METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR ANALYSING A VEHICLE WHEEL

• US 20110023589A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bertil Carnehammar
• Original Assignee: Lars Bertil Carnehammar
• Inventors: Seitz, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,424,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/30 Compensating imbalance
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/365 using balancing liquid

Abstract

A method of analysing a vehicle wheel comprising a tyre of a predetermined configuration and a thixotropic balancing substance, comprising rotating the vehicle wheel with a predetermined number of revolutions for a period of time, wherein a tread surface of the tyre is pressed in a first contact area against a rotatable drum with a predetermined force, and a first acceleration in the first contact area is measured with a measuring device; rotating another vehicle wheel comprising another tyre of the predetermined configuration with the predetermined number of revolutions for another period of time, the other vehicle wheel being conventionally balanced and having another residual unbalance, wherein another tread surface of the other tyre is pressed in a second contact area against the rotatable drum with the predetermined force, and a second acceleration in the second contact area is measured with the measuring device and if the first acceleration is less than or equal to the second acceleration, determining that the vehicle wheel is balanced. An apparatus, and a system, for analysing a vehicle wheel comprising a tyre of a predetermined configuration and a thixotropic balancing substance according to the method.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A method of analysing a vehicle wheel (130) comprising a tyre (132) of a predetermined configuration and a thixotropic balancing substance, comprising:

rotating the vehicle wheel (130) with a predetermined number of revolutions for a period of time, wherein a tread surface (133) of the tyre (132) is pressed in a first contact area against a rotatable drum (143) with a predetermined force, and a first acceleration in the first contact area is measured with a measuring device (145);

rotating another vehicle wheel comprising another tyre of the predetermined configuration with the predetermined number of revolutions for another period of time, the other vehicle wheel being conventionally balanced and having another residual unbalance, wherein another tread surface of the other tyre is pressed in a second contact area against the rotatable drum (143) with the predetermined force, and a second acceleration in the second contact area is measured with the measuring device (145); and

if the first acceleration is less than or equal to the second acceleration, determining that the vehicle wheel (130) is balanced.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

if the first acceleration is greater than the second acceleration, determining that the vehicle wheel (130) is unbalanced.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the predetermined number of revolutions amounts to approximately between 15 1/s and 55 1/s, for example approximately between 25 1/s and 45 1/s, preferably approximately 35 1/s.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the predetermined number of revolutions corresponds, at the tread surface 133 and the other tread surface, to a peripheral speed being approximately between 100 km/h (about 28 m/s) and 300 km/h (about 83 m/s), for example approximately between 150 km/h (about 42 m/s) and 250 km/h (about 69 m/s), preferably approximately 200 km/h (about 56 m/s).

20. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the predetermined force amounts to approximately between 100 N and 10 kN, for example approximately between 200 N and 5 kN, preferably approximately between 300 N and 2 kN, more preferably approximately between 500 N and 1.5 kN, such as approximately 1 kN.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the predetermined configuration of the tyre (132) is determined by make or type or size, or, preferably, a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the first acceleration and the second acceleration each comprise a vertical acceleration or horizontal acceleration or tangential acceleration, or combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining the first acceleration as mean, for example root mean square (RMS), from a first plurality of acceleration values, for example peak-to-peak values, measured during the period of time; and

determining the second acceleration as mean, for example root mean square (RMS), from a second plurality of acceleration values, for example peak-to-peak values, measured during the other period of time.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the measuring device (145) comprises an acceleration sensor.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the measuring device (145) is assigned to the vehicle wheel (130) and the other vehicle wheel.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the measuring device (145) is assigned to the drum (143).

27. The method of claim 16, wherein:

during rotating the vehicle wheel (130) with the predetermined number of revolutions the balancing substance is distributed in the tyre (132), such that the vehicle wheel (130) is balanced except for a residual unbalance.

28. The method of one of claim 16, wherein:

the vehicle wheel (130) comprises a rim of a predetermined configuration; and

the other vehicle wheel comprises another rim of the predetermined configuration.

29. An apparatus (100) for analysing a vehicle wheel (130) comprising a tyre (132) of a predetermined configuration and a thixotropic balancing substance, the apparatus comprising:

a.—

means (143) for rotating the vehicle wheel (130) with a predetermined number of revolutions for a period of time, wherein a tread surface (133) of the tyre (132) is pressed in a first contact area against a rotatable drum (143) with a predetermined force, and a first acceleration in the first contact area is measured with a measuring device (145);

b.—

means (143) for rotating another vehicle wheel comprising another tyre of the predetermined configuration with the predetermined number of revolutions for another period of time, the other vehicle wheel being conventionally balanced and having another residual unbalance, wherein another tread surface of the other tyre is pressed in a second contact area against the rotatable drum (143) with the predetermined force, and a second acceleration in the second contact area is measured with the measuring device (145); and

c.—

means for determining, if the first acceleration is less than or equal to the second acceleration, that the vehicle wheel (130) is balanced.