Wheel Stanchion Support for Tire Removal Scuffing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for removing and replacing tires on large vehicles often result in scuffing of the high-polished wheel surfaces due to direct contact with the ground, leading to costly damage and aesthetic issues, as conventional padding solutions fail to adequately protect these surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A device with a flat base and stanchions, each with a collar that fits through wheel bolt holes, limits contact to the same surface area as the lug nuts, suspending the wheel and preventing direct engagement with the ground during tire removal and replacement, using attachment nuts, pins, or quick clamps for securement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the wheel is placed on the ground for tire removal, then the wheel is stable and accessible, but the polished wheel surface is scuffed and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective device with a base and stanchions that acts as an intermediary between the wheel and the ground. The stanchions engage with the wheel's bolt holes to suspend it, while the base provides ground contact, thereby mediating the interaction and preventing direct contact between the polished surface and the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions the wheel from a two-dimensional ground-contact scenario to a three-dimensional suspended position. By elevating the wheel off the ground using vertical stanchions, the polished surface is positioned in a different spatial dimension, eliminating contact with the ground plane.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If padded surfaces are used to protect the wheel, then some cushioning is provided, but the pads become dirty and scratch the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the protective function from ground-contact pads and relocates it to a suspension system. By removing the wheel from ground contact entirely through stanchion engagement, the need for protective pads is eliminated, and the polished surface is protected without relying on intermediary padding materials that can become contaminated.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the polished surface is placed on the ground for tire removal, then the wheel is stable, but the cost of polishing is increased due to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The protective device serves as a mediator that provides wheel stability through stanchion engagement with bolt holes while preventing surface damage. The base contacts the ground to provide stability, while the stanchions transfer this stability to the wheel without requiring the polished surface to contact the ground.
4Productivity
If conventional tools are used to remove tires, then the tire removal process is straightforward, but the wheel surface is scuffed during the process
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements preliminary action by suspending the wheel on the protective device before the tire removal process begins. This pre-positioning ensures that the polished surface is already protected from ground contact, allowing subsequent tire removal operations to proceed without risk of scuffing.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for protecting the exterior or polished surface of wheels as tires are removed and placed on the wheel. The apparatus includes a substantially flat base having a plurality of stanchions extending out from the base. Each stanchion has a collar positioned adjacent to the base that includes a diameter greater than the stanchion. The stanchions are sized to fit through the bolt holes of the wheel in order to generally align each stanchion with one of those holes. Each collar is sized to be preferably slightly larger than the average bolt, or lug, hole on the wheel. Additionally, each collar is sized to cover substantially the same area as the lug nut or nut that normally attaches the wheels to the vehicle upon which they are used.