Grooved drum and associated roller for motorized lifting device
View Patent ↗An apparatus includes a drum to draw in or let out a line and a motor coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. The drum includes a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line. A roller is provided that tracks the groove and extends into the groove. The roller pushes the line into the groove. In certain embodiments, the roller pushes the line to a bottom of the groove to ensure that the line is properly seated therein.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a motor;
a drum rotated by the motor to draw in or let out a line from the drum, the drum comprising a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line; and
a roller tracking and extending into the groove immediately over the line in order to push the line into the groove.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a depth of the groove is larger than a diameter of the line.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller pushes the line to a bottom of the groove.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller is attached to a guide for guiding the line into the groove.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the guide is a passive guide that tracks the groove.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller slides along an axis substantially perpendicular to the groove.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the groove is configured to grip the line.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a width of the groove is slightly narrower than the line.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the groove is a helical groove.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roller passively tracks the groove.
11. A method comprising:
rotating a drum to draw in or let out a line, the drum comprising a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line; and
pushing the line into the groove with a roller tracking and extending into the groove immediately over the line.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a depth of the groove is larger than a diameter of the line.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein pushing the line into the groove comprises pushing the line to a bottom of the groove.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising guiding the line into the groove.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein guiding the line into the groove comprises passively guiding the line into the groove.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein tracking the groove comprises sliding the roller along an axis substantially perpendicular to the groove.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the groove is configured to grip the line.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the groove is slightly narrower than the line.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the groove is a helical groove.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein tracking the groove comprises passively tracking the groove.