Apparatus and method for conditioning the outer flanges of a vehicle wheel
AssigneeHayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
InventorsLarry Mustread, Danny Vincent, Mike Marcum, John Penrod, Jerry Buland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus adapted to condition the outer flanges of a vehicle wheel includes a main base assembly secured to a fixed surface, a lower tool assembly operatively supported by the main base assembly, at least one upper drive assembly operatively supported by the main base assembly, and an upper rim guide assembly. The upper drive assembly of the apparatus includes an electric servo drive unit operatively connected to drive a conditioner roll having an outer surface provided with a predetermined profile adapted to engage and condition at least one of the outer flanges of the vehicle wheel.
Claims13
An apparatus for conditioning the outer flanges of a vehicle wheel comprising:
- a main base assembly secured to a fixed surface, an adjustable lower tool assembly operatively supported by the main base assembly and adjustable to accommodate different wheel widths, a pair of upper drive assemblies operatively supported by the main base assembly, and an upper rim guide assembly, wherein each of the upper drive assemblies includes an electric servo drive unit operatively connected to drive a conditioner roll having an outer surface provided with a predetermined profile to engage and condition at least one of the outer flanges of the vehicle wheel;
- wherein the lower tool assembly includes a pair of rim support rolls having a predetermined profile which is generally complimentary to that of the associated corresponding portion of the vehicle wheel which the rim support rolls support.
A method for producing a vehicle wheel having at least one conditioned outer flange comprising the steps of:
- providing a vehicle wheel having a pair of outer flanges;
- loading the vehicle wheel into an apparatus for conditioning the outer flanges of the wheel, the apparatus including an electric servo drive unit operatively connected to drive a conditioner roll having an outer surface provided with a predetermined profile adapted to engage and condition the outer flanges of the vehicle wheel and an adjustable lower tool assembly adjustable to accommodate different wheel widths and having a pair of rim support rolls having a predetermined profile which is generally complimentary to that of the associated corresponding portion of the vehicle wheel which the rim support rolls support;
- actuating the electric servo motor unit of the apparatus whereby the conditioner roll conditions at least one of the flanges of the vehicle wheel;
- and
- unloading the conditioned vehicle wheel from the apparatus.
An apparatus for conditioning at least one outer flange of a vehicle wheel comprising:
- a main base assembly secured to a fixed surface, a lower tool assembly operatively supported by the main base assembly, a pair of upper drive assemblies operatively supported by the main base assembly, an upper rim guide assembly, and a load and unload assembly, wherein each of the upper drive assemblies includes an electric servo drive unit operatively connected to drive a conditioner roll having an outer surface provided with a predetermined profile to engage and condition at least one of the outer flanges of the vehicle wheel;
- wherein the lower tool assembly is adjustable to accommodate different wheel widths and includes a pair of rim support rolls having a predetermined profile which is generally complimentary to that of the associated corresponding portion of the vehicle wheel which the rim support rolls support, and the main base assembly includes a pair of motor stands for supporting the pair of upper drive assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.