Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is drawn to a vehicle wheel testing device for detecting the alignment of a vehicle wheel rotating at a testing position on support rollers. The device includes a base plate slidably mounted in the device for sliding toward and away from the vehicle wheel, a sensor member carried by the base plate and mounted to the base plate for moving relative to the base plate, an urging device operatively connected to the base plate for urging the sensor member toward the vehicle wheel, and a control device operatively connected to the urging device. The control device controls the urging device to place the sensor member in contact with the vehicle wheel under a relatively low force during a start-up stage of the operation during which the vehicle wheel is rotated and shifts laterally on support rollers toward a testing position due to the toe-in of the vehicle wheel, and for subsequently controlling the urging device to urge the sensor member against the vehicle wheel under a relatively high force during a testing stage in which a detecting device detects the relative position of the sensor member to the base plate. Under the relatively low force, the vehicle wheel can reach the testing position relatively quickly resulting in a lowered overall testing time.

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First Claim