Wheel-balancing method and device

• US 6,122,957 A
• Filed: 03/10/1997
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beissbarth GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Beissbarth GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Ross, Peter, Schommer, Stefan, Worm, Michael, Bux, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): MOLLER, RICHARD ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/793,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 73/468, 73/462, 73/66, 364/463, 364/550, 356/139.09, 356/152.1, 356/155
• US Class Current: 73/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/02 Details of balancing machines or devices

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for balancing a wheel comprising a rim and a tire. This device comprises a unit for measuring the wheel imbalance and a unit for scanning the rim dimensions. The scanner unit and the imbalance-measuring unit are connected to a computer which determines a rim contour from the scanner unit output signals and then the optimum positions and dimensions for the balance weights from the contour determined in conjunction with values supplied by the imbalance-measuring unit.

Claims

1. A method for balancing a wheel by means of balancing weights, comprising the steps of:

measuring a degree the wheel is unbalanced;

scanning the dimensions of the wheel rim and computing the outline of the wheel rim from said scanning values;

determining optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel rim from the computed outline of the wheel rim; and

computing the values of the balancing weights for balancing the wheel on the basis of said optimal balancing positions and the degree the wheel is unbalanced.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of graphically displaying the computed outline of the wheel rim, the computed optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel in conjunction with the rim, and values of the balancing weights at said optimal balancing positions of the outline of the wheel rim.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of computing the optimal balancing positions includes variably selecting balancing positions relative to the outline of the wheel rim on the display, and calculating the values of the balancing weights based on using the selected balancing positions and the degree the wheel is unbalanced.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of scanning the wheel rim comprises scanning a visible portion of the rim and computing the outline from the picture of the visible portion of the rim.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of scanning the wheel rim includes measuring a distance between a distance meter and addressed points on the outline of the wheel rim.

6. A device for balancing a wheel by means of balancing weights comprising:

an unbalance measuring unit for measuring the degree that the wheel is unbalanced;

a scanning device for scanning the wheel rim, and

a computer being connected to the scanning device and the unbalance measuring device, wherein the scanning device includes means for detecting an outline of the wheel rim, and the computer includes

means for evaluating the outline of the wheel from the output signals of the scanning device,

means for determining optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel rim; and

means for computing the values of the balancing weights for balancing the wheel on the basis of said optimal balancing positions and the degree the wheel is unbalanced.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a display device connected to the computer for displaying the evaluated outline of the wheel rim, the computed optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel rim and the values of the balancing weights at said optimal balancing positions of the outline of the wheel rim.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the scanning device includes a pick-up which is guided manually across the wheel rim, and detectors for detecting the movement of the pick-up, the output signals of the detectors being received by the computer.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the scanning device comprises a pick-up which is movable by motor drives.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the scanning device comprises a pick-up having a distance meter which measures the distance between said pick-up and an addressed point of the outline of the wheel rim.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the distance meter is pivotally arranged, and detectors are provided for detecting the pivotal movement of the distance meter, the output signals of the detectors being received by the computer.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the scanning device comprises a pick-up having a distance meter which measures the distance between the pick-up and an addressed point of the outline of the wheel rim.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the distance meter is pivotally arranged, and detectors are provided for detecting the pivotal movement of the distance meter, the output signals of the detectors being received by the computer.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the computer includes means for controlling the movement of the pick-up.

15. The device according to claim 6, wherein the scanning device includes a picture detecting unit.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the picture detecting unit includes a camera which detects the inner outline of the wheel, the output of the signals are outputted to the computer for evaluating the outline.

17. A device for balancing a wheel by means of balancing weights comprising:

an unbalance measuring unit for measuring the degree that the wheel is unbalanced;

a scanning device for scanning the wheel rim, and

a computer being connected to the scanning device and the unbalance measuring device, wherein the scanning device includes a pick-up which is guided manually across the wheel rim, and detectors for detecting the movement of the pick-up, the output signals of the detectors being received by the computer, and the computer includes

means for determining optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel rim; and

means for computing the values of the balancing weights for balancing the wheel on the basis of said optimal balancing positions and the degree the wheel is unbalanced.

18. A device for balancing a wheel by means of balancing weights comprising:

an unbalance measuring unit for measuring the degree that the wheel is unbalanced;

a scanning device for scanning the wheel rim, and

a computer being connected to the scanning device and the unbalance measuring device, wherein the scanning device includes a pick-up which is movable by motor drives, and the computer includes

means for evaluating the outline of the wheel from the output signals of the scanning device,

means for determining optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel rim; and

means for computing the values of the balancing weights for balancing the wheel on the basis of said optimal balancing positions and the decree the wheel is unbalanced.

19. A device for balancing a wheel by means of balancing weights comprising:

an unbalance measuring unit for measuring the degree that the wheel is unbalanced;

a scanning device for scanning the wheel rim, and

a computer being connected to the scanning device and the unbalance measuring device, wherein the scanning device includes a picture detecting unit, and the computer includes

means for evaluating the outline of the wheel from the output signals of the scanning device,

means for determining optimal balancing positions of the balancing weights on the wheel rim; and

means for computing the values of the balancing weights for balancing the wheel on the basis of said optimal balancing positions and the degree the wheel is unbalanced.