WINCHES WITH DUAL MODE REMOTE CONTROL, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20180170725A1
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westin Automotive Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Superwinch, LLC
• Inventors: August, Jacob, Dennis, Ron, Frazier, Timothy, Mason, Jon, Salmon, Scott, Hargroder, Ty, Scuito, David, Burns, David, Nasset, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 10,781,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/12 incorporating electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/46 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 3/006 Power actuated devices operating on ropes, cables, or chains for hauling in a mainly horizontal direction B66D3/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

Winches with dual mode remote controls, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative winch can include a frame, a cable drum rotatably supported by the frame, a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum, and a winch control module. The winch control module can include an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection and a controller having wireless capability connected to the enable/disable circuit. The controller can include instructions to disable the wireless capability of the controller when the normally open ground path connection is completed.

Claims

1. A winch, comprising:

a frame;

a cable drum rotatably supported by the frame;

a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum; and

a winch control module, including;

an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection; and

a controller having a wireless capability and being connected to the enable/disable circuit, the controller including instructions to disable the wireless capability of the controller when the normally open ground path connection is completed.

2. The winch of claim 1, further comprising a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection and a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection.

3. The winch of claim 2, wherein the winch control module further comprises a contactor module and the controller further comprises instructions to direct the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed and to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed.

4. The winch of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a wireless-enablable microcontroller.

5. The winch of claim 1, further comprising a wired remote control, including:

a housing;

one or more control buttons; and

a remote connector connectable to the winch control module, wherein the remote connector includes a conductor positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit when the remote connector is connected to the winch control module.

6. The winch of claim 5, wherein the one or more control buttons include a winch-in button and a winch-out button.

7. The winch of claim 5, wherein the conductor comprises a jumper wire extending between a pair of corresponding terminals carried by the remote connector.

8. A winch system, comprising:

a winch, including;

a frame;

a cable drum rotatably supported by the frame;

a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum; and

a winch control module, including;

an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection; and

a wireless-enablable microcontroller connected to the enable/disable circuit, the microcontroller including instructions to disable a wireless capability of the microcontroller when the normally open ground path connection is completed; and

a wired remote control, including;

a housing;

one or more control buttons; and

a remote connector connectable to the winch control module, wherein the remote connector includes a conductor positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit when the remote connector is connected to the winch control module.

9. The winch system of claim 8, further comprising a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection and a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection.

10. The winch system of claim 9, wherein the one or more control buttons include a winch-in button positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit when pushed and a winch-out button positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit when pushed.

11. The winch system of claim 10, wherein the winch control module further comprises a contactor module and the microcontroller further comprises instructions to direct the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed and to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed.

12. The winch system of claim 8, wherein the conductor comprises a jumper wire extending between a pair of corresponding terminals carried by the remote connector.

13. A winch system, comprising:

a winch, including;

a frame;

a cable drum rotatably supported by the frame;

a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum; and

a winch control module, including;

a contactor module; and

a controller module, including;

an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection;

a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection;

a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection; and

a wireless-enablable microcontroller connected to the enable/disable circuit, the winch-in circuit, and the winch-out circuit, the microcontroller including instructions to;

disable a wireless capability of the microcontroller when the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit is completed;

direct the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed; and

direct the contactor module to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed; and

a wired remote control, including;

a housing;

a remote connector connectable to the winch control module, wherein the remote connector includes a conductor positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit when the remote connector is connected to the winch control module;

a winch-in button positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit when pushed; and

a winch-out button positioned to complete the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit when pushed.

14. The winch system of claim 13, wherein the conductor comprises a jumper wire extending between a pair of corresponding terminals carried by the remote connector.

15. A method for controlling a winch having a wireless-enablable microcontroller, the method comprising:

connecting the microcontroller to an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection;

connecting the microcontroller to a winch-in circuit having a normally open ground path connection;

connecting the microcontroller to a winch-out circuit having a normally open ground path connection;

disabling a wireless capability of the microcontroller when the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit is completed;

directing the contactor module to switch a current to flow to the drive motor in a first direction when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-in circuit is completed; and

directing the contactor module to switch the current to flow to the drive motor in a second direction opposite the first when the normally open ground path connection of the winch-out circuit is completed.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising completing the normally open ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit by connecting a wired remote control to the winch.