Hoist drive train torque sensor
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorBejan Ijadi-Maghsoodi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive train for a rescue hoist includes a mounting portion for mounting the drive train within the rescue hoist. A load pin extends through the mounting portion and into a static structure of the rescue hoist to secure the drive train to the rescue hoist. The load pin is configured to sense the strain generated when the drive train imparts torque to the cable drum to rotate the cable drum. The sensed strain is communicated to a computer configured to calculate a torque generated by the drive train based on the sensed strain and further configured to calculate the load on the cable based on the sensed strain.
Claims20
A torque sensing system comprising:
- a drive train having a housing with a first end and a second end, the drive train configured to drive rotation of a cable drum;
- a mounting portion extending radially from the second end;
- an opening extending through the mounting portion;
- a load pin extending through the opening and into a static structure of a rescue hoist;
- and
- a torque computer communicatively connected to the load pin, the torque computer configured to receive a sensed strain from the load pin and to determine a calculated torque exerted by the drive train on the cable drum.
A drive train comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end;
- a plurality of gear slots extending through the housing between the first end and the second end;
- a plurality of output gears, wherein each one of the plurality of output gears is disposed in a gear slot of the plurality of gear slots;
- a mounting portion extending radially from the second end;
- an opening extending through the mounting portion;
- and
- a load pin extending through the opening and into a static structure of a rescue hoist and configured to generate a sensed strain.
A hoist system comprising:
- a cable drum rotatable about a cable drum axis;
- a stationary frame supporting the cable drum;
- a motor;
- a drive train disposed on the cable drum axis and configured to provide rotational power to the cable drum from the motor, the drive train comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end;
- a plurality of gear slots extending through the housing between the first end and the second end;
- a plurality of output gears configured to provide rotational power to the cable drum, wherein each one of the plurality of outlet gears is disposed in a gear slot of the plurality of gear slots;
- a mounting portion extending radially from the second end and disposed adjacent the stationary frame;
- and
- an opening extending through the mounting portion;
- and
- a load pin extending through the opening and into the stationary frame, the load pin configured to generate a first sensed strain in a first shear plane disposed between the mounting portion and the stationary frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.