Apparatus and method for an electronic wheel balancer with multiple balancing plane control and improved operator interface
OwnerRonald W. Carter, Randy Huntinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic wheel balancer performs imbalance measurements at variable speeds for different size wheels. The inertia of a wheel mounted on the balancer is determined by measuring the acceleration time of the wheel from a first speed to a second higher speed and the operating speed is adjusted accordingly. An improved operator interface pod incorporates correction plane indicators/selection buttons adjacent the weight display. Auxiliary weight storage is also provided.
Claims51
A method for balancing a wheel with a weight correction by an operator, comprising:
- visually presenting to said operator a spatial relationship between a correction plane selection and a weight placement location on said wheel.
A method for balancing a wheel with a weight correction by an operator, comprising:
- selecting a measurement mode;
- selecting a first correction plane;
- selecting a balancing mode;
- and
- calculating said weight correction.
An apparatus for selection of a correction plane for balancing a wheel, comprising:
- an operator interface pod including a front panel, wherein said front panel includes a mode button, a keypad, a plane selection button, a plane location indicator, and a display screen;
- connected to
- a main processor board including processor memory.
An operator interface pod for an apparatus for selection of a correction plane for placement of weight to balance a wheel, comprising:
- a means for selecting a correction plane for placement of said weight;
- a display for indicating said correction plane, a magnitude of said weight, and an angular position of said wheel for attachment of said weight.
An operator interface panel for a wheel balancing apparatus for selection of a correction plane for placement of weight to balance a wheel by an operator, comprising:
- a means for selecting a correction plane for placement of said weight on said wheel including a graphic representation of correction planes corresponding to a wheel rim;
- and
- an interactive display screen for information exchange between said operator and said apparatus.
A wheel balancing apparatus interface system for selection of a correction plane for placement of weight to balance a wheel, comprising:
- touch-control correction-plane selection switches for selecting said correction plane for placement of said weight;
- illuminated graphic plane position indicators associated with said selection switches, wherein the location of said plane position indicators represent a spatial relationship between said correction plane and the location of said correction plane on said wheel;
- an interactive display screen with a visual information display area constructed from a graphic liquid crystal display, wherein said interactive display screen provides visual prompts to an operator and displays a magnitude of said weight and an angular position of said wheel for attachment of said weight;
- functionally programmable control buttons located in proximity to said interactive display screen allowing interactive use of said control buttons with associated prompts displayed on said interactive display screen;
- a mode display for selecting a mode from a mode group including a dynamic mode, a static mode, a measured mode, and a preset mode;
- a numeric keypad for entering information constructed from soft keys;
- an operator selection button;
- and
- a manual start switch.
A machine for balancing of motor vehicle wheels by positioning weight on a wheel in an angular position within a correction plane, comprising:
- a shaft for mounting said wheel;
- a drive motor operatively connected to said shaft;
- a processing control system operatively connected to said drive motor;
- and
- an operator interface operative connected to said processing control system, wherein said interface includes
- a correction-plane selection switch for selecting said correction plane for placement of said weight;
- and
- a graphic plane position indicator associated with said selection switch, wherein the location of said plane position indicator represents a spatial relationship of a location of said correction plane and said wheel.
A machine for balancing of motor vehicle wheels by positioning weight on a wheel in an angular position within a correction plane, comprising:
- a shaft for mounting said wheel;
- a drive motor operatively connected to said shaft;
- a processing control system operatively connected to said drive motor;
- an interactive display screen operative connected to said processing control system, wherein said interactive display screen includes a visual information display area constructed from a graphic liquid crystal display, and said interactive display screen provides visual prompts to an operator including a displays of a magnitude of said weight and an angular position of said wheel for attachment of said weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.