Device and method for controlling an auxiliary winch assembly for moving a crawler vehicle, in particular a snow groomer, along steep slopes
A control device configured to control a winch assembly having a supporting structure has a guide, which engages a cable extending along a path in a sliding manner, and is configured to follow the movements of the cable crosswise to the path; a first control chain activated by movements of the guide in a first direction crosswise to the path; and a second control chain activated by movements of the guide in a second direction crosswise to the first direction and the path.
1. A crawler vehicle winch assembly control device comprising:
a cable locator configured to position a cable of a winch assembly having a supporting structure;
a guide configured to:
engage the cable which extends along a path, and
follow movements of the cable crosswise to the path;
a first control chain activated by a movement of the guide in a first direction crosswise to the path; and
a second control chain activated by a movement of the guide in a second direction crosswise to the first direction and crosswise to the path, wherein the second control chain is configured to stop, based on a position of the guide in the second direction and a threshold value of cable displacement in the second direction, at least one of: a winding of the cable and an unwinding of the cable by stopping a rotation of a powered reel.
2. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 1 , wherein the first control chain includes the guide and a cable locator, said first control chain being configured to move the cable locator based on a relative position between the guide and the cable locator.
3. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 1 , wherein the first control chain and the second control chain include a shared rocker arm including:
a base configured to oscillate about a first axis with respect to the cable locator, and
an appendix configured to oscillate with respect to the base about a second axis, wherein the guide is supported by the appendix.
4. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 3 , wherein the first axis is parallel to the second direction, and the second axis is parallel to the first direction.
5. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 3 , wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.
6. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 3 , which includes at least one elastic member configured to push the appendix downwards.
7. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 1 , wherein the first control chain includes:
an actuator configured to move the cable locator in the first direction; and
an actuating device configured to activate the actuator and controlled by the movement of the guide in the first direction.
8. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 1 , wherein the second control chain includes a sensor configured to detect a position of the guide in the second direction.
9. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 8 , wherein the second control chain includes a control unit configured to emit an error signal based on a threshold value of cable displacement in the second direction and the detected position of the guide in the second direction.
10. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 1 , wherein the guide includes:
two first sheaves coplanar with each other, wherein a seat of each of the two first sheaves are facing at first points of tangency to the cable; and
a second sheave perpendicular to the first sheaves and tangent to the cable at a second point of tangency offset along the path of the cable.
11. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 1 , which includes another guide for the cable, wherein a position of the other guide in the first direction is controlled by the first control chain.
12. A crawler vehicle winch assembly comprising:
a supporting structure configured to mount on a crawler vehicle;
a cable;
a powered reel configured to selectively wind and unwind the cable;
an idle sheave configured to support the cable; and
a control device configured to control a position of the cable between the powered reel and the idle sheave, said control device including:
a cable locator configured to position the cable;
a guide configured to:
engage the cable which extends along a path, and
follow movements of the cable crosswise to the path;
a first control chain activated by a movement of the guide in a first direction crosswise to the path; and
a second control chain activated by a movement of the guide in a second direction crosswise to the first direction and crosswise to the path, wherein the second control chain is configured to stop, based on a position of the guide in the second direction and a threshold value of cable displacement in the second direction, at least one of: a winding of the cable and an unwinding of the cable by stopping a rotation of the powered reed.
13. The crawler vehicle winch assembly of claim 12 , which includes a control unit configured to:
acquire data relating to a winding status of the cable on the powered reel, and
supply a threshold value for a position of the guide in the second direction.
14. The crawler vehicle winch assembly of claim 12 , wherein the crawler vehicle includes a snow groomer.
15. A crawler vehicle winch assembly control device comprising:
a cable locator configured to position a cable of a winch assembly having a supporting structure;
a guide configured to:
engage the cable which extends along a path, and
follow movements of the cable crosswise to the path;
a first control chain activated by a movemement of the guide in a first direction crosswise to the path;
a second control chain including a sensor configured to detect a position of the guide in a second direction crosswise to the first direction and crosswise to the path, the second control chain activated by a movement of the guide in the second direction, wherein the second control chain is configured to stop, based on a position of the guide in the second direction and a threshold value, at least one of: a winding of the cable and an unwinding of the cable; and
a shared rocker arm shared of the first control chain and the second control chain, the rocker arm including:
a base configured to oscillate about a first axis with respect to the cable locator, and
an appendix configured to oscillate with respect to the base about a second axis wherein the guide is supported by the appendix.
16. The crawler winch assembly control device of claim 15 , wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.
17. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 15 , wherein the first axis if perpendicular to the second axis.
18. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 15 , which includes at least one elastic member configured to push the appendix downwards.
19. The crawler vehicle winch assembly control device of claim 15 , wherein the second control chain includes a control unit configured to emit an error signal based on the threshold value and the detected position of the guide in the second direction.