US 10,371,593 B2 · Dynamic balancer

Abstract

A dynamic balancer includes a support frame with a frame plate that has a spindle opening through which a spindle assembly with a rotatable spindle shaft is received. A sensor plate is coupled to at least the support frame, and at least one force sensor is coupled between the sensor plate and the spindle assembly to detect force variations therebetween as the rotatable spindle shaft rotates. A related method for detecting a balance condition of a tire includes providing a plurality of force sensors maintained in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to the tire's rotation, chucking and inflating the tire, spinning the tire to a predetermined speed, generating force data from the plurality of force sensors, calculating an imbalance condition from the force data, and marking the tire at a location of imbalance if the imbalance condition exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A dynamic balancer to determine a balance condition of a tire, comprising:

a support frame;
a frame plate carried by said support frame, said frame plate having a spindle opening therethrough;
a spindle assembly having a rotatable spindle shaft which rotates the tire, said spindle assembly received in said support frame and extending through said spindle opening;
a sensor plate positioned on and movable with respect to at least said frame plate, said sensor plate having a sensor plate opening which receives said spindle assembly;
and
a plurality of force sensors all positioned in a single plane substantially parallel to the tire's plane of rotation, said plurality of force sensors coupled between said sensor plate and said spindle assembly about said rotatable spindle shaft's axis of rotation to detect force variations therebetween as said rotatable spindle shaft rotates.

3 more elements

A dynamic balancer to determine a balance condition of a tire, comprising:

a support frame;
a spindle assembly received in and rotatable with respect to said support frame, said spindle assembly having a rotatable shaft that rotates the tire, said spindle assembly having an outer housing plate extending radially therefrom;
a plurality of force sensors all positioned in a single plane substantially parallel to the tire's plane of rotation, said plurality of force sensors disposed between said support frame and said outer housing plate in a substantially horizontal plane about said rotatable shaft's axis of rotation, each said force sensor generating force signals to determine a balance condition of the tire, wherein each said force sensor measures forces in three directions and wherein said plurality of force sensors are aligned with each other such that each of their three measured axes are respectively pointing in the same direction;
and
a sensor plate positioned on and movable with respect to at least said frame plate, said sensor plate having a sensor plate opening which receives said spindle assembly, wherein said sensor plate has a plurality of bolt openings extending therethrough and said frame plate has a plurality of lockdown openings extending therethrough which are correspondingly aligned with said bolt openings and which receive a corresponding bolt.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic balancer

Life of this patent

Dynamic balancer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14