Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force – Apparatus for hauling or hoisting load – including driven... – Device includes rotatably driven – cable contacting drum
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-26
2001-06-05
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3653)
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Apparatus for hauling or hoisting load, including driven...
Device includes rotatably driven, cable contacting drum
C254S343000, C254S356000, C254S362000, C254S380000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241215
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the priorities of German Patent Application, Serial Nos. 198 51 708.4, filed Oct. 30, 1998 and 199 16 413.4, filed Apr. 1, 1999, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates, in general, to a winch, and more particularly to a portable winch of a type having a casing for accommodating an electric motor having a motor shaft, a gearbox with a gearbox input shaft in communication with the motor shaft and a gearbox output shaft, and a roller for a traction member connected to a load-bearing member, with the roller mounted in fixed rotative engagement on the gearbox output shaft for winding and unwinding the traction member.
It is generally known to provide winches with a casing. For example, WO 93/15705 describes a ceiling-mounted lifter in which a harness for a patient is attached to a central hook on the underside of the lifter. Provided on the top of the lifter is an opening for guiding a traction member which is connectable to a carriage travelling along a ceiling-mounted track. Accommodated in the lifter casing are an electric motor and its energy supply, together with a gearbox, with the motor shaft being fixedly connected to the gearbox input shaft. A roller for winding and unwinding the traction member is mounted on the gearbox output shaft. At operation, the lifter pulls itself upward, and hence also pulls the person to be transported upward.
A drawback of this conventional lifter is its availability for only a particular use so that this lifter is not universally useable. In addition, this lifter cannot readily be transported by a single person over a relatively great distance without further aids, and the weight and the shape of the lifter permit a person to carry the lifter only around its shoulder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,973 describes a portable hoist which uses a high gear ratio in order to hold the load safely, even without a brake, when the motor is at a standstill. This hoist suffers the drawback that it cannot be used universally and cannot be transported with ease, i.a. because it does not have a balanced center of gravity. Furthermore, the hoist is not completely protected by the casing against outside forces, and has a complicated structure and thus is expensive. Therefore, this hoist is not suitable for domestic use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved winch, obviating the afore-stated drawbacks.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved winch which is cost-effective and universally usable, especially for domestic use, and is transportable with ease by a single person without further aids.
These objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a casing having a box-like configuration to exhibit a shape and size of a suitcase or attaché case, with the casing having opposite flat outer sides, with one outer side having attached thereon a suspension member, and the other outer side being formed with an opening, an electric motor having a motor shaft, a gearbox having an input shaft connected to the motor shaft, and a roller, mounted in fixed rotative engagement on the output shaft of the gearbox, for winding and unwinding a traction member for lifting and lowering a load, with the traction member being guided through the opening in the other outer side of the casing, wherein the electric motor, the gearbox and the roller are arranged in the casing and extend in a common plane, with the casing including a handle for transport of the winch by a single person.
According to another feature of the present invention, the electric motor, the gearbox and the roller for the traction member extend in a common plane, preferably a horizontal plane.
Suitably, the suspension member and the opening extend along a straight line oriented through the center of mass to realize a low wear of the traction member. The use of the winch can be further improved by arranging the suspension member of the flat casing centrally on the one flat outer side, and by arranging the opening at a central location of the opposite flat outer side.
According to another feature of the present invention, the casing may be made from two casing halves which are detachably connected to each other.
Suitably, the handle is placed on a longitudinal side of the casing, thereby further facilitating a transport of the portable winch by a single person.
According to another feature of the present invention, the casing may accommodate a control unit for controlling winding and unwinding of the traction member, to thereby widen the field of use of the portable winch. In order to simplify the operation, the control unit may be configured for remote-control capabilities via a receiver unit arranged in the casing.
Suitably, the winch according to the invention includes for energy supply at least one storage battery which is accommodated in the casing so as to render the operation of the winch independently from the main power supply network. Many applications of the winch can be covered by connecting a power cable for the energy supply to the casing. Suitably, the storage battery can be charged via the power cable. In order to accommodate the power cable, the latter, when not in use, can be wound up manually on at least one winding element arranged on the casing. Winding up the power cable can be further simplified by providing several winding elements for the power cable on a same transverse side of the casing.
According to another feature of the present invention, a box-like, i.e. flat, winch can be realized in a cost-efficient and simple manner, by configuring the electric motor as a universal motor and by configuring the gearbox as a self-locking worm drive, with the universal motor connected to the worm drive via a belt drive. The belt drive, involved here, together with the worm drive is suitable to realize a flat construction. Although a belt drive would normally not be used in hoists for safety reasons because a tearing of the belt could result in hazards for the operator, a proper and safe operation of the universal winch according to the invention is still ensured as a consequence of the combination of the belt drive with a universal motor and a self-locking worm drive.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1353238 (1920-09-01), Holmes
patent: 1464294 (1923-08-01), Reese
patent: 3788607 (1974-01-01), Crooks
patent: 4434973 (1984-03-01), Desplats
patent: 4569423 (1986-02-01), Hirano
patent: 4613273 (1986-09-01), Wagner
patent: 4635903 (1987-01-01), Broyden et al.
patent: 4846309 (1989-07-01), Nara et al.
patent: 5002259 (1991-03-01), Manning et al.
patent: 5573091 (1996-11-01), Hung
patent: 5603489 (1997-02-01), Regal
patent: 5803437 (1998-09-01), Paterson et al.
patent: 5970813 (1999-10-01), Parkins et al.
patent: 643292 (1937-04-01), None
patent: 42 25 851 A1 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 92 04 404 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 0 050 073 A1 (1982-04-01), None
patent: 1092926 (1967-11-01), None
patent: 40465 (1979-03-01), None
patent: PCT/AU92/00527 (1992-10-01), None
patent: WO 93/15705 (1993-08-01), None
Eising Ralf
Flaig Heinz
Gersemsky Udo
Heun Jurgen
Lichtenvort Uwe
Feiereisen Henry M.
Mannesmann AG
Marcelo Emmanuel M.
Olszewski Robert P.
LandOfFree
Portable winch does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Portable winch, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Portable winch will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2466746