A vehicle wheel service apparatus that includes: a frame; a plurality of working tools, connected to the frame and movable to perform operations for mounting and/or demounting the tyre relative to the wheel rim; a shaft driven by an actuator rotationally about a longitudinal axis and connectable to the rim; a measuring system for generating vibration signals representing vibrations of the shaft produced by wheel imbalances; a control unit, connected to the measuring system to receive the vibration signals; a support device, connected to the frame and movable between an activated position, where it encircles the shaft while still allowing it to rotate, and a deactivated position, where it is spaced from the shaft; a connector, movable between a working position, where it mechanically connects the measuring system to the frame, and a rest position, where the measuring system is mechanically disengaged from the frame.

The solution proposed by the invention consists of a method for monitoring the tyres of vehicles transporting excavations in mines, using tyre handling equipment, said tyres being equipped with radio frequency identification tags and physical parameter sensors; said method also using a database comprising the identifiers of the vehicles, the identifiers of the tyres, the identifiers of the sensors and of the positions of the tyres on the axles.

Method and related apparatus for determining the geometrical dimensions of a wheel, or at least one part of a wheel, with particular reference to vehicle wheels, in the context of a wheel maintenance process. This method uses contactless sensors which comprise a scanning radar system, preferably a millimeter-wave radar system, to scan the wheel, or at least one part of the wheel, quickly and accurately.

Apparatus and method for mounting a tire on a rim of a wheel and/or for removing a tire from a rim of a wheel of a vehicle. This apparatus is generally known as a tire changer. The tire changer of the present invention uses contactless sensors, in particular radar sensors, to scan the geometric dimensions of the wheel to be maintained and, in general, to accurately control the mounting/demounting tools.

A system and a method for enabling a determination of a location of a tire sensor on a chassis of a vehicle is provided. The method comprises obtaining an identity of a RFID tag located on the rim, or in the tire, of the wheel. The method also comprise obtaining an identity of a tire sensor mounted on the rim, or inside the tire, of the wheel, as the tire sensor is activated. The method further comprise establishing an association between the identity of the RFID tag and the identity of the tire sensor. A computer program product and a carrier are also provided.

A robot tool has a chassis and a wheel servicing sub-system supported on the chassis, the wheel servicing sub-system having a sub-system interface part engageable with a wheel interface part, the wheel servicing sub-system interface part engagement with the wheel interface part permitting operation of the wheel servicing sub-system to service the wheel, and a control unit on the robot tool to control operation of the wheel servicing sub-system to effect said wheel servicing. The wheel servicing sub-system is one or more of a chassis sub-system, a tool support sub-system, a fastener detaching/attaching sub-system, a fastener storage sub-system, a jacking sub-system, a wheel gripper sub-system, a tire inspection sub-system, a tire pressure sub-system, and a wheel balancing sub-system.

A robot tool for servicing a wheel positioned adjacent the robot tool and having an axis of rotation. The tool has a chassis which can be moved in any of rectilinear, curvilinear and spin motion on a support surface. A base mounted can be tilted from level and can be raised and lowered relative to the chassis. A wheel servicing sub-system mounted to the base has an operational axis and an interface part for mechanically engaging a corresponding interface part of a wheel being serviced in a mechanical engagement permitting wheel servicing by the servicing sub-system when the operational axis is aligned with the wheel axis of rotation.

Described is a machine (1) for fitting and removing a tyre from a corresponding wheel rim of a vehicle, comprising: a wheel-holder unit (4), which rotates about a first axis (A); at least one bead breaker tool (29), movable along a second axis (B) parallel to the first axis (A); a roller (2) rotating about a fourth axis (D) parallel to the first axis (A) and configured to move by rotation about a fifth axis (E) spaced from the fourth axis (D), between an active position where it is in contact with a tyre tread of the wheel mounted on the wheel-holder unit (4), to a position of non-interference relative to the tyre; at least one sensor (40) connected to the roller (2) for detecting a signal representing a force transmitted to the roller (2) by the tyre; a removal tool (37), which is movable by rotation about a sixth axis (F) parallel to the first axis (A) and spaced from it, between a first position proximal to the first axis (A) and a second position distal from the first axis (A), which is movable in a direction parallel to the first axis (A) and movable towards and away from the sixth axis (F).

A tire-changing machine include a base frame; a grip unit fitted on the base frame for revolving around a rotation axis and gripping a vehicle wheel having a rim and a tire to fit/remove; first operating elements for placing the grip unit in rotation around the axis; at least an operating head fitted on the base frame and having at least a work tool; second operating elements for positioning the operating head and the wheel in a work configuration wherein the tool contacts the tire; the grip unit including a first measuring portion subject to a stress condition due to the contact, in correspondence to the first measuring portion, first sensor elements for detecting the stress condition of the first measuring portion and operatively associated with a processing and control unit for determining a danger condition of the tire starting from the stress condition.

Described is a device for locking a rim of a wheel to a wheel-holder unit (4) equipped with a supporting plate (12) and a hollow rotary shaft having an end portion projecting in a cantilever fashion from the supporting plate (12), comprising: a centring cone (16) having a through hole; a clamping rod (11) having at a first end a clamping element (10) which can be inserted inside the hollow shaft to prevent a movement of the clamping rod (11) along a first axis (A) of the wheel-holder unit (4), and having at a second end a threaded portion; a clamping element (17) coupled to the threaded portion and which can be rotated for translating along an axis of the clamping rod; a centring flange (23) operatively interposed between the centring cone (16) and the clamping element (17). The first end of the clamping rod (11) is operatively inserted in a hole of the centring flange (23), with the same direction as that in which centring rods (23b) of the centring flange project, and in the hole of the centring cone (16), with the opposite direction to that along which the centring cone (16) is tapered.