Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202697 | Tire/Wheel Bead Entrapment Remover - A tire/wheel bead entrapment remover is disclosed. The tire/wheel bead entrapment remover includes one or more working assemblies having a circumferential perimeter that substantially engages a tire. The one or more working assemblies axially-moves one of a wheel of the tire mounted to the wheel while axially-fixing the other of the tire or the wheel to remove one or more entrapments between a bead of the tire and a beat seat of the wheel. According to an embodiment, a tire/wheel bead entrapment remover includes one or more wheels that engages an outboard surface or an inboard surface of a tire mounted to a wheel. The radial axis extends through the one or more wheels. The radial axis traverses a radial line that radially extends from a common axis of rotation of the tire and the wheel. A method for removing an entrapment from a tire/wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 08-28-2008 |
20090084506 | System and Method for Assembling a Tire and a Wheel - An apparatus for assembling a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single-cell workstation including a device that retains a wheel, and a plurality of sub-stations. The device moves the wheel to each of the plurality of sub-stations, without releasing the wheel, to assemble a tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed. | 04-02-2009 |
20100101735 | Tire/Wheel Bead Entrapment Remover - A tire/wheel bead entrapment remover is disclosed. The tire/wheel bead entrapment remover includes one or more working assemblies having a circumferential perimeter that substantially engages a tire. The one or more working assemblies axially-moves one of a wheel of the tire mounted to the wheel while axially-fixing the other of the tire or the wheel to remove one or more entrapments between a bead of the tire and a beat seat of the wheel. According to an embodiment, a tire/wheel bead entrapment remover includes one or more wheels that engages an outboard surface or an inboard surface of a tire mounted to a wheel. The radial axis extends through the one or more wheels. The radial axis traverses a radial line that radially extends from a common axis of rotation of the tire and the wheel. A method for removing an entrapment from a tire/wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 04-29-2010 |
20100163189 | System and Method for Mounting a Tire and a Wheel - A system for mounting a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm pivotably-connected to an end effector. The system also includes a tire-supporting portion including a support surface and a pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions disposed upon the support surface. The pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions includes a first wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion fixedly-disposed relative the support surface and a second wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion movably-disposed relative the support surface. | 07-01-2010 |
20100263801 | Inflation Work Station - An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes a working device having an end effecter. The end effecter includes a wheel-engaging plunger member, a retaining apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, and an inflation apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member. The retaining apparatus includes at least one tire-engaging portion extending from a retaining apparatus base member. The inflation apparatus includes at least one inflation probe extending from an inflation apparatus base member. A method for operating an inflation work station is also disclosed. | 10-21-2010 |
20110042015 | System for Transporting and Manipulating Tires and Wheels - A factory layout including a track circuit, one or more wheeled carts for traversing the track circuit and a tire/wheel assembly carried by the wheeled cart. One or more work stations can be positioned at locations along the track circuit. Various wheeled cart embodiments are disclosed and various work station configurations are disclosed. | 02-24-2011 |
20110120590 | Inflator Apparatus, System and Method for Utilizing the Same - An inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The inflator apparatus includes a support structure; an interface portion rotatably-attached to the support structure, wherein the interface portion includes a plurality of inflator heads, wherein each inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads includes a fluid inlet; a plunger portion movably-connected to the support structure, wherein the plunger portion is movably-connected to the support structure to permit selectively coupling of the plunger portion with one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads; and a fluid conduit connected to the plunger portion, wherein the fluid conduit is fluidly connectable with the fluid inlet of the one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads. A system for processing more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed. A method for utilizing an inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 05-26-2011 |
20110146077 | Tire and Wheel Mounting System and Method - A system for providing at least a partially mounted tire and wheel assembly is disclosed. The system includes the steps of using a prime mover to bring a tire and wheel together and using the primer mover to work on at least one of the tire or the wheel to mount the tire and the wheel together, wherein the work performed by the prime mover is the only positive work introduced into the tire/wheel system. | 06-23-2011 |
20120073764 | Robotic Weight Apply Station - An apparatus for processing a tire-wheel assembly comprising a single-cell workstation including a plurality of sub-stations. The plurality of sub-stations includes a weight application sub-station, and an audit balancing sub-station. The apparatus also includes a tire/wheel transporting device positioned within reach of all of the plurality of sub-stations. A method is also disclosed. | 03-29-2012 |
20120125542 | Apparatus, System and Method for Determining a Spatial Location of a Match-Mark Region of Each of a Tire and a Wheel - A method is disclosed. The method includes the step of determining a spatial location of a match-mark region of each of a tire and a wheel, wherein at least one of the tire and the wheel does not include a physical match mark formed upon a surface or within a body portion of the tire and the wheel. A system is also disclosed. An apparatus is also disclosed. | 05-24-2012 |
20120138190 | Inflation Work Station - An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes an inflation probe including a female portion and a male portion. The inflation work station further includes a movement actuator connected to a controller and the inflation probe. The movement actuator imparts movement to the male portion of the inflation probe to result in the online/offline orientation of the at least one inflation probe. The inflation workstation includes pressurized fluid source connected to the inflation probe by way of a valve to permit or deny communication of a pressurized fluid through the inflation probe to a cavity formed by the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed. | 06-07-2012 |
20120144673 | Workcell for Tire and Wheel Assembly Including a Tire Inflating Sub-Station That Utilizes a Flexible Flip Seal - An apparatus for assembling a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single-cell workstation including a device that retains a wheel, and a plurality of sub-stations. The device moves the wheel to each of the plurality of sub-stations, without releasing the wheel, to assemble a tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed. | 06-14-2012 |
20120216962 | System and Method for Mounting a Tire and a Wheel - A system for mounting a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm pivotably-connected to an end effector. The system also includes a tire-supporting portion including a support surface and a pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions disposed upon the support surface. The pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions includes a first wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion fixedly-disposed relative the support surface and a second wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion movably-disposed relative the support surface. | 08-30-2012 |
20130081765 | System and Method for Processing a Tire-Wheel Assembly - An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one linear mounter sub-station that couples the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly. The apparatus also includes a transporting device that transports one of the wheel and the tire along a linear path that traverses the at least one linear mounter sub-station. The component of the at least one linear mounter sub-station resists, but does not prevent, movement of one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel along the linear path in order to spatially manipulate one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel in order to at least partially couple the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed. | 04-04-2013 |
20130168028 | System and Method for Processing a Tire-Wheel Assembly - An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 07-04-2013 |
20130168029 | System and Method for Processing a Tire-Wheel Assembly - An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 07-04-2013 |
20130168030 | System and Method for Processing a Tire-Wheel Assembly - An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 07-04-2013 |
20130168031 | System and Method for Processing a Tire-Wheel Assembly - An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 07-04-2013 |
20130168032 | System and Method for Processing a Tire-Wheel Assembly - An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed. | 07-04-2013 |
20140132740 | System and Method for Determining Uniformity of a Tire - A system for determining road force uniformity of a tire is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of imaging devices and a computer communicatively-coupled to the plurality of imaging devices. The plurality of imaging devices images a plurality of surfaces of the tire as the tire-wheel assembly is rotated about an axis of rotation. The computer receives images captured by the plurality of imaging devices in order for the computer to extract data from the images such that the computer may execute a road force uniformity simulation algorithm for the purpose of algorithmically simulating road force uniformity of the tire. | 05-15-2014 |
20140216600 | Inflation Work Station - An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes at least one inflation probe including a female portion and a male portion. The male portion is arrangeable with respect to the female portion in one of a non-mated orientation such that the at least one inflation probe is arranged in an offline orientation and a mated orientation such that the at least one inflation probe is arranged in an online orientation. The inflation work station further includes a working device including a controller, at least one movement actuator connected to the controller and the at least one inflation probe. The at least one movement actuator imparts movement to the male portion to result in the online/offline orientation of the at least one inflation probe. The inflation work station includes at least one valve connected to the controller and the at least one inflation probe. The inflation workstation includes at least one pressurized fluid source connected to the at least one inflation probe by way of the at least one valve to permit or deny communication of a pressurized fluid of the at least one pressurized fluid source to a cavity formed by the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed. | 08-07-2014 |
20140238127 | Robotic Weight Apply Station - An apparatus for processing a tire-wheel assembly comprising a single-cell workstation including a plurality of sub-stations. The plurality of sub-stations includes a weight application sub-station, and an audit balancing sub-station. The apparatus also includes a tire/wheel transporting device positioned within reach of all of the plurality of sub-stations. A method is also disclosed. | 08-28-2014 |
20140305598 | Vibrating Tire Inflator - An apparatus for processing a tire-wheel assembly including a tire and a wheel that removes entrapments between a bead seat of the wheel and bead of the tire is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire-wheel assembly exerciser having a tire-engaging portion. The tire-engaging portion includes at least one tire-engaging device that is adjustably-connected to a base portion. A system is disclosed. A method is also disclosed. | 10-16-2014 |
20140360677 | System and Method for Applying a Lubricating Paste to a Wheel - A system is disclosed. The system includes a processing station for processing at least one of a tire and a wheel prior to joining the tire and the wheel for forming a tire-wheel assembly. The processing station includes one of a tire lubricating sub-station and a wheel lubricating sub-station. A lubrication conditioning system is fluidly-coupled to the processing station. The lubrication conditioning system includes: a lubricant reservoir, a lubricant temperature modifier arranged at least proximate to the lubricant reservoir, a lubricant temperature sensor arranged within a cavity formed by the lubricant reservoir and a controller communicatively-coupled to both of the lubricant temperature modifier and the lubricant temperature sensor. | 12-11-2014 |
20150013453 | Balancing Device, Uniformity Device and Methods for Utilizing the Same - A balancing device, a uniformity device and an apparatus including the balancing device and the uniformity device are disclosed. Each of the balancing device and the uniformity device includes at least one multi-axis transducer. Methods are also disclosed. | 01-15-2015 |