Patent · US Expired

Wheel balancing apparatus and method with improved calibration and improved imbalance determination

US5396436A · kind A · utility

43Cited by
9References
55Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 3, 1992
Grant dateMar 7, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01M1/225
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A wheel balancer has a spindle for mounting a wheel/tire assembly thereon, a motor for spinning the spindle about its longitudinal axis, and at least two sensors for sensing imbalance forces. A set of calibration coefficients for the wheel balancer are determined solely from the measurements made during a set of calibration spins and from knowledge of the amount of imbalance mounted to the rotating spindle during the calibration spins, without any knowledge or measurement of the relative geometry of the balancer. The set of calibration coefficients and other calibration data is stored in an electronic memory for subsequent use in balancing a wheel/tire assembly. During balancing, a wheel/tire assembly mounted on the spindle is spun and the corresponding output signals of the sensors are measured and recorded. The imbalance of the wheel tire assembly is then iteratively determined using the stored calibration coefficients, the stored calibration data, and the measured sensor output signals corresponding to the spin of the mounted wheel/tire assembly.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.