Patent Application
20180257917
This invention relates generally to the field of hoists, winches, and other pulling and/or lifting devices, and more specifically to mobile winch systems.
Hoists and winches are devices that are used extensively in lifting, lowering, or pulling loads of various kinds. A winch, in particular, is a mechanical device used for lifting or pulling that typically includes a line, such as a cable or chain, wrapped around a drum, which may be manually rotated or driven with a motor, such as an electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic motor. Typically, one end of the line is secured to the drum while the free end of the line includes a hook or other hook-like device. When the motor turns in one direction, the line can be fed outwardly, and when the motor turns in the opposite direction, the line is pulled inwardly, creating a pulling force on the line and hook. Some winches may include braking mechanisms to prevent the rotation of the drum, or guides or other mechanisms to evenly wind the line around the drum.
A winch may be used beneficially in situations where a pulling force on an item is required. The winch must, however, be transportable to the necessary location, yet fixed in a location with respect to the item to be pulled. Consequently, winches are often fixed to vehicles. For example, one end of the line may be attached to an object to hoist or haul, and the other end of the line is wound around a drum mounted on a vehicle. However, while the winch mounted to a vehicle has some advantages, the disadvantage is that the winch is permanently coupled to the vehicle, and the winch can only be used in conjunction with the vehicle, or where the vehicle may maneuver. While a person could theoretically transport a winch separately to a location where a vehicle mounted winch cannot go, current winch designs have numerous necessary components that must be transported to the location, assembled, used, and then disassembled, which presents a significant inconvenience. Furthermore, some winches are bulky or cumbersome, and even if all of the components were transported in some sort of enclosure, the components would still require removal and setup for use.
In light of the foregoing, what is needed is a convenient, portable winch that can be operated in areas inaccessible by vehicles, but without requiring the inconvenience of separately transporting and setting up various winch components. Such a winch should also have an independent power source that does not rely on a vehicle battery. Current designs have met this need by depositing a winch and a battery source in a bag, mounted to a metal plate within the bag. However, such designs could be further improved upon by depositing the power source within the drum of the winch. This would allow for a smaller winch system, providing even greater convenience in transporting and manufacturing the winch-bag system, and it would allow for a simpler assembly.
The disclosed invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art and, in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available components and methods. Accordingly, efficient structural components and methods have been developed to allow for a winch with an internal battery made mobile by a bag.
Consistent with the foregoing, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a bag having an opening that includes a closure means, the closure means allowing the opening in the bag to be in an open or enclosed position. The apparatus also comprises a metal plated affixed to a bottom surface on an inner portion of the bag, a winch mounted to the metal plate, and an anchor component for anchoring the apparatus in a generally fixed position, the anchor component being removably attached to the metal plate. The winch comprises a motor, a winch drum, a winch cable attached to and wound about the winch drum, and a battery that drives the motor. The battery is disposed within the winch drum. The winch cable also has a free end.
In some embodiments, the winch further comprises a controller, which may be disposed within the winch drum. The controller may comprise a wireless module, such as a Bluetooth module in communication with a mobile electronic device. The winch may also comprise a cable guide system, an electrical connector that can be plugged into for fully powering the winch or recharging the battery, and/or at least two gearboxes for shifting gears within the winch. The winch's motor may be a brushless motor, and the battery may be located adjacent to the motor, preferably between the motor and the controller. The bag may comprise handles and/or a slit on a side of the bag for the free end of the winch cable to pass through. The free end of the winch cable may comprise a hook for securing the winch cable to an object. The anchor component may comprise a strap removably attached to the metal plate, which may comprise one or more attachment points, by means of a removable fastener. A corresponding method is also disclosed and claimed herein.
A more particular description of the invention briefly described above is made below by reference to specific embodiments depicted in drawings included with this application, in which:
A detailed description of the claimed invention is provided below by example, with reference to embodiments in the appended figures. Those of skill in the art will recognize that the components of the invention as described by example in the figures below could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the detailed description of the embodiments in the figures is merely representative of embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed.
In one embodiment, the winch 100 further comprises a controller 170. In one embodiment, the controller 170 is operatively connected to the winch 100 for controlling operation of the winch 100. For example, the controller 170 may be exterior to the winch 100, but connected by a cable. In this embodiment, the controller 170 may be operated by a switch, which may be physically or remotely attached to the controller 170. In another embodiment, the controller 170 is disposed within the winch drum 120. The controller 170 may be a microcontroller on a printed circuit board (PCB) wired to the motor 110 within the winch drum 120. In one embodiment, the controller 170 comprises a wireless module 175, preferably a Bluetooth module. In one embodiment, the wireless module 175 is in communication with a mobile electronic device. In this embodiment, a user can communicate with the controller 170 by means of the wireless module 175 through a mobile electronic device to operate the winch 100. In one embodiment, the battery 140 is located between the controller 170 and the motor 110 within the winch drum 120. In one embodiment, the controller 170, which may comprise a wireless module 175 is located on an outer edge of the winch 100 so that the wireless module 175 can transmit and receive signals more freely, being enclosed by fewer materials. In one embodiment, the winch 100 further comprises a cable guide system 180, which helps to distribute the winch cable 130 evenly around the winch drum 120. In one embodiment, the winch 100 further comprises a winch cable wiper assembly 185, which cleans the winch cable 130 as it winds around the winch drum 120, reducing the likelihood that dirt, mud, debris, or other materials accumulate within the winch 100. The winch cable wiper assembly 185 may be integrated into the cable guide system 180. In one embodiment, the winch cable wiper assembly 185 comprises bristles or brushes. In other embodiments, the winch cable wiper assembly 185 comprises compressional wiper devices, such as clamps, or other cleaning devices. In one embodiment, the winch 100 further comprises at least two gearboxes 190 within the winch drum 120. The presence of at least two gearboxes 190 allows a user to switch gears, such that lighter loads can be pulled at a faster rate. The ability to switch gears also allows for a smaller motor 110, which requires a smaller battery 140, allowing the battery 140 to be disposed within the winch drum 120, preferably between the controller 170 and the motor 110. In one embodiment, the winch 100 also comprises an anti-back drive mechanism 195, which allows a user to lock the winch cable 130 into one direction of rotation so that it cannot wind or unwind unintentionally.
The bag 210 of the apparatus 200 has an opening that includes a closure means, which allows the opening in the bag 210 to be in an open or enclosed position. A single person can easily move the bag 210 to any physical location required by simply lifting and transporting the bag 210. To aid in transport, the bag 210 may have one or more handles 211, wheels, straps, or other useful items. The bag 210 may also have zippers 212, buttons, or other features to aid in enclosing and securing the winch 100 within the bag 210. In one embodiment, the bag 210 comprises a slit 213 on a side of the bag 210 closest to the winch 100 so that the winch cable 130 can be pulled through the side of the bag 210. The slit 213 on the side of the bag 210 allows the winch 100 to be utilized without removal of the winch 100 or the metal plate 220 that the winch 100 is mounted to from the bag 210.
The metal plate 220 is affixed to a bottom surface on an inner portion of the bag 210. In one embodiment, the metal plate 220 is a generally rectangular-shaped metal plate. In one embodiment, the metal plate 220 has attachment points 221 that protrude through incisions in the bag 210 and extend outside the bag 210. The metal plate 220 acts as a rigid base for the winch 100. The winch 100 is mounted to the metal plate 220 inside the bag 210. The winch 100 may be mounted to the metal plate 220 with bolts or the like. The winch 100 comprises a motor 110, a winch drum 120, a winch cable 130 attached to and wound about the winch drum 120, and a battery 140 that drives the motor 110. The battery 140 is disposed within the winch drum 120. The winch cable 130 has a free end 150. In one embodiment, the winch drum 120 faces in an opposite direction from the attachment points 221 on the metal plate 220 such that the free end 150 of the winch cable 130 may be pulled or extended in an outward direction relatively straight away from the winch 100 and attachment points 221. In one embodiment, the free end 150 of winch cable 130 comprises a hook 222 attached thereto for securing the winch cable 130 to an object to be winched in any suitable manner. When not in use, the free end 150 of the winch cable 130 may be pulled inside of the bag 210 to prevent uncontrolled movement of the winch cable 130. In one embodiment, the winch 100 comprises a cable guide system 180. In one embodiment, a fairlead 223 is attached to the bag 210 or to the metal plate 220, over the slit 213 in the side of the bag 210 from which the winch cable 130 exits, in order to preserve the life of the winch cable 130 by reducing the friction of winching operations, particularly between the slit 213 in the side of the bag 210 and the winch cable 130.
The anchor component 230 of the apparatus 200 is for anchoring the apparatus 200 in a generally fixed position. The anchor component 230 is removably attached to the metal plate 220. In one embodiment, the anchor component 230 is removably attached to the metal plate 220 by means of a removable fastener 231. In one embodiment, the anchor component 230 is removably affixed to each lateral edge of the metal plate 220 at the attachment points 221. In one embodiment, the attachment points 221 protrude from the bag 210 to allow for the attachment of the anchor component 230 to the apparatus 200 in order to anchor the apparatus 200 in a fixed position. The anchor component 230 may be removably affixed to the metal plate 220 at the attachment points 221 through the use of a clevis fastener and cotter pin. In one embodiment, the attachment points 221 are heavy duty metal rings welded to the metal plate 220. In another embodiment, the attachment points 221 are holes defined by metal strips extending from the metal plate 220 and either welded, bolted in place, integrally formed with the metal plate, or affixed in any suitable manner, wherein a removable fastener 231, preferably a clevis fastener, may be removably attached to the holes defined by the metal strips. In one embodiment, the anchor component 230 comprises a strap. In one embodiment, the anchor component 230 comprises a tree trunk protector strap made of tough, high quality nylon. Other embodiments may utilize other suitable removable anchor components 230 for anchoring the apparatus 200 in a generally fixed position. In one embodiment, one end of the anchor component 230 is released from the attachment points 221, allowing the anchor component 230 to be wrapped around a fixed object and re-attached to the attachment points 221. In one embodiment, the anchor component 230 may be stored and transported within the bag 210 when not in use.
