Patent Publication Number: US-2002000121-A1

Title: Apparatus and method for an electronic wheel balancer with multiple balancing plane control and improved operator interface

Description:
[0001] This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/004,490, filed Jan. 8, 1998 entitled Electronic Wheel Balancer With Variable Speed Operation, Improved Operator Interface, And Auxiliary Storage, now allowed.  
     [0002] Be it known that we, Ronald W. Carter, a citizen of United States, and Jerry M. Hill, a citizen of United States, have invented a new and useful “Electronic Wheel Balancer with Variable Speed Operation, Improved Operator Interface, and Auxiliary Storage.” 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] The present invention relates generally to wheel balancing machines used by tire shops and motor vehicle repair shops to perform off-vehicle balancing of automobile and truck tire and wheel assemblies. More specifically, this invention relates to a motorized electronic wheel balancer which is capable of operating at varying speeds of rotation and that has additional operator interface features that allow a user of the balancer to operate it with greater safety and efficiency.  
       [0004] In a conventional electronic wheel balancer, the tire and wheel assembly to be balanced is removed from the vehicle and placed on a shaft that extends laterally from the wheel balancer chassis. The shaft is directly or indirectly coupled to an electric drive motor so that the shaft as well as the tire and wheel assembly can be rotated to a predetermined speed. Once the wheel and tire assembly has been rotated to the predetermined speed, imbalance force transducers mechanically linked to the shaft and motor send electrical signals to a processor which are responsive to mechanical imbalances in the tire and wheel assembly. After these signals are processed, visual indicators are typically provided to the operator, identifying an amount of compensating weight that should be added to the tire and wheel assembly, as well as identifying a location or locations where correction weights should be attached.  
       [0005] In such wheel balancing machines, it is often desirable to operate the balancer at multiple shaft speeds. For example, it would be preferable to rotate the shaft at a slower speed for large wheels having high inertia as well as to operate at a higher speed for smaller wheels with lower inertia. This prevents overheating of the balancer drive motor on large wheels and improves the cycle time and signal to noise ratio in the collection of imbalance data for smaller wheels.  
       [0006] Another basis for operating the balancer at varying speeds would be to allow the operator to select a speed at which he wished to balance the wheel. Under these circumstances, the operator would select the speed. Then, as the shaft accelerated, the forces being generated by the imbalance in the tire and wheel assembly would be monitored. If the imbalance forces generated were low enough to allow for safe operation at the selected speed, the shaft would be accelerated to the desired speed and the imbalance measurement made. However, if excessive imbalance forces were detected, the power would be removed from the drive motor at a safe speed and the measurements made at that speed  
       [0007] Finally, variable speed operation is also desirable to allow the operator to rotate the tire and wheel assembly at a speed low enough to permit visual inspection of the rotating tire. For safety reasons, Underwriters Laboratories requires that if the tire and wheel assembly is rotated at or above specified speed, the assembly must be covered by a protective hood. Thus, the safety hood, which ordinarily covers the assembly for the protection of the operator, must be in its upward position to allow for visual inspection of the wheel runout or other aberrant conditions that must be visually detected. After the operator has completed the runout inspection, he could stop the drive motor or lower the hood and the balancer could then be accelerated to a higher speed to conduct a normal imbalance measurement.  
       [0008] Another important characteristic of an electronic wheel balancer is to quickly and effectively display to the operator the precise locations for placement of the compensating weights. In the prior art, this is has been accomplished by various combinations of display or illumination devices on a display panel mounted to the balancer. One problem associated with the prior art display panels in a multi-planed electronic wheel balancer is the relationship between weight placement and the multiple correction planes that can be selected in balancing a tire and wheel assembly. In the typical microprocessor based electronic wheel balancer, the imbalance in a wheel is resolved into two correction planes. In the variety of vehicle wheels that can be used, there are many different correction planes where corrective weights can be applied, with five of such planes shown in FIG. 6. The operator ordinarily will select the weight placement planes in advance, based on several factors. The processor of the balancer will use this information, along with the imbalance force measurements, to calculate weight placement locations. In the prior art user interface and display panels, the steps of operator selection of the correction planes (by use of a selection key or button) and visualization of weight placement can be confusing because of poor arrangement of the buttons and display.  
       [0009] In balancing a standard steel wheel, knowing where on the wheel to apply the correction weights is straightforward. Clip weights are attached to the wheel rim at the required angular position as specified by the electronic wheel balancer display. The situation becomes more complicated if an alloy wheel is being balanced. It may be impossible to attach a clip weight to the rim of the wheel or the vehicle owner may want the weights to be hidden from view. In those situations, one or both weights may be placed on the interior of the wheel when performing a dynamic balance. The weights may be a combination of clip weights and tape weights or both may be tape weights.  
       [0010] Various methods have been tried in the prior art to allow the operator to select the weight location, all of which have had some drawbacks. One method has been to provide selectable icons on the operator interface panel, each of which represents a specific wheel configuration as well as corresponding weight locations. Another method has been to have a graphic display and a series of switches on the operator panel which allow selection of fixed groupings of weight locations. Both of these methods suffer from inflexibility and are not user friendly.  
       [0011] What is needed, then, is an electronic wheel balancer that can be safely operated at variable speeds for different sized wheels. An electronic wheel balancer is also needed that has an improved operator interface panel to make it easier and less confusing to coordinate the selection of correction planes with visualization of weight placement location.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012] The wheel balancer of the present invention uses a processor and motor controller that provides variable shaft rotation speeds. The speed of rotation of the shaft is adjusted automatically in relation to the inertia, and therefore size, of the wheel. In accordance with a novel feature of the invention, the inertia of the wheel or size of the wheel is determined by measuring the elapsed time from shaft start-up (or other predetermined first lower speed) up to a predetermined second speed of rotation. If the elapsed time measured indicates a large wheel, then the proper operating speed, 200 RPM for example, is determined by the processor and the shaft is accelerated to the appropriate speed. If the elapsed time measured indicates a smaller wheel, then the processor determines a higher proper operating speed and accelerates the motor to the desired speed, 300 RPM for example. In addition, the operator has the choice of indicating a desired operating speed in advance and/or a speed that will permit a visual inspection of the rotating tire and wheel assembly, at less than a specified safe speed.  
       [0013] The wheel balancer of this invention also has an improved operator interface panel. The panel includes correction plane selection switches which have graphic and illuminated indicators mounted adjacent thereto. The indicators can be LED&#39;s, incandescent lamps, or other visual displays. The indicators are used to show the locations that the operator has chosen for weight location, corresponding to the various correction planes. The operator has considerable freedom in choosing the weight locations. If the operator chooses a combination of weight locations that would not result in an accurate balance, the operator is warned by the processor that a satisfactory balance may not be possible. In addition, the balancer then suggests that the operator perform a static balance. However, the operator is allowed to proceed with dynamic balance. An example of such a condition would be if the operator has chosen two planes close together.  
       [0014] The correction planes selected on the operator interface panel also indicate to the balancer processor computer which types of weights are being used so that corrections for weight center of gravity can be automatically performed. A wheel parameter display automatically changes based on the weight location selection as required, that is, the distance, width, inside distance, inside diameter, outside distance, and outside diameter.  
       [0015] In the prior art, various limited options have been provided for storage of wheel weights used in conjunction with wheel balancer machines. Typically, wheel weight manufacturers offer ten variations of weight styles and coatings for automobile wheel weights. In order to satisfy all of the weight applications, a typical tire or repair shop would stock a common wheel weight on a balancer weight tray and have a shelf with specialty weights located somewhere else in the shop. When an occasional alloy wheel requires one of the specialty weights, the technician would balance the wheel to determine the weight needed, go to the shelf and locate the specific weight, return to the balancer, and apply the weight. This process would be repeated for each tire. The technician could not pick out the weights for all of the tires in advance due to the unpredictable results from balancing the wheel. All wheels are unique in their respective balance correction requirements.  
       [0016] The wheel balancer of the present invention provides a novel answer to the problem of storing multiple styles and sizes of weights at the balancer. A weight tray mounted to the top of the balancer chassis is designed to accept two styles of weights in the two most common ranges (0.25 ounces to 2.5 ounces). Each style has a pocket designated with a coded label and the two styles are segregated from one another for easy selection. For further weight storage capacity, a second tray is slidably mounted or stacked on the top weight tray. The weight tray is designed to allow front to back sliding movement of the sliding weight tray so that the weight pockets under the sliding tray can be easily accessed.  
       [0017] Optionally, in a second embodiment of the wheel balancer of this invention, storage for the cones used to mount the tire and wheel assemblies to the balancer is provided at eye level, in the operators immediate work area but off of the weight tray. A panel is mounted to a tube that extends upwardly at the rear of the balancer chassis. Storage pegs extend outwardly toward the front of the chassis from the storage panel. The various cones used to mount the various tire and wheel assemblies are then placed in a convenient fashion on the pegs.  
       [0018] Finally, the wheel balancer of this invention is equipped with side storage trays mounted to and extending out from the side of the wheel balancer chassis. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0019]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the wheel balancer of the present invention.  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the wheel balancer of the present invention.  
     [0021]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the wheel balancer of FIG. 1.  
     [0022]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the electronic and electromechanical components of the wheel balancer of the present invention.  
     [0023]FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the improved operator interface pod and panel used with the wheel balancer of the present invention.  
     [0024]FIG. 6 is a diagram of the typical five correction weight location planes corresponding to various conventional truck and automobile wheel rims.  
     [0025]FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the sequence of steps performed during variable speed operation of the wheel balancer of the present invention.  
     [0026]FIG. 8 is a front view of the cone storage assembly used in conjunction with the second embodiment of the wheel balancer invention of FIG. 2.  
     [0027]FIG. 9 is an enlarged top perspective view of a sliding weight tray assembly used in conjunction with the second embodiment of the wheel balancer of the present invention.  
     [0028]FIG. 10 is an enlarged side perspective view of the top and side tray assemblies used in conjunction with the second embodiment of the present invention.  
     [0029] FIGS.  11 ( a ), ( b ), and ( c ) are collectively a flow chart showing the sequence of steps performed by the balancer during selection by the operator of the weight correction planes to be used.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0030]FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the wheel balancer  10  of the present invention. A chassis  176  encloses an electric motor  47  (FIG. 3). The shaft of the motor  47  is connected to a face plate and stub shaft assembly  136 , with the shaft portion of the assembly  136  extending outwardly from the right side of the chassis  176 . During balancing, a tire and wheel assembly  200  is mounted to the shaft  136  in a conventional manner using either a back cone  171  or pressure cup  172 , and secured with a hub nut  170 .  
     [0031] As required by various safety standards organizations, a protective hood  38  covers the upper portions of the tire and wheel assembly  200  during high speed rotation of the wheel.  
     [0032] A weight tray  33  is mounted to the top of chassis  176  so that some of the various styles and sizes of weights can be stored at the balancer  10  for use by the operator.  
     [0033] Extending upwardly from the right rear portion of the top of the chassis  176  is a column  5  which is supported, in turn, by a right angle tube assembly  14  that extends upwardly from the left rear of the chassis  176 . The front surface of column  5  can be provided with horizontal storage pegs  3  (FIG. 3) so that cones  171  of different configurations can be conveniently stored.  
     [0034] Extending upwardly from the top of column  5  is an adjustable pod tube  29 , supporting an operator interface pod  21 .  
     [0035] Further detail about the electric and electronic components of the wheel balancer  10  is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The motor  47  is supported by a cradle and dampener assembly  177 . In a conventional manner, multiple imbalance force transducers  67 , such as piezoelectric crystals, are mechanically connected to the cradle  177  so that imbalance forces induced along the shaft  136  and through the motor  47  by a mounted tire and wheel assembly  200  are transmitted to the sensors  67  and converted into electrical signals. These imbalance force signals are then communicated to a main processor board  116  where they are used, again in a conventional manner, to calculate the magnitude and location of imbalance in the tire and wheel assembly  200 . A variety of calculation techniques are known to those of skill in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,632, incorporated herein by reference, describes one example of calculation techniques and algorithms for determining weight magnitude and placement information from force imbalance signals produced along a rotating shaft that supports a wheel and tire assembly.  
     [0036] The main processor board  116  also electrically communicates and provides signals to a motor controller  117  which, in turn, starts, stops, accelerates, and decelerates motor  47  in accordance with instructions from processor board  116 . Of course, the operator interface pod  21  includes electrical connections to the main processor board  116  so that information can be entered by the operator at pod  21  and electrically communicated to the main processor board  116 . Also, visual displays and other indicators on the operator interface pod  21  are controlled as well by the main processor board  116 .  
     [0037] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the safety hood  38  is attached to a pivoting hood bar  39  which extends outwardly from the right side of chassis  176 . A safety interrupt switch  40  is mechanically connected to the hood bar  39  so that the main processor board  116  knows whether the hood  38  is in the up or down position. A potentiometer assembly  84  is provided, again in conventional manner, so that the operator of the balancer  10  can electrically communicate to the main processor board  116  the wheel diameter (D) and the distance (A) from a reference point inside the balancer  10  to an inside balance plane on the wheel, as measured by calipers  138 .  
     [0038]FIG. 5 provides additional detail about the novel operator interface pod  21  of the present invention. A touch panel sub-assembly  103  covers the front of the pod  21 . All necessary operator controls and displays are mounted to or are visible from touch panel  103 . Thus, a pair of weight displays  202  are provided to indicate the magnitude of the weights that must be attached to the wheel to correct the measured imbalance. Displays  204  indicate the angular position of the wheel where the weights must be attached. Area  203  of the panel  103  corresponds to and graphically represents the various shapes of typical wheel rim assemblies, as also seen in FIG. 6.. Novel correction plane location indicator/selection button assemblies  205  provide a means for the operator to select the correction planes where weights will be applied. These planes correspond to those shown on FIG. 6.  
     [0039] An interactive display screen  102  provides visual prompts and information to the operator as a balance procedure is being performed. The prompts on display screen  102  are associated with a series of control buttons  207 . The prompts can change so that the functions of the buttons  207  can vary depending on the operational mode and status of the balancer  10 . These are known to those skilled in the art as “soft keys.” Preferably, the display panel  102  will be a graphic liquid crystal display (graphic LCD) which provides the visibility of a more expensive cathode ray tube (CRT) display but at a significantly lower cost.  
     [0040] The lower portion of the front panel  103  of the operator interface pod  21  includes a keypad  208  to allow the operator to enter data and other commands. A mode display panel  203  indicates to the operator in which mode the balancer  10  is currently operating: dynamic, static, measured, or preset. Finally, a manual start switch  105  allows the operator to manually start the drive system of the balancer  10 .  
     [0041] Correction Plane Selection  
     [0042] In accordance with a novel feature of the present invention, the wheel balancer  10  allows the operator to use preset weight location (correction plane) measurements or custom location measurements. This allows for increased accuracy in alloy wheels and when using hidden weights.. The operator interface panel and display assists in this process by visually presenting to the operator an accurate spatial relationship between the correction plane selections and the actual location on the wheel where the operator will place the weights. The flow chart of FIGS.  11 ( a )-( c ) describes the steps carried out by the balancer  10  during operator selection of the correction planes, using the operator interface pod  21  and front panel  103 , as best seen on FIG. 5.  
     [0043] The operator first selects (using mode button  216  on FIG. 5) either the PRESET or MEASURED mode. When using preset measurements using the PRESET mode, the operator enters the standard wheel offset (A), wheel diameter (D), and wheel width (W) measurements at keypad  208 . After these measurements are entered, weight location calculations are made by the main processor board  116  based upon wheel profile data present in the processor memory. These calculations allow the main processor board  116  to display weight information for the correction planes that have been selected by the operator using location indicators/selection buttons  205  (numbered  1 - 5  on FIG. 5 to correspond to the correction planes on FIG. 6 and to “keys”  1 - 5  on FIG. 11( a )). Note that when the operator depresses the key section  205   a,  its corresponding LED  205   b  is energized (numbered “LED”  1 - 5  on FIG. 11 a ). This assists the operator in making a visual connection between the selections made and actual positions on the wheel.  
     [0044] Once the A, W, and D measurements are entered, the operator may select any of the five weight correction planes and the processor on the main processor board  116  will calculate and display the calculated weight amounts to be attached at those locations.  
     [0045] After the MEASURE/PRESET mode is checked by the main processor board  116 , the sequence of steps shown on FIG. 11( b ) and then FIG. 11( c ) are performed. The operator enters the A and D measurements separately, and enters the width of the wheel (W) only when required. In the MEASURE mode, actual measured wheel parameters are used and data for the locations of planes  1 ,  2 , or  3  (see FIG. 6) or the combination of two of these planes will be entered by the operator. If means are provided (such as an outside arm) to measure outside the mounting surface of the wheel, other planes can be used. Otherwise, the operator selects the location or locations of the weights to be used from planes  1 ,  2 , and  3  and then uses A/D arm assembly  215  (FIG. 3) to measure the planes at those locations. The A/D arm  215  is held at each location until a beep is heard by the operator, and the measurements are then displayed on the display screen  102  as “AIN, DIN, AOUT, and DOUT” or “A”, “W” and “D”, depending on the type of weights being used.  
     [0046] As seen on FIG. 11( a ), the main processor board  116  checks to see whether the operator has selected the DYNAMIC or STATIC balancing modes. This selection is done by the operator by pressing the mode button  215 . Alloy balancing modes are automatically implemented in the DYNAMIC mode when weight locations other than the dynamic default planes ( 1  and  5  on FIG. 6) are selected. The DYNAMIC balancing mode calculates separate corrective weight measurements for the inner and outer planes of the wheel. Default locations are planes  1  and  5 . The specific weight amount and location for each plane is calculated in a single spin.  
     [0047] The STATIC balancing mode calculates a single corrective weight requirement for placement at a point as close to the center of the wheel as possible (plane  3  on FIG. 6). The balancer  10  allows the operator to select any of the other locations for this weight placement simply by pressing the corresponding location button  205   a.  The operator may also choose to split the single weight between two planes ( 1  and  5 ) by pressing the location indicator/selection button  205  corresponding to plane  5 , followed by the button  205  that corresponds to plane  1  Both location LED&#39;s  205   b  on location indicator/button  205  will light and the static correction weight amount will be split between the two weights displayed, as shown on weight display  202 .  
     [0048] Variable Speed Operation  
     [0049] Looking at FIGS. 4 and 7, the novel variable speed operation of the wheel balance  10  of this invention can be understood. The method begins by the operator entering a desired operating speed for the particular wheel balancer operation on the keypad  208  at operator interface pod  21 . The operator then waits for a start signal at which time the start button  105  is energized. Although the motor  47  is cooled by a fan  55  (FIG. 3), the motor temperature is monitored in conventional fashion. Accordingly, the motor  47  will not start unless the motor temperature is below the maximum. If the motor temperature is above the maximum, and an over temperature message is sent to the operator on display  102  of operator interface pod  21  until the temperature decreases to less than maximum and the over temperature message is cleared.  
     [0050] Once the motor temperature is below maximum, the main processor board  116  checks to see if the operator has selected a “visual inspection” mode. In this mode, the wheel and tire assembly  200  is operated at less than 120 RPM so that the hood  38  can be pivoted into the upper position. This allows the operator to visually inspect the rotating tire for run out or other defects. Thus, if the visual inspection mode is selected, the motor  47  is operated at a first speed until such time as a stop signal is received. At the conclusion of the visual inspection mode, or if the visual inspection mode is not selected, motor  47  is started. In addition, a timer integral to main processor board  116  is initialized. The timer continues to run as the speed of the motor  47  is increased to a predetermined second speed. The speed of motor  47  is measured in conventional fashion, such as by use of an optical encoder assembly  58  proximate the motor shaft. As the timer continues to operate, the measured elapsed time is compared to a predetermined time interval stored in main processor board  116 . If the measured elapsed time corresponds to a predetermined time indicating a large wheel, main processor board  116  calculates a proper operating speed for a large wheel Immediately thereafter, the main processor board  116  communicates with motor controller  117  so that the motor  47  will accelerate to the calculated desired speed. In a preferred embodiment of the balancer  10 , the shaft of motor  47  is directly coupled to the face plate and stub shaft  136  such that the speed of the mounted tire and wheel assembly  200  is the same as the speed of the motor  47 . If an indirect drive arrangement is used, the shaft encoder  58  or other speed sensor may have to be positioned to measure the wheel speed, not the motor speed.  
     [0051] If the elapsed acceleration time determined by the timer in main processor board  116  indicates that the tire and wheel assembly  200  is not a large wheel, a check is made of the imbalance forces measured by the force transducers  67 . A comparison is made to preset force imbalance data stored in the main processor board  116  such that the main processor board  116  can determine if it is safe to operate the motor  47  at the higher desired speed selected by the operator. If so, the main processor board  116  causes the motor  47  to accelerate to the desired motor speed and the measurements are taken. Otherwise, the main processor board calculates a proper operating speed and accelerates the motor  47  to the calculated speed rather than to the desired speed. Thus, the balancer  10  is operated at a safe speed that is optimal to the size of the wheel that is mounted to the balancer  10 . If a small wheel and tire assembly  200  is mounted, a higher operating speed can be used, thereby reducing error introduced by poor signal to noise ratio and other factors.  
     [0052] Auxiliary Storage  
     [0053]FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the wheel balancer  10  of the present invention having additional novel storage features. Extending upward from the rear top surface of the chassis  176  and attached between tube  14  and column  5  is a cone storage panel  210 , also shown in FIG. 8. As can be seen, cone storage panel  210  has additional cone holder pegs  3  extending outwardly from the panel  210  so that cones  171  of different sizes can be stored thereon.  
     [0054] As seen in FIG. 10, attached to the left side of chassis  176  opposite the tire and wheel assembly  200  are additional horizontal storage shelves  182  which are spaced apart from the top to the bottom of the chassis  176 . An additional weight tray  181  can be placed on the top shelf  182 . In fact, the weight tray  181  can be a sliding weight tray which can either rest on a shelf  182  or be placed on top of tray  33 . A sliding weight tray  201  is shown in FIGS. 1 and 9 in that position. Tray  201  is removable and is adapted to slide along the left and right marginal edges of top tray  33 . In this way, additional sizes and types of weights  209  (FIG. 9) can be stored in the operator&#39;s work area so that the operator will not have to go to another storage location to obtain an unusual type of weight. This speeds up the balancing process.  
     [0055] Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful Electronic Wheel Balancer with Variable Speed Operation, Improved Operator Interface, and Auxiliary Storage., it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.