Tension dependent brake actuation for cable management and deployment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016122153-A1
Application number	US-201514932398-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cable management system and method of use are provided in which brake actuation which controls a cable payout rate may be dependent on cable tension. A control system may be provided for adjusting cable tension and braking force.

First claim

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a spool; a cable wound around the spool and including a cable segment which extends outwardly from the spool; and a brake which is operatively connected to the spool and controls a spool rate of rotation of the spool based on an amount of tension on the cable segment.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake controls the spool rate of rotation based on a length of the cable segment.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake controls the spool rate of rotation based on the spool rate of rotation.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake comprises a brake rotor and a brake pad which is engageable with the brake rotor.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a lever; wherein the brake pad is mounted on and pivotally movable with the lever relative to the brake rotor.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a linkage assembly which extends from the cable segment to the brake.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the linkage assembly comprises a rotatable sheave which engages the cable segment.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the linkage assembly comprises an arm on which the sheave is rotatably mounted; and a lever which is pivotally mounted at a first pivot and pivotally connected to the arm at a second pivot.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the linkage assembly comprises a spring which extends between the lever and brake so that the spring is compressed or decompressed in response to pivotal movement of the lever about the first pivot.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the brake comprises a brake rotor and a brake pad which is engageable with the brake rotor.

11 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the linkage assembly comprises an arm on which the sheave is rotatably mounted and which has a threaded portion; and a threaded member threadedly engages the threaded portion so that rotation of the threaded member causes translation of the arm.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the linkage assembly comprises a lever which is pivotally connected to the arm.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the lever extends from adjacent the arm toward the brake.

14 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the linkage assembly comprises an arm on which the sheave is rotatably mounted; and a force measurement transducer mounted on the arm.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a control in communication with the transducer; a servomotor in communication with the control; wherein in response to a signal sent from the transducer to the control, the control sends a signal to the servomotor to cause operation of the servomotor to adjust an amount of braking force applied by the brake.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a stationary friction post; and a sheave which is rotatable about an axis which is movable relative to the friction post; wherein the cable segment engages the friction post and sheave.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a sheave assembly comprising an arm and a sheave which is rotatably mounted on the arm and engages the cable segment;
a servomotor operatively connected to the sheave assembly; and
a control in communication with the servomotor, wherein the sheave assembly is movable in response to operation of the servomotor based on a signal from the control to the servomotor.

18 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a linkage assembly which extends from the cable segment to the brake;
a force measurement transducer mounted on the linkage assembly;
an encoder operatively connected to the spool or a rotatable sheave which engages the cable segment; and
a control in communication with the transducer and encoder.

19 . An apparatus comprising:
a spool; a brake rotor operatively connected to the spool so that a spool rate of rotation of the spool is dependent on a brake rotor rate of rotation of the brake rotor; a cable wound around the spool and including a cable segment which extends outwardly from the spool; an arm; a sheave which engages the cable segment and is rotatably mounted on the arm about a sheave axis; a lever pivotable about a lever axis; and a brake pad mounted on the lever and engageable with the brake rotor; wherein the arm is operatively connected to the lever so that movement of the arm and sheave perpendicular to the sheave axis causes pivotal movement of the lever about the pivot axis, thereby altering a braking force applied by the brake pad to the brake rotor.

20 . A method comprising the steps of:
providing a cable which is wound on a spool and includes a cable segment which extends outwardly from the spool; calculating with a feedback and control system an amount of tension on the cable segment based on engagement of a rotatable sheave with the cable segment; and controlling with a brake a rate of rotation of the spool based on the amount of tension.

Assignees

• Bae Sys Inf & Elect Sys Integ

Inventors

• Bewley Jr Peter D

Classifications

• B65H59/36

  Floating elements compensating for irregularities in supply or take-up of material (buffer storage devices B65H51/20) · CPC title

• B65H59/387 Primary

  Regulating unwinding speed · CPC title

• B65H59/04

  by devices acting on package or support · CPC title

• B65H59/382 Primary

  using mechanical means · CPC title

• B65H59/06

  by devices acting on material leaving the package · CPC title