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US 9,310,270 B2Granted
Robotic weight apply station
AssigneeAndroid Industries LLC
InventorsLawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Ramsey R. Niazy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for processing a tire-wheel assembly comprising a single-cell workstation including a plurality of sub-stations. The plurality of sub-stations includes a weight application sub-station, and an audit balancing sub-station. The apparatus also includes a tire/wheel transporting device positioned within reach of all of the plurality of sub-stations. A method is also disclosed.
Claims5
A method for processing a tire-wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of sub-stations of a single-cell workstation;
- disposing a tire-wheel transporting device within reach of all of the plurality of sub-stations;
- and
- moving the tire-wheel assembly to or from each of the plurality of sub-stations for providing one or more weights to an imbalanced tire-wheel assembly, and auditing the tire-wheel assembly by
- determining if the imbalanced tire-wheel assembly has been substantially corrected responsive to providing said one or more weights to the imbalanced tire-wheel assembly,
- wherein, subsequent to the determining step:
- providing additional weight to the tire-wheel assembly, and
- re-auditing the imbalanced tire-wheel for
- re-determining if the imbalanced tire-wheel assembly has been substantially corrected, and
- wherein, subsequent to the re-determining step:
- discharging the imbalanced tire-wheel assembly to a rework station of the plurality of sub-stations.
8 more elements
A method for processing a tire-wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of sub-stations of a single-cell workstation;
- disposing a tire-wheel transporting device within reach of all of the plurality of sub-stations;
- and
- moving the tire-wheel assembly to or from each of the plurality of sub-stations for providing one or more weights to an imbalanced tire-wheel assembly, and
- retaining the tire-wheel transporting device for permitting one or more of the steps of
- determining if the tire-wheel assembly is imbalanced, and
- auditing the tire-wheel assembly by
- determining if the imbalanced tire-wheel assembly has been substantially corrected responsive to providing said one or more weights to the imbalanced tire-wheel assembly,
- wherein the tire-wheel transporting device includes:
- an arm portion, and
- a claw portion connected to the arm portion, wherein the determining if the tire-wheel assembly is imbalanced step and the auditing the tire-wheel assembly step is conducted by
- retaining one of the tire and wheel with the claw portion, and
- rotating the claw portion relative the arm portion.
10 more elements
A method of utilizing a single-cell workstation system, comprising the steps:
- providing a first device including a robotic arm that assist in performing the steps of:
- picking a wheel,
- attaching a valve stem to the wheel,
- orientating the wheel to index a tire pressure monitor sensor,
- soaping the wheel,
- mounting a tire to the wheel in order to form a tire-wheel assembly,
- imaging the tire-wheel assembly,
- match-marking the tire-wheel assembly, and
- auditing the match-marked tire-wheel assembly,
- providing a second device including a robotic arm that assist in performing the steps of:
- as a result of being handed-off from the first device, receiving the tire-wheel assembly at the second device,
- inflating the tire-wheel assembly
- proving a third device including a robotic arm that assist in performing the steps of:
- as a result of being handed-off from the second device, receiving the inflated tire-wheel assembly at the third device,
- testing a uniformity of the tire mounted to the wheel,
- balancing the tire-wheel assembly,
- applying a weight to the tire-wheel assembly,
- auditing the balanced and weight-applied tire-wheel assembly.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.