Winch and plow control system
A winch and plow control system is disclosed. The winch and plow control system enables automatic control of a plow attached to a vehicle in order to raise and lower the plow based upon a vehicle parameter. The vehicle parameter can be a gear input that is monitored to automatically raise and lower the plow depending upon the gear selected. Wireless and remote control of the winch is also available, as well as a back-dragging automatic plow mode and a normal automatic plow mode.
1. A plow control system for use in controlling a plow on a vehicle, comprising:
a plow mechanism configured to move the plow in a first direction and a second direction;
a parameter sensor configured to sense a vehicle parameter;
a control module configured to operate the plow in a manual mode and an automatic mode;
a mode select switch configured to select the manual mode or the automatic mode; and
a direction control switch configured to direct the plow mechanism to move the plow in the first direction or the second direction;
wherein in the automatic mode, the plow is moved in the first direction or the second direction upon the control module receiving the vehicle parameter from the parameter sensor;
wherein the automatic mode includes a normal plow mode and a back drag plow mode;
wherein in the automatic back drag plow mode, the control module is configured to automatically move the plow in a first raised direction upon the parameter sensor sensing a forward gear vehicle parameter of the vehicle and configured to automatically move the plow in a second lowered direction upon the parameter sensor sensing a reverse gear vehicle parameter of the vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein in the manual mode, the plow is moved in the first direction or the second direction upon activation of the direction control switch.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein in the automatic normal plow mode, the control module is configured to move the plow in a first lowered direction upon the parameter sensor sensing a forward gear vehicle parameter of the vehicle and configured to move the plow in a second raised direction upon the parameter sensor sensing a reverse gear vehicle parameter of the vehicle.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plow mechanism is an electric winch.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric winch includes a winch motor, a winch contactor, and winch-in and winch-out relays.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plow mechanism is a hydraulic pump motor and controller.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parameter sensor senses a gear position of the vehicle.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the gear position parameter is provided to the control module via a control area network (CAN) bus.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is a display module that includes a processor, the mode select switch, and the direction control switch.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the direction control switch includes a plow up switch and a plow down switch.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plow up switch and the plow down switch are implemented on a display touch screen of the display module.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plow up switch operates upon touching and swiping a plow up button to move the plow in an up direction.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the display module is configured to be controlled remotely to operate the plow mechanism.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to turn the plow mechanism off upon the plow reaching a predetermined position.
15. A plow control system for use in controlling a plow in a vehicle, comprising:
an electric winch mechanism configured to move the plow up and down;
a gear position sensor configured to sense a vehicle gear position of the vehicle;
a display module having a processor and configured to control the electric winch mechanism;
a mode select switch configured to select a normal plow mode or a back drag plow mode; and
a direction control switch configured to direct the electric winch mechanism to move the plow up or down;
wherein in the back drag plow mode, the plow is automatically moved down upon the display module receiving a reverse gear position from the gear position sensor and the plow is automatically moved up upon the display module receiving a forward gear position from the gear position sensor.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the mode select switch and the direction control switch are touch screen control switches.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the direction control switch includes an up direction control switch and a down direction control switch wherein each switch requires a user to touch and swipe the switch to move the plow.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the display module is configured to turn the electric winch mechanism off upon the plow reaching a predetermined position.