Akron Special Machinery, Inc.

Commercial Time Sharing Inc.

Troy L Anenson

Byron R Stanoszek

Daniel P Furst

Ronald E Symens

Jason A McIntyre

Joseph Anthony Farelli

Brandon M Reynolds

A dynamic balancer includes a support frame with a frame plate that has a spindle opening through which a spindle assembly with a rotatable spindle shaft is received. A sensor plate is coupled to at least the support frame, and at least one force sensor is coupled between the sensor plate and the spindle assembly to detect force variations therebetween as the rotatable spindle shaft rotates. A related method for detecting a balance condition of a tire includes providing a plurality of force sensors maintained in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to the tire's rotation, chucking and inflating the tire, spinning the tire to a predetermined speed, generating force data from the plurality of force sensors, calculating an imbalance condition from the force data, and marking the tire at a location of imbalance if the imbalance condition exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Dynamic balancer

An analysis machine uses a test wheel to confirm operation of measurement sensors and software algorithm associated with the analysis machine. The machine includes at least one laser measurement device that measures dimensional characteristics of tires received in the analysis machine. A test wheel is receivable and rotatable in the analysis machine, wherein the test wheel has a known dimensional configuration detected by the at least one laser measurement device to confirm the accuracy of the at least one laser measurement device and/or confirm performance of the software algorithm.

Test wheel for use in a tire analysis machine

A tire uniformity machine includes an apparatus for receiving and rotating a tire. The apparatus includes opposed spindles for receiving, inflating and rotating a tire, and a load wheel applied to the rotating tire to obtain tire test results. A spindle alignment assembly is associated with the opposed spindles to align the spindles with one another each time a tire is received. At least one characterizing device is associated with components of the apparatus to characterize forces of the opposed spindles and the characterized forces are used in adjusting tire test results.

System for characterizing tire uniformity machines and methods of using the characterizations

A tire uniformity machine includes an apparatus for receiving and rotating a tire. The apparatus includes opposed chuck assemblies for receiving, inflating and rotating the tire and a load wheel applied to the rotating tire to obtain tire test results. At least one characterizing device is associated with components of the apparatus to characterize forces of at least one of the components and the characterized forces are used in adjusting the tire test results.

A device for testing a tire that has a tread and extending sidewalls includes an apparatus for receiving and rotating a tire and at least one measurement device operatively placed to measure at least one of the sidewalls as the tire is rotated wherein the measurement device is radially moveable with respect to the sidewall in defined increments so as to obtain a measurement profile for each radial position. A controller is connected to the measurement device and receives each measurement profile, wherein the controller classifies the measurement profile into slope classifications, and wherein the controller monitors the slope classifications for defective patterns and, if detected, monitors a second measurement profile for another defective pattern. If another defective pattern is detected in the second measurement profile in the same radial region, the controller generates an indication that the tire is defective.

Growing community of inventors

Uniontown, OH, United States of America

Troy L Anenson