Machine and Method for Fitting and Removing a Tyre

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018304704-A1
Application number	US-201816017626-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a wheel of a vehicle, comprising: a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis (A) and slidably coupled to a groove provided in a base; a column; an upper operating head, provided with at least one upper fitting tool, at least one further tool, angularly spaced from the upper fitting tool, by a predetermined angle, and a wall pressing tool that can be placed in a working position which is operatively in contact with the wheel simultaneously with the upper fitting tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
a wheel-holder unit that is rotatable about a first vertical axis of rotation; a base provided with a groove, wherein the groove guides a movement of the wheel-holder unit with respect to the base; a column (having a guide oriented vertically; an upper arm having a first and a second end; an upper carriage coupled to the guide of the column and connected to the first end of the upper arm; an upper operating head, connected to the second end of the upper arm, provided with at least one upper fitting tool having an elongate shape along a longitudinal direction, said at least one upper fitting tool configured to be operatively inserted between a bead of the tyre and an annular edge of the rim, in an operating configuration in which the upper fitting tool is oriented towards the wheel, to be positioned in a working position in contact with the tyre by translation of the upper operating head; a wall pressing tool connected to the upper operating head and oriented in a direction concordant with the upper fitting tool for being positioned simultaneously with the upper fitting tool in a working position, wherein the wall pressing tool and the upper fitting tool are both in contact with the wheel positioned on the wheel-holder unit.

2 . The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a plate configured to cover the groove.

3 . The machine according to claim 2 , wherein the plate is integral with the wheel-holder unit.

4 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the wall pressing tool is positioned at a distance from the first vertical axis of rotation greater than a distance at which the upper fitting tool is positioned relative to the first vertical axis of rotation.

5 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the wall pressing tool comprises a contact element configured to rotate about a relative axis and/or having an ogival shape.

6 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the wall pressing tool is connected rigidly to the upper fitting tool by a connecting arm.

7 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the wheel-holder unit includes:
a shaft, configured to rotate about the first vertical axis of rotation, and a clamping rod, which includes a conical portion, which centers the wheel, whereby, when the wheel is locked so as to rotate as one with the shaft of the wheel-holder unit, the conical portion is pressed on the rim of the wheel.

8 . The machine according to claim 7 , wherein the shaft of the wheel-holder unit is a hollow shaft.

9 . The machine according to claim 8 , wherein the clamping rod is connectable to the hollow shaft to lock the wheel to the wheel-holder unit.

10 . A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
a wheel-holder unit that is rotatable about a first vertical axis of rotation; a base provided with a groove, wherein the groove guides a movement of the wheel-holder unit with respect to the base; a column (having a guide oriented vertically; an upper arm having a first and a second end; an upper carriage coupled to the guide of the column and connected to the first end of the upper arm; an upper operating head, connected to the second end of the upper arm, rotating about a second axis of rotation, provided with an upper fitting tool having an elongate shape along a longitudinal direction, to be operatively inserted between a bead of the tyre and an annular edge of the rim and provided with at least one further tool, angularly spaced from the upper fitting tool by a predetermined angle, so that the tools are alternatively selectable by rotating the upper operating head in respective operating configurations in which they are oriented towards the wheel to be positioned in a working position in contact with the tyre by translation of the upper operating head.

11 . The machine according to claim 10 , wherein the upper fitting tool, when selected in the working position, is positioned with its longitudinal axis parallel to the first vertical axis of rotation and wherein the wall pressing tool is positioned laterally at a predetermined distance relative to a plane passing through the first vertical axis of rotation and the upper fitting tool.

12 . The machine according to claim 10 , wherein the further tool of the upper operating head is one of an upper bead breaker disc or a removal tool having a shape which is elongate in a direction to be inserted between the bead of the tyre and the edge of the rim.

13 . The machine according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one further tool includes an upper bead breaker disc and a removal tool, and wherein the upper fitting tool, the upper bead breaker disc and the removal tool are angularly spaced at predetermined angles to be alternatively selectable by rotation, thereby defining respective operating configurations wherein the tools are oriented towards the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit for being positioned in a working position in contact with the tyre by translation of the upper operating head: a first operating configuration wherein the upper bead breaker disc is selected, a second operating configuration wherein the removal tool is selected, a third operating configuration wherein the fitting tool and the wall pressing tool are selected.

14 . The machine according to claim 13 , comprising:
a first three-stage actuator operatively connected to the upper operating head for rotating it between the operating configurations, wherein the first actuator defines a first stage in which it positions the upper operating head in the first operating configuration, a second stage in which it positions the upper operating head in the second operating configuration, a third stage in which it positions the upper operating head in a third operating configuration, thereby defining a predetermined sequence of operating positions as a function of a predetermined direction of rotation of the upper operating head; a control unit connected to the first actuator for controlling a movement from one stage to the other, according to the following predetermined sequence of stages: first stage, second stage, third stage, wherein the passage from the first stage to the second stage and the passage from the second stage to the third stage correspond to a rotation of the upper operating head according to the predetermined direction of rotation and the passage from the third stage to the first stage corresponds to a rotation of the upper operating head in an opposite direction to the predetermined direction of rotation.

15 . The machine according to claim 10 , wherein the upper operating head includes a body, which is provided with radial grooves, each radial groove being in contact with a respective base of a corresponding tool.

16 . The machine according to claim 15 , wherein the radial grooves constitute a rotation lock by interference, to prevent an accidental rotation of the tools relative to the upper operating head.

17 . A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a wheel for a vehicle, comprising:
a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first vertical axis of rotation; a base provided with a groove, wherein the groove guides a movement of the wheel-holder unit with respect to the base; a column having a guide oriented vertically; an upper arm having a first and a second end; an upper carriage coupled to the guide of the column and connected to the first end of

Assignees

• Nexion Spa

Inventors

• Corghi Giulio

Classifications

• B60C25/138 Primary

  with rotary motion of tool or tyre support · CPC title

• B60C25/0593

  Multi-functional tools for performing at least two operations, e.g. bead breaking and bead seeking · CPC title

• B60C25/059

  Conjoint tool operations, i.e. at least two tools cooperating simultaneously · CPC title

• B60C25/0512

  Integrated systems performing multiple operations, e.g. assembly lines · CPC title