Portable roadside assistant systems

A portable roadside assistant device for assisting removal and installation of lug nuts securing a vehicle wheel to a vehicle, said portable roadside assistant device comprising:

• a plurality of universal sockets configured to engage the lug nuts during the removal and installation;
• a sensor configured to sense the locations of the lug nuts relative to the vehicle wheel;
• a socket aligner configured to align the plurality of universal sockets in operable positions with respect to the lug nuts;
• a socket advancer configured to advance the plurality of universal sockets to positions of simultaneous engagement with the lug nuts;
• a motor-driven rotator configured to simultaneously rotate the plurality of universal sockets in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions;
• a socket retractor configured to retract the plurality of universal sockets and the lug nuts away from the vehicle wheel to permit removal and replacement of the vehicle wheel;
• an automatic controller configured to automatically control the operation of the sensor, the socket aligner, the socket advancer, the motor-driven rotator, and the socket retractor;
• an onboard power supply adapted to power the sensor, the socket aligner, the socket advancer, the motor-driven rotator, the socket retractor, and the automatic controller;
• a portable housing adapted to portably house the onboard power supply, the sensor, the socket aligner, the socket advancer, the motor-driven rotator, the socket retractor, and the automatic controller;
• a lug-nut retainer configured to retain the lug nuts within the universal sockets after removal;
• a torque limiter configured to limit the torque force applied to the lug nuts by the plurality of universal sockets;
• a socket receiver adapted to removably receive the plurality of universal sockets;
• a charging unit adapted to recharge the rechargeable battery, the charging unit including
• a direct-current charging circuit configured to charge the rechargeable battery using a direct-current electrical power source, and
• an alternating current charging circuit configured to charge the rechargeable battery using an alternating current electrical power source;
• and
• an electrically-operated light configured to illuminate the vehicle wheel;
• wherein the socket aligner is adapted to enable adjustment to the positions of the universal sockets along at least two independent axes;
• wherein the lug-nut retainer comprises a magnet;
• wherein the sensor comprises an image-capturing device configured to capture image data associated with the vehicle wheel usable by the automatic controller;
• wherein the wherein the onboard power supply comprises a rechargeable battery;
• wherein the automatic controller comprises a microprocessor and memory containing operational code configured to control the operation of the microprocessor;
• wherein the housing comprises a hand grip adapted to assist manual transport of the portable roadside assistant device;
• and
• wherein a size and a quantity of the plurality of universal sockets are user selectable to match a configuration of the vehicle wheel.

A method of using a portable roadside assistant device to assist removal and installation of lug nuts securing a vehicle wheel to a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the portable roadside assistant device comprising:
• a plurality of sockets configured to engage the lug nuts during the removal and installation;
• a sensor configured to sense the locations of the lug nuts relative to the vehicle wheel;
• a socket aligner configured to align the plurality of sockets in operable positions with respect to the lug nuts;
• a socket advancer configured to advance the plurality of sockets to positions of simultaneous engagement with the lug nuts;
• a motor-driven rotator configured to simultaneously rotate the plurality of sockets in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions;
• a socket retractor configured to retract the plurality of sockets and the lug nuts away from the vehicle wheel to permit removal and replacement of the vehicle wheel;
• an automatic controller configured to automatically control the operation of the sensor, the socket aligner, the socket advancer, the motor-driven rotator, and the socket retractor;
• an onboard power supply adapted to power the sensor, the socket aligner, the socket advancer, the motor-driven rotator, the socket retractor, and the automatic controller;
• and
• a portable housing adapted to portably house the onboard power supply, the sensor, the socket aligner, the socket advancer, the motor-driven rotator, the socket retractor, and the automatic controller;
• positioning the portable roadside assistant device adjacent to the vehicle wheel;
• automatically sensing the locations of the lug nuts relative to the vehicle wheel;
• automatically aligning the plurality of sockets to operable positions with respect to the lug nuts;
• automatically advancing the plurality of sockets to positions of engagement with the lug nuts;
• simultaneously rotating the plurality of sockets in a removal direction using a motor-driven rotator;
• automatically retracting the plurality of sockets and the lug nuts away from the vehicle wheel to permit removal and replacement of the vehicle wheel;
• automatically advancing the plurality of sockets and the lug nuts toward the vehicle wheel to permit reinstallation of the lug nuts on the vehicle wheel;
• simultaneously rotating the plurality of sockets in an installation direction using the motor-driven rotator;
• and
• automatically retracting the plurality of sockets away from the lug nuts after installation.