Wheel balancer

• US 9,032,793 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Horizon (Thales SA)
• Inventors: McFarlane, David A., Dunn, Matthew Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, Laura
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah, Samir M
• Application Number:
  US13/432,922
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 734/86, 734/87, 301/5.21
• US Class Current: 73/486
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 2320/30 Balancing
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 30/00 Means for holding wheels or parts thereof spare wheel stowing, holding or mounting arrangements on vehicles B62D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/02 Details of balancing machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/045 the body being a vehicle wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/12 Static balancing; Determining position of centre of gravity by determining imbalance G01M1/14

Abstract

Wheel balancers and methods of their use are disclosed. One wheel balancer includes a cable and a base. The cable has a support end for being fastened to a support. The base is configured for receipt inside a wheel, and the base has proximal and distal ends and a hollow interior area for passing the cable therethrough. The cable passes through the base interior area and is operatively coupled to the base such that a distance between the cable support end and the base distal end is generally constant when the cable is extended. A pivot point for the cable is movable relative to the base between the base distal end and the cable support end.

Claims

1. A wheel balancer, comprising:

a cable;

a piston having proximal and distal ends and a hollow interior area for passing the cable therethrough;

a base having proximal and distal ends and a hollow interior area for passing the cable therethrough;

the piston being extendable and retractable relative to the base such that the piston distal end is movable toward and away from the base distal end;

the cable passing through the piston interior area and the base interior area and being operatively coupled to the base; and

a restriction along the hollow interior area of the piston, the restriction being movable with the piston and forming a pivot point for the cable.

2. The wheel balancer of claim 1, wherein the piston proximal end includes structure for indicating orientation of the piston relative to the cable.

3. The wheel balancer of claim 2, wherein the cable is coupled to the base distal end.

4. The wheel balancer of claim 3, wherein:

the structure for indicating orientation is a circular opening; and

the cable, when extending linearly from the base distal end to past the piston proximal end, passes through a centerpoint of the circular opening.

5. The wheel balancer of claim 4, wherein the piston extends inside the base.

6. The wheel balancer of claim 5, wherein the piston is slidable relative to the base for extending and retracting the piston relative to the base.

7. The wheel balancer of claim 6, further comprising a retaining nut removably coupled to the base adjacent the base proximal end.

8. The wheel balancer of claim 7, wherein the base is configured for receipt inside a wheel.

9. The wheel balancer of claim 8, further comprising a bushing for passing between the base and the wheel.

10. The wheel balancer of claim 1, further comprising means for coupling the cable to a support.

11. The wheel balancer of claim 1, wherein the cable is coupled to the base distal end.

12. The wheel balancer of claim 1, wherein the restriction is at the piston distal end.

13. The wheel balancer of claim 1, wherein the base is configured for receipt inside a wheel.

14. The wheel balancer of claim 13, wherein the base is configured for receipt inside wheel bearings.

15. The wheel balancer of claim 1, wherein:

the cable has a support end for being fastened to a support; and

a distance between the cable support end and the base distal end is generally constant when the cable is extended.

16. A wheel balancer, comprising:

a cable having a support end for being fastened to a support;

a first member having proximal and distal ends and a hollow interior area for passing the cable therethrough, the cable passing through the first member interior area and being operatively coupled to the first member such that a distance between the cable support end and the first member distal end is generally constant when the cable is extended;

a second member being extendable and retractable relative to the first member such that a distal end of the second member is movable toward and away from the first member distal end;

the cable passing through a hollow interior area of the second member;

a restriction along the hollow interior area of the second member, the restriction being movable with the second member and funning a pivot point for the cable; and

structure for indicating orientation of the second member relative to the cable.

17. The wheel balancer of claim 16, wherein;

the second member extends inside the first member;

the first member is configured for receipt inside a wheel;

the structure for indicating orientation is a circular opening; and

the cable, when extending linearly from the first member distal end to past a proximal end of the second member, passes through a centerpoint of the circular opening.

18. The Wheel balancer of claim 16, wherein the second member is slidable relative to the first member for extending and retracting the second member relative to the first member.

19. The wheel balancer of claim 16, further comprising a bushing for passing between the first member and the wheel.

20. The wheel balancer of claim 16, wherein the second member is a piston.