System and method for processing a tire-wheel assembly

1. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:

providing an apparatus including a tire support member that includes a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member;

arranging the tire adjacent a tire tread engaging surface of a tire tread engaging device, wherein the tire tread engaging device is connected to an upper surface of the first tire support member;

partially arranging the wheel within a passage of the tire such that one or both of an upper bead of the tire and a lower bead of the tire is/are not entirely arranged about a circumference of the wheel;

moving the wheel through a first gap formed by the apparatus;

utilizing the movement of the wheel to impart corresponding movement the tire through a second gap formed by a first tire sidewall engaging device and a second tire sidewall engaging device of the apparatus for

causing one or both of a substantially circular, upper tire opening and a substantially circular, lower tire opening that form the passage of the tire to be manipulated to have a substantially non-circular form to permit both of the upper bead of the tire and the lower bead of the tire to be arranged about the circumference of the wheel; and

just prior to, or during movement of the tire through the second gap, imparting movement to the tire tread engaging device with respect to the upper surface of the first tire support member such that the tire tread engaging device is movable from a first orientation away from the first and second tire engaging devices to a second orientation that is proximate the first and second tire engaging devices.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tire tread engaging device further includes an upper, tire sidewall engaging surface, wherein, the upper tire sidewall engaging surface of the tire tread engaging device is substantially coplanar with the upper tire sidewall engaging surfaces of the first and second tire engaging devices, wherein, upon movement of the tire tread engaging device from the first orientation away from the first and second tire engaging devices to the second orientation that is proximate the first and second tire engaging devices, the upper tire sidewall engaging surface of the tire tread engaging device provides an extension surface of the upper tire sidewall engaging surfaces of the first and second tire engaging devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the arranging step further comprising the steps of

arranging a first portion of a sidewall surface of the tire adjacent the upper surface of the first tire support member,

arranging a second portion of the sidewall surface of the tire adjacent the first tire sidewall engaging device, and

arranging a third portion of the sidewall surface of the tire adjacent the second tire sidewall engaging device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first, second and third portions of the tire are arranged relative to the tire support member for

disposing the tire upon the tire support member at an angularly-offset orientation with respect to the upper surface of the first tire support member.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the second tire support member and the third tire support member form the first gap, wherein the method further comprises the step of

arranging the second tire support member and the third tire support member in a fixed orientation to render the first gap as having a non-variable geometry.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of

providing the first tire sidewall engaging device with a first tire tread engaging post; and

providing the second tire sidewall engaging device with a second tire tread engaging post,

wherein the first and second tire tread engaging posts provide the second gap formed by the first tire sidewall engaging device and the second tire sidewall engaging device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of

arranging the first and second tire tread engaging posts in a non-fixed orientation to render the second gap as having a variable geometry.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second gap is less than a diameter of the tire, wherein the second gap is approximately equal to but less than a chord of the tire having a geometry different from that of the diameter of the tire.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, prior to the partially arranging step, further comprising the step of

removably-coupling the wheel to an end effecter of a movable robotic arm, wherein the moving the wheel step is conducted by movements of one or both of the robotic arm and the effecter, wherein, upon arranging the upper bead of the tire and the lower bead of the tire about the circumference of the wheel, the tire is indirectly joined to the end effecter by way of the wheel.