초록 ▼

A device and method for reducing on-car runout and imbalance in a tire/wheel assembly. An on-car runout device has a powered roller that rotates the tire/wheel assembly while it is mounted on the vehicle hub and a runout measuring device that measures the runout of the vehicle hub and a surface of t

A device and method for reducing on-car runout and imbalance in a tire/wheel assembly. An on-car runout device has a powered roller that rotates the tire/wheel assembly while it is mounted on the vehicle hub and a runout measuring device that measures the runout of the vehicle hub and a surface of the tire/wheel assembly. The on-car runout device can operate in combination with an off-car balancer in an integrated balancing system, and a computer determines the optimal position and amount of weights to reduce the imbalance. The on-car runout device also minimizes the runout in a tire/wheel assembly by automatically optimizing the position of the tire/wheel assembly relative to the runout of the vehicle's hub. Additionally, when the on-car runout device communicates with an off-car balancer, the integrated system can calculate the balance weights needed to counteract differences in imbalance forces in the tire/wheel assembly due to changes in the tire/wheel assembly's mounting between the off-car balancer and the vehicle hub.

대표청구항 ▼

A device and method for reducing on-car runout and imbalance in a tire/wheel assembly. An on-car runout device has a powered roller that rotates the tire/wheel assembly while it is mounted on the vehicle hub and a runout measuring device that measures the runout of the vehicle hub and a surface of t

A device and method for reducing on-car runout and imbalance in a tire/wheel assembly. An on-car runout device has a powered roller that rotates the tire/wheel assembly while it is mounted on the vehicle hub and a runout measuring device that measures the runout of the vehicle hub and a surface of the tire/wheel assembly. The on-car runout device can operate in combination with an off-car balancer in an integrated balancing system, and a computer determines the optimal position and amount of weights to reduce the imbalance. The on-car runout device also minimizes the runout in a tire/wheel assembly by automatically optimizing the position of the tire/wheel assembly relative to the runout of the vehicle's hub. Additionally, when the on-car runout device communicates with an off-car balancer, the integrated system can calculate the balance weights needed to counteract differences in imbalance forces in the tire/wheel assembly due to changes in the tire/wheel assembly's mounting between the off-car balancer and the vehicle hub. rant and lubricant into the air conditioning unit to dissolve the dye; d. illuminating the air conditioning unit with ultraviolet light; and e. checking the air conditioning unit for fluorescing dye. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the component is an evaporator. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the component is a condenser. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the component is an accumulator. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the component is a receiver-dehydrator. 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the dye is dispensed to evenly distribute the dye over the interior surface of the tubing. 13. The method of claim 7, wherein the component is installed on the high pressure side of the air conditioning unit. 14. The method of claim 7, wherein the dye is mixed with an oil based carrier. 15. The method of claim 7, wherein the dye is dispensed as a mist of fine droplets. 16. The method of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the dye is carried into the component by a pressurized gas. 17. A The method of claim 7, wherein approximately 0.7 mL of concentrated dye is selected per meter of component tubing. 18. The method of claim 7, wherein dispensing the dye comprises pressurizing the dye with a pump. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein dispensing the dye further comprises passing the pressurized dye through an atomization device to form a mist. 20. The method of claim 7, wherein the dye is permitted to dry before the component is installed. 21. The method of claim 7, wherein the dye is dispensed through a nozzle, and dispensing the dye comprises sealing the nozzle to the opening of the component. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein an elastic device is used between the opening and the nozzle in sealing the nozzle to the component. 23. The method of claim 7, wherein the dye is dispensed through a nozzle that is mounted on a flexible tube for insertion, and dispensing of the dye, into the tubing. 24. The method of claim 7, wherein the component has more than one opening and dye is dispensed into more than one opening. d a bore through said first and second surfaces, said pushrod passing through said bore; a spring operatively connected to said pushrod and said force-receiving plate configured to be deflected during pushrod movement in a first direction; a strain gauge bridge disposed on said force-receiving plate, said strain gauge bridge outputting a strain signal; and a microcontroller configured to convert said strain signal into an output signal indicative of said position of said brake actuator pushrod, said microcontroller storing coefficients of a nonlinear equation, said nonlinear equation representing a relationship between said strain signal and said position of said brake actuator pushrod. 9. A force-receiving plate as in claim 8, wherein said first surface has a feature to align said spring and maintain said spring in concentric alignment with said pushrod. 10. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 8, wherein said second surface has a protrusion configured to support said force-receiving plate away from interior surfaces of a brake actuator. 11. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 10, wherein said protrusion has a groove configured to accept a retaining device. 12. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 10, further comprising: said protrusion extends away from said second surface of said force-receiving plate and has at least a first section and a second section; said first section has a first diameter and lies closer to said second surface than said second section, and said second section has a second diameter; said diameter of said first section is larger than said diameter of said second section; and said second section penetrates a brake actuator through a bore in said brake actuator. 13. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 8, wherein said strain gauge bridge comprises at least two strain gauges configured to measure strain imposed upon said force-receiving plate across substantially the entire surface of said force-receiving plate. 14. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 8, wherein said strain gauge bridge comprises at least two strain gauges configured to cover substantially a stress concentration annulus located approximately about an intersection of said second surface and said protrusion. 15. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 10, wherein a surface of said force-receiving plate includes a member configured to improve the stiffness of said force-receiving plate. 16. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 15, wherein said member is an annular ring. 17. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 8, wherein said strain gauge bridge comprises: at least four strain gauges, mounted approximately ninety degrees apart from each other, each lying on a plane of said second surface; and a strain gauge measurement axis for each strain gauge being roughly parallel to an imaginary line extending from the center of said force-receiving plate to an outer edge of said force-receiving plate. 18. A strain gauge bridge as in claim 17, wherein said strain gauge bridge is configured in a Wheatstone type configuration. 19. A strain gauge bridge as in claim 17, wherein said strain gauge bridge includes at least two resistors. 20. A strain gauge bridge as in claim 17, wherein a connector is integrated for carrying a strain gauge bridge excitation voltage and said strain signal. 21. A brake stroke sensor as in claim 8, wherein said strain gauge bridge comprises: at least two strain gauges, mounted approximately one hundred and eighty degrees apart from each other, each lying on a plane of said second surface; and a strain gauge measurement axis for each strain gauge being roughly parallel to an imaginary line extending from the center of said force-receiving plate to an outer edge of said force-receiving plate. 22. A strain gauge bridge as in claim 21, wherein said strain gauge bridge is configured in a Wheatstone type configuration. 23. A strain gauge bridge as in claim 21, wherein said bridge includes at least two resistors. 24. A strain gauge bridg