Tire bead breaker device and methods for automated tire changer machine
AssigneeHunter Engineering Company
InventorsMicah N. Vaninger, Douglas S. Hanneken, Charlie Polster, Joel Clasquin, Steven K. Molbach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automated tire changer machines, control systems and methods therefor utilize positive contact and contact force generation between wheel rims and bead breaker devices to break tire bead seals. The bead breaker devices may accordingly follow different geometries of wheel rims without prior knowledge or identification of the specific rim configuration by the machine.
Claims36
A tire changer machine for changing a tire on a wheel rim, the machine comprising:
- a base;
- a drive assembly coupled to the base and configured to receive and rotate a wheel rim and associated tire about a rotational axis;
- a tool support frame extending in spaced relation to the drive assembly;
- a bead breaker device coupled to the tool support frame;
- and
- a controller adjusting a position of one of the bead breaker device and the wheel rim to establish contact between the wheel rim and the bead breaker device while a tire bead breaking procedure is executed with the wheel rim secured to said drive assembly.
A method of executing a tire bead breaking procedure on a wheel rim, the method utilizing a machine including a drive assembly configured for mounting the wheel rim for rotation about a rotational axis, a bead breaker device and a controller for positioning one of the wheel rim and the bead breaker device, the method comprising:
- establishing contact between the wheel rim and the bead breaker device while the wheel rim is mounted to the drive assembly;
- and
- maintaining, for at least a portion of the tire bead breaking procedure, contact between the wheel rim and the bead breaker device to break a tire bead seal between a tire and the wheel rim.
A tire changer machine for changing a tire on a wheel rim, the machine comprising:
- a base;
- a drive assembly coupled to the base, said drive assembly configured to receive a wheel rim for rotation of said wheel rim and associated tire about a rotational axis;
- a tool support frame extending in spaced relation to the drive assembly;
- a bead breaker device coupled to the tool support frame to operatively engage a wheel rim secured to said drive assembly;
- an actuator associated with the bead breaker device;
- and
- a compliant member associated with the at least one actuator, the compliant member configured to maintain at least a predetermined amount of contact force between the bead breaker tool and the wheel rim during a tire bead breaking procedure for a wheel rim secured to said drive assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.