VEHICLE WHEEL MANIPULATOR
The U-shaped wheel manipulator with elastic hooks and a secondary wire stop addresses the inefficiencies of existing manipulators by providing a universal, lightweight, and cost-effective grip for various wheel geometries, improving ease of use and reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- RENAULT SA
- Filing Date
- 2019-12-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing wheel manipulators are not universal, lack a secure grip, and have a heavy, expensive structure, making them inefficient and costly.
A wheel manipulator with a U-shaped main wire structure, elastic hooks, and a secondary wire stop to grip various wheel geometries, ensuring a secure grip and simple, cost-effective design.
The solution provides a universal, lightweight, and cost-effective wheel manipulator that securely grips diverse wheel geometries, enhancing ease of use and reducing manufacturing costs.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: VEHICLE WHEEL MANIPULATOR
[0001] The present invention relates to a wheel manipulator for a motor vehicle, that is to say a hand tool intended to be attached to a wheel rim so as to be able to lift the wheel and move it easily.
[0002] US patents 2,805,882 and 2,639,934 illustrate known wheel manipulators. These known wheel manipulators are specifically adapted to wheel rims with a very particular geometry and oblong holes. They are not universal and do not ensure a secure grip on the wheel rim. They have a massive, heavy, and expensive structure to manufacture.
[0003] The invention aims to improve and overcome all or part of the previous drawbacks by proposing a wheel manipulator of simple and inexpensive design while being universal with respect to various wheel geometries.
[0004] To this end, the invention relates to a wheel manipulator for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a main wire structure having the general shape of a U, the arms of which terminate in two hooks capable of approaching and moving away from each other by elastic deformation of the wire structure, the hooks being intended to be inserted into at least one hole in a wheel rim and to grip onto corresponding edges of said at least one hole, the central part of the U being provided with a gripping handle allowing the wheel to be lifted via the manipulator attached to the wheel.
[0005] Other advantageous features of the invention are defined below.
[0006] The manipulator includes a stop on which the arms of the U slide, the stop being shaped to cooperate in contact with a side of the wheel so as to maintain a gap between the handle and this side.
[0007] The stop consists of a secondary wire structure having the general shape of a rectangle open in the center of one of its long sides, defining on either side of the opening two segments on which the branches of the U slide.
[0008] Each arm of the U has a bearing shaped to slide on a corresponding segment of the stop.
[0009] The edges of the segments adjacent to the opening have curved shapes defining stops to limit the sliding of the bearings on the segments.
[0010] The bearings have longitudinal extensions shaped to cooperate in contact with parts of the thrust bearing not aligned with the segments, in particular the short sides of the rectangle or curved shapes, so as to limit the rotation of the abutment with respect to the segments and to maintain the secondary wire structure of the abutment in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the U of the main wire structure.
[0011] The main wire structure and the secondary wire structure are made of a metal wire whose cross-section has a diameter between 3 and 10 mm.
[0012] The handle has the general shape of a cylinder crossed longitudinally by the central part of the U of the main wire structure.
[0013] The manipulator includes a gripping area fixed to one of the arms of the U of the main wire structure, the gripping area extending substantially parallel to the central part of the U and being reachable by the fingers of a hand placed on the handle so that pressure on the gripping area causes the arms and incidentally the hooks to come together.
[0014] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of a non-limiting example of the invention, and in light of the accompanying drawings.
[0015] [fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a wheel manipulator according to the invention.
[0016] [fig.2] represents a wheel manipulator of figure 1 in a gripping position with a wheel rim.
[0017] [fig.3] represents the wheel manipulator of figure 1 in a gripping position with the wheel rim, the stop being away from the side of the wheel when the handle is not pulled upwards.
[0018] [fig.4] represents the wheel manipulator of figure 1 in a gripping position with the wheel rim, the stop being in contact with the side of the wheel when the handle is pulled upwards.
[0019] [fig.5] represents an overview of an operator lifting a vehicle wheel automobile using the wheel manipulator shown in figures 1 to 4.
[0020] Figures 1 and 2 show a wheel manipulator 1 for a motor vehicle (not shown). This manipulator 1 comprises a main wire structure 3 having the general shape of a U, the arms of which 31, 32 terminate in two hooks 310, 320 adapted to move closer together and further apart by elastic deformation of the main wire structure 3. The hooks 310, 320 are intended to be inserted into at least one hole 200 of a wheel rim 210 and to grip onto corresponding edges of said at least one hole 200. The central part 33 of the U is provided with a gripping handle 4 for lifting the wheel 2 via the manipulator 1 attached to the wheel 2, as can be seen in Figure 5.
[0021] The hooks 310, 320 are formed of angled ends substantially at right angles to the arms 31, 32. The term "substantially" means that a deviation of about 10° is permitted from a strictly nominal angle of 90°.
[0022] The hooks 310, 320 can be inserted into two respective orifices 200, as illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, or, in another embodiment not shown, into a single orifice. In the latter case, the hooks grip on opposite edges of the same orifice. The elastic deformation of the main wire structure 3 between a spread-out position and a close-up position, both shown in Figure 1, allows for flexibility of use by bringing the arms 31, 32 closer together or further apart, which makes the manipulator 1 compatible with wheels having various hole configurations.
[0023] The manipulator 1 of wheel 2 includes a stop 5 on which the arms 31, 32 of the U slide, moving closer together or further apart. The stop 5 is shaped to cooperate in contact with a flank 220 of the wheel 2 (Figure 4) so as to maintain a gap between the handle 4 and this flank 220. Maintaining this gap ensures space around the handle so that it does not crush the operator's hand. The gap is typically greater than 30 mm.
[0024] The sidewall 220 of the wheel 2 refers to the outer face of the wheel, which is made up of the sidewall of the tire and / or where applicable of the rim 210 itself.
[0025] The stop 5 consists of a secondary wire structure 6 having the general shape of a rectangle open in the center of one of its long sides, defining on either side of the opening 60 two segments 61, 62 on which the branches 31, 32 of the U slide.
[0026] Each arm 31, 32 of the U has a bearing 311, 321 shaped to slide on a corresponding segment 61, 62 of the secondary wire structure 6 formed by the stop 5.
[0027] The edges of the segments 61, 62 adjacent to the opening 60 have curved shapes 63, 64 or angled, substantially at right angles, defining stops to limit the sliding of the bearings 311, 321 on the segments 61, 62.
[0028] The bearings 311, 321 have longitudinal extensions, located opposite each other, shaped to cooperate in contact with parts of the stop 5 not aligned with the segments 61, 62, in particular the short sides 65, 66 of the rectangle or the curved shapes 63, 64, so as to limit the rotation of the stop 5 with respect to the segments 61, 62 and to maintain the secondary wire structure 6 of the stop 5 in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the U of the main wire structure 3.
[0029] The main wire structure 3 and the secondary wire structure 6 are made of a metal wire whose cross-section has a diameter typically between 3 and 10 mm, these values being given as a non-limiting example.
[0030] The handle 4 has the general shape of a cylinder through which the central part of the U of the main wire structure 3 passes longitudinally. The handle 4 can be mounted for rotation about its axis on the main wire structure 3, or conversely without Relative movement is possible.
[0031] With reference to Figure 1, the manipulator also includes a gripping zone 7 fixed to one of the arms 31, 32 of the U of the main wire structure 3. The gripping zone 7 extends substantially parallel to the central part of the U. This zone is accessible to the fingers of a hand placed on the handle 4 such that pressure on the gripping zone 7 causes the arms 31, 32 to come together and, incidentally, the hooks 310; 320 to come together. Conversely, releasing the gripping zone 7 causes the arms 31, 32 to move apart by elastic deformation of the main wire structure 3.
[0032] Of course, the invention is not limited to the modes or variants of embodiment described above and includes all technical equivalents of these means.
[0033] The nomenclature of the elements of the invention is recalled below:
[0034] Manipulator 1
[0035] Wheel 2
[0036] Orifices 200
[0037] Rim 210
[0038] Flank 220
[0039] Main wireframe structure 3
[0040] Branches 31, 32
[0041] Hooks 310, 320
[0042] Bearings 311, 321
[0043] Handle 4
[0044] Stop 5
[0045] Secondary wire structure 6
[0046] Opening 60
[0047] Segments 61, 62
[0048] Curved shapes 63, 64
[0049] Short sides of the rectangle 65, 66
[0050] Handle 7
Claims
Demands
1. A wheel manipulator (1) for a motor vehicle (2), characterized in that it comprises a main wire structure (3) having the general shape of a U, the arms (31, 32) of which terminate in two hooks (310, 320) adapted to move closer together and further apart by elastic deformation of the main wire structure (3), the hooks (310, 320) being intended to be inserted into at least one hole (200) of a wheel rim (2) and to grip onto corresponding edges of said at least one hole (200), the central part of the U being provided with a gripping handle (4) for lifting the wheel (2) via the manipulator (1) attached to the wheel (2), the manipulator comprising a stop (5) on which the arms (31, 32) of the U slide, the stop (5) being shaped to cooperate in contact with a side (220) of the wheel (2) so as to maintain a gap between the handle (4) and this side (220).
2. Wheel manipulator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop (5) is made up of a secondary wire structure (6) having the general shape of a rectangle open in the center of one of its long sides, defining on either side of the opening (60) two segments (61, 62) on which slide the arms (31, 32) of the U.
3. Wheel manipulator (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that each arm (31, 32) of the U has a bearing (311, 321) shaped to slide on a corresponding segment (31, 32) of the stop (5).
4. Wheel manipulator (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the edges of the segments (61, 62) adjacent to the opening (60) have curved shapes (63, 64) defining stops to limit the sliding of the bearings (311, 321) on the segments (61, 62).
5. Wheel manipulator (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the bearings (311, 321) have longitudinal extensions shaped to cooperate in contact with parts of the stop (5) not aligned with the segments (61, 62), in particular the short sides (65, 66) of the rectangle or the curved shapes (63, 64), so as to limit the rotation of the stop (5) with respect to the segments (61, 62) and to maintain the secondary wire structure (6) of the stop (5) in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the U of the main wire structure (3).
6. Wheel manipulator (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the main wire structure (3) and the secondary wire structure (6) are made of a metallic wire whose cross-section has a diameter between 3 and 10 mm.
7. Wheel manipulator (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle (4) has the general shape of a cylinder traversed longitudinally by the central part of the U of the main wire structure (3).
8. Wheel manipulator (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a gripping area (7) fixed to one of the arms (31, 32) of the U of the main wire structure (3), the gripping area (7) extending substantially parallel to the central part of the U and being reachable by the fingers of a hand disposed on the handle (4) such that pressure on the gripping area (7) causes the arms (31, 32) and incidentally the hooks (310; 320) to come together.