Spindle assembly for a tire or wheel testing machine
AssigneeMTS Systems Corporation
InventorsRandal L. Jenniges, Steven J. Sattler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire and/or wheel testing machine and method for operating the same allows testing without removal of a drive motor that is only used during some of the tests. One aspect is a testing machine wherein the drive motor is supported by a support member so that the motor axis intersects with a spindle plane having the spindle axis. Another aspect includes a coupling assembly allowing selective decoupling of the motor shaft with the spindle hub.
Claims29
A spindle drive assembly for a tire or wheel testing machine having a frame, the spindle drive assembly comprising:
- a spindle having a spindle shaft joined to a spindle hub, the spindle hub being adapted to support a wheel for rotation about a spindle axis;
- a support member movably joined to the frame to pivot the spindle about an axis substantially perpendicular to the spindle axis;
- and
- a drive not mounted to the support member to move therewith and adapted to rotate the wheel about the spindle axis, the drive motor having an output shaft rotatable about a motor axis, the output shaft being operably coupled to the spindle shaft, and wherein the drive motor is supported by the support member so that the motor axis forms an angle with a spindle plane having the spindle axis that is perpendicular to a hub plane defined by the spindle hub, wherein the angle is one of acute, perpendicular or obtuse.
A spindle drive assembly for a tire or wheel testing machine having a frame, the spindle drive assembly comprising:
- a spindle having a spindle shaft joined to a spindle hub, the spindle hub being adapted to support a wheel for rotation about a spindle axis;
- a support member movably joined to the frame to pivot the spindle about an axis substantially perpendicular to the spindle axis;
- a drive motor mounted to the support member to move therewith, the drive motor having a motor shaft to rotate the wheel about the spindle axis and a portion that intersects with the axis substantially perpendicular to the spindle axis;
- and
- a coupling assembly operably coupling the motor shaft to the spindle hub, the coupling assembly including a fastener to selectively decouple the motor shaft from the spindle hub to allow free rotation of the spindle hub, while the drive motor is mounted to the support member.
A spindle drive assembly for a tire or wheel testing machine having a frame, the spindle drive assembly comprising:
- a spindle having a spindle shaft joined to a spindle hub, the spindle hub being adapted to support a wheel for rotation about a spindle axis;
- a support member movably joined to the frame to pivot the spindle about an axis substantially perpendicular to the spindle axis;
- a drive motor mounted to the support member to move therewith, the drive motor having a motor shaft to rotate the wheel about the spindle axis;
- and
- a coupling assembly operably coupling the motor shaft to the spindle shaft, the coupling assembly including a torque cell having a bore, wherein the spindle shaft extends through the bore such that a distal end of the spindle shaft remote from the spindle hub is joined to a first end of the torque cell, and wherein a second end of the torque cell is operably coupled to the drive motor.
A method of operating a spindle drive assembly for a tire or wheel testing machine, the method comprising:
- providing a frame, a spindle having a spindle shaft joined to a spindle hub, the spindle hub being adapted to support a wheel for rotation about a spindle axis, a support member movably joined to the frame to pivot the spindle about an axis substantially perpendicular to the spindle axis, a drive motor having a motor shaft to rotate the wheel about the spindle axis, wherein the motor shaft rotates about a motor axis and wherein the drive motor is supported by the support member so that the motor axis forms an angle with a spindle plane having the spindle axis that is perpendicular to a hub plane defined by the spindle hub, wherein the angle is one of acute, perpendicular or obtuse;
- and
- selectively decoupling the motor shaft from the spindle hub to Callow free rotation of the spindle hub, while the drive motor is mounted to the support member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.