Apparatus for measuring imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle during motion of the vehicle

US10969292B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BALANCED ENGINEERING SOLUTION, LLC · US

Inventors

• Eric L. Canfield · Downingtown, US
• David M. Scribner · Pinckney, US
• Scott J. Soma · Media, US
• Robert P. Alston · Exton, US
• David A. Fenimore · Coatesville, US
• Zoe Kane · Greer, US
• Rachel Foster · Baltimore, US
• Meer Gujral · Chester Springs, US
• Joseph H. Cottingham · Downingtown, US
• Saahas S. Yechuri · Downingtown, US
• Aron Sun · Exton, US
• Ethan Reiland · Downingtown, US
• Anish Sudini · Exton, US
• Amish Saini · Exton, US
• William Liao · Downingtown, US
• Rohan Epur · Chester Springs, US
• Ryan M. Larue · Coatesville, US
• Brandon T. Fanti · Coatesville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 30, 2019
• Grant date: Apr 6, 2021
• Expiry date: Dec 10, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B29D2030/0665
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus configured to be removably attached to a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle via lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly is used to determine imbalance forces of the tire/hub assembly during motion of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a disk and a plurality of cup-shaped objects fixed at one end to the disk and extending perpendicularly outward from the disk. The plurality of cup-shaped objects are arranged a fixed radial distance from a radial center of the disk in a pattern that matches the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus is mounted to the vehicle's tire/hub assembly by fitting the plurality of cup-shaped objects over the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus further includes one or more inertial measurement units (IMU's) mounted to the disk to measure parameters that are used for calculating the imbalance forces during motion of the vehicle.