Patents by Inventor Ulrich Diez

Ulrich Diez 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: 6408528
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for determining the impressing depth of a tire on a motor vehicle disk wheel, the impressing depth is determined using a wheel balancing machine structure from the wheel rim width, the axial spacing of an abutment surface on the main mounting shaft of the machine from a reference plane of the machine, and the axial spacing of one of the two measurement points for the wheel rim width from the reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Diez
  • Patent number: 6367157
    Abstract: A telescoping bar includes a track pusher for adjusting and measuring the track on a motor vehicle's wheels. A pneumatic spring, housed within the telescoping bar, functions as an accumulator and applies expansion forces on either the two front wheels or two rear wheels of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Snap-On Deutschland Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Diez
  • Patent number: 6179032
    Abstract: A bead depressor for use upon fitting or removal of a tire whereby a tire bead is held in a well base of a wheel comprises a plurality of depressor elements connected together by a cable, and a clamping bar which can be arrested in a centering bore in the wheel. The first depressor element which in use is fixed on the rim flange of the wheel is connected to the clamping bar by a holding rod member and an additional elastic clamping element is operative between the clamping bar and the first depressor element to urge the latter substantially radially against the rim flange and to tilt the clamping bar to arrest it in the centering bore in the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Diez
  • Patent number: 5983717
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for balancing a motor vehicle wheel comprising a wheel with pneumatic tire thereon, the wheel is clamped on to a measuring shaft of a balancing machine, and geometrical data of the wheel are sensed and stored. A measuring run is conducted for ascertaining an unbalance, and for determining at least one balancing vector in accordance with a balancing program selected depending on the type of wheel. The material of the wheel is detected with a sensor. The balancing program for determining the nature of balancing weight and its positioning in a balancing plane on the wheel is selected depending on the signal obtained in the sensing operation using the sensor. The balancing vector is determined in the electronic system of the machine for the balancing program. At least one balancing weight is then fixed to the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Diez
  • Patent number: 5913254
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for handling a motor vehicle wheel on a tire fitting machine in which the wheel is clamped fast by means of clamping elements on the inside at the wheel rim dish or on the outside at the wheel rim flanges. Prior to the wheel being clamped fast the wheel material is sensed by means of a sensor and, in the case of a non-ferromagnetic material, a signal for a material-protective clamping procedure and/or for a material-protective tire fitting or removal procedure is outputted by a signal generator actuated by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Lechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Diez
  • Patent number: 5591909
    Abstract: A method and device for balancing an unbalance on a motor vehicle wheel, including a tire mounting portion that is provided with a stylized design. Such a wheel can include a supporting disk with openings therein defining radially extending, spaced apart support members, such as struts or spokes, in the main area of the wheel. In particular such a tire supporting disk can comprise light metal. The angular positions of the radially extending support members are determined and are stored in storage 2 and the measurement values determined in the measurement procedure are divided into balancing corresponding to the angular positions of the radially extending support members. Weights for balancing the wheel are determined and are attached to the supporting disk at angular positions corresponding to the locations of the support members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Rothamel, Kurt Humber, Ulrich Diez
  • Patent number: 5471874
    Abstract: A method of correcting unbalance on a motor vehicle wheel by means of at least one balancing weight which can be fixed to the wheel at appropriate positions ascertained by an electronic measuring apparatus during an unbalance measuring procedure involves the use of a sensing device which is coupled to the electronic measuring apparatus and which senses relevant dimensions of the wheel for storage thereof in the electronic measurement apparatus, for evaluation of the measurement values obtained in the unbalance measuring procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Hofmann Werkstatt-Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Karl Rothamel, Ulrich Diez, Josef Drechsler, Eickhart Goebel, Lorenz Lenhardt, Klaus Ruehl