Method of correcting imbalance on a motor vehicle wheel

Abstract

An apparatus and method of correcting imbalance on a motor vehicle wheel/tire assembly. A sensing device coupled to an electronic measuring apparatus is used to scan the wheel in a continuous motion, obtaining the profile of the surface intended for the placement of at least one imbalance correction weight. The balancer computer analyzes the scanned profile and determines the best arrangement of correction weight locations and magnitudes. This system reduces the amount of weight, number of weights, and/or residual imbalance caused by systems where the operator determines the correction planes. The display shows the scanned profile and the weights exactly as the physical wheel and placed weights appear, improving intuitiveness and providing confidence in the measuring apparatus. The correction weight magnitudes and locations can be manually adjusted via the user interface and a real-time display update of required weights and the corresponding residual imbalance. Another improvement minimizes operator weight placement error by using the measuring apparatus and display as a guide to place a weight at the proper angular location on a correction plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.