# US 2025/0207902 A1 · Wheel blank inspection device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0207902 A1 - Document ID: US20250207902A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/651,502 - Filed: 2024-04-30 - Published: 2025-06-26 - Earliest claimed: 2023-12-20 - Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute - Applicants: Industrial Technology Research Institute - Inventors: Chin-Chia CHANG; Chia-Ming TSAI; Yi-Tong LIU; Chien-Hsun WU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250207902A1 ## CPC - G01B 5/0025: {Measuring of vehicle parts (G01B5/003 takes precedence)} - G01B 11/22: for measuring depth - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A wheel blank inspection device is for inspecting a wheel blank and includes a depth sensor and a computing control module electrically connected to the depth sensor. The computing control module executes a path acquisition process, a depth measurement process and a load point localization process. The path acquisition process is controlling the depth sensor to scan the wheel blank, obtaining a center fitted to a flange of the wheel blank, and calculating at least one detection path based on the center. The depth measurement process is controlling the depth sensor to scan the flange of the wheel blank according to the at least one detection path to capture depth values of the flange. The load point localization process is obtaining load points and information of relative positions of the load points with respect to a reference point of the wheel blank based on the depth values. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wheel blank inspection device for inspecting a wheel blank, the wheel blank inspection device comprising a depth sensor and a computing control module electrically connected to the depth sensor, wherein the computing control module is configured to execute: a path acquisition process, controlling the depth sensor to scan the wheel blank, obtaining a center fitted to a flange of the wheel blank, and calculating at least one detection path based on the center; a depth measurement process, controlling the depth sensor to scan the flange of the wheel blank according to the at least one detection path to capture a plurality of depth values of the flange; and a load point localization process, obtaining a plurality of load points and information of a plurality of relative positions of the plurality of load points with respect to a reference point of the wheel blank based on the depth values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising a vision sensor electrically connected to the computing control module, wherein the at least one detection path comprises a first detection path and a second detection path, and the computing control module is configured to further execute: a reference point setting process, controlling the vision sensor to scan the wheel blank according to the first detection path, thereby setting the reference point of the wheel blank, wherein in the depth measurement process, the depth sensor is controlled to scan the flange according to the second detection path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, further comprising a motion module, wherein the vision sensor and the depth sensor are disposed on the motion module, the computing control module is electrically connected to the motion module, and the computing control module is configured to drive the motion module to move the vision sensor and the depth sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 3, wherein the motion module comprises a first direction rail, a second direction rail and a movement base, the second direction rail is disposed on the first direction rail and slidable along the first direction rail, the movement base is disposed on the second direction rail and slidable along the second direction rail, and the vision sensor and the depth sensor are disposed on the movement base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 3, further comprising a frame, wherein the motion module is disposed on the frame, the frame is for accommodating the wheel blank, and the computing control module is configured to drive the motion module to move the vision sensor and the depth sensor with respect to the frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, wherein in the path acquisition process, the depth sensor is controlled to perform a cross movement to obtain at least three fitting positions of the flange, the center and a radius of the flange are obtained based on the at least three fitting positions, and the first detection path and the second detection path are obtained based on the center. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 6, wherein a number of the at least three fitting positions is four. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of angles are formed between the reference point and each of the plurality of load points with respective to the center, and the angles are set as the information of the plurality of relative positions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, wherein in the reference point setting process, a valve hole of the wheel blank is set as the reference point. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, wherein in the reference point setting process, a mark painted or attached on the wheel blank is set as the reference point. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, wherein in the load point localization process, a number of the plurality of load points is N, the second detection path is divided into N sections, each of the N sections comprises M positions, a number of the depth values is N×M, the depth values correspond to the 1st to Mth positions of each of the N sections respectively, a 1st differential degree of N of the depth values corresponding to the 1st positions are calculated, a 2nd differential degree of N of the depth values corresponding to the 2nd positions are calculated, until a Mth differential degree of N of the depth values corresponding to the Mth positions are calculated, smallest differential degree are obtained from the M differential degrees, and the positions corresponding to the smallest differential degree are set as the plurality of load points. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, wherein a number of the plurality of load points is three or more. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, further comprising a storage module, wherein the computing control module is electrically connected to the storage module, and the storage module stores model information of a plurality of wheel models. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 13, wherein the computing control module is further configured to execute a model confirmation process before the path acquisition process, and in the model confirmation process, the wheel blank is sensed to identify the model information of one of the plurality of wheel models corresponding to the wheel blank. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 14, further comprising an overhead camera, wherein the computing control module is electrically connected to the overhead camera, and in the model confirmation process, the computing control module controls the overhead camera to capture an image of the wheel blank, and the computing control module determines and obtains one of the plurality of wheel models corresponding to the wheel blank based on the image and the model information stored in the storage module. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 14, wherein in the path acquisition process, the first detection path and the second detection path are obtained with assistance of the model information of the one of the plurality of wheel models corresponding thereto. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 14, wherein in the reference point setting process, the reference point is set with assistance of the model information of the one of the plurality of wheel models corresponding thereto. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 14, wherein in the depth measurement process, the depth values are captured with assistance of the model information of the one of the plurality of wheel models corresponding thereto. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 14, wherein in the load point localization process, the plurality of load points and the information of the plurality of relative positions are obtained with assistance of the model information of the one of the plurality of wheel models corresponding thereto. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The wheel blank inspection device according to claim 2, wherein the computing control module is configured to further execute a transmission process, and the transmission process comprising transmitting the information of the plurality of relative positions to a processing machine and moving the wheel blank to the processing machine.