Adjustable Wheel Puller for Stuck Rim Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing stuck wheel rims from vehicles, particularly large semi-trucks, often result in damage to the rim and vehicle, and pose a risk to workers due to the use of hammering and prying, which can lead to strain and injury.
Innovation Solution
A wheel puller device with a center assembly, hub rest, threaded shaft, and adjustable riser arms that allow for adjustable separation angle and distance, enabling safe and effective removal of wheels by pressing against the hub and using hooks to pull the wheel away from the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hammering and pry bars are used to loosen stuck wheel rims, then the wheel rim can be loosened, but damage to the rim and vehicle is possible and workers are at risk of injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wheel puller device as an intermediary tool between the worker and the stuck wheel rim. This device includes a hub rest that contacts the vehicle hub, pull arms with hooks that engage the wheel rim, and a threaded shaft that provides controlled mechanical advantage. The intermediary device distributes forces evenly, preventing localized damage to the rim and vehicle while eliminating the need for workers to directly apply harmful hammering or prying forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the crude mechanical system of hammering and prying with a refined mechanical system based on controlled threading and lever arms. The threaded shaft converts rotational motion into linear pulling force, while the hub rest and guide arms provide stable mechanical support. This substitution transforms an uncontrolled impact-based process into a controlled, progressive pulling process that avoids damage.
2Reliability
If hammering and pry bars are used to loosen stuck wheel rims, then the wheel rim can be loosened, but workers are at risk of strain and injury
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel puller device serves as a mechanical intermediary that absorbs and manages the forces required to remove stuck wheel rims. The device's structural components (hub rest, guide arms, pull arms) are designed to bear heavy loads, transferring the mechanical stress away from the worker's body. The worker only needs to apply moderate force to turn the threaded shaft, eliminating the need to directly withstand the high stresses of rim removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates dynamic elements including the threaded shaft that converts rotational input into linear pulling motion, and the movable hub rest that can be positioned and secured against the vehicle hub. The guide arms provide controlled movement paths for the pull arms, ensuring forces are applied optimally. This dynamic mechanical system amplifies the worker's input force while maintaining safety.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wheel puller device with adjustable riser arms is used, then various wheel sizes and alignments can be accommodated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic, adjustable components including riser arms with adjustable angles and positions, and a movable hub rest. The riser arms can be repositioned along the pull arms to accommodate different wheel configurations. The hub rest can be adjusted to fit various hub sizes and shapes. These dynamic adjustments allow a single device to handle diverse wheel applications without requiring multiple specialized tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel puller device is designed as a universal tool that can remove various types of wheel rims from different vehicles. The adjustable riser arms, movable hub rest, and scalable pull arm configuration enable the device to adapt to different wheel sizes, hub types, and rim conditions. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple specialized removal tools into a single versatile device.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The wheel puller device allows for safe and efficient removal of wheels without damaging the rim or vehicle, reducing the risk of injury to workers by providing a stable and adjustable mechanism to accommodate various wheel sizes and alignments.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded shaft, a left riser guide arm, and a right riser guide arm
Implementation Method 2
the riser adjust pivot armature pivots such that the riser pivot pin pulls the riser arm away from the vehicle
Implementation Method 3
The hub rest may be a contact point between the wheel puller and the hub of the wheel and stabilizes the wheel puller while pressing against the hub while the wheel puller is in use
Implementation Method 4
The left wheel hook and the right wheel hook couple to a plurality of corresponding holes disposed on the wheel
Data Source
AI summary
The wheel puller with adjustable separation angle and separation distance may comprise a center assembly, a left pull arm, and a right pull arm. The wheel puller may be operable to pull a wheel off of a hub of a vehicle by coupling a left wheel hook and a right wheel hook to holes on the wheel and pressing a hub rest located on the center assembly against the hub of the wheel. When a threaded shaft of the center assembly is turned the left wheel hook and the right wheel hook may pull the wheel away from the vehicle. A separation angle between the left pull arm and the right pull arm and a separation distance between the left wheel hook and the right wheel hook may be changed such that the wheel puller may accommodate various sizes and configurations of wheels.