Power-assisted winch and method
OwnerMichael J. Geaganinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power assisted winch and method include a control system and method for detecting the amount of turning force or torque supplied by a manual input drive to the winch drum, supplying turning force or torque from a motor to the winch drum and controlling the amount of torque supplied by the motor to the winch drum as a function of the amount of turning force or torque supplied by the manual drive. The function may be a fixed predetermined ratio or it may vary depending upon the level of turning force or torque supplied by the manual input drive. A torque sensor may be utilized to detect the level of input manual torque and control apparatus controls the amount of torque supplied by the motor to gearing or coupling driving the winch drum.
Claims21
A winch, comprising:
- a winch drum;
- a manual input drive for applying turning force to said winch drum;
- a motor for supplying turning force to said winch drum;
- and a controller for selectively controlling and varying the amount of torque supplied by said motor to said winch drum.
A winch comprising:
- a winch drum:
- a manual input drive for applying turning force to said winch drum:
- a motor for supplying turning force to said winch drum:
- and a controller for selectively controlling the amount of torque supplied by said motor to said winch drum, wherein said controller for selectively controlling the amount of turning force supplied by said motor supplies a signal requiring a varying ratio of turning force which varies in a predetermined manner depending upon the amount of turning force applied via said manual input drive.
A method of driving a winch drum comprising the steps of:
- detecting the amount of turning force or torque supplied by a manual input drive to said winch drum;
- supplying turning force or torque from a motor to said winch drum;
- and controlling the amount of turning force or torque supplied by said motor to said winch drum as a function of the amount of turning force or torque supplied by said manual drive.
A power-assisted manual winch assembly comprising a winch drum;
- a manually actuated drive assembly for applying turning force to the winch drum;
- a motor and drive for applying supplemental turning force to the winch drum;
- a torque sensor associated with the drive assembly for determining the amount of turning force manually applied to the winch drum;
- and a controller electrically linked to the torque sensor and motor, for controlling the amount of supplemental turning force applied to the winch drum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.