16 patents in this list

Updated:

The automobile industry is undergoing a transformation driven by automated tire removal and replacement technology that decreases manual labor while increasing efficiency and safety.

 

They must, however, overcome obstacles like precise tire identification, size flexibility, and dependable performance.

 

This page examines several developments in automated tire removal and replacement technology that deal with these issues.

1. Synchronized Bead Breaker Arms for Efficient Racing Car Tire Demounting and Mounting

NEXION S.P.A., 2023

Apparatus for mounting and demounting a racing car tire from its wheel rim. The key features of the apparatus are multiple synchronized bead breaker arms that move simultaneously to break the tire bead; and a hydraulic circuit that drives the arms in sync. The apparatus also has a wheel-holder unit that locks the wheel for rotation during demounting/mounting, and other tools like a demounting/mounting tool. The synchronized bead breakers and hydraulic circuit allow efficient simultaneous breaking of one tire bead while keeping the other bead stationary.

US20230278376A1-patent-drawing

2. Robotic Automated System for Tire Changing with Adaptive Wheel Fastener Recognition

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Automated tire changing system that uses robotic arms to remove and replace tires on vehicles. The system analyzes wheel fastener patterns, such as the number and arrangement of lug nuts, for each wheel. Robotic arms then remove the lug nuts, take off the wheel, and mount a new tire. The system can handle different wheel configurations, like four-, five-, or six-lug nuts. It uses computer vision and sensors to locate and grip the wheel and monitor the process.

US20230264516A1-patent-drawing

3. Rotating Arm Tire Changer Apparatus for Enhanced Flexibility and Efficiency

Butler Engineering and Marketing S.p.A. (Butler, S.p.A.), 2023

Tire changer apparatus with rotating arms for easier and more flexible tire changing. The changer has a base with a rotatable drive unit to hold wheels, a frame with guides, and two devices with tools to interact with the tire beads. The devices have arms that can rotate around axes parallel to the wheel axis. This allows the arms to be positioned optimally for any wheel size. The drive unit can translate and the arms can rotate to adapt to different wheels.

US11712932B2-patent-drawing

4. Innovative Tire Disassembling Device with Adjustable Hook and Pressing Wheel for Large Tires

Yingkou Liaonan Devi Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd., 2023

Combined tire disassembling device for disassembling and assembling large tires like tractor tires, that can adjust the relative positions of the hook and the pressing wheel to avoid damaging inner tubes. The device has a frame with a shaft hole and a driving cylinder that connects to the shaft. The combined frame mounts the pressing wheel shaft and allows the disassembling hook shaft to slide and extend using the driving cylinder.

US20230211636A1-patent-drawing

5. Robotic System for Automated Vehicle Tire Changing

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Automating the process of changing vehicle tires using a robotic apparatus. The system determines the wheel fastener pattern and directs a robotic arm to remove the lug nuts and replace the wheel with the hub. This enables fully automated tire changing without manual intervention. The robotic arm grips the tire, removes the lug nuts, swaps the tire, and reattaches the wheel.

US20230202232A1-patent-drawing

6. Robotic Arm System for Automated Vehicle Wheel Removal and Replacement

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement using a robotic arm. The system determines the wheel fastener pattern and directs the robot to remove the lug nuts and wheel from a vehicle hub. It can also replace the wheel by reversing the process. This allows fully automated tire changes without manual intervention. The robotic arm has sensors to grip the tire and extract the wheel.

US20230191832A1-patent-drawing

7. Robotic System for Autonomous Wheel Removal and Tire Replacement

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Robotic system for automated vehicle wheel removal, tire replacement, and wheel replacement. The system uses a robotic arm with sensors and grippers to autonomously remove wheels from vehicles, replace the tires, and reattach the wheels. It can perform these tasks on multiple vehicles simultaneously. The system analyzes the wheel and vehicle type to determine the appropriate operations.

US11667153B2-patent-drawing

8. Robot-Assisted Automated Tire Changing System

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Automated tire changing system using a robot to remove lug nuts, lift and replace wheels, and secure lug nuts for vehicle tire changes. The system analyzes the wheel configuration, directs the robot to remove lug nuts, detach the wheel, and install a new tire. It uses sensors and computer vision to guide the robot.

US11639075B2-patent-drawing

9. Robotic Automated System for Vehicle Tire Replacement and Rotation

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Automated tire changing system that uses robots to remove and replace vehicle wheels for tire replacement or rotation. The system directs a robotic apparatus to remove wheel fasteners and extract the wheel from the hub. The wheel is handed off to a tire changing station where the tire is replaced. The robot then retrieves the wheel and replaces it on the hub, securing the fasteners. This automated process eliminates the need for manual wheel removal and lifting.

US20230130910A1-patent-drawing

10. Innovative Tire Mounting Machine with Multi-Function Tool Holder Carriage

NEXION S.p.A., 2023

A tire mounting machine that uses a movable tool holder carriage with multiple arms and tools to efficiently and precisely mount and demount tires on wheels. The machine has a wheel holder unit and a vertical sliding tool carriage that moves down to operate on the top sidewall of the tire. The carriage has arms with tools that can extend, rotate, and move independently to engage the bead, sidewall, and break the bead.

11. Robotic Tire Changing System with Modular Gripping Mechanism

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

An automated system for tire changing in which a robotic device removes and replaces wheels on vehicles using a modular gripping mechanism to perform the process autonomously. The system uses computer vision to identify the type of wheel fasteners on a vehicle and directs the robotic device to remove the lug nuts and swap the tire. The gripping mechanism inserts fingers into the lug nut holes to secure the wheel for removal and replacement.

US11597233B2-patent-drawing

12. Robotic System for Automated Vehicle Wheel Removal and Replacement

RoboTire, Inc., 2023

Automated system for removing and replacing vehicle wheels. It uses a robotic apparatus to perform the task without human intervention. The system uses cameras and sensors to identify and locate the wheels on the vehicle, then move the robotic arm to the correct positions to remove and replace the lug nuts. The robotic arm has specialized fingers to grip the lug nut holes and pull the wheel off the hub.

13. Enhanced Tire Changing Machine with Rotatable Hooked Tool for Efficient Tire Removal

SICAM S.r.l., 2023

A tire changing machine with an improved tool to make it easier to remove the tire from the rim. The tool has a hooked end that can rotate from a vertical to an inclined position. This allows the tool to engage the tire bead and pull it over the rim edge without requiring manual repositioning. A spring is provided to return the tool to its initial vertical position after rotation.

US20230031357A1-patent-drawing

14. Radar-Assisted Contactless Tire Changer for Precision Wheel Servicing

Snap-on Equipment Srl a unico socio, 2023

A contactless tire changer that uses radar sensors to accurately detect the position of the wheel and tools without physical contact. The changer has a rotating support for the wheel, and movable tools for mounting/demounting the tire. Radar sensors determine wheel position relative to a reference point. A control unit correlates tool position with wheel position to guide tool movement. The radar sensors also detect the distance of wheel components. The control unit uses this data to precisely move the tools to remove or install the tire.

15. Versatile Wheel Servicing Machine with Integrated Tire Changing, Balancing, and Diagnostics

NEXION S.p.A., 2023

A compact and versatile wheel servicing machine that performs tire changing, wheel balancing, and wheel diagnostics. The machine has a rotatable shaft for mounting the wheel, with a support device that can engage the shaft to clamp it in place for changing tires, or disengage to allow free rotation for balancing. A connector can engage/disengage a vibration measuring system. A control unit automatically positions the support device and connector based on the user selection of tire changer or balancer mode.

US11554619B2-patent-drawing

16. Robotic Automated Tire Changing System with Autonomous Mobile Robots

AUTOMATED TIRE, INC., 2023

Automated tire changing using robotic arms mounted on autonomous mobile bases. The robots traverse to a vehicle, position their arms, and engage tools with the tire and wheel while the vehicle is stationary. They perform tasks like removing and installing wheels, deflating/inflating tires, balancing, cleaning, etc. They have sensors to locate wheels and identify tires. Multiple robots can work together.

Request the PDF report with complete details of all 16 patents for offline reading.

Through the resolution of issues related to tire changes by hand, these technologies present a dependable and efficient option for the sector. With further development, these solutions could become the norm for tire repair, saving money on labor and time while increasing overall operating efficiency.