Dynamic wheel and tire balancing apparatus

• US 3,913,980 A
• Filed: 09/09/1974
• Issued: 10/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albert H. Cobb Jr
• Original Assignee: Albert H. Cobb Jr
• Inventors: Cobb, Albert H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keen, D. W.
• Application Number:
  US05/504,142
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 301/5BA 74/573,574
• US Class Current: 301/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/363 using rolling bodies, e.g. balls free to move in a circumferential direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/28 with special adaptations for determining imbalance of the body in situ, e.g. of vehicle wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/36 by adjusting position of masses built-in the body to be tested

Abstract

The invention comprises a user installable system of improved automobile wheel and tire dynamic balancing apparatus selectively positioned in the central longitudinal groove-way cavity of the wheel rim for a pneumatic tire.

Claims

1. An improved vehicle wheel and tire dynamic weight redistribution and balancing apparatus designed for user installation within the center space between parallel bead mounting flanges of a wheel rim for a tubeless pheumatic tire, said improved tire and wheel balancing apparatus comprising:

A. A semi-rigid elastic annular rim encircling balancing tube to surround and be attached to the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel in a position concentric with the hub of the wheel and positioned in a selected vertical plane dividing the mass of the complete wheel, rim and tire assembly into equal left and right masses, said annular rim encircling balancing tube having 1. a hollow circular cross-section passageway cavity forming a channel disposed through the length of said elastic annular rim encircling balancing tube suitable for free movement of a rollable sphere therein, 2. said rim encircling balancing tube being fabricated from an electrically non-conductive plastic material; and

B. a plurality of rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres with 1. each of said spheres being fabricated from a selected material, and 2. each of said spheres having a diameter smaller than the width of said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and of sufficient size that two of said rollable weight redistribution spheres cannot pass each other in said hollow interior sphere passageway where the spheres are to be Inserted; and

C. a quantity of low viscosity, non-wetting damping fluid, such as ethylene glycol, injected into the interior of said tubular passageway channel in sufficient quantity such that the combined volume of the rollable weight balancing spheres and the non-wetting damping fluid fill approximately two-thirds of the interior volume of said tubular passageway channel to provide a slightly damped mobility enhancing fluid medium in which the balancing spheres can move freely without sticking to each other or sticking to the interior wall of said tubular sphere passageway cavity.

2. each of said spheres having a diameter smaller than the width of said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and of sufficient size that two of said rollable weight redistribution spheres cannot pass each other in said hollow interior sphere passageway where the spheres are to be inserted;

and D. a quantity of low viscosity, non-wetting damping fluid, such as ethylene glycol, injected into the interior of said tubular passageway channel in sufficient quantity such that the combined volume of the rollable weight balancing spheres and the non-wetting damping fluid fill approximately two-thirds of the interior volume of said tubular passageway channel to provide a slightly damped mobility enhancing fluid medium in which the balancing spheres can move freely without sticking to each other or sticking to the interior wall of said tubular sphere passageway cavity.

3. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 1 in which the rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with a slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating to facilitate the mobility of said rolling weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

4. The weight distribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 1 in which the annular rim encircling balancing tube is fabricated from a length of flexible tubing with the two ends of said tubing joined together snugly around the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel by means of a sleeve-shaped, slip-on collar adhesively secured in position joining and matching the two ends of the said flexible tubing.

5. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 1 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from metallic material.

6. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 5 in which the metallic rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with an electrically insulative slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating such as teflon to facilitate the mobility of said rollable weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

7. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 1 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic and non-magnetic material, such as bronze, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

8. An improved vehicle wheel and tire dynamic weight redistribution and balancing apparatus designed for factory or user installation within the central longitudinal groove-way cavity of the wheel rim for a tubeless pneumatic tire, said improved tire and wheel balancing apparatus comprising:

A. a semi-rigid elastic annular rim encircling balancing tube to surround and be attached to the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel in a position concentric with the hub of the wheel and positioned in a selected vertical plane dividing the mass of the complete wheel, rim and tire assembly into equal left and right masses, said annular rim encircling balancing tube having

9. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 8 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from an electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic material, such as glass or a ceramic material, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

10. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 8 in whwich the rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with a slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating to facilitate the mobility of said rolling weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

11. The weight distribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 8 in which the annular rim encircling balancing tube is fabricated from a length of flexible tubing with the two ends of said tubing joined together snugly around the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel by means of a sleeve-shaped, slip-on collar adhesively secured in position joining and matching the two ends of the said flexible tubing.

12. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 8 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic material.

13. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 12 in which the metallic rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with an electrically insulative slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating such as teflon to facilitate the mobility of said rollable weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

14. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 8 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic and non-magnetic material, such as bronze, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

15. An improved vehicle wheel and tire dynamic weight redistribution and balancing apparatus designed for user installation within the central longitudinal center space between parallel bead mounting flanges of a wheel rim for a tubeless pneumatic tire, said improved tire and wheel balancing apparatus comprising:

A. a semi-rigid elastic annular rim encircling balancing tube to surround and be attached to the outer rim surface of a conventional tubeless tire vehicle wheel in a position concentric with the hub of the wheel and positioned in a selected vertical plane dividing the mass of the complete wheel, rim and tire assembly into equal left and right masses, said annular rim encircling balancing tube having

16. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 15 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from an electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic material, such as glass or a ceramic material, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

17. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 15 in which the rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with a slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating to facilitate the mobility of said rolling weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

18. The weight distribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 15 in which the annular rim encircling balancing tube is fabricated from a length of flexible tubing with the two ends of said tubing joined together snugly around the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel by means of a sleeve-shaped, slip-on collar adhesively secured in position joining and matching the two ends of the said flexible tubing.

19. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 15 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic material.

20. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 19 in which the metallic rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with an electrically insulative slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating such as teflon to facilitate the mobility of said rollable weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

21. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 15 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic and non-magnetic material, such as bronze, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

22. Improved vehicle wheel and tire dynamic weight redistribution and balancing apparatus designed for either factory installation or for user installation within the central longitudinal center space between parallel bead mounting flanges of a wheel rim for a tubeless pneumatic tire, said improved tire and wheel balancing apparatus comprising:

A. a specially fabricated wheel rim provided with a centrally positioned and longitudinally disposed concave recess in the outside surface of said vehicle wheel rim;

B. a semi-rigid elastic annular rim encircling balancing tube to surround, attach to, and firmly seat within the central longitudinal concave recess provided in the outer rim surface of a vehicle wheel in a position concentric with the hub of the wheel and positioned in a selected vertical plane dividing the mass of the complete wheel, rim and tire assembly into equal left and right masses, said annular rim encircling balancing tube having

23. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 22 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from an electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic material, such as glass or a ceramic material, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

24. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 22 in which the rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with a slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating to facilitate the mobility of said rolling weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatuS.

25. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus descrbed in claim 22 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic material.

26. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 25 in which the metallic rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with an electrically insulative slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating such as teflon to facilitate the mobility of said rollable weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

27. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 22 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic and non-magnetic material, such as bronze, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

28. The weight distribution and wheel balancing apparatus as described in claim 22 in which the annular rim encircling balancing tube is fabricated from a length of flexible tubing with the two ends of said tubing joined together snugly around the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel by means of a sleeve-shaped, slip-on collar adhesively secured in position joining and matching the two ends of the said flexible tubing.

29. A combination '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'do-it-yourself'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' kit of parts and materials for user installation of an improved vehicle wheel and tire dynamic weight redistribution and balancing apparatus within the central longitudinal center space between parallel bead mounting flanges of a vehicle wheel rim for a tubeless pneumatic tire, said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'do-it-yourself'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' wheel balancing kit comprising:

A. a semi-rigid elastic annular rim encircling balancing tube to surround and be attached to the outer rim surface of a conventional tubeless tire vehicle wheel in a position concentric with the hub of the wheel and positioned in a selected vertical plane dividing the mass of the complete wheel, rim and tire assembly into equal left and right masses, said annular rim encircling balancing tube having

30. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 29 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from an electrically non-conductive and non-magnetic material, such as glass or a ceramic material, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

31. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 29 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic material.

32. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 31 in which the metallic rollable weight redistribution spheres are provided with an electrically insulative slick, non-stick and non-wetting surface coating such as teflon to facilitate the mobility of said rolling weight redistribution spheres within said hollow interior sphere passageway cavity and to prevent said balancing spheres from sticking to each other or sticking to the interior surface of the tubular channel portion of said balancing apparatus.

33. The weight redistribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 29 together with rollable weight redistribution and balancing spheres fabricated from a metallic and non-magnetic material, such as bronze, that is non-wettable by the damping fluid within said hollow tubular interior sphere passageway cavity.

34. The weight distribution and wheel balancing apparatus described in claim 29 in which the annular rim encircling balancing tube is fabricated from a length of flexible tubing with the two ends of said tubing joined together snugly around the outer rim surface of a conventional vehicle wheel by means of a sleeve-shaped, slip-on collar adhesively secured in position joining and matching the two ends of the said flexible tubing.