US20210364284A1

US20210364284A1 - quick tire self-centering clamp

Info

Publication number: US20210364284A1
Application number: US17/281,589
Authority: US
Inventors: Xiaoying Zhu; Yan Zhu; Xueqian NIU
Original assignee: Kjc Engineering Inc
Current assignee: Kjc Engineering Inc
Priority date: 2018-12-11
Filing date: 2019-12-10
Publication date: 2021-11-25
Also published as: US11364597B2; CN110842826A; US20210291322A1; CN109877733A; WO2020119660A1; EP3895843A1; EP3895843A4; WO2020118803A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a quick tire self-centering clamp, including a clamp body assembly, a gear and rack transmission mechanism and a locking mechanism, where the clamp body assembly includes a seat body and three guide rails, each of the guide rails is provided with a sliding seat, and a gripping jaw for holding a tire tightly is fixed on the sliding seat; the gear and rack transmission mechanism includes three racks, one end of each of the racks is fixedly connected to the sliding seat and is parallel to the guide rail in opposite directions, a central shaft sleeve is mounted in the seat body, a gear is fixed on the central shaft sleeve; the locking mechanism includes a ratchet, a positioning pin rod and a positioning pin telescopic component. the gear and rack transmission mechanism can increase the adjustment stroke of the clamp.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of vehicle wheel alignment measurement, and specifically relates to a quick tire self-centering clamp.

BACKGROUND

Quick tire self-centering clamps on the market mainly include four-point clamps and three-point clamps. Gripping methods thereof include a lead screw type and three-point or ring positioning method, a two-jaw tire-holding gripping method and a three jaw tire holding method. Since most vehicles now use aluminum alloy hubs or wheel decoration covers, in order to ensure that the decoration of the wheel surface is not damaged during maintenance, more and more customers use clamps using the three-jaw tire-holding method. At present, most of the clamps using the three-jaw tire-holding method adopt a crank connecting rod transmission method to ensure the synchronous self-centering of the three jaws. A worm and gear method ensures the locking or the lead screw type locking. The stroke is small, the adjustment speed is slow, and the clamp structure is relatively complicated.
Therefore, in the existing technical solutions, the existing tire self-centering clamps have the shortcomings such as short working stroke and slow adjustment speed.

SUMMARY

Therefore, the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are that in the prior art, tire self-centering clamps have a small working stroke and a slow adjustment speed.
In this regard, the technical solution adopted is a quick tire self-centering clamp according to the present disclosure, including:
a clamp body assembly, including a hollow cylindrical seat body and three guide rails arranged along the circumference of the seat body and extending outward, where each of the guide rails is provided with a sliding seat, and a gripping jaw for holding a tire tightly is fixed on the sliding seat;
a gear and rack transmission mechanism, including three racks, where one end of each of the racks is fixedly connected to the sliding seat and is parallel to the guide rail in opposite directions, a central shaft sleeve is mounted in the seat body, a gear is fixed on the central shaft sleeve, the three racks respectively mesh with the gear for transmission, and an upper end of the central shaft sleeve is provided with a hand wheel for driving the central shaft sleeve to rotate;
a locking mechanism, including a ratchet, a positioning pin rod and a positioning pin telescopic component, where the ratchet is fixed, on the central shaft sleeve and is adjacent to the gear, and the positioning pin telescopic component drives the positioning pin rod to be engaged with or separated from the ratchet; and
when the positioning pin rod is engaged with the ratchet, the hand wheel is rotated to drive the central shaft sleeve to implement unidirectional rotation, and the three racks rotate synchronously accordingly and drive the gripping jaw to clamp the tire; and when the positioning pin rod is separated from the ratchet, the hand wheel is rotated to drive the central shaft sleeve, the racks and the gripping jaw to rotate freely.
Preferably, one end of the seat body is closed, and the other end thereof is provided with an end cover, the center of the end cover is provided with a through center hole, and the central shaft sleeve passes through the center hole.
Preferably, the three guide rails are in a Y shape, the seat body is provided with a through wedge-shaped square hole below each of the guide rails, and the racks are each inserted in the wedge-shaped square hole in a direction opposite to the extending direction of the guide rail and fixed on the corresponding sliding seat.
Preferably, there is a height difference between the guide rails, and the thicknesses of the sliding seats on the guide rails are different to compensate for the height difference, so that all the gripping jaws are in the same horizontal plane.
Preferably, a guide portion protrudes from a side of the seat body and is provided with a guide hole allowing the positioning pin rod to pass through, and, an annular clamping block protrudes from the front of the positioning pin rod and is disposed in the guide hole.
Preferably, a front end of the positioning pin rod is provided with a clamping portion engaged with a tooth back of the ratchet, and the clamping portion is in a slope shape.
Preferably, the positioning pin telescopic component includes a connecting plate fixedly connected to the seat body, a concave wheel, a cam, and a returning spring; the concave wheel, the cam and the returning spring penetrate the positioning pin rod; the concave wheel and the cam match each other, and the concave wheel is fixed to the connecting plate, and one end of the returning spring is pressed on a lower plane of the concave wheel, the other end thereof is pressed on a limit pin of the positioning pin rod, and a nut is fixed to a rear end of the positioning pin rod.
Preferably, the concave wheel is provided with several concave inclined surfaces with rotation angles, and the cam is provided with convex inclined surfaces that match the concave inclined surfaces.
Preferably, the cam, is provided with an, operating handle, the connecting plate is provided with an inclined groove for the operating handle to be engaged in, and the operating handle is pulled to drive the convex inclined surfaces of the cam to rotate and rise or descend along the concave inclined surfaces of the concave wheel, to drive the positioning pin rod to be separated from or engaged with the ratchet.
Preferably, an upper end of one guide rail is provided with a handle.
Preferably, an outer end of the gripping jaw is a clamping portion, and friction protrusions are uniformly disposed on an outer side of the clamping portion in contact with the tire.
The technical solutions of the present disclosure have the following advantages that in the present disclosure, a gear and rack transmission mechanism can increase the adjustment stroke of the clamp, calibrate and center different types and sizes of tires, have a fast adjustment speed, and improve work efficiency. A locking mechanism can quickly control the rotation directions of the gear and rack transmission mechanism and a corresponding gripping jaw during operation to implement unidirectional rotation, which avoids halfway give-up caused by reversed rotation and improves safety and work effectiveness. The whole clamp implements operation through the hand wheel, is simple, to operate, meets market demand, and has extremely high practicability.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be described in the following specification, and partly become obvious from the specification, or understood by implementing the present disclosure. The objectives sand other advantages of the present disclosure can be implemented and obtained through the structures specifically pointed out in the written specification, claims, and accompanying drawings.
The technical solutions of the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and form part of the specification. The accompanying drawings together with embodiments of the present disclosure are used to explain the present disclosure, and do not constitute a limitation to the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a seat body with guide rails according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a wedge-shaped square hole of a seat body according to, the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a positioning target mounting structure according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a locking mechanism according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a locking mechanism according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a state diagram of a positioning pin rod clamping a ratchet according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a state diagram showing the separation of a positioning pin rod from a ratchet according to the present disclosure.

The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows: 1. seat body, 2. rack, 3. sliding seat, 4. pipping jaw, 41. clamping portion, 42. friction protrusion, 5. hand wheel, 6. positioning target seat structure, 7. locking mechanism, 8. guide rail, 9. wedge-shaped square hole, 10. end cover, 11. handle, 12. central shaft sleeve, 13. ratchet, 14. gear, 15. support, 16. positioning target seat, 17. positioning pin rod, 171. annular clamping block, 18. guide portion, 181. guide hole, 19. concave wheel, 191. concave inclined surface, 20. cam, 201. operating handle, 202. convex inclined surface, 21. connection plate, 211. inclined groove.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

To make the above objective, features, and advantages of the present disclosure clearer and more comprehensible, the present disclosure is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that orientations or position relationships indicated by terms “middle”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, etc. are orientation or position relationships as shown in the drawings, and these terms are just used to facilitate description of the present disclosure and simplify the description, but not to indicate or imply that the mentioned device or elements must have a specific orientation and must be established and operated in a specific orientation, and thus, these terms cannot be understood as a limitation to the present disclosure. The terms such as “first” and “second” are used only for the purpose of description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined with “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, “a plurality of” means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.
In addition, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, meanings of terms such as “install”, “connected with”, “connected to” and “fix” should be understood in a board sense. For example, the connection may be a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; may be a direct connection or an indirect connection by using an intermediate medium; or may be intercommunication between two components. A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure according to specific circumstances.
In the present disclosure, unless expressly stipulated and defined otherwise, a first feature being “above” or “below” a second feature may include that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or include that the first feature and the second feature are not in direct contact and are in contact via other features therebetween. Furthermore, if the first, feature is “above” the second feature, it includes that the first feature is over or obliquely above the second feature, or only means that the level of the first feature is greater than that of the second feature. If the first feature is “below” the second feature, it includes that the first feature is under or obliquely below the second feature, or only means that the level of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a quick tire self-centering clamp according to the present disclosure includes a clamp body assembly, a gear and rack transmission mechanism, a locking mechanism 7, a hand wheel assembly, etc. The clamp body assembly includes a seat body 1 and three guide rails 8 arranged at intervals along the circumference of the seat body 1 and extending outward. The guide rails 8 and the seat body 1 can be machined separately, and an upper end of one guide rail 8 is provided with a handle 11, making it convenient to take and place the guide rail 8 when the guide rail 8 is unused. The seat body 1 is in a shape of a hollow cylinder. One end of the seat body 1 is closed, the other end thereof is provided with an end cover 10, and the center of the end cover 10 is provided with a through center hole. A central shaft sleeve 12 is mounted in the seat body 1 and passes through the center hole. The seat body 1 and the end cover 10 are each provided with a bearing, and the bearing is connected to the central shaft sleeve 12 and supports the rotation of the central shaft sleeve 12.
In addition, the quick tire self-centering clamp further includes a positioning target seat structure 6 which is composed of a positioning target seat 16 and a support 15, the support 15 is fixed at a lower end of the seat body 1, the center of the central shaft sleeve 12 is provided with a through hole, the support 15 passes through the through hole and is in movable fit with the central shaft sleeve 12, and an upper end of the support 15 is connected to the positioning target seat. When the central shaft sleeve 12 rotates, the positioning target seat 16 does not rotate accordingly, and a target is mounted on the positioning target seat 16 to measure a wheel alignment for four-wheel, positioning. A hand wheel 5 is fixed at an upper end of the central shaft sleeve 12. The hand wheel 5 is rotated to drive the central shaft sleeve 12 to rotate.
Three guide rails 8 are mounted on the seat body 1 in the circumferential direction. The three guide rails 8 are in a Y shape. This arrangement can prevent the rotating tire from hitting the ground during operation. There is a height difference between the guide rails 8. Each of the guide rails 8 is provided with a sliding seat 3, and a gripping jaw 4 for holding the tire tightly is fixed to the sliding seat 3. In order to prevent the height difference between the guide rails 8 from affecting the gripping jaws 4, the sliding seats 3 on the guide rails 8 are designed to have different thicknesses to compensate for the height difference between the guide rails 8, and finally make the gipping jaws 4 in the same horizontal plane, so that force can be applied evenly when the tire is held.
An outer end of the gripping jaw 4 is a clamping portion 41. Friction protrusions 42 are uniformly disposed on an outer side of the clamping portion 41 in contact with the tire. The friction protrusions 42 increase the friction between the clamping portion 41 and the tire, thereby avoiding slippage.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the gear and rack transmission mechanism includes three racks 2, one end of each of the racks 2 is fixedly connected to the sliding seat 3 and is parallel to the guide rail 8 in opposite directions. Specifically, the seat body 1 is provided with a through wedge-shaped square hole 9 below each of the guide rails 8, and the racks 2 are each inserted in the wedge-shaped square hole 9 in a direction opposite to the extending direction of the guide rail 8 and fixed on the corresponding sliding seat 3. During the casting process of the seat body 1, the three guide rails 8 are not uniformly arranged, and each of the wedge-shaped square holes 9 is also set with a wedge angle. Therefore, in the specific manufacturing process, a casting method is usually adopted, that is, a wedge-shaped core is used, which is implemented by core pulling, so as to facilitate the operation and ensure that the wedge-shaped core does not break. The function of the wedge-shaped square hole is ensured, and the machining is simple and easy. The wedge-shaped square hole 9 may also be formed by cutting.
A gear 14 is fixedly arranged on the central shaft sleeve 12, and the three racks 2 respectively mesh with the gear 14 for transmission. Because the length of the rack 2 can be set relatively flexibly, compared with an existing crank connecting rod transmission mode or gear transmission mode, the gear and rack transmission may have a greater stroke range, and ensures that the overall size of the product is compact. This structure enables the gripping jaw 4 to be suitable for tires of different sizes and specifications, and the application range is wider.
Referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the locking mechanism 7 includes a ratchet 13, a positioning pin rod 17 and a positioning pin telescopic component. The ratchet 13 is fixed to the central shaft sleeve 12 and is adjacent to the gear 14, and the two are next to each other to reduce the overall size. The positioning pin telescopic component drives the positioning pin rod 17 to be engaged with or separated from the ratchet 13.
Specifically, a guide portion 18 protrudes from a side of the seat body 1, and the guide portion 18 can be integrally formed with the seat body 1. The guide portion 18 is provided with a guide hole 181 allowing the positioning pin rod 17 to pass through. An annular clamping block 171 protrudes from the front of the positioning pin rod 17 and is disposed in the guide hole 181. The diameter of the annular clamping block 171 is slightly smaller than that of the guide hole 181 to play a guiding role, which can ensure that the positioning pin rod 17 smoothly extends and retracts in the guide hole 181 without inclination at a greater angle.
A front end of the positioning pin rod 17 is provided with a clamping portion 172 engaged with a tooth back of the ratchet 13, and the clamping portion 172 is in a slope shape. When the clamping portion 172 is engaged with the ratchet 13, according to the working principle of the ratchet 13, the hand wheel 5 rotates to drive the central shaft sleeve 12 to rotate. Because the central shaft sleeve 12 is fixed to the ratchet 13, the central shaft sleeve 12 can only, rotate in one direction. The unidirectional rotation can drive the clamp 4 to also rotate in one direction, namely rotate at the tendency of clamping the tire, thereby avoiding halfway give-up caused by reversed rotation and improving safety and work effectiveness.
The positioning pin telescopic component includes a connecting plate 21 fixedly connected to the seat body 1, a concave wheel 19, a cam 20, and a returning spring 22; the concave wheel 19, the cam 20 and the returning spring 22 penetrate the positioning pin rod 17; the concave wheel 19 and the cam 20 match each other, and the concave wheel 19 is fixed to the connecting plate 21. One end of the returning spring 22 is pressed on a lower plane of the concave wheel 19, the other end thereof is pressed on a limit pin of the positioning pin rod 17, and a nut 23 is fixed to a rear end of the positioning pin rod 17.
The concave wheel 19 is provided with several concave inclined surfaces 191 with rotation angles, and the cam 20 is provided with convex inclined surfaces 202 that match the concave inclined surfaces 191. The cam 20 is provided with an operating handle 201, the connecting plate 21 is provided with an inclined groove 211, and the operating handle 201 is engaged in the inclined groove 211. When the operating handle 201 is pulled, the convex inclined surface 202 of the cam 20 rotates and rises along the concave inclined surface 191 of the concave wheel 19, and the cam 20 pushes the nut 23 to drive the positioning pin rod 17 to move upward synchronously, thereby driving the positioning pin rod 17 to be separated from the ratchet 13. In this case, the returning spring 22 is compressed. When the lower end face of the cam 20 rises to the upper plane of the concave wheel 19, positioning is performed, and the spring 22 is in a state of maximum compression.
The operating handle 201 is pulled again, the cam 20 rotates clockwise around the positioning pin rod 17, the positioning pin rod 17 returns under the elastic restoring force of the returning spring 22, and the clamping portion 172 of the positioning pin rod 17 and the ratchet 13 return to the engaged state.
In this patent, the close buckling or staggering with the concave wheel 19 can be realized by pulling the operating handle 201 of the cam 20, thereby driving, the positioning pin rod 17 to be engaged with or separated from the ratchet 13. The structure is simple and the operation is convenient.
The working principle of this patent is as follows.
When a tire needs to be centered or calibrated, the positioning clamp is fetched via the handle 11 for use. Before use, the distance between the three gripping jaws 4 and the central shaft sleeve 12 is adjusted first according to the size of the tire. The operating handle 201 is rotated by hand, the cam 20 rotates with the positioning pin rod 17 as the axis, and the convex inclined surface 202 of the cam 20 rotates and rises along the concave inclined surface 191 of the concave wheel 19, as described above, so that the positioning pin rod 17 and the ratchet 13 are in a separated state. In this case, the hand wheel 5 can be rotated according to the specific conditions of the tire, such that the gear 14 meshes along the rack 2 for transmission. After the tire is adjusted to a suitable position, the operating handle 201 is rotated by hand to return to the inclined groove 211. In this case, the positioning pin rod 17 is engaged with the ratchet 13, and the hand wheel 5 can only drive the central shaft sleeve 12 to move in one direction.
The self-centering clamp is aligned with the tire, and the three gripping jaws 4 clamp the tire. The hand wheel 5 is rotated, such that the hand wheel 5 drives the central shaft sleeve 12 to rotate in one direction, the central shaft sleeve 12 drives the gear 14 to rotate along the rack 2, and the gripping jaws 4 contract as they rotate, so that the tire is gradually gripped. After a certain clamping force is reached, the rotation is stopped. Due to the locking mechanism 7, the hand wheel 5 will not perform reversed rotation even if loosened. The safety performance is good and the flexibility is higher.
In the present disclosure, a gear and rack transmission mechanism can increase the adjustment stroke of the clamp, calibrate and center different types and sizes of tires, have a fast adjustment, speed, and improve work efficiency. A locking mechanism 7 can quickly control the rotation directions of the gear and rack transmission mechanism and a corresponding gripping jaw during operation to implement unidirectional rotation, which avoids halfway give-up caused by reversed rotation and improves safety and work effectiveness. The whole clamp implements operation through the hand wheel, is simple to operate, meets market demand, and has extremely high practicability.
It should be noted that the above embodiments are all preferred embodiments, related functional components can be replaced by other components, and the involved units and modules are not necessarily required by the present disclosure. Each embodiment of the specification is described in a progressive manner, each embodiment focuses on the difference from other embodiments, and the same and similar parts between the embodiments may refer to each other.
The quick tire self-centering clamp according to the present disclosure is described above in detail. Specific examples are used herein for illustration of the principles and implementations of the present disclosure. The description of the above embodiments is used to help illustrate the method of the present disclosure and the core principles thereof. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art can make various modifications in terms of specific implementations and scope of application in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. In conclusion, the content of the specification should not be construed as a limitation on the present disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A quick tire self-centering clamp, comprising:

a clamp body assembly, comprising a hollow cylindrical seat body and three guide rails arranged along the circumference of the seat body and extending outward, wherein each of the guide rails, is provided with a sliding seat, and a gripping jaw for holding a tire tightly is fixed on the sliding seat;

a gear and rack transmission mechanism, comprising three racks, wherein one end of each of the racks is fixedly connected to the sliding seat and is parallel to the guide rail in opposite directions, a central shaft sleeve is mounted in the seat body, a gear is fixed on the central shaft sleeve, the three racks respectively mesh with the gear for transmission, and an upper end of the central shaft sleeve is provided with a hand wheel for driving the central shaft sleeve to rotate;

a locking mechanism, comprising a ratchet, a positioning pin rod and a positioning pin telescopic component, wherein the ratchet is fixed on the central shaft sleeve and is adjacent to the gear, and the positioning pin telescopic component drives the positioning pin rod to be engaged with or separated from the ratchet; and

when the positioning pin rod is engaged with the ratchet, the hand wheel is rotated to drive the central shaft sleeve to implement unidirectional rotation, and the three racks rotate synchronously accordingly and drive the gripping jaw to clamp the tire; and when the positioning pin rod is separated from the ratchet, the hand wheel is rotated to drive the central shaft sleeve, the racks and the gripping jaw to rotate freely.

2. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 1, wherein one end of the seat body is closed, and the other end thereof is provided with an end cover, the center of the end cover is provided with a through center hole, and the central shaft sleeve passes through the center hole.

3. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 2, wherein the three guide rails are in a Y shape, the seat body is provided with a through wedge-shaped square hole below each of the guide rails, and the racks are each inserted in the wedge-shaped square hole in a direction opposite to the extending direction of the guide rail and fixed on the corresponding sliding seat.

4. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 3, wherein there is a height difference between the guide rails, and the thicknesses of the sliding seats on the guide rails are different to compensate for the height difference, so that all the gripping jaws are in the same horizontal plane.

5. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 1, wherein a guide portion protrudes from a side of the seat body and is provided with a guide hole allowing the positioning pin rod to pass through, and an annular clamping block protrudes from the front of the positioning pin rod and is disposed in the guide hole.

6. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 1, wherein a front end of the positioning, pin rod is provided with a clamping portion engaged with a tooth back of the ratchet, and the clamping portion is in a slope shape.

7. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 1, wherein the positioning pin telescopic component comprises a connecting plate fixedly connected to the seat body, a concave wheel, a cam, and a returning spring; the concave wheel, the cam and the returning spring penetrate the positioning pin rod; the concave wheel and the cam match each other, and the concave wheel is fixed to the connecting plate, and

one end of the returning spring is pressed on, a lower plane of the concave wheel, the other end thereof is pressed on a limit pin of the positioning pin rod, and a nut is fixed to a rear end of the positioning pin rod.

8. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 7, wherein the concave wheel is provided with several concave inclined surfaces with rotation angles, and the cam is provided with convex inclined surfaces that match the concave inclined surfaces.

9. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 7, wherein the cam is provided with an operating handle, the connecting plate is provided with an inclined groove for the operating handle to be engaged in, and the operating handle is pulled to drive the convex inclined surfaces of the cam to rotate and rise or descend along the concave inclined surfaces of the concave wheel, to drive the positioning pin rod to be separated from or engaged with the ratchet.

10. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of one guide rail is provided with a handle.

11. The quick tire self-centering clamp according to claim 1, wherein an outer end of the gripping jaw is a clamping portion, and friction protrusions are uniformly disposed on an outer side of the clamping portion in contact with the tire.