WINCH WITH SPOOL AND REMOTE TENSIONING WHEEL
A winch is disclosed having a motor, a spool rotated by the motor, and a line carried by the spool. Rotating the spool in a first, or winding direction causes the line to wind around the spool, and rotating the spool in a second, or unwinding direction causes the line to unwind from the spool. The winch also includes a tensioning device spaced apart from the spool, which tensioning device comprises a tensioning wheel that engages the line and is configured to apply tension to the line as it is being unwound.
1 . A winch comprising:
a motor;
a spool rotated by the motor;
a line carried by the spool wherein rotating the spool in a winding direction causes the line to wind around the spool, and rotating the spool in an unwinding direction causes the line to unwind from the spool; and
a tensioning device spaced apart from the spool, which tensioning device comprises a tensioning wheel that engages the line and is configured to apply tension to the line as it is being unwound.
2 . The winch of claim 1 wherein the tensioning wheel is driven by the motor, and wherein the tensioning device further comprises a passive wheel opposite the tensioning wheel with the line passing between the tensioning wheel and the passive wheel.
3 . The winch of claim 1 , further comprising a one-way bearing on the tensioning device and configured to allow free rotation of the tensioning device when rotating the spool in the winding direction and to rotate at least the tensioning wheel to apply tension to the line when rotating the spool in the unwinding direction.
4 . The winch of claim 1 wherein the line unwinds from the spool at a line speed and the tensioning wheel has a contact point configured to contact the line, the contact point having a tangential speed when the tensioning wheel rotates, and wherein the wheel speed is at least 5% faster than the line speed.
5 . The winch of claim 4 wherein the tangential speed is no greater than 25% faster than the line speed.
6 . The winch of claim 1 wherein the tensioning wheel frictionally slips along the line as the tensioning wheel creates tension in the line.
7 . The winch of claim 2 , further comprising a first pulley coupled to the motor, a coupler rotated by the first pulley and a second pulley coupled to the tensioning wheel and rotated by the coupler.
8 . The winch of claim 7 , wherein the coupler is a belt.
9 . The winch of claim 8 , wherein the coupler is a toothed belt configured to mesh with the first and second pulleys.
10 . The winch of claim 7 , wherein the size of the first pulley and the second pulley are selected so that the tensioning wheel has a tangential speed at least 5 % faster than the line speed when the line is being unwound.
11 . The winch of claim 8 , further comprising a one-way bearing between the second pulley and the tensioning wheel, whereby the tensioning wheel is rotated by the line as it is being wound.
12 . The winch of claim 1 wherein the tensioning wheel is driven by a second motor, wherein the tensioning device further comprises a passive wheel opposite the tensioning wheel with the line passing between the tensioning wheel and the passive wheel, and wherein the second motor is synchronized with the motor, so that the tensioning wheel has a tangential speed at least 5% faster than the line speed when the line is unwound.
13 . The winch of claim 12 , wherein the second motor is synchronized with the motor so as to have a tangential speed at least 5 % slower than the line speed when the line is wound.
14 . The winch of claim 12 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a one-way bearing between the second motor and the tensioning wheel, whereby the tensioning wheel is driven by the second motor when the line is unwound, and whereby the tensioning wheel is not driven by the second motor when the line is wound.
15 . The winch of claim 1 , further comprising a driveshaft rotated by the motor, wherein the spool is mounted to the driveshaft such that the spool rotates with the driveshaft.
16 . The winch of claim 15 , further comprising:
a second spool mounted axially spaced apart from the spool;
a second line carried by the second spool;
a second tensioning device spaced apart from the second spool, which second tensioning device comprises a tensioning wheel that engages the line and is configured to apply tension to the line as it is being unwound.
17 . The winch of claim 1 , further comprising a driveshaft having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, wherein the spool has a corresponding non-circular interior shape and is mounted to the driveshaft such that the non-circular shape of the driveshaft substantially matches the non-circular shape of the spool, and thereby the spool and driveshaft rotate together.
18 . The winch of claim 16 wherein the second line is configured to deliver at least one utility selected from electric power, data, and fluid.
19 . A winch, comprising:
a motor;
a spool with a line attached to the spool, the spool being rotated by the motor to wind and unwind the line from the spool;
a tensioning device coupled to the motor, wherein rotation of the motor causes rotation of the spool and tensioning device together, the tensioning device contacting the line a distance apart from the spool, the tensioning device having a driven wheel that is powered by the motor and a passive wheel opposite the driven wheel, the passive wheel rotating freely, wherein the driven wheel rotates at least 1 % faster than the line unwinds from the spool such that the driven wheel exerts a tension on the line.
20 . A winch, comprising:
a line wound around a spool;
a motor coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool to wind and unwind the line around the spool;
a tensioning device spaced apart from the spool and being configured to receive the line between a driven wheel and a passive wheel, the driven wheel being coupled to the motor and configured to rotate at least 1 % faster than the line to create a tension on the line.