Abstract:
A mounting system for mounting an alignment instrument onto a vehicular wheel which is to be used to align the wheel of the vehicle. The mounting system includes a mounting plate which has an engagement structure located directly adjacent the peripheral edge of the mounting plate. At least a pair of the lug nuts, and preferably three in number of the lug nuts, of the vehicular wheel are to be removed and replaced with elongated internally threaded sleeves, all the same length, which are substantially longer in length than the lug nuts so that the mounting plate will be mounted in a spaced relationship from the vehicular wheel. The mounting plate includes at least five in number of elongated holes generally radially disposed in a spaced apart arrangement relative to the center of the mounting plate. A fastener assembly is used to fixedly mount the mounting plate onto the elongated internally threaded sleeves. The alignment instrument is then to be clamped onto the mounting plate by engaging with the engagement structure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The field of this invention relates to a system for mounting of an alignment instrument precisely on a vehicular wheel in order to align that wheel where the alignment instrument does not in and of itself touch the vehicular wheel and the mounting system can be utilized with any known lug bolt pattern on which the vehicle wheel is mounted. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The subject matter of the present invention is deemed to be an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,389 which is owned by the present inventor. Proper alignment of vehicle wheels is necessary for smooth vibration-free handling of the vehicle and also so the vehicle doesn&#39;t have a tendency to drift one way or another on the road. Also, proper alignment of vehicle wheels is a necessary component for even tire wear. To accomplish vehicular alignment, it is necessary to establish the position of certain measurements in conjunction with each vehicle wheel. These measurements are camber, caster, steering axis, inclination and toe. 
   Typical present day alignment instruments utilize placing a separate vehicular instrument (sensor) on each vehicular wheel. Each instrument has an emitter and a receiver. The emitter emits a signal which is transmitted to a receiver of another alignment instrument. The receiver will convert the signal into a value which is indicative of the corresponding alignment angle of the vehicle. This information can be used by the mechanic to adjust the aforementioned measurements in order to achieve the correct and necessary alignment for a vehicular wheel. 
   Alignment instruments that are in present day usage are normally mounted onto the entire rim of the vehicular wheel. Tire rims sometimes may be damaged and may be slightly out of round or slightly inclined relative to the wheel hub. Such damage frequently occurs by the tire and the rim coming into hard contact with an uneven roadway, such as a chuckhole or a curb. Using of the alignment instrument in conjunction with the tire rim does not achieve an accurate alignment because the rim itself is not correctly aligned relative to the wheel hub on which it is mounted. 
   Additionally, a great many tire rims are designed to be ornate and have a highly polished chrome surface. Mounting of an alignment instrument on such a vehicular rim frequently causes scratching or denting of the rim. Vehicle owners of such rims take great pride in the appearance of these rims. When a vehicle owner has left his vehicle with a mechanic or tire shop, and when he or she comes back to pick up his or her vehicle finds scratches or dents on the rims, almost invariably the vehicle owner will insist upon replacement, not repair, of these rims. Replacement of each rim can run several hundred dollars in cost to the mechanic or tire shop. 
   Additionally, most tire rims, in years past, have been manufactured with an annular raised lip located directly adjacent the peripheral edge of the tire rim. The alignment instruments have been constructed to utilize that annular raised lip to mount the instrument onto the tire rim. Currently, some tire rims no longer are being manufactured with this annular raised lip. Therefore, there is no known way to mount the alignment instrument onto the tire rim. The result is the mechanic doing the alignment just does a lot of “fudging” or “speculating” and guesses at what he or she hopes will be a correct alignment. The result is the alignment is of poor quality and properly handling of the vehicle is not obtained. Uneven tire wear is also obtained. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The basic embodiment of mounting system adapted to mount an alignment instrument on a vehicle wheel which is fixedly mounted on a wheel hub assembly by a series of spaced apart lug bolts that protrude outward from the wheel hub assembly. The mounting system includes a mounting plate with this mounting plate having a peripheral edge and an engagement means located directly adjacent the peripheral edge. A spacing means for fixedly mounting of the mounting plate is utilized in a spaced position from the vehicular wheel. A fastener assembly is secured to the spacing means. The fastener assembly securely mounts the mounting plate on the vehicular wheel. The mounting plate having at least five in number of elongated holes located in a specific spaced apart pattern arrangement. Each elongated hole is to be able to connect with a lug bolt with there being at least two in number of the lug bolts each connecting with a said elongated hole. The alignment instrument is adapted to be clamped onto the mounting plate by engaging with the engagement means. 
   A further embodiment of the present invention is where the basic embodiment is modified by the elongated holes having a longitudinal dimension which is longer in length than its transverse dimension and where two of these elongated holes are positioned so that their longitudinal dimensions are horizontal. 
   A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by having the longitudinal dimension of two of the elongated holes being located vertically. 
   A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by there being at least three holes having their longitudinal dimension being positioned angularly to both horizontal and vertical. 
   A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by there being an angularly positioned elongated hole located between a horizontally located hole and a vertically oriented elongated hole. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view showing the vehicular wheel and an alignment instrument and the structure of the present invention being mounted in conjunction with the vehicular wheel which is then to be used for mounting of the alignment instrument; 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view showing the alignment instrument mounted on the mounting plate of the present invention which is also mounted in conjunction with the vehicular wheel; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken between the alignment instrument and the mounting plate of the structure of the present invention showing more clearly how the mounting plate is mounted in conjunction with the vehicular wheel when there is a five in number of lug bolt pattern; 
       FIG. 4  is a transverse cross-sectional view through the vehicular wheel and mounting plate of the present invention taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a view of the mounting plate incorporated within the mounting system of the present invention showing which lug bolts could be utilized in order to mount the mounting plate when there is a four in number of pattern of lug bolts or eight in number of pattern of lug bolts; 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  but showing which lug bolts are utilized when the lug bolt pattern is five in number, as shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  but where the lug bolt pattern is six in number. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  a conventional alignment instrument which is generally referred to as an aligning sensing head  10 . The specific construction of the sensing head  10  does not constitute any specific part of this invention but is deemed to be prior art. The sensing head  10  includes a housing  16 . Housing  16  is slidably mounted on a pair of parallel spaced apart rods  12  and  14 . The housing  16  has two in number of fingers  18  mounted thereon. Each of the fingers  18  comprise small protruding rods that are located parallel to each other. The housing  16  is slidably mounted on the rods  12  and  14 . The rods  12  and  14  are fixedly secured to a crossbar  20 . Mounted on the crossbar  20  and located equidistantly spaced from each of the rods  12  and  14  is another finger  22 . The purpose of the fingers  18  and  22  will be explained further on in the specification. 
   Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a vehicular tire  24  which is mounted on a tire rim  30  which is located between a front rim flange  26  and an aft rear flange, not shown. The rim flange  26  as well as the not shown rim flange are integrally constructed to a disc  28  which is commonly constructed into an ornate configuration. Mounted in conjunction with the disc  28  are a plurality of equiangularly spaced apart lug bolt holes  32 . Each lug bolt hole  32  is to have mounted therein a lug bolt, which is not shown, which is utilized in a conventional manner to fixedly secure the disc  28  onto a wheel hub (not shown) for the vehicle. These lug bolts are precisely mounted relative to the wheel hub. The center point of these arranged lug bolts is identical to the center of the wheel hub. It is to be understood that in a typical vehicle there will be four such wheel hubs, two front and two rear. The present invention is only concerned with the two wheel hubs that are located at the front portion of the vehicle where the steering of the vehicle takes place. It is these wheel hubs that are necessary to be aligned according to camber, caster, steering axis inclination and toe in order for the tire  24  to wear evenly as it is being driven on the road. 
   Some wheel hubs have four in number of lug bolts while other have five in number, still others have six in numbers and still others have eight in number. In referring particularly to  FIG. 3  of the present invention, there is depicted an arrangement where there are five in number of lug bolts with a left side lug bolt hole  32  being shown in phantom and a right side lug bolt hole  32  being shown in phantom. Lug bolts are being used to fixedly mount the tire  24 , tire rim  30  and disc  28  onto the wheel hub. Three in number of the lug bolts are removed and are replaced with a spacer in the form of an internally threaded sleeve  48 . It is to be understood that there are three in number of the sleeves  48  all the same length which is arbitrarily selected. Each sleeve  48  has a protruding threaded fastener defined as an upper lug bolt  38  and protruded fasteners of sleeves  48  defined as lower lug bolts  40  and  42 . The result is that the three different sleeves  48  produce an outwardly spaced attachment area on which is to be located a mounting plate  50 . The mounting plate  50  has a pair of vertically oriented elongated holes  52  and  54  which are formed in the plate  50  so that the longitudinal dimension of the holes  52  and  54  are in alignment with this longitudinal dimension passing through center point  56  of the mounting plate  50 . The longitudinal dimension of holes  52  and  54  coincides with vertical axis  53 . The center point  56  is to be precisely aligned with the center  58  of the disc  28 . 
   Formed within the mounting plate  50  and angularly spaced about thirty-six degrees from elongated hole  54  is an elongated hole  60  on one side of the elongated hole  54  and on the opposite side of the elongated hole  54  is another elongated hole  62 . The longitudinal dimension of the elongated holes  60  and  62  may be radial relative to the center point  56  or could be slightly positioned not quite radial. Actually, it has been discovered that it is best to locate the holes  60  and  62  slightly skewed from radial. Their longitudinal dimension intersect axis  53  spaced from center point  56  about five sixteenths of an inch in a direction toward elongated hole  54 . This particular arrangement seems to work best for the greatest number of different lug bolt series as such are known to vary slightly. The length of the elongated holes  60  and  62  are generally the same which is also the same as the length of the holes  52  and  54 . However, the length of the holes  52 ,  54 ,  60  and  62  could vary without departing from the scope of this invention. Lower lug bolt  40  connects with the elongated hole  60 . Lower lug bolt hole  42  connects with the hole  62 . Upper lug bolt  38  connects with the hole  52 . An appropriate nut and washer  64  and  66  respectively is to be mounted on each of the lug bolts  38 ,  40  and  42  and appropriately tightened which will now fix the mounting plate  50  in a parallel position relative to the rotational plane through the vehicular tire  24 . The result is a plane passing directly through the outer edge of the tire rim flange  26  will be located parallel to the plane of the mounting plate  50 . 
   The outer surface of the mounting plate  50  includes an annular groove  68 . This annular groove  68  is located directly adjacent the peripheral edge  70  of the mounting plate  50 . The fingers  18  and  22  are to be located in conjunction with the annular groove  68  which comprises an enlarged means. An appropriate mechanism included in conjunction with the alignment instrument  10  is then to be operated which will cause the fingers  18  and  22  to be forced outwardly against the outer edge of the annular groove  68  securely mounting the alignment instrument  10  onto the mounting plate  50 . There is to be included in conjunction with the alignment instrument  10  a window  72  through which the center point  56  can be observed. This can function as a double check system to make sure that the alignment instrument  10  is centrally mounted relative to the mounting plate  50 . The alignment instrument  10  can now be used in a conventional manner to align the position of the mounting plate  50 , and since the mounting plate  50  is mounted precisely to the rotational plane of the tire  24 , the user knows that when the mounting plate  50  is correctly aligned so also will be the vehicular wheel which comprises the tire  24 . Within some vehicles, there are different lug bolt patterns other than the five lug bolt pattern shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . Included within the mounting plate  50  are a pair of horizontally oriented elongated holes  74  and  76  and an angularly located elongated hole  78 . If the lug bolt pattern is either four or eight in number of lug bolts, three in number of the sleeves  48  can be substituted for three in number of the lug bolts, such as for example for holes  52  and  54  and for hole  74  although hole  76  could be used instead of hole  74 . Holes  74  and  76  have their longitudinal dimension aligned with horizontal axis  75  which is perpendicular to axis  53 . In any event, holes  52 ,  54 ,  74  and  76  are available for usage when the lug bolt pattern is either four or eight in number. As previously discussed, when there are five in number of lug bolts, the elongated holes  52 ,  60  and  62  are used. When there are six in number of lug bolts in a lug bolt pattern, which is shown in  FIG. 7 , elongated holes  52 ,  54  and  78  are utilized. Longitudinal dimension of hole  78  is located at a sixty degree angle from axis  53 . Longitudinal dimension of hole  78  is substantially radial from center point  56 . Providing a three point mounting using three of the sleeves  48  insures precise parallel mounting of the mounting plate  50  for all lug bolt patterns. 
   When observing of the disc  28 , it can be seen that there is really no place for mounting of the alignment instrument  10  as there is no annular groove, such as groove  68 . By utilizing of the mounting plate  50  of this invention, a convenient place for mounting of the alignment instrument  10  is provided. 
   Inscribed alongside of each of the elongated holes  52  and  54  are a series of graduation lines  80 . The use of the graduation lines  80  adjacent a particular elongated hole  52 ,  54 ,  60 ,  62  and  78  may be used by the mechanic to facilitate central mounting of the mounting plate  50  relative to the disc  28 . The graduation lines  80  are positioned so that there are the same number of lines to the inner side of each nut  64  which will then mean that the mounting plate  50  is centrally mounted and the nut  64  can then be tightened. 
   The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention. 
   Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of any apparatus embodiment, a method embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.