Towrope Winch Safety Shutoff Switch

• US 20100224117A1
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Innovative Sports Incoporated
• Original Assignee: Global Innovative Sports Incoporated
• Inventors: Welch, John M., Christensen, Ladd E., Hales, Devin J., Triplett, Tyson
• Granted Patent: US 8,651,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/253
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/67 Connection means on the towing watercraft, e.g. pylons, side poles or winches

Abstract

A towrope winch with a safety shutoff device includes a winch configured to wind a rope; and a safety shutoff device which deactivates the winch if, during winding of the rope, a foreign object enters a winch intake along with the rope to actuate the safety shutoff device.

Claims

1. A towrope winch with a safety shutoff device comprising:

a winch configured to wind a rope; and

a safety shutoff device which deactivates the winch if, during winding of the rope, a foreign object enters a winch intake along with the rope to actuate the safety shutoff device.

2. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1, further comprising a control unit which, upon actuation of the safety shutoff device, performs at least one of the following actions:

engages a brake assembly of the towrope winch, deactivates a motor assembly of the winch, discontinues receipt of instructions from a user interface electrically coupled to the winch, and combinations thereof.

3. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a compression switch which is compressed and actuated by entry of said foreign object into said winch intake along with said rope.

4. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a light curtain which detects entry of a foreign object into said winch intake along with said rope.

5. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a resistive or capacitive sensor that detects a change in resistance or capacitance indicative of a foreign object entering said winch intake along with said rope.

6. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1, in which the safety shutoff device further comprises:

a rod;

an eyelet coupled to a first end of the rod and configured to encircle the rope;

a damper configured to receive a second end of the rod;

a switch housing coupled to the damper; and

a switch coupled to the switch housing.

7. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 6, in which the safety shutoff device is actuated when the foreign object abuts the eyelet.

8. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 6, in which, upon activation of the switch and deactivation of the towrope winch, the damper is configured to further slow the motion of the rod and absorb more energy from the rod so as to allow the rod to be displaced further.

9. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 6, in which the damper is selected from a group consisting of a pneumatic damper, a hydraulic damper, a dashpot, an Eddy current damper, a spring damper, and combinations thereof.

10. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1 in which the safety shutoff device further comprises:

a resilient wire;

an eyelet coupled to a first end of the resilient wire and configured to encircle the rope; and

a magnet coupled to a second end of the resilient wire.

11. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 10, further comprising a Hall effect device, wherein the magnet is in magnetic communication with the Hall effect device.

12. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 11, in which the Hall effect device is configured to sense a change in the magnetic field of the magnet when the resilient wire displaces the magnet.

13. The towrope winch with a safety shutoff device of claim 1, in which the safety shutoff device further comprises:

a compression block having a hole defined therein through which the rope, but not the foreign object may pass;

a compression switch block having a hole defined therein through which the rope may pass and proximal to the compression block, the compression block and compression switch block being biased apart;

a compression switch coupled to the compression switch block and configured to be actuated when the compression block abuts the compression switch block because said foreign object has moved said compression block against said bias into contact with said compression switch.

14. A watercraft for towing a board rider, said watercraft comprising:

a winch configured to wind a rope under control of said board rider; and

a safety shutoff device which deactivates the winch if, during winding of the rope, a foreign object enters a winch intake along with the rope so as to actuate the safety shutoff device.

15. The watercraft of claim 14, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a compression switch which is compressed and actuated by entry of said foreign object into said winch intake along with said rope.

16. The watercraft of claim 14, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a light curtain which detects entry of a foreign object into said winch intake along with said rope.

17. The watercraft of claim 14, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a resistive or capacitive sensor that detects a change in resistance or capacitance indicative of a foreign object entering said winch intake along with said rope.

18. A method of operating a towrope winch with a safety shutoff device comprising:

with said safety shutoff device, deactivating the winch if, during winding of the rope, a foreign object enters a winch intake along with the rope so as to actuate the safety shutoff device.

19. The method of claim 18, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a compression switch which is compressed and actuated by entry of said foreign object into said winch intake along with said rope.

20. The method of claim 18, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a light curtain which detects entry of a foreign object into said winch intake along with said rope.

21. The method of claim 18, in which said safety shutoff device comprises a resistive or capacitive sensor that detects a change in resistance or capacitance indicative of a foreign object entering said winch intake along with said rope.