Wheel Alignment Mounting Plate for Rim Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel alignment instruments damage ornate tire rims and struggle with mounting on rims without an annular raised lip, leading to inaccurate alignments and increased costs due to the need for rim replacement.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system that secures an alignment instrument to a wheel hub using a mounting plate with a series of holes to fit various lug bolt patterns, allowing precise placement without direct contact with the rim, and includes a mechanism to ensure central alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the alignment instrument is mounted directly on the tire rim, then the instrument can be securely positioned, but the ornate chrome surface of the rim is scratched or dented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mounting plate as an intermediary component between the alignment instrument and the tire rim. The mounting plate is secured to the rim through the annular raised lip, while the alignment instrument attaches to the mounting plate. This intermediary structure allows the instrument to be mounted without directly contacting or damaging the ornate chrome surface of the rim, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of mounting and protection of the rim surface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the alignment instrument is mounted on the tire rim using the annular raised lip, then the instrument can be mounted, but rims without this feature cannot be aligned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the mounting plate to accommodate multiple mounting scenarios. It can attach to rims with an annular raised lip through a mounting means that engages the lip, while also providing alternative mounting configurations for rims without this feature. The mounting plate serves multiple functions: it provides a secure attachment point for the alignment instrument, adapts to different rim designs, and maintains mounting capability across various vehicle models, thus achieving universality.
3Ease of operation
If the alignment instrument is mounted on the tire rim, then the instrument can be positioned, but the rim itself is not correctly aligned relative to the wheel hub
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plate acts as an intermediary that transfers the alignment reference from the wheel hub to the tire rim. By securing the mounting plate to the rim through the annular raised lip and positioning it relative to the wheel hub, the plate creates a stable reference plane. The alignment instrument then attaches to this plate, ensuring that measurements are taken from a accurately positioned reference rather than directly from the potentially misaligned rim surface, thus improving measurement precision.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a mounting plate is used to secure the alignment instrument, then the instrument can be mounted without damaging the rim, but the mounting system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is segmented into distinct functional components: a mounting plate for securing the alignment instrument, a mounting means for attaching the plate to the rim, and a fastening mechanism for securing the plate to the wheel hub. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the plate protects the rim surface while the modular mounting means can be designed to engage with the annular raised lip or alternative features, balancing protection with manageable complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting system for mounting an alignment instrument onto a vehicular wheel which is to be used to align the wheel of the vehicle. The mounting system includes a mounting plate which has an engagement structure located directly adjacent the peripheral edge of the mounting plate. At least a pair of lug nuts, and preferably three in number of the lug nuts, of the vehicular wheel are to be removed and replaced with elongated internally threaded sleeves, all the same length, which are substantially longer in length than the lug nuts so that the mounting plate will be mounted in a spaced relationship from the vehicular wheel. The mounting plate includes a series of pre-cut, designated bolt patterns generally radially disposed in a spaced apart arrangement relative to the center of the mounting plate. A fastener assembly is used to fixedly mount the mounting plate onto the elongated internally threaded sleeves. The alignment instrument is then to be clamped onto the mounting plate by engaging with the engagement structure.