Method and apparatus for uniquely identifying tyres for wheels of vehicles as part of vehicle wheel maintenance processes

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus for uniquely identifying tyres for wheels of vehicles as part of wheel maintenance processes. The method envisages that a vehicle wheel is mounted on a support of a wheel maintenance apparatus, said wheel comprising a rim and a tyre. Moreover, a digital code is created to uniquely identify the tyre. Finally, via a marking system, preferably of the optical type, at least one marking is created on the surface of one side wall of the tyre of said wheel, corresponding to the previously created digital code.

Claims

1. A process for maintenance of vehicle wheels, the process comprising: mounting a wheel for vehicles on a support of an apparatus for maintenance of vehicle wheels, said wheel comprising a rim and a tyre; and uniquely identifying the tyre by: creating a digital code for uniquely identifying said tyre; and creating, using a marking system, at least one marking on the surface of a side wall of the tyre of said wheel, corresponding to the digital code previously created, wherein the digital code also comprises at least one piece of information relating to the wheel maintenance process.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the marking comprises at least one first portion of surface having a first optical reflectivity and at least one second portion of surface having a second optical reflectivity, said first optical reflectivity being different to the second optical reflectivity.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein uniquely identifying the tyre also comprises: reading the marking on the surface of the side wall of the tyre, and recognising the corresponding digital code of the tyre, by means of an optical vision system.

4. The process according to claim 3, wherein the optical vision system is mounted fixed to the vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus.

5. The process according to claim 3, wherein the optical vision system is included in a portable device, for example a smartphone or a tablet.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digital code is of the two-dimensional type.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digital code is a QR code.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the marking system is of the optical type.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein uniquely identifying the tyre also comprises: storing the digital code in a database, and: sharing at least one portion of said database with at least one further vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus and/or with at least one local and/or remote information technology system.

10. An apparatus for vehicle wheel maintenance, comprising: a base; a support mounted on the base and designed to receive and sustain a rim of a wheel of a vehicle; a marking system operatively active on a surface of at least one side wall of the tyre of said wheel, for marking said at least one side wall of the tyre; a control unit operatively connected to said marking system and designed for: creating a digital code for uniquely identifying said tyre; controlling the marking system so that it creates at least one marking on the surface of the side wall of the tyre of said wheel, corresponding to the digital code previously created, wherein the digital code also comprises at least one piece of information relating to the wheel maintenance process.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the marking comprises at least one first portion of surface having a first optical reflectivity and at least one second portion of surface having a second optical reflectivity, said first optical reflectivity being different to the second optical reflectivity.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the support is rotatable on the base and the apparatus comprises a motor operatively connected to the rotatable support and designed to make said rotatable support and the wheel rotate about a main axis of said wheel; wherein the control unit is also designed to control the motor so that it makes the rotatable support and the wheel rotate.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the marking system comprises a laser light source.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the marking comprises a plurality of engravings or recesses on the surface of the side wall of the tyre.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the digital code is of the two-dimensional type.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the digital code is a QR code.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, also comprising an optical vision system for reading the marking on the surface of the side wall of the tyre, recognising its corresponding digital code.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the marking system and the optical vision system are integrated in the same optical marking and vision system.

19. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said apparatus is a wheel balancer or a device for mounting tyres on a rim and/or demounting tyres from a rim, or a wheel aligner device, or a test bed for brakes or suspensions, or an auto lift.

20. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the marking system is of the optical type.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of preferred, but non-exclusive embodiments of a method and apparatus for vehicle wheel maintenance in accordance with the present invention. This description will be given below with reference to the attached drawings, provided solely for illustrative and therefore non-limiting purposes, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a method for uniquely identifying tyres according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a side wall of a tyre marked with a QR code.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(6) In the description that follows, any expressions used, for example right, left, above, below, upper, lower and the like, have a merely illustrative purpose and refer to the particular arrangement of the elements present in the appended figures, and do not, therefore, have any limiting character.

(7) With reference to the appended figures, 1 denotes in its entirety a vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus.

(8) The apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a device for mounting tyres 2 on a rim 3 of a wheel 4 and/or demounting tyres 2 from a rim 3. The apparatus 1 comprises a base 5 intended to rest on the ground. Mounted on the base 5 there is a rotatable support 6 defined by a vertical shaft, at the upper end of which there is disposed a support means, not illustrated in detail and known per se, such as, for example, a support plate intended to receive and support the rim 3 of the wheel 2, and a locking means, not illustrated in detail and known per se, which enables the rim 3 to be solidly constrained to the shaft 6. The shaft 6 is rotatable on the base 5 about a main axis A thereof and is connected to an electric motor, for example inside a casing of the base 5 and not illustrated. The motor is configured to rotate the shaft 6 and the wheel 4 together about the main axis A of the shaft 6 (which coincides with the main or rotation axis of the wheel 4). The base 5 comprises a column 7 that extends vertically. The column 7 is substantially parallel to the shaft 6 and carries at least one mounting and removal tool 8, known per se and not described in detail, suitable for removing and mounting a tyre 2 from/on the rim 3. The mounting and removal tool 8 is configured to come into contact with the sides of the tyre 2 from below and/or above in proximity to the beads of the tyre 2 which, when said tyre 2 is mounted on the rim 3, lie behind two containing flanges belonging to the rim 3 itself.

(9) An actuator, known per se and not illustrated, is operatively connected to the mounting and removal tool 8 and is connected to a control unit 9 of the apparatus 1. The control unit 9 is configured to send command signals to the actuator so as to control the mounting and removal tool 8 in order to demount or mount a tyre 2 from/on the rim 3. This operation is managed by an operator via a user interface (comprising, for example, buttons, pedals, touch screens, etc.) connected to the control unit and not illustrated.

(10) The apparatus 1 further comprises a laser marking system 10, connected to the control unit 9, to generate a plurality of engravings on the side wall 2A of the tyre 2. Such systems are known in the art; for example, use could be made of a T-Mark Compact laser marking system, sold by the company 4JET Technologies GmbH. The laser marking system 10 is mounted on an arm 12 projecting from the column 7 above the wheel 4 when the latter is mounted on a support means. The laser marking system 10 is aimed downwards so as to frame an area of the surface of the upper side wall 2A of the tyre 2. The laser marking system 10 can be moved along the longitudinal direction F2 of the arm 12, so as to be able to operate on a tyre 2 of any type and size.

(11) The arm 12 is preferably supported by a carriage 20 movable parallel to the column 7, along the direction F1. In this manner the laser marking system 10 can also be moved in turn relative to the base 5, so as to be able to come sufficiently close to the side wall 2A of the tyre 2 during the marking step, and be moved away once the marking has been performed so as not to be a hindrance for the subsequent maintenance operations the wheel 4 undergoes.

(12) Both movements along the directions F1 and F2 can take place manually through the direct intervention of an operator, or else automatically; for example, they can be controlled by the control unit 9, which can be configured to receive input data regarding the dimensions of the wheel and/or tyre and/or the step of the wheel maintenance process it is desired to implement, and adjust, accordingly, the position of the laser marking system 10 along both directions F1 and F2, or also relative to only one of them (in the latter case the position of the laser marking system 10 along the remaining direction will be manually adjusted by the operator).

(13) The laser marking system 10 generally also comprises a screen 11 to adequately protect the operator and evacuate fumes, vapours or residues generated by the engraving process.

(14) In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the laser marking system 10 is capable of operating only on the upper side wall 2A of the tyre.

(15) In reality, the laser marking system 10 can be alternatively mounted so as to be able to operate on the lower side wall 2A of the tyre 2, just as it is possible to envisage the use of two laser marking systems 10, one capable of operating on the upper side wall 2A and one capable of operating on the lower side wall 2A of the tyre 2.

(16) Optionally, it might be envisaged to use a special movement and support means, not illustrated, capable of positioning a single laser marking system 10 both above and below the tyre 2. In this manner, the single laser marking system 10 that the apparatus 1 would be endowed with could in any case be capable of operating on both sides 2A, 2B of the tyre 2.

(17) The laser marking system 10 is operatively connected to the control unit 9 which controls the mounting and demounting tool 8, as in the example illustrated, or to a different control unit, not illustrated.

(18) The control unit 9 is capable of creating a digital code for uniquely identifying the tyre 2, preferably a two-dimensional code. In FIG. 4, the two-dimensional digital code is represented as a QR code (acronym for Quick Response).

(19) This code can be automatically or semi-automatically created by the control unit, or else it can be manually entered by an operator, for example through a specific input means such as a keyboard, a touch screen, etc. (not illustrated).

(20) The digital code is then transmitted by the control unit to the laser marking system 10, in order to be subsequently engraved in the form of a marking on the side wall of the tyre.

(21) Said marking preferably comprises at least a first portion of surface having a first optical reflectivity and at least a second portion of surface having a second optical reflectivity, said first optical reflectivity being different from the second optical reflectivity.

(22) Such processes are known per se and described, for example, in the patent publications EP 2 905 125 and EP 2 977 934.

(23) In accordance with the method according to the invention, the wheel 4, complete with the rim 3 and tyre 2, is mounted on the support 6. Before the tyre 2 is demounted from the rim 3 or after the tyre 2 has been mounted on the rim 3, by means of the mounting and removal tool 8 and in a manner known per se, the control unit 9 generates a digital code for uniquely identifying the tyre 2.

(24) This digital code is communicated to the laser marking system 10, which, movable along the directions F1 and F2, is positioned by an operator, or is positioned automatically if suitably controlled by the control unit 9 via a suitable actuator means known per se and not illustrated, from a rest position, wherein said laser marking system 10 is away from the tyre to be marked, into an operative position sufficiently close to the tyre 2 so as to be able to perform said marking.

(25) The marking is then engraved, by means of the laser light source, on the surface of the side wall of the tyre in the form of a plurality of engravings or recesses, representing at least one QR code.

(26) The QR codes engraved on the side wall of the tyres can later be read by an optical vision system, comprising at least one camera and suitable recognition software. Such systems are known per se; reference may be made, for example, to the system called SCANNECT developed by the company 4JET Technologies GmbH.

(27) Said optical vision system can be directly mounted on the apparatus 1 (solution not illustrated in the figures) or, alternatively, it can be compressed in a portable device, for example in a common smartphone or tablet.

(28) The codes read are then sent, for example, to management software operating on a remote computer and used to manage the storeroom of a garage.

(29) In particular, as schematically represented in FIG. 3 and in accordance with the method of the invention, the control unit 9: 1. creates a digital code for uniquely identifying a tyre.

(30) Subsequently, the marking system: 2. creates at least one marking on the surface of the side wall of the tyre, corresponding to the previously created digital code.

(31) Subsequently, the vision system is optionally capable of: 3. reading the marking on the surface of the side wall of the tyre and recognising the corresponding digital code.

(32) This third step of the method according to the invention can be performed by the vision system on its own or in cooperation between the vision system and the control unit of the wheel maintenance apparatus, both in the event that the vision system is integrated into the apparatus itself and in the event that it is incorporated in a portable device like a smartphone or tablet.

(33) The control unit of the vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus, which may be connected to the vision system, but not necessarily, is finally optionally capable of: 4. storing the digital code in a local or remote database, and sharing at least one portion of said database with at least one further vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus and/or with at least one local and/or remote computerised system.

(34) Moreover, the fourth and last step of the method indicated above can be equally well performed by the control unit of the wheel maintenance apparatus or by the portable device (smartphone, tablet), or by a local and/or remote computerised system, separately and/or in cooperation with one another.

(35) The database containing the digital codes can also be initially populated at the time of creation of the same, or prior to the marking and/or reading steps. In this case, the reading step will serve to retrieve codes that will preferably then be compared with those previously stored in the database, in order to verify the exact correspondence thereof.

(36) The apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a wheel balancing machine 4. The same reference numbers have been used for the elements of the balancing machine 1 corresponding to those present in the tyre mounting/demounting device 2. The balancing machine 1 comprises a base 5 intended to rest on the ground. Mounted on the base 5 there is a rotatable support 6 defined by a horizontal shaft, at the ends of which there are disposed support means, not illustrated in detail and known per se, intended to receive and support the rim 3 of the wheel 2, and a locking means, not illustrated in detail and known per se, which enables the rim 3 to be solidly constrained to the shaft 6. The shaft 6 is rotatable on the base 5 about a main axis A thereof and is connected to an electric motor, for example inside a casing of the base 5 and not illustrated. The motor is configured to rotate the shaft 6 and the wheel 4 together about the main axis A of the shaft 6 (which coincides with the main or rotation axis of the wheel 4). The balancing machine comprises devices, known per se and neither described nor illustrated, suitable for enabling the static and/or dynamic balancing of the wheel while the latter rotates about the main axis A.

(37) The apparatus 1 further comprises a control unit 9 and a laser marking system 10, connected to said control unit 9.

(38) In FIG. 2, the laser marking system 10 is positioned in such a way as to be able to operate on the right side wall 2A of the tyre 2.

(39) However, in this embodiment as well it is in principle possible to dispose the laser marking system 10 in such a way that it can operate on the left side wall 2A of the tyre, or it is possible to use a movement and support means, not illustrated, capable of positioning a single laser marking system 10 either on the right or left relative to the tyre 2, so as to be able to operate on both of the side walls 2A, 2B. Alternatively, it is possible to use two laser marking systems, one for each side wall of the tyre.

(40) The position of the laser marking system 10 is further adjustable along the directions F1 and F2, automatically or manually.

(41) Essentially, the structure and functioning of the laser marking system 10, when the wheel maintenance apparatus is a balancing machine, are wholly analogous to what was described above for the case in which said apparatus is a tyre mounting/demounting device, and will thus not be repeated here.

(42) The above-described system and method could also be applied to apparatus for checking the alignment of the wheels of a vehicle (wheel aligners) and/or test lines for automobiles, for example test benches for brakes, suspensions or the like, without moving away from the invention described thus far and thus without requiring any inventive effort on the part of the person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE LIST

(43) 1 vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus 2 tyre 2A, 2B side walls of the tyre 3 rim 4 wheel A main axis of the wheel 5 base of the vehicle wheel maintenance apparatus 6 rotatable support 7 column 8 mounting and demounting tool 9 control unit 10 laser marking system 11 screen 12 arm 20 carriage F1, F2 directions of movement of the laser marking system