Free fall winch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535499-B2
Application number	US-202016812127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Sep 6, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a free fall winch comprising a drum, which can be rotationally driven by a winch drive, wherein a free fall brake is provided for braking the drum in free fall operation. According to the invention, a torque acting on the free fall winch, which depends on the free fall braking torque, is detected by means of a detection device, and a brake actuation force with which the free fall brake is actuated is controlled or adjusted by a control device according to the detected torque.

First claim

We claim:

1. A free fall winch comprising:
a drum rotationally drivable by a winch drive;
a free fall brake for braking the drum in free fall operation;
a detection device for detecting a torque that acts at the free fall winch and that depends on a free fall brake torque of the free fall brake; and
a control device for controlling a braking control force of the free fall brake in dependence on the detected torque.

2. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the control device has a controller module for regulating the braking control force of the free fall brake in dependence on the detected torque.

3. The winch of claim 2 , wherein a desired braking torque can be supplied to the controller that is predefinable by a desired braking sensor that detects a control distance and/or a control force of a free fall brake pedal or of a free fall brake lever; and wherein the controller module is configured to regulate the braking control force such that a difference between the detected torque and the predefinable desired braking torque is as small as possible.

4. The winch of claim 3 , wherein a desired rotational speed of the drum and/or a desired withdrawal speed of the rope running off the drum can be specified to the controller as a desired value and/or as a reference value;
further comprising a rotational speed detection device and/or a speed detection device for detecting the actual rotational speed of the drum and/or the actual removal speed of the rope; and
wherein the controller module is configured to control the free fall brake such that the actual rotational speed and/or the actual removal speed is as close as possible to the desired rotational speed and/or a desired removal speed.

5. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the detection device comprises a torque sensor integrated in the winch drive; and wherein the torque sensor is arranged directly at a motor shaft of the winch drive.

6. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the detection device has a torque sensor that is associated with an input shaft of a transmission via which transmission the drum is rotationally drivable by the winch drive.

7. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the detection device has a torque sensor that is associated with a holding brake and that detects a torque induced at the holding brake in free fall operation.

8. The winch of claim 7 , wherein the winch drive is rotationally fastened to the holding brake such that the torque sensor associated with the holding brake detects the torque provided or intercepted by the winch drive with an open holding brake.

9. The winch of claim 7 , wherein the holding brake is supported against rotation by a support; and wherein the torque sensor is associated with the support.

10. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the free fall brake is supported against rotation by a support; and wherein the detection device has a torque sensor associated with the support of the free fall brake.

11. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the detection device has a torque sensor that is associated with a bearing plate and measures a torque induced in the bearing plate in free fall operation.

12. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the free fall brake is arranged between the winch drive and a holding brake, on the one hand, and the drum, on the other hand, such that the drum is decoupled from the winch drive and from the holding brake with an open free fall brake.

13. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the free fall brake is arranged such that at least one part of the free fall brake is configured to rotate along with the drum and/or with the winch drive and such that a counter-bearing plate at which the drum is rotatably supported on a side disposed opposite the winch drive and a holding brake also remains free of torque with a closed free fall brake.

14. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the free fall brake is received in the interior of a drum jacket of the drum.

15. The winch of claim 1 , wherein a transmission comprises a single-stage or multi-stage planetary transmission that is received in the interior of the drum; and wherein the free fall brake is rotatably fastened at a free fall brake part to a planetary transmission element.

16. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the free fall brake is actuatable by an actuation device that is arranged on a side of the drum disposed opposite the winch drive and a holding brake; and wherein the actuation device is rotatably supported at a counter-bearing plate and/or is formed as rotatable per se such that at least one part of the actuation device is freely rotatable with respect to the counter-bearing plate even with an applied free fall brake.

17. The winch of claim 1 , wherein an actuation device has a rotationally stationary and axially adjustable actuation cylinder for actuating the free fall brake that is rotatably supported at least with respect to one part of the free fall brake and/or with respect to the drum.

18. The winch of claim 1 , wherein the free fall brake is configured as a multi-disk brake; and wherein a first set of disks is rotationally fastened to the drum and a second set of disks is rotationally fastened to a transmission element of the transmission.

19. The winch of claim 1 , wherein at least one part of the free fall brake continuously rotating along with the drum has conveying contours and/or oil circulation contours in the form of flushing grooves.

20. A method of operating a free fall winch that has a drum, a winch drive for the rotational driving of the drum, and a free fall brake for braking the drum in free fall operation, the method comprising:
detecting a torque at the free fall winch that is induced by a braking torque of the free fall brake in free fall operation of the free fall winch by a torque sensor; and
automatic controlling and/or adapting of a braking control force actuating the free fall brake in dependence on the detected torque.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein a desired braking torque is predefined by detecting a control distance and/or a control force of a brake pedal or brake lever; and/or wherein a desired rotational speed of the drum is predefined in free fall operation; and wherein the control force actuating the free fall brake is regulated by a controller module in dependence on the detected torque such that a difference between the detected torque and the predefined desired braking torque and/or the difference between a detected actual rotational speed of the drum and the predefined desired rotational speed of the drum is/are as small as possible.

Assignees

• Liebherr Components Biberach Gmbh

Inventors

• Hausladen Norbert
• Führle David

Classifications

• B66D1/12

  incorporating electric motors · CPC title

• B66D1/22

  Planetary or differential gearings (for actuating grab buckets B66D1/70 ){, i.e. with planet gears having movable axes of rotation} · CPC title

• B66D2700/0125

  Motor operated winches · CPC title

• B66D5/24

  Operating devices · CPC title

• B66D5/18 Primary

  for generating braking forces which are proportional to the loads suspended; Load-actuated brakes · CPC title