GB2442715A

GB2442715A - Wheel balance assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2442715A
Application number: GB0704086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Halle
Original assignee: Trax JH Ltd
Current assignee: Trax JH Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-02
Filing date: 2007-03-02
Publication date: 2008-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-02
Also published as: GB0704086D0; GB2442715B

Abstract

The assembly comprises a clip 100 being arranged to accommodate and attach to the rim of a wheel, comprising an attachment face 140 and a balance weight 200 provided with a complementary recess portion, which may be full height and central, arranged to accommodate the attachment face 140; whereby the balance weight 200 is arranged to adhesively mount to the attachment face 140 of the clip 100, e.g. by double-sided tape, liquid glue, epoxy resin or solder. The attachment face may have one or more protrusions.

Description

WHEEL BALANCE ASSEMBLY

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wheel balance assembly.

Background of the Invention

Where a tyre fitted to a wheel (or indeed the wheel itself) is heavier at one side that the other, an out-of-balance vibration can manifest itself during driving which can cause noticeable vibration on the steering wheel, and through the car itself. This causes tyres and mechanical parts to wear more quickly and ultimately could render a vehicle unsafe. Wheel balance weights are used to correct out-of-balance defects on tyred wheels, and are arranged to attach to the rims of wheel used by vehicles such as cars, buses, trucks or the like.

Where a tyre is observed to be out-of-balance, a wheel balance weight of compensatory measure may be attached to the rim of the wheel diametrically opposite the heavier portion of the tyre / wheel.

For some types of wheel, such wheel balance assemblies are provided by a balance weight and a clip, wherein the balance weight is consolidated (for example by casting) around the clip to provide the complete assembly. Wheel balance assemblies of varying weights can therefore be provided by varying the amount of balance weight used. S...

A prior art example is shown in EP1302695 * *5 S. I **. I

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Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wheel balance assembly comprising a clip being arranged to accommodate and attach to the rim of a wheel, comprising an attachment face, and a balance weight provided with a complementary recess portion arranged to accommodate the attachment face; whereby the balance weight is arranged to adhesively mount to the attachment face of the clip.

The recess portion may extend for substantially the height of the balance weight. Such an arrangement may be advantageous as it may provide for as large a surface region as possible to the balance weight to be attached.

In addition the recess portion may be arranged to be substantially the same as the width of the attachment face. In this arrangement the balance weight may be readily located upon the clip, to provide, for example a balance weight that is centralised with the clip.

The adhesion may be provided by double sided tape. Such an arrangement may be advantagoues as it would allow the manufacture of the clip and the balance weight to occur in differ localities, and allow the combination of each component to take place at a further locality, for example in a garage or tyre shop. The adhesive tape used may be capable of withstanding the temperature of an oven used when powder coating, dip coating or the like. Such an arrangement may be advantageous, as this .. would allow the wheel balance assembly to be powder-coated, or dip- : coated after assembly.

In addition such an adhesive arrangement is also advantageous, as it does : .. 30 not require penetration or damage of the clip or balance weight surfaces S.. * to ensure the balance weight is adhered to the clip. In many circumstances where the clip or balance weight has been provided with a protective coating, mechanical connections such as clips, riveting, welding, etc. may lead to this protective coated being penetrated, and thus lead to the risk of corrosion. This may be especially true for clips/balance weights made of steel, or other metal materials that readily oxidise in air.

The recess portion may serve to form two end portions in the balance weight, whereby each end portion may be of similar volumes.

Alternatively, the end portions may be different volumes. It may be advantagoues to provide end portion of similar volume such that when centralised, the balance weight provides an even distribution of weight either side of the clip. Such an arrangement helps to ensure that the centre of mass of the assembly is roughly in line with the centre of the clip so that the assembly can more readily be located in the correct location on a wheel to which it is attached.

In addition the clip may be provided with at least one protrusion, arranged in use to interact with the rim of a wheel on which the wheel balance assembly is fitted. Such an arrangement may aid the retention of the wheel balance assembly. The protrusion may be provided either by deforming a region of the clip, and/or by providing an appendage to the clip.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing a wheel balance assembly comprising the steps of: providing a clip, comprising an attachment face; providing a balance weight * comprising a recess portion; and adhesively attaching the attachment face to the recess portion S.. * S. * . . S.. S *S * S S* *.

Brief description of the drawings

There now follows, by way of example only, a detailed description of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 shows a clip according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 shows a balance weight according to the first embodiment; Figure 3 shows a weight balance assembly according to the first embodiment; Figure 4 shows a clip according to a first embodiment comprising wings; Figure 5 and 6 shows clips according to a second embodiment Figure 7 shows a wheel balance assembly accordingly to the second embodiment; and Figure 8 shows a wheel balance assembly according to the second embodiment in use.

Figure 1 shows a wheel balance clip 100 (hereinafter termed clip). The * ** clip 100 comprises a U shaped spring portion 110 and an attachment portion 120, depending from the spring portion 110. The U- shape of the spring portion 110 is provided to accommodate and attach the clip 100 to a rim of a wheel. Furthermore the spring portion 110 is provided with a Cut-Out region 105, arranged to accommodate a removal tool.

The attachment portion 120 is provided with a first attachment face 140 and a second face 150 the second face 150 opposing the attachment face 140. The attachment face 140 is arranged such that a balance weight 200 may be mounted thereupon, for example by adhesion Figure 2 shows a balance weight 200 of the first embodiment. The balance weight 200 comprises a recess portion 210 The recess portion 210 is arranged to accommodate the attachment face 140 of the clip 100. In the present embodiment the recess portion 210 is arranged to extend from an upper face 205 of the balance assembly substantially for the height of the balance weight 200, however it will be readily appreciated that in alternative embodiments the recess portion need only extend for a percentage of the height of the balance weight, such as 10% 20%, 50%, etc. or alternatively may be not extend from the upper face 205, but may be provided as a recess in a region, such as a central region, in a face of the balance weight 200. In alternative embodiments the balance weight may be provided with more than one recess portion 210, which again may be arranged to accommodate the attachment face 140, for example the profile of the attachment face 140 conforms to the multiple recess portions 220 on the balance weight.

The recess portion 210 of the present embodiment therefore divides the balance weight 200 into two end regions 220 and a central region 230. In the present embodiment the central region 230 is therefore thinner than *:* the two end regions 220 and the recess portion 210 is arranged such that * the two end regions 220 are of substantially the same volume. In :.:. alternative embodiments, each end region 220 may be of different S..

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Figure 3 shows a balance weight assembly 400 of the present embodiment. For clarity the spring portion 110 of the clip 100 is omitted from this figure. In the present embodiment the width and height of the recess portion 210 is arranged to be substantially the same as the width and height of the attachment face 140. It will readily be appreciated however that in alternative embodiment this need not be the case, and the recess portion 210 may have a width greater than that of the attachment face 140. In addition, the attachment face 140 may have a height larger, or smaller that the height of the recess portion 210. It will be readily appreciated to a person skilled in the art however that the location of the balance weight 200 relative to the clip 100 is readily facilitated when the width of the recess portion and the width of the attachment face 140 are substantially the same.

In use, the recess portion 210 of the balance weight 200 is arranged to be adhesively mounted to the attachment face 140 to form the wheel balance assembly 400. In the present embodiment this is provided by the use of an adhesive connection 405, such as double sided adhesive tape. The adhesive tape is arranged such that it can withstand the duration of exposure to temperatures used in a coating oven, such as those used in powder coating, dip coating or the like. In alternative embodiments however, the adhesion may be provided by liquid glue, epoxy resin, or the like. In other embodiments means other than adhesive may be used.

For example, solder, or the like may be used. * . * *.*

In alternative embodiments the balance weight 200 may be provided with * * no recess portion 210. In such arrangements, the attachment face 140 may be adhesively attached directly to a face of the balance weight 200. In * further embodiments still, it may be the attachment face 140 that is provided with a recess portion 210, arranged to centralise a balance weight 200 thereupon. Again the recess portion 210 may extend for substantially the height of the attachment face 140. or only a portion thereof. A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate how to implement such an arrangement.

Alternatively, rather than having a recess portion the balance weight 200 and the attachment face 140 may be provided with a male protrusion on one and complementary female protrusion on the other. More than one male/female parts may be provided. In each case, a person skilled in the art would be able to arrange the parts such that, when in use, the balance weight 200 was located, for example to be centralised, upon the clip 100.

Figure 4 shows a clip 100 comprising wings 170, 175. Each wing 170, extends longitudinally from the clip 100 and in the same plane as the attachment face 140, and is arranged to provide a further surface area for the balance weight 200 to be mounted. In can be advantageous to increase the surface area such that the weight is held more securely in place. The size of the weight is likely to increase as its mass increases.

It will readily be appreciated that in some embodiments the wheel balance assembly 400 may not require a balance weight 200, and the weight of the clip 100 may provide, when attached to a rim of a wheel, the mass to balance the wheel.

Figure 5 shows a clip 300 of a second embodiment of the present invention. Again the clip 300 is provided with a spring portion 310 and an attachment portion 320. The attachment portion 320 again is provided : * with an attachment face 340 and a second face 350, opposing the

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attachment face 340.

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In this embodiment the second face 350 of the attachment portion 320 is S.. S provided with a protrusion 360. The protrusion 360 is arranged to extend from the second face 350. In this embodiment deforming a region of the attachment portion 310 forms the protrusion 360, such that the protrusion 360 on the second face 350 has a complementary recess region 380 on the attachment face 340. In alternative embodiment the protrusion 360 may be provided as an appendage. The appendage may be provided as a constituent component of the second face 350, or as an additional component attached to the second face 350. A person skilled in the art will readily how to implement such alternative arrangements.

in the present embodiment the protrusion 360 extends substantially perpendicularly from the second face 350 and is formed as an oblong pyramidal shape. The protrusion 360 is also provided with a cambered upper surface region 370. In alternative embodiments the protrusion 360 may be provided with a tapered upper surface region 370, or any alternative configurations.

In the present embodiment the protrusion 360 is located in a central region of the second face 350, although it will be readily appreciated that alternative configurations and locations of protrusion 360 may be used, and a person skilled in the art will be able to implement these accordingly. The protrusion 360 may also extend for substantially the length and/or height of the second face 350. In addition the clip 300 may be provided with any number of protrusions 360, such as 3, 4, 10, 20, etc. Figure 6 details such an arrangement where two protrusions 360, 365 are provided. In this arrangement each protrusion is substantially arcuate S...

in shape, which again provides a cambered upper surface region 370. * .*

Figure 7 shows a wheel balance assembly 600 of the second embodiment. S.

Again, for clarity the spring portion 310 is omitted from the figure. In this figure the clip 300 is provided with the balance weight 200, mounted,

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via an adhesive connection 405 to the attachment face 340 of the attachment portion 320.

Figure 8 shows the second embodiment of the invention in use, whereby, the U-shaped spring portion 310 is opened, and then closed upon a rim 700 of a wheel, such that the stress in the spring portion 310 retains the clip 300 upon the wheel. The protrusion 360 is arranged such that it interacts with the rim 700 of the wheel, and thus increases the stress in the spring portion 310 when compared to a clip 300 without a protrusion 360. The protrusion 360 also acts to increase the pressure exerted by the attachment portion 320 upon the rim 700, compared to a clip 300 without a protrusion 360 by providing a contact region of lesser area. In effect, the protrusion 360 acts to aid retention of the clip 300.

The wheel balance assembly 400, 600 of the present invention may be provided with a protective, or sacrificial coating such as a dip or powder coating, galvanisation, zinc plating or electroplating or the like in order to prevent corrosion. In the present embodiment the wheel balance assembly 600 is zinc plated, which may then be powder coated, where the powder coating may be coloured if desired which for example would lead to matching the colour to that of a wheel.

The wheel balance assembly 400, 600 may be manufactured from a single material such as: plastic, steel, lead, zinc, copper, or alloy of these metals, or glass, ceramics etc. Alternatively each portion of the clip 100, *e*.

S..... 300 -such as the spring portion 110, 310 and the attachment portion 120, 320 -and the balance weight 200 may be manufactured from different materials. Therefore while the present embodiment the clip 100, 300 and the balance weight 200 are manufactured from steel, in alternative embodiments the clip 100, 300 may be provided by one material, while the balance weight 200 may be provided by another.

It will readily be appreciated that any features of the second embodiment may be provided in the first embodiment and visa versa. * * * *** S... * . SIS* * .. * * S ** * * 5. * *. * 5 5 *.. . ** S * SI * **

Claims

1. A wheel balance assembly comprising: a clip being arranged to accommodate and attach to the rim of a wheel, comprising an attachment face and a balance weight provided with a complementary recess portion arranged to accommodate the attachment face: whereby the balance weight is arranged to adhesively mount to the attachment face of the clip.

2. A wheel balance assembly according to claim 1 wherein the recess portion extends for substantially the height of the balance weight.

3. A wheel balance weight assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the width of the recess portion is arranged to be substantially the same as the width of the attachment face.

5. A wheel balance assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the adhesion is provided by any one of the following list: double-sided adhesive tape, glue, and epoxy.

6. A wheel balance assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the recess portion serves to form two end portions in the balance : *.* 25 weight * S.. * S * .**

: *.., 7. A wheel balance assembly according to claim 6 wherein each end S.. I portion is of substantially the same volume.

8. A wheel balance assembly according to any preceding claim : wherein the clip is provided with at least one protrusion, arranged in use to interact with the rim of a wheel on which the wheel balance assembly is fitted so as to aid the retention of the wheel balance assembly.

9. A wheel balance assembly according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion is formed from a deformed region of the clip.

10. A wheel balance assembly according to claim 9, wherein the protrusion is formed from an appendage, attached to the clip 11. A wheeE balance assembly according to any of claims 8 to 10, comprising more than one protrusion.

12. A method of providing a wheel balance assembly comprising the steps of; providing a clip, comprising an attachment face providing a balance weight comprising a recess portion adhesively attaching the attachment face to the recess portion 13. A method of providing a wheel balance assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings 14. A wheel balance assembly substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. S. * S * 25 *.S. * S * ** S. *

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