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.

A ring insertion groove is formed between adjacent two of circular plates, which are made of a magnetic material and are arranged concentric with each other, and a ring, which is made of a non-magnetic material and has a larger deformation resistance in comparison to the magnetic material of the plates, is press fitted into the ring insertion groove. Thereafter, a peripheral part around an opening of the ring insertion groove is plastically flowed, so that a compression stress is left in the ring.

Construction is achieved that makes it possible to easily determine whether or not a combination of a drive-side cam and driven-side cam is suitable. Driven-side concave grooves 47 that are depressed inward in the radial direction and extend along the axial direction are formed in the outer-circumferential surface of the driven-side cam 30a at two locations on opposite sides in the radial direction. First drive-side concave grooves 45 that are depressed inward in the radial direction and extend along the axial direction are formed in portions of the outer-circumferential surface of the drive-side cam 29a such that the phase thereof in the circumferential direction in the locked state coincides with that of the driven-side concave grooves 47, and second drive-side concave grooves 46 that are depressed inward in the radial direction and extend along the axial direction are formed in portions of the outer-circumferential surface of the drive-side cam 29a such that the phase thereof in the circumferential direction in the unlocked state coincides with that of the driven-side concave grooves 47.

Disclosed herein is a tooling plate for conveying a plurality of work parts to be assembled on an assembly line, the tooling plate including a platform, a supporting element fixed on and protruding from a surface of the platform, and one or more interfacing elements configured to be attached in a removable way to the supporting element, and configured to support at least a portion of a work part from the plurality of work parts when the one or more interfacing elements is attached to the supporting element. A shape of the interfacing element matches a portion of a shape of the portion of the work part, so that the tooling plate can be configured to convey, successively, different sets of work parts by only changing interfacing elements on the supporting element, from one set to another set, without changing the platform.

Disclosed herein is a platform for conveying a plurality of work parts in a sequence of manufacturing stations, the platform being mobile and including an inclined surface, and a set of two elements, one element of the set extending along a first plane and another element of the set extending along a second plane, an intersection of the first plane with the inclined surface defining a first direction, an intersection of the second plane with the inclined surface defining a second direction, the first direction and the second direction delimiting an angular sector, so that a work part placed on the inclined surface within the angular sector is driven by its weight downwards with respect to a slope of the inclined plane towards an intersection of the first direction and the second direction.

A method of producing a deflector device for a fuel tank system comprising producing a deflector device prototype from prefabricated components of a construction kit, performing fuel-refilling tests using the deflector device prototype, optionally modifying the deflector device prototype, creating a construction model for the deflector device prototype, producing a deflector device according to the construction model, optionally performing fuel-refilling tests with the deflector device produced according to the construction model and optionally producing the deflector device according to the construction model. The disclosure further provides a construction kit with prefabricated components for producing the prototype of the deflector device for the fuel tank system.

This disclosure details multi-purpose brackets for mounting accessory devices within vehicle cargo spaces. Exemplary multi-purpose brackets include a doubling flange, a first opening formed through the doubling flange, and a second opening formed through another location of the bracket. A first accessory device may be mounted within the first opening, and a second accessory device may be mounted within the second opening. The multi-purpose bracket may be formed in a stamping process that involves folding and clinching the doubling flange to a platform of the bracket.

The present disclosure relates to various shift selector assemblies having a shift gate with a plurality of indentations corresponding to transmission shift selections. At least one of the indentations is configured to have a flexible depth so as to selectively restrict and accept a pawl pin, thereby mitigating shift position overshoot.

A production line for machining a surface component with a first machining station and a second machining station is disclosed. The first machining station includes a separating device configured to separate a surface component along a machining path. The second machining station includes a bending/forming device configured to form and/or bend the surface component in a bending/forming position. The first machining station and the second machining station are sequentially arranged one directly after the other and/or linked together.

A system and method for placing an object, which is to be processed on a production apparatus in a precise position, is provided. The system includes at least one location-determining system for determining a relative location of an object in relation to a production apparatus and a positioning apparatus for positioning the object on the production apparatus. The positioning apparatus has a receiving apparatus for receiving and discharging the object, and a movable arm for moving the object from one location to another. The location-determining system has at least one location-detecting device to detect a relative location of the receiving apparatus in relation to the location-detecting device. The location-detecting device is configured to detect a relative location of the object in relation to the location-detecting device and also a relative location of the production apparatus in relation to the location-detecting device.