An apparatus and method of correcting imbalance on a motor vehicle wheel/tire assembly. A sensing device coupled to an electronic measuring apparatus is used to scan the wheel in a continuous motion, obtaining the profile of the surface intended for the placement of at least one imbalance correction weight. The balancer computer analyzes the scanned profile and determines the best arrangement of correction weight locations and magnitudes. This system reduces the amount of weight, number of weights, and/or residual imbalance caused by systems where the operator determines the correction planes. The display shows the scanned profile and the weights exactly as the physical wheel and placed weights appear, improving intuitiveness and providing confidence in the measuring apparatus. The correction weight magnitudes and locations can be manually adjusted via the user interface and a real-time display update of required weights and the corresponding residual imbalance. Another improvement minimizes operator weight placement error by using the measuring apparatus and display as a guide to place a weight at the proper angular location on a correction plane.

Method of correcting imbalance on a motor vehicle wheel

A wheel balancer (1) for balancing an allow wheel (2) comprises a support housing (30) and a main shaft (36) onto which the wheel (2) is mounted. A sub-housing (35) rotatably carries the main shaft (36), imbalance forces in the main shaft (36) and their respective directions are monitored for determining the magnitude and angular positions of balance weights required for correcting imbalances in the wheel (2) in selected balancing planes (17 and 18). A telescoping extendible sensor arm (54) is pivotally mounted about a vertical pivot axis on the support housing (30) for detecting balance weight receiving locations on the inner surface (10) of a wheel hub (4) of the wheel (2) at the selected desired balancing planes (17 and 18). Balance weight positions (22) at which correcting balance weights (20) are to be attached to the inner surface (10) of the wheel hub (4) in the respective balancing planes (17 and 18) are indicated by a laser light source (70) which directs a pencil laser beam (72) at the inner surface (10) in the lower front quadrant (23) of the wheel hub (4) when the balance weight position (22) is aligned with the laser light source (70). A laser light dot formed on the inner surface (10) indicates the angular centre line (21) of the balance weight position (22) and an inner side edge (25) of the balance weight position thereby indicating to the operator the precise position at which the correcting balance weight (20) is to be attached to the wheel hub.

A wheel balancer

Verfahren zum Unwuchtausgleich an einem Kraftfahrzeugrad

The vehicle wheel balance weight is determined by measuring the unbalance. The balance weight is formed as a strip, or band, which is shaped to the wheel rim curvature, before cutting to required length. Rim curvature is determined from the rim diameter. The machine may have a reel (2) of adhesive balance weight strip (3), fed by a friction wheel device (5). The strip may be formed to the rim curvature by a roller device (12), comprising three adjustable pairs of rollers, controlled by rim diameter. The strip may be cut to length by a guillotine (15). Finally, characters, indicating weight may be stamped (18) on the balance weight (4).

Adhesive balance weight for automobile vehicle wheel rim

The balancing machine has a rotatable spindle (2) to receive a wheel (3). It also has a measuring device to measure the radii and the axial distance, relative to the machine, at the surfaces provided at the wheel rims for attaching balancing weights. The measurement device has a position generator to convert the measured parameters into machine readable signals, for the positioning of balance weights (12,13) The machine includes a light source (8) to generate a pointer type light beam (9) to a slit (6). The source is rotatable about an axis (7) perpendicular plane which also includes the axis of rotation of the spindle. The light source moves with the slit along a straight guide track (5) which is radial to the spindle and within the plane, or extends parallel to it. The light source moves such that the light beam is aligned parallel to the axis of rotation of the spindle to measure the radii and is aligned at an angle to it on the wheel to measure the axial distance. The light source is connected to position detectors which generate signals corresponding to the distance from the light beam to the spindle axis and the angular position of the beam.

Vehicle wheel balancing machine

The balancing machine for motor vehicle wheels clamped to the main shaft of the machine contains a sensing device for distance measurement of the balance plane or planes and for detecting the balance radius. The sensing element has a retractable organ (10, 11, 17) in a common plane with the main shafts axis. The sensor provides electrical signals corresp. to the measured values to a device which evaluates the imbalance values measured during one or more measurement processes. The sensor has an angle measurement device (24) which measures the angular position of the sensing organ or its parts to determine the balance radius. ADVANTAGE - Ensures accurate position determination for each balance wt. on wheel rim.

Balancing machine for motor vehicle wheels - contains retractable sensing element which measures distance of balance flame, with sensor angular position also measured

A balancing machine for motor vehicle wheels of different sizes and types has a clamp for clamping wheels on a main shaft of the machine. To measure an unbalance related to one or more compensating planes of the wheel, the machine determines the spacing of the compensating plane (or planes) relative to the machine and ascertains the compensating radius on the wheel. To perform this function, the machine has a sensing member which can be extended in a common plane with the longitudinal center line of the main shaft and which supplies electrical signals to an evaluation device in which unbalance measurement values which are ascertained during one or more measuring runs are evaluated to determine the unbalance of the wheel. The sensing member also has an angle measuring device that measures an angular position of the sensing member (or a part of the sensing member) which is proportional to the compensating radius to be detected.

A balancing machine for vehicle wheels of different sizes and types includes a main shaft, structure for mounting a wheel on the main shaft, and for unbalance measurement which is related to at least one compensating plane of the wheel, sensing structure for detecting a spacing of the at least one compensating plane relative to the machine and for detecting a compensating radius on the wheel. The sensing structure includes a displaceable sensing lever of constant length, the sensing lever having at least a part assuming an angular position proportional to the compensating radius to be detected, a mechanism for pivotally mounting the sensing lever at a first end thereof, structure for displacing the pivotably mounted first end of the lever along a path of given length which is parallel to the main shaft, an element for supplying electrical output signals corresponding to sensed values to an evaluation member in which unbalance measurement values which are ascertained during at least one measuring run are evaluated for determining wheel unbalance and an angle measuring device for measuring an angular position, which is proportional to the compensating radius to be detected, of at least a part of the displaceable sensing lever. The angle measuring device is disposed at the pivot axis of the lever.

Vehicle wheel balancing machine having sensing means for sensing geometrical data of the wheel

L'invention concerne une machine d'equilibrage pour des roues de vehicules automobiles. Un dispositif d'exploration servant a determiner la distance d'un ou de plans d'equilibrage par rapport a la machine et le rayon d'equilibrage et comporte un element d'exploration (10, 11, 17) pouvant etre deploye dans un plan passant par l'axe median longitudinal de l'arbre principal sur lequel sont montees les roues du vehicule et envoie des signaux electriques de sortie correspondants a un dispositif d'evaluation, l'element (10, 11, 17) comportant un dispositif (24) qui mesure une position angulaire, proportionnelle au rayon d'equilibrage, de l'element d'exploration. Application notamment a l'equilibrage de roues de voitures de tourisme, de vehicules utilitaires et de motocyclettes.

Lorenz Lenhardt

Papers

Balancing machine for motor vehicle wheels - contains retractable sensing element which measures distance of balance flame, with sensor angular position also measured

Vehicle wheel balancing machine

Vehicle wheel balancing machine having sensing means for sensing geometrical data of the wheel

Machine d'equilibrage pour des roues de vehicules automobiles.