JPH0463331B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is used to check the operation of a vehicle's brake system, to limit the differential between left and right wheels, and to limit the differential between the front and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle. The present invention relates to a vehicle braking/drive system function confirmation device that is capable of confirming the operation of a differential limiting device and, in a four-wheel drive vehicle, confirming the propriety of drive transmission to the front and rear wheels.

(Prior art) Brake testers have been known as a means of checking the function of a vehicle's braking system [New Edition: Automotive Engineering Handbook, No. 13, published in 1981 (8th edition)]
−Refer to page 77 Publisher: Tosho Publishing Co., Ltd.]

The brake tester includes a roller that supports a wheel, a driving means for applying a driving force to the roller, and a braking force sensor that is provided between the driving means and the roller and detects the braking force applied to the roller. , when a wheel is placed on the roller, the driving means rotates the roller, and the brake device is activated while the wheel is rotating, the braking force generated on the roller is detected by the braking force sensor, and the braking force is determined as specified. Passage or failure was judged based on whether or not the value exceeded the value.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Incidentally, in recent years, vehicles equipped with differential limiting devices that limit differential differential between left and right wheels, and four-wheel drive vehicles (hereinafter referred to as
Four-wheel drive vehicles (referred to as 4WD vehicles) are manufactured, and four-wheel drive vehicles are also manufactured that are equipped with a differential limiting device that limits the differential movement between the front and rear wheels.

However, until now, only a brake tester has been known as a device to check the function of the braking/drive system, and this device can only check the function of the brake system, and it is not possible to check the function of the differential limiting device of the vehicle as described above. It was not possible to confirm whether or not the driving force transmission in the 4WD vehicle was being performed normally.

Therefore, conventionally, when checking whether four-wheel drive is being performed normally, the first step is to suspend the vehicle in the air, lift the four wheels off the ground, and then turn the propeller shaft by hand. At that time, a method was used to visually check whether the front and rear wheels were rotating, but with this method,
This required time and effort.

As described above, since it is difficult to confirm the function of the differential limiting device after the vehicle has been manufactured, a guarantee method has been adopted in which the function is confirmed in the state of the parts.

The present invention solves these problems and makes it possible to easily check the functions of braking/drive systems such as brake devices, drive transmission systems, and differentials of 4WD vehicles in a short period of time using a single device. The purpose is to provide a vehicle braking/drive system function confirmation device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following features:
A brake tester is disposed corresponding to the four wheels of the vehicle, and the brake tester includes a roller that supports the wheel, a drive means that provides driving force to the roller, and a drive means that is provided between the drive means and the roller to detect the roller. Equipped with a braking/driving force sensor that detects driving force and braking force,
One of the rollers that supports the front wheels and the roller that supports the rear wheels is provided with rotation detection means for detecting rotation of the roller, and input means that includes the braking/driving force sensor and the rotation detection means. a brake system function determination section that determines whether the vehicle's brake system is operating properly based on input signals from the vehicle; a differential limiting device function determining section that determines whether the vehicle's differential limiting device is operating properly; and a drive system determination unit that determines the quality of the drive transmission system to the four wheels of the drive vehicle, and a function determination unit that outputs the determination result to a display unit. The differential limiting device function determination section determines that the detected braking force is normal if the detected braking force is greater than a predetermined value when the brake device is operated while the brake is rotated, and is abnormal if it is less than the predetermined value. The function determining unit is a function determining unit that determines based on the driving force of the other roller or the braking force of one roller when the roller supporting one of the wheels whose operation is restricted by the differential limiting device is rotated. When one of the rollers supporting the front wheels and the rollers supporting the rear wheels is rotated, the drive system determination unit determines that the drive system is normal if rotation of the other roller is detected by the rotation detection means. However, if rotation is not detected, it is determined that there is an abnormality.

(Operation) The operation of the vehicle braking/drive system function confirmation device of the present invention will be explained.

First, the vehicle is arranged so that each wheel of the vehicle is supported by each roller.

When checking the function of the vehicle's brake system, first, each roller is rotated by the driving means, and then the vehicle's brake system is operated.

At this time, if the brake device is normal, a braking force corresponding to the operation of the brake device is generated between the drive means and the roller.

Therefore, based on the braking force detected by the braking/driving force sensor at this time, the brake device function determining unit of the function determining unit determines that the braking force is normal if the braking force is equal to or greater than the specified value. , if it is less than the specified value, it is determined that there is an abnormality. Then, a signal indicating the determination result is output to the display means, and the determination result is displayed.

Next, if you want to check the functionality of your differential limiter,
First, a roller supporting one of the wheels whose differential is limited by the differential limiting device is rotated.

That is, when checking the function of the differential limiting device installed in the normal left and right wheel differential, for example,
The rollers supporting one of the left and right wheels are rotated by a driving means, and the differential limiting device installed in the differential (center differential) between the front and rear wheels (axles) of a 4WD vehicle is rotated. When checking the function, one of the rollers supporting the front wheels and the rollers supporting the rear wheels is rotated by the driving means.

At this time, if the differential limiting device is operating normally, a driving force will be generated on the other roller (the one that is not being rotated by the driving means), and if a load is applied to this other roller, Braking force is generated on one roller.

Therefore, the differential limiting device function determining section of the function determining means receives input signals from the braking/driving force sensor provided on the rotating roller and the braking/driving force sensor of the roller that is not rotating. When a load is applied to the other roller as described above based on the input signal of Sometimes, it is determined that the differential limiting device is operating normally, and when the above braking force cannot be obtained, it is determined that there is an abnormality. Then, a signal indicating the determination result is output to the display means to display the determination result.

Next, in the drive system of a 4WD vehicle, when determining whether drive is being transmitted normally to the four wheels, first, either the rollers that support the front wheels or the rollers that support the rear wheels are driven by the drive means. Rotate.

The rotation of this roller causes the wheels supported by this roller to rotate. When there is no abnormality in the drive transmission system, the rotation of this wheel is transmitted to the other wheel and rotates (for example, when the front wheel rotates, the rear wheel also rotates), and the rollers that support this other wheel also rotate. Start.

Therefore, the drive system determination section of the function determination means determines that the rotation is normal if rotation is detected based on the signal from the rotation detection means provided on the roller that is not being rotated by the drive means, and the rotation is determined to be normal. If not detected, it is determined that there is an abnormality. Then, a signal indicating the determination result is output to the display means to display the determination result.

Note that a braking/driving force sensor can also serve as the rotation detecting means. That is, the fact that the driving force is detected by the braking/driving force sensor means that the roller is rotating.

(Example) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of the embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing a vehicle braking/drive system function confirmation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, 11, 12, 13, and 14 indicate first to fourth brake testers. Each brake tester 11 to 14 has a roller device 15.
, lifter 16, motor 17, and braking/driving force sensor 1
8.

The roller devices 15 each include a front roller 151 and a rear roller 152, and both rollers 151 and 152 are installed to support the wheel so that the center of the wheel is located between them. This roller device 15 is used for four-wheel FRW of a vehicle.
2 left and right, front and back, corresponding to the position of FLW.RRW.RLW
They are placed one after another.

Both rollers 151 of each roller device 15,
A lifter 16 is provided between the lifters 152 and 152, which is moved up and down by a lifting device (not shown). That is, by moving the lifter 16 up and down, each wheel FRW.FLW.RRW.
The RLW is supported by the roller device 15,
It can be lifted from the roller device 15 and supported by the lifter 16.

The rear roller 152 of the roller device 15 includes
A motor 17 that rotates this rear roller 152 is connected. That is, the rotation shaft 153 of the rear roller 152 is extended, and the drive shaft 171 is parallel to the rotation shaft 153 so that the motor 17
A belt 172 for transmitting driving force is stretched between the ends of the drive shaft 171 and the rotating shaft 153. Note that 101 in the figure indicates a bearing.

Each drive shaft 171 is provided with a braking/driving force sensor 18 that detects braking force and driving force and outputs a braking/driving force signal fs.
Note that this braking/driving force sensor 18 is connected to the drive shaft 171.
A structure is used in which the braking force and driving force are detected by the torsion between the motor 17 side and the roller device 15 side.

In addition, the first and second brake testers 11 and 12
The rotation shafts 153 of the rear rollers 152 are connected to rotation sensors 3 disposed between the shafts 153, 153, respectively. This rotation sensor 3 detects the rotation of both shafts 153, 153 and sends a rotation signal ks.
This outputs the following.

Furthermore, this first and second brake tester 1
A clutch 4 is provided in the middle of each of the rotation shafts 153, 153, and 153, and the rear roller 15 is tightened and released by the clutch 4.
2 and the motor 17 can be connected or disconnected.

The motor 17, clutch 4, braking/driving force sensor 18, and rotation sensor 3 are connected to a controller 5. This controller 5 outputs a control signal ss for controlling the drive of the motor 17 and the operation of the clutch 4, and also controls the speed of the vehicle S based on the braking/driving force signal fs and the rotation signal ks from both sensors 2 and 3. The quality of the brake equipment (not shown)
It determines the quality of the drive system of a 4WD vehicle and the quality of the differential limiting device, and outputs the determination results as a display signal hs.

The controller 5 is provided within an operation/display panel 6 shown in FIG. This operation/display panel 6
is used to display the judgment results of the controller 5 and operate the embodiment device, and as shown in the figure, this operation/display panel 6 includes a first display lamp as a display means for displaying the judgment results of the brake system. 61 and
A second display lamp 62 for displaying the determination result of the drive system of the 4WD vehicle and a third lamp 63 for displaying the determination result of the differential limiting device are provided. Further, the operation/display panel 6 is provided with buttons and the like for operation.

The first to third display lamps 61 to 63 include red lamps 611, 621, and 631, respectively.
and blue lamps 612, 622, and 632 are provided, and lighting of the red lamps 611 to 631 indicates an abnormality, and lighting of the blue lamps 612 to 632 indicates normality.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be explained.

In order to determine each function of the vehicle S, first, the vehicle S
As shown by the imaginary line in Figure 1, each wheel FRW.
FLW.RRW.RLW is each brake tester 11 to 14
and move it so that it is placed on the roller device 15 of. In this state, the vehicle S is initially moved to the lifter 16.
Then, by lowering the lifter 16, each wheel FRW, FLW, RRW, RLW becomes supported by each roller device 15.

In this state, the quality of the brake device, drive system, and differential limiting device is determined.

First, the determination of whether the function of the brake device is good or bad will be explained, but since this is conventional, the explanation will be brief.

With the clutch 4 engaged, each motor 17
, and then the brake system of the vehicle S is activated. Then, the wheels FRW.FLW.RRW.RLW
The braking force generated is transferred from the rear roller 152 to the motor 1.
7.

Therefore, in the controller 5, the braking force generated at that time is detected by the braking/driving force sensor 18, and if this braking force is equal to or greater than the specified value, it is determined that the brake system is normal, and the first indicator lamp 61 is turned on. Turn on the blue lamp 612, and if it is below the standard,
It is determined that the lamp is defective, and the red lamp 611 of the first lamp 61 is turned on.

Next, the drive system and front and rear wheels (axles) of 4WD vehicles.
A case of determining whether or not the function of the differential limiting device in the differential center differential provided between FRW, FLW, RRW, and RLW is determined will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the controller 5 outputs a control signal ss to the clutch 4 to release the engagement of the clutch 4 (step s1). Next, a control signal ss for driving the motor 17 of the third and fourth brake testers 13 and 14 is outputted (step s2).

This causes the rear roller 152 to rotate, thereby rotating the rear wheel RRW.RLW of the vehicle.
If the drive system of this 4WD vehicle is normal, the rotation of the rear wheels RRW.RLW causes the front wheels FRW.
Since FLW is also rotated, the roller device 15 that supports this front wheel FRW.FLW is also rotated.

Therefore, in step s3, the controller 5 reads the braking/driving force signal fs from each braking/driving force sensor 18 and the rotation signal ks from the rotation sensor 3, and
Furthermore, in step s4, the rotation signal ks is applied to the roller devices 1 of the first and second brake testers 11 and 12.
If it is rotating, the process proceeds to step s5, and the blue lamp 622 of the second indicator lamp 62 is lit to indicate that the drive system is normal. If it is not rotating, the process proceeds to step s6, where the red lamp 621 of the second indicator lamp 62 is turned on to indicate that the drive system is abnormal.

Next, in step s7, a control signal ss for engaging the clutch 4 is outputted to the clutch 4.
When the clutch 4 is thus fastened, the first and second brake testers 11 and 12 detect that the belt 172
The motor 17 that is not rotating is applied as a load to the roller device 15, and the front wheel
Braking force is added to FRW.FLW, and the front wheel FRW.
The rotation speed of FLW decreases, and the front wheel FRW.FLW and rear wheel
There is a difference in rotation speed between RRW and RLW.

At this time, if the differential limiting device is normal, the rear wheels
Braking force is generated in RRW.RLW.

Therefore, in step s8, the controller 5 detects the braking/driving force sensor 18 after the clutch 4 is engaged.
In step s9, the braking/driving force signal fs read in the past is compared with the current braking/driving force signal, and the third and fourth brake testers 13, 14, and if an increase in driving force is detected, the process proceeds to step s10, where it is determined that the differential limiting device is functioning normally, and the third indicator lamp 63 is turned on.
The blue lamp 612 is turned on to indicate this fact. If no increase in braking force is detected, the process proceeds to step s11, and the red light 6 of the third indicator lamp 63 indicates that the differential limiting device function is abnormal.
31 is turned on to indicate that.

As described above, it is possible to check the functioning of the brake device, the drive system of a 4WD vehicle, and the differential limiting device using one device.

Next, a second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 will be described. The difference between this second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the first roller device 11 and the second roller device 12 are not provided with the rotation sensor 3 and the clutch 4. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The operation of function determination by this second embodiment device will be explained with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6.

In addition, the function will be confirmed using this second embodiment device.
The 4WD vehicle is assumed to be equipped with a center differential having a viscous clutch type differential limiting function and a viscous clutch type differential limiting device between the left and right wheels.

First, a control signal ss for driving the motor 17 of the third and fourth brake testers 13 and 14 is outputted (step s21).

As a result, the rear roller 152 is rotated and the rear wheel RRW.RLW of the vehicle is also rotated. still,
At this time, the rotation of the motor 17 is the rotation of the rear wheel RRW.
This is done so that the RLW is rotated at a speed of approximately 5 km/h in terms of vehicle speed.

If the drive system of this 4WD vehicle is normal, the front wheel FRW.FLW will also rotate as the rear wheel RRW.RLW rotates, thereby causing the front wheel to rotate.
The roller devices 15 of the first and second brake testers 11 and 12 that support the FRW.FLW will also be rotated.

Therefore, in step s22, the controller 5 reads the braking/driving force signal fs from the braking/driving force sensor 18 of the first and second brake testers 11, 12, and in step s23, the braking/driving force signal fs is read.
If the driving force is detected by the driving force signal fs, the process proceeds to step s24, where a second signal is sent to indicate that the drive system is normal.
The blue lamp 622 of the display lamp 62 is turned on to display the information. If no driving force is detected by the braking/driving force sensor 18, the process proceeds to step s25.
The red lamp 621 of the second indicator lamp 62 is turned on to indicate that the drive system is abnormal.

Furthermore, in this state, if the viscous clutch type center differential (not shown) is operating normally, the load from the front wheel FRW.FLW side (motor 1
7, belt 172, etc.), the rear wheel RRW.
A braking force greater than a predetermined value is generated in the RLW.

Therefore, in step s26, the controller 5 compares whether the braking forces detected by the braking/driving force sensors 18 of the third and fourth brake testers 13 and 14 are at least a predetermined value, and determines whether the braking forces are at least a predetermined value. If so, the process proceeds to step s27, where it is determined that the center differential differential limiting function is working normally, and the blue lamp 612 of the third display lamp 63 is turned on to indicate this fact. If the braking force has not reached the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step s28, where the differential limiting function is determined to be abnormal and the red lamp 631 of the third indicator lamp 63 is turned on to indicate this fact.

In addition, when checking the function of the differential limiting device between the front wheels FRW and FLW, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. Rotate at a rotation speed equivalent to a vehicle speed of 5 km/h. Then, when the differential limiting device is normal, the second brake tester 12 generates a driving force of a predetermined value or more.

Therefore, in step s32, it is compared whether the driving force detected by the braking/driving force sensor 18 of the second brake tester 12 is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and if it is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step s33 and the third The blue lamp 632 of the display lamp 63 is turned on to indicate that it is functioning normally. If it is less than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step s34 and the red lamp 631 of the third display lamp 63 is turned on to indicate that it is not functioning normally.

As described above, in the second embodiment as well, it is possible to check the functioning of the brake device, the drive system of a 4WD vehicle, and the differential limiting device using a single device.
In addition, in this second embodiment, the mechanical components are constructed using only the existing brake tester, so manufacturing is easy since there are few changes from the conventional device, and the structure is also simple. have.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the control and control of the vehicle of the present invention
For drive system function confirmation devices, brake devices and
The effect is that functions of braking and drive systems such as the drive transmission system and differential of a 4WD vehicle can be easily checked in a short period of time using a single device.

Moreover, since the device of the present invention is configured using an existing brake tester, it is easy to manufacture.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing the vehicle braking/drive system function confirmation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the main parts of the device of the embodiment; FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the device of the first embodiment;
The figure is an overall view showing the vehicle braking/drive system function confirmation device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are the second embodiment.
It is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the example device. 3... Rotation sensor (rotation detection means), 5... Controller (function determining means), 11... First brake tester, 12... Second brake tester, 13
... third brake tester, 14 ... fourth brake tester, 15 ... roller device, 17 ... motor (driving means), 18 ... braking/driving force sensor (second embodiment rotation detection means).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A brake tester is disposed corresponding to four wheels of a vehicle, and the brake tester includes a roller that supports the wheel, a drive means that applies a driving force to the roller, and a drive means and the roller. A braking/driving force sensor is provided between the rollers and detects the driving force and braking force of the roller, and one of the rollers that supports the front wheels and the roller that supports the rear wheels is provided with a braking/driving force sensor that detects the driving force and braking force of the roller. A brake system function determining unit is provided with a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation, and a brake system function determination unit that determines whether the brake system of the vehicle is operating properly based on input signals from the input means including the braking/driving force sensor and the rotation detection means; A differential limiting device function determining unit that determines whether the differential limiting device operates properly, and a drive system determining unit that determines the quality of the drive transmission system to the four wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle, and the determination result. function determining means is provided for outputting the value to the display means, and the brake device function determining section determines that the braking force is normal if the detected braking force when the brake device is operated with each roller rotating is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. , a function determining unit that determines that it is abnormal if the differential is below a predetermined value, and the differential limiting device function determining unit rotates a roller that supports one of the wheels whose operation is restricted by the differential limiting device. The drive system determining unit determines whether one of the rollers supporting the front wheel and the roller supporting the rear wheel The vehicle is characterized in that the function determining unit determines that the other roller is normal when the rotation of the other roller is detected by the rotation detecting means, and that the other roller is abnormal when the rotation is not detected. Brake/drive system function confirmation device.