Capstan effect device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11685639-B2
Application number	US-202016820577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A device for moving an object is disclosed. The device has a drive cylinder with drive grooves and a set of idler pulleys. The idler pulleys are on a shaft that is parallel to the drive cylinder. Each of the idler pulleys rotate at an angle around the drive shaft that aligns the grooves of the idler pulleys to neighboring drive grooves. This allows the line to pass onto the drive groove, around an idler pulley, and onto a next adjacent drive groove. The line therefore winds back and forth between the drive grooves, the idler pulleys, and back to the next drive groove. One end of the line is placed under tension and the other is attached to an object or to a fixed member. The drive cylinder is driven and the line is moved through the device, or the device is moved along the line, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for moving an object comprising:
a drive cylinder with at least three drive grooves rotating in parallel planes that are perpendicular to a long axis of the drive cylinder;
a shaft parallel to the drive cylinder upon which at least two idler pulleys rotate;
wherein the idler pulleys rotate in planes parallel to each other, which planes are at an angle to the parallel planes of the drive grooves, such that, as a line passes around a first drive groove, onto a first idler pulley, and around the first idler pulley, the line, as it comes off the first idler pulley, is aligned with a second drive groove; and wherein as the line comes around the second drive groove, onto a second idler pulley, and around the second idler pulley, the line, as it comes off the second idler pulley, is aligned with a third drive groove;
wherein the line is attached at a first end to an object and a second end is under tension;
wherein, as the drive cylinder is rotated the object is moved.

2. The invention of claim 1 , wherein the tension is supplied by a counterweight, a stationary member, a spring, or a second object pulling away from the device.

3. The invention of claim 1 , wherein the tension is supplied by a set of rollers that pull the line away from the device.

4. The invention of claim 1 , wherein the first of the drive grooves has a greater diameter than a remainder of the drive grooves.

5. The invention of claim 1 , wherein the device is mounted on and moves along a track such that the device lifts the object up, moves to a new location, and lowers the object down.

6. The invention of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the at least three drive grooves is rough, resulting in increased frictional gripping of the line by the surface.

7. The invention of claim 1 , wherein the drive cylinder is rotated by a motor.

8. The invention of claim 7 , further comprising a controller configured to receive instructions and transmit a signal to the motor to rotate the drive cylinder.

9. The invention of claim 8 , further comprising a smart device configured to transmit instructions to the controller.

10. The invention of claim 9 , further comprising sensors that transmit information to the smart device, the sensors transmitting information selected from the group consisting of a force on the line, a position of the line in the device, power remaining in a battery that drives the motor, current draw by the motor, and combinations thereof.

11. The invention of claim 7 , wherein the motor is powered by a battery.

12. A device for moving an object comprising:
a drive cylinder with at least three drive grooves rotating in parallel planes that are perpendicular to a long axis of the drive cylinder, the drive cylinder mounted to the object;
a shaft parallel to the drive cylinder upon which at least two idler pulleys rotate;
wherein the idler pulleys rotate in planes parallel to each other and at an angle to the parallel planes of the drive grooves, such that, as a line passes around a first drive groove, onto a first idler pulley, and around the first idler pulley, the line, as it comes off the first idler pulley, is aligned with a second drive groove; and wherein as the line comes around the second drive groove, onto a second idler pulley, and around the second idler pulley, the line, as it comes off the second idler pulley, is aligned with a third drive groove;
wherein the line is attached at a first end to a stationary member and is attached at a second end to a stationary member or is under tension; and
wherein, as the drive cylinder is rotated the device travels along the line towards the first end or the second end, moving the object.

13. The invention of claim 12 , wherein a first of the drive grooves has a greater diameter than a remainder of the drive grooves.

14. The invention of claim 12 , wherein the drive cylinder is rotated by a motor.

15. The invention of claim 14 , further comprising a controller configured to receive instructions and transmit a signal to the motor to rotate the drive cylinder.

16. The invention of claim 15 , further comprising a smart device configured to transmit instructions to the controller.

17. A system for moving an object linearly comprising a plurality of the devices of claim 12 mounted on one or more faces of the object.

18. The invention of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of the devices comprises a motor that drives the drive cylinder.

19. The invention of claim 18 , further comprising a controller configured to receive instructions and transmit a signal to the motors to rotate the drive cylinder.

20. The invention of claim 19 , wherein the object comprises an elevator and further comprising a set of buttons that transmit the instructions to the controller.

Assignees

• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Hall Michael
• Rees Cody

Classifications

• B66D2700/0191

  Cable guiding during winding or paying out · CPC title

• B66D1/36 Primary

  Guiding, or otherwise ensuring winding in an orderly manner, of ropes, cables, or chains · CPC title

• B66D2700/0141

  Electrically actuated · CPC title

• B66D3/04 Primary

  Pulley blocks or like devices in which force is applied to a rope, cable, or chain which passes over one or more pulleys, e.g. to obtain mechanical advantage (sheaves F16H55/00) · CPC title