Patent ID: 6435027
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
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; a 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; a load roller movement sensor to measure movement of said roller to determine loaded radial runout of the wheel/tire assembly while the force is applied to the wheel/tire assembly; a lateral force sensor for measuring lateral force between the load roller and the wheel/tire assembly; and a control circuit responsive to the measured vibration of the wheel/tire assembly to determine wheel imbalance, and responsive to the measurement of lateral force to provide information relating to the measured lateral force to a user.