Winch

Abstract

A winch having a rope and a rigid member coupled, at a first end portion of the rope, to the rope. The rigid member is coupleable to a load raisable and/or lowerable by the winch, where the rigid member is configured to substantially increase an effective length of the load to stabilize the load when being raised and/or lowered by the winch.

Claims

1. A winch comprising: a rope; and a rigid member coupled, at a first end portion of the rope, to the rope, wherein the rigid member is coupleable to a load raisable and/or lowerable by the winch, and wherein the rigid member is configured to substantially increase an effective length, measured along an axis defined by the rope, of the load to stabilize the load when being raised and/or lowered by the winch.

2. The winch as claimed in claim 1, coupled to the load, wherein the rigid member is configured to increase the effective length of the load in a range selected from the group consisting of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and more than 100%.

3. The winch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gearbox coupled, at a second end portion of the rope, to the rope, wherein the first end portion of the rope is opposite to the second end portion of the rope, and wherein the gearbox is configured to wound and/or unwound the rope.

4. The winch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid member comprises a solid connector fixed to the rope.

5. The winch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid member comprises a semi-rigid cable.

6. The winch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid member comprises a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material, and wherein the rigid member is configured as a transformer core for wirelessly charging an electrical device of the load.

7. The winch as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a first transformer coil penetrable by the rigid member upon raising and/or lowering of the load by the winch.

8. The winch as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a second transformer coil penetrable by the rigid member upon raising and/or lowering of the load by the winch, wherein the first transformer coil and the second transformer coil are spaced apart with respect to each other along the axis defined by the rope, and wherein, when the rigid member penetrates each of the first transformer coil and the second transformer coil, the rigid member and the first transformer coil and the second transformer coil form a transformer for the wirelessly charging of the electrical device.

9. The winch as claimed in claim 8, further comprising the load comprising the electrical device, wherein the second transformer coil is comprised in or coupled to the load.

10. The winch as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a sensing unit configured to sense a change of inductance and/or current flow in one or both of the first transformer coil and the second transformer coil, and wherein the winch is configured to stop winding or unwinding, respectively, the rope in response to the sensing of the change of inductance and/or current flow in one or both of the first transformer coil and the second transformer coil.

11. The winch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rigid member comprises steel.

12. A method for wirelessly charging an electrical device comprised in or coupled to a load raisable and/or lowerable by a winch, the method comprising: providing the winch comprising: a rigid member coupled to a rope of the winch, wherein the rigid member comprises a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material; and a first transformer coil arranged around an axis defined by the rope; coupling the rigid member to the load; providing a second transformer coil and coupling the second transformer coil to the electrical device comprised in or coupled to the load, wherein the second transformer coil is arranged around the rigid member; aligning the first transformer coil, the second transformer coil and the rigid member relative to each other along the axis defined by the rope such that the first transformer coil, the second transformer coil and the rigid member form a transformer; and charging the electrical device wirelessly using the transformer formed by the first transformer coil, the second transformer coil and the rigid member.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of charging of the electrical device further comprises applying a varying electrical current in the first transformer coil.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of aligning further comprises winding or unwinding, respectively, the rope to raise or lower, respectively, the load using the winch.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second transformer coil is comprised in the load.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIGS. 1a to c show side views of schematic illustrations of winches according to the prior art.

[0037] FIGS. 2a to c show side views of schematic illustrations of a winch according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0038] FIGS. 3a to c show side views of schematic illustrations of winches according to further example implementations as described herein.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method according to some example implementations as described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] As outlined above, example implementations of the winch as described herein allow for reducing swaying of a load during movement, in particular during fast movement above a certain threshold velocity.

[0041] FIG. 2a depicts a side view of a schematic illustration of a winch 200 according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0042] In this example, a load 1 (which may or may not be comprised in what is dubbed the winch) is attached to a rigid member 4. In this example, the rigid member 4 is formed by a steel connector and a semi-rigid cable which are covered by a plastic cover. The plastic cover allows for hiding the steel connector and the semi-rigid cable, in particular to thereby prevent deterioration of the steel connector and the semi-rigid cable given any environmental exposures.

[0043] In this example, the rigid member 4 is firmly connected to the load 1.

[0044] In some example implementations, the load 1 and the rigid member 4 (in particular, in some variants, the steel connector) may have predefined, corresponding mating parts allowing for a firm connection to be realized between the rigid member 4 and the load 1.

[0045] In this example, the rigid member 4 is coupled to a rope 2 of the winch 200. In some variants, a fixed connection between the rigid member 4 and the rope 2 of the winch 200 may be provided.

[0046] The winch 200 further comprises, in this example, a gearbox 3 which may be used in order to wind or unwind the rope 2.

[0047] FIG. 2b depicts a schematic side view of the winch 200 with further labeling for illustrative purposes according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0048] As can be seen from FIG. 2b, a length of the load 1 from, in this example, its center of mass 5 to the point at which the load 1 is connected to the rigid member 4 is denoted as L2. The rigid member 4 increases the effective length of the load 1 by a value denoted as L1 to a total effective length of the load of L1+L2. As outlined above, this may stabilize the load and may allow for faster movement (compared to the winch 100 as depicted in FIGS. 1a and b) of the load 1 when being raised and/or lowered by the winch 200, without the load 1 starting to sway or oscillate around the axis defined by the rope 2 or around an axis parallel to the gravitational force.

[0049] FIG. 2c depicts a snapshot of a schematic side view of the winch 200 when the load 1 is being raised and/or lowered by the winch 200 according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0050] As can be seen from a comparison between the winch 100 shown in FIG. 1b and the winch 200 depicted in FIG. 2c, by increasing the effective length of the load by adding the rigid member 4, the direction along which the rope 2 extends does not deviate as much from its original orientation (parallel to the gravitational force) when the load is being raised and/or lowered by the winch 200. In some examples, the part of the rigid member 4 which is connected to the rope 2 is that part of the rigid member 4 which may sway the most during movement of the load. However, in particular in view of the load 1 exhibiting an inert mass, the load 1 itself may not sway as much as, in this example, the top part of the rigid member 4 during movement given the increased effective length of the load.

[0051] FIG. 3a depicts a side view of a schematic illustration of a winch 300 according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0052] In this example, the rigid member 4 comprises (or, in some variants, is entirely made of) steel or another ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. The rigid member 4 may hereby be used as a transformer core for a contactless (wireless) charging of any electrical device, such as electrical device 8, which may be coupled to or be comprised in (for example, be inside) the load.

[0053] In this example, a first transformer coil 7 is coupled to the gearbox 3 of the winch 300. As will be appreciated, the first transformer coil 7 may be arranged on another part of the winch 300. The first transformer coil 7 is, in this example, arranged on the winch 300 such that the rope 2 passes through the winding(s) of the first transformer coil 7.

[0054] Further to the first transformer coil 7 at the winch side, in this example, a second transformer coil 6 with one or more windings is provided at the load side. In this example, the second transformer coil 6 is coupled to the electrical device 8 which is placed inside the load 1. However, as will be appreciated, in some example implementations, the second transformer coil 6 may alternatively or additionally be coupled to another part(s) of the load 1, in which case wiring may, in some examples, be used to electrically couple or connect the second transformer coil 6 and the electrical device 8 with each other.

[0055] As can be seen, the second transformer coil 6 is, in this example, arranged such that the rigid member 4 penetrates the winding(s) of the second transformer coil 6.

[0056] FIG. 3b depicts a side view of a schematic illustration of the winch 300 shown in FIG. 3a in a different state according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0057] Compared to the state of the winding (i.e. raising/lowering position of the load) in FIG. 3a, the load 1 is raised as shown in FIG. 3b to such an extent that the rigid member 4 penetrates each of the first and second transformer coils. In this state, the rigid member 4 together with the first and second transformer coils all together form a transformer which may be used to wirelessly charge the electrical device 8. A much faster charging compared to coreless charging systems may hereby be achieved.

[0058] In this example, depending on the position of the load 1 (and hence the second transformer coil 6 and the rigid member 4) relative to the first transformer coil 7, the electrical device 8 may be charged or chargeable (FIG. 3b), or not (FIG. 3a).

[0059] Furthermore, in this example implementation, the transformer may be formed at a top position of the winch. However, as will be appreciated, one or more additional or alternative positions may be predetermined at which the transformer may be formed by the rigid member 4 and the first and second transformer coils.

[0060] FIG. 3c depicts a side view of a schematic illustration of a winch 350 according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0061] In this example, the rigid member 4 comprises a battery 8, which may preferably be a cylindrical battery. A cylindrical battery may hereby ensure that a rotational symmetry may not be further distorted so that the stability while the load 1 is being raised or lowered may be maintained (as much as possible). For example, if the rope 2 rotates around its own longitudinal axis when the load 1 is being raised or lowered, no further forces may be generated which would otherwise result in a certain swaying or oscillating motion of the structure.

[0062] In this example, the rigid member 4 further comprises a connecting device 9 and control electronics 10. The connecting device 9 is, in this example, used to attach the rope 2 to the rigid member 4. The control electronics 10 may be used for wireless charging and/or control of the load 1 in particular in case the load is or comprises, for example, a lighting device (such as an OLED lighting panel).

[0063] In some examples, reference numeral 10 refers to a sensing unit which is configured to sense a change of inductance and/or current flow in one or both of the first and second transformer coils, wherein the winch is configured to stop winding or unwinding, respectively, the rope 2 in response to said sensing of said change of inductance and/or current flow in one or both of the first and second transformer coils. As outlined above, the control electronics 10 may be constituted by or be comprised in the sensing unit.

[0064] As can be seen in FIG. 3c, in this example, the coil 6 is moved to a location above the rigid member 4 and on top, i.e. above the connecting device 9.

[0065] This configuration of the winch 350 in which the coil 6 is moved above the rigid member 4 (and, in particular, the connecting device 9 of the rigid member 4) allows that the rigid member 4 may not necessarily have to be entirely made out of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. Only a part of the rigid member 4 may be made of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. In some examples, only the connecting device 9 is made of or comprises a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material. As will be appreciated, providing only a part of the rigid member 4 with a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material may still be sufficient so that the part which is made of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material together with the coils 6 and 7 may form a transformer used as outlined above, for example for wirelessly charging an electrical device.

[0066] In some examples, the electrical device which may be wirelessly charged may be the battery 8. The electric energy which may hereby be stored in the battery 8 may be used in order to (electrically) power the load 1, which may be, for example, a lighting device, such as an OLED lighting panel.

[0067] In some example implementations, the coil 6 may be moved to be on top of the rigid member 4.

[0068] In example implementations in which coils 6 and 7 are used, the coils 6 and 7 may be exploited as a contactless proximity switch or overwinding prevention switch. When the coil 6 comes into the proximity (i.e. within a certain threshold distance which may depend on certain electrical and/or magnetic properties of the coils) of coil 7, electronics (which may be constituted by or be comprised in the control electronics 10) inside the winch may sense a change of inductance and/or current flow which may be used as a trigger to stop movement, i.e. stop winding or unwinding the rope 2. In some examples, this position at which movement is stopped may be used as a reference position (for example zero position) of the load. Such a reference position may be used, for example, to determine a current position of the load to thereby identify whether, for example, wireless charging of the electrical device may be possible in the current position. This reference position may alternatively be used as a charging position for the electrical device, which may be the battery 8.

[0069] It will be understood that in each of the example implementations of the winches as described herein, further features of the winches may be omitted for illustrative purposes. Such features include, but are not limited to, a drum around which the rope may be wound, an electrical current source, electrical wiring, parts of the gearbox such as a motor, and other features.

[0070] Furthermore, in one or more of the example implementations of the winches as described herein, the load (which may, in some variants, comprise or be coupled to one or both of the electrical device and the second transformer coil) may be a separate part distinct from the winch to which the load may be coupled or connected. Alternatively, in some variants, the load (which may, in some example implementations, comprise or be coupled to one or both of the electrical device and the second transformer coil) may be integral to, i.e. comprised in the winch.

[0071] Further still, in example implementations of the winches as described herein, the rigid member may be fixed solidly to the load. This solid fixation may allow for increasing stability when raising or lowering the load due to the increase of the effective length of the load.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method 400 according to some example implementations as described herein.

[0073] The method 400 comprises, in this example, at step 402, providing a winch comprising: (i) a rigid member coupled to a rope of the winch, wherein the rigid member comprises a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material, and (ii) a first transformer coil arranged around an axis defined by the rope. The axis may hereby be defined by the rope when the rope is in a still position, i.e. when the rope is not wound or unwound, such that the defined axis may, in some examples, be parallel to the direction of the gravitational force.

[0074] At step 404, the rigid member is coupled to a load raisable and/or lowerable by the winch.

[0075] A second transformer coil is then provided, at step 406, which is coupled to an electrical device comprised in or coupled to the load. The second transformer coil is, in this example, arranged around the rigid member. In other words, the second transformer coil may be arranged such that the rigid member penetrates the winding(s) of the second transformer coil.

[0076] At step 408, the first and second transformer coils and the rigid member are aligned relative to each other along the axis defined by the rope (for example, when the rope is in a still, non-moving position) such that the first and second transformer coils and the rigid member form a transformer. This may in particular be achieved by winding or unwinding, respectively, the rope to raise or lower, respectively, the load using the winch.

[0077] At step 410 of the method 400, the electrical device is charged wirelessly using the transformer formed by the first and second transformer coils and the rigid member. This may, in particular, be achieved by applying a varying electrical current in the first transformer coil.

[0078] It will be understood that the order of certain steps of the method 400, for example steps 402 to 406, may be exchanged, and such alterations are therefore considered to be within the scope of the corresponding claims appended hereto.

[0079] No doubt many other effective alternatives will occur to the skilled person. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments and encompasses modifications apparent to those skilled in the art and lying within the scope of the claims appended hereto.