Wheel clamp assembly for semi-autonomous tire changer machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11155129-B2
Application number	US-201916298424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2019
Priority date	Mar 21, 2018
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

A tire changer machine, and method of operation, configured with a tire-engaging wheel clamp assembly to secure a wheel assembly consisting of a wheel rim and tire mounted thereon to a drive assembly, and for demounting of the tire from the wheel rim. Upon dismounting of the tire from the wheel rim, a recessed surface and annular flange of the tire-engaging wheel clamp assembly is configured to catch and retain a rim or bead of the demounted tire, restricting movement of the tire upon dismounting from the wheel rim, until retrieved by an operator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tire changer machine comprising:
a drive assembly configured to receive a wheel rim for rotation about an axis;
a clamping assembly having a spindle assembly configured to releasably engage the drive assembly to secure the wheel rim to the drive assembly;
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 and said clamping assembly;
a control input element configured to be selectively operable by a human operator to direct said control system to complete a tire service procedure for a wheel assembly secured by said clamping assembly;
wherein said clamping assembly includes a knob disposed at an upper axial end of said spindle assembly, said knob including a reduced diameter annular rim-receiving region extending longitudinally between said upper axial end of said spindle assembly and an upper rim-retaining annular flange; and
wherein a transition surface between said reduced diameter annular rim-receiving region and said upper rim-retaining annular flange is configured as a spherical sector.

2. The tire changer machine of claim 1 wherein a transition surface between said upper axial end of said spindle assembly and said longitudinally extended reduced diameter annular region is configured as a conical surface.

3. The tire changer machine of claim 1 wherein said clamping assembly includes a clamp nut assembly coaxially secured to said spindle assembly.

4. The tire changer machine of claim 3 wherein said clamp nut assembly includes an annular body having an axial bore configured to receive said spindle assembly;
wherein said annular body further includes a set of pivoting lock pawls for releasably engaging said spindle assembly within said axial bore; and
wherein said annular body further includes a set of pivoting release pawls in meshed engagement with said lock pawls, each release pawl in said set including a spring-biased extension tab extending adjacent an outer surface of said annular body, said spring-biased extension tabs configured to exert a rotational force on said lock pawls in meshed engagement with said release pawls, biasing said lock pawls into releasable engagement with said spindle assembly.

5. The tire changer machine of claim 3 wherein said spindle assembly includes
a shaft body having an axial bore and an outer surface with a grooved portion longitudinally adjacent to said knob and a smooth portion longitudinally displaced from said knob, said smooth portion of said outer surface intersected by a plurality of radially directed bores arranged in sets at common axial positions along said smooth portion, and wherein within each set, said radial bores are alternately sized to pass and retain associated ball bearings;
wherein said knob includes an axial passage; and
wherein a plunger assembly extends through said axial passage and is retained within said axial bore for axial movement between a lock position in which said ball bearings disposed within said retaining radial bores are displaced radially outward by said plunger to protrude from said smooth surface, and a release position in which said ball bearings rest within said bores below said smooth surface.

6. The tire changer machine of claim 5 wherein said plunger assembly includes a rod terminating at a first end at a lock-indicator extending axially outward from said axial passage of said knob, and terminating at a second end at a plunger shaft at a second axial end of the shaft body;
wherein said plunger shaft includes a set of annular races on an outer surface, each annular race associated with a set of said radially directed bores and adapted to receive said ball bearings from said associated retaining bores of said set when in axial alignment there with; and
a spring disposed coaxial with said rod, said spring biasing said rod towards a locked position in which the annular races are axially displaced from the associated sets of radial bores.

7. A method for demounting a tire from a wheel assembly, implemented with a tire changer machine including a drive assembly configured to receive a wheel rim for rotation about an axis, a clamping assembly configured to engage the drive assembly to secure the wheel rim to the drive assembly, 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 and clamping assembly to complete a tire change procedure, and a control input element configured to be operable by said single human operator, the method comprising:
positioning a first face of said wheel rim on said drive assembly;
securing said wheel rim to said drive assembly with said clamping assembly;
in response to an operator instruction, coordinating with said control system, actuation of said plurality of tools to carry out a demount procedure to demount a tire from said wheel rim, said demount procedure disposing said demounted tire adjacent said second face of said wheel rim;
retaining said demounted tire at least partially adjacent a second face of said wheel rim axially opposite said first face by engaging a a circumferential bead lip of said demounted tire with a spherical sector transition surface between an annular recessed surface and an axially adjacent annular flange of a knob disposed at an upper axial end of said clamping assembly to await complete removal of said demounted tire from said tire changer machine by an operator.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein complete removal of said demounted tire from said tire changer machine includes displacing said circumferential bead lip of said demounted tire from said annular recessed surface and axially upward past said annular flange by sliding over said spherical sector transition surface.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein securing said wheel rim to said drive assembly includes passing a portion of said clamping assembly through an axial bore in said wheel rim to engage a locking assembly within said drive assembly, said locking assembly axially drawing said clamping assembly into secured engagement with a second face of said wheel rim, axially opposite said first face.

10. A method for operating a tire changer machine comprising:
receiving a wheel rim on a drive assembly for rotation about an axis;
engaging said drive assembly with an axial clamping assembly to secure said wheel rim to said drive assembly;
positioning at least one tool to demount a tire from said wheel rim;
coordinating operation of said at least one tool and said drive assembly to demount said tire from said wheel rim; and
automatically retaining said demounted tire at said axis in proximity to an upper surface of said wheel rim by engagement of an inner bead edge of said demounted tire with an annular flange of said axial clamping assembly.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of manually removing said retained demounted tire from said clamping assembly by releasing said inner bead edge from said annular flange.

Assignees

• Hunter Eng Co

Inventors

• Polster Charles

Classifications

• B60C25/138

  with rotary motion of tool or tyre support · CPC title

• B60C25/0578

  hooking only · CPC title

• B60C25/0515 Primary

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

• B60C25/132

  for removing and mounting tyres (for only seating the beads B60C25/12; for only breaking the beads B60C25/125 {; for locating provisionally the beads of tubeless tyres against the sealing surfaces of the rims B60C25/145}) · CPC title

• B60C25/0521 Primary

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