Snap-on Equipment Srl a Unico Socio

Snap-on Equipment S.r.l.

Marco Tralli

Francesco Braghiroli

Paolo Sotgiu

Lillo Gucciardino

Pietro Azzari

Gianluca Cavalli

Salvatore Caramazza

Simona Cultrera

Andrea Ricchetti

A wheel clamping system, for reversibly clamping a motor vehicle wheel with a rim onto a wheel servicing machine, includes a handle for acting on a rim of the wheel mounted on a rotatable spindle. The handle has a coupling surface for engaging with clamping jaws of a pull rod when the clamping jaws are open. The handle includes a force detecting device for determining an amount of force exerted by the handle on the rim of the wheel, and a signal emitter operatively connected to the force detecting device. The signal emitter is configured to wirelessly transmit a control signal to a signal receiver of the wheel balancer operatively connected to an actuator causing axial movement of the pull rod when the determined amount of force reaches a predefined threshold, such that the actuator is actuated and the wheel clamping system performs a reversible clamping operation.

Wheel balancer with wireless handle

The present invention relates to a wheel clamping system for reversibly clamping a motor vehicle wheel with a rim onto a wheel servicing machine, wherein the wheel clamping system comprises at least one force measuring device for measuring the value of a clamping force exerted by the wheel clamping system on a rim of a motor vehicle wheel held on the main shaft.

Wheel servicing machine with force detecting device

A method and associated apparatus for uniquely identifying tyres for wheels of vehicles as part of wheel maintenance processes. The method envisages that a vehicle wheel is mounted on a support of a wheel maintenance apparatus, said wheel comprising a rim and a tyre. Moreover, a digital code is created to uniquely identify the tyre. Finally, via a marking system, preferably of the optical type, at least one marking is created on the surface of one side wall of the tyre of said wheel, corresponding to the previously created digital code.

Method and apparatus for uniquely identifying tyres for wheels of vehicles as part of vehicle wheel maintenance processes

A lifting device () for at least one wheel () of a vehicle or for a tire (), said device () comprising at least one platform () on which the wheel () or tire () moves, said platform () being liftable relative to a fixed surface (P). The movable platform () is associated with a laser scanner () for detecting the state of wear of the tire ().

Device for lifting at least one vehicle wheel or tyre, with detector of the state of wear of the latter

The invention relates to a method for contactless determining a behavior of a loaded tire or wheel, comprising the steps of determining a contour of at least a portion of the tire or wheel; simulating loading of the tire or wheel with a virtual loading element bearing against the tire for at least one rotary position of the wheel on the basis of the determined contour, a displacement of the determined contour caused by the virtual loading element and at least one parameter associated to the tire or wheel or to a part of the tire; and determining the behavior of the loaded wheel using the simulation results.

Determination of behavior of loaded wheels by load simulation

The present invention relates to communication system for tyre service machine being configured for receiving tyre and/or rim of vehicle wheel rotatably about rotation axis, the communication system comprising at least one processing unit and at least one measuring unit, at least one measuring unit comprising at least one sensor component for measuring at least one property of wheel, processing component for processing data acquired by at least one sensor component and/or for processing input data received from at least one of at least one processing unit, at least one processing unit and at least one measuring unit each comprising data communication component for receiving data from and/or transmitting data to another data communication component. The data communication component of processing unit and data communication components of at least one measuring unit are arranged for communicating wirelessly with each other in accordance with at least one sensor-independent protocol.

Communication system for a tyre service machine and measuring unit for being used with such communication system

A lifting apparatus for a vehicle wheel comprising a wheel support which is selectively movable in order to lift or lower a vehicle wheel which is positioned thereon. An actuator group is connected to the wheel support in order to actuate the lifting and lowering thereof. A control unit is operationally connected to the actuator group in order to control the actuation. A lifting sensor member is provided to detect the height of the wheel support. At least one actuation instruction brings about the actuation of the actuator group in order to lift the wheel support from a lowered rest position to a predetermined lifting position, which is detected by the lifting sensor member.

Lifting apparatus for vehicle wheels

A wheel service machine and a method for servicing a wheel, such as a tire changer or a wheel balancer for a vehicle wheel, comprises a rotary mounting including a shaft to which the wheel is mounted, a frame work for carrying at least the rotary mounting, and a sensing device mounted to the frame work, for determining geometrical dimensions of the wheel, or parts of the wheel. The sensing device comprises a carrier element and a first sensing unit for sensing the wheel and a computing device for determining the geometrical dimensions of the wheel based on the data received from the sensing device, the first sensing unit being mounted on the carrier element. The wheel service machine further comprises a drive element for enabling a pivotal movement of the sensing device, wherein the drive element is a micro stepper motor.

Wheel service machine with compact sensing device

A vehicle wheel service apparatus, in particular a wheel balancer or a tire changer, comprising a load means for applying a predetermined load onto a peripheral surface of a wheel/tire assembly, a sensor device arranged to determine forces acting between the peripheral surface of the wheel/tire assembly and the load means, wherein the forces comprise at least a first force acting in a radial direction of the wheel/tire assembly and a second force acting in a circumferential direction of the wheel/tire assembly, and an evaluation device arranged to determine a rolling resistance coefficient of the tire on the basis of the first and second forces.

Automotive shop service apparatus having a means for determining the rolling resistance coefficient of a tyre

The invention relates to a method for contactless determining non-uniformities of a loaded wheel, comprising the steps of determining outer contour of at least a portion of the unloaded wheel; simulating loading of the wheel with a virtual loading element bearing against the tire tread for a plurality of rotary positions of the wheel on the basis of the determined outer contour, a displacement of the determined outer contour caused by the virtual loading element and a predetermined spring rate associated to the tire tread; and determining non-uniformities of the loaded wheel using the simulation results.

Determination of non-uniformities of loaded wheels by load simulation

An apparatus for measuring forces produced by an unbalance of a rotary memberincludes a support devicefor supporting the rotary memberrotatably about its axis, and having at least one measurement sensorplaced at a vibratory location of the support device, wherein the at least one measurement sensoris designed to measure vibratory accelerations of the location at which the measurement sensoris placed.

Apparatus for measuring unbalance forces

The present invention refers to a parameter detection system for detecting in a non-mechanical manner at least one parameter of an object () to be examined. The parameter detection system includes a mounting device () for holding the object, and a mobile unit () which is freely movable and adapted for indicating a position on the object. A sensing means is provided for sensing the position on the object indicated by the mobile unit and for outputting corresponding detection signals indicative of the sensed position. A calculation means () is provided for calculating the at least one parameter from the position on object based on the detection signals.

Parameter detection system

A method and an apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed for hidden spokes placement of balancing weights on a wheel, having a hub, a rim and the hub and the rim being connected by several spokes, comprising determination of spoke configuration data. Now, it is possible to analyze spoke configuration and width of the spokes in details, enabling the weight splitting behind spokes even if spokes are forked, oblique, not equidistant, or they have different dimension.

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Modena, Italy

Marco Tralli