Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Balancing device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-07
2001-07-17
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Balancing device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260929
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel balance weight which is to be attached to a wheel by adhesion (hereinafter, an adhesion-type balance weight) and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In an automobile wheel assembly including a wheel and a tire, there is a potential for a dynamic imbalance in weight to exist when the wheel is rotated. Generally, in order to compensate for this imbalance, the wheel is provided with a balance weight.
Increasingly, an adhesion-type balance weight has been used for the following reasons:
(1) From the standpoint of wheel design, a clip-type balance weight (a balance weight to be attached to a wheel by a clip) which is disposed on the visible design surface of the wheel has been replaced by the adhesion-type balance weight which can be attached to an inside surface of a non-visible portion of the wheel.
(2) It is often difficult to attach the clip-type balance weight to a flange portion of the wheel, because the flange has a specialized configuration.
(3) Due to improvement of wheel and tire technology, the weight of the balance weight is decreased, which enables the use of an adhesion-type balance weight.
A conventional adhesion-type balance weight includes a weight body manufactured by cast and made from Pb (lead) having a bar configuration, and an adhesive double-coated tape to which the weight body is attached. A separating sheet protects the adhesion surface of the tape. The sheet is removed when the balance weight is used.
In order to keep the adhesive strength of the balance weight to the wheel, it is preferable that the surface of the balance weight which is attached to the wheel has the same curvature as that of the inside surface of the wheel. Since Pb has high plasticity, the balance weight can be easily formed, even manually, to match the same curvature as that of the inside surface of the wheel.
Recently, there has been a trend to avoid the industrial use of heavy metals such as Pb for the purpose of an environmental protection. Thus, the Pb of the balance weight is apt to be substituted for other materials.
As an alternative, from an industrial viewpoint materials such as Fe or Cu can be used which are inexpensive, environmentally friendly and have a relatively high density.
In cases where the adhesion-type balance weight is made from the materials such as Fe and Cu, which are harder than Pb, it is difficult to form the balance weight to the same curvature as that of the inside surface of the wheel by manual force.
Further, since the weight of the balance weight is weighed in standard weights which are defined in 5 gram intervals from 5 g to 100 g, many balance weights of 5, 10, 15, . . . , 100 g need to be prepared.
Some conventional adhesion-type balance weights which are made of Pb have slits at each interval of the unit weight. Thus, each slit allows the balance weight to be easily cut according to the required weight. Balance weights made from Pb are softer and are easily cut. Further, no problems with corrosion occur at the cut plane. On the contrary, a balance weight made from steel requires a greater cutting force. In addition, there is a possibility of corrosion generation if a bare surface of a steel balance weight is exposed, which requires a surface re-treatment after cutting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a wheel balance weight which can alleviate environmental concerns by substituting another material for lead which can be easily cut, and a method of manufacturing the balance weight.
The above-described object can be achieved by the following present invention.
A wheel balance weight includes a plurality of weight bodies each having two side surfaces and a single adhesive double-coated tape having a first surface to which the plurality of weight bodies are attached and a second surface opposite to the first surface. Each of the plurality of weight bodies is made from a metal other than lead, and the side surfaces of adjacent weight bodies are spaced apart from each other except for portions of the side surfaces where the adjacent weight bodies are attached to the first surface of the adhesive double-coated tape. The balance weight is attached to a wheel at the second surface of the adhesive double-coated tape.
Each of the side surfaces of the adjacent weight bodies may be tapered. In addition, each weight body of the plurality of weight bodies may have the same weight and configuration.
Further, the plurality of weight bodies may include one or more weight bodies of a first kind having a first weight of W and one or more weight bodies of a second kind having a second weight of W
, wherein n is an integer equal to or greater than 2. The weight bodies of the first kind and the second kind are arranged parallel to each other.
The plurality of weight bodies may include one or more weight bodies of a first kind having a first weight of W and one or more weight bodies of a second kind having a second weight equal to the summation of at least one W
and W. Here, n is an integer equal to or greater than 2, and the weight bodies of the first kind and the second kind are arranged parallel to each other.
A method of manufacturing a wheel balance weight including: (1) producing a bar material which may have two side surfaces each surface tapered by rolling or extruding; (2) cutting the bar material into a plurality of the weight bodies; and (3) attaching the plurality of weight bodies to a first surface of the single adhesive double-coated tape, positioning the tapered surfaces of the adjacent weight bodies towards each other.
The bar material may be cut by a punch so that cut planes of the bar material are tapered thereby manufacturing a plurality of weight bodies having tapered sides surfaces.
Finally, the bar material may be cut by a punch and a die so that cut planes of the bar material are tapered by maintaining a distance between the punch and the die thereby manufacturing a plurality of weight bodies having tapered side surfaces.
Since the wheel balance weight having any one of the above-described features is not made of lead, the balance weight is environmentally friendly. Further, since the balance weight is separated into a plurality of weight bodies, the balance weight can be easily cut by hands or with scissors.
The wheel balance weight may be constructed of a combination of one or more weight bodies each having a weight of W and one or more weight bodies each having a weight of W
arranged parallel to each other. Thus, the total weight of the balance weight can be determined more accurately as compared to a case where the balance weight is constructed of a plurality of weight bodies, each having a weight of W only.
Additionally, the wheel balance weight may be constructed of a combination of one ore more weight bodies each having a weight of W and one or more weight bodies each having a summation of at least one W
and W arranged parallel to each other. Thus, the total weight of the balance weight can be determined more accurately as compared to the balance weights constructed of a plurality of weight bodies, each having a weight of W only.
Since the tapered surfaces of the weight body may be formed at opposite sides of the bar material when the bar material is rolled or extruded, the manufacturing method is highly productive.
Also, the manufacturing method is very productive, since the tapered surfaces of the weight bodies may be formed at cut planes of the bar material by a punch.
Finally, adjusting the distance between the punch and the die, a weight body having the tapered surfaces (collapse planes) of the same configuration may be produced more efficiently.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2029132 (1936-01-01), Skelton
patent: 2640727 (1953-06-01), Kennedy
patent: 3154347 (1964-10-01), Griffith
patent: 3177039 (1965-04-01), Skidmore
patent: 3633263 (1972-01-01), Hoekseman
patent: 3905648 (1975-09-01), Skidmore
patent: 3960409 (1976-06-01), Songer
patent: 84817/75 (1977-03-01), None
patent:
Maruyama Saburo
Oba Kentaro
Intellectual Property
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bao
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Topy Koygo Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
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