Apparatus and method for assembling vehicle wheel

Abstract

An apparatus for assembling a vehicle wheel includes a workbench accommodating a wheel to which a first detector is mounted, an aligner that aligns a position of a coupling member, and a coupling unit that provides torque to the coupling member, the torque gradually being increased by the coupling unit until a second predetermined torque is achieved. The aligner has a first aligning part which includes a hydraulic pressure cylinder that pushes the wheel and a guider that guides the wheel, and a second aligning part which includes a rotating stage, a driving part, a second detector that detects the first detector, and a controller. A method for assembling a vehicle wheel includes loading the wheel on a workbench, aligning a position of the coupling member, gradually increasing torque of the coupling member, and monitoring whether the torque of the coupling member reaches the second predetermined torque.

1 . An apparatus for assembling a vehicle wheel, comprising: 
 a workbench that accommodates a wheel to which a first detector is coupled at a first predetermined torque by a coupling member;    an aligner that is disposed on the workbench and that aligns a position of the coupling member; and    a coupling unit that is disposed on the workbench and that provides a torque to the coupling member, wherein the torque is gradually increased by the coupling unit until a second predetermined torque is achieved.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the workbench comprises: 
 a table on which the wheel is seated;    a supporter that is mounted to a lower surface of the table and supports the table; and    a vertical plate disposed on an upper surface of the table.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises: 
 an inner sensor that senses a pressure and a temperature of an inside of a tire;    a screw that couples the inner sensor to an exterior circumference surface of the wheel; and    a valve stem of which a leading end is positioned at the exterior circumference of the wheel and is coupled to the screw, a tailing end is positioned at an interior circumference surface of the wheel, and a screw thread is formed on an exterior circumference surface.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the coupling member is a nut that can be coupled to the screw thread of the valve stem.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the aligner comprises: 
 a first aligning part that is disposed on the table and aligns a position of the wheel; and    a second aligning part that is disposed on the table and aligns a position of the first detector.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first aligning part comprises: 
 a hydraulic pressure cylinder disposed on a first edge of the table so as to push the wheel which has been loaded on the table; and    a guider disposed on a second edge of the table so as to guide the wheel to a first predetermined position on the table.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first aligning part further comprises a roller mounted to an end portion of the hydraulic pressure cylinder.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second aligning part comprises: 
 a rotating stage rotatably disposed on a first predetermined position on the table;    a driving part that rotates the rotating stage;    a second detector that is disposed on the table and that detects the first detector; and    a controller that controls the driving part according to a signal detected by the second detector so as to align a position of the first detector.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is disposed on a rear surface of the vertical plate.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second detector comprises: 
 a vertical member disposed on a second predetermined position on the table;    a switch rotatably disposed on the vertical member, and positioned at a height of the first detector such that the first detector contacts therewith when the rotating stage rotates; and    a proximity sensor that is disposed adjacent to the switch and that transmits a signal to the controller when the inner sensor is in contact with the switch.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first detector comprises: 
 an inner sensor that senses a pressure and a temperature of an inside of a tire;    a screw that couples the inner sensor to an exterior circumference surface of the wheel; and    a valve stem of which a leading end is positioned at the exterior circumference of the wheel and is coupled to the screw, a tailing end is positioned at an interior circumference surface of the wheel, and a screw thread is formed on an exterior circumference surface.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling member is a nut that can be coupled to the screw thread of the valve stem.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the coupling unit comprises: 
 a body disposed on the vertical plate; and    a nut runner disposed on an end of the body so as to couple the nut to the valve stem,    wherein the nut runner provides the torque to the nut, and the torque is linearly increased by the nut runner until the second predetermined torque is achieved.    
   
   
       14 . A method for assembling a vehicle wheel, comprising: 
 loading a wheel to which a first detector is coupled at a first predetermined torque by a coupling member onto a workbench;    aligning a position of the coupling member;    gradually increasing a torque of the coupling member until a second predetermined torque is achieved; and    monitoring whether the torque of the coupling member reaches the second predetermined torque.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aligning of a position of the coupling member comprises: 
 pushing the wheel using a hydraulic pressure cylinder;    guiding the wheel to a rotating stage using a guider;    rotating the wheel using a driving part;    determining whether the first detector is detected by a second detector while the wheel is being rotated by the driving part; and    rotating the wheel at a predetermined angle such that the coupling member is aligned to a coupling unit.