Automatic winch drive system

• US 6,561,489 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DEFS Incorporated, Double Eagle Financial Sys Defs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DEFS Incorporated
• Inventors: Wakefield, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, EMMANUEL MONSAYAC
• Application Number:
  US09/520,181
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 254/323, 254/362, 414/463-466, 224/42.12, 224/42.23
• US Class Current: 254/323
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 43/045 the wheel or its cradle being attached to one or more chains or cables for handling
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/12 incorporating electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/46 electric

Abstract

An automatic winch drive system (AWDS) adapted to mount a motorized conveyance and designed specifically to raise and lower a spare tire and wheel. The AWDS is adapted to mount a motorized conveyance at the rear portion of same during factory installation or as an after-purchase accessory/enhancement. The principal object includes the following: a power cell, a reversing control switch, an electric gear motor, an adapter, a drive, a gib, threaded fasteners, a limit switch, an alert and a manual redundancy. The redundancy activates the gear motor'"'"'s rotor, gearbox and drive; it is built into the system to override the automatic setting in the event of an electrical malfunction or power failure. The principal object has a warning mechanism that broadcasts an alert when the winch cable has been deployed; it remains in effect until the spare tire and wheel are returned to their appropriate storage configuration. The pilot alert is broadcast whenever contact with the spare tire and the limiting switch has been breached. A power cell within the conveyance actuates the electric gear motor and drive to automatically raise and lower the winch cable, spare tire, and wheel. Operating a manual hand-crank winch to access a spare tire, which is stored at the undercarriage of a van or sports utility vehicle (SUV), or under the bed portion of a truck, requires the application of sheer physical force. The principal object precludes the need for such exertion on the part of the user/operator.

Claims

1. An automatic winch drive system adapted to mount a motorized conveyance and designed specifically to raise and lower a spare tire and wheel comprising:

(a) a power cell, (b) an electric gear motor, (c) a self closing reversing switch, (d) a limit switch, (e) an alert, (f) a driveshaft, (g) a spare tire and wheel winch assembly and (h) a fuse.

2. An automatic winch drive system as described in claim 1, wherein the gear motor is activated by the power cell, causing a crank-arm on the electric motor to rotate, the rotation powers the drive shaft, which, as adapted to the winch, activates the pulley action, reeling in and reeling out a cable or chain fitted to the winch.

3. An automatic winch drive system as described in claim 1, wherein the gear motor is adapted to mount a motorized conveyance in either a factory direct or after market fashion by a connecting gib that is fitted with removable threaded fasteners, the coupled grip and gear motor are adapted to mount an undercarriage of a conveyance proximate to the winch drive system.

4. An automatic winch drive system as described in claim 1, wherein the self-closing reverse switch is engaged to activate operational voltage from the power cell to actuate the winch drive system, engaging the switch causes rotation of the system'"'"'s drive shaft in either a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion.

5. An automatic winch drive system as described in claim 1, wherein the electric gear motor has an operational redundancy allowing for two power settings:

manual and automatic, the manual drive mode may be achieved by affixing a hand-operated crank onto a subordinate crank-arm located on the gear motor allowing the system to become fully operational in the event of a failure of the automatic mode.

6. An automatic winch drive system as described in claim 1, wherein the alert, comprising a pilot light broadcasting warning, is adapted to mount a control console of the motorized conveyance, the light is interconnected to and between a negative ground and the limit switch and indicates whether contact between the limit switch and the spare tire assembly has taken place and whether the tire assembly is properly secured to an undercarriage of a motorized conveyance.

7. An automatic winch drive system, as described in claim 1, wherein the electric circuitry of the motor, comprising a path of electric current, is weather, dust and water resistant, so that use of the system after contact with standing water, severe temperature or weather extremes, will resist failure brought on by an electrical short or similar malfunction.