Automated removal and replacement of vehicle wheels and tires

{
  "publication_number": "US10974546B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Automated removal and replacement of vehicle wheels and tires",
  "abstract": "Systems, methods and apparatus for automated vehicle wheel removal and replacement are provided. One system includes a computer system with applications for scheduling the replacement of tires for the vehicle. An electronically controlled lift device and robotic apparatus is configured for interaction with the computer system. The lift device mechanically adjusts arms for placement on lift points of vehicles. The robotic apparatus detects positioning of lug nut configuration for a wheel, removes lug nuts, and then removes the wheel from the wheel hub with gripping arms. The wheel and tire are then handed off to a separate tire changing machine. When a new tire is replaced the robotic apparatus then mounts the wheel to the original wheel hub, and then secures the lug nuts to the lug nut bolts.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A computer-implemented method for vehicle wheel removal and replacement, the method comprising: determining a wheel fastener pattern for a first wheel of a first vehicle; based on the determined wheel fastener pattern, removing with a robotic apparatus three or more wheel fasteners from a first wheel hub of the first vehicle; removing with the robotic apparatus, the first wheel from the first wheel hub of the first vehicle; using the robotic apparatus, placing the first wheel onto the first wheel hub of the first vehicle; and applying with the robotic apparatus the three or more wheel fasteners onto the first wheel hub of the first vehicle.",
    "2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: based on the determined wheel fastener pattern, removing with the robotic apparatus three or more wheel fasteners from a second wheel hub of the first vehicle; removing with the robotic apparatus, the second wheel from a second wheel hub of the first vehicle; using the robotic apparatus, placing the second wheel onto the second wheel hub of the first vehicle; and applying with the robotic apparatus the three or more wheel fasteners onto the second wheel hub of the first vehicle.",
    "3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the three or more fasteners are removed in a sequentially alternating pattern.",
    "4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the wheel fastener pattern comprises one of a 4-fastener pattern, a 5-fastener pattern, a 6-fastener pattern, or an 8-fastener pattern.",
    "5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a wheel fastener pattern comprises: identifying one or more fiducial markers located on at least one of the three or more wheel fasteners; and determining the wheel fastener pattern based on the location of the one or more fiducial markers.",
    "6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a wheel fastener pattern comprises: receiving vehicle information identifying a unique make and model of a vehicle; and based on the unique make and model of the vehicle, identifying wheel fastener pattern for the vehicle.",
    "7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a wheel fastener pattern comprises: obtaining one or more images of the first wheel; determining a radial fastener pattern based on detecting lug nut objects in the one or more images; and based on the number of detected lug nut objects, identifying a radial fastener pattern as one of a four lug nut pattern, a five lug nut pattern, a six lug nut pattern, or an eight lug nut pattern.",
    "8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a wheel fastener pattern comprises: receiving, from a user interface, a selection of pattern type of one of a four lug nut pattern, a five lug nut pattern, a six lug nut pattern, or an eight lug nut pattern.",
    "9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a wheel fastener pattern comprises: retrieving a wheel fastener pattern value from a database, the database having different wheel fastener pattern values.",
    "10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving one or more control parameters from a user interface from two or more remote devices, wherein the one or more control parameters are a specific type of vehicle; storing the one or more control parameters in a database; and directing a robotic apparatus to perform an operation based on the stored one or more control parameters."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Removal of wheels from vehicle wheel hubs and placing old tires with new tires onto the removed wheels is a manual and time-intensive process. Often a vehicle is jacked up or lifted by a manually operated hydraulic lift or vehicle jack. Lug nuts are then manually removed via a torque wrench or tire iron. Once the lug nuts are removed, the wheel and tire are then physically handled and removed from a wheel-hub. Such manual operations may lead to inefficient operations, and potential physical hazards to a person removing the wheel and tire from the vehicle.\n\nThe present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying Figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.\n\nFIG. 1 illustrates an example system for the automated removal and replacement of a wheel and tire.\n\nFIG. 2A illustrates an example of an automated wheel removal and wheel replacement station.\n\nFIG. 2B illustrates an example of automated wheel removal and wheel replacement stations.\n\nFIG. 3 illustrates an example user interface of the computer system.\n\nFIG. 4 illustrates an example user interface of the computer system.\n\nFIG. 5 illustrates an example user interface of the computer system.\n\nFIG. 6 illustrates an example table for a database of the computer system.\n\nFIG. 7 illustrates system modules of the computer system.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60B 29/001",
    "B21D 39/00",
    "B23P 19/04",
    "B23P 19/06",
    "B23P 19/069",
    "B23P 21/002",
    "B23P 2700/50",
    "B23P 6/00",
    "B25J 11/005",
    "B25J 11/008",
    "B25J 9/1656",
    "B25J 9/1661",
    "B25J 9/1674",
    "B25J 9/1679",
    "B25J 9/1697",
    "B60B 2320/00",
    "B60B 2320/10",
    "B60B 2340/18",
    "B60B 2340/34",
    "B60B 2340/50",
    "B60B 2340/52",
    "B60B 29/00",
    "B60C 25/0515",
    "B60S 5/00",
    "B66F 7/26"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B21D 39/00",
    "B23P 19/04",
    "B23P 19/06",
    "B23P 21/00",
    "B23P 6/00",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "B60B 29/00",
    "B60C 25/05",
    "B60S 5/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Robotire Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jonathan Downey",
    "Victor Darolfi",
    "Robert Baranowski",
    "Mark Bauer",
    "Bernard J. Michini"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-04-17",
  "publication_date": "2021-04-13",
  "grant_date": "2021-04-13",
  "priority_date": "2018-04-20",
  "application_number": "US-201916386512-A",
  "family_id": "68239769",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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}