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US 7,029,530 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for inflatable tire soaper
AssigneeDominion Technologies Group, Inc.
InventorArkadiusz Pyzio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for soaping a tire using an inflatable bladder. The inflatable bladder is extended through a center opening in a tire and inflated to cause soap on the surface of the bladder to soap the inner surface of the tire. The bladder is then deflated and removed from the opening in the tire so that the tire can be subsequently mounted to a wheel.
Claims18
A tire soaper, comprising:
- a bladder expandable between an un-inflated position and an inflated position;
- a wetting device adapted to apply a liquid to a surface of said bladder;
- an inflation device attached to said bladder for causing the bladder to inflate to the inflated position, said bladder being adapted to contact a surface of a tire;
- and
- a conveyor system adapted to transport the tire to a position disposed in a generally centered position relative to an axial position of said bladder.
2 more elements
A tire soaper for soaping a portion of a tire that contacts a wheel when assembled thereon, the tire soaper comprising:
- a bladder expandable between an un-inflated position and an inflated position;
- a wetting device adapted to apply a liquid to a surface of said bladder;
- an inflation device attached to said bladder for causing the bladder to inflate to the inflated position, said bladder being adapted to extend through an opening in the tire without contacting the tire while un-inflated and, when inflated, expands outward to contact the portion of the tire that contacts a wheel when assembled;
- and
- an extension mechanism attached to an end of said bladder, said extension mechanism being extendable from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein said bladder is adapted to be extended through a central opening in the tire when said extension mechanism is in said extended position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.