Abstract: A lifting device (10, 40) for at least one wheel (8) of a vehicle or for a tyre (6), said device (10, 40) comprising at least one platform (12, 41, 42) on which the wheel (8) or tyre (6) moves, said platform (12) being liftable relative to a fixed surface (P). The movable platform (12) is associated with a laser scanner (20) for detecting the state of wear of the tyre (6).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining geometrical dimensions of a wheel, especially a vehicle wheel, or of at least a part of the wheel, comprising the steps of pivoting at least one sensing device for scanning the wheel surface or a part of the wheel surface about a pivot axis in plane perpendicular to the wheel axis and determining the geometrical dimensions of the scanned wheel surface in dependence from the angular position of the at least one sensing device, wherein the angular position is determined from measured accelerations of the sensing device in two predetermined directions during the pivotal movement of the sensing device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for mounting/demounting a tyre (T) on a rim (R). The method comprises the steps of: determining an initial reference position for the mounting/demounting device (U1, U2), said initial reference position being proximal to an edge (E) of the wheel rim (R); linking the position of the mounting/demounting device (U1, U2) with the initial reference position; adjusting the position of the mounting/demounting device (U1, U2) with respect to either the first or the second direction; continuously detecting the position of the mounting/demounting device (U1, U2) with respect to said either first or second direction; and continuously and automatically adjusting the position of the mounting/demounting device (U1, U2), with respect to the other one of said either first or second direction, at least in dependence of the initial reference position.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining rotary angle related measurement data of a body mounted rotatable about an axis of rotation, the body being a vehicle wheel or a part of a vehicle wheel, in particular a tire or a rim, the method comprising the steps of obtaining measurement data comprising a plurality of measurement data elements of the rotating body together with respective measuring times, determining at least one rotational speed or revolution period of the body for at least one point in time, and associating the obtained measurement data elements to respective rotary angles of the body based on the respective measuring times and the at least one rotational speed or revolution period of the body.

Abstract: A lifting apparatus for a vehicle wheel comprising a wheel support which is selectively movable in order to lift or lower a vehicle wheel which is positioned thereon. An actuator group is connected to the wheel support in order to actuate the lifting and lowering thereof. A control unit is operationally connected to the actuator group in order to control the actuation. A lifting sensor member is provided to detect the height of the wheel support. At least one actuation instruction brings about the actuation of the actuator group in order to lift the wheel support from a lowered rest position to a predetermined lifting position, which is detected by the lifting sensor member.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel service apparatus, in particular a wheel balancer or a tire changer, comprising a load means for applying a predetermined load onto a peripheral surface of a wheel/tire assembly, a sensor device arranged to determine forces acting between the peripheral surface of the wheel/tire assembly and the load means, wherein the forces comprise at least a first force acting in a radial direction of the wheel/tire assembly and a second force acting in a circumferential direction of the wheel/tire assembly, and an evaluation device arranged to determine a rolling resistance coefficient of the tire on the basis of the first and second forces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a current fed to an electric motor during an operation to mount a tire on a rim of a wheel including the tire and the rim, or to demount the tire from the rim. The wheel is rotated by an electric motor about an axis, and the motor current fed to the electric motor is controlled dependent on the rotational speed and torque required for the mounting and/or demounting operation. The motor current is automatically changed to cause the electric motor to apply a high torque peak to rotate the wheel, when the motor current is measured to be greater than a preset limit at a low rotational speed during a preset time. Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for mounting a tire on a rim or demounting the tire from the rim.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for mounting a tyre on a rim or demounting a tyre from a rim. The method includes the steps of rotating the wheel (tyre/rim assembly) by an electric motor about an axis, checking the current consumption of the electric motor during the mounting and demounting operation, and continuously and automatically adjusting a specific combination of torque and speed of the electric motor during the mounting/demounting operation. The apparatus for mounting a tyre on a rim or demounting a tyre from a rim comprises an electric motor for rotating the wheel (rim/tyre assembly) about an axis, a sensing device for sensing the motor current and transmitting corresponding signals to a control device and an adjustment controller for continuously and automatically adjusting a specific combination of torque and speed of the electric motor during the mounting/demounting operation.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel service apparatus, in particular a wheel balancer or a tyre changer, comprising a load means for applying a predetermined load onto a peripheral surface of a wheel/tyre assembly, a sensor device arranged to determine forces acting between the peripheral surface of the wheel/tyre assembly and the load means, wherein the forces comprise at least a first force acting in a radial direction of the wheel/tyre assembly and a second force acting in a circumferential direction of the wheel/tyre assembly, and an evaluation device arranged to determine a rolling resistance coefficient of the tyre on the basis of the first and second forces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for contactless determining a behavior of a loaded tyre or wheel, comprising the steps of determining a contour of at least a portion of the tyre or wheel; simulating loading of the tyre or wheel with a virtual loading element bearing against the tyre for at least one rotary position of the wheel on the basis of the determined contour, a displacement of the determined contour caused by the virtual loading element and at least one parameter associated to the tyre or wheel or to a part of the tyre; and determining the behavior of the loaded wheel using the simulation results.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for contactless determining non-uniformities of a loaded wheel, comprising the steps of determining outer contour of at least a portion of the unloaded wheel; simulating loading of the wheel with a virtual loading element bearing against the tire tread for a plurality of rotary positions of the wheel on the basis of the determined outer contour, a displacement of the determined outer contour caused by the virtual loading element and a predetermined spring rate associated to the tire tread; and determining non-uniformities of the loaded wheel using the simulation results.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining rotary angle related measurement data of a body mounted rotatable about an axis of rotation, the body being a vehicle wheel or a part of a vehicle wheel, in particular a tyre or a rim, the method comprising the steps of obtaining measurement data comprising a plurality of measurement data elements of the rotating body together with respective measuring times, determining at least one rotational speed or revolution period of the body for at least one point in time, and associating the obtained measurement data elements to respective rotary angles of the body based on the respective measuring times and the at least one rotational speed or revolution period of the body.

Abstract: The present application relates to a wheel balancer which includes a stationary frame, a measuring shaft mounted rotatably about a shaft axis on the stationary frame and adapted to receive coaxially a rim/tyre assembly. The wheel balancer further includes an encoder configured to determine the angular positions of the measuring shaft or of the rim/tyre assembly, a load device configured to apply a load to the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly, a first measuring device configured to measure forces resulting from an unbalance of the rotating rim/tyre assembly, a second measuring device configured to measure forces acting between the load device and the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly, and a locking device configured to keep the distance between the shaft axis and a contact portion at which the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly contacts the load device constant during the measurement of the forces acting between the load device and the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a scanner system for scanning the surface of an object, especially a vehicle wheel, the system comprises a mobile scanner including at least one sensor adapted to sense at least one position on the surface of the object and a reference system to which the sensor is sensitively adapted to provide at least one sensor signal corresponding the at least one sensed position on the surface with respect to the reference system, wherein the reference system is designed to provide a magnetic field having at least one orientation and the sensor is a magnetic sensor to be positioned within said magnetic field in proximity of or on the surface to be scanned.

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.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for contactless determining non-uniformities of a loaded wheel, comprising the steps of determining outer contour of at least a portion of the unloaded wheel; simulating loading of the wheel with a virtual loading element bearing against the tyre tread for a plurality of rotary positions of the wheel on the basis of the determined outer contour, a displacement of the determined outer contour caused by the virtual loading element and a predetermined spring rate associated to the tyre tread; and determining non-uniformities of the loaded wheel using the simulation results.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wheel balancer which comprises a stationary frame, a measuring shaft mounted rotatably about its shaft axis on the stationary frame and adapted to receive coaxially a rim/tyre assembly. The invention further comprises encoder means for determining the angular positions of the measuring shaft or of the rim/tyre assembly, load means to apply a load to the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly, measuring means to measure forces resulting from an unbalance of the rotating rim/tyre assembly, measuring means to measure forces acting between the load means and the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly and locking means to keep the distance between the shaft axis and a contact portion at which the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly contacts the load means constant during the measurement of the forces acting between the load means and the periphery of the rim/tyre assembly.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for mounting a tire on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tire from a rim with at least one fitting or removal tool. Images of the wheel (14) or the rim (12) are created by a vision system (21) and corresponding signals are sent to a computer (18, 28). Commands to move the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) by the computer (18, 30), the signals of the vision system (21) and the commands sent to the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) are correlated to define the position of the at least one fitting or removal tool relative to the rim contour, and the movement of the at least one fitting or removal tool (16) is guided in dependence on the performed correlation without contacting the rim surface.

Abstract: An update/upgrade concept which regards a convenient procedure for making updates or upgrades of control software and/or configuration data available to microcontroller-based hardware of machine units in the field without requirement of special tools and experience. In particular, by use of a standard memory device as known in the field of digital cameras, mp3-players whatsoever, together with a procedure which detects an available update/upgrade stored on such memory device and performs a respective download of the update/upgrade data to the respective microcontroller-based hardware, if applicable. An additional or optional aspect relates to collecting of operational data during operation of a machine unit in the field, which operational data can be transferred/carried back to the manufacturer of the machine unit for research and development purposes as well as for quality control, also a tracking of machine units through their lifetime is made possible thereby.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a parameter detection system for detecting in a non-mechanical manner at least one parameter of an object (1) to be examined. The parameter detection system includes a mounting device (2) for holding the object, and a mobile unit (14) which is freely movable and adapted for indicating a position on the object. A sensing means is provided for sensing the position on the object indicated by the mobile unit and for outputting corresponding detection signals indicative of the sensed position. A calculation means (13) is provided for calculating the at least one parameter from the position on object based on the detection signals.