Polymeric Tyre Changer Head for Low-Damage Demounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tyre changing apparatuses face challenges such as requiring manual strength for operation, risk of tyre damage due to automatic gripping tools, inconvenient maintenance, and complex manufacturing and replacement processes.
Innovation Solution
A working head with a contoured element made of plastically compliant polymeric material, featuring a demounting and mounting guide, and a gripping tool driven by an actuator through a transmission unit, allowing for easy replacement and reduced risk of tyre damage, with a design that separates the contoured element from the gripping tool for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an actuator-driven gripping tool is used to avoid manual effort, then the need for physical strength is eliminated, but the risk of damaging the tyre during sliding contact increases
Solution Approach 1:
A polymeric contoured element is introduced as an intermediary between the gripping tool and the tyre. This element slides on the tyre surface during demounting operations, providing a protective interface that reduces friction and prevents damage while transmitting the necessary mechanical forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The contoured element is made from polymeric material with specific friction and compliance characteristics that differ from traditional hard materials. This parameter change allows the element to conform to the tyre surface and reduce damaging contact stresses while maintaining effective force transmission.
2Device complexity
If the contoured element is integrated with the transmission unit, then structural compactness is achieved, but maintenance and replacement operations become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The working head is divided into separate functional modules: the contoured element, the gripping tool, and the transmission unit. Each module can be independently removed, inspected, and replaced, significantly simplifying maintenance operations while maintaining structural compactness during assembly.
3Strength
If a very hard, undeformable material is used for the contoured element to withstand forces, then structural strength is improved, but the risk of damaging the rim increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contoured element is made from polymeric material with optimized mechanical properties that balance strength and compliance. The material has sufficient strength to withstand demounting forces while maintaining lower hardness compared to traditional hard materials, thereby preventing rim damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of polymeric material represents a shift from traditional hard materials (metal or hard plastic) to a composite or polymer-based material that combines adequate strength with compliance and lower friction characteristics, preventing rim damage while withstanding operational forces.
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 solution enables efficient and safe tyre mounting and demounting with reduced physical effort, simplified maintenance, and minimized risk of tyre damage, while allowing for quick replacement of components.
Implementation Method 1
The contoured element is made of a polymeric material. In an embodiment, the polymeric material is plastically compliant.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A working head (1) for an apparatus (100) for mounting and demounting a tyre to and from a corresponding rim (C) of a vehicle wheel comprises: a contoured element, having a first end (2A) and a second end (2B), spaced from each other along a longitudinal orientation (L) and including a demounting guide (22) and a mounting guide (21) juxtaposed with the demounting guide (22) along a transverse orientation (T) perpendicular to the longitudinal orientation (L); - a gripping tool (3), movable in a working plane perpendicular to the transverse orientation (T) between a gripping position (PP), where it is operatively interposed between the rim and the tyre, and a prising position (PS), where the gripping tool (3) is lifted longitudinally relative to the second end (2B) of the contoured element (2); a transmission unit (4) connectable to an actuator (103) and to the gripping tool (3) and configured to move the gripping tool (3). The demounting guide (22) is interposed, along the transverse orientation (T), between the gripping tool (3) and the mounting guide (21) of the contoured element (2), the mounting guide being removably connected to an arm (102) of the apparatus (100).