IP Library Granted Patent US 8,966,962
Granted Patent B2
US 8,966,962 · App. 13/702,916 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Measurement device of position of center of gravity of vehicle to be measured on truck scale and truck scale

Inventors: Takeaki Kamada (Takamatsu, JP); Takashi Tamura (Takamatsu, JP)
Assignee: Kamacho Scale Co., Ltd.
G01M1/122B60P1/045G01G19/021G01G19/02G01M17/007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,966,962
App. No.
13/702,916
Granted
Mar 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

As a measurement table ( 10 ), an object provided with a flat surface ( 11 ) having an area on which all wheels of a vehicle can be mounted at the same time and a front wheel mounting table ( 12 ) which is disposed in front of the flat surface ( 11 ) and is lifted by a step of a predetermined height is used, a wheel position detector ( 8 ) which is capable of detecting a front wheel position and a rear wheel position of a vehicle to be measured is provided, a computation processing device ( 3 ) is provided with anterior-posterior displacement calculation means, an inter-axle distance calculation means ( 21 ), a vehicle inclination calculation means ( 22 ), a front wheel axle load calculation means ( 23 A), a rear wheel axle load calculation means ( 23 B), an anterior-posterior gravity center position calculation means ( 24 ), a storage means ( 32 ), an anterior-posterior gravity center displacement calculation means ( 25 ), and a vehicle gravity center height position calculation means ( 26 ), and from a gravity center displacement which is calculated from anterior-posterior gravity center position information calculated on the flat surface ( 11 ) and anterior-posterior gravity center position information in the state in which front wheels are mounted on the front wheel mounting table ( 12 ) and a vehicle inclination which is calculated by the vehicle inclination calculation means ( 22 ), the position of the height of the center of gravity of the vehicle to be measured is calculated.

Claims (54)

1. An apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to a truck scale including load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) provided individually at around four corners of a measuring table ( 10 ) below a bottom surface thereof, the measuring table ( 10 ) being provided with a flat surface ( 11 ) having a surface area on which all wheels ( 51 A- 51 D) of a vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured can be simultaneously placed and a front wheel platform ( 12 ) located at a position in a frontal part of the flat surface ( 11 ) and raised to a specific height, the truck scale being configured to be able to measure the weight of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured by a central processing unit ( 3 ) on the basis of measurement values fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ),

the apparatus comprising

a wheel position detector ( 8 ) for detecting a front wheel position and a rear wheel position of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that is placed on the measuring table ( 10 );

longitudinal displacement calculation means ( 20 ) for calculating how much the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is displaced frontward or rearward from a reference position along a front/rear direction on the basis of information on the wheel positions detected by the wheel position detector ( 8 ) under conditions where the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 );

longitudinal center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 24 ) for acquiring a front axle load and a rear axle load of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured and calculating a position where the center of gravity (G or G′) of the vehicle is located along the front/rear direction thereof on the basis of the front axle load, the rear axle load and the amount of longitudinal displacement calculated by the longitudinal displacement calculation means ( 20 );

storage means ( 32 ) for storing information on the center of gravity along the front/rear direction calculated by the longitudinal center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 24 );

longitudinal center-of-gravity displacement calculation means ( 25 ) for calculating the amount of displacement (T) of the center of gravity along the front/rear direction by comparing information on the center of gravity along the front/rear direction newly calculated by the longitudinal center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 24 ) under conditions where front wheels ( 51 A, 51 B) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured ride on the front wheel platform ( 12 ) and the information on the center of gravity on the flat surface ( 11 ) stored in the storage means ( 32 ); and

vehicle center-of-gravity height calculation means ( 26 ) for acquiring a longitudinal inclination angle (θ) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured under conditions where the front wheels ( 51 A, 51 B) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured ride on the front wheel platform ( 12 ) and calculating the height (G 1 ) of the center of gravity of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured on the basis of the amount of displacement (T) of the center of gravity along the front/rear direction calculated by the longitudinal center-of-gravity displacement calculation means ( 25 ) and the longitudinal inclination angle (θ).

2. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 1 , further comprising:

inter-axle distance calculation means ( 21 ) for calculating the distance (L) between the front and rear axles from the front wheel position and the rear wheel position detected by the wheel position detector ( 8 );

vehicle inclination angle calculation means ( 22 ) for calculating the longitudinal inclination angle (θ) from the distance (L) between the front and rear axles calculated by the inter-axle distance calculation means ( 21 ) and the height (H) of the front wheel platform ( 12 ); and

front axle load calculation means ( 23 A) and rear axle load calculation means ( 23 B) for calculating the front axle load and the rear axle load on the basis of measurement values (Wa-Wd) fed from the individual load cells ( 13 - 13 D), respectively.

3. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 1 , further comprising:

inter-axle distance storage means ( 211 ) for storing the distance (L) between the front and rear axles of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured in advance;

vehicle inclination angle calculation means ( 22 ) for calculating the longitudinal inclination angle (θ) from the distance (L) between the front and rear axles stored in the inter-axle distance storage means ( 211 ) and the height (H) of the front wheel platform ( 12 ); and

front axle load calculation means ( 23 A) and rear axle load calculation means ( 23 B) for calculating the front axle load and the rear axle load on the basis of measurement values (Wa-Wd) fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D), respectively.

4. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 1 , further comprising:

inter-axle distance calculation means ( 21 ) for calculating the distance (L) between the front and rear axles from the front wheel position and the rear wheel position detected by the wheel position detector ( 8 );

vehicle inclination angle calculation means ( 22 ) for calculating the longitudinal inclination angle ( 8 ) from the distance (L) between the front and rear axles calculated by the inter-axle distance calculation means ( 21 ) and the height (H) of the front wheel platform ( 12 ); and

front axle load storage means ( 231 A) and rear axle load storage means ( 231 B) for storing the front axle load and the rear axle load, respectively in advance.

5. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 1 , further comprising

inter-axle distance storage means ( 211 ) for storing the distance (L) between the front and rear axles of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured in advance;

vehicle inclination angle calculation means ( 22 ) for calculating the longitudinal inclination angle (θ) from the distance (L) between the front and rear axles stored in the inter-axle distance storage means ( 211 ) and the height (H) of the front wheel platform ( 12 ); and

front axle load storage means ( 231 A) and rear axle load storage means ( 231 B) for storing the front axle load and the rear axle load in advance, respectively in advance.

6. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 1 , further comprising:

vehicle inclination angle storage means ( 221 ) for storing the longitudinal inclination angle (θ) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured of which distance (L) between the front and rear axles is constant; and

front axle load calculation means ( 23 A) and rear axle load calculation means ( 23 B) for calculating the front axle load and the rear axle load on the basis of measurement values (Wa-Wd) fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D), respectively.

7. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 1 , further comprising:

lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ) for calculating how much a central extension line (Q) passing between the left and right wheels is displaced along a left/right direction with respect to a central extension line (P) passing between the left and right load cells on the basis of the wheel position information fed from the wheel position detector ( 8 ) under conditions where the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 );

left-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 A) and right-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 B) for calculating total loads (LW, RW) of left- and right-side wheel groups ( 51 A and 51 C, 51 B and 51 D) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured, respectively, on the basis of measurement values (Wa-Wd) fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ); and

lateral center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 29 ) for calculating the position where the center of gravity (G) of the vehicle is located along the left/right direction thereof from the total loads (LW, RW) of the left and right wheels calculated by the left-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 A) and the right-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 B), respectively, and the amount of displacement (S) along the left/right direction calculated by the lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ).

8. A truck scale including load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) provided individually at around four corners of a measuring table ( 10 ) below a bottom surface thereof, the measuring table ( 10 ) being provided with a flat surface ( 11 ) having a surface area on which all wheels ( 51 A- 51 D) of a vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured can be simultaneously placed and a front wheel platform ( 12 ) located, at a position in a frontal part of the flat surface ( 11 ) and raised to a specific height, the truck scale being configured to be able to measure the weight of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured by a central processing unit ( 3 ) on the basis of measurement values fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ),

the truck scale comprising:

a wheel position detector ( 8 ) for or detecting a front wheel position and a rear wheel position of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that is placed on the measuring table ( 10 )

longitudinal displacement calculation means ( 20 ) for calculating how much the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is displaced frontward or rearward from a reference position along a front/rear direction on the basis of information on the wheel positions detected by the wheel position detector ( 8 ) under conditions where the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 );

longitudinal center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 24 ) for acquiring a front axle load and a rear axle load of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured and calculating a position where the center of gravity (G or G′) of the vehicle is located along the front/rear direction thereof on the basis of the front axle load, the rear axle load and the amount of longitudinal displacement calculated by the longitudinal displacement calculation means ( 20 );

storage means ( 32 ) for storing information on the center of gravity along the front/rear direction calculated by the longitudinal center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 24 );

longitudinal center-of-gravity displacement calculation means ( 25 ) for calculating the amount of displacement (T) of the center of gravity along the front/rear direction by comparing information on the center of gravity along the front/rear direction newly calculated by the longitudinal center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 24 ) under conditions where front wheels ( 51 A, 51 B) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured ride on the front wheel platform ( 12 ) and the information on the center of gravity on the flat surface ( 11 ) stored in the storage means ( 32 ); and

vehicle center-of-gravity height calculation means ( 26 ) for acquiring a longitudinal inclination angle (θ) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured under conditions where the front wheels ( 51 A, 51 B) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured ride on the front wheel platform ( 12 ) and calculating the height (G 1 ) of the center of gravity of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured on the basis of the amount of displacement (T) of the center of gravity along the front/rear direction calculated by the longitudinal center-of-gravity displacement calculation means ( 25 ) and the longitudinal inclination angle (θ).

9. An apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to a truck scale including load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) provided individually at around four corners of a measuring table ( 10 ) below a bottom surface thereof, the truck scale being configured to be able to measure the weight of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured by a central processing unit ( 3 ) on the basis of measurement values fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ),

the apparatus comprising:

a vehicle position detector ( 108 ) for detecting a specified position of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that is placed on the measuring table ( 10 );

lateral displacement calculation means ( 270 for calculating how much a center line (Q) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is displaced along a left/right direction with respect to a central extension line (P) passing between a pair of left and right load cells ( 13 A and 13 B, 13 C and 13 D) on the basis of detection by the vehicle position detector ( 108 );

left-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 A) and right-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 B) for calculating total loads (LW, RW) of left- and right-side wheel groups ( 51 A and 51 C, 51 B and 51 D) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured, respectively, on the basis of measurement values (Wa-Wd) fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ); and

lateral center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 29 ) for calculating the position where the center of gravity (G) of the vehicle is located along the left/right direction thereof from the total loads (LW, RW) of the left and right wheels calculated by the left-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 A) and the right-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 B), respectively, and the amount of displacement (S) along the left/right direction calculated by the lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ).

10. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 9 , wherein the vehicle position detector ( 108 ) is configured to detect the position of one of left and right side surfaces ( 5 a ) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ), and the lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ) acquires the center line (Q) on the basis of information (N) on the vehicle's side surface positions fed from the vehicle position detector ( 108 ) and the width (D) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that is stored in advance.

11. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 9 , wherein the vehicle position detector ( 108 ) includes vehicle's left side surface position detector ( 108 A) and a vehicle's right side surface position detector ( 108 B) for detecting the positions of left and right side surfaces ( 5 a , 5 b ) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that rides on the measuring table ( 10 ), respectively, and the lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ) acquires the center line (Q) on the basis of information (N 1 , N 2 ) on the vehicle's left and right side surface positions detected by the vehicle's left side surface position detector ( 108 A) and the vehicle's right side surface position detector ( 108 B) and the distance (F) between the vehicle's left side surface position detector ( 108 A) and the vehicle's right side surface position detector ( 108 B) along the left/right direction stored in advance.

12. The apparatus for determining the center of gravity of a vehicle to be measured being applied to the truck scale according to claim 9 , wherein the vehicle position detector ( 108 ) includes a single vehicle's left/right corner position detector ( 108 C) for detecting the positions ( 5 c , 5 d ) of left and right corners of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that rides on the measuring table ( 10 ) by swinging across horizontal directions, and the lateral center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 27 ) acquires the vehicle's center line (Q) on the basis of information on the positions of the vehicle's left and right corners detected by the vehicle's left/right corner position detector ( 108 C).

13. A truck scale including load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) provided individually at around four corners of a measuring table ( 10 ) below a bottom surface thereof, the truck scale being configured to be able to measure the weight of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured by a central processing unit ( 3 ) on the basis of measurement values fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ),

the truck scale comprising:

a vehicle position detector ( 108 ) for detecting a specified position of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured that is placed on the measuring table ( 10 );

lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ) for calculating how much a center line (Q) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is displaced along a left/right direction with respect to a central extension line (P) passing between a pair of left and right load cells ( 13 A and 13 B, 13 C and 13 D) on the basis of detection by the vehicle position detector ( 108 );

left-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 A) and right-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 B) for calculating total loads (LW, RW) of left- and right-side wheel groups ( 51 A and 51 C, 51 B and 51 D) of the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured, respectively, on the basis of measurement values (Wa-Wd) fed from the individual load cells ( 13 A- 13 D) when the vehicle ( 5 ) to be measured is placed on the measuring table ( 10 ); and

lateral center-of-gravity position calculation means ( 29 ) for calculating the position where the center of gravity (G) of the vehicle is located along the left/right direction thereof from the total loads (LW, RW) of the left and right wheels calculated by the left-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 A) and the right-wheel group wheel load calculation means ( 28 B), respectively, and the amount of displacement (S) along the left/right direction calculated by the lateral displacement calculation means ( 27 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2012
From: KAMADA, TAKEAKI; TAMURA, TAKASHI
To: KAMACHO SCALE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029470/0165 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2010-239351 · Oct 26, 2010 · national
JP 2010-254797 · Nov 15, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130081451A1 · Apr 4, 2013