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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tire changing robotic system comprising:
 a robotic apparatus comprising:
 a base; 
 wheels attached to the base; 
 an articulating robotic arm interconnected to the base; 
 a tooling end coupled to the articulating robotic arm, wherein the robotic apparatus may be moved to the different positions such that tooling end can access a wheel of a vehicle, wherein the articulating robotic arm articulates the tooling end to perform the lug nut removal operations; and 
 a computer system including one or more processors configured to perform the operations of:
 while at a first position, causing the tooling end to remove a first group of multiple lug nuts from a first wheel of the vehicle; 
 instructing the robotic apparatus to move from the first position to a second position; and 
 while at the second position, causing the tooling end to remove a second group of multiple lug nuts from a second wheel of the vehicle, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are on the same side of the vehicle. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the operations of:
 while at the first position, causing the tooling end to replace the first group of multiple lug nuts onto the first wheel of the vehicle; and   while at the second position, causing the tooling end to replace the second group of multiple lug nuts onto the second wheel of the vehicle.   
     
     
         3 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic apparatus is configured to move in a linear fashion along a guide. 
     
     
         4 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic apparatus is configured to move in a linear fashion from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , the one or more processors further configured to perform the operations of:
 determining a lug nut pattern of the wheel of the vehicle, wherein the lug nut pattern is determined based on the one or more images obtained by the computer vision system.   
     
     
         6 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the articulating robotic arm is a multi-axis arm configured to articulate about at least four axes. 
     
     
         7 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the tooling end is configured to articulate about an arm segment of the articulating robotic arm. 
     
     
         8 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the tooling end comprises any one of the following: a tire deflation apparatus, a tire inflation apparatus, a valve stem cap removal apparatus, a valve stem cap installation apparatus, a valve core removal apparatus, and a valve core installation apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic system is configured to remove the tire and wheel from the vehicle using a tire gripper. 
     
     
         10 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the tooling end is configured to clean any one of the first wheel or the second wheel. 
     
     
         11 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the operation of:
 determining, based on the one or more obtained images, whether the wheel has damage.   
     
     
         12 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the operation of:
 determining, based on the one or more obtained images, an orientation of the wheel.   
     
     
         13 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform the operation of:
 determining, based on the one or more obtained images, side wall information of the tire.   
     
     
         14 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform the operation of:
 determining, based on the one or more obtained images, a rotational direction of the tire.   
     
     
         15 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform the operation of:
 determining, based on the one or more obtained images, a lug nut pattern of the wheel.   
     
     
         16 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the tire changing robotic system is configured to:
 receive an input indicating at least a make and model of the vehicle; and   based on the received input, determine one or more available tires for the vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tire balancer, wherein the tire balancer is configured to balance a new tire placed on the wheel.   
     
     
         18 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vehicle lifting device comprising control circuitry, the vehicle lifting device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and   the robotic apparatus comprising control circuitry, the control circuitry of the robotic apparatus communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;   wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform the operations of:   instructing the vehicle lifting device to lift the vehicle to a height above a ground surface; and   instructing the robotic apparatus to remove lug nuts from the wheel.   
     
     
         19 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , wherein the tooling end comprises a multi-socket head configured to remove multiple lug nuts at the same time. 
     
     
         20 . The tire changing robotic system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tire gripper configured to grip a tire attached to the wheel.