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US 12,180,046 B2Granted
Hook for use with a fairlead
AssigneeQuadratec, Inc.
InventorDavid M. Bowes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A winch hook comprises a hook portion and a loop receiving portion adapted for receiving a loop of a winch line. At least one three-dimensional feature of the winch hook is adapted to engage at least one three-dimensional feature of a fairlead so that the hook engages the fairlead while the hook is in at least four different orientations relative to the fairlead.
Claims9
A winch hook system, comprising:
- a winch hook that is adapted to be coupled to a winch cable, said winch hook including a 1st projection and a 2nd projection on a first side of said winch hook, and a 3rd projection and a 4th projection on a second side of said winch book;
- and
- a fairlead having an opening and an indentation that is spaced from the opening;
- wherein a bottom surface of said indentation runs along a width of said fairlead, a left side projection extending upward from said bottom surface a right side projection extending upward from said bottom surface,
- in a 1st orientation of said winch hook relative to said fairlead:
- said 1st projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side protection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side projection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a first downward force of said 1st projection when said 1st projection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface;
- in a 2nd orientation of said winch hook relative to said fairlead, said winch hook rotated 180 degrees about a Y axis extending between a top and a bottom of said winch hook;
- said 2nd projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side protection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side protection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a second downward force of said 2nd projection when said second projection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface;
- in a 3rd orientation of said winch hook relative to said fairlead, said winch book rotated 180 degrees from said 2nd orientation about an x axis orthogonal to said y axis;
- said third projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side projection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side projection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a third downward force of said third projection when said third projection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface;
- in a 4th orientation of said winch book relative to said fairlead, said winch hook rotated 180 degrees from said 3rd orientation about said y axis:
- said fourth projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side projection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side projection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a fourth downward force of said fourth projection when said fourth projection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface.
9 more elements
A method of engaging a winch hook to a fairlead, said method comprising the steps of:
- moving the winch hook towards the fairlead;
- and
- storing the winch hook against the fairlead so that the hook is immobile relative to the fairlead, wherein the winch hook is stored against the fairlead
- wherein
- said winch hook including a 1st projection and a 2nd projection on a first side of said winch hook, and a 3rd projection and a 4th projection on a second side of said winch hook the fairlead having an opening and an indentation that is spaced from the opening;
- wherein a bottom surface of said indentation runs along a width of said fairlead, a left side projection extending upward from said bottom surface, a right side projection extending upward from said bottom surface, in a 1st orientation of said winch hook relative to said fairlead:
- said 1st projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side projection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side projection and said right s de projection, said bottom surface opposes a first downward force of said 1st projection when said 1st projection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface;
- in a 2nd orientation of said winch hook relative to said fairlead said winch hook rotated 180 degrees about a Y axis extending between a top and a bottom of said winch book;
- said 2nd projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side protection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch book relative to said fairlead past said left side projection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a second downward force of said 2nd projection when said second projection of said winch book mates with said bottom surface;
- in a 3rd orientation of said winch book relative to said fairlead, said winch book rotated 180 degrees from said 2nd orientation about an x axis orthogonal to said y axis;
- said third projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side projection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side protection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a third downward force of said third projection when said third projection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface:
- in a 4th orientation of said winch hook relative to said fairlead said winch hook rotated 180 degrees from said 3rd orientation about said y axis;
- said fourth projection mates with and sits on said bottom surface between said left side projection and said right side projection to prevent motion of said winch hook relative to said fairlead past said left side projection and said right side projection, said bottom surface opposes a fourth downward force of said fourth projection when said fourth protection of said winch hook mates with said bottom surface.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.