System and method for semi-autonomous repetitive operation of a tire changer machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10967687-B2
Application number	US-201916275838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2019
Priority date	Feb 19, 2018
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A tire changer machine, and method of operation, configured to enable a single operator to carry out tire change procedures for a set of wheel assemblies by interleaving wheel assembly balancing procedures on a wheel balancer machine with an automated tire demount process carried out under direction of a control system of the tire changer without continuous operator input or supervision.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tire changer machine comprising:
a clamping assembly configured to receive a wheel rim;
a drive assembly configured to rotate the wheel rim about an axis;
a plurality of tools selectively positionable to mount a tire on the wheel rim and demount a tire from the wheel rim;
a control system configured to coordinate operation of the plurality of tools;
a control input element configured to be selectively operable by a human operator to direct said control system to complete a tire demount procedure under operator supervision for an initial wheel assembly in a set of wheel assemblies; and
wherein the control system is further configured to coordinate the plurality of tools to complete, responsive to an operator command input through said control input element, an automated tire demount procedure without operator supervision for at least a second wheel assembly in said set of wheel assemblies subsequent to a successful completion of said tire demount procedure under operator supervision for said initial wheel assembly.

2. The tire changer machine of claim 1 further including a status indicator light, said status indicator light responsive to said control system to provide a visual indication of an operational condition of said tire changer machine associated with at least said automated tire demount procedure.

3. The tire changer machine of claim 2 wherein the control system is further configured to respond to a fault condition during said automated tire demount procedure by terminating operation of said plurality of tools, and by providing a distinct visual indication of an occurrence of said fault condition via said status indicator light.

4. The tire changer machine of claim 3 wherein a fault condition is signaled in response to a force exerted by at least one of said plurality of tools exceeding a maximum permissible load.

5. The tire changer machine of claim 2 wherein the control system is further configured to respond to a completion of said automated tire demount procedure by providing a distinct visual indication of said completion via said status indicator light.

6. The tire changer machine of claim 1 further including a force limiting means associated with a tire hook tool in said plurality of tools to limit a maximum permissible force or load exerted by the tire hook tool along a vertical axis during said automated tire demount procedure.

7. The tire changer machine of claim 6 wherein said force limiting means is a limit valve assembly disposed within a hydraulic actuator for said tire hook tool.

8. The tire changer machine of claim 6 wherein said force limiting means includes a force or load sensor, and wherein said control system is responsive to a signal from said force or load sensor indicating a force associated with movement of said tire hook tool along said vertical axis is at, or is exceeding, said maximum permissible force or load to terminate operation of said plurality of tools.

9. A method for a single operator to replace tires on a set of wheel assemblies, implemented with a tire changer machine including a clamping assembly configured to receive a wheel rim, a drive assembly configured to rotate the wheel rim about an axis, a plurality of tools selectively positionable to mount a tire on a wheel rim and demount a tire from a wheel rim, a control system configured to coordinate the tools to complete at least a portion of a tire change procedure in an automated manner, and a control input element configured to be selectively operable by said single human operator, the method comprising:
securing an initial wheel assembly to said clamping assembly;
in response to an operator instruction together with an indication of continued operator presence, coordinating actuation said plurality of tools with said control system to demount a first discard tire from said initial wheel assembly, and to mount a first replacement tire to said initial wheel assembly;
removing said initial completed wheel assembly from said clamping assembly;
securing a next wheel assembly to said clamping assembly;
in response to an operator “same as last” instruction, coordinating actuation of said plurality of tools with said control system to demount a next discard tire from said next wheel assembly without a required indication of continued operator presence;
mounting a next replacement tire to said next wheel assembly;
removing said next completed wheel assembly from said clamping assembly; and
repeating said steps of securing a next wheel assembly, coordinating in response to an operator “same as next instruction”, mounting a next replacement tire, and removing a next wheel assembly for each remaining wheel assembly in said set of wheel assemblies.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of terminating all action in response to a detection of a fault, a generation of a warning, or an operator interaction during said step of coordinating actuation of said plurality of tools with said control system in responding to said operator “same as last” instruction.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of monitoring at least one axial force exerted on at least on of said plurality of tools during said step of coordinating actuation of said plurality of tools with said control system in response to said operator “same as last” instruction; and
generating a warning or detecting a fault in response to said monitored at least one axial force exceeding a limit.

12. The method of claim 9 further including the step of providing a visible indication of an operational status said during step of coordinating actuation of said plurality of tools with said control system in response to said operator “same as last” instruction, said operational status being one of a ready state, a normal operating state, and a fault state for said tire changer machine.

13. The method of claim 9 further including the step of balancing a previously completed wheel assembly from said set of wheel assemblies on a wheel balancer concurrent with said step of coordinating actuation of said plurality of tools with said control system in response to said operator “same as last” instruction.

14. A method for a single operator to replace tires on a set of wheel assemblies, implemented utilizing a wheel balancer machine and a tire changer machine configured with a control system programmed to carry out an automated tire demount procedure without operator supervision, comprising:
for a discard-tire wheel assembly in said set of wheel assemblies, completing, with the tire changer machine, a tire demount procedure under supervision of said single operator;
upon completion of said tire demount procedure, completing with said single operator and said tire changer machine, a replacement tire mount procedure to assemble an unbalanced replacement-tire wheel assembly for said set;
initiating, with the tire changer, said automated tire demount procedure for a next discard-tire wheel assembly in said set, said automated tire demount procedure proceeding without supervision of said single operator;
conducting with said single operator, during said automated tire demount procedure, a wheel balance procedure with said wheel balancer machine for an unbalanced replacement-tire wheel assembly in said set to yield a balanced replacement-tire wheel assembly for said set;
upon completion of said automated tire demount procedure for said next discard-tire wheel assembly, completing with said single operator and said tire changer machine, said replacement tire mount procedure to assemble a next unbalanced replacement-tire wheel assembly for s

Assignees

• Hunter Eng Co

Inventors

• Liebetreu Peter N
• Molbach Steven K
• Clasquin Joel A
• Talbott Jeffrey P
• Polster Charles

Classifications

• G01M1/045 Primary

  the body being a vehicle wheel · CPC title

• B60C25/0515 Primary

  Automated devices, e.g. mounting robots · CPC title

• B60C25/056

  measuring speed, acceleration or forces · CPC title

• B60C25/138

  with rotary motion of tool or tyre support · CPC title