Electronic balancer for vehicle wheels

Abstract

This invention is directed to an off-the-vehicle type of wheel-tire balancer for vehicular wheels. A wheel and tire assembly which is to be balanced is disposed on a rotating shaft under the control of a signal responsive electronic control apparatus utilizing rotational velocity signals, rotational, directional, and positional signals and velocity of displacement of the mounting apparatus for the shaft to provide a suitably calibrated indicators, the amount of weight to be added at certain angular positions on the inner and outer planes of the wheel rim to provide a dynamic balance of the wheel-tire system. Further indicators are provided for relating the indicated weight to be added to an angular position of the wheel and tire system. The entire apparatus is automatic in operation in that once the system is started, a motor is energized to rapidly rotate the wheel-tire system up to a predetermined rotational velocity. Once this is attained, the magnitude and angular disposition of the weights to be disposed on the rims of the wheel-tire system is rapidly detected over but a few revolutions of the shaft and following this, the motor is energized in a reverse direction to provide a dynamic breaking force to rapdily bring the wheel-tire system to a rest position, the energization of the motor in the reversed direction being maintained until the shaft is actually reversed its direction of rotation for a predetermined angular displacement.