Tyre-removal apparatus
AssigneeSnap-On Equipment Srl A Unico Socio
InventorPaolo Sotgiu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire removal apparatus has a base with a support for rotating a wheel. A frame having an upright with a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the wheel is joined to the base. A support arm associated with the upright is movable by an actuator in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel. A tool for operating on the wheel is mounted on the support arm. A sensor for detecting a parameter representing contact between the tool and the wheel is associated with the actuator, and is operationally connected to a control unit to control the actuator and/or another actuator associated with the support arm to move the tool along a trajectory determined by the control unit depending on the parameter representing contact between the tool and the wheel.
Claims14
Apparatus for mounting a tyre on a rim of a wheel and/or for removing a tyre from a rim of a wheel of a vehicle, comprising:
- a base having a support for receiving and rotating the wheel;
- a frame joined to the base and having an upright with a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the wheel;
- a support arm associated with the upright and movable in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel;
- a tool for operating on the wheel, said tool being mounted on the support arm;
- a pneumatic actuator able to move the support arm along the direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, the pneumatic actuator comprising a piston sliding inside a jacket defining therein a first chamber upstream of the piston and a second chamber downstream of the piston;
- characterized in that at least one pressure sensor is associated with said pneumatic actuator, wherein:
- said at least one pressure sensor is configured to determine a first pressure relating to the first chamber and a second pressure relating to the second chamber,
- said at least one pressure sensor is able to send a signal representing contact between the tool and the wheel to a control unit,
- the control unit is able to control the actuator and a further actuator associated with the support arm to move the tool along a trajectory determined by the control unit, depending on the signal representing the contact between the tool and the wheel,
- the further actuator is a pneumatic actuator for pivoting the tool relative to the support arm about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel,
- the trajectory determined by the control unit comprises pivoting the tool, and
- the tool is a bead breaker disc.
Method for removing a tyre from a rim of a wheel of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- clamping a wheel comprising a rim and a tyre on a support for receiving and rotating the wheel about an axis of rotation;
- positioning a tool for operating on the wheel, in a vicinity of a first edge of the rim of the wheel, said tool being mounted on a support arm;
- moving the support arm along a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel;
- rotating the support;
- detecting a pressure parameter, with at least one pressure sensor associated with a pneumatic actuator able to move the support arm along the direction substantially parallel to the axis of the rotation of the wheel, at least one parameter representing contact between the tool and the wheel, said pneumatic actuator comprising a piston sliding inside a jacket defining therein a first chamber upstream of the piston and a second chamber downstream of the piston,
- characterized in that
- said at least one pressure sensor is configured to determine a first pressure relating to the first chamber and a second pressure relating to the second chamber, said at least one pressure sensor being able to send to a control unit a signal representing a contact between the tool and the wheel;
- and in that it comprises the step of:
- sending the signal relating to the at least one parameter representing the contact between the tool and the wheel to the control unit, said control unit being able to control the actuator and/or a further actuator, associated with the support arm, so as to move the tool along a trajectory determined by the control unit, and the step of:
- moving the tool along the trajectory determined by the control unit, depending on the signal representing the contact between the tool and the wheel, wherein:
- the further actuator is a pneumatic actuator for pivoting the tool relative to the support arm about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel,
- the trajectory determined by the control unit comprises pivoting the tool, and
- the tool is a bead-breaker disc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.