Wheel balancer apparatus with improved imbalance correction weight positioning

In a wheel balancer having a shaft adapted for receiving a wheel assembly including at least a rim, said shaft having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about said axis so as to rotate said wheel assembly removably mounted thereon;

• a rim measuring apparatus configured to measure a profile of the wheel assembly;
• a sensor assembly for measuring rotation of the shaft about said longitudinal axis;
• a motor operatively connected to the shaft for rotating said shaft about said longitudinal axis, thereby to rotate the wheel assembly;
• a control circuit for controlling said motor, said control circuit being connected to the sensor assembly and being responsive to the measured rotation of the shaft to control a rotational position of the wheel assembly;
• a second sensor assembly for measuring imbalance of the wheel assembly;
• and a central processing unit configured to utilize said wheel assembly profile and measured imbalance to determining the magnitude and application rotational position of a first correction weight in a first imbalance correction plane and the magnitude and application rotational position of a second correction weight in a second imbalance correction plane;
• the improvement comprising:
• an imbalance correction plane illumination apparatus for illuminating a first point on a surface of said wheel assembly associated with said first imbalance correction plane and a second point on said surface of said wheel assembly associated with said second imbalance correction plane, said first and second points having a predetermined rotational position;
• wherein said central processing unit is further configured to direct said control circuit to rotate said wheel assembly such that said first correction weight application rotational position coincides with said predetermined rotational position, to direct said control circuit to maintain said wheel assembly in such position, and to direct said imbalance correction plane illumination apparatus to continuously illuminate said first point associated with said first imbalance correction plane, and subsequently, to direct said control circuit to rotate said wheel assembly such that a second correction weight application rotational position coincides with said predetermined rotational position, to direct said control circuit to maintain said wheel assembly in such position, and to direct said imbalance correction plane illumination apparatus to continuously illuminate said second point associated with said second imbalance correction plane.

A method of determining imbalance correction weight locations for correcting imbalance in a vehicle wheel assembly including at least a wheel rim, comprising:

• scanning the contour of a vehicle wheel assembly to be balanced;
• obtaining imbalance data for said vehicle wheel assembly;
• electronically determining at least one weight plane location for a correction weight from said scanned wheel contour and said imbalance data, said weight plane location corresponding to an axial position along said scanned wheel contour;
• electronically determining at least one weight rotational position within said at least one weight plane location for said correction weight from said imbalance data, said weight rotational position corresponding to an angular position about an axis of rotation;
• illuminating continuously a portion of said scanned contour of said vehicle wheel assembly at a predetermined weight application rotational position, said illuminated portion associated with said weight plane location;
• automatically rotating said vehicle wheel assembly such that said at least one weight rotational position corresponds to a predetermined weight application rotational position;
• and
• automatically maintaining said vehicle wheel assembly at said rotated position for application of said correction weight.

A method of assisting an operator in correcting vehicle wheel imbalance, comprising:

• scanning the profile of a vehicle wheel to be balanced;
• electronically displaying to the operator a graphical representation of the scanned profile;
• obtaining wheel imbalance data;
• providing a visual display of a correction weight plane location, a weight placement amount and a weight placement rotational position for at least a first correction weight to the operator to correct the wheel imbalance;
• indexing the vehicle wheel such that the weight placement rotational position is at a predetermined rotational position for attachment of the correction weight;
• illuminating the correction weight plane location on a surface of the vehicle wheel at the predetermined rotational position for attachment of the correction weight;
• receiving operator input signals requesting a change in said correction weight plane location, weight placement amount, or weight placement rotational position;
• re-indexing the vehicle wheel, in response to the operator requested change, such that the weight placement rotational position which would result from said operator request change is at said predetermined rotational position for attachment of the correction weight;
• altering said illumination, in response to the operator requested change, of the correction weight plane location to correspond to a correction weight plane location which would result from said operator requested change;
• and
• applying a correction weight to the vehicle wheel.

A weight position identification system for use with a vehicle wheel balancer configured to measure the imbalance of a vehicle wheel assembly including at least a rim, mounted thereon, and to identify at least one imbalance correction weight axial position and an associated imbalance correction weight rotational position, comprising:

• a laser pointer configured to continuously illuminate said at least one identified imbalance correction weight placement axial position;
• a motor configured to rotate said vehicle wheel assembly such that said at least one identified imbalance correction weight rotational position corresponds to a weight application rotational position;
• and
• wherein said motor is further configured to maintain said vehicle wheel assembly at a desired rotational position for application of an imbalance correction weight.