device for adjusting wheel camber includes an air bladder operatively connected with an air supply valve and an air release button via an air hose. The device facilitates adjustment of vehicle wheel camber and is adapted to be connected with a compressed air supply. The air supply valve and air release button control the delivery and release of compressed air into and from the air bladder. The air bladder is placed between the strut and the tire-wheel assembly of a vehicle, and the camber adjustment bolts are loosened. The air bladder is then selectively inflated, thus compressively moving the tire-wheel assembly in relation to the strut, until the correct camber setting is achieved. The camber adjustment bolts are then tightened, the compressed air contained in the air bladder is released therefrom, and the device is removed from the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/063,776, filed Oct. 31, 1997, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The invention relates generally to an improved tool. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved tool and method for the adjustment of wheel camber. Specifically, the invention relates to a tool which pneumatically moves a vehicle wheel in a precise fashion so that its camber can be adjusted by a single person. 
     2. Background Information 
     The term “camber” refers to the angle between a vehicle wheel and the vertical axis. Proper adjustment of the camber angle is essential to maintain vehicle stability and performance, and assures proper tread wear and tread life. 
     Motor vehicles require periodic adjustment of their wheel camber, due to a number of factors including tire wear and replacement, strut wear and replacement, and road hazards, among others. With the generally increasing durability of automobiles, a given vehicle will require numerous camber adjustment over the course of its usable lifetime. 
     On many vehicles, proper camber is maintained by a number of bolts which extend through two flanges, one of which is attached to the overhead strut, and the other of which is connected to the spindle upon which the wheel is mounted. When these bolts are tightened, a compression load is created between the two flanges, causing the flanges to be frictionally held together, maintaining the proper orientation between the strut and the wheel, which in turn maintains the wheel camber. 
     To adjust the wheel camber, the vehicle must first be positioned such that the wheels fully support the weight of the vehicle without the use of jacks or lifts to reduce the weight borne by the wheels. The bolts must then be loosened and the wheel moved in relation to the overhead strut until the correct camber setting is achieved. Another specially-designed tool known in the art moved the wheel by means of a specially designed screw-driven tool which caused two members to expand in the space between the wheel and the overhead strut, applying a load inwardly against the strut and outwardly against the wheel, with the result that the wheel would move in relation to the fixed strut. The screw drive on the specially-designed tool would be adjusted until the correct camber setting was achieved, and the bolts would then be tightened to maintain the correct camber setting. 
     Since the adjustment of camber must occur while the vehicle weight is supported by the wheels, movement of the wheel requires that a significant amount of force be applied by the specially-designed tool to both the strut and the wheel. Since the specially-designed tool must fit through the small space between the top of the vehicle tire and the lower edge of the vehicle fender, the tool must necessarily be of a very low profile. Since the specially-designed tool must apply a significant force to the strut, yet be designed with low profile, the force is applied by the tool to a very small area of surface on the strut, causing a high level of bearing stress at the point of force application. This bearing stress may result in plastic deformation or damage to the strut. 
     Moreover, since an angle exists between the strut and the plane of the wheel, and the load is applied inside this angle by the specially-designed tool to the strut and the wheel, the resultant force applied to the strut must include both a compressive component normal to the strut surface and a frictional component parallel to the surface. Depending upon the relative magnitudes of these compressive and frictional forces, which in turn depends upon the angle between the strut and the plane of the wheel, the tool may be caused to slip from the strut if the angle becomes too great or if the tool is misapplied or accidentally bumped by the mechanic. Such a slip can result both in damage to the vehicle and injury to the user or others nearby. 
     Additionally, since the screw adjustment means of the specially-designed tool is a fixed component of the tool, any adjustment of the screw drive must be performed at the location where the tool is applied to the wheel, which will typically be immediately outside the wheel opening of the vehicle fender. Since computers are often used in the modern automotive workshops of today, a mechanic utilizing such a computer in concert with the specially-designed tool will typically be required to walk back and forth between the tool and the computer. 
     Alternatively, wheel camber can be adjusted without the use of the specially-designed tool by utilizing shop personnel to adjust wheel camber. More particularly, the bolts are loosened, and the wheel is manually moved to the correct camber position while a second person operates the computer and tightens the bolts as the wheel is held in position. While this system is functional, it is difficult to do accurately, and requires the use of two people, rather than one, significantly increasing the cost of adjusting wheel camber. 
     Therefore, the need exists for low cost, portable mechanism which allows the user to quickly adjust and hold the position of a vehicle tire for adjustment of its camber, while reducing the time wasted by the user in walking between the means of adjustment and a computer, and while reducing the risk of damage to the vehicle components and injury to the user. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Objectives of the invention include providing an improved device for changing the orientation of a vehicle wheel so that its camber setting can quickly be adjusted by a single individual. 
     Another objective includes providing a device which can change the orientation of a vehicle wheel without creating a high level of bearing stress on the vehicle suspension components. 
     Still another objective includes providing a device which can be quickly installed and operated by the user. 
     Yet another objective includes providing a device which can change the orientation of a vehicle wheel and in so doing will reduce the risk of damage to the vehicle or to the user from slippage of the device resulting from improper installation or accidental bumping by the user. 
     A still further objective includes providing a device which can change the orientation of a vehicle wheel while minimizing the amount of time wasted by the user in walking back and forth between the device and any computer which is employed in the camber adjustment process. 
     A further objective includes providing a device for changing the orientation of a vehicle wheel which is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, and requires no additional support equipment or environment beyond that which would ordinarily be found in its typical place of use. 
     These and other objectives and advantages of the improved invention are obtained from the pneumatic device for adjusting wheel camber, the general nature of which can be stated as including an expansion member, the expansion member expanding in response to fluid supplied from the fluid source, the expansion member fabricated from a durable material capable of withstanding the forces required for adjusting vehicle wheel camber. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles of the invention, are set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended Claims. 
     FIG. 1 is the front view of the invention and generally shows the invention with attached air hose connector and air hose; 
     FIG. 2 is the rear view of the invention and shows generally the rear flap which conceals the opening through which access is gained to remove and replace the inner bladder; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of the invention showing the rear flap in the open position; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the invention shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the invention taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of an automobile with portions broken away in section and showing the invention attached to a compressed air supply system; 
     FIG. 7 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 6 but with the air bladder of the present invention shown in a second inflated condition; 
     FIG. 8 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 7 shown with the air bladder in a partially deflated condition; and 
     FIG. 9 is a rear view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The improved pneumatic camber adjusting device of the present invention is indicated generally at the numeral  1 , and is shown particularly in FIGS. 1-3. Pneumatic camber adjusting device  1  includes an air bladder  3  and an air hose assembly  4  attached to air bladder  3 . 
     Air bladder  3  includes an inner bladder  6  and an outer covering  8  which circumferentially envelops inner bladder  6 . Inner bladder  6  includes a substantially rectangular elastic body  9  and an air inlet port  10  attached to elastic body  9 . Inner bladder  6  is preferably manufactured of a resilient elastic material such as rubber in order to permit elastic body  9  to expand and contract for purposes which will be set out in more detail hereinbelow. While elastic body  9  is preferably manufactured of rubber, it may be manufactured of any one of a variety of materials which provide sufficient resilient characteristics without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Outer covering  8  is rectangular in configuration and preferably includes an upper face  11  and a lower face  12 , each formed with a pair of parallel and spaced apart sides  13  and a pair of parallel and spaced apart ends  14  perpendicular to sides  13 . Sides  13  and ends  14  of faces  11  and  12  are then attached to one another by heat welding or stitching  15 . Again, other methods of attachment may be utilized for attaching upper face  11  to lower face  12  around its perimeter edge without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Upper face  11  is formed with a hole  16  for receiving air inlet port  10  of inner bladder  6 . Additionally, a brass grommet  7  extends into hole  16  to strengthen the same and is suitably sized to allow air inlet port  10  to pass therethrough. 
     Additionally, in referring specifically to FIG. 2, lower face  12  is formed with an elongated opening  17  to permit the insertion of inner bladder  6 . Closure flap  18  is attached to lower face  12  on one side of access opening  17 . Closure flap  18  is formed with a plurality of loop fasteners  19  attached thereto. Similarly, a plurality of hook fasteners  20  are attached directly to lower face  12  on the opposite side of access opening  17  such that when closure flap  18  is moved from the open position shown in FIG. 3 to the closed position shown in FIG. 2, loop fasteners  19  attach to hook fasteners  20  to close over access opening  17  and prevent the removal of inner bladder  6 . 
     Outer covering  8  is somewhat larger to permit inner bladder  6  to expand when air is introduced thereto through air inlet port  10 . While in a preferred embodiment, outer covering  8  and inner bladder  6  are separate components, the invention could be included as a one piece construction whereby outer covering  8  and inner bladder  6  are integrally connected, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     In accordance with one of the main features of the present invention, and referring more particularly to FIG. 5, and as discussed hereinabove, inner bladder  6  is a thin walled airtight enclosure manufactured of a resilient elastic material. Air inlet port  10  is attached to inner bladder  6  such that air can flow through air inlet port  10  and into inner bladder  6  without obstruction. In the preferred embodiment, air inlet port  10  is a commercially available valve stem containing a valve having a spring loaded button which, when depressed, opens a passage through which air can flow into inner bladder  6 . An air hose connector  25 , attaches to air inlet port  10  by operation of a lever  26  which causes force to be applied radially inwardly against inlet port  10  forming an airtight seal. Operation of lever  26  removably attaches air hose connector  25  to air inlet port  10  and simultaneously depresses the spring loaded button contained within the valve. Air hose connector  25  is attached to a compressed air source  28  through a hose  29 . Air is thus permitted to pass from compressed air source  28  through hose  29  into air hose connector  25  through air inlet port  10  and into inner bladder  6  thereby causing inner bladder  6  to expand from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG.  7 . 
     Air hose  29  includes a first end  30  attached to air hose connector  25  as discussed hereinabove and a second end  31  attached to compressed air source  28 . Intermediate first end  30  and second end  31  is a lever operated air supply valve  32 . When lever operated air supply valve  32  is operated by depressing an attached lever  33 , air is permitted to pass from compressed air source  28  through hose  29  and into air bladder  3 . 
     In accordance with another feature of the present invention, a three-way threaded block  35  is positioned intermediate air supply valve  32  and first end  30 . More particularly, three-way threaded block  35  includes a first aperture  40  which is connected to air supply valve  32  via air hose  29  and a second aperture  41  which is attached to air hose connector  25  via air hose  29 . Additionally, three-way block  35  also provides a third aperture  42  for receiving a spring loaded air release button  43  formed with a plurality of holes  44  therein. When spring loaded air release button  43  is in the relaxed position such as shown in FIG. 7, air passes directly from air supply valve  32  through first aperture  40  and second aperture  41  and into air hose connector  25 . However, if air release button  43  is depressed such as shown in FIG. 8, air travels out of inner bladder  6  through hose  29  and out of holes  44  as is described in more detail hereinbelow. 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 6, air bladder  3  is positioned intermediate strut  45  and tire wheel assembly  46 . Tire wheel assembly  46  is attached to strut  45  via a lower bolt  47  and an upper bolt  48 . When air bladder  3  is positioned between strut  45  and tire wheel assembly  46 , it is attached via an air hose  29  to compressed air source  28  as described hereinabove. 
     In operation, air bladder  3  is positioned in the space between strut  45  and tire wheel assembly  46 . Lower bolt  47  and upper bolt  48  are then loosened to allow pivoting motion of tire wheel assembly  46  about upper bolt  48 . When air bladder  3  of pneumatic wheel camber adjusting device  1  is appropriately positioned, lever  33  of air supply valve  32  is depressed as indicated by arrow A in FIG.  7 . Air then travels through hose  29  into air hose connector  25  through air inlet port  10  and into inner bladder  6  such that inner bladder  6  expands and moves tire wheel assembly  46  in the direction of arrow B. After inner bladder  6  is expanded to the position shown in FIG. 7, lever  33  of air supply valve  32  is released. Air release button  43  is mounted in three-way block  35  is then depressed to permit air to travel back out of inner bladder  6  through hose  29  and through exit holes  44  adjacent air release button  43 . As air release button  43  is depressed, air will exit inner bladder  6  allowing tire wheel assembly  46  to move in the direction of arrow D and compress inner bladder  6 . Once the technician has located the correct camber for tire wheel assembly  46  by releasing air from inner bladder  6  and allowing air bladder  3  to collapse, air release button  43  is released such that the air remaining within inner bladder  6  is retained therein and the position of tire wheel assembly  46  is accurately maintained. Thereafter, both lower bolt  47  and upper bolt  48  are tightened, and the remaining air is released from inner bladder  6  via the activation of air release button  43  and the unit is removed from intermediate strut  45  and tire wheel assembly  46 . It should be understood that the insertion of air into inner bladder  6  via air supply valve  32  and the release of air from inner bladder  6  via the operation of air release button  43  mounted within three-way block  35  may be automated without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Additionally, three-way block  35  or inner bladder  6  may include a pressure release mechanism which prevents inner bladder  6  from being over inflated via the operation of air supply valve  32  such that, when the pressure within inner bladder  6  reaches a predetermined level, air is released to reduce the pressure and prevent damage to air bladder  3 . 
     A second embodiment of the present invention is disclosed wherein closure flap  18  and hook and loop fasteners  19  and  20  are replaced by a single zipper  50  shown more particularly in FIG.  9 . Zipper  50  is attached to lower face  12  and may be moved between an open and a closed position to allow for ingress and egress of inner bladder  6 . 
     Accordingly, the improved pneumatic wheel camber adjusting device provides a tool which accurately operates to position the wheel to set correct camber, and which permits the operator to operate the wheel camber adjusting device from a remote location adjacent the computer such that the operator need not move continually between the wheel and the computer utilized for setting wheel camber. 
     Accordingly, the improved pneumatic device for adjusting wheel camber is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art. 
     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
     Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. 
     Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved pneumatic device for adjusting wheel camber is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, are set forth in the appended Claims.