A wheel for a non-motorized vehicle (e.g., a shopping cart) can include a housing assembly and a tread assembly. The housing assembly can be configured to sealingly house electronics or other components. The tread assembly can removably mate with the housing assembly such that the electronics or other components remain closed and/or sealed within the housing assembly when the tread assembly is mated or unmated with the housing assembly.

Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.

Devices and methods for fixing a spoke of a running wheel in the context of trueing, an exemplary device having a clamp (1) with a clamping gap (4) of variable width and a longitudinal axis (L) configured to receive a section of the spoke, wherein driving the clamp (1) narrows the clamping gap (4) so that the section of the spoke can be fixed via force-fitting and/or form-locking, further wherein the device rotationally fixes the section but permits movement of the section in the longitudinal direction.

Self-locking nipple for attaching wheel spoke to wheel part. The self-locking function of the nipple is created by deforming the nipple body in a rotationally symmetrical way and over a predetermined axial distance, such that such a narrowed part is created in the internal screw-thread of the nipple which is rotationally symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nipple and extends over only one to two windings of the internal screw-thread.

A method for determining a torsional moment of a wheel set shaft of a rail vehicle during the operation of the rail vehicle is used for a wheel set shaft having two wheels secured to ends of the shaft for rolling on two rails. A model is used to calculate a torsional moment which acts on the wheel set shaft, and the model is based on a torsional vibration of the wheel set shaft at a specified slip action point. The torsional moment acting on the wheel set shaft is ascertained based on the energy of the torsional vibration of the wheel set shaft at the slip action point and based on a damping energy which acts on the torsional vibration of the wheel set shaft.

A wheel for a non-motorized vehicle (e.g., a shopping cart) can include a housing assembly and a tread assembly. The housing assembly can be configured to sealingly house electronics or other components. The tread assembly can removably mate with the housing assembly such that the electronics or other components remain closed and/or sealed within the housing assembly when the tread assembly is mated or unmated with the housing assembly.

An apparatus as well as a method for painting of a rim or another rotational symmetric item is provided. The apparatus includes: a coating unit with a robot arm and one or more spray nozzles for applying a curable fluid, an item holder equipped with assembly bodies for disengageable securing of the item with the purpose of rotating it, coinciding with the item's center axis, during the coating with the curable fluid, a suspension bracket wherein the item holder is assembled, and which rotates the item holder around a pivot point, which runs perpendicularly on the axis of rotation, coinciding with a diameter through the item and to angle the item holder, as the item is being rotated, a curing unit, and a controller configured to positioning the coating unit in relation to the item for applying the fluid onto the item in accordance with a predetermined coating pattern.

Vehicle dimension data describing dimensions of a vehicle are obtained, a robotic apparatus is moved to a position about the vehicle, a reference point of the vehicle is determined, and the robotic apparatus is caused to move to positions about the vehicle based on the reference point. The reference point is a center point of a selected wheel of the vehicle. A coordinate system of the robotic apparatus is aligned to the reference point of the selected wheel of the vehicle. Based on the aligned coordinate system of the robotic apparatus, operations are performed by the robotic apparatus to remove lug nuts from a wheel hub of the vehicle.