Inflation Work Station

• US 20100263801A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Android Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Android Industries LLC
• Inventors: Lawson, Lawrence J., Reece, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 157/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/10 with three or more finger members B25J15/0009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0515 Automated devices, e.g. mounting robots
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/132 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 Class Codes: B60C 25/145 for locating provisionally the beads of tubeless tyres against the sealing surfaces of the rims, e.g. air filling bell

Abstract

An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes a working device having an end effecter. The end effecter includes a wheel-engaging plunger member, a retaining apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, and an inflation apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member. The retaining apparatus includes at least one tire-engaging portion extending from a retaining apparatus base member. The inflation apparatus includes at least one inflation probe extending from an inflation apparatus base member. A method for operating an inflation work station is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel, comprising:

a working device having an end effecter, wherein the end effecter includes

a wheel-engaging plunger member,

a retaining apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, and

an inflation apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, wherein the retaining apparatus includes at least one tire-engaging portion extending from a retaining apparatus base member, wherein the inflation apparatus includes at least one inflation probe extending from an inflation apparatus base member.

2. The inflation work station according to claim 1, further comprising a motor and a controller that provides means for:

spatially manipulating one or more of the retaining apparatus and the inflation apparatus, wherein the spatial manipulation of the retaining apparatus results in the selective engagement of the at least one tire-engaging portion with the tire of the tire-wheel assembly, wherein the spatial manipulation of the inflation apparatus results in the at least one inflation probe being arranged proximate a bead seat of the wheel of the tire-wheel assembly prior to supplying fluid from the inflation apparatus to a cavity of the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly.

3. The inflation work station according to claim 2, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the end effecter, wherein the sensor is in communication with one or more of the motor and the controller, wherein the sensor provides

means for sensing and communicating a geometry of one or more of the tire and the wheel to one or more of the motor and controller for causing one or more of the motor and controller to spatially manipulate one or more of the retaining apparatus and the inflation apparatus to one or an expanded orientation and a retracted orientation.

4. The inflation work station according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tire-engaging portion includes:

at least one substantially radially-projecting portion movably-coupled to the retaining apparatus base member,

at least one substantially axially-projecting portion projecting away from a lower surface of the at least one substantially radially-projecting portion, and

at least one head portion connected to the at least one substantially axially-projecting portion.

5. The inflation work station according to claim 4, wherein the at least one head portion provides:

means for engaging a tread surface of the tire, wherein movement of one or more of the at least one substantially radially-projecting portion, the at least one substantially axially-projecting portion and the at least one head portion provides

means for arranging the retaining apparatus in one of a pre-engagement, expanded orientation relative to the tire and a retracted, engaged orientation with the tire.

6. The inflation work station according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inflation probe includes:

at least one radially-projecting portion movably-coupled to the inflation apparatus base member, wherein the at least one radially projecting portion includes a first end coupled to the inflation apparatus base member and a second end forming a pivot joint.

7. The inflation work station according to claim 6, wherein second end forming the pivot joint provides:

means for pivotably-moving a distal end portion of the at least one inflation probe in clockwise direction or counter-clockwise direction.

8. The inflation work station according to claim 1, wherein the wheel-engaging plunger member includes

an axially-projecting portion that provides

means for engaging a an axial opening of the wheel.

9. The inflation work station according to claim 1, wherein the working device includes a robotic arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the robotic arm is attached to an upper surface of a load bearing member, wherein the second end of the robotic arm includes the end effecter.

10. The inflation work station according to claim 9, wherein the upper surface of the load bearing member includes an engagement member that provides:

means for interfaceably-coupling the load bearing member to a work surface member of a wheeled cart, wherein the engagement member is disposable within a recess formed in a lower surface of the work surface member of the wheeled cart, wherein the wheeled cart transports an un-inflated the tire-wheel assembly to the inflation work station.

11. The inflation work station according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inflation probe includes:

a distal end portion that provides

means for disposing the at least one inflation probe between a portion of a bead of the tire and a bead seat of the wheel in order to permit the at least one inflation probe to provide fluid to a cavity formed by the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly, wherein the disposed orientation of the distal end portion between the portion of the bead of the tire and the bead seat of the wheel forms one or more access openings to the cavity, wherein the one or more access openings result in the cavity being non-sealably-exposed to atmosphere.

12. The inflation work station according to claim 11, wherein the distal end portion includes:

an access opening close-out device that provides

means for at least partially sealing the one or more access openings of the cavity for at least partially inhibiting the fluid deposited into the cavity from escaping to the atmosphere from the one or more access openings.

13. The inflation work station according to claim 12, wherein the access opening close-out device includes:

an inflatable bladder arrangeable in one of a stowed orientation and a deployed orientation, wherein, when the inflatable bladder is arranged in the deployed orientation, an outer surface of the inflatable bladder may be arranged substantially adjacent one or more of a side surface of the distal end portion, a lower body surface portion of the bead seat of the wheel and an upper body surface portion of the bead of the tire.

14. The inflation work station according to claim 13, wherein the inflatable bladder forms a cavity that is in fluid communication with a fluid conduit extending through the distal end portion by way of a fluid channel formed in the distal end portion, wherein the fluid channel provides

means for permitting a portion of the fluid passing through the fluid conduit and toward the cavity of the tire-wheel assembly to be diverted to the cavity of the inflatable bladder.

15. The inflation work station according to claim 13, wherein the access opening close-out device includes:

a substantially rigid guide flange arranged proximate the exterior surface of the inflatable bladder to provide

means for directing the inflatable bladder (e.g., in a substantially radial direction) toward one or more of the side surface of the distal end portion, the lower body surface portion of the bead seat of the wheel and the upper body surface portion of the bead of the tire.

16. The inflation work station according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inflation probe includes:

a distal end portion formed from more than one material including a first material and a second material, wherein the second material includes a hardness characteristic that is different than that of first material, wherein the hardness characteristic of the second material is less than that of the first material to provide

means for increasing the sealability of the distal end portion when the distal end portion is located adjacent a portion of a bead seat of the wheel.

17. The inflation work station according to claim 16, wherein the distal end portion includes one or more fluid outlet openings formed by an upper lip and a lower lip, wherein the second material forms at least a portion of each of the upper lip and the lower lip, wherein at least a portion of one or more of the upper lip and the lower lip are arranged adjacent the portion of a bead seat of the wheel.

18. A method for operating an inflation work station for processing a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel, wherein the work station includes a working device having an end effecter, wherein the end effecter includes a wheel-engaging plunger member, a retaining apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, an inflation apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, wherein the retaining apparatus includes at least one tire-engaging portion extending from a retaining apparatus base member, wherein the inflation apparatus includes at least one inflation probe extending from an inflation apparatus base member comprising the steps of:

spatially manipulating the inflation apparatus for causing a distal end portion of the at least one inflation probe to disposed between a portion of the bead of the tire and a bead seat of the wheel; and

supplying a fluid from the distal end portion of the at least one inflation probe and into a cavity of the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the disposed orientation of the distal end portion between the portion of the bead of the tire and the bead seat of the wheel forms one or more access openings to the cavity, wherein the one or more access openings result in the cavity being non-sealably-exposed to atmosphere and further comprising the step of:

at least partially sealing the one or more access openings of the cavity for at least partially inhibiting the fluid supplied into the cavity from escaping to the atmosphere from the one or more access openings by

at least partially deploying an access opening close-out device connected to the distal end portion.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the deploying step includes:

inflating an inflatable bladder of the access opening close-out device to be in at least a partially deployed orientation such that an outer surface of the inflatable bladder is arranged substantially adjacent one or more of a side surface of the distal end portion, a lower body surface portion of the bead seat of the wheel and an upper body surface portion of the bead of the tire.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of:

spatially manipulating the retaining apparatus for causing the at least one tire-engaging portion to engage a tread surface of the tire of the tire-wheel assembly.