Radar-Guided Tire Changer Tool Positioning for Wheel Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tire changers face challenges in accurately positioning and moving tools relative to the wheel and tire, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage during bead breaking and tire mounting/removing processes, with existing solutions being complex, unreliable, and prone to errors due to sensor limitations and environmental conditions.

Innovation Solution

A tire changer equipped with a rotary support, motor means, and a contactless radar system for precise positioning and movement control of tools, eliminating the need for physical contact and reducing latency, using millimeter-wave radar to detect distances and positions for real-time actuation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If contactless radar system is used for positioning and movement control, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces contact-based mechanical positioning systems with a contactless radar-based measurement system. The radar system uses electromagnetic waves to detect the position and movement of tools relative to the wheel, eliminating the need for physical contact sensors and their associated mechanical linkages, thereby improving measurement precision while reducing mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The radar system acts as an intermediary between the control system and the physical tools. It provides non-contact measurement data that enables precise control of tool positioning and movement without requiring direct physical interaction between sensors and the wheel assembly, resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If traditional contact-based sensors are used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability deteriorate due to sensor limitations and environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidpositioning reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes contact-based mechanical sensors with a contactless radar system. This replacement eliminates reliability issues associated with physical contact sensors such as wear, contamination, and sensitivity to environmental conditions, while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through the use of modern radar technology.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of time

If physical contact sensors are used for tool positioning, then processing time is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to sensor exposure and latency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing timeVSAvoidpositioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The radar system provides rapid electromagnetic wave-based measurements that eliminate the exposure and latency issues inherent in contact-based sensing systems. The contactless nature of radar allows for instantaneous position detection without the mechanical response delays associated with physical sensors, achieving both fast processing and high precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 provides a more reliable, precise, and efficient tire changing process by ensuring accurate tool positioning and movement, minimizing errors and processing time, while maintaining simplicity and robustness, and reducing sensor exposure and latency issues.

Implementation Method 1

said at least one sensor device comprises a radar system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadar: Radar

Data Source

PatentEP4119366B1Tire changer
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 SNAP ON EQUIP SRL
  • EP4119366B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4119366B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Apparatus and method for mounting a tire on a rim of a wheel and/or for removing a tire from a rim of a wheel of a vehicle. This apparatus is generally known as a tire changer. The tire changer of the present invention uses contactless sensors, in particular radar sensors, to scan the geometric dimensions of the wheel to be maintained and, in general, to accurately control the mounting/demounting tools.