Allied Automation Systems, Inc.

Aim Automotive Integrated Manufacturing, Inc.

Burke E. Porter Machinery Company

Other

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

American Hofmann Corporation

Allied Steel & Conveyors

Acme Precision Products, Inc.

John P Kane

Karl D Sachs

Francis H Goodman

Billy Davenport

Robert H Dall

Willis F Karr

Daniel Cser

Hector A Alvarez

Ray Sidelinker

An apparatus for inflating a tire mounted on a rim can include a conveyor for transporting a tire mounted on a rim to a predetermined position at a tire inflating work station. The conveyor can include carrier surfaces spaced laterally with respect to one another along a path of travel for engaging the tire and rim for transport. The carrier surfaces are moveable along the path of travel and moveable vertically between a raised transport position and a lowered transfer position. A support surface at the tire inflating workstation has at least two portions. The portions include at least one interlocking joint for holding the portions of the support surface in sealing engagement with respect to one another during an inflation process. An apparatus for inflating a tire mounted on a rim can include a reciprocal inflation head moveable from a first position spaced from the tire to a second position engagable with the side wall of the tire for communicating pressurized fluid to inflate the tire on the rim. At least two concentric seals are selectively moveable with respect to one another to bring at least one seal into sealing engagement with a side wall of the tire to be inflated. A mechanism for moving at least one seal with respect to the other seal is provided for selectively presenting one seal in operable position for engaging a side wall of the tire to be inflated.

Dual ring tire inflator with splittable support plate

A tire mounting apparatus for mounting a flexible tire on a rim includes a robot having at least one articulated joint and a wrist. The robot is moveable with at least three degrees of freedom along a selectable one of a plurality of programmable predetermined paths. A central processing unit selectively executes any one of the plurality of paths stored in memory. A bead mounting tool is attachable to the wrist of the robot for movement along the selected one of the plurality of programmable predetermined paths of the robot. The tool is orientatable with at least three degrees of freedom independent of the selected one of the plurality of programmable predetermined paths. A workpiece support positions the rim in a predetermined location with respect to the robot and positions the tire in a predetermined orientation with respect to the rim. A signal is generated and sent to the robot corresponding to a size of the rim and tire combination to be assembled. The central processing unit selects one of the plurality of predetermined paths corresponding to the rim and tire size combination. The robot includes one or more sensors for measuring load on the articulated joint arid wrist during a tire mounting cycle. The control program includes a sensor monitoring function for stopping movement of the tool in response to a load greater than a predetermined value. A clamp member prevents rotation of the tire with respect to the rim as the tool works a bead of the tire over the rim.

Robotic apparatus and method for assembling a tire to a rim

A tire mounting apparatus for mounting a flexible tire on a rim includes a robot having at least one articulated joint and a wrist. The robot is moveable with at least three degrees of freedom along a selectable one of a plurality of programmable predetermined paths. A central processing unit selectively executes any one of the plurality of paths stored in memory. A bead mounting tool is attachable to the wrist of the robot for movement along the selected one of the plurality of programmable predetermined paths of the robot. The tool is orientatable with at least three degrees of freedom independent of the selected one of the plurality of programmable predetermined paths. A workpiece support positions the rim in a predetermined location with respect to the robot and positions the tire in a predetermined orientation with respect to the rim. A signal is generated and sent to the robot corresponding to a size of the rim and tire combination to be assembled. The central processing unit selects one of the plurality of predetermined paths corresponding to the rim and tire size combination. The robot includes one or more sensors for measuring load on the articulated joint and wrist during a tire mounting cycle. The control program includes a sensor monitoring function for stopping movement of the tool in response to a load greater than a predetermined value. A clamp member prevents rotation of the tire with respect to the rim as the tool works a bead of the tire over the rim

An apparatus and method is disclosed for lubricating the spaced apart beads of a pneumatic tire prior to mounting of the tire on a wheel. A conveyor is provided for moving the tires having different outside diameters, axial widths, and central opening diameters fed in random succession along a fixed path through a lubrication station. An interceptor is positioned in proximity to the station and is moveable between a first position where tires delivered to the station by the conveyor move freely through the station, and a second position where tires delivered to the station by the conveyor engage the interceptor to stop the tires on the conveyor at the station. The interceptor stops successive tires of varying sizes to perform a lubrication operation on the tires of varying sizes when intermixed on the conveyor in random order. The interceptor is selectively moveable between the first and second position. At least one longitudinally extending, lubricating member is provided having a first axis. The lubricating member is rotatable about an axis of rotation offset from the first axis, such that a distance between the axis of rotation and the first axis is at least as great as a radius as the central opening diameter of the largest tire to be lubricated.

Tire bead soaper

An apparatus and method for inflating a tire mounted on a wheel having first and second rims spaced apart from one another includes a reciprocal inflation head moveable along a fixed path between a first position spaced from the wheel and tire, and a second position in operable engagement with a sidewall of the tire. The inflation head has an annular sealing surface engageable with the sidewall of the tire to provide a sealed passage for introducing compressed fluid between the tire and the wheel for inflating the tire on the wheel. A floating connection allows passive angular orientation of the inflation head with respect to the sidewall of the tire as the head moves between the first and second positions to achieve sufficient contact between the sealing surface of the head and the sidewall of the tire for creating the sealed passage and for maintaining sufficient contact during inflation of the tire on the wheel to maintain the sealed passage. A reorientation member resets the head to a neutral angular orientation with respect to the fixed path of travel of the head between the first and second positions as the head returns to the first position from the second position.

Passive angular orientation inflation head for inflating a tire mounted on a wheel

A tire mounting apparatus for mounting a flexible tire on a rim includes a robot having at least one articulated joint and a wrist. The robot is moveable with at least three degrees of freedom along a selectable one of a plurality of programmable predetermined paths. A central processing unit selectively executes any one of the plurality of paths stored in memory. A bead mounting tool is attachable to the wrist of the robot for movement along the selected one of the plurality of programmable predetermined paths of the robot. The tool is orientatable with at least three degrees of freedom independent of the selected one of the plurality of programmable predetermined paths. A workpiece support positions the rim in a predetermined location with respect to the robot and positions the tire in a predetermined orientation with respect to the rim. A signal is generated and sent to the robot corresponding to a size of the rim and tire combination to be assembled. The central processing unit selects one of the plurality of predetermined paths corresponding to the rim and tire size combination. The robot includes one or more sensors for measuring load on the articulated joint and wrist during a tire mounting cycle. The control program includes a sensor monitoring function for stopping movement of the tool in response to a load greater than a predetermined value. A clamp member prevents rotation of the tire with respect to the rim as the tool works a bead of the tire over the rim.

An apparatus and method for lubricating a wheel having a predetermined wheel diameter and width includes a lubricating head for encircling the wheel to be lubricated. First and second lubricating rings are supported on the head. The first and second rings have a common axis and are spaced apart an axial distance from one another complementary with respect to the predetermined width of the wheel to be lubricated. Each of the first and second rings has a diameter greater than the predetermined diameter of the wheel to be lubricated. A mechanism is provided for driving the wheel to be lubricated into operable engagement with the first and second rings of the head, such that the first and second rings of the head operably engage along an entire periphery with respect to the first and second rims of the wheel. Preferably, the mechanism rotates the wheel through at least 360.degree. while in engagement with the first and second rings of the lubricating head to apply lubricant to an entire periphery of the first and second rims of the wheel.

Wheel rim soaper

An improved wheel alignment apparatus having a fixed support structure and a pair of cylindrical rollers communicating with the support structure, wherein the rollers support the wheels of a motor vehicle and allow rotation of the wheels while maintaining the motor vehicle in an essentially stationary position. The rollers are supported on a float plate utilizing a layer of pressurized air pumped below the float plate to allow the float plate to move along a substantially flat horizontal surface to allow the vehicle to settle into a steady rotational mode. The front of the float plates are connected through a series of linkages and a connecting rod to a linear actuator pivoting about a vertical axis. The linear actuator retracts to straighten the connecting rod which centers the float plate to a limited motion along the horizontal surface, and extends so that the connecting rod may pivot about a longitudinal axis and turn with the float plate and wheels of the vehicle. For removal of the vehicle from the cylindrical rollers, an inflatable bag engages a set of brake pads against the rollers and elevates the wheels of the vehicle to assist removal from the apparatus.

Wheel alignment apparatus

Apparatus for applying traction forces to the fingers of a patient during surgery comprising a traction box, the traction box having wires extending therefrom with their outboard ends connecting to finger traps, by means of an 'S' hook, for holding the fingers of the patient and with their inboard ends extending to within the traction box.

Surgical traction device

An auxiliary tire bead depressor is provided for use with an apparatus for inflating a tubeless tire having sidewalls and upper and lower annular tire beads. The tire is mounted on a wheel having upper and lower wheel flanges against which the upper and lower tire beads seal, respectively. The apparatus has an inflation head and an annular tire seal ring extending outwardly therefrom for depressing the tire sidewall. The auxiliary tire bead depressor comprises a mechanism, spaced from the annular tire seal ring, for selectively depressing the upper tire bead away from the upper wheel flange. The tire bead depressing mechanism is moved from an advanced position wherein the depressing mechanism engages and depresses the tire, to a retracted position wherein the depressing mechanism is spaced from the tire. The auxiliary tire bead depressor is mounted to the inflation head.

Auxiliary tire bead depressor

Turnover apparatus for the controlled turning of a flat-sided article, such as a vehicle wheel-tire unit, from a horizontal outside-up position to a horizontal outside-down position includes a chain conveyor for conveying the article in a horizontal position. A turnover device employs two pairs of elongate arms mounted for rotation about respective, spaced, parallel axes from and to a normal rest position wherein the pairs of arms project horizontally in opposite directions from their axes below and parallel to the conveying chains. One pair of arms is coupled to a reversible drive to be rotated upwardly from its rest position through an angle greater than 90.degree. to tilt an article on the conveying chains upwardly to and past the vertical by an amount such that the article, if not restrained, would fall forwardly. Motion transmitting mechanisms couple the two pairs of arms to each other so that the other pair of arms engages the falling article to lower the article to the chains upon reversal of the drive. Various forms of motion transmitting mechanisms and a safety overload release are also disclosed. A production line system utilizing the turnover device in a wheel balancing weight installation application is also disclosed.

Wheel turnover device

A horizontally disposed vehicle wheel having a tubeless tire resting upon the wheel in a forwardly offset inclined position is located beneath a work head which is then lowered to an operating position at a fixed distance above the wheel. A radially extensible arm is mounted for rotary oscillation below the head about an axis coaxial with that of the located wheel and carries at its outer end a set of rollers which, upon rotation of the arm in one direction will engage the lowermost bead of the tire where located above the upper rim of the wheel and progressively face the engaged bead radially outwardly beyond the rim and downwardly below the rim to mount the lower bead only on the wheel. The apparatus self adjusts itself to wheels of different diameters and axial widths.

Single bead tire mounter

A turnover device for turning over articles as they are conveyed along a production path. The turnover device comprises a frame, two spaced apart and parallel axis, first and second carrier arms mounted respectively on the axes for rotational movement, first and second meshing gears mounted on the axes respectively, and a drive motor and lever. The first and second meshing gears have pitch diameters such that, as the two carrier arms counter-rotate from a start position to a finish position, the first carrier arm will rotate through an arc of approximtely 108.degree. and the second carrier arm will rotate through an arc of approximately 72.degree.. The arms are then rotated to their start position. An article placed on a first carrier arm will drop off onto the second carrier arm and be carried back down to a horizontal orientation which is flipped end to end with respect to its starting orientation.

Turnover device

A mounting apparatus for a proximity switch for sensing the position of a piston within a fluid operated, expandable chamber cylinder. The mounting device comprises a block shaped member with at least a first depressed, arcuate surface, the degree of curvature of which is adapted to fit the surface of the cylinder. By first attaching the mounting apparatus to the proximity switch and then positioning the proximity switch with respect to the fluid cylinder, tightening down of fastening devices provided for the proximity switch will cause the arcuate surface to firmly engage the surface of the cylinder, thereby providing a secure, vibration resistant mounting of the proximity switch to the cylinder.

Growing community of inventors

Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

John P Kane