Patent Application
20180093870
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of motorized winches. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a winch fairlead-frame.
Winches are hauling or lifting devices, which pull in or let out a line. Winches function by winding or unwinding the line that is coiled around a horizontal rotating drum. A winch fairlead is commonly used to direct the line as it winds or unwinds along the drum. Typically the line must be at a shallow angle to the fairlead in order to minimize friction between the line and the internal edges of the fairlead that surround the line. Thus, a problem arises if the line is connected to a load that is at a wide angle to the fairlead because friction between the line and the fairlead can cause the line to fray. Embodiments and methods disclosed herein may improve winch performance when the load is at a wide angle to the fairlead.
Disclosed herein is a winch, comprising a fairlead that pivots toward the direction of a load. In one embodiment, the winch includes a fairlead-frame that includes an upper and a lower cavity, into which an upper and a lower support-pin insert. The upper and lower support-pins allow the fairlead-frame to pivot from side to side, and are attached to a guide. The guide moves along guide-rods connected to a housing for a rotatable drum. As the drum rotates to pull in or let out a line, the guide moves along the guide-rods to evenly distribute the line along the rotatable drum.
Also disclosed herein is a method for reducing friction between a line and a fairlead when pulling in or letting out a line. The method includes rotating the drum and reeling in or letting out the line. The method further includes moving the guide along the length of the drum, and pivoting the fairlead towards the load.
The written disclosure herein describes illustrative embodiments that are non-limiting and non-exhaustive. Reference is made to certain of such illustrative embodiments that are depicted in the figures, in which:
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of the various embodiments disclosed herein. The embodiments disclosed herein can be manufactured without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In addition, in some cases, well-known structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more alternative embodiments.
The guide 108 moves along a guide-rod 112, which spans the length of a rotatable drum 114. The rotatable drum 114, for winding and unwinding the line 106, is retained within a housing 116 of the winch 100. The rotatable drum 114 may include a motorized power source, according to one embodiment. Because the load 102 is at a wide angle to the winch 100, the line 106 connecting the load 102 to the winch 100 is at a sharp angle. This sharp angle may cause the line 106 to rub against the fairlead-frame 110 and cause the line 106 to fray 118. The fairlead 104 may include at least one aperture, hole, and/or orifice through which the line 106 penetrates.
In one embodiment, the fairlead-frame 110 extends outward beyond the housing 116. In some embodiments, the housing 116 comprises smooth edges, grooves, and/or rollers such that any contact between the housing 116 and the line 106 has little, if any, friction.
The guide 108 maintains position and direction on the guide-rod 112, while the fairlead-frame 110 is permitted to move laterally within the framework of the guide 108. Because the fairlead 104 is able to laterally rotate, friction between the line 106 and the fairlead 104 and/or fairlead-frame 110 may be reduced.
In one embodiment, the upper 424 and lower 426 support-pins may include a lubricant such that rotation of the fairlead-frame (not shown) is further enabled. The upper 424 and lower 426 support-pins may have a smooth surface and/or have a surface with threads, ridges, grooves, channels, ruts, ridges, creases, furrows, and/or any surface inconsistencies, according to one embodiment. The surface inconsistencies may interact with contrasting formations in upper and lower cavities of the fairlead-frame. In one embodiment, the upper 424 and lower 426 support-pins may have a joint that connects the support-pins to the fairlead-frame. The upper 424 and the lower 426 support-pins may be composed of a stronger material than the fairlead-frame, such that the upper 424 and the lower 426 support-pins provide structural stability to the fairlead-frame.
In one embodiment, the guide 108 may include a catch that limits the degree to which the fairlead-frame 110 may rotate. The guide 108, according to one embodiment, may include a hole through which a pin may insert that eliminates the ability of the fairlead-frame 110 to pivot. Other embodiments may include one or more resistive elements in the guide 108 such that the fairlead-frame 110 has few, if any, wobbles when letting in the line 106. Such resistive elements may include bands, elastics, springs, and/or other flexible mechanisms that provide a slight degree of fairlead-frame rotational resistance. The line 106, in some embodiments, may pass through a stopper on the fairlead-frame 110 that acts a buffer to protect the fairlead-frame 110 from forceful impacts of any line-attachments when letting in the line 106.
The method 628 may also include resisting rotation of the fairlead to reduce wobbling, according to one embodiment. One embodiment of the method 628 may also include attaching the line to a side load.
