Method and Apparatus Determination of Wheel Assembly Configuration

• US 20080244919A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
• Inventors: Douglas, Michael W., Scribner, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/203.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/27 for testing the alignment of axes means for centering or aligning a light guide within a ferrule G02B6/3834
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/275 for testing wheel alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 17/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/10 of objects while moving
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/25 for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/255 for testing wheel alignment

Abstract

A vehicle wheel assembly service system configured to acquire measurements of the physical characteristics of a vehicle wheel assembly such as during a vehicle wheel balancing procedure, with the functionality to obtain and utilize a measurement of a vehicle wheel assembly offset or rear spacing. The vehicle wheel assembly service system is configured to display the wheel assembly offset or rear spacing measurement to an operator, and optionally, to display guidance and/or installation instructions to the operator associated with the installation of the vehicle wheel assembly on a vehicle. The displayed guidance and/or installation instructions may optionally include fitment information, vehicle performance data, or vehicle braking data.

Claims

1. An improved vehicle wheel assembly service system having a processing system configured to receive measurement data associated with a vehicle wheel assembly mounted against a spindle face on a spindle shaft, the improvement comprising:

the processing system configured to utilize the received measurement data and a known axial location of said spindle face to determine an axial displacement associated with the mounting pad of the vehicle wheel assembly mounted against the spindle face.

2. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said determined axial displacement associated with said mounting pad of the vehicle wheel assembly is a wheel assembly rear spacing.

3. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said determined axial displacement associated with said mounting pad of the vehicle wheel assembly is a wheel assembly offset.

4. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 3 wherein said received measurement data includes an axial location of an outer wheel rim, and an axial location of an inner wheel rim.

5. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured to utilize said determined axial displacement to identify at least one alternative vehicle wheel assembly configuration.

6. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said received measurement data includes a measure of wheel assembly radius;

and

wherein said processing system is configured to determine at least one brake force parameter associated with the vehicle wheel assembly.

7. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 6 wherein said processing system is configured to determine a change in said at least one brake force parameter associated with a second vehicle wheel assembly having a different configuration from said vehicle wheel assembly.

8. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 7 wherein said processing system is configured to provide a display of said determined change in said at least one brake force parameter.

9. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured to provide a display of said determined axial displacement.

10. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured to utilize said determined axial displacement in combination with vehicle-specific data to identify at least one fitment parameter for installation of said vehicle wheel assembly on a vehicle.

11. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 10 wherein said vehicle-specific data is provided by an operator.

12. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 10 wherein said vehicle-specific data is obtained from a database.

13. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 10 wherein said at least one fitment parameter includes clearance.

14. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured to store said determined axial displacement from a first vehicle wheel assembly;

and

wherein said processing system is further configured to utilize said stored axial displacement to determine if a second vehicle wheel assembly having a different configuration from said first vehicle wheel assembly is a suitable replacement for said first vehicle wheel assembly.

15. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured with instruction code for carrying out vehicle wheel assembly balancing procedures.

16. The improved vehicle wheel assembly service system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured with instruction code for carrying out vehicle wheel assembly tire changing operations.

17. A method for measuring a vehicle wheel assembly mounted against a spindle face on a spindle of a vehicle wheel assembly service system, comprising:

identifying an axial position associated with at least one rim edge of the vehicle wheel assembly;

determining an axial displacement associated with a mounting pad of the vehicle wheel assembly mounted against the spindle face, utilizing said identified axial position together with a known axial position of the spindle face.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said determined axial displacement associated with said mounting pad is a rear spacing of the vehicle wheel assembly.

19. The method of claim 17 further including the steps of identifying a second axial position associated with a second rim of the vehicle wheel assembly;

determining an axial center for the vehicle wheel assembly utilizing said first and second identified axial displacement measurements; and

determining an offset of said mounting pad of the vehicle wheel assembly utilizing said determined axial center and said known axial position of the spindle face.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of said identified axial displacements is provided by an operator.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of said identified axial displacements is acquired from data acquisition components associated with said vehicle wheel assembly service system.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising utilizing said determined displacement associated with the vehicle wheel assembly mounting pad in combination with vehicle clearance limitations to display alternate wheel assembly configurations which meet said vehicle clearance limitations.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said alternate wheel configurations are retrieved from a database.