Methods, Apparatus, and Articles of Manufacture are disclosed for determining a tread depth status of a tire of a vehicle, including an accelerometer interface to access acceleration data from an accelerometer associated with the tire, the acceleration data including first acceleration data indicative of acceleration in a first direction, second acceleration data indicative of acceleration in a second direction, and third acceleration data indicative of acceleration in a third direction, and a data segmenter to segment the first acceleration data into a first data segment, the second acceleration data into a second data segment, and the third acceleration data into a third data segment based on at least one of an acceleration cycle or a common time interval.

A vertical tire changer with a double-sided tool and an overturning structure is provided. The vertical tire changer includes a pedal, a base, an operating platform, a pulley, a double-sided tool rotating structure, a small pressing wheel structure, a large pressing wheel structure, a lifting seat and a rotating chuck. A wheel hub is clamped above the rotating chuck so that the rotating chuck rotates to a horizontal position. The ends of the double-sided tool rotating structure are provided with a straight hook portion and a bent hook portion respectively. The straight hook portion is configured for tire mounting, and the bent hook portion is configured for tire dismounting. The small pressing wheel structure and the large pressing wheel structure can both be contracted and extended in the using process. The small pressing wheel structure and the large pressing wheel structure play an auxiliary supporting role.

Provided is dismounting machine for dismounting a tire from a rim, including a supporting base frame that is provided with a vertical carrying body for a rim, wherein said carrying body is connected to the base frame, is rotatable by a motor relative to the base frame about a rotation axis that extends in a vertical direction, and is provided with fastening means for fastening a rim in a fixed position on an upper side of the carrying body, so that a principal axis of the rim thus fixed extends in a direction that coincides with the central rotation axis of the carrying body, so that rotation of the carrying body leads to rotation of the fixed rim about the principal axis, and a vertical column connected rigidly to the base frame, which is located at a distance from the carrying body, said column being provided with a guide arm and an auxiliary arm, which extend from the column in the direction of the carrying body, and which, movable independently of one another, are connected to the column, so that the guide arm and the auxiliary arm can be placed independently of one another in a working position as separate tools for dismounting a tire from a rim fixed on the carrying body.

A tire defect detection system for detecting defects in a tire. The system includes at least one infrared camera, a pneumatic source and a computing device. The pneumatic source inflates the tire to a predetermined pressure. After inflation, the infrared camera captures a reference frame of a section of the tire. A period of time after capturing the reference frame, the infrared camera captures a subsequent frame. The subsequent frame is compared to the reference frame to detect a portion of the section of the tire that has a lower temperature. The lower temperature is caused by an escape of air from the tire through a defect. The escaping air cools the area of the tire around the defect, so a decrease in temperature indicates the defect.

Described herein is a method for dismounting a tire from a wheel assembly. The method may comprise inserting at least a first finger and a second finger between a top bead of a tire and a top bead seat of a wheel, pulling a portion of at least the top bead past a plane defined by the outer edge of the top bead seat, and moving the first finger in a first rotational direction away from the second finger. Also described herein is a finger for dismounting a tire from a wheel. The finger may comprise at least one roller having two opposing ends, each end connected to a corresponding end of a roller nest of the finger. Also described herein is an apparatus for removing a tire from a wheel. The apparatus may comprise a wheel alignment assembly, a tire dismount assembly, a bead lifter, and a rotation 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.

A bead exerciser system for an automated wheel assembly may include a center lift configured to lift a wheel assembly off of a conveyor belt, a drum roller configured to rotate the wheel assembly, a pair of pinch rollers driven by a driver and configured to apply force to a tire of the wheel assembly, a force sensor configured to detect a force of the tire against the pinch rollers, and a controller configured to receive the force from the force sensor and generate a command for an alert in response to the force falling outside of a predefined threshold range.

A method and computer program product are disclosed. The method includes tracking a distance travelled on a set of tires, determining a threshold, determining whether the distance travelled has exceeded the threshold, and notifying the user that the distance travelled has exceeded the threshold. The computer program product includes code to perform tracking a distance travelled on a set of tires, determining a threshold, determining whether the distance travelled has exceeded the threshold, and notifying the user that the distance travelled has exceeded the threshold.

A device for mounting and removing a tire on/from a rim includes a pincers element which is pivoted in a tool body with respect to the main frame and can grip a tire bead; the pincers element performs a preset rotation together with the tool body, moving away from the rim edge by performing a motion over the edge without making contact with the rim at the end of the rotation; the pincers element releases the bead on the outer edge of the rim, in a removal operation, or in the inner seat of the rim, in a mounting operation.

In a device (1) for clamping a rim (2) of a vehicle wheel, at least four clamping elements (3) are provided which can be moved with respect to the rim (2) and comprise clamping arms (5) and support elements (7) having support surfaces (6). A rim flange of the rim (2) can be placed on the support surfaces. The clamping arms (5) are rotatably mounted, about their longitudinal axis, in the clamping elements (3), and have clamping fingers (8) at the end that protrude beyond the support surfaces (6), which fingers have clamping surfaces which can be brought into clamping contact with the placeable rim flange.