Abstract:
An installation tool for mounting a tire to a wheel, the tire and wheel defining a central axis, the tire having opposing annular sides and two circumferential beads that define an opening through the opposing annular sides and the wheel having shoulders for receiving the circumferential bead, the installation tool comprising a shoe having an upper axial side, a lower axial side and an outer radial side, wherein the shoe includes a beveled transition zone that extends across at least a part of at least one of the upper axial side and the outer radial side, the beveled transition zone defining a bead drawing surface that mounts the bead of the tire to the shoulder of the wheel when rotatable movement is introduced between the tire and the shoe.

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY 
   This disclosure claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/825,778 filed on Sep. 15, 2006. 

   BACKGROUND 
   1. Technical Field 
   This invention generally relates to tooling and to tooling for mounting tires to wheels. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Typical tire/wheel assembly may incorporate one or more automated wheel/tire assembly lines to mount tires onto wheels. This process can involve, amongst other operations, mounting the tire onto the wheel, inflating the wheel to the proper pressure, and balancing the tire/wheel assembly. Some of these operations, if not all, can be done using automated means such as robots or the like. One common approach used for mounting a tire to a wheel is to lay the tire on top of the wheel and then to press against the sidewall of a tire (using a roller wheel or the like) thereby pushing the tire onto the rim. Typically, the roller wheel is circumferentially moved along the sidewall of the tire during the installation operation. Another common technique is to use a guide shoe that fits between the edge of the wheel and the tire bead. The shoe rides along the edge of the wheel as it is rotated about the center axis of the wheel. As the shoe rides along the wheel cage it engages the tire bead and transitions the tire bead onto the wheel. Although roller wheels and guide shoes are commonly used for mounting tires to wheels, they have drawbacks. In the case of roller wheels, the sidewall portion of the tire can be susceptible to scratching, cutting, and otherwise defacing. In the case of guide shoes, because the shoe “rides” along the wheel edge it can abrade the wheel (especially if the wheel is aluminum). The present invention eliminates this problem of potentially damaging the sidewall portion of the tire or defacing the wheel during the mounting operation by eliminating contact between the installation tool and the sidewall portion of the tire and the wheel. 
   SUMMARY 
   An installation tool for mounting a tire to a wheel, the tire and wheel defining a central axis, the tire having opposing annular sides and two circumferential beads that define an opening through the opposing annular sides and the wheel having shoulders for receiving the circumferential bead, the installation tool comprising a shoe having an upper axial side, a lower axial side and an outer radial side, wherein the shoe includes a beveled transition zone that extends across at least a part of at least one of the upper axial side and the outer radial side, the beveled transition zone defining a bead drawing surface that mounts the bead of the tire to the shoulder of the wheel when rotatable movement is introduced between the tire and said shoe. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective, exploded view of a tire installation tool for installing a tire to a wheel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a tire installation tool of in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tire installation tool, in a first intermediate stage, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective view of the tire installation tool of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the installation tool acting on a tire and wheel assembly as taken from the perspective of line  5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the tire installation tool and tire and wheel assembly taken from the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a tire installation tool, in a second intermediate stage, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a installation tool acting on a tire and wheel assembly as taken from the perspective of line  8  of  FIG. 7 ; and 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the tire installation tool and tire and wheel assembly taken from the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The Figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a tire installation tool in accordance with the invention. It is to be generally understood that the nomenclature used herein is simply for convenience and the terms used to describe the invention should be given the broadest meaning by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
   Referring generally to all of the Figures, and  FIGS. 1 and 2  in particular, an embodiment of a tire installation tool  12  is shown. In an embodiment, tire installation tool  12  includes a forward, staging implement  14  and a rearward, assistance implement  16 . For ease of disclosure, forward implement  14  will be referenced throughout the remainder of this disclosure and in the claims as shoe  14  and rearward implement will likewise be referenced as trailing guide  16 . It is to be understood that the choice of these terms, and similar terms, should not be used to limit the scope of which the claims are entitled. 
   Generally, shoe  14  and trailing guide  16  are provided to mount a tire T to a wheel W. After consulting this disclosure, however, one of ordinary skill will recognize that the trailing guide  16  may be omitted such that shoe  14  can carry out the mounting process without trailing guide  16 . For example and among other factors, the inclusion or exclusion of trailing guide  16  is application specific and can depend on the flexibility of the tire, the speed of the rotation and the like. 
   In an embodiment and as depicted in the Figures, first and second supports  18 ,  20  are provided and connect to shoe  14  and trailing guide  16 , respectively. While first and second supports  18 ,  20  are shown and described, based on the full teaching of this disclosure, it will be recognized that the invention may be practice without such supports, with additional supports or with a single support and the claims should not therefore be limited thereby. 
   In an embodiment, tire installation tool  12  is rotatably mounted to a controller (not shown) that rotates tire installation tool  12  around a hub  22 . It will be appreciated that the invention may be realized without incorporating hub  22  or that hub  22  may rotate as well as tire installation tool  12 . In an embodiment, one or both of first and second supports  18 ,  20  are operatively connected to the controller (not shown). In an embodiment, controller (not shown) rotatably moves shoe  14  and trailing guide  16  around axis A as depicted throughout the drawings, the action of which will be discussed throughout this disclosure. In an embodiment, tire installation tool  12  may alternatively be situated in a fixed position such that one or both of the tire T and wheel W are rotated around axis A to enable the mounting of tire T to wheel W. In yet another embodiment, both tire installation tool  12  and one or both of the tire T and wheel W may be rotated in opposite directions around axis A to enable the mounting of tire T to wheel W. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2  and in an embodiment, shoe  14  includes upper axial side  24 , a lower axial side  26  and a perimeter defined at least in part by an outer radial side  28  and an inner radial side  30  (see  FIG. 5 ) 
   With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , and in an embodiment, upper axial side  24  of shoe  14  includes a leading end  34  and a trailing end  36 . In an embodiment, upper axial side  24  of shoe  14  includes a beveled transition zone  38  that extends around at least a portion of the leading end  34  and around at least a portion of the outer radial side  28  toward the trailing end  36 . In an embodiment, transition zone  38  provides a surface that transitions the tire bead over the wheel shoulder (as shoe  14  rotates) and onto the wheel. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “beveled” can mean linearly or arcuately sloped. Likewise, the term “arcuately” can mean a covex arc or a concave arc. Moreover, it is also to be understood that the term “beveled” can mean any combination of the foregoing (e.g., linear, convex arc or concave arc) and the invention should not be limited to any particular transition zone construction. These and other features will be understood by one of skill after consulting this disclosure and the principles herein described. 
   With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , and in an embodiment, trailing guide  16  includes a base  40  having a lobe  42  that extends axially below the base  40  to a position axially beneath lower axial side  26  of shoe  14 . In an embodiment, base  40  of trailing guide  16  may be supported upon upper axial side  24  of shoe  14 . In an embodiment, trailing guide  16  is positioned proximate shoe  14  such that lobe  42  is arcuately offset (i.e. radially and axially offset) from shoe  14 . Upon consulting this disclosure, however, it will be recognized that trailing guide  16  may not be supported by shoe  14  such that the arrangement thereof can take many formats. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the disclosed arrangement. 
   According to an embodiment,  FIGS. 3-6  depict tire installation tool  12  acting on tire T and wheel W in a first intermediate stage and  FIGS. 7-9  depict tire installation tool  12  acting on tire T and wheel W in a second intermediate stage. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3-6 , tire T has previously been arranged over wheel W in an unmounted state. It will be appreciated that tire T has two sides, each annular and defining an opening that extends through tire T. Each annulus includes a circumferential bead B that circumferentially surrounds the inner diameter of the annulus and defines the opening. It will also be appreciated that wheel W includes structure for accepting both beads B of tire T. In an embodiment, the wheel W defines two circumferential shoulders S for mountingly accepting each respective bead B to retain the tire T to the wheel W. S is commonly called the bead seating portion of wheel W. That is, the tire, via the beads B, is mounted to the wheel W using the inventive structure and process described herein. 
   It should be appreciated that while a particular wheel, tire and bead is shown in the drawings, the invention can be practiced across a variety of wheels, tires and beads and the invention should not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. 
   Preceding the steps shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , tire T is arranged over the wheel such that on one portion of the tire, both the upper bead B and the lower bead (not shown) are arranged axially below the upper shoulder S of the tire T. Likewise, on the remaining portion of the tire, the lower bead (not shown) is arranged axially below the upper shoulder S of the tire and the upper bead B is arranged axially above the upper shoulder S. 
   With reference now to  FIGS. 3-6 , in an embodiment, hub  22  and tire installation tool  12 , including shoe and trailing guide  16 , are axially lowered toward tire T and wheel W. In an embodiment, the tire installation tool  12  rotates about axis A while being lowered. In another embodiment, tire installation tool  12  does not rotate until becoming fully lowered. In an embodiment, tire installation tool  12  rotates about axis A in a clock-wise direction (when viewed from the hub looking down). 
   In either configuration described above, the initial rotation of installation tool  12  promotes an insertion of the leading end  34  of the beveled transition zone  38  axially underneath the upper bead B of tire T such that shoe  14  engages an inner axial face of bead B of tire T. Accordingly, once shoe  14  is appropriately inserted, bead B is arranged over at least a portion transition zone  38  of shoe  14 . Moreover, trailing guide  16  contacts a bead portion B of tire T on an axial outer face of bead B. In an embodiment, once the foregoing insertion occurs, the transition zone  38  of shoe  14  (including the combination of leading end  34  and the outer radial side  28 ) urge the bead B over the shoulder S of wheel W without touching wheel W. In an embodiment and as depicted in the drawings, trailing guide  16  assists in the mounting by urging bead B axially downward likewise without touching wheel W. 
   More specifically and referring now to  FIG. 6 , an axial separation Z is provided between shoe  14  and the axial face of wheel W such that shoe  14  avoids contact with wheel W. With continued reference to  FIG. 6 , in an embodiment, a radial separation R is provided between an inner face of lobe  42  and an outer diameter of wheel W such that lobe  42  likewise avoids contact with wheel W. In an embodiment, therefore, neither shoe  14  nor trailing guide  16  contact wheel W as installation head rotates around wheel W. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the first intermediate stage, transition zone  26  contacts bead portion B for a distance D 1 . 
   As previously described,  FIG. 7-9  depict tire installation tool  12  acting upon tire T and wheel W in a second intermediate stage where tire installation tool  12  has rotated clockwise such that a majority of bead B has been appropriately mounted to wheel W. As will be appreciated, as the tire T increasingly becomes appropriately mounted to the wheel W, the tire will tend to become increasingly taught around the shoe  14  and between shoe  14  and trailing guide  16 . Accordingly, bead B will move higher along the leading edge  34  of transition zone  38  at an angle greater than the angle in the previous intermediate stage. This phenomenon can be seen by comparing D 1  of  FIG. 5  with D 2  of  FIG. 8 . Accordingly, in the second intermediate stage, transition zone  30  contacts bead portion B for a distance D 2  which is greater than distance D 1 . Support  18  may be sized and positioned such that it acts as a positive stop to limit the maximum radial travel allowed by bead portion B along edge  34 . This process is continued until the bead portion B becomes fully mounted to the shoulder S. Upon approaching full rotation (not shown) the bead portion B will resultantly be completely drawn away from the transition zone  38  and into its proper position along shoulder S. Beveled transition zone  30  in combination with the decreasing available material which increases the angle of the material overlaying the transition zone provides the appropriate means that allow bead B to leave shoe  14  and become fully placed within shoulder S. 
   The present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative of the best modes for carrying out the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. This description of the invention should be understood to include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements described herein, and claims