Hydraulically operated dynamic wheel balancing device

Abstract

The invention relates to a dynamic balancing device (30) for a vehicle wheel comprising a hollow tubular ring (31) defining at least one internal circulation channel (32) housing a respective weight (33), a bidirectional hydraulic pump (34), for each said channel, a corresponding pair of two radial lines (35, 36) extending between said pump and the two ends of this channel so as to constitute with the latter a hydraulic circuit filled with a liquid, solenoid valves each provided at the level of said respective radial line so as to allow or prevent the circulation of liquid in this line, a gyroscopic sensor (37),and a control unit (38) connected to said gyroscopic sensor and configured to actuate said pump and said solenoid valves so as to generate a selective circulation of liquid in said hydraulic circuit and in a given direction in order to cause the movement of the weight housed in the corresponding channel. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 2,

Description

Title of the invention: Hydraulically operated dynamic balancing device for wheel Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly the field of wheel balancing devices for motor vehicles. Prior art

[0002] Balancing a wheel is the process of ensuring that the mass of the wheel is evenly distributed around its axis of rotation. This helps prevent vibrations that can be felt in the steering wheel or driver's seat when driving.

[0003] Wheels that are not balanced properly can cause uneven tire wear, premature wear of bearings and suspensions, and decreased vehicle handling.

[0004] To balance a wheel, it is usually placed on a balancing machine which measures the mass distribution on that wheel and indicates where to add mass to balance it. Balancing weights are then added usually by gluing to specific locations on the rim.

[0005] Although effective, this type of static balancing by adding masses must be repeated regularly in order to compensate for variations in the distribution of mass in the rim and / or the tire caused for example by damage suffered by these elements.

[0006] Devices are also known for dynamically balancing a vehicle wheel, designed to maintain the balance of the moving wheel in real time, without the need for regular static balancing.

[0007] Such dynamic wheel balancing devices use electronic and / or mechanical systems to adjust the wheel mass in real time. They may include motion and vibration sensors that measure wheel vibrations and micro-motors that automatically adjust the wheel weight by moving internal or external masses.

[0008] Document US 3,164,413 A1 discloses such a dynamic wheel balancing device comprising steel balls embedded in a damping fluid included in a peripheral tube, the fluid making it possible to restrict the movement of the balls.

[0009] However, the solution proposed by the document has room for improvement, since the movement of the balls in the peripheral tube lacks stability and precision, which can lead to unbalancing of the wheel of the motor vehicle. Statement of the invention

[0010] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned state of the art. More particularly, the invention aims to propose a simple, efficient and economical solution for ensuring self-balancing of the wheels of the motor vehicle in order to protect its components from excessive wear.

[0011] To this end, it proposes a dynamic balancing device for a motor vehicle wheel designed to be fixedly mounted against the inner face of the internal web of the rim of said wheel, characterized in that it comprises: - a hollow tubular ring defining at least one internal circulation channel extending along at least a portion of the circumference of this ring and housing a respective balancing weight mounted to slide along this channel; - a bidirectional hydraulic pump; - for each said internal circulation channel, a corresponding pair of two radial pipes, respectively suction / discharge and discharge / suction, extending between said pump and the two ends of this channel so as to constitute with the latter a hydraulic circuit filled with a liquid; - solenoid valves each arranged at the level of a respective said radial pipe so as to authorize or prevent the circulation of liquid in this pipe; - a gyroscopic sensor configured to measure an unbalance effect of said wheel during its rotation; and - a control unit connected to said gyroscopic sensor and configured, depending on the data transmitted by the latter, to actuate said pump and said solenoid valves so as to generate a selective circulation of liquid in a said hydraulic circuit and in a given direction in order to cause the movement of the weight housed in the corresponding channel.

[0012] The dynamic balancing device according to the invention thus makes it possible to automatically, in real time, and with precision balance a motor vehicle wheel so as to effectively limit the vibrations of such a motor vehicle and thus increase the service life of its components.

[0013] According to preferred characteristics of said dynamic balancing device according to the invention: - this comprises several said internal circulation channels which are not communicating with each other and which extend one after the other, each along a respective portion of the circumference of said ring; - the various internal circulation channels have an identical length so as to extend over the same angular sector of said ring; - this comprises three so-called internal circulation channels, each extending over an angular sector of 120°; - this comprises a single internal circulation channel extending over the entire circumference of said ring and the two ends of which are non-communicating; - this also includes means for detecting the position of each said weight along the corresponding circulation channel; - said detection means consist of contactless position sensors of the Hall effect type, each associated with a magnetic target; and / or - the connection between said control unit and said gyroscopic sensor, said solenoid valves, and / or said pump is ensured via a real-time wireless communication protocol.

[0014] The invention also relates, in a second aspect, to a motor vehicle wheel comprising a rim receiving a tire, said rim comprising an internal web extending along a mean plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of this wheel and designed to be coupled by bolting to a hub of a running gear of said motor vehicle; characterized in that it integrates such a dynamic balancing device fixedly mounted against the inner face of said internal web.

[0015] The invention finally aims, under a third aspect, at a motor vehicle comprising at least one such wheel. Brief description of the drawings

[0016] The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of several exemplary embodiments, given below for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of a motor vehicle wheel comprising a dynamic balancing device according to the invention; and - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the dynamic balancing device of [Fig.l]. Description of the embodiments

[0017] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a wheel 1 intended to be mounted on a motor vehicle not shown and comprising a rim 10 receiving a tire 20.

[0018] Preferably made of a metallic material, the rim 10 comprises an internal web 11 extending along a mean plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation A of the wheel 1 and designed to be coupled by bolting to a hub of a running gear of the motor vehicle.

[0019] This internal veil 11 is advantageously perforated so as to limit its mass and generate an axial air flow when the motor vehicle is moving so as to allow its brakes to cool.

[0020] The rim 10 also comprises a substantially cylindrical bearing surface 12 centered on the axis of rotation A and receiving the tire 20.

[0021] This bearing surface 12 is rigidly connected to the peripheral edge of the internal web 11 by the internal edge of its inner face facing away from this tire 20.

[0022] The wheel 1 also incorporates a dynamic balancing device according to the invention 30 fixedly mounted against the inner face of the internal web 11 of the rim 10, this device 30 being capable of detecting a problem of unbalancing of the wheel 1 and of automatically ensuring its rebalancing dynamically while the motor vehicle is running.

[0023] Represented schematically in [Fig. 2], the dynamic balancing device 30 comprises a hollow tubular ring 31 defining a plurality of internal circulation channels 32 which are not communicating with each other and which extend one after the other, each along a respective portion of the circumference of this ring 31.

[0024] Advantageously, the different internal circulation channels 32 have an identical length so as to extend over the same angular sector of the ring 31.

[0025] In this case and as shown in [Fig.2], the dynamic balancing device 30 comprises three internal circulation channels 32 each extending over an angular sector of 120°.

[0026] Each channel 32 houses a respective balancing weight 33 mounted to slide along this channel. Of identical mass, the weights 33 advantageously have a curved profile in an arc of a circle with the same average radius as that of the ring 30 and their section is preferably substantially complementary to the internal section of this channel 32.

[0027] The dynamic balancing device 30 also comprises a bidirectional hydraulic pump 34 advantageously arranged at the level of the axis of rotation A of the wheel 1.

[0028] For each channel 32, the device 30 comprises a corresponding pair of two radial conduits, respectively suction / discharge 35 and discharge / suction 36, extending between the pump 34 and the two ends of this channel 32 so as to constitute with the latter a hydraulic circuit filled with a liquid advantageously consisting of water.

[0029] The dynamic balancing device 30 also comprises: - solenoid valves, not shown, each arranged at the level of a respective radial suction / discharge 35 or discharge / suction 36 pipe so as to authorize or prevent the circulation of liquid in this pipe; - a gyroscopic sensor 37 fixed securely to the internal web 11 of the rim 10, preferably close to the axis of rotation A of the wheel 1; - means for detecting, not shown, the position of each weight 33 along the corresponding channel 32; and - a control unit 38 connected to the pump 34, to the solenoid valves, to the gyroscopic sensor 37 as well as to the means for detecting the position of the weights 33.

[0030] The gyroscopic sensor 37 is configured to measure an unbalance effect of wheel 1 when it has a non-symmetrical distribution of its mass around its axis of rotation A.

[0031] The means for detecting the position of each weight 33 are for example constituted by contactless position sensors of the Hall effect type, each associated with a magnetic target.

[0032] Equipped with a microcontroller, the control unit 38 is configured, as a function of the data transmitted by the gyroscopic sensor 37, to actuate the pump 34 and the solenoid valves so as to generate a selective circulation of liquid in one of the hydraulic circuits and in a given direction a or b in order to cause the movement of the weight 33 housed in the corresponding channel 32.

[0033] The operation of the automatic balancing system 30 according to the invention will now be described in more detail.

[0034] When the gyroscopic sensor 37 detects an unbalance effect on the wheel 1 during its rotation, the control unit 38 is able to determine the necessary movement of at least one weight 33 in the corresponding channel 32 towards a set position to allow the return to a substantially symmetrical distribution of the mass of the wheel 1 around its axis of rotation A.

[0035] This control unit 38 is also configured to generate the movement of this weight 33 by actuating the pump 34 in the appropriate circulation direction and by sending an opening signal to the two solenoid valves arranged on the pair of radial pipes 35, 36 associated with the hydraulic circuit comprising the channel 32 housing this weight 33.

[0036] As soon as the control unit 38 detects, from the data transmitted by the means for detecting the position of the weights 33, that the weight in question reaches the set position, this control unit 38 sends a closing signal to these two solenoid valves and stops the pump 34.

[0037] The control unit 38 can then optionally actuate the pump 34 and two other solenoid valves again to generate the movement of one or more other 33 weights.

[0038] The connection between the control unit 38 and the gyroscopic sensor 37, the means for detecting the position of each weight 33, the solenoid valves, and / or the pump 34 is advantageously ensured by means of a real-time wireless communication protocol, based for example on a Wifi type communication system (for example according to the IEEE 802.1 In or IEEE 802.1 lac standard), or on a Bluetooth type communication system (for example according to the Bluetooth v5 standard).

[0039] According to alternative embodiments not shown, the number of weights 33 and corresponding internal circulation channels 32 may be different, advantageously being between two and five.

[0040] According to other variant embodiments not shown, the balancing device 30 may comprise only a single weight 33 circulating in a single internal circulation channel 32 extending over the entire circumference of the ring 31 and the two ends of which are non-communicating.

[0041] Numerous variant embodiments are possible and it is recalled in this regard that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but also encompasses all variant embodiments within the reach of those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims

1. Dynamic balancing device (30) for a motor vehicle wheel (1) intended to be fixedly mounted against the inner face of the inner web (11) of the rim (10) of a said wheel (1), characterized in that it comprises: - a hollow tubular ring (31) defining at least one inner circulation channel (32) extending along at least a portion of the circumference of this ring (31) and housing a respective balancing weight (33) mounted to slide along this channel (32); - a bidirectional hydraulic pump (34); - for each said inner circulation channel (32), a corresponding pair of two radial conduits, respectively suction / discharge (35) and discharge / suction (36) extending between said pump (34) and the two ends of this channel (32) so as to constitute with the latter a hydraulic circuit filled with a liquid;- solenoid valves each arranged at the level of a respective said radial conduit (35, 36) so as to authorize or prevent the circulation of liquid in this conduit; - a gyroscopic sensor (37) configured to measure an unbalance effect of said wheel (1) during its rotation; and - a control unit (38) connected to said gyroscopic sensor (37) and configured, according to the data transmitted by the latter, to actuate said pump (34) and said solenoid valves so as to generate a selective circulation of liquid in a said hydraulic circuit and in a given direction in order to cause the movement of the weight (33) housed in the corresponding channel (32).;

2. Dynamic balancing device (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises several said internal circulation channels (32) not communicating with each other and extending one after the other each along a respective portion of the circumference of said ring (31).

3. Dynamic balancing device (30) according to claim 2, characterized in that the different internal circulation channels (32) have an identical length so as to extend over the same angular sector of said ring (31).

4. A dynamic balancing device (30) according to claim 3, ca- characterized in that it comprises three said internal circulation channels (32) each extending over an angular sector of 120°.

5. Dynamic balancing device (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a single said internal circulation channel (32) extending over the entire circumference of said ring (31) and the two ends of which are non-communicating.

6. Dynamic balancing device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises means for detecting the position of each said weight (33) along the corresponding circulation channel (32).

7. Dynamic balancing device (30) according to claim 6, characterized in that said detection means consist of contactless position sensors of the Hall effect type and each associated with a magnetic target.

8. Dynamic balancing device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the connection between said control unit (38) and said gyroscopic sensor (37), said solenoid valves, and / or said pump (34) is ensured via a real-time wireless communication protocol.

9. Motor vehicle wheel (1) comprising a rim (10) receiving a tire (20), said rim (10) comprising an internal web (11) extending along a mean plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A) of this wheel (1) and designed to be coupled by bolting to a hub of a running gear of said motor vehicle; characterized in that it incorporates a dynamic balancing device (30) according to one of claims 1 to 8, fixedly mounted against the inner face of said internal web (11).

10. Motor vehicle comprising at least one wheel (1) according to claim 9.

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