US 11,982,586 B2
Method for measuring imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of vehicle during motion of the vehicle
Eric L. Canfield, Downingtown, PA (US); David M. Scribner, Lutherville-Timonium, MD (US); Scott J. Soma, Media, PA (US); Robert P. Alston, Exton, PA (US); David A. Fenimore, Coatesville, PA (US); Zoe Kane, Greer, SC (US); Rachel Foster, Coatesville, PA (US); Meer Gujral, Chester Springs, PA (US); Joseph H. Cottingham, Downingtown, PA (US); Saahas S. Yechuri, Downingtown, PA (US); Aron Sun, Exton, PA (US); Ethan Reiland, Downingtown, PA (US); Anish Sudini, Exton, PA (US); Amish Saini, Exton, PA (US); William Liao, Downingtown, PA (US); Rohan Epur, Chester Springs, PA (US); Ryan M. Larue, Coatesville, PA (US); and Brandon T. Fanti, Coatesville, PA (US)
Assigned to NVH TECHNOLOGY LLC, Coatesville, PA (US)
Filed by BALANCED ENGINEERING SOLUTION, LLC, Towson, MD (US)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/704,493.
Application 17/704,493 is a continuation of application No. 17/221,139, filed on Apr. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,287,348.
Application 17/221,139 is a continuation of application No. 16/557,154, filed on Aug. 30, 2019, granted, now 10,969,292, issued on Apr. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0283049 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01M 1/28 (2006.01); G01M 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 1/28 (2013.01) [G01M 17/022 (2013.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for collecting measurement parameters related to imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle during motion of the vehicle on a road surface, the method comprising:
(a) removably attaching an apparatus to the tire/hub assembly of the vehicle via lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly, the apparatus including:
(i) a disk,
(ii) a plurality of cup-shaped objects, each of the cup-shaped objects being rigidly fixed at one end to the disk and extending perpendicularly outward from the disk, the plurality of cup-shaped objects being arranged a fixed radial distance from a radial center of the disk in a pattern that matches the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly, each of the cup-shaped objects being hollow along at least a portion of its length that is distal from the disk, the hollow portion defining an inner diameter of each of the cup-shaped objects, the inner diameter being larger than an outer diameter of the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly so as to allow the apparatus to be mounted to the vehicle's tire/hub assembly by fitting the plurality of cup-shaped objects over the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly, and
(iii) a plurality of inertial measurement units (IMU's) mounted to the disk and configured to measure parameters that are used for calculating the imbalance forces during motion of the vehicle, the plurality of IMU's being mounted to the disk a fixed radial distance from the radial center of the disk in an evenly spaced pattern, and wherein the plurality of IMU's rotate with the disk during motion of the vehicle;
(b) driving the vehicle with the apparatus attached thereto on a road surface; and
(c) collecting measured parameters from the plurality of IMU's during motion of the vehicle on the road surface.