Tire Uniformity Measurement Machine Horizontal Drum Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing uniformity measuring machines for vehicle tires face challenges in achieving high measuring accuracy and compact design due to vertical suspension, which results in significant space requirements, reduced resolution, and measurement errors from weight disturbances and hysteresis effects, especially when measuring lateral forces.
Innovation Solution
The running drum is mounted in a vertically adjustable slide within the machine frame, with drum shaft bearings supported by force measuring elements via cantilever arms, allowing the running drum to be horizontally aligned and reducing the need for preload adjustments, thus minimizing space and enhancing measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the running drum is suspended vertically with the load wheel resting on load cells, then the measurement system can capture force fluctuations, but the weight of the load wheel (around 600 N) is superimposed on the measured lateral forces, creating significant measurement errors and requiring twice the measuring range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical suspension arrangement by placing the running drum horizontally above the support spindle. This inversion causes the weight to act in the radial direction rather than vertically, separating the weight effect from the lateral force measurement and eliminating the superposition error while maintaining compact machine dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement from vertical to horizontal orientation, moving the weight vector from the vertical direction into the radial direction. This dimensional reorientation separates the weight component from the lateral measurement direction, allowing independent measurement of lateral forces without weight contamination
2Stability of the object's composition
If the upper load cell is adjusted upwards with a mechanical adjustment device to intercept half the weight force, then the load cells can be balanced, but this introduces additional slack in the mechanical structure, makes parallel alignment more difficult, and requires the measuring range to be twice as large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the mechanical adjustment device entirely by changing the horizontal suspension arrangement. Without the need to balance load cells vertically, the complex adjustment mechanism is eliminated, and the system achieves inherent balance through the horizontal configuration where weight acts radially rather than vertically
3Measurement precision
If the axis of the load wheel must be absolutely parallel to the axis of the wheel to measure conicity, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but the adjustment device introduces additional slack and makes parallel alignment more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex adjustment device that created alignment difficulties. The horizontal suspension arrangement inherently maintains parallel axes without requiring mechanical adjustment mechanisms, simplifying the alignment process while preserving measurement accuracy for conicity detection
4Measurement precision
If the running drum is arranged horizontally above the support spindle, then the weight acts in the radial direction reducing measurement errors, but the machine requires compact design with reduced space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the running drum from vertical to horizontal position, changing the weight vector direction from vertical to radial. This dimensional change separates weight effects from lateral measurements and enables compact machine packaging by utilizing vertical space more efficiently
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
This configuration reduces the size ratio between disturbance and measured variables, improving resolution and accuracy, and eliminates the need for larger load cells, resulting in a more compact and sensitive force measurement system with reduced errors.
Implementation Method 1
measuring machine for determining radial and lateral force fluctuations of vehicle tires... forces occurring between the vehicle tire and the running drum
Implementation Method 2
each force measuring element has a force absorbing body which supports the running drum and is connected to at least one intermediate body via at least two horizontal trailing arms which can be bent in the vertical direction and carry strain gauge elements
Data Source
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AI summary
A measurement machine for uniformity serves for determining radial and lateral force fluctuations of vehicle tires (4), which are received by a drivable support spindle (2) supported on a machine frame (1). The vehicle tire (4) rotates on a rotatable revolving drum supported on the machine frame (1) via force measurement elements (8). The rotational axis of the support shaft (2) is disposed horizontally. The rotational axis of the revolving drum (5) is disposed horizontally in a vertical plane containing the rotational axis of the support shaft (2) beneath the support spindle (2). The revolving drum (5) is supported in a revolving drum carriage (9) vertically adjustable in the machine frame (1). The revolving drum (5) has a drum shaft (6), the two drum shaft bearings (7) of which are each supported via one of the force measurement elements (8) on the revolving drum carriage (9).