Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining geometrical dimensions of a tyre, especially of an inner surface of the tyre and/or a tyre bead, by contact-less sensing, wherein the tyre (12) is received in a receiving means (10), wherein at least one light beam is emitted onto a peripheral area of the tyre surface (23, 24), especially on an inner surface (23) of the tyre (12) and/or on a tyre bead (24), wherein the light beam reflected at the impingement area is detected and the directions of the emitted and reflected light beams are evaluated for determining the shape and/or position of the respective impingement area on the tyre (12).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for mounting a tyre on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tyre from a rim with at least one fitting or removal tool, wherein 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), wherein 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), wherein 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 wherein 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. Furthermore, the invention concerns an apparatus for mounting a tyre on a rim to form a motor vehicle wheel and for demounting a tyre from a rim.

Abstract: A tire fitting machine having a wheel mounting means 1 which is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis 5 and to which a wheel rim 6 is to be fixed when fitting or removing a tire, wherein the wheel rim 6 rests on a support surface 2 of the wheel mounting means 1, the support surface extending perpendicularly to the axis 6, wherein the support surface 2 is displaceable along the axis 5 and is fixable in a plurality of positions.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of determining geometrical dimensions of a motor vehicle wheel (rim/tire assembly) 1 by contact-less sensing, wherein the wheel is fixed on wheel receiving means 2 of a tire changer, that at least one light beam 21 is emitted on to the wheel or at least a part of the wheel, wherein the light beam reflected at the impingement area is detected, and wherein the directions of the emitted and reflected light beams are evaluated for determining the shape and/or position of the respective impingement area on the wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus for fitting or removing tyre to or from a rim 1 of a vehicle wheel comprising a hooked tool 2 which is controlledly moved in a pivotal connection location 4 along a sliding guide 11 and in a second pivotal connection location connected to a link lever, on a tool holder 5, wherein the control movement of a rod-shaped control portion 10 is transmitted to the tool 2 by way of the gear transmission 9.

Abstract: Tire changer apparatus having a horizontally extended frame; a wheel holder device provided on said frame and designed to support a tired wheel (14) with horizontally positioned wheel axis; a carriage supported movably along the frame; a tool holder provided on the carriage; at least one tire changing tool for mounting the tire onto the wheel and/or for demounting the tire from the wheel; and actuator means to move the tool holder on the carriage to operating positions in which the tire changing tool is able to act on the tire for mounting or demounting on both sides of the tire, wherein during the mounting operation or demounting operation the carriage is driven by an actuator device along the frame; the tool holder is movably supported on a tool holder carriage which is movably supported on said carriage and driven by an additional actuator device provided on said carriage, and said additional actuator device is in drive connection with the tool holder carriage via a mechanical speed-increasing transmiss

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of fitting or removing a motor vehicle tyre (4) comprising a rotatably supported wheel receiving device (2) to which the rim (3) is to be fixed, at least one fitting or removal tool (5), a rotary drive device (10) for the wheel receiving device and a sensing device (6), (7), (8) for sensing the radially outer rim contour (12), (14) along which the at least one fitting or removal tool is to be guided during the fitting or removal operation, wherein the sensing device (6), (7), (8) is a sensing device which contact-lessly senses the rim contour and the sensing signals of which are converted into electrical sensing signals, and connected to the sensing device (6), (7), (8) is a control device (9) which evaluates the electrical sensing signals and which controls the at least one fitting or removal tool (5) in the fitting or removal operation in dependence on the sensing signals without contact with the rim surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring forces which are produced by an unbalance of a rotary member, comprising a measuring shaft (2) which is supported in a rotary mounting (26) rotatably about its axis (23) and to which the rotary member (19) is fixed for the measurement operation, and a support means (3) having force measuring sensors (4, 5) for supporting the measuring shaft (2) on a stationary frame (6), wherein the support means (3) has an intermediate frame (7) on which the measuring shaft (29) is supported in a mounting plane having a force measuring sensor (4), the intermediate frame (7) is supported on the stationary frame (6) by way of a further force measuring sensor (5) and by way of a first pair (11, 12) of support levers and pivots (15 to 18), the rotary mounting (26) is fixedly connected to a stiff holding device (29) at an axial spacing with respect to the mounting plane (8) in which the force measuring sensors (5, 6) are disposed, the holding device (29) is supported on the intermediate frame (8) by way

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring forces generated by an unbalance of a vehicle wheel, comprising a horizontally oriented measuring shaft (1) which is supported rotary about its shaft axis (2) in a rotary mounting (3) on a stationary machine frame (4) and which is adapted that a vehicle wheel (5) is fixed onto it for the measurement operation, wherein the measuring shaft (1) is movably guided in a vertical direction on the stationary machine frame (4) between a first vertical position in which the measuring operation is conducted and a second vertical position in which the shaft axis is brought into alignment with a wheel axis (6) of the uprightly positioned vehicle wheel (5).

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.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for fitting or removing a tyre 4 of a vehicle wheel 1, in which at least one fitting or removal tool 5 is guided parallel to the axis 11 of the vehicle wheel 1 and the vehicle wheel 1 is moved controllably perpendicularly to its wheel axis 11 in dependence on a rim contour along which the fitting or removal tool 5 is to be guided at a small spacing.

Abstract: A tyre fitting machine having a wheel mounting means 1 which is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis 5 and to which a wheel rim 6 is to be fixed when fitting or removing a tyre, wherein the wheel rim 6 rests on a support surface 2 of the wheel mounting means 1, the support surface extending perpendicularly to the axis 6, wherein the support surface 2 is displaceable along the axis 5 and is fixable in a plurality of positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a tyred wheel 14 onto an upright rotary wheel holder unit 1 of a tyre changer machine, comprising a first frame 3 which is driven by first actuator means 8 and adapted to move the wheel 14 between a lower position and an upper position from which the wheel 14 is brought onto the rotary wheel holder unit 1, wherein a second frame 2 is connected with a second actuator means 9 to be driven between a lower position to an end position above said upper position and adapted to remove the wheel 14 from the first frame 3 when moved from said upper position to said end position and to support the wheel 14 with the wheel axis 15 in alignment with a rotation axis 16 of the rotary wheel holder unit 1 and dapted to be lowered by the action of the second actuator means 9 for positioning the tyred wheel 14 onto the rotary wheel holder unit 1.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of determining geometrical dimensions of a motor vehicle wheel (rim/tyre assembly) 1 by contact-less sensing, wherein the wheel is fixed on wheel receiving means 2 of a tyre changer, that at least one light beam 21 is emitted on to the wheel or at least a part of the wheel, wherein the light beam reflected at the impingement area is detected, and wherein the directions of the emitted and reflected light beams are evaluated for determining the shape and/or position of the respective impingement area on the wheel.

Abstract: Tyre changer apparatus having a horizontally extended frame (13); a wheel holder device (1) provided on said frame (13) and designed to support a tyred wheel (14) with horizontally positioned wheel axis (15); a carriage (5) supported movably along the frame (13); a tool holder (4) provided on the carriage (5); at least one tyre changing tool (2) for mounting the tyre onto the wheel and/or for demounting the tyre from the wheel; and actuator means to move the tool holder (4) on the carriage (5) to operating positions in which the tyre changing tool (2) is able to act on the tyre for mounting or demounting on both sides of the tyre, wherein during the mounting operation or demounting operation the carriage (5) is driven by an actuator device along the frame (13); the tool holder (4) is movably supported on a tool holder carriage (3) which is movably supported on said carriage (5) and driven by an additional actuator device (16) provided on said carriage (5), and said actuator device (16) is in drive connection

Abstract: An apparatus for fitting or removing tyre to or from a rim 1 of a vehicle wheel comprising a hooked tool 2 which is controlledly moved in a pivotal connection location 4 along a sliding guide 11 and in a second pivotal connection location connected to a link lever, on a tool holder 5, wherein the control movement of a rod-shaped control portion 10 is transmitted to the tool 2 by way of the gear transmission 9.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of fitting or removing a motor vehicle tyre 4 comprising a rotatably supported wheel receiving device 2 to which the rim 3 is to be fixed, at least one fitting or removal tool 5, a rotary drive device 10 for the wheel receiving device and a sensing device 6, 7, 8 for sensing the radially outer rim contour 12, 14 along which the at least one fitting or removal tool is to be guided during the fitting or removal operation, wherein the sensing device 6, 7, 8 is a sensing device which contact-lessly senses the rim contour and the sensing signals of which are converted into electrical sensing signals, and connected to the sensing device 6, 7, 8 is a control device 9 which evaluates the electrical sensing signals and which controls the at least one fitting or removal tool 5 in the fitting or removal operation in dependence on the sensing signals without contact with the rim surface.