Single-Cell Tire Wheel Assembly Workstation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tire-wheel assembly methods require significant capital investment and human oversight due to the need for multiple successive workstations and frequent 'handing-off' of partially assembled tire-wheel assemblies, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A single-cell workstation with multiple subs-stations that perform specific tasks in a continuous process, minimizing or eliminating the need for 'handing-off' by retaining the wheel throughout the assembly process, using a claw or gripper to secure the wheel and integrating sub-stations for tasks like valve stem insertion, tire mounting, inflation, and balancing within a single, compact system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple successive workstations are used for tire-wheel assembly, then the assembly process can be completed with specialized equipment for each task, but the capital investment and real estate footprint increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple workstations (wheel receiving, tire mounting, inflation, balancing) into a single integrated workstation. The wheel is retained in the same workstation throughout the entire assembly process, eliminating the need for separate workstations and reducing real estate footprint while maintaining complete assembly functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The single workstation is designed to perform multiple functions: receiving the wheel, mounting the tire, inflating the assembly, and balancing the tire-wheel unit. This multi-functional design replaces multiple specialized workstations, reducing capital investment and space requirements while maintaining manufacturing capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple successive workstations are used for tire-wheel assembly, then each workstation can be optimized for its specific task, but the complexity of the system and human oversight requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging all assembly tasks into one workstation, the system reduces the number of interfaces and handoff points between workstations. This simplifies the overall system architecture and reduces the complexity of coordinating multiple workstations, while each task remains optimized through dedicated mechanisms within the single workstation.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple successive workstations are used for tire-wheel assembly, then the assembly can be divided into discrete steps, but the time required for handing-off partially assembled units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates handoff time by keeping the wheel and partially assembled tire-wheel units in the same workstation throughout the entire process. All tasks are performed sequentially in one location, removing the time required to transfer units between workstations while maintaining discrete step processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel is retained continuously in the workstation from receipt through assembly, inflation, and balancing. This continuous retention eliminates interruptions and handoff delays, maintaining continuous useful action throughout the assembly process while preserving the benefits of discrete task execution.
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
Significantly reduces capital investment and human oversight by streamlining the assembly process, minimizing the need for multiple workstations and reducing real estate footprint, while ensuring efficient and balanced tire-wheel assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator for delivering a pressurized fluid through the valve stem to inflate the tire
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for assembling a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single-cell workstation including a device that retains a wheel, and a plurality of sub-stations. The device moves the wheel to each of the plurality of sub-stations, without releasing the wheel, to assemble a tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.