Patent ID: 6397675
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: B65B,G01M

Abstract:
A wheel balancer comprising:a shaft adapted for receiving a wheel/tire assembly, said shaft having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about said axis so as to rotate the wheel/tire assembly removably mounted thereon, said wheel/tire assembly having a wheel and a tire mounted on the wheel, the wheel having a wheel rim in contact with the tire along at least one bead seat; a rotation sensor assembly for measuring rotation of the shaft about said longitudinal axis; a vibration sensor assembly for measuring vibration of the wheel/tire assembly as the wheel/tire assembly is rotated; a motor operatively connected to the shaft for rotating said shaft about said longitudinal axis, thereby to rotate the wheel/tire assembly; a load roller for applying a generally radial force to the wheel/tire assembly during rotation of said wheel/tire assembly so that a loaded wheel/tire assembly measurement of the wheel/tire assembly while the force is applied thereto may be determined; a sensor for measuring runout of the wheel rim at the bead seat; a control circuit responsive to the measured vibration of the wheel/tire assembly to determine wheel imbalance, and responsive to measurement of wheel rim runout and to the loaded wheel/tire assembly measurement to determine an angular remount position of the tire on the rim to minimize some predetermined uniformity parameter of the tire or wheel/tire assembly.