Machine for fitting and removing a tyre and method for operating the machine

A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, between an active position, wherein it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool, which is pivotally movable about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis and a second position distal from the first axis, and is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis and movable towards and away from the sixth axis;
• an actuator configured to allow only a first and a second position of stable equilibrium and connected to the supporting arm to rotate it about the sixth axis between an active angular position and a passive angular position corresponding to the first and second position of stable equilibrium of the actuator, respectively, for which the removal tool is positioned in the first position proximal to the first axis when the supporting arm is in the active angular position, and in the second position distal from the first axis when the supporting arm is in the passive angular position.

A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, between an active position, wherein it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool, which is pivotally movable about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis and a second position distal from the first axis, and is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis and movable towards and away from the sixth axis;
• a second control unit connected to a locking mechanism configured to block the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the sixth axis, without limiting a movement of the removal tool along the direction parallel to the first axis and the rotation around the sixth axis.

A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, between an active position, wherein it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool, which is pivotally movable about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis and a second position distal from the first axis, and is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis and movable towards and away from the sixth axis;
• a locking mechanism configured to block the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the sixth axis and the movement of the removal tool along the direction parallel to the first axis, without limiting the rotation around the sixth axis.

A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, between an active position, wherein it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool, which is pivotally movable about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis and a second position distal from the first axis, and is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis and movable towards and away from the sixth axis;
• an actuator connected to the tool holder arm to move it along the relative axis parallel to the first axis and configured to allow intermediate stable positions of equilibrium between two end of stroke limit positions;
• a first control unit connected to a fourth actuator, and defining a first operating configuration, in which it controls the actuator in a retracted limit stop position, to move the removal tool away from the wheel-holder unit, a second operating configuration, in which it controls the actuator in extraction towards an extracted limit stop position, to move the removal tool towards the wheel-holder unit, and a third operating configuration, in which it controls a stopping of the actuator in an intermediate position adopted at the instant of activation of the third operating configuration;
• wherein the first control unit, in the third operating configuration, is connected to a locking mechanism configured to block the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the sixth axis and the movement of the removal tool along the direction parallel to the first axis, without limiting the rotation around the sixth axis.

A machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, between an active position, wherein it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool, which is pivotally movable about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis and a second position distal from the first axis, and is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis and movable towards and away from the sixth axis;
• a protective shell positioned to cover at least one portion of the roller, which is movable relative to the roller and defining a contact element which can be positioned in contact with the tyre of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit.

A method of using a machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, having:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool,
• wherein the method comprises the following steps:
• activating the roller, by rotating it about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, from a non-interference position relative to the tyre to an active position where it is in contact with the tyre tread;
• activating the removal tool, by rotating it about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, from a position of non-interference relative the wheel to an active position, where it is operationally active on the tyre,
• first adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it in a direction parallel to the first axis;
• second adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it towards and away from the sixth axis;
• blocking of the movement of the removal tool towards and away from the sixth axis, to prevent the distance between the removal tool and the axis from varying during activation by rotation of the removal tool.

A method of using a machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, having:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool,
• wherein the method comprises the following steps:
• activating the roller, by rotating it about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, from a non-interference position relative to the tyre to an active position where it is in contact with the tyre tread;
• activating the removal tool, by rotating it about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, from a position of non-interference relative the wheel to an active position, where it is operationally active on the tyre,
• first adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it in a direction parallel to the first axis;
• second adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it towards and away from the sixth axis;
• activating the bead breaker tool, by rotating it about a third axis, from a deactivated position, wherein the second axis is spaced from the wheel, to an active position, wherein the second axis intersects a wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit, wherein the rotation of the removal tool around the sixth axis from the first to the second position occurs in a first rotation direction, the same as a direction of rotation of the roller from the active position to the non-interference position around the fifth axis in the first direction of rotation, wherein the rotation of the bead breaker tool about the third axis from the active position to the non-interference position occurs in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation.

A method of using a machine for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding rim of a vehicle wheel, having:

• a wheel-holder unit rotating about a first axis;
• at least one bead breaker tool, movable along a second axis parallel to the first axis;
• a roller rotating about a fourth axis;
• at least one sensor connected to the roller for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller by the tyre;
• a removal tool,
• wherein the method comprises the following steps:
• activating the roller, by rotating it about a fifth axis spaced from the fourth axis, from a non-interference position relative to the tyre to an active position where it is in contact with the tyre tread;
• activating the removal tool, by rotating it about a sixth axis parallel to the first axis and spaced from it, from a position of non-interference relative the wheel to an active position, where it is operationally active on the tyre,
• first adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it in a direction parallel to the first axis;
• second adjustment of the removal tool, by moving it towards and away from the sixth axis;
• moving, relative to the roller, a protective shell, which is configured for covering at least one portion of the roller and defines a contact element which can be positioned in contact with the tyre of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit.