Famous Patents
Pong, the Atari creation that launched the computer game craze, came with these instructions: "Avoid missing ball for high score."
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7350309 | Extendable spacer device A spacer device for laser-optical measurement of hollow cylinders has at least two, preferably three arms which are coupled or interlaced with one another and which can be moved relative to one another. Each of the arms has a measurement roller on one end which is b... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7337548 | Device for measuring the geometry of a wheel axle of a motor vehicle The invention relates to a device for measuring the geometry of a wheel axle of a motor vehicle, said device comprising a clamping chuck (56) which is provided with clamping jaws (32, 34, 36) and is used to receive a hub of a wheel axle, and a drive fo... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7174646 | Support bracket for sensors A support bracket (1) for sensors adapted to be fastened to the wheel cover of a wheel mounted on a vehicle, comprising a central body from which there derives on one side a support device (3) of the sensor, and on the opposite side at least three devi... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7073267 | Gauging apparatus and method A multiple gauge assembly for establishing vehicle wheel rim and tire sizes to prevent interference with vehicle structure facing the wheel, as during directional turning of the wheel on a vehicle wheel mount, about a pivot axis angled relative to the wheel axis, co... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7000326 | Apparatus and method for maintaining wheel alignment sensor runout compensation A vehicle wheel alignment sensor unit is configured with an absolute rotational position sensor to provide an absolute rotational position of a mounting shaft relative to the vehicle wheel alignment sensor unit enabling resumption of operation and recall of stored r... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6731382 | Self-calibrating 3D machine measuring system useful in motor vehicle wheel alignment Techniques are disclosed for providing a system that has a plurality of devices in which the position of a device of the plurality of devices relative to another device of the plurality of devices is self-calibrated. In one embodiment, the system is a five-camera al... | 05/04/2004 |
| 6657711 | Vehicle wheel alignment measuring apparatus An apparatus for measuring the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle wheel alignment in non-contact fashion with high accuracy is disclosed. A laser light source (4) emits a laser beam of a predetermined geometric pattern toward the wheel side surface. A... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6507988 | Automotive wheel camber alignment apparatus and method of aligning automotive wheels A method and apparatus for use in aligning automotive wheels. The apparatus includes a body having a first end and a second end, and including an aperture at the first end arranged to receive a wheel assembly lug; an adjustable camber liquid level arrange... | 01/21/2003 |
| 6400451 | Non-contact wheel alignment measuring method and system A non-contact type wheel alignment measuring apparatus includes a fixed-focal-length lens and a pair of light sources located on the opposite sides of the lens for projecting a pair of laser beams onto the side surface of a wheel to be measured. The appar... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6131293 | Universal self-centering device for heads or sensors for checking the trim of the wheels of motor vehicles in general A universal self-centering device for heads or sensors for checking the trim of the wheel assemblies of motor vehicles in general, comprising a contoured plate, which is provided with a central hub for supporting a head which is adapted to acquire the tri... | 10/17/2000 |
| 5987761 | Axle measurement holder to fasten a measuring head to the rim of a vehicle wheel An axle measurement holder device to fasten a measuring head to the rim (5) of a vehicle wheel (2), includes a base body (3) for direct or indirect stable contact with a rim (5) of a vehicle wheel (2). Two arms (13, 14) arranged diametrically opposed feat... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5842281 | Wheelless alignment apparatus and method of using same The wheelless alignment apparatus includes a rigid fixture having a strut assembly coupling portion and a pair of spaced apart support leg portions. An adapter plate coupled to the strut assembly coupling portion engages the vehicle strut assembly to secu... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5539988 | Bicycle rim centering device A bicycle centering device consisting of a mounting assembly (5) which can be mounted on the frame or on the fork (1) of a bicycle, a pivot arm (33), which on one end is rotatably and pivotably connected to the mounting assembly (5) and which on the other... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5532816 | Laser tracking wheel alignment measurement apparatus and method The method of the present invention includes the steps of locating a single point on the wheel, rotating the wheel about its central axis of rotation, tracking the position of the single point in three dimensional space while the wheel is in a natural loa... | 07/02/1996 |
| 5471754 | Kit and method of using kit to align wheels of vehicle The wheel alignment kit and method related to a wheelless alignment technique employing a pair of alignment fixtures which cooperate with a corresponding pair of turntables to support the vehicle in place of its wheels and to facilitate easy access to the... | 12/05/1995 |
| 5311668 | Wheel position measuring apparatus A wheel position measuring apparatus comprises a detector device and a wheel adaptor for fixing the detector device to a motor vehicle wheel whose position is to be measured, in aligned relationship relative to the wheel axis. Connected between the detect... | 05/17/1994 |
| 5243765 | Portable truing system The apparatus of the present invention includes a body that may be attached by straps to a structural member of a vehicle having a spoked wheel. The body carries an indicator that may be moved relative to the body. The indicator extends towards the rim of... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5201782 | Universally-adjustable axle-mountable tool for truing a bicycle wheel A bicycle wheel truing tool includes a middle and two outer elongated rigid segments having the same lengths and shapes. The segments are pivotally connected together to permit erecting of the tool from a storage condition in which the segments are retrac... | 04/13/1993 |
| 5193283 | Bicycle wheel spike inpecting and adjusting device A bicycle wheel spoke inspecting and adjusting device for inspecting the roundness of the rim of a bicycle wheel and adjusting the spokes of the bicycle wheel. The device includes two pivoted plates controlled by a torsional spring for securing a detectin... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5074048 | Apparatus for measuring wheel rim displacements A wheel rim displacement measuring apparatus which measures radial and axial displacements of a rim wall on the basis of a nut seat pitch circle. A wheel to be measured is mounted on a lower head on the basis of a hub hole center and rotated about an axis... | 12/24/1991 |
| 5056231 | Apparatus for locking wheel unit in automotive wheel alignment system In an automotive vehicle wheel alignment system, a rim clamp is attached onto the rim of a wheel and a head unit is connected to the rim clamp. The rim clamp includes a spindle having circumferential grooves. The head unit includes a spindle-receiving sle... | 10/15/1991 |
| 4942666 | Apparatus for measuring camber, caster and steering axis inclination of a vehicle An apparatus that enables simultaneous readings of the camber, caster and steering axis inclination of the steering components of a front wheel suspension of a vehicle; the apparatus comprises a C-shaped upright, the upper and lower extremities of which e... | 07/24/1990 |
| 4898464 | Method and apparatus for determining the position of an object A system and method are provided using a photodetector array for producing an output signal which is compensated for the effects of ambient light, photodetector bias, and the like, wherein the output signal contains information indicative of the position ... | 02/06/1990 |
| 4868993 | Bicycle frame alignment tool A tool for checking the alignment of bicycle frames includes threaded sleeves for threading into the bottom bracket shell of the bicycle frame, and a gauge bar adapted to be held in contact with the sleeve. The sleeve and the gauge bar have precisely mach... | 09/26/1989 |
| 4594787 | Improved bicycle fork end adjuster A bicycle fork end fixed to the rear of the bicycle frame adapted to mount a derailleur, thereon is adjusted by a device including an operating member mounted on the fork end portion where the derailleur is mounted and a reference member which is mounted ... | 06/17/1986 |
| 4574490 | Wheel alignment system with ball joint wear monitor and method A wheel alignment and ball joint wear monitoring system employs a diagrammatic pictorial video display of the chassis of the vehicle being aligned and pictorial diagrams of alignment parameters associated with each of the wheels of the chassis. The region... | 03/11/1986 |
| 4386469 | Railroad car wheel gauge A device for measuring and reading out the variation in the distance between the axle bore and the tread of a railroad car wheel at different angular positions on the wheel.... | 06/07/1983 |
| 4185917 | Front wheel mirror mounting device alignment apparatus A mirror is mounted in the open end of a circular housing by means of a universal joint formed by a stud which projects from the rear of the mirror into a spherically-shaped knuckle joint that is seated at diametrally opposite sides in a pair of "Teflon" ... | 01/29/1980 |
| 4180915 | Runout compensation in vehicle wheel alignment measuring apparatus In certain wheel alignment measuring apparatus, a fixture is clamped to the rim of a wheel and an alignment sensor is pendulously mounted upon the fixture so that as the wheel is rotated the sensor will not rotate with the fixture. However, since the plan... | 01/01/1980 |
| 4129950 | Wheel gauge This wheel gauge is for use in obtaining primary measurement data of an unidentified automobile wheel and includes a hub opening indicator, a bolt circle diameter indicator and a rim diameter indicator. The gauge includes a base plate and the hub opening ... | 12/19/1978 |
| 4064632 | Tire caliper A tire caliper that can be made of very few parts and that can be very quickly and easily used to compare the diameters of the road engaging tread portions of a plurality of tires.... | 12/27/1977 |
| 3986267 | Tire measurement A tire measuring instrument is disclosed for measuring the diameter and bead-to-bead dimension of a tire casing and correlating such measurement to a particular retreading matrix. A frame carries a plurality of rotatable cylinders, the periphery of each c... | 10/19/1976 |
| 3964303 | Tire wear measuring arrangement A tire wear measuring arrangement incorporates a measuring device adapted to be brought to the tire tread under test. The measuring device and an optical view-finder are so mounted on a swivel carrier that the measuring axis is arranged parallel to the op... | 06/22/1976 |
| 3956829 | Wheel truing aid for bicycles An aid for use in checking bicycle wheels for true rotation including a base having clips thereon for clamped attachment to the bicycle fork or seat stay. A straightedge reference member is positionable alongside the wheel rim. A support member for said r... | 05/18/1976 |
