Device and method for attaching a balancing weight to a mounting surface on an inner side of a wheel rim

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for attaching a balancing weight (2) to a mounting surface (17) on an inner side (3) of a rim dish of a wheel rim (4) and provides for a mounting head (1) to be dimensioned in such a way that it fits into the rim dish. The mounting head (1) includes a support element (5), which is radially displaceable relative to the wheel rim (4) and on which a feeler element (6) is axially movably arranged, the feeler element (6) having a convex contact surface (14) and a receptacle (12) for at least one balancing weight (2), said receptacle being oriented towards the inner side (3). The mounting head (1) is configured in such a way that the contact surface (14) may be brought into contact with a boundary surface (18) of the inner side (3), and may be displaced along said boundary surface until the balancing weight (2) comes radially into contact with the mounting surface (17).

Claims

1. A device for attaching a balancing weight (2) to a mounting surface (17) on an inner side (3) of a rim dish of a wheel rim (4), comprising a mounting head (1) which is dimensioned in such a way that it fits into the rim dish and which includes a support element (5), which is radially displaceable relative to the wheel rim (4) and on which a feeler element (6) is axially movably arranged, the feeler element (6) having a circular arc-shaped curved contact surface (14) which is convex in radial section and a receptacle (12) for at least one balancing weight (2), wherein the feeler element is displaceable relative to the support element transversely to movement of the support element, said receptacle being oriented towards the inner side (3) and the mounting head (1) being configured in such a way that the contact surface (14) is brought into contact with a boundary surface (18) of the inner side (3), and is displaceable along said boundary surface until the balancing weight (2) comes radially into contact with the mounting surface (17).

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the feeler element (6) has at its free end a feeler head (13), which is configured such that it is movable into a cavity (15) of the wheel rim (4).

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the support element (5) is radially displaceable.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the feeler element (6) is supported on the support element (5) within a straight guide and is axially movable against the force of a spring (11) from a basic position to an end position.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the feeler element (6) is axially movably positioned using a lifting cylinder on the support element (5).

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the contact surface (14) is at least partially coated with a plastics material.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the contact surface (14) is part of a component attached to the feeler element (6).

8. The device of claim 1, wherein on the support element (5) or the feeler element (6) a sensor is provided, which senses the axial movement of the feeler element (6).

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the mounting head (1) is mounted on the mounting surface (17) in such a way that it is rotatable about an axis in any mounting position by means of a rotary drive, which is controllable by a control device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the mounting head (1) is positioned on an arm of a program-controlled handling device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the mounting head (1) is attached to the arm of the handling device by means of a quick-change coupling.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the mounting head (1) is positioned stationary on a machine frame.

13. A method for attaching a balancing weight (2) to a mounting surface (17) on an inner side (3) of a rim dish of a wheel rim (4), comprising the following steps: moving a mounting head (1) into the rim dish, wherein the mounting head (1) has a feeler element (6) with a receptacle (12) for at least one balancing element (2), the feeler element (6) having a circular arc-shaped curved contact surface (14) which is convex in radial section and a receptacle (12) for at least one balancing weight (2), wherein the feeler element is displaceable relative to the support element transversely to movement of the support element; moving the mounting head (1) radially outwards so that contact is made between a convex contact surface (14) of the feeler element (6) and a boundary surface (18) of the inner side (39 of the wheel rim; continuing the radial movement, wherein the contact surface (14) slides along the boundary surface (18) of the inner side (3) until the balancing weight (2) comes 30 radially into contact with the mounting surface (17); attaching the balancing weight (2) to the mounting surface (17).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein while the contact surface (14) is sliding along the boundary surface (18), the feeler element (6) axially deviates within a straight guide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to an embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a mounting head in a rim dish of a wheel rim;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a feeler element of the device resting on the rim dish; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows the positioning of a receptacle for a balancing weight on a mounting surface.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a mounting head 1 for attaching a balancing weight 2 to an inner side 3 of a rim 4 of a vehicle wheel. The mounting head 1 is rotatable about its axis of rotation and may be attached by means of a quick-change coupling to the end of an articulated arm of a handling device, such as a robot, whose movement is controllable in all three spatial axes. However, arms of simpler handling devices may also be selected, which introduce the mounting head 1 at least linearly in the rim dish and move radially to the inner side 3 of the wheel rim. The mounting head 1 may be mounted in a radially pivotable manner on the arm of the handling device and rotatably mounted as a whole. The mounting head 1 may be positioned under the control of a program so that it may move the balancing weights 2 to each balancing point in the predetermined balancing planes.

(6) However, it may also be provided that the mounting head 1 is arranged in a stationary manner on a machine frame and the wheel rim 4 is slipped over the stationary mounting head 1 by means of a gripper of a handling robot. Embodiments of a mounting head 1 are known from DE 10 2013 108 048 B3.

(7) The mounting head 1 may be arranged on a support which extends transversely to the axis of rotation and on which a support element 5 extending parallel to the axis of rotation and extending into the rim dish is arranged. The support element 5 may be mounted in a radially displaceable manner in that it is movable within a slide guide transversely to the axis of rotation and, for example, against the force of a spring.

(8) On the support element 5, a stepped feeler element 6 is mounted in an axially movable manner. For this purpose, the feeler element 6 may be guided by means of a linear slide, which is movably supported by means of a roller bearing 7 in a guide 10, which is delimited by an upper and a lower end stop 8, 9. In the guide 10, a return spring 11 is arranged between the support element 5 and the upper end stop 8 of the feeler element 6, so that the feeler element 6 is moved axially against the force of the return spring 11 from an end position. By arranging a further spring, which is attached to the lower end stop 9, the feeler element 6 may be present in a central position, from which it is movable axially upwards or downwards against the force of the springs. A sensor may monitor the position of the feeler element 6 and be used to control the mounting head 1. The sensor may be arranged on the support element 5 or the feeler element 6. The feeler element 6 may also be arranged axially movably on the support element 5 via a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. The mounting of the feeler element 6 on the support element 5 by means of a linkage mechanism is also possible, wherein the feeler element 6 is movably mounted on the support element 5 by means of articulated rods.

(9) At a free end of the feeler element 6, a receptacle 12 for at least one balancing weight 2 is arranged. The receptacle 12 may consist of a curved rail of rectangular cross section with a convex surface. The receptacle 12 may comprise magnetic material and be designed to hold magnetisable balancing weights 2. Due to the magnetic effect, the balancing weight 2 may be held on the receptacle 12 for transport. Also, a clamping of the balancing weight 2 in the receptacle 12 may be provided. In this case, the balancing weight 2 may be held in position by means of locking fingers. It is also possible to hold the balancing weight 2 by means of a negative pressure. The mounting of the balancing weight 2 on the wheel rim 4 is obtained by gluing. For this purpose, the balancing weight 2 is coated on the side facing the inner side 3 with an adhesive layer. The attachment of the adhesive weight may be achieved by a continuous radial movement of the mounting head 1, wherein the adhesive weight is resiliently held in the receptacle 12 in order to achieve a corresponding minimum contact pressing force without damaging the wheel rim 4. The balancing weight 2 may be rolled on, for example.

(10) The feeler element 6 has a feeler head 13 comprising the receptacle 12, the side of which facing the wheel rim inner side 3 is bent radially according to the curvature of the inner side 3. Adjacent to the receptacle 12, a convex contact surface 14 is arranged with a circularly curved edge region. The slope of the contact surface 14 has an inclination of approximately 45° and runs over the full width of the feeler head 13. The contact surface 14 may also be curved. The contact surface 14 is made of a sliding plastics material or is at least coated therewith. For manufacturing reasons, the feeler element 6 may be made entirely or at least in part of a plastics material.

(11) Balancing of vehicle wheels with adhesive weights is also possible in case of wheels having an undercut. In this case, a cavity 15 is present in front of the spoke root. The predetermined balancing planes are usually located on a concave undercut annular surface 16 which is present in the cavity 15 and are axially spaced from one another, i.e. a cylindrical mounting surface 17 of the balancing weights 2 lies within the undercut annular surface 16. The specific balancing points and the size of the balancing weights 2 are calculated by an imbalance measuring device and transmitted, for example, to an electronic robot controller.

(12) The mounting head 1 is controlled for attaching the balancing weight 2 to the mounting surface 17 so that it dips into the rim dish and the receptacle 12 faces the wheel rim inner side 3 essentially at a radial distance. The receptacle 12 in this initial position is not yet at the same height as the mounting surface 17, but lies slightly lower, so that the contact surface 14 of the feeler element 6 faces an oblique boundary surface 18 of the wheel rim inner side 3 extending towards the undercut annular surface 16.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a contact of the feeler element 6 of the device with the rim dish, and FIG. 3 shows the positioning of the receptacle 12 for the balancing weight 2 on the mounting surface 17. The mounting head 1 moves by performing a radial movement transversely to the axis of rotation in the direction of the wheel rim inner side 3, wherein the contact surface 14 of the feeler element 6 comes into contact with the oblique boundary surface 18. Due to the continuous radial movement of the mounting head 1, the contact surface 14 slides along the oblique boundary surface 18. The feeler element 6 deviates here due to the movable mounting on the support element 5 in the axial direction against the force of the return spring 11 and is moved out of a basic position. The basic position may be, depending on the configuration of the axially movable mounting of the feeler element 6 on the support element 5, an end position or a middle position. It is also possible that the feeler head 13 comes into contact with an element of the wheel rim 4 which is not shown and which is arranged above the mounting surface 17, so that the feeler head 13 senses the mounting surface 17 and the feeler element 6 deviates downwards from its normal position. Due to the movable mounting of the feeler element 6, the forces acting on the wheel rim inner side 3 are small and damage to the wheel rim 4 is avoided.

(14) The radial movement of the mounting head 1 and the axial deflection of the feeler element 6 continue until the balancing weight 2 radially abuts the undercut annular surface 16 or the mounting surface 17 provided here. At the same time, the feeler element 6 is in an end position in which the return spring 11 is compressed. The balancing weight 2 may then be attached to the mounting surface 17, for example, by rolling on. After successful attachment, the mounting head 1 moves radially into the starting position, so that the contact surface 14 slides along the oblique boundary surface 18 and the feeler element 6 is moved by the spring force of the return spring 11 from the end position into the basic position.

(15) The height of the contact surface 14 of the feeler element 6 is designed such that it may slide along the oblique boundary surface 18 of the wheel rim, reaching the end position when the balancing weight 2 abuts, with its adhesive surface, the mounting surface 17 provided in the undercut annular surface 16. The feeler head 13 of the feeler element 6, which surrounds the receptacle 12 and protrudes into the cavity 15 of the undercut, is dimensioned in such a way that, on the one hand, the contact surface 14 comes into contact with the oblique boundary surface 18 of the wheel rim 4 and also remains in contact therewith during the attachment of the balancing weight 2 and, on the other hand, the receptacle 12 with the balancing weight 2 is pressed against the mounting surface 17. When the balancing weight 2 is pressed against the mounting surface 17, an optionally radially displaceably mounted support element 5 is displaced against the force of springs, so that no excessive force, which may damage the wheel rim 4, acts on the rim.

(16) The displaceability of the feeler element 6 and the return spring 11 ensure an exact height positioning. The radial displaceability, which may act against a spring force, of the support element 5 ensures a minimum contact force. The control of the mounting head 1 need not be force-controlled, but may be positional, which can be achieved by sensors. Furthermore, proximity switches may verify whether the support element 5 and the feeler element 6 are moved far enough during positioning of the feeler head 13 so that the return spring 11 and other optional springs may be loaded according to a required minimum contact force.