Device and a method for checking an attitude of a vehicle

1. A device for checking an attitude of a vehicle ( 100 ), provided with wheels ( 102 ), comprising at least one measuring instrument ( 3 ) for measuring at least one characteristic attitude parameter, said at least one characteristic attitude parameter comprising at least characteristic angles of the wheels ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ), said measuring instrument ( 3 ) comprising at least one video camera ( 30 ) which can capture images of at least a portion of the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured, wherein the measuring instrument ( 3 ) is installed on board a self-propelled unit ( 2 ) which can move autonomously on the ground, in such a way as to be capable of following variable trajectories, the device further comprising first guiding means associated with the measuring instrument ( 3 ) which move the measuring instrument ( 3 ) in a vertical direction on board the self-propelled unit ( 2 ), thus varying the height of the measuring instrument ( 3 ) with respect to the floor, a drive means for vertically moving the measuring instrument ( 3 ), an electronic control unit ( 24 ) for directly controlling the drive means.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the measuring instrument ( 3 ) performs measurements without making any contact with the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a variable optical system associated with the at least one video camera ( 30 ).

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the variable optical system comprises fluid lenses.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the measuring instrument ( 3 ) comprises a pair of video cameras ( 30 ) which can view images of the portion ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ) from different angles.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the measuring instrument ( 3 ) comprises a light projector ( 31 ) which projects at least a luminous target beam onto at least one portion ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the measuring instrument ( 3 ) is associated to second guiding means which make the measuring instrument ( 3 ) rotate about an axis of vertical rotation on board the self-propelled unit ( 2 ).

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of measuring instruments ( 3 ), each of which is installed on board a relative self-propelled unit ( 2 ).

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a central processing unit ( 5 ) connected to the measuring instrument ( 3 ), such as to receive the data relating to the measurements performed on the vehicle ( 100 ) from the measuring instrument ( 3 ).

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) is provided with rechargeable batteries ( 4 ).

11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising a recharging station ( 9 ) which recharges the batteries ( 4 ) of the self-propelled unit ( 2 ).

12. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a spatial location system ( 8 ) which detects a position of the measuring instrument ( 3 ) within an operating space (A).

13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising means to prevent the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) from leaving a predetermined operating space (A).

14. A method for checking the attitude of a vehicle ( 100 ) provided with wheels ( 102 ), comprising the following steps:

installing at least one measuring instrument ( 3 ) for measuring at least one characteristic attitude parameter of the vehicle ( 100 ), said at least one characteristic attitude parameter comprising at least characteristic angles of the wheels ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ), on board a self-propelled unit ( 2 ), said measuring instrument ( 3 ) comprising at least one video camera ( 30 ) configured to capture images of at least a portion ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured, wherein said self-propelled unit ( 2 ) can move autonomously on the ground in such a way as to be capable of following variable trajectories,

guiding movements of the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) by means of an automatic guide system in such a way as to situate the measuring instrument ( 3 ) in at least a working position relative to the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured,

moving the measuring instrument ( 3 ) in a vertical direction, thus varying the height of the measuring instrument ( 3 ) with respect to the floor, using drive means which are directly controlled by an electronic control unit ( 24 ),

capturing images of at least a portion ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ), and

calculating said at least one characteristic attitude parameter of the vehicle ( 100 ), on the basis of images of at least a portion ( 102 ) of the vehicle ( 100 ) captured by said camera ( 30 ).

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of guiding movements of the self-propelled unit includes initially positioning, the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) to be situated in a predetermined intermediate position in the operating space (A), and then finely positioning the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) to be moved from the intermediate position in accordance with a relative position of the vehicle ( 100 ) in the operating space (A), so as to situate the measuring instrument ( 3 ) in the at least one working position relative to the vehicle ( 100 ).

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the initial positioning step includes moving the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) along a predetermined trajectory starting from a known initial position.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fine positioning step includes detecting a position of at least a portion ( 102 ) of a vehicle ( 100 ) relative to a local frame (xyz) of reference associated to the self-propelled unit ( 2 ), and moving the self-propelled unit ( 2 ) in such a way that the portion ( 102 ) assumes a predetermined position within the local frame of reference (xyz).

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the fine positioning step takes place while the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured is immobile.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the fine positioning step takes place while the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured is moving.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising a stage of selecting the part of the vehicle ( 100 ) to be measured.