Tire and Wheel Mounting System and Method

Abstract

A system for providing at least a partially mounted tire and wheel assembly is disclosed. The system includes the steps of using a prime mover to bring a tire and wheel together and using the primer mover to work on at least one of the tire or the wheel to mount the tire and the wheel together, wherein the work performed by the prime mover is the only positive work introduced into the tire/wheel system.

1 . A method of at least partially mounting a tire and a wheel together, comprising the steps of:
 using a prime move to engage one of a tire or a wheel and to carry the engaged tire or wheel proximate to the other to define a tire/wheel system;   using said prime mover to bring a portion of the wheel and a bead portion of the tire in contact with one another;   using said prime mover to exert work directly on at least one of the wheel and the tire to render the bead portion of the tire at least partially mounted to the wheel, wherein the work exerted by the prime mover is the only positive work introduced into the tire/wheel system.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prime mover performs work directly on said wheel, and indirectly on said tire through said wheel. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said work rendered by said prime mover includes revolvingly manipulating the prime mover. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said prime mover performs work directly on said wheel, and indirectly on said tire through said wheel by precessionally moving the wheel against the tire. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said work rendered by said prime mover further includes moving said prime mover at least in one of a precessional, linear, plunging, rotational pendulum, or sinusoidal motion. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said prime mover movement includes combining two or more precessional, linear, plunging, rotational, pendulum, or sinusoidal motions. 
   
   
       7 . A method for providing at least a partially mounted tire and wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:
 a) bringing together a portion of a wheel and tire wherein the wheel defines a wheel axis of rotation and wherein the tire defines a tire axis of rotation, and   b) revolvingly manipulating one of the tire and the wheel to provide at least a partially mounted tire and wheel assembly.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further including the step of:
 c) moving at least one of the tire and the wheel linearly along a plunging axis.   
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein step a) includes bringing together a portion of a wheel and a portion of a tire using:
 a pendulum motion, and   disposing the portion of the wheel adjacent a first bead of the tire, wherein the portion of the wheel is a drop center portion.   
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
 c) arranging a plurality of rollers adjacent an axial end surface of the tire;   d) displacing at least one of the rollers toward the axial end surface of the tire to urge a second bead of the tire toward the wheel;   e) rotating the wheel relative to the tire.   
   
   
       11 . A method for providing at least a partially mounted tire and wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:
 orienting a tire and a wheel relative to one another, wherein the tire includes a bead and an axis, and   wherein the wheel includes a circumference;   revolvingly manipulating at least one of the tire and the wheel; and   urging at least one of the tire and the wheel against the other.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said orienting step includes positioning at least one of said tire and wheel so that an angle of approach which is equal to zero degrees is established. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said orienting step includes positioning at least one of said tire and wheel such that an angle of approach θ, that is not equal to zero degrees is established. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said urging step includes moving at least one of the tire and wheel along a plunging axis. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plunging axis is generally coincident with the tire axis of rotation. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wheel is rotated relative to the tire. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wheel has an axis of rotation and the tire has an axis of rotation, wherein the orienting step further includes the step of orienting the wheel's axis of rotation non-parallel to the tire's axis of rotation. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 11 , further including the step of:
 pinching the sidewalls of the tire toward one another.   
   
   
       19 . A device for mounting a tire to a wheel, comprising:
 a master actuator adapted to be coupled to at least one of a tire or a wheel for:   i) engaging the at least one of a tire or a wheel; and   ii) while engaged to said at least one of a tire or a wheel, transporting said at least one of a tire or a wheel in proximity to the other, and   iii) while engaged to said at least one of a tire or a wheel, revolvingly manipulating the at least one of the tire or wheel to at least partially mount the tire and the wheel together.   
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , further including:
 a compression mechanism for compressingly engaging a sidewall portion of the wheel.   
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the master actuator includes a pivot joint coupled to a rotary actuator for allowing the at least one of the tire and the wheel to pivot. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the compression mechanism includes at least one pair of pinching fingers for compressingly engaging opposing side walls of the tire. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein said circular manipulating of said actuator includes at least one of means for manipulating rotatingly and means for manipulating precessionally. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 19 , further including a plurality of rollers adapted to engage said tire. 
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein at lest one of said rollers in said plurality of rollers is coupled to a repositional roller which may be manipulated toward or away from the tire.