Patents by Inventor Michael Wayne Douglas

Michael Wayne Douglas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8770022
    Abstract: A method and system for a wheel assembly service system are provided. The system includes a rotatable spindle configured to receive a wheel assembly wherein the wheel assembly includes at least a rim and a tire. The system further includes a load device configured to apply a load to the tire during a rotation of the wheel assembly on the spindle, and a controller configured to determine a first force variation vector of the wheel assembly, prompt a user to rotate the tire with respect to the rim, determine a second force variation vector of the wheel assembly with the tire rotated with respect to the rim, and determine a force variation of at least one of the tire and the wheel using the first and second force variation vectors. The system also outputs at least one of the determined force variation vector values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Douglas, William B. Feero
  • Publication number: 20120186344
    Abstract: A method and system for a wheel assembly service system are provided. The system includes a rotatable spindle configured to receive a wheel assembly wherein the wheel assembly includes at least a rim and a tire. The system further includes a load device configured to apply a load to the tire during a rotation of the wheel assembly on the spindle, and a controller configured to determine a first force variation vector of the wheel assembly, prompt a user to rotate the tire with respect to the rim, determine a second force variation vector of the wheel assembly with the tire rotated with respect to the rim, and determine a force variation of at least one of the tire and the wheel using the first and second force variation vectors. The system also outputs at least one of the determined force variation vector values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Douglas, William B. Feero
  • Patent number: 8186215
    Abstract: A method and system for a wheel assembly service system are provided. The system includes a rotatable spindle configured to receive a wheel assembly wherein the wheel assembly includes at least a rim and a tire. The system further includes a load device configured to apply a load to the tire during a rotation of the wheel assembly on the spindle, and a controller configured to determine a first force variation vector of the wheel assembly, initiating rotation of the tire with respect to the rim, determine a second force variation vector of the wheel assembly with the tire rotated with respect to the rim, and determine a force variation of at least one of the tire and the wheel using the first and second force variation vectors. The system also outputs at least one of the determined force variation vector values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Douglas, William B. Feero
  • Patent number: 7881879
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a computer implemented method of analyzing a vehicle wheel assembly including a tire and a rim is provided. The method includes removably mounting a wheel assembly on a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about the longitudinal axis to rotate the wheel assembly, applying a substantially radial force to the wheel assembly during rotation thereof, and measuring variations in the radial force from at least one of radial runout, tire uniformity, and tire flatspotting. The method also includes determining a condition of the wheel assembly based on a spectral density analysis of the measured variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Douglas, David Merrill Scribner, Joel Allen Clasquin
  • Publication number: 20090301192
    Abstract: A method and system for a wheel assembly service system are provided. The system includes a rotatable spindle configured to receive a wheel assembly wherein the wheel assembly includes at least a rim and a tire. The system further includes a load device configured to apply a load to the tire during a rotation of the wheel assembly on the spindle, and a controller configured to determine a first force variation vector of the wheel assembly, initiating rotation of the tire with respect to the rim, determine a second force variation vector of the wheel assembly with the tire rotated with respect to the rim, and determine a force variation of at least one of the tire and the wheel using the first and second force variation vectors. The system also outputs at least one of the determined force variation vector values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Douglas, William B. Feero
  • Publication number: 20090293603
    Abstract: A method and system for a wheel assembly service system are provided. The system includes a rotatable spindle configured to receive a wheel assembly, a load device configured to apply a load to the wheel assembly during a rotation of the wheel assembly on the spindle, and a controller configured to rotate the wheel assembly about a rotational axis of the wheel assembly, apply a load to the wheel assembly using the load device, determine a dimensional parameter of the wheel assembly, and output the determined effective diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventor: Michael Wayne Douglas
  • Publication number: 20080282799
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a computer implemented method of analyzing a vehicle wheel assembly including a tire and a rim is provided. The method includes removably mounting a wheel assembly on a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about the longitudinal axis to rotate the wheel assembly, applying a substantially radial force to the wheel assembly during rotation thereof, and measuring variations in the radial force from at least one of radial runout, tire uniformity, and tire flatspotting. The method also includes determining a condition of the wheel assembly based on a spectral density analysis of the measured variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Douglas, David Merrill Scribner, Joel Allen Clasquin