Headlamp aiming device with orientation sensing

Claim 2

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus comprising: an elongate headlamp aiming tool including means, carried adjacent one end thereof, defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp with said tool positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the headlamp; vacuum holding means carried by said tool and selectively operable to produce a suction force capable of releasably and securely retaining said tool on the headlamp in said predetermined orientation; and sensing means, cooperable with the vehicle headlamp, for sensing the orientation of said tool with respect to the headlamp and for preventing said suction force from securely retaining said tool on the headlamp in response to sensed tool orientations other than said predetermined orientation in which said seating surface matingly abuts the reference surface.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 including: tool releasing means operatively coupled to said vacuum holding means for selectively forcing said tool from the headlamp.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said vacuum holding means is operable to produce a suction force capable of partially and movably supporting said tool on the headlamp.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said vacuum holding means comprises: a flexible vacuum cup having a concave surface periphery for engaging the headlamp to define a chamber between said vacuum cup and the headlamp, wall means defining a passageway extending through said vacuum cup and communicating with said chamber, and suction producing means communicating with said passageway for reducing fluid pressure in said chamber; and wherein said sensing means comprises: movable tool orientation detecting means; and suction reducing means responsive to movement of said tool orientation detecting means for controlling the level of reduced pressure provided by said suction means.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said vacuum holding means further comprises: a piston assembly operatively connected to said vacuum cup; a cylinder movably receiving said piston assembly and including a vacuum chamber portion communicating with said passageway; biasing means for urging said piston assembly and said vacuum cup to an extended position, and a venturi assembly communicating with said vacuum chamber portion of said cylinder and providing said suctIon producing means.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said movable tool orientation detecting means comprises: a sensing ring carried by said tool adjacent said seating surface and projecting therebeyond, said sensing ring being positionable around the means defining an outwardly facing reference surface of the headlamp.

Claim 8

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus comprising: an elongate body assembly; an annular adapter member carried by said body assembly adjacent one end thereof and including means defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp with said body assembly positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the headlamp; sensing ring means movably supported on said body assembly and extending circumferentially about said seating surface, said sensing ring being positionable around the means defining the reference surface of the headlamp; a vacuum cup and piston assembly including a peripheral vacuum cup surface engageable with the headlamp to define a first chamber therebetween; a cylinder mounted centrally of said body assembly for telescopingly supporting said vacuum cup and piston assembly, said cylinder including a vacuum chamber portion communicating with said first chamber; biasing means for urging said vacuum cup and piston assembly to an extended position; a venturi assembly communicating with said vacuum chamber portion of said cylinder and operable, upon supply of positive pressure air from a source thereof, to create a low pressure zone for withdrawing air therefrom and from said first chamber; sensing valve means biased to a closed position for normally isolating said cylinder vacuum chamber portion from a suction reducing zone; and sensing rod means engageable with said sensing valve means and with at least a portion of said sensing ring means in force transmitting relationship; said sensing ring means being selectively cooperable with the vehicle headlamp to cause said sensing rod means to urge said sensing valve means to an open position providing communication between said suction reducing zone and said cylinder vacuum chamber portion through a suction venting flow path.

Claim 9

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus comprising: an elongate body assembly; an annular adapter member carried by said body assembly adjacent one end thereof and including means defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp with said body assembly positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the headlamp; sensing ring means movably supported on said body assembly and extending circumferentially about said seating surface, said sensing ring being positionable around the means defining the reference surface of the headlamp; a vacuum cup and piston assembly including a peripheral vacuum cup surface engageable with the headlamp to define a first chamber therebetween; a cylinder mounted centrally of said body assembly for telescopingly supporting said vacuum cup and piston assembly, said cylinder including a vacuum chamber portion communicating with said first chamber; biasing means for urging said vacuum cup and piston assembly to an extended position; a venturi assembly communicating with said vacuum chamber portion of said cylinder and operable, upon supply of positive pressure air from a source thereof, to create a low pressure zone for withdrawing air therefrom and from said first chamber; sensing valve means biased to a closed position for normally isolating said cylinder vacuum chamber portion from a suction reducing zone; and sensing rod means engageable with said sensing valve means and with at least a portion of said sensing ring means in force transmitting relationship; said sensing ring means being selectively cooperable with the vehicle headlamp to cause said sensing rod means to urge said sensing valve means to an open position providing communication between said suction reducing zone and said cylinder vacuum chamber portion through a suction venting flow path.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 7 and including: venting valve means communicating with said venturi assembly for normally venting, in an open position, positive pressure air supplied thereto from a source thereof along with air withdrawn from said first chamber and from said cylinder vacuum chamber portion, said venting valve means being selectively closeable to provide for the supply of the positive pressure air through said venturi assembly and to said first chamber to force said tool from the headlamp.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said annular adapter member includes: a forward ring surface; and arcuate inserts mounted on said forward ring surface in circumferentially spaced locations, said inserts each presenting a seating surface coplanar with one another and together providing said means defining a seating surface.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said sensing ring means comprises: a generally annular body portion from which a plurality of lugs project radially inwardly, at least two of said lugs providing said at least a portion of said sensing ring means engageable with said sensing rod means.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein: said venturi assembly is operable to create a suction force capable of releasably and securely maintaining said tool on the headlamp in said predetermined orientation, and capable of partially and movably supporting said tool on said headlamp upon movement of said sensing valve means to an open position.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said sensing means comprises: movable orientation detecting means; and suction reducing means responsive to movement of said orientation detecting means for controlling the level of suction provided by said vacuum holding means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus being mountable in an elongate headlamp aiming tool and comprising: a head member; means for securing the head member in said tool generally centrally thereof; means, carried by said head member adjacent one end thereof, defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp with the tool positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the headlamp; vacuum holding means carried by said head member and selectively operable to produce a suction force capable of releasably and securely retaining the tool on the headlamp in said predetermined orientation; and sensing means, carried by said head member and cooperable with the vehicle headlamp, for sensing the orientation of the tool with respect to the headlamp and for preventing said suction force from securely retaining said tool on the headlamp in response to sensed tool orientations other than said predetermined orientation in which said seating surface matingly abuts the reference surface.

Claim 18

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus being mountable in an elongate headlamp aiming tool and comprising: a head member; means for securing the head member in said tool generally centrally thereof; means, carried by said head member adjacent one end thereof, defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp with the tool positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the headlamp; vacuum holding means carried by said head member and selectively operable to produce a suction force capable of releasably and securely retaining the tool on the headlamp in said predetermined orientation; and sensing means, carried by said head member and cooperable with the vehicle headlamp, for sensing the orientation of the tool with respect to the headlamp and for preventing said suction force from securely retaining said tool on the headlamp in response to sensed tool orientations other than said predetermined orientation in which said seating surface matingly abuts the reference surface.

Claim 19

The apparatus according to claim 14 including: tool releasing means operatively coupled to said vacuum holding means for selectively forcing said tool from the headlamp.

Claim 20

The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein: said vacuum holding means is operable to produce a suction force capable partially and movably supporting said tool on the headlamp.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said sensing means comprises: movable orientation detecting means; and suction reducing means responsive to movement of said orientation detecting means for controlling the level of suction provided by said vacuum holding means.

Claim 22

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps, each provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus comprising: frame means including means, carried adjacent one end thereof, defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp; vacuum holding means carried by said frame means and selectively operable to releasably retain said frame means on a vehicle headlamp with a suction force; and sensing means for sensing the misalignment of said seating surface with the reference surface; and suction venting means responsive to said sensing means for reducing said suction force.

Claim 23

Apparatus for testing the alignment of vehicle headlamps, each provided with means defining an outwardly facing reference surface, the apparatus comprising: frame means including means, carried adjacent one end thereof, defining a seating surface for matingly abutting the reference surface of the vehicle headlamp; vacuum holding means carried by said frame means and selectively operable to releasably retain said frame means on a vehicle headlamp with a suction force; and sensing means for sensing the misalignment of said seating surface with the reference surface; and suction venting means responsive to said sensing means for reducing said suction force.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein: said vacuum holding means comprises: a vacuum cup with a concave surface periphery for abutting a vehicle headlamp, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and connected to said vacuum cup, means for creating a low pressure zone in said cylinder on one side of said piston, a hollow passageway communicating with the concave side of said vacuum cup and with said cylinder on said low preSsure side of said piston, and means for biasing said piston toward an extended position in said cylinder; said suction venting means including valve means connected to said cylinder for selectively venting the low pressure zone of said cylinder to the surrounding atmosphere; and said sensing means comprising a sensing ring encompassing and extending forward of said seating surface, said sensing ring being operative to open said valve means when said seating surface is improperly aligned with the reference surface.

Claim 25

The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said sensing means further comprises: sensing rod means engageable with said sensing ring and said valve means in force transmitting relationship.