ROBOTIC TYRE CHANGING APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED HARDWARE AND METHODS

• US 20160152102A1
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Machinery Automation & Robotics Pty Ltd. (JBS SA)
• Original Assignee: Machinery Automation & Robotics Pty Ltd. (JBS SA)
• Inventors: Campbell, Clyde
• Application Number:
  US14/904,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20160152102A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/047 for flexible profiles, e.g. sealing or decorating strips in grooves or on other profiles by devices moving along the flexible profile hand tools therefor B25B27/0092
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/084 for placing resilient or flexible rings, e.g. O-rings, circlips
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/10 Assembling; disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/50 Securing
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2340/32 for gripping the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2340/50 Wheel mounting or removal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 29/001 comprising lifting or aligning means B60B29/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 29/002 provided with a dolly
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 30/02 engaging the tyre, e.g. the tyre being mounted on the wheel rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0515 Automated devices, e.g. mounting robots
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0521 Handling of rim or tyre, e.g. lifting and positioning devices
• 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: B60Y 2200/142 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators

Abstract

A tyre changing apparatus 1, for use with tyres on large haul trucks employed in mining operations. The apparatus includes a tyre handler. The grab unit of the tyre handler can provide a stable work platform from which robots may execute tasks. Hence, a first robot is disposed adjacent to the proximal end of arm and a second robot is disposed adjacent to the proximal end of the second arm. This apparatus may be utilised by the robots so as to spread the gap in a lock ring to assist when removing and installing the lock ring. An o-ring installation device may be utilized by the robots when installing an o-ring.

Claims

1. A tyre changing apparatus for use with a tyre disposed on a wheel, said apparatus including:

a tyre handler having two arms respectively defining distal ends adapted in use to clampingly engage the tyre; and

at least one robot disposed on said tyre handler, the at least one robot being positioned for interaction with the wheel when the tyre is clampingly engaged by said distal ends.

2. A tyre changing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the two arms define respective proximal ends that are each disposed on a frame and wherein said at least one robot is disposed at, or adjacent to, at least one of the proximal ends.

3. A tyre changing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a first robot is disposed at, or adjacent to, the proximal end of a first of the two arms and wherein a second robot is disposed at, or adjacent to, the proximal end of a second of the two arms.

4. A tyre changing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one robot is a robotic arm having a proximal end disposed on said tyre handler and having a distal end from which a tool is operable.

5. A tyre changing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the tool is at least one of:

a nut runner;

a lock ring gap spreader;

an o-ring installation device;

a cleaning device;

an inflation device;

or a deflation device.

14. A method of removing a wheel from a truck including the steps of:

providing a tyre changing apparatus according to claim 1;

using the tyre handler to clampingly engage a tyre on the wheel;

causing the robot to operate a nut runner so as to remove nuts holding the wheel onto the truck; and

using the tyre handler to remove the wheel from the truck.

6. A lock ring gap spreader for use with a lock ring defining a gap, the lock ring gap spreader including:

a circular housing sized for fitment around the lock ring; and

an automated spreader unit disposed on a periphery of the housing, the automated spreader unit acting upon a pair of projections so as to define a closed state in which the pair of projections are disposed close enough to each other so as to fit within the gap and said spreader unit defining an open state in which the pair of projections are circumferentially spaced from each other so as to spread the gap in the lock ring.

7. A lock ring gap spreader according to claim 6 wherein the automated spreader unit is hydraulic or pneumatic.

8. A lock ring gap spreader according to claim 6 further including a plurality of handles disposed on the periphery of the housing, each of the handles being engagable by a robotic arm.

9. A lock ring gap spreader according to claim 6 wherein the circular housing is sized so as to receive the lock ring whilst the gap in the lock ring is being maintained in a spread apart state by the spreader unit to thereby stablise the lock ring against twisting.

15. A method of removing a lock ring from a slot in a wheel rim, the method including the steps of:

providing a tyre changing apparatus;

for use with a tyre disposed on a wheel, said apparatus including a tyre handler having two arms respectively defining distal ends adapted in use to clampingly engage the tyre; and

at least one robot disposed on said tyre handler, the at least one robot being positioned for interaction with the wheel when the tyre is clampingly engaged by said distal ends;

using the tyre handler to displace a bead of the tyre away from the lock ring installed on the wheel;

causing the robot to operate a lock ring gap spreader as defined in claim 6 so as to remove the lock ring.

16. A method of installing a lock ring onto a slot in a wheel rim, the method including the steps of:

causing a robot to operate a lock ring gap spreader as defined in claim 6 in the closed state so as to position the pair of projections within a gap in the lock ring;

toggling the lock ring gap spreader into the open state so as to spread the gap and so as to house the lock ring within the housing;

causing the robot to position the lock ring gap spreader such that the housed lock ring is radially aligned with the slot; and

toggling the lock ring gap spreader into the closed state so as to install the lock ring onto the slot.

10. An o-ring installation device for installing an o-ring onto a slot in a wheel rim, the o-ring installation device including:

a circular ledge sized for fitment around the wheel rim and being sized so as to retain the o-ring upon the ledge by frictional engagement of the o-ring with the ledge; and

an actuator disposed on a periphery of the ledge and being operable to displace the o-ring off the ledge such that, in use, the o-ring radially contracts onto the slot in the wheel rim.

11. An o-ring installation device according to claim 10 wherein the actuator is an electromagnetic linear actuator.

12. An o-ring installation device according to claim 10 wherein the actuator acts upon an elongate member disposed at an angle of between 45°

and 135°

with respect to the ledge.

13. An o-ring installation device according to claim 12 wherein the o-ring is installable so as to resiliently radially bear upon the ledge and so as to rest against the elongate member.

17. A method of installing an o-ring onto a slot provided within a rim of a wheel, the method including the steps of:

providing a tyre changing apparatus;

for use with a tyre disposed on a wheel, said apparatus including a tyre handler having two arms respectively defining distal ends adapted in use to clampingly engage the tyre; and

at least one robot disposed on said tyre handler, the at least one robot being positioned for interaction with the wheel when the tyre is clampingly engaged by said distal ends; and

causing the robot to operate an o-ring installation device as defined in claim 10 so as to install the o-ring.