Machine for fitting and removing a tyre and method for operating the machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11679633-B2
Application number	US-202017038871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Sep 15, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

Described is a machine ( 1 ) for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding wheel rim of a vehicle, comprising: a wheel-holder unit ( 4 ), which rotates about a first axis (A); at least one bead breaker tool ( 29 ), movable along a second axis (B) parallel to the first axis (A); a roller ( 2 ) rotating about a fourth axis (D) parallel to the first axis (A) and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis (E) spaced from the fourth axis (D), between an active position where it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit ( 4 ), to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre; at least one sensor ( 40 ) connected to the roller ( 2 ) for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller ( 2 ) by the tyre; a removal tool ( 37 ), which is movable by rotation about a sixth axis (F) parallel to the first axis (A) and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis (A) and a second position distal from the first axis (A), which is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis (A) and movable towards and away from the sixth axis (F).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, comprising:
a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
a roller rotating about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis and configured to move towards and away from the wheel-holder unit along an operating trajectory such that the fourth axis remains parallel to the first axis, between an active position, wherein it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre;
at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
a removal tool, which is movable between a first position proximal to the first axis and a second position distal from the first axis, and is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis.

2. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising a second control unit connected to a locking mechanism configured to block the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the first axis, without limiting a movement of the removal tool along the direction parallel to the first axis and the rotation around the sixth axis.

3. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising a locking mechanism configured to block the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the first axis and the movement of the removal tool along the direction parallel to the first axis.

4. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising a protective shell positioned to cover at least one portion of the roller, which is movable relative to the roller and defining a contact element which can be positioned in contact with the tyre of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit.

5. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising:
a connecting structure to movably connect the roller to the frame;
at least one force sensor connected to the roller for measuring values of a force parameter representing a radial force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
at least one position sensor configured to measure values of a position parameter representing a position of the roller relative to the frame;
a processing unit connected to the at least one force sensor and to the at least one position sensor.

6. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one bead breaker tool is movable by rotation about a third axis, so as to pass from an active position, wherein the second axis intersects a wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit to a deactivated position, wherein the second axis is spaced from the wheel, wherein the removal tool is positioned relative to the wheel-holder unit to rotate around the sixth axis from the first to the second position in a first direction of rotation, wherein the bead breaker tool is positioned relative to the wheel-holder unit to rotate from the active position to the non-interference position about the third axis in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation, and wherein the roller is positioned relative to the wheel-holder unit to rotate from the active position to the non-interference position around the fifth axis in the first direction of rotation.

7. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising an actuator configured to allow only a first and a second position of stable equilibrium and connected to the supporting arm to rotate it about the sixth axis between an active angular position and a passive angular position corresponding to the first and second position of stable equilibrium of the actuator, respectively, for which the removal tool is positioned in the first position proximal to the first axis when the supporting arm is in the active angular position, and in the second position distal from the first axis when the supporting arm is in the passive angular position.

8. The machine according to claim 1 , comprising:
an actuator connected to the tool holder arm to move it along the relative axis parallel to the first axis and configured to allow intermediate stable positions of equilibrium between two end of stroke limit positions;
a first control unit connected to a fourth actuator, and defining a first operating configuration, in which it controls the actuator in a retracted limit stop position, to move the removal tool away from the wheel-holder unit, a second operating configuration, in which it controls the actuator in extraction towards an extracted limit stop position, to move the removal tool towards the wheel-holder unit, and a third operating configuration, in which it controls a stopping of the actuator in an intermediate position adopted at the instant of activation of the third operating configuration.

9. The machine according to claim 8 , wherein the first control unit, in the third operating configuration, is connected to a locking mechanism configured to block the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the sixth axis and the movement of the removal tool along the direction parallel to the first axis, without limiting the rotation around the sixth axis.

10. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the removal tool is pivotally movable about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, between the first position proximal to the first axis and the second position distal from the first axis, and is movable towards and away from the sixth axis.

11. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the wheel-holder unit comprises a supporting plate and a hollow rotary shaft having an end portion which projects in a cantilever fashion from the supporting plate, wherein the machine further comprises a device for locking a rim of a wheel to a wheel-holder unit 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 operatively interposed between the cone and the clamping element and having 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, with the same direction as that in which the centring rods project, and in the hole of the cone, with the opposite direction to that along which the cone is tapered.

12. A method of using a machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, having:
a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
a roller rotating about a fourth axis;
at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
a removal tool,
wherein the method comprises the following steps:
activating the roller, by moving the roller towards the wheel-holder unit along an operating trajectory, from a non-interference position relative to the tyre to an active position where it is in contact with the tyre tread;
activating the removal tool, by moving it from a position of non-interference relative the wheel to an active position, where it is operationally active on the tyre;
adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it in a direction parall

Assignees

• Nexion Spa

Inventors

• Corghi Giulio

Classifications

• B60C25/0548

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

• B60C25/056

  measuring speed, acceleration or forces · CPC title

• G01M1/06

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

• B60C25/138 Primary

  with rotary motion of tool or tyre support · CPC title

• B60C25/0521 Primary

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