Wheel and tire assembly uniformity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801911-B2
Application number	US-201916295129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Mar 7, 2019
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

Methods and systems for installing tires to corresponding wheels are disclosed. An example method includes measuring non-uniformity of a first assembled tire and wheel at three or more different relative rotational positions to determine corresponding measurements of non-uniformity according to a predetermined metric, and determining that each of the measurements are above a predetermined non-uniformity limit. A rotationally relative installation position for the tire on the wheel may be determined using at least these measurements, with the position of the tire relative to the wheel in the rotationally relative installation position being different from each of the first, second, and third relative rotational positions. In examples where at least a second tire/wheel combination is measured below the non-uniformity threshold, installation of the second tire/wheel may conclude at the position where the assembled tire/wheel is measured below the non-uniformity threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of installing tires to corresponding wheels, comprising:
(a) measuring a non-uniformity of a first assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at a first relative rotational position to determine a first measurement of non-uniformity according to a predetermined metric;
(b) determining that the first measurement is above a predetermined non-uniformity limit;
(c) based upon the determination in step (b), rotating the tire with respect to the wheel to a second relative rotational position;
(d) measuring a non-uniformity of the assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at the second relative rotational position to determine a second measurement of non-uniformity according to the predetermined metric;
(e) determining that the second measurement is above the predetermined non-uniformity limit;
(f) based upon the determination in step (e), rotating the tire with respect to the wheel to at least a third relative rotational position, wherein each of the first, second, and at least third relative rotational positions of the tire are at different locations about the wheel;
(g) measuring a non-uniformity of the assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at the at least third relative rotational position(s) to determine at least a third measurement of non-uniformity according to the predetermined metric;
(h) determining that the third measurement is above the predetermined non-uniformity limit; and
(i) installing the tire on the wheel at a rotationally relative installation position determined from at least the first, second, and third measurements, the position of the tire relative to the wheel in the rotationally relative installation position being different from each of the first, second, and third relative rotational positions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined metric is a metric of radial non-uniformity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined metric is one of a runout distance of the assembly in a radial direction of the tire, a radial force variation (RFV) measured while the assembly is rotated, a lateral force variation (LFV) measured while the assembly is rotated, a fore-aft force variation (FFV) measured while the assembly is rotated, and a rolling radius variation measured while the assembly is rotated.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising measuring a non-uniformity of at least a second assembled tire and wheel and concluding measuring the non-uniformity of the second assembled tire and wheel by determining that a measurement of radial non-uniformity of the second tire and wheel is below the predetermined non-uniformity limit.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third relative rotational positions are spaced substantially equally about the circumference of the wheel.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a wheel contribution to the determined non-uniformity, a tire contribution to the determined non-uniformity, and a wheel-tire assembly contribution.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein installing the tire on the wheel at the rotationally relative installation position includes rotating the tire with respect to the wheel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein installing the tire on the wheel at the rotationally relative installation position includes deflating the tire and rotating the tire around the wheel without de-beading the tire from the wheel.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the rotationally relative installation position comprises determining an angular orientation of the tire on the wheel corresponding to a calculated lowest non-uniformity determined from at least each of the first, second, and third measurements.

10. A method of installing tires to corresponding wheels, comprising:
(a) measuring a radial non-uniformity of a first assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at a first relative rotational position to determine a first measurement of radial non-uniformity according to a predetermined metric;
(b) determining that the first measurement is above a predetermined non-uniformity limit;
(c) based upon the determination in step (b), rotating the tire with respect to the wheel to a second relative rotational position;
(d) measuring a radial non-uniformity of the assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at the second relative rotational position to determine a second measurement of radial non-uniformity according to the predetermined metric;
(e) determining that the second measurement is above the predetermined non-uniformity limit;
(f) based upon the determination in step (e), rotating the tire with respect to the wheel to at least a third relative rotational position, wherein each of the first, second, and at least third relative rotational positions of the tire are at different locations about the wheel;
(g) measuring a radial non-uniformity of the assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at the third relative rotational position to determine at least a third measurement of radial non-uniformity according to the predetermined metric;
(h) determining that the third measurement is above the predetermined non-uniformity limit; and
(i) installing the tire on the wheel at a rotationally relative installation position determined from at least the first, second, and third measurements, the position of the tire relative to the wheel in the rotationally relative installation position being different from each of the first, second, and third relative rotational positions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined metric is one of a runout distance of the tire in a radial direction of the tire and a radial force variation (RFV) measured while the tire is rotated.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising measuring a non-uniformity of at least a second assembled tire and wheel and concluding measuring the non-uniformity of the second assembled tire and wheel by determining that a measurement of radial non-uniformity of the second tire and wheel is below the predetermined non-uniformity limit.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first, second, and third relative rotational positions are spaced substantially equally about the circumference of the wheel.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining of the rotationally relative installation position comprises determining an angular orientation of the tire on the wheel corresponding to a calculated lowest non-uniformity determined from at least each of the first, second, and third measurements.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein installing the tire on the wheel at the rotationally relative installation position includes rotating the tire with respect to the wheel.

16. A method of installing tires to corresponding wheels, comprising:
(a) measuring a non-uniformity of a first assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at a first relative rotational position to determine a first measurement of non-uniformity according to a predetermined metric;
(b) determining that the first measurement is above a predetermined non-uniformity limit;
(c) based upon the determination in step (b), rotating the tire with respect to the wheel to a second relative rotational position;
(d) measuring a non-uniformity of the assembled tire and wheel with the tire positioned relative to the wheel at the second relative rotational position to determine a second measurement of non-uniformity accordin

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Oblizajek Kenneth L

Classifications

• B60B30/02 Primary

  engaging the tyre, e.g. the tyre being mounted on the wheel rim · CPC title

• G01M17/02 Primary

  Tyres · CPC title

• G01M1/30

  Compensating imbalance · CPC title

• G01M1/36 Primary

  by adjusting position of masses built-in the body to be tested · CPC title