Device and method for locking a rim of a wheel to a turntable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10245909-B2
Application number	US-201515503914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2015
Priority date	Sep 15, 2014
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

Described is a device for locking a rim of a wheel to a wheel-holder unit ( 4 ) equipped with a supporting plate ( 12 ) and a hollow rotary shaft having an end portion projecting in a cantilever fashion from the supporting plate ( 12 ), comprising: a centring cone ( 16 ) having a through hole; a clamping rod ( 11 ) having at a first end a clamping element ( 10 ) which can be inserted inside the hollow shaft to prevent a movement of the clamping rod ( 11 ) along a first axis (A) of the wheel-holder unit ( 4 ), and having at a second end a threaded portion; a clamping element ( 17 ) coupled to the threaded portion and which can be rotated for translating along an axis of the clamping rod; a centring flange ( 23 ) operatively interposed between the centring cone ( 16 ) and the clamping element ( 17 ). The first end of the clamping rod ( 11 ) is operatively inserted in a hole of the centring flange ( 23 ), with the same direction as that in which centring rods ( 23 b ) of the centring flange project, and in the hole of the centring cone ( 16 ), with the opposite direction to that along which the centring cone ( 16 ) is tapered.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for locking a rim of a wheel to a wheel-holder unit equipped with a supporting plate and a hollow rotary shaft having an end portion which projects in a cantilever fashion from the supporting plate, the device comprising:
a centring cone having a through hole;
a clamping rod having at a first end a locking element which can be inserted inside the hollow shaft to prevent a movement of the clamping rod along a first axis of the wheel-holder unit, and having a threaded portion at a second end;
a clamping element coupled to the threaded portion and which can be rotated so as to move along an axis of the clamping rod,
a centring flange, wherein the centring flange is operatively interposed between the centring cone and the clamping element and has a central through hole, a first face and a second face from, which two or more centring rods project in a cantilever fashion which can be inserted into corresponding radial openings of the rim, wherein the first end of the clamping rod is operatively inserted in the hole of the centring flange and in the hole of the centring cone, with the same direction as that in which the centring rods project, opposite to the direction that along which the centring cone is tapered.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the hole of the centring cone can be inserted in the end portion of the hollow shaft.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the centring cone is tapered from a first enlarged end to a second narrow end and comprises an annular protrusion which is smaller in diameter to the first enlarged end and projecting from the first end away from the second end.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the centring rods of the centring flange forms a recess on a corresponding end surface, to receive an anti-rotation pin connected to the supporting plate and oriented parallel to an axis of the hole of the centring flange.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two or more centring rods can move towards and away from the hole of the centring flange.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the two or more centring rods are positioned along a circumference equispaced from each other around the central hole of the centring flange and are interconnected with each other by means of a kinematic mechanism using a gear assembly.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one coupling element, designed to be coupled to the supporting plate, protrudes from the first face of the centring flange.

8. A wheel service machine, comprising:
a wheel-holder unit equipped with a supporting plate and a hollow rotary shaft having an end portion which projects in a cantilever fashion from the supporting plate;
a locking device for fixing a rim of a wheel to the wheel-holder unit, wherein the locking device is a device according to claim 1 .

9. The machine according to claim 8 , wherein the supporting plate of the wheel-holder unit comprises:
movable annular element defining a supporting surface for receiving and supporting the centring cone;
an elastic element interposed between the annular element and the hollow shaft, to allow the movable annular element to move along a direction parallel to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit.

10. The machine according to claim 9 , wherein the movable annular element of the supporting plate of the wheel-holder unit has at least one tooth slidably coupled to a groove defined by the hollow shaft and oriented parallel to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit.

11. The machine according to claim 8 , comprising an anti-rotation system so as to prevent a relative rotation between the rim mounted on the wheel-holder unit and the supporting plate, wherein the anti-rotation system comprises an anti-rotation pin oriented parallel to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit and projecting in the same direction as the end portion of the hollow shaft and connected to an end of a shaped arm rotating about an axis parallel to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit, for varying a distance of the anti-rotation pin relative to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit, wherein the anti-rotation pin is connectable to an end of at least one of the centring rods of the centring flange.

12. A method for locking a rim of a wheel to a wheel-holder unit equipped with a supporting plate and a hollow rotary shaft having an end portion which projects in a cantilever fashion from the supporting plate wherein the method comprises the following steps:
preparing a centring cone having a through hole;
coupling the centring cone to the end portion of the rotary shaft, in such a way that the centring cone is tapered in the same direction to that in which there the end portion of the hollow shaft extends;
positioning the rim on the supporting plate in such a way that a central hole of the rim is coupled to the centring cone;
preparing a centring flange having a first face and a second face from which two or more centring rods project in a cantilever fashion;
inserting centring rods of the centring flange in radial openings of the rim until the second face of the centring flange is in contact with the rim;
preparing a clamping rod having, at a first end, a locking element and, at a second threaded end, a clamping element coupled thereto;
inserting the locking element of the clamping rod inside the hollow shaft to prevent a movement of the clamping rod along a first axis of the wheel-holder unit;
rotating the clamping element to move it along the clamping rod, until it presses on the first face of the centring flange to clamp against the rim.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the centring cone is positioned in contact with a movable annular element of the supporting plate, supported elastically to be able to undergo movements along a direction parallel to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the wheel-holder unit comprises an anti-rotation system so as to prevent a relative rotation between the rim mounted on the wheel-holder unit and the supporting plate, equipped with an anti-rotation pin oriented parallel to the first axis of the wheel-holder unit and projecting in the same direction as the end portion of the hollow shaft, and wherein the anti-rotation pin is coupled to an end of one of the centring rods of the centring flange.

Assignees

• Corghi Spa
• Nexion Spa

Inventors

• Corghi Giulio

Classifications

• B60C25/0521 Primary

  Handling of rim or tyre, e.g. lifting and positioning devices · CPC title

• G01M1/06

  Adaptation of drive assemblies for receiving the body to be tested · CPC title

• B60C25/0548

  equipped with sensing means, e.g. for positioning, measuring or controlling · CPC title

• B60C25/0542

  with self-centering means, e.g. cones · CPC title

• B60C25/138 Primary

  with rotary motion of tool or tyre support · CPC title