Patent Application
20180170725
The present technology is directed to winches and, more specifically, to winches with remote controls, and associated systems and methods.
Winches are typically employed in situations where a vehicle is unable to negotiate an obstacle (e.g., mud or rocks) on its own. For example, a winch is typically used to help extract the vehicle and/or to stabilize the vehicle while negotiating steep terrain. As such, winching operations can involve heavy loads. Therefore, an operator typically employs a remote control to operate the winch while positioned away from the winch and cable.
Embodiments of representative winches with dual mode remote controls described herein may be better understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar elements:
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope of the embodiments. Further, the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the Figures may be expanded or reduced to help improve the understanding of the embodiments. Moreover, while the disclosed technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to unnecessarily limit the embodiments described. On the contrary, the embodiments are intended to cover all suitable modifications, combinations, equivalents, and/or alternatives of the technology falling within the scope of this disclosure.
In some embodiments, representative winches with dual mode remote control can include a frame, a cable drum rotatably supported by the frame, a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum, and a control module positioned adjacent the cable drum. The control module can include circuitry to interface with a remote control via one of two modes. In a wireless mode, the control module can communicate wirelessly with a wireless remote control (e.g., a cell phone). In a wired mode, the control module can communicate with a wired remote control. When the wired remote control is connected to the control module, a jumper wire in the wired remote control's connector completes a ground path circuit in the control module to disable the wireless capability of the control module. Disabling the wireless capability of the control module when the wired remote control is connected to the winch prevents conflicting commands from a wireless remote control that may be in the vicinity of the winch.
Various examples of the devices introduced above will now be described in further detail. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the techniques and technology discussed herein may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the technology can include many other features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures and/or functions may not be shown or described in detail below so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description.
The control module 108 can include circuitry to selectively interface with a remote control via either one of two modes depending on the circumstances. In a wireless mode, the control module 108 can communicate wirelessly with a wireless remote control 200. In a wired mode, the control module 108 can communicate with a wired remote control 300. In some embodiments, the wireless remote control 200 can comprise a cell phone or other suitable wireless device. In some embodiments, the wireless remote control 200 can include a software application having a graphical user interface (GUI) 202. With further reference to
As shown in
When operating in the wired mode, the connector 118 receives the corresponding remote connector 310 shown in
With reference to
With further reference to
In some embodiments, the techniques introduced herein can be embodied as special-purpose hardware (e.g., circuitry), as programmable circuitry appropriately programmed with software and/or firmware, or as a combination of special-purpose and programmable circuitry. Hence, some embodiments may include a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which may be used to program a computer, a microprocessor, processor, and/or microcontroller (or other electronic devices) to perform a process. The machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, optical disks, compact disc read-only memories (CD-ROMs), magneto-optical disks, ROMs, random access memories (RAMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, flash memory, or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. In some embodiments, a suitable wireless-enablable microcontroller can comprise a Texas Instruments CC1110-CC1111 system-on-chip with low-power RF transceiver.
One feature of winches with dual mode remote control having configurations in accordance with the embodiments described herein is that connecting a wired remote control disables the wireless communication capability of the winch. An advantage of this arrangement is that a user can choose between wired or wireless control of the winch without having to perform any extra steps other than connecting or disconnecting the wired remote control to or from the winch. This arrangement provides the further advantage that the potential for conflicting signals from a wired remote and a wireless remote is eliminated.
The above description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in some instances, well-known details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. Further, various modifications may be made without deviating from the scope of the embodiments.
Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various features are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not for other embodiments.
The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinary meanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in the specific context where each term is used. It will be appreciated that the same thing can be said in more than one way. Consequently, alternative language and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, and any special significance is not to be placed upon whether or not a term is elaborated on or discussed herein. Synonyms for some terms are provided. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification, including examples of any term discussed herein, is illustrative only and is not intended to further limit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the various embodiments provided in this specification. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, the present document, including definitions, will control.
In some embodiments, a representative winch with dual mode remote control comprises a winch controller module including a wireless-enablable microcontroller and an enable/disable circuit connected to the microcontroller. The winch can further include a wired remote control including a remote connector connectable to the controller module, wherein the remote connector can include a jumper wire (or other conductor) operative to complete a ground path connection on the enable/disable circuit when the remote connector is connected to the controller module. The microcontroller can further include instructions operative to disable a wireless capability of the microcontroller when the ground path connection is completed. In some embodiments, other suitable arrangements can be used to disable the wireless communication link with the microcontroller, e.g., when a wired communication link is active.
In some embodiments, a representative winch with dual mode remote control comprises a frame, a cable drum rotatably supported by the frame, a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum, and an electrical module positioned adjacent the cable drum. The electrical module can include a winch controller module including a wireless-enablable microcontroller and an enable/disable circuit connected to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller can include instructions operative to disable a wireless capability of the microcontroller when the ground path connection is completed. A wired remote control can include a remote connector connectable to the controller module, wherein the remote connector can include a jumper wire operative to complete a ground path connection on the enable/disable circuit when the remote connector is connected to the controller module.
In some embodiments, a representative method for controlling a winch having a wireless-enablable microcontroller comprises connecting the microcontroller to an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection; connecting the microcontroller to a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection; connecting the microcontroller to a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection; disabling a wireless capability of the microcontroller when the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit is completed; directing the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed; and directing the contactor module to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed. In some embodiments, the method can further comprise completing the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit by connecting a wired remote control to the winch.
The following examples provide additional embodiments of the present technology.
1. A winch, comprising:
2. The winch of example 1, further comprising a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection and a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection.
3. The winch of example 1 or 2, wherein the winch control module further comprises a contactor module and the controller further comprises instructions to direct the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed and to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed.
4. The winch of any one of examples 1-3, wherein the controller comprises a wireless-enablable microcontroller.
5. The winch of any one of examples 1-4, further comprising a wired remote control, including:
6. The winch of any one of examples 1-5, wherein the one or more control buttons include a winch-in button and a winch-out button.
7. The winch of any one of examples 1-6, wherein the conductor comprises a jumper wire extending between a pair of corresponding terminals carried by the remote connector.
8. A winch system, comprising:
9. The winch system of example 8, further comprising a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection and a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection.
10. The winch system of example 8 or 9, wherein the one or more control buttons include a winch-in button positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit when pushed and a winch-out button positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit when pushed.
11. The winch system of any one of examples 8-10, wherein the winch control module further comprises a contactor module and the microcontroller further comprises instructions to direct the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed and to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed.
12. The winch system of any one of examples 8-11, wherein the conductor comprises a jumper wire extending between a pair of corresponding terminals carried by the remote connector.
13. A winch system, comprising:
14. The winch system of example 13, wherein the conductor comprises a jumper wire extending between a pair of corresponding terminals carried by the remote connector.
15. A method for controlling a winch having a wireless-enablable microcontroller, the method comprising:
16. The method of example 15, further comprising completing the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit by connecting a wired remote control to the winch.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62/414,909, filed Oct. 31, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62414909 | Oct 2016 | US |
