公开(公告)号：US11313946B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-26

申请号：US16656357

申请日：2019-10-17

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Brian M. Cejka ,  Daniel R. Dorrance ,  Nicholas J. Colarelli, III

IPC: G01S7/40 ,  G01S13/931 ,  H01Q1/32 ,  H01Q19/10

Abstract: Calibration targets for use during calibration and inspection of vehicle onboard radar systems. The calibration targets incorporate materials having different radar reflective and transmissive properties to provide distinct radar return signatures, facilitating identification of the calibration targets from among various radar returns associated with surfaces and objects located in proximity to the calibration targets, thereby reducing clear space requirements associated with target placement and positioning during a vehicle service or inspection procedure.

公开(公告)号：US11112239B1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-07

申请号：US16183523

申请日：2018-11-07

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Mark S. Shylanski

IPC: G01B21/18

Abstract: A method for evaluating a plurality of tread depth measurements within a shoulder surface region of a tire to detect or identify the presence of excessive or non-uniform wear on the tire shoulder.

公开(公告)号：US10997451B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-04

申请号：US16996620

申请日：2020-08-18

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Philip G. Grunzinger, Jr. ,  Timothy A. Strege ,  Kevin V. Schoemehl

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06K9/32 ,  G06K9/20 ,  G01B11/275 ,  H04N5/247

Abstract: A vehicle service system incorporating a set of imaging sensors disposed in an inspection lane through which a vehicle is driven. A processor is configured with software instructions to capture a set of images from the set of imaging sensors and to evaluate the captured images according to a set of rules to identify images in which a license plate is visible on an observed surface of the vehicle. The processor is further configured with software instruction to extract license plate information from the identified images, assign a figure of merit to the extracted information, and generate an output in response to the assigned figures of merit.

公开(公告)号：US10967687B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-06

申请号：US16275838

申请日：2019-02-14

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Peter N. Liebetreu ,  Steven K. Molbach ,  Joel A. Clasquin ,  Jeffrey P. Talbott ,  Charles Polster

IPC: B60C25/05 ,  G01M1/04 ,  B60C25/138

Abstract: A tire changer machine, and method of operation, configured to enable a single operator to carry out tire change procedures for a set of wheel assemblies by interleaving wheel assembly balancing procedures on a wheel balancer machine with an automated tire demount process carried out under direction of a control system of the tire changer without continuous operator input or supervision.

公开(公告)号：US20210003481A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-07

申请号：US16916007

申请日：2020-06-29

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Timothy A. Strege

IPC: G01M17/02 ,  B60C11/24 ,  B60C25/00 ,  B60C13/00 ,  G07C5/08 ,  G07C5/00 ,  G06K7/14

Abstract: A drive-through vehicle inspection system acquiring information from engraved markings on the tire sidewalls of a moving vehicle. Optical imaging sensors disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle acquire images of the sidewall surfaces for each passing wheel assembly. The acquired images are evaluated by a processing system configured to identify, within the acquired images, visible markings engraved into the tire sidewall surfaces which include at first portion having a first optical reflectivity, and a second portion having a second optical reflectivity which is different from the first optical reflectivity. Each identified marking is decoded to retrieve data stored therein, representative of the tire, wheel assembly, and/or associated vehicle onto which the wheel assembly is installed. The retrieved data is incorporated into an inspection report and/or utilized by the vehicle inspection system to access vehicle-specific information contained within an indexed database.

公开(公告)号：US20200242853A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-30

申请号：US16745663

申请日：2020-01-17

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Alan Hagerty ,  Nicholas J. Colarelli, III

IPC: G07C5/00 ,  G06Q10/00 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G07C5/08 ,  G06T7/00

Abstract: A system and method of vehicle inspection in which sequences of images of vehicle body surfaces are acquired as a vehicle passes through fields of view associated with imaging sensors disposed on each lateral side of an inspection lane. The acquired sequences of images are evaluated through a software-configured processing system, either automatically or by an operator, to identify the presence of visible damage on the vehicle body surfaces. If visible damage is present, and an election is made to forward the vehicle and/or customer information to a collision repair facility for follow-up, one or more images from the sequences are selected, and communicated together with vehicle and/or customer identifying information from the processing system to the collision repair facility.

公开(公告)号：US20200208968A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-02

申请号：US16813329

申请日：2020-03-09

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Michael T. Stieff ,  Nicholas J. Colarelli, III ,  Brian M. Cejka

IPC: G01B11/275 ,  G01B11/27 ,  G01S7/40 ,  G01M17/06 ,  G01S7/497

Abstract: A support structure having a vertical element supporting a set of cameras associated with a vehicle measurement or inspection system together with at least one target structure required for realignment or recalibration of onboard vehicle safety system sensors. A camera crossbeam carried by the support structure locates the set of cameras as required to view a vehicle undergoing measurement or inspection. The target structure is affixed to the vertical element of the support structure, at an elevation suitable for observation by at least one vehicle onboard sensors during a realignment or recalibration procedure. A set of rollers facilitates positioning of the target structure on a supporting floor surface during a realignment or recalibration procedure.

公开(公告)号：US20190351489A1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-21

申请号：US16530199

申请日：2019-08-02

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： William James Nelgner ,  Jeffrey P. Talbott ,  Joel A. Clasquin

IPC: B23B5/04 ,  G01B7/31

Abstract: An on-car brake lathe is provided with a runout compensation system configured to monitor the rotational position of a pair of slant discs within an aligning joint of the on-car brake lathe. The system monitors the amount of runout present between the rotating components of the on-car brake lathe and the wheel hub to which the on-car brake lathe is secured, and calculates a relative rotational position for each slant disc within the aligning joint required to impart a necessary adjustment in the wheel coupling rotational axis to align the on-car brake lathe with the rotational axis of the wheel hub. An adjustment mechanism within the aligning joint is configured to rotationally drive each slant disc to the calculated relative rotational positions with a minimum amount of rotational movement based on the current relative rotational position of each slant disc and the required calculated relative rotational positions.

公开(公告)号：US10475201B1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-12

申请号：US15423265

申请日：2017-02-02

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： Aaron C. Hall ,  Mark S. Shylanski ,  Timothy A. Strege

IPC: G01B11/24 ,  G06T7/62 ,  G01B11/10 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G06T7/13 ,  G06T7/00

Abstract: A vehicle inspection or measurement method and system configured to utilize non-contact optical sensors to acquire images and measurement data associated with at least one vehicle wheel assembly as a vehicle moves through a field of view, and to evaluate the acquired image and/or measurement data to determine at least one dimension associated with an observed feature of the vehicle wheel assembly.

公开(公告)号：US10456839B2

公开(公告)日：2019-10-29

申请号：US15598031

申请日：2017-05-17

Applicant: Hunter Engineering Company

Inventor： William James Nelgner ,  Jeffrey P. Talbott ,  Joel A. Clasquin

IPC: B23B1/00 ,  B23B5/04 ,  G01B7/31 ,  G01D5/14

Abstract: An on-car brake lathe is provided with a runout compensation system configured to monitor the rotational position of a pair of slant discs within an aligning joint of the on-car brake lathe. The system monitors the amount of runout present between the rotating components of the on-car brake lathe and the wheel hub to which the on-car brake lathe is secured. The system calculates the appropriate rotational position for each slant disc within the aligning joint required to impart a necessary adjustment in the wheel coupling rotational axis in order to align the on-car brake lathe with the rotational axis of the wheel hub. Finally, an adjustment mechanism is activated to rotationally drive each slant disc directly to the calculated rotational position with a minimum amount of rotational movement based on the current rotational position of each slant disc and the required calculated rotational positions.