Horizontal Rotational Axis Patents (Class 73/475)
  • Patent number: 8875572
    Abstract: An apparatus for rotatably mounting a rotor to be balanced is provided. The apparatus include a rotatably mounted balancing spindle to which the rotor to be balanced is to be non-rotatingly connected, at least one bearing block, a plurality of spring bars aligned parallel to the spindle axis and used to mount the balancing spindle on the bearing block such that the balancing spindle is able to vibrate, and a drive mechanism for the balancing spindle. The spring bars are arranged in more than two planes at different distances from the spindle or in planes having different rotary angular positions about the spindle axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hofmann Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Bork
  • Patent number: 8671734
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring forces produced by an unbalance of a rotary member 8 includes a support device 3 for supporting the rotary member 8 rotatably about its axis 1, and having at least one measurement sensor 4 placed at a vibratory location of the support device 3, wherein the at least one measurement sensor 4 is designed to measure vibratory accelerations of the location at which the measurement sensor 4 is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Snap-On Equipment SRL a Unico Socio
    Inventors: Francesco Braghiroli, Marco Tralli, Lillo Gucciardino, Salvatore Caramazza
  • Patent number: 7946172
    Abstract: A device for mounting rotors, in particular articulated shafts, in a balancing machine has a bearing frame and a frame upper part, which is mounted on the bearing frame so as to be able to oscillate via spring bars and includes a spindle for rotatable mounting of a rotor. The frame upper part is mounted on the bearing frame via groups of spring bars, the groups being arranged at a distance from the axis of rotation of the spindle and at a distance from one another, and the longitudinal axes of the spring bars forming the spring bar groups being oriented parallel to the axis of rotation of the spindle. The spring bars forming the spring bar groups have an elongated, slender shape such that their rigidity in an axial direction is at least 100 times, in particular at least 300 times, greater than their radial flexural rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Schenck RoTec GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Rogalla, Dieter Thelen
  • Patent number: 6907781
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining balancing information of an object in rotation comprises a base, an arm, a spindle, at least one force sensor, a rolling road, a controller, and an actuator. The arm is rotatably connected to the base about a pivot axis. The spindle is positioned on the arm and receives and rotates the object. The force sensor detects forces generated by the object during rotation of the object. The rolling road includes a surface upon which the object can be positioned. The controller receives force information from the sensor and calculates the balancing information from the force information. An actuator connected to both the arm and the base moves with the movement being controlled by the controller. The object can be a wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
    Inventor: Ron Racine
  • Patent number: 6871543
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for measurement of any unbalance of a motorcycle wheel, having a rotatable main shaft of a wheel balancing machine having an electrical drive, a clamping shaft fixed coaxially with the main shaft and on which the motorcycle wheel is rotatably mounted on its bearings, a driver device which is connected in a non-rotational manner to the main shaft to transmit a torque, produced by the electrical drive, from the main shaft to the motorcycle wheel which is rotatably mounted on the clamping shaft, and a measurement device which, in one measurement run, measures forces from any imbalance of the motorcycle wheel at the measurement rotation speed, where the non-rotational connection between the driver device and the motorcycle wheel can be detached by means of an inertial force, which acts on the driver device and is formed by a torque impulse that is transmitted via the main shall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Snap-on Equipment GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Rothamel
  • Patent number: 6505510
    Abstract: An apparatus for the measurement of centrifugal forces generated by a rotary member such as a vehicle wheel which is out of balance, comprises a rotary member mounting for supporting the rotary member with respect to an apparatus frame structure. The rotary member and the rotary member mounting form a sub-critical oscillating system in measurement of the rotary member which rotates for a measuring procedure. The apparatus further includes a measurement sensor which is in the form of a force pick-up and whose direction of application of force extends approximately tangentially to a circle through the location of the application of force at the measurement sensor, around a virtual mounting location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Snap-On Deutschand Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Eickhart Goebel
  • Patent number: 6293146
    Abstract: A wheel balancing device. The device is provided with a pulley rotated by a rotation of a motor through a belt. The device includes a main shaft adapted to rotate with said pulley, a first bearing housing mounted around the main shaft to guide the main shaft, a second bearing housing rotatably supporting the main shaft, a pulse generator mounted near the second bearing housing and a plurality of slots for generating a pulse. A pulse detector is mounted near the pulse generator to detect the pulse signal from the pulse generator. A wheel support on which a wheel is closely supported thereon includes a hollow space. The device includes a deviation stop for preventing the wheel from deviating from the wheel support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Inventor: Eul Chun Jin
  • Patent number: 5922952
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for balancing a combined assembly of a driveshaft and axle. The apparatus includes a fixture for supporting the driveshaft and axle assembly in vehicle position. The rear axle is supported using the attachments where the axle is mounted to the motor vehicle. The assembly is rotated and a sensor detects vibrations. An imbalance calculator determines a weight to be added to the driveline to correct the imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Moradi, Robert J. Higley, Michael Dennis Rossman
  • Patent number: 5877420
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for balancing a combined assembly of a driveshaft and axle. The apparatus includes a fixture for supporting the driveshaft and axle assembly in vehicle position. The rear axle is supported using the attachments where the axle is mounted to the motor vehicle. The assembly is rotated and a sensor detects vibrations. An imbalance calculator determines a weight to be added to the driveline to correct the imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad A. Moradi, Michael D. Rossman, Larry LaBell
  • Patent number: 5804723
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel balancer, comprising a support frame (1), a rotatable drive head (3) adapted removably to receive a wheel to be balanced, and a protective member enclosing the mounted wheel so as to prevent undesirable projection of particles outwardly and to protect the operator during rotation of the wheel. The protective member is in two parts comprising a first cover (6) fixed relative to the support frame (1) and a second cover (7) swingably retractable about a substantially horizontal axis (8) of rotation, so as to reduce the mass that must be displaced and to permit manual opening and closing of the protective member without mechanical assistance and without a counterweight and to reduce the floor space of the balancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Muller BEM
    Inventors: Paul Coetsier, Olivier Sauzay
  • Patent number: 5760302
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for balancing a combined assembly of a driveshaft and axle. The apparatus includes a fixture for supporting the driveshaft and axle assembly in vehicle position. The rear axle is supported using the attachments where the axle is mounted to the motor vehicle. The assembly is rotated and a sensor detects vibrations. An imbalance calculator determines a weight to be added to the driveline to correct the imbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad A. Moradi, Michael D. Rossman, Larry LaBell
  • Patent number: 5255566
    Abstract: A bearing construction having an annular clearance provided between the outer surface of a rotary shaft of a rotatable object and the inner wall of a bearing assembly and a fluid feeding means for filling the clearance with a fluid to form a layer of the fluid. A shaft displacement detecting means detects a displacement of the rotary shaft during a rotating action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Denshi Seiki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Okumura
  • Patent number: 5060513
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring unbalance on a rotary member such as a motor vehicle wheel comprises a drive motor for driving a main shaft carrying the rotary member, by way of a reduction transmission means having a self-locking action so that the main shaft can be braked by the self-locking action after an unbalance measuring run. The self-locking action of the reduction transmission means also serves to resist a rotary moment applied to the main shaft when tightening or loosening a clamping arrangement with which the rotary member is clamped on the main shaft, so that the main shaft remains in a stationary position during that operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Rothamel
  • Patent number: 5058429
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an unbalance of a rotary member, such as an electric motor armature, comprises a rotary member mounting arrangement for rotatably mounting the rotary member for a measurment operation. The mounting arrangement is capable of oscillating movement in a measurement direction. A drive belt for driving the rotary member in rotation bears against the rotor in substantially tangential relationship therewith or passes around the rotor over a small part of the periphery thereof. A measurement transducer detects forces or oscillations produced by the rotation of the rotary member in the measurement direction and outputs a corresponding signal for unbalance measurement. The drive direction of the belt drive in relation to the rotary member is normal to the measurement direction. The measurement direction may be inclined to facilitate fitting the rotary member into and removing it from the mounting arrangement of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Gebruder Hofmann GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Gunter Fietzke, Richard Muller
  • Patent number: 5033302
    Abstract: A mounting stand in a balancing machine mounting assembly includes a stationary mounting block and a mount for a rotary member to be balanced. The mount is supported on the mounting block by two parallel springs capable of oscillating movement in a mounting plane in the measurement direction. The mounting stand further has at least one measurement value pick-up sensor operatively disposed between the mounting block and the oscillatable mount for detecting oscillation of the mount produced by an out-of-balance rotary member and to supply corresponding measurement signals. A rotatable adjusting unbalance weight of a known magnitude is mounted to the oscillatable mount and can be selectively brought into operation to cause oscillatory movement of the oscillatable system, to perform a calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Gebr. Hofmann GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Uwe Monch
  • Patent number: 5014426
    Abstract: A support is described for a bearing arrangement of a balancing machine for determining the effect of unbalance in two measuring planes. The support has a spindle that holds the component to be balanced in two planes. Vibration force pickups with a relative position indicator are provided for the determination of the fraction of the unbalance attributed to the individual plane as a function of size and magnitude. The design of a support integrally as box profile on which the spindle is laterally arranged is proposed to prevent the problems thusfar caused by the supports which influence the measured results in their reproducibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: Schenck Auto-Services-Gerate GmbH
    Inventor: Otfried Maus
  • Patent number: 4974450
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring imbalance of rotors, in particular motor vehicle wheels, having a primary shaft driven by an electric motor. The rotor to be tested is secured to the primary shaft with the aid of a clamping device, which transmits the drive torque transmitted to the primary shaft to the rotor by means of friction. The apparatus includes a time-controlled brake, which when the electric motor is switched on reduces the drive torque in a time-controlled manner until the rush moment fades. As a result, loosening of the clamping device is prevented and a gentle start is assured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Rothamel
  • Patent number: 4949579
    Abstract: A balancing apparatus for balancing a high precision magnetic disk drive includes a plate having a circular aperture in which three mounting surfaces grip a precision mounting ring on the disk pack to be balanced. The plate is mounted on a pivoting platform so that the pack can be lowered into the aperture, gripped by the mounting surfaces and then flipped into a horizontal position for balancing such that an operator has access to the disk pack to add balancing weights through the circular aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Magnetic Peripherals Inc.
    Inventor: Sham S. Nayar
  • Patent number: 4653324
    Abstract: Machine for rapidly rotating and sensing imbalance of automotive drive shafts. Spindles including independent vibration sensors are rigidly secured to mounting blocks seated on a pair of rails integrally cast in a horizontal surface of a concrete base. A gear engaging a rack seated in a recess cast in the same horizontal surface senses to move one of the mounting blocks and its spindle and a plug also operable in the recess selectively locks the mounting block in position. Visual indicators are provided for simultaneously displaying vibrations sensed at each end of the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventor: John G. Nugier
  • Patent number: 4499768
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the imbalance in a rotating object has a drive means for rotating the object about an axis. Transducers measure the force of imbalance of the rotating object, with each transducer producing an electrical signal in response thereto. Electronic means receives the signals from the transducers and calculates the imbalance in the object. Drive means is directly coupled to the rotating object, such as a tire, with the drive means in the hub of the wheel on which the tire is mounted. Cantilever support means having a substantially planar surface provides support for the drive means onto the transducers in the frame of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Assignee: Coats Wheel Balancer Corp.
    Inventors: Allan C. Madden, Robert Cellucci, Robert A. Hoshida, Duncan MacKay
  • Patent number: 4449407
    Abstract: A drive shaft mounting assembly for dynamic wheel balancing machines includes force sensors supporting bearings at axially spaced positions of the shaft. The assembly further includes rods extending between the bearings in a manner absorbing the forces of run-out created at each bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Inventor: Donald B. Curchod
  • Patent number: 4336715
    Abstract: A transducer mount for wheel balancing machines of the type having a rotatively driven shaft on which a wheel/tire assembly is mounted. There are two spaced apart bearing blocks that have bearings in which the shaft is supported. The bearing blocks are mounted within a square passageway formed by a rigid structural member. The bearing blocks are dimensioned so that there is a gap between their respective peripheries and the walls forming the passageway. A passive support member extends between the passageway and each of the bearing blocks. An active support also extends between the passageway and each of the bearing blocks, the active spacer including a piezoelectric element which generates a voltage representative of the imbalanced forces in the wheel/tire assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1982
    Assignee: Autotron Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur K. Arnold, Donald R. Sherman
  • Patent number: 4011761
    Abstract: A wheel balancer comprising a pair of shafts for supporting a rotary shaft for rotatably mounting a wheel having an amount of unbalance to be measured is disclosed. The supporting shafts are located on a circle having a center which is coincided with a movable instantaneous center of vibration of the wheel and held by a pair of spring members such that the supporting shafts are movable in a direction of a tangent touching the above mentioned circle. The amount of unbalance of the wheel is converted into an electrical signal which is supplied through a calculation circuit to a comparison circuit which can detect the position of the instantaneous center of vibration by means of an indicating means movable in proportional to the amount of movement of the instantaneous center of vibration of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Assignee: Yamada Yuki Seizo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jinichi Ito