Patent ID: 6173213
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A wheel style recognition system for identifying styles of wheel workpieces and orienting the wheel workpieces, the wheel workpieces having a central hub for mounting to an axle of a motor vehicle, a rim portion, and a spoke section connecting the rim portion to the hub, the wheel style recognition system comprising:a wheel style recognition station;a conveyor for delivering a wheel workpiece to said wheel style recognition station;a servomotor for rotating the wheel workpiece in a scanning position at said wheel style recognition station at a steady rate of rotation;a wheel orientation sensor for sensing the radial orientation of the wheel workpiece on said wheel style recognition station, and for generating a radial orientation signal;a wheel mapping sensor unit for scanning the wheel workpiece when said servomotor rotates the wheel workpiece and for generating a wheel style mapping signal pattern; anda control unit for comparing said wheel style mapping signal pattern with at least one reference wheel style mapping signal pattern.