Patented Vehicle Steering Offset Monitor available for license:  U.S. Patent # 5,795,997

The patented Vehicle Steering Offset Monitor automatically alerts the driver when a moving vehicle's wheels are out of alignment. It is a patented after market automotive accessory that is available for license. 

Product Description: The patented Vehicle Steering Offset Monitor automatically alerts the driver when a moving vehicle's wheels are out of alignment. It consists of:  A steering wheel sensor that provides data relative to the steering wheel position with respect to center. A main module that evaluates steering wheel position data and alerts the driver if a fail condition exists at the end of a given test cycle. A test cycle lasts for approximately three hours of driving time.

Design Features:

• A steering wheel position pickup consisting of a permanent magnet and a magnetic field sensor.
• A circuit that samples the magnetic field sensor at a rapid rate and under the control of a micro-controller (which has a source program tailored to this application) makes a decision based on accumulated data as compared to test time duration.
• The vehicle wheels are professionally aligned and at this time the monitor is initialized to the straight-ahead position. If, at the end of a test cycle, evaluation of the data warrants a failure, the operator is alerted by audio and visual information, otherwise a new test cycle is started transparent to the driver.
• Can be an add-on to existing vehicles, or integrated during the production of new vehicles.

• Operation is automatic and requires no manual intervention except to reset after a failure or to perform the three-second Self Test.

Advantages and Benefits:

• The vehicle is safer when the wheels are in correct alignment
• Saves on tires. It is estimated that if a toe alignment is 0.34 degrees (just 0.17 inches) out of specification that after one year of driving (approx. 12,000 miles) the tires have been dragged sideways for over 68 miles. That's a lot of rubber and money wasted.
• Saves on gas. It takes more energy to slide the tires than to roll them.
• With this new invention, you can get the wheels aligned before the tires are excessively damaged.
• This unit can detect other problems, such as: A low tire, a dragging wheel bearing or brake, and worn undercarriage components that cause the vehicle to pull to one side.

Target Markets:

• Owners and Operators of Motor Vehicles
• Trucking Industry
• Any business that must support the operation of Motor Vehicles
• Automotive Manufacturers

Distribution Channels:

• Automotive Dealers
• Retailers of Automotive Parts and Supplies
• Vehicle Wheel Alignment Shops
• Wholesalers of Motor Vehicle Supplies
• General Automotive Repair Services
• Trade Shows / Mail Order Catalogs

Testing and Results:  Five vehicles were used for City and Freeway driving: A combination of front-wheel, rear-wheel and four-wheel drive types were used, including sedans, a pickup and a van. The Vehicle Steering Offset Monitor was tested for repeatability and effectiveness. Each vehicle traveled different routes and each trip lasted approximately 3 hours and was repeated. Each vehicle was tested while in alignment, then randomly toed in or out by an amount unnoticeable to the driver and then re-tested.

Test results averages (the numbers relate to a 20% Pass / Fail threshold; below 20% = Pass).

PASS TESTS (In Alignment, 0% is Ideal) = 6.4% for City and 3.7% for Freeway.

FAIL TESTS (Out of Alignment, 20% & above is Ideal) = 41.2% for City and 49.8% for Freeway.

(Testing documentation is on file.)

Development: The inventors conceived of the "Vehicle Steering Offset Monitor" as a result of personal experience and many years of experience in the Automotive industry. THE NEED FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT MONITOR BECAME APPARENT AFTER SEEING FIRST-HAND THE MONEY WASTED ON TIRES AND GASOLINE. This invention meets that need.

To license this new automotive accessory, or for more information, please contact:

Inventor:  Adamson, Gittins & Warmer Inc., c/o: Richard H. Adamson, 44 West, 700 North, Bountiful, Utah 84010
Phone:  (801) 298-1059 
E-mail:  [email protected]

since August 1, 1999

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