# US 8,086,340 B2 · Hub posture detection method and apparatus

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- Number: US 8,086,340 B2
- Document ID: US8086340B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/410,886
- Filed: 2009-03-25
- Published: 2009-10-01
- Granted: 2011-12-27
- Earliest claimed: 2008-03-27
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Toshiyuki Kondo; Takao Shibayama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8086340B2

## CPC

- B62D 65/12: the sub-units or components being suspensions, brakes or wheel units
- B23P 19/10: Aligning parts to be fitted together
- B25J 9/1687: {Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement}
- B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems}
- G01B 21/26: for testing wheel alignment
- G05B 2219/37608: Center and diameter of hole, wafer, object
- G05B 2219/45021: Wheel mounting
- Y10T 29/49481: Wheel making
- Y10T 29/49948: Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Distance meters measure distances from a reference position to a first area including an upper pitch circle portion and a second area including a lower pitch circle portion. Center coordinates of the hub is calculated based on respective center coordinates of two hub bolts included within the first and second areas. Coordinates of three points defining apexes of a triangle are acquired. Inclination angle of the hub relative to a vertical plane is calculated based on the coordinates of the three points, and an orientation of each of the hub bolts is calculated based on the center coordinates of the hub and the center coordinates of the hub bolt.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hub posture detection method for, prior to mounting of a wheel on a hub of a vehicle conveyed along a vehicle conveyance line, detecting an inclination and center of the hub and orientations of hub bolts, comprising the steps of:
imaginarily dividing a front surface of the hub into four equal parts, by use of perpendicularly-intersecting lines, to divide a pitch circle of the hub bolts into upper and lower and left and right divided pitch circle portions and specify a first horizontally-elongated rectangular area including the upper divided pitch circle portion and a second horizontally-elongated rectangular area including the lower divided pitch circle portion;
measuring distances from a reference position to the first and second horizontally-elongated rectangular areas;
calculating, on the basis of the distances measured by the measuring step, coordinates of respective centers of two of the hub bolts included within the first and second horizontally-elongated rectangular areas;
calculating center coordinates of the hub on the basis of the coordinates of the centers of the two hub bolts;
acquiring, from portions of the first and second horizontally-elongated rectangular areas where no hub bolt is included, coordinates of three points that define apexes of an imaginary triangle;
calculating, on the basis of the coordinates of the three points, an inclination angle of the hub relative to a vertical plane extending along the vehicle conveyance line; and
calculating an orientation of each of the hub bolts on the basis of the center coordinates of the hub and the coordinates of the center of the hub bolt.

### Claim 2

A hub posture detection apparatus for, prior to mounting of a wheel on a hub of a vehicle conveyed along a vehicle conveyance line, detecting an inclination and center of the hub and orientations of hub bolts, comprising:
a control device that imaginarily divides a front surface of the hub into four equal parts, by use of perpendicularly-intersecting lines, to divide a pitch circle of the hub bolts into upper and lower and left and right divided pitch circle portions and specify a first horizontally-elongated rectangular area including the upper divided pitch circle portion and a second horizontally-elongated rectangular area including the lower divided pitch circle portion; and
first and second distance meters, the first distance meter measuring a distance from a predetermined reference position to the first horizontally-elongated rectangular area, the second distance meter for measuring a distance from the predetermined reference position to the second horizontally-elongated rectangular area,
the control device being adapted to:
calculate, on the basis of the distances measured by the first and second distance meters, coordinates of respective centers of two of the hub bolts included within the first and second horizontally-elongated rectangular areas;
calculate center coordinates of the hub on the basis of the coordinates of the centers of the two hub bolts;
acquire, from portions of the first and second horizontally-elongated rectangular areas where no hub bolt is included, coordinates of three points that define apexes of an imaginary triangle;
calculate, on the basis of the coordinates of the three points, an inclination angle of the hub relative to a vertical plane extending along the vehicle conveyance line; and
calculate an orientation of each of the hub bolts on the basis of the center coordinates of the hub and the coordinates of the center of the hub bolt.