Method for measuring optically reflective vehicle wheel surfaces

• US 20060028638A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Inventors: Douglas, Michael W., Golab, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,221,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/139.90
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/26 with special adaptations for marking, e.g. by drilling

Abstract

A method for the operation of a vehicle wheel service system configured to illuminate a surface of a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly. The method includes the steps of mounting a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly onto the vehicle wheel service system, coating a surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly with a medium to alter the optical characteristics of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly surface, and illuminating the optically altered surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly.

Claims

1. A method for illuminating a surface of a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly during a vehicle wheel service procedure, the method comprising:

mounting the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly on a vehicle wheel service system such that a wheel service procedure can be carried out;

applying an optically altering medium to a surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly, said optically altering medium selected to alter an optical characteristic of said surface; and

illuminating said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly with a light source.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium establishes a feature on said surface.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving light from said illuminated surface at an optical receiver associated with said vehicle wheel servicing system.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of obtaining at least one measurement of a characteristic of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly from said received light.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying said optically altering medium includes automatically dispensing said optically altering medium onto said surface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying said optically altering medium includes spraying an optically altering medium onto said surface.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of removing said optically altering medium from said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium establishes at least a minimum level of diffuse reflection from said surface.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium reduces specular reflection from said surface.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium is a fluorescent material.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium is substantially invisible.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of illuminating said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly renders said optically altering medium visible.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium is transparent to visible light.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of illuminating said surface includes projecting a laser beam onto said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly, and wherein said laser light reflecting from said surface establishes a feature on said surface.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of illuminating said surface includes projecting a feature onto said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of illuminating includes projecting said feature onto said surface at a location associated with the placement of an imbalance correction weight.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said vehicle wheel service system is a vehicle wheel balancer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said vehicle wheel service procedure is a vehicle wheel imbalance correction procedure.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said vehicle wheel service system is a tire changer system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said vehicle wheel service procedure is a tire mounting procedure.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said optically altering medium is a removable optically altering medium.

22. A method for illuminating a surface of a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly undergoing a vehicle wheel service procedure, the method comprising:

mounting the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly on a vehicle wheel service system such that a wheel service procedure can be carried out;

illuminating said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly with a light source;

observing said illuminated surface to identify a feature on said surface;

responsive to an observed characteristic of said illuminated surface, applying an optically altering medium to said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly, said optically altering medium selected to alter an optical characteristic of said surface; and

repeating the step of observing said illuminated surface to identify said feature.

23. The method of claim 22 further including the step of obtaining at least one measurement of a characteristic of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly from said identified feature on said illuminated surface.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of illuminating said surface includes projecting a laser beam onto said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly, and wherein said feature is defined by an intersection of said laser beam and said surface.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of illuminating said surface includes projecting a feature onto said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of illuminating said surface includes projecting a feature onto said surface at a location associated with the placement of an imbalance correction weight.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of applying an optically altering medium to a surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly includes automatically dispensing said optically altering medium onto said surface.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein said vehicle wheel service system is a vehicle wheel balancer.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein said vehicle wheel service system is a tire changer system.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein said observed characteristic is reflectance.

31. The method of claim 22 further including the step of removing said optically altering medium from said surface.

32. A method for illuminating a surface of a vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly undergoing a vehicle wheel service procedure, the method comprising:

mounting the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly on a vehicle wheel service system such that a wheel service procedure can be carried out;

illuminating said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly with a light source;

observing said illuminated surface to measure at least one characteristic of a feature on said surface;

responsive to said observation of said illuminated surface, automatically dispensing an optically altering medium onto said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly, said optically altering medium selected to alter an optical characteristic of said surface; and

repeating the step of observing said illuminated surface to measure said at least one characteristic.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of automatically dispensing an optically altering medium is responsive to said measure of said at least one characteristic being below a predetermined threshold.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said at least one characteristic is diffuse reflectance.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein said vehicle wheel service system is a vehicle wheel balancer.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said vehicle wheel service system is a tire changer system.

37. The method of claim 32 further including the step of removing said optically altering medium from said surface.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein said step of illuminating said surface includes projecting said feature onto said surface of the vehicle wheel rim and tire assembly.