Patent ID: 7438110

Claim:
A tire mounting apparatus comprising: a holder to restrict movement of a wheel; a housing that is rotatable about the holder; a first movable body movable in a substantially radial direction of the housing; a first distance adjusting unit that adjusts a position of the first movable body with respect to the housing in the radial direction; a second movable body movable with respect to the first movable body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the radial direction; a second distance adjusting unit that adjusts a position of the second movable body with respect to the first movable body in the perpendicular direction; a pressure roller that is disposed on the second movable body for pressing a sidewall of a tire during an assembly of the tire to the wheel; at least one expansion roller disposed on the first movable body to guide a bead of the tire so that the bead of the tire enters a rim of the wheel during the assembly of the tire; and a control unit that controls operation of the first and second distance adjusting units, depending on properties of the tire and the wheel; wherein the first distance adjusting unit includes: a first ball box attached to the housing and extending substantially in the radial direction; a first ball screw engaged with the first ball box; a first driving unit for rotating the first ball screw on the basis of the control of the control unit; a first linear motion guide rail disposed on the first ball box; and at least one first linear motion block disposed on the first movable body and engaged with the first linear motion guide rail.