METHOD FOR MOUNTING A TYRE ON A RIM TO FORM A MOTOR VEHICLE WHEEL AND FOR DEMOUNTING A TYRE FROM A RIM AND APPARATUS THEREFORE

• US 20110174446A1
• Filed: 12/02/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Equipment S.r.l. (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Equipment S.r.l. (Snap-On Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sotgiu, Paolo, BRAGHIROLI, Francesco
• Granted Patent: US 8,342,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 157/1.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0527 Adapting to different wheel diameters, i.e. distance between support and tool
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0554 optical, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/138 with rotary motion of tool or tyre support
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45021 Wheel mounting

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for mounting a tyre on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tyre from a rim with at least one fitting or removal tool, wherein images of the wheel (14) or the rim (12) are created by a vision system (21) and corresponding signals are sent to a computer (18; 28), wherein commands to move the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) by the computer (18; 30), wherein the signals of the vision system (21) and the commands sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are correlated to define the position of the at least one fitting or removal tool relative to the rim contour and wherein the movement of the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) is guided in dependence on the performed correlation without contacting the rim surface. Furthermore, the invention concerns an apparatus for mounting a tyre on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tyre from a rim.

Claims

1. Method for mounting a tyre on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tyre from a rim with at least one fitting or removal tool, wherein images of the wheel (14) or the rim (12) are created by a vision system (21) and corresponding signals are sent to a computer (18;

28), wherein commands to move the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) by the computer (18;

30), wherein the signals of the vision system (21) and the commands sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are correlated to define the position of the at least one fitting or removal tool relative to the rim contour and wherein the movement of the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) is guided in dependence on the performed correlation without contacting the rim surface.

2. Method according to claim 1,

wherein signals of the vision system (21) are sent to the computer (18) and commands to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are sent from the computer (18).

3. Method according to claim 1,

wherein signals of the vision system (21) are sent to a second computer (28), the second computer (28) is connected with a computer (30), commands to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are sent from the computer (30).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein a plurality of images are created during the mounting or demounting operation by the vision system (21).

5. Apparatus for mounting a tyre on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tyre from a rim, comprising

at least one fitting or removal tool (16) for mounting and demounting the tyre (15),

a computer (18;

30) being able to send commands for the movement of the at least one fitting or removal tool (16),

a vision system (21) for creating images of the wheel (14) or the rim (12), wherein the vision system (21) is connected with the computer (18;

28), signals corresponding to the created images being sent to the computer (18;

30),

wherein the computer (18;

30) correlates the signals of the vision system (21) and the commands sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) to define the position of the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) relative to the rim contour and to guide the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) in dependence on the performed correlation without contacting the rim surface.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein vision system (21) creates two-dimensional images.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6,

wherein the vision system (21) comprises at least one camera (22, 24, 26) for creating images.

8. Apparatus according to one of the claims 5 to 7,

wherein the vision system (21) is uncalibrated

9. Apparatus according to one of the claims 5 to 8,

wherein an actuator device (17) is provided operating the at least one fitting or removal tool (16).

10. Apparatus according to one of the claims 5 to 9,

wherein a sensor device (20) is connected with the computer (18;

30) providing the position of the at least one fitting or removal tool (16).

11. Apparatus according to one of the claims 5 to 10,

wherein the vision system (21) is connected with the computer (18) and the computer (18) is connected with the at least one fitting or removal tool (16).

12. Apparatus according to one of the claims 5 to 10,

wherein a second computer (28) is provided, the second computer (28) is connected with the vision system (21) and with the computer (30), commands to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are sent from the computer (30).