Hunter Engineering Company

Steve Molbach

Joel A Clasquin

David A Voeller

Douglas S Hanneken

Michael D Gerdes

Jeffrey P Talbott

A tire changer with a controller includes a with a mount assembly adapted for contacting a wheel assembly to mount the wheel to a rotating spindle. The tire changer controller is configured to regulate the operation of a motor, and which is operatively connected to the rotating spindle to rotate the wheel assembly. A sensor coupled to the controller provides a data representative of the rotational position of the wheel assembly about a rotational axis. The controller is further configured to engage a load roller with the wheel assembly to apply a radial force to a tire mounted on a rim of the wheel assembly during rotation of the wheel, and to regulate the operation of a tire handling means and mount assembly, enabling identification, optional marking, and adjustment of the tire angular mounting position relative to the wheel rim.

Tire changer with actuated load roller

A robotic tire changing machine having a processing system is configured with software instructions to carry out the procedures for tire mounting and demounting, and with software instructions to detect and respond to abnormal operating conditions during a tire mounting or demounting procedure. A specific response to the detection of an abnormal operating condition by the processing system is guided by the software instructions and is associated with the particular state in which the tire changing machine is in and/or the current step of an ongoing tire mounting or demounting procedure. The specific responses may include, but are not limited to, providing a prompt or instruction to an operator, providing a warning to an operator, carrying out one or more additional procedural steps, suspending operations to await an operator action, or limiting movement of articulated components during the tire mounting or demounting procedure.

Robotic tire changer user interaction procedures for safety and convenience

A tire changer with a controller includes a with a mount assembly adapted for contacting a wheel assembly to mount the wheel to a rotating spindle. The tire changer controller is configured to regulate the operation of a motor which is operatively connected to the rotating spindle to rotate the wheel assembly. A sensor coupled to the controller provides a data representative of the rotational position of the wheel assembly about a rotational axis. The controller is further configured to regulate the operation of a hydraulic actuating means for engaging a load roller with the wheel assembly to apply a radial force to a tire mounted on a rim of the wheel assembly during rotation of the wheel, and to regulate the operation of a tire handling means and mount assembly, enabling identification, marking, and adjustment of the tire angular mounting position relative to the wheel rim.

A tire changer with a controller includes a with a mount assembly adapted for contacting a wheel assembly to mount the wheel to a rotating spindle. The tire changer controller is configured to regulated the operation of a motor, which may be hydraulically driven, and which is operatively connected to the rotating spindle to rotate the wheel assembly. A sensor coupled to the controller provides a data representative of the rotational position of the wheel assembly about a rotational axis. The controller is further configured to regulate the operation of a hydraulic actuating means for engaging a load roller with the wheel assembly to apply a radial force to a tire mounted on a rim of the wheel assembly during rotation of the wheel, and to regulate the operation of a tire handling means adapted to hold the tire during rotation of the wheel rim enabling automated adjustment of the tire angular mounting position relative to the wheel rim.

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Ballwin, MO, United States of America

Steve Molbach