Wheel Balancing Alignment Tool for Precise Weight Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel balancing tools face challenges in accurately determining the attachment position for balancing weights due to the difference in planes between the inboard lip and the inner barrel surface of vehicle wheels, leading to improper balancing and potential vibrations.
Innovation Solution
A wheel balancing tool comprising a body member with a notch aligned with the balancing mark on the rim, an attachment member with hooks to secure the tool to the rim, and an alignment member that indicates the correct attachment position for the balancing weight, ensuring accurate placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visual extrapolation is used to determine attachment position from mark on inboard lip to inner barrel surface, then the balancing weight can be attached without additional tools, but the attachment position determination becomes inexact due to different planes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an alignment tool as an intermediary device between the mark on the inboard lip and the attachment position on the inner barrel surface. This tool includes a body with a notch that receives the mark, and an alignment member that extends to indicate the precise attachment position, thereby mediating the transition between the two different planes and eliminating the need for imprecise visual extrapolation.
2Device complexity
If visual extrapolation method is used, then no additional positioning tools are needed, but the wheel balancing accuracy deteriorates due to incorrect attachment position
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment tool serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between the simple mark-making process and the precise attachment position requirement. By introducing this intermediate device, the patent achieves high balancing accuracy without significantly increasing overall system complexity, as the tool is a simple, dedicated alignment device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the inboard lip and attachment position are on different planes, then the wheel structure can accommodate functional requirements, but the visual extrapolation process becomes unreliable for accurate positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the three-dimensional positioning challenge by using an alignment tool that physically spans the axial distance between the inboard lip plane and the inner barrel surface plane. The alignment member extends in the axial dimension, providing a direct visual indicator that accounts for the multi-planar geometry, thereby transforming the complex spatial extrapolation problem into a simple visual alignment task.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel balancing tool includes a body member, an attachment member and an alignment member. The body member includes a notch configured to be aligned with a balancing mark on a rim of a vehicle wheel. The attachment member is connected to the body member. The attachment member includes at least one hook configured to attach the tool to the wheel rim. The alignment member extends outwardly from the body portion and is configured to indicate an attachment position on the wheel for a balancing weight.