AUTOMATIC DISPENSER FOR BALANCING WEIGHTS

Abstract

An automatic dispenser for balancing weights comprises a transport section and a cutting section. The transport section comprises a transport roller having a plurality of teeth at its circumferential outer surface generating friction to a belt of balancing weights comprising a plurality of individual balancing weight segments for transporting the belt of balancing weights to the cutting section. The cutting section has an arc shaped belt guide for forming the belt of balancing weights to a curve thus opening at least one gap between neighboring balancing weight segments. The cutting section further has a knife movable from a first side of the belt of balancing weights to a second side, to separate the belt of balancing weights between two individual balancing weight segments at a gap.

Claims

1. An automatic dispenser configured to separate balancing weight segments contained in a belt of balancing weights, the dispenser comprising: a transport section and a cutting section, wherein the transport section configured to transport the belt towards the cutting section and including a transport roller with a circumferential outer surface, wherein the circumferential outer surface has a plurality of teeth dimensioned to generate friction with the belt; the cutting section having an arc shaped belt guide configured to conform the belt of balancing weights to a curve to open at least one gap between neighboring balancing weight segments, the cutting section further having a knife configured to move along a cutting path from a first side of the belt of balancing weights to a second side of said belt to cut the belt of balancing weights between two individual balancing weight segments at the at least one gap.

2. The automatic dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a counter roller and a counter belt to press the belt against the transport roller to increase said friction.

3. The automatic dispenser according to claim 1, comprising a sensor configured to detect gaps between individual balancing weights of the belt and produce an output signal representing said gaps.

4. The automatic dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is mounted at a location on the cutting path.

5. The automatic dispenser according to claim 3, configured to count a number of balancing weights based on the output signal from the sensor.

6. The automatic dispenser according to claim 1, wherein chosen individual balancing weight segments comprise a metal.

7. The automatic dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the metal includes zinc or steel.

8. The automatic dispenser according to claim 2, comprising a sensor configured to detect gaps between individual balancing weights of the belt and produce an output signal representing said gaps.

9. The automatic dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is mounted at a location on the cutting path, and further configured to count a number of balancing weights based on the output signal from the sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In the following, the invention will be described by way of examples, without limitation of the general inventive concept, of embodiment and with reference to the drawings. of which:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment;

[0037] FIG. 2 presents an alternate embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a transport roller in detail;

[0039] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the slideway;

[0040] FIG. 5 shows the operation of the cutter;

[0041] FIG. 6 shows the cutter in an idle state.

[0042] While the invention can be modified and assume alternative forms, specific examples embodiments are shown by way of non-limiting examples in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and the corresponding detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the any particular disclosed forms disclosed, but on to the contrary, the scope of the intention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In FIG. 1, a first embodiment is shown in a side view. The dispenser includes a transport section 300 and a cutting section 200. A belt of balancing weights 100 is fed by a drive mechanism to a cutter, where desired portions of mass material are cut from the belt. In this embodiment, a belt of balancing weights 100 comprising of a plurality of individual balancing weight segments 105, is fed at the left side in feeding direction 102 into the transport section of the dispenser. There may be a coil (not shown) for supplying the balancing weights. A transport roller 340 may be configured to transport the belt having balancing weight segments, which may be coming from an approximately vertical direction into an approximately horizontal direction, for easier cutting. A counter belt 320, which may be suspended between a first pulley 310 and a second pulley 330, which may press the belt of balancing weights 100 against the transport roller 340, and therefore generates friction to the belt of balancing weights. Friction is increased by teeth 341, 342 at the transport roller. At least the transport roller 340 may be driven by a motor (not shown). To determine the precise amount of balancing weight mass material, which has been transported, an angle encoder or counter may be provided.

[0044] After passing the transport roller, the balancing weights are pushed in an approximately horizontal direction, and are guided by a slideway 260. The slideway 260 has an end section 263 and may have a curved section 262 close before the end section 263. Cutting may be done by a knife 215 which passes close to the end section 263. The knife may be held by a knife holder 216 and may be locked to the knife holder by a counter holder 217.

[0045] Before cutting, the belt section of balancing weights 120 to be cut off of the belt is bent to an angle of 90 or less by pushing the belt against a curved belt guide 220. Bending may further be supported by the curved section 262 of the slideway 260.

[0046] The balancing weights of the curved belt form a gap between adjacent balancing weights which allows the knife 215 to slide between two adjacent balancing weights. After forming the angle, the cutter comprising a knife 215 is moved from one side to the other side through the belt of balancing weights, cutting the adhesive tape between two balancing weight segments, without cutting the balancing weight segments themselves, and therefore separating a section of cut balancing weights 120 from the belt of balancing weights 100.

[0047] To transport and/or position the belt, such that the knife exactly passes through a gap between adjacent balancing weights, a position sensor 270 may be provided which may be held by a sensor holder 271. The sensor may be arranged such, that it detects the gap to be used by the knife or a neighbored gap. The sensor may be an optical or magnetic sensor.

[0048] After cutting, a section of cut balancing weights 120 slides or falls down along sidewall 261 in a direction as indicated by arrow 103, and may be delivered to a tray from which either a robot or a person may take out the balancing weight for applying it to a wheel.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows an alternate embodiment, similar to the embodiment above. Here, instead of the counter belt a counter roller 350 is provided.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a transport roller in detail. The transport roller 340 may be driven via a driveshaft 343 by a motor (not shown) and via an optional gearbox (not shown). The transport roller may be cylindrically shaped. It may have a plurality of teeth 341, 342 or spikes at its outer circumference. These teeth penetrate into the adhesive tape of the belt of balancing weights and improve friction for precise transport of the belt. There may be multiple rows of teeth which may be displaced against each other.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the slideway. The slideway 260 may have at least one sidewall 261 to prevent the belt from sliding of the slideway. At the top of the slideway a belt of balancing weights comprising multiple balancing weight segments 105 on an adhesive tape 101 may be pushed forward by the transport roller 340.

[0052] In FIG. 5, the operation of the cutter 250 comprising a knife holder 216 with attached knife 215 is shown. This image is a sectional view from right side of FIG. 1 to the cutter, where the counter holder has been omitted. Due to bending the belt of balancing weights, a gap 106 forms at the cutter edge 202, through which a knife 215, which is attached to a knife holder 216, is moved in direction 253 from a first side 107 of the belt of balancing weights to the second side 108 to separate the section of cut balancing weights 120 from the belt of balancing weights 100.

[0053] In FIG. 6, the cutter 250 is shown in an idle state, where the knife 215 is outside of the belt of balancing weights.

[0054] It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this invention is believed to provide a dispenser for balancing weights. Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0055] 100 belt of balancing weights [0056] 101 adhesive tape [0057] 102 balancing weight feeding direction [0058] 103 balancing weight delivery direction [0059] 105 balancing weight segment [0060] 106 gap between balancing weight segments [0061] 107 first side [0062] 108 second side [0063] 120 cut balancing weights [0064] 200 cutting section [0065] 215 knife [0066] 216 knife holder [0067] 217 knife counter holder [0068] 220 belt guide [0069] 250 cutter [0070] 253 cutter movement [0071] 260 slideway [0072] 261 sidewall [0073] 262 curved section [0074] 263 end section [0075] 270 position sensor [0076] 271 sensor holder [0077] 300 transport section [0078] 310 first pulley [0079] 320 counter belt [0080] 330 second pulley [0081] 340 transport roller [0082] 350 counter roller [0083] 341 first teeth [0084] 342 second teeth