Cable drive and tension assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8974334-B2
Application number	US-201213645142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2012
Priority date	Oct 14, 2011
Publication date	Mar 10, 2015
Grant date	Mar 10, 2015

Abstract

A tensioning assembly having a drive pulley, a tension pulley and a tension adjustment system is provided. The drive pulley has a first drive pulley channel and a second drive pulley channel. The tension pulley has a first tension pulley channel and a second tension pulley channel. The second tension pulley channel is aligned with the first drive pulley channel. The first drive pulley channel and the second drive pulley channel of the drive pulley and the first tension pulley channel and a second tension pulley channel of the tension pulley are configured and arranged to engage and route an endless looped member. The tension adjustment system is coupled to adjust the distance between the drive pulley and the tension pulley to adjust the tension in the endless looped member in relation to the drive pulley.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A climb assist system comprising:
an upper pulley assembly configured and arranged to be coupled to an upper rung of a ladder, the upper pulley assembly further configured to route an endless looped member about different sides of the ladder;
a lower pulley assembly configured and arranged to be coupled to a lower rung of the ladder, the lower pulley assembly further configured to route the endless looped member about different sides of the ladder to the upper pulley assembly;
a tension assembly coupled to the ladder between the upper pulley assembly and the lower pulley assembly, the tension assembly including,
a drive pulley having a first drive pulley channel and a second drive pulley channel;
a tension pulley having a first tension pulley channel and a second tension pulley channel, the second tension pulley channel being aligned with the first drive pulley channel, the first drive pulley channel and the second drive pulley channel of the drive pulley and the first tension pulley channel and the second tension pulley channel of the tension pulley configured and arranged to engage and route the endless looped member; and
a tension adjustment system coupled to adjust the distance between the drive pulley and the tension pulley;
a drive assembly having a drive shaft, the drive assembly configured to rotate the drive shaft, the drive pulley in rotational communication with the drive assembly;

a housing, the drive pulley and the tension assembly received in the housing, the housing having a top end wall and an opposed bottom end wall, the top end wall having a first cable passage and the bottom end wall having a second cable passage, the endless looped member passing through the first cable passage and the second cable passage;
a threaded tension adjustment rod extending through a rod receiving aperture in the housing;
a tension pulley bracket, the tension pulley rotationally coupled to the tension pulley bracket, the tension pulley bracket threadably coupled to the threaded tension adjustment rod wherein turning the threaded tension adjustment rod adjusts the distance between the drive pulley and the tension pulley to adjust tension in the endless looped member; and
at least one biasing member configured and arranged to provide a biasing force on the tension pulley to bias the tension pulley away from the drive pulley.

2. The climb assist system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the at least one biasing member configured and arranged to provide a biasing force between the threaded tension adjustment rod and tension pulley bracket to help maintain a select tension in the endless looped member.

3. The climb assist system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a portion of the threaded tension adjustment rod extending outside of the housing to allow rotation of the threaded tension adjustment rod.

4. The climb assist system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one biasing member includes a first biasing member and a second biasing member.

5. The climb assist system of claim 2 , further comprising:
the housing including an indication window;
an indicator washer having an indicator tab, the indicator washer in communication with the at least one biasing member, the indicator tab viewable in the indication window of the housing.

6. The climb assist system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an indicator in communication with the tension adjustment system to indicate the tension in the endless looped member.

7. The climb assist system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one connector for each of the upper pulley assembly, the lower pulley assembly and the tension assembly configured and arranged to couple each of the upper pulley assembly, the lower pulley assembly and the tension assembly to an associated rung of a ladder.

8. A drive and tensioning assembly, the assembly comprising:
a housing having a top end wall and an opposed bottom end wall, the top end wall having a first cable passage and the bottom end wall having a second cable passage;
a drive pulley received in the housing having a first drive pulley channel and a second drive pulley channel;
a drive assembly including a drive shaft, the drive assembly configured to rotate the drive shaft, the drive shaft extending through a housing aperture, the drive pulley is in rotational communication with the drive shaft of the drive assembly;
a tension pulley received in the housing having a first tension pulley channel and a second tension pulley channel, the second tension pulley channel being aligned with the first drive pulley channel, the first drive pulley channel and the second drive pulley channel of the drive pulley and the first tension pulley channel and the second tension pulley channel of the tension pulley configured and arranged to engage and route an endless looped member into and out of the first cable passage and second cable passage of the housing;
a tension adjustment system coupled to adjust a distance between the drive pulley and the tension pulley in the housing;
a threaded tension adjustment rod extending through a rod receiving aperture in the housing;
a tension pulley bracket, the tension pulley rotationally coupled to the tension pulley bracket, the tension pulley bracket threadably coupled to the threaded tension adjustment rod, wherein turning the threaded tension adjustment rod adjusts the distance between the drive pulley and the tension pulley to adjust tension in the endless looped member; and
at least one biasing member configured and arranged to provide a biasing force on the tension pulley bracket away from the drive pulley.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
the at least one biasing member configured and arranged to provide a biasing force on the threaded tension adjustment rod to help maintain a select tension in the endless looped member.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
the housing including an indication window; and
an indicator washer having an indicator tab, the indicator washer engaging the at least one biasing member, the indicator tab of the indicator washer received in the indication window of the housing.

11. The assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a portion of the threaded tension adjustment rod extending outside of the housing, the portion including a manipulation end configured to allow the rotation of the threaded tension adjustment rod with a tool.

12. A tensioning assembly comprising:
a drive pulley having a first drive pulley channel and a second drive pulley channel;
a tension pulley having a first tension pulley channel and a second tension pulley channel, the second tension pulley channel being aligned with the first drive pulley channel, the first drive pulley channel and the second drive pulley channel of the drive pulley and the first tension pulley channel and the second tension pulley channel of the tension pulley configured and arranged to engage and route an endless looped member;
a tension adjustment system coupled to adjust a distance between the drive pulley and the tension pulley to adjust a tension in the endless looped member in relation to the drive pulley;
a housing, the drive pulley and the tension assembly received in the housing, the housing having a top end wall and an opposed bottom end wall, the top end wall having a first cable passage and the bottom end wall having a second cable passage, the endless looped member passing through the first cable passage and the second cable passage;
a threaded tension adjustment rod extending through a rod receiving aperture in the housing;
a tension pulley bracket, the tension pulley rotationally coupled to the tens

Assignees

• Db Ind Llc

Inventors

• Stephenson Matthew S

Classifications

• B66D1/7489

  having a particular use, e.g. rope ascenders · CPC title

• E06C7/12 Primary

  Lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders · CPC title

• B66D1/7405

  having two or more drums providing tractive force · CPC title