Patents by Inventor Robert Reece
Robert Reece 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).
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Publication number: 20140216600Abstract: An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes at least one inflation probe including a female portion and a male portion. The male portion is arrangeable with respect to the female portion in one of a non-mated orientation such that the at least one inflation probe is arranged in an offline orientation and a mated orientation such that the at least one inflation probe is arranged in an online orientation. The inflation work station further includes a working device including a controller, at least one movement actuator connected to the controller and the at least one inflation probe. The at least one movement actuator imparts movement to the male portion to result in the online/offline orientation of the at least one inflation probe. The inflation work station includes at least one valve connected to the controller and the at least one inflation probe.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece
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Patent number: 8769807Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire-wheel assembly comprising a single-cell workstation including a plurality of sub-stations. The plurality of sub-stations includes a weight application sub-station, and an audit balancing sub-station. The apparatus also includes a tire/wheel transporting device positioned within reach of all of the plurality of sub-stations. A method is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Ramsey Richard Niazy
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Patent number: 8770236Abstract: An inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The inflator apparatus includes a support structure; an interface portion rotatably-attached to the support structure, wherein the interface portion includes a plurality of inflator heads, wherein each inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads includes a fluid inlet; a plunger portion movably-connected to the support structure, wherein the plunger portion is movably-connected to the support structure to permit selectively coupling of the plunger portion with one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads; and a fluid conduit connected to the plunger portion, wherein the fluid conduit is fluidly connectable with the fluid inlet of the one inflator head of the plurality of inflator heads. A system for processing more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed. A method for utilizing an inflator apparatus for inflating more than one un-inflated tire-wheel assembly is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2010Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Robert Reece, John Donnay, David Henry Larson, Patrick W. Zoller, Lawrence J. Lawson
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Publication number: 20140132740Abstract: A system for determining road force uniformity of a tire is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of imaging devices and a computer communicatively-coupled to the plurality of imaging devices. The plurality of imaging devices images a plurality of surfaces of the tire as the tire-wheel assembly is rotated about an axis of rotation. The computer receives images captured by the plurality of imaging devices in order for the computer to extract data from the images such that the computer may execute a road force uniformity simulation algorithm for the purpose of algorithmically simulating road force uniformity of the tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Barry Allan Clark, Donald G. Straitiff, Robert Reece
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Patent number: 8701736Abstract: An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes an inflation probe including a female portion and a male portion. The inflation work station further includes a movement actuator connected to a controller and the inflation probe. The movement actuator imparts movement to the male portion of the inflation probe to result in the online/offline orientation of the at least one inflation probe. The inflation workstation includes a pressurized fluid source connected to the inflation probe by way of a valve to permit or deny communication of a pressurized fluid through the inflation probe to a cavity formed by the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece
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Patent number: 8522437Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single-cell workstation including a device that retains a wheel, and a plurality of sub-stations. The device moves the wheel to each of the plurality of sub-stations, without releasing the wheel, to assemble a tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2012Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Lawrence L. Reece, Richard J. Standen
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Publication number: 20130168032Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks, Barry A. Clark
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Publication number: 20130168028Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks, Barry A. Clark
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Publication number: 20130168031Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks, Barry A. Clark
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Publication number: 20130168029Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Barry A. Clark, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks
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Publication number: 20130168030Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Barry A. Clark, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks
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Publication number: 20130081765Abstract: An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one linear mounter sub-station that couples the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly. The apparatus also includes a transporting device that transports one of the wheel and the tire along a linear path that traverses the at least one linear mounter sub-station. The component of the at least one linear mounter sub-station resists, but does not prevent, movement of one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel along the linear path in order to spatially manipulate one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel in order to at least partially couple the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: April 4, 2013Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Barry A. Clark, Robert Reece, Ramsey R. Niazy
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Patent number: 8408272Abstract: A system for mounting a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm pivotably-connected to an end effector. The system also includes a tire-supporting portion including a support surface and a pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions disposed upon the support surface. The pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions includes a first wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion fixedly-disposed relative the support surface and a second wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion movably-disposed relative the support surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2012Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua James Hicks
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Patent number: 8365794Abstract: An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes a working device having an end effecter. The end effecter includes a wheel-engaging plunger member, a retaining apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member, and an inflation apparatus connected to the wheel-engaging plunger member. The retaining apparatus includes at least one tire-engaging portion extending from a retaining apparatus base member. The inflation apparatus includes at least one inflation probe extending from an inflation apparatus base member. A method for operating an inflation work station is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2010Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece
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Patent number: 8261805Abstract: A system for providing at least a partially mounted tire and wheel assembly is disclosed. The system includes the steps of using a prime mover to bring a tire and wheel together and using the primer mover to work on at least one of the tire or the wheel to mount the tire and the wheel together, wherein the work performed by the prime mover is the only positive work introduced into the tire/wheel system.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2011Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Richard J. Standen, Richard E. Hamilton
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Publication number: 20120216962Abstract: A system for mounting a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm pivotably-connected to an end effector. The system also includes a tire-supporting portion including a support surface and a pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions disposed upon the support surface. The pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions includes a first wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion fixedly-disposed relative the support surface and a second wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion movably-disposed relative the support surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks
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Publication number: 20120144673Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a single-cell workstation including a device that retains a wheel, and a plurality of sub-stations. The device moves the wheel to each of the plurality of sub-stations, without releasing the wheel, to assemble a tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2012Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Lawrence L. Reece, Richard J. Standen
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Publication number: 20120138190Abstract: An inflation work station for inflating a tire-wheel assembly including a tire mounted to a wheel is disclosed. The inflation work station includes an inflation probe including a female portion and a male portion. The inflation work station further includes a movement actuator connected to a controller and the inflation probe. The movement actuator imparts movement to the male portion of the inflation probe to result in the online/offline orientation of the at least one inflation probe. The inflation workstation includes pressurized fluid source connected to the inflation probe by way of a valve to permit or deny communication of a pressurized fluid through the inflation probe to a cavity formed by the tire-wheel assembly for inflating the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2012Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece
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Patent number: 8191600Abstract: A system for mounting a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The system includes a robotic arm pivotably-connected to an end effector. The system also includes a tire-supporting portion including a support surface and a pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions disposed upon the support surface. The pair of wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portions includes a first wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion fixedly-disposed relative the support surface and a second wheel-engaging and tire-manipulating portion movably-disposed relative the support surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua James Hicks
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Publication number: 20120125542Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes the step of determining a spatial location of a match-mark region of each of a tire and a wheel, wherein at least one of the tire and the wheel does not include a physical match mark formed upon a surface or within a body portion of the tire and the wheel. A system is also disclosed. An apparatus is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2011Publication date: May 24, 2012Applicant: Android Industries LLCInventors: Lawrence J. Lawson, George B. Byma, Robert Reece, Ramsey R. Niazy