GB2433060A

GB2433060A - Winch for a vehicle spare wheel

Info

Publication number: GB2433060A
Application number: GB0524993A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Homan; Mark Lowndes; Peter Lee
Original assignee: MAGAL METALLIFACTURE Ltd
Current assignee: MAGAL METALLIFACTURE Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-08
Filing date: 2005-12-08
Publication date: 2007-06-13
Also published as: GB0524993D0

Abstract

A winch for a vehicle spare wheel includes a housing 200, a lid 100, drum 260 and a cable 281. The winch having a first configuration in which the drum may rotate in one direction and a second configuration in which the winch drum may rotate in both directions, due to cooperating teeth 261 and 102 on the drum and lid forming a ratchet action which may be overcome by manually biasing the drum 260 away from the lid 100 against spring 210 by means of drive pin 110 and spur gear 150, used to rotate the drum. The winch may also include means to resist or brake the rotation of the drum in the form of cooperating abutment faces such as sinusoidal undulations 230 and 240 on the drum and anti-rotation plate 220, the latter being unable to rotate relative to the housing and biased against the drum by spring 210. The braking action counterbalances a load on the winch. The braking means may alternatively be formed with abutting faces that are flat, or dimpled or formed with projections (figures 4A & 4B).

Description

Improvements in or relating to Winches

Field of the Present invention

The present invention relates to the field of winches, in particular winches for vehicle wheel/tyre assemblies. For the sake of convenience, the forgoing description will use the term vehicle wheel rather than vehicle wheel/tyre assemblies.

io The winch mechanisms of the present invention comprise a rotatable member (often a drum) and a cable which extends from the rotatable member. The free end of the cable is used for releasable attachment with a load. In the case of a winch for a vehicle wheel, the load is the wheel. Rotation of the rotatable member causes the cable to he wound onto/off the rotatable member and thus hoisting or lowering of the load attached to the free end of the cable.

Background to the Present Invention

For convenience, the forgoing description will be limited to spare wheel winches/carrierS for use with automotive vehicles, for example, cars, vans, lorries etc. Such carriers/winches are found in vehicles and can be used to releasably store a spare vehicle wheel.

These winches are often mounted to the chassis of the car, in a position under the rear boot of the car. Rather than storing the spare wheel in the boot, and thereby reducing the usable size of the boot, such spare wheel winches are used to hoist/lower a spare wheel which is actually stored underneath the boot. Although the wheel is not contained in the hoot, user access to the spare wheel winch is (often) through the boot for security. Thus, in the case of the need to change the wheel, a user can open the boot and lower the spare wheel from under the boot of the car using the winch. After the wheel has been changed, the winch can be used to hoist the replaced wheel under the boot of the car.

Although car wheel winches, which store wheels below the hoot of the car and are connected to the chassis of the car have been discussed above, car wheel winches can be positioned in other locations, or connected to other parts of the car.

Examples of spare wheel carriers/winches are disclosed in GBI 432823, GB1506244 and EP1577197. These winches are also known to provide a mechanical advantage to ease raising of the wheel, and thus provide an added convenience.

Summary of the Present Invention

In a first aspect the present invention provides a winch for a wheel load comprising a rotatable member and a load carrying cable attachable to the rotatable member, the winch arranged to allow winding and unwinding of the cable onto the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member, wherein the winch is arranged to have biased first configuration and second configurations, is wherein the biased first configuration allows rotation in either the winding or unwinding direction, and the biased second configuration allows rotation in both winding and unwinding directions.

The winch may be arranged such that, in the first configuration, the winch allows rotation in either one of the winding/unwinding directions.

The winch may comprise one or more biasing members to bias the winch between the first and second configurations.

The winch may be arranged such that, in the first configuration, engagement of teeth on the rotatable member with corresponding teeth on a non-rotatable member provide rotation of the rotatable member in one direction and inhibit rotation in the other direction.

The winch may be arranged such that, in the second configuration, the teeth of the rotatable member and non-rotatable member are disengaged.

The winch may comprise an anti-rotation member arranged to he biased in abutment aainst the rotatable member, the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member having abutment faces arranged to resist rotation of the rotatable member.

The winch may comprise an anti-rotation member arranged to be biased in abutment against the rotatable member, the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member having abutment faces arranged to resist rotation of the rotatable member in the second configuration.

The anti-rotation member and/or rotatable member abutment faces may be arranged to resist the torque that would be applied by a load which would, in normal operation of the winch, be attached to the load carrying cable.

The anti-rotation member and/or rotatable member abutment faces may be arranged to counterbalance the torque that would be applied by a load which would, in normal operation of the winch, be attached to the load carrying cable.

The anti-rotation member and or the rotatable member may be arranged to differentially apply resistance to rotation depending on the direction of rotation of the rotatable member.

The load may be a spare wheel.

The anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member may comprise one or more undulations. One or both of the abutment faces may comprise sinusoidal undulations. One or both of the abutment faces may comprise smooth sinusoidal undulations. The undulations may have differing slopes on either side of the undulation apex/trough. One or both of the abutment faces may comprise undulations in the form of projections/dimples. The entire abutment area of the abutment faces may comprise undulations.

The winch may he arranged to be moved from the first configuration to the second configuration by a user applying a force against the bias.

The rotatable member may be arranged to be rotated by a drive mechanism which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the rotatable drum.

The rotatable member may be a drum.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a car wheel winch according to the first aspect of the present invention.

in a third aspect, the present invention provides a winch for a wheel load comprising a rotatable member and a load carrying cable attachable to the rotatable member, the winch arranged to allow winding and unwinding of the cable onto the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member, wherein the winch comprises an anti-rotation member arranged to be biased in abutment against the rotatable member, the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member having abutment faces arranged to resist rotation of the rotatable member.

One or more embodiments of the first aspect of the invention may be used in combination with one or more aspects of the seconds and/or third aspect of the present invention. One or more aspects/embodiments are within the scope of the present invention in one or more combinable combinations whether specifically stated in that combination.

Description of Figures

Specific non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the following Figures in which Figure 1 shows the main housing and lid components which are used to make up a car wheel winch according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2A shows a plan view of the assembled car wheel winch according to Figure 1 and Figure 2B shows a cross section through line B-B of Figure 2A; Figure 3 shows the a perspective "internal" view of lid components of the car wheel winch of Figure 1; Figure 4 showS two views of alternative anti-rotation profiles for use in another embodiment of the present invention.

io Specific Embodiments of the Present invention The car wheel winch I (Figures 1 and 2) can be considered to comprise a lid section (Figure 3) and a main housing section. The external housing of the car wheel winch I comprises a lid 100 and a main housing 200 which come together to internally house many of the components of the car wheel winch 1.

The lid section comprises a (plastic) lid 100, substantially in the shape of a disc.

The lid 100 comprises three lugs 104 circumferentially positioned, at equal intervals, around the perimeter of the lid 100. The three lugs 104 could be circumferentially positioned such that two are closer to one another than the remaining third lug 104. This would aid assembly of the lid 100 with an appropriately adapted main housing 200 in one particular correct orientation.

The lugs 104 each have an aperture through which a mounting bolt (not shown) may be placed. The lugs 1 04 and their apertures 105 are used to, in use, fixedly mount the lid 100 with the main housing 200 and to the chassis of the car. The outer rim of the lid also comprises attachment points 101 for attachment with corresponding clips 201 on the main housing 200. These attachment points/clips 101, 201 are intended to engage and at least to keep the assembly fastened together during handling/transit.

The main face of the lid 100 comprises an aperture through which a drive pin 110 can be passed. The aperture is positioned eccentric to the centre of the lid 100. The drive pin 110 is used to drive rotation of the winch I and, when the car wheel winch I is assembled, extends both externally out of the car wheel winch I and also internally into the winch 1.

The external end of the drive pin ii 0 is arranged to he manually driven by a releasably attachable lever (not shown). However, the drive pin 11 0 may he driven by a motor.

Between the external end arid internal end 1 06 of the drive pin 11 0, the drive pin is has a "D" profile in cross section, at a position which will be internal to the assembled winch 1. This "D" profile is for the location of a spur gear 1 50. The internal end 106 of the drive pin 110 is arranged to be, when the car wheel winch 1 is assembled, inserted through a low friction washer 290 and positioned in a circular channel 264 in the drum 260 (Figure 1, discussed later). The low friction washer 290 acts to ease the movement of the drive pin 110 around the channel 264.

The drive pin 110 is held in place on the lid 100 using a circlip 140, a washer 130 and a drive pin biasing spring 120. When assembled, the drive pin spring 120 surrounds the external part of the drive pin 110, with one end of the spring 120 abutting the external face of the lid 100 and the other end of the spring 120 abutting a washer 130 which is placed around the drive pin 110. The former end of the spring 120, which abuts the external face of the lid 100, is located in place by a raised collar which projects from the external face of the lid 100. The circlip 140 is positioned around the drive pin 110 to prevent the washer 130 from falling off the drive pin 110.

The outer periphery of the internal face of the lid 100 comprises lid saw teeth 102 (Figure 3). These lid saw teeth 102 are for engagement with corresponding drum saw teeth 261 (discussed later). The internal face of the lid 100 also comprises a projection 103, which is positioned at the centre of the lid 100, and extends internally into the wheel winch 1. The projection 103 is used to locate the lid 100 with the main body section. The lid 1 00 having features of the internal gear teeth 102, lugs 104, lug apertures 105. drive pin aperture, raised collar, and projection 103 can he easily fornied by moulding of a plastic.

To assemble the lid section. the drive pin 110 is first placed through the drive pin aperture. The spring 120 is then placed around the external end of the drive pin 110, and located in the collar in abutment with the external face of the lid 1 00. The washer 130 and the circlip 140 are then placed around the external end of the drive pin 11 0 to hold the drive pin 11 0 in place. The spur gear 150 is then placed on the inner end of the drive pin 110 by locating the centre of the spur gear 150 with the "D" profile via the internal end 106 of the drive pin 110.

Let us now turn to the main housing section, which comprises a substantially tubular external housing 200 made from plastic. When assembled, the external housing 200 houses a drum 260 (and cable 280), an anti-rotation plate (ARP) 220, and an anti-rotation spring 210. The ARP 220 and the drum 260 are made from plastic.

With regard to the tubular housing 200, one end is open and the other end is closed. The open end allows insertion of the internal components of the car wheel winch 1, which are supported by the closed end. The external housing 200 is substantially circular, with the tubular section of the external housing 200 comprising an aperture 202 through which, in use, the loading end of a winch cable 280 can project. The housing also comprises axially extending channels 202 in the tubular section, which are used to locate the ARP 220 in the housing 200 (discussed below).

The external housing 200 comprises three circumferentially positioned lugs 204 dimensioned with apertures 205 to house (via interference fit) the base of compression limiters 250. These external housing lugs 204 are positioned to allow connection, via mounting bolts (not shown), with lugs 104 of the lid 100, through compression limiters apertures 251. The compression limiters are typically made from brass or steel.

The drum 260 comprises a helical groove 270 provided on the outer surface of the tubular section of the drum 260. The groove 270 is used to neatly house the winch cable 280. hi the assembled configuration, the drum 260 is housed inside the external housing 200 and has one end facing the internal face of the lid 1 00 and the other end facing the internal face of the closed end of the main housing 200 (and the ARP 220).

The end face of the drum 260, which faces the lid 100 when the winch I is assembled, has a centrally located aperture 262 to house the projection 103 from the lid 100. This end face also comprises a circular channel 264, in which the internal end 106 of the drive pin 110 is placed. This channel 264 defines a path for the drive pin 110.

Extending around the perimeter of this end face of the drum 260 is located a drum collar which projects out of this end face. Thus, the drum collar has inward and outward radial surfaces, as well as a surface which faces the lid 100 when assembled.

The radial internally facing surface of the drum collar comprises teeth 263 for engagement with the teeth from the spur gear 150. In use, as the spur gear 150 is turned by the drive pin 110, the engagement of the spur gear 150 teeth with the radial drum teeth 263 allows the drum 260 to be rotated. The spur gear 150 and the radial drum teeth 263 are arranged to allow rotation in both winding and un-winding directions (with respect to the cable 280).

The lid facing surface of the drum collar comprises saw teeth 261 for engagement with the lid saw teeth 102. The drum collar saw teeth 261 and the lid saw teeth are arranged to allow relative movement between the lid 100 and the drum 260 to permit winding of the cable 280. Relative movement between the lid 100 and the drum 260 in the un-winding direction is inhibited when the saw teeth 261, 102 are engaged/meshed. This is provided by the particular configuration of the slopes of the saw teeth 261, 102.

In Figure 1. the saw teeth 261 have a shallow slope rising from left to right followed by a near vertical (if not vertical) slope, whereas the lid saw teeth 102 (not shown in Figure 1) would have a shallow slope rising from right to left followed by a near vertical (if not vertical) slope. The respective vertical slopes inhibit movement when they abut one another. Thus, when the saw teeth 261, 102 are engaged. the winch 1 is arranged to permit movement in the winding direction hut lock out the movement in the unwinding direction due to abutment of the vertical slopes.

The other end of thc drum 260, which when assembled faces the ARP 220, has a smooth sinusoidal "anti-rotation" profile 240 for abutment with a corresponding surface 230 on the ARP 220. This smooth sinusoidal "anti-rotation" profile 240 is located around the circumference of the drum face.

The ARP 220 is in the shape of a circular disc. As mentioned above, in use, one face of the ARP 220 abuts with the smooth sinusoidal anti-rotation profile 240 of the drum 260. This drum abutment end also has a corresponding smooth sinusoidal anti-rotation profile 230 (Figure 1). The anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 act as friction surfaces (discussed below). The abutment end also comprises a collar 221 which projects out of a central position of this face of the ARP 220, and is used to locate the drum 260 with the ARP 220.

The ARP 220 also comprises three lateral arms 231, each equally spaced from one another and positioned to extend from the circumference of the ARP 220. When assembled, the arms 23 1 are located in channels 202 in the main housing 202. This inhibits rotation of the ARP 220 about the longitudinal axis of the winch I (i.e. the ARP does not rotate with respect to the main housing 200 and lid 100).

The face opposing the anti-rotation profile 230 of the ARP 220 is arranged to be biased by the anti-rotation spring 210. When assembled, this anti-rotation spring 210 extends between the closed end of the housing 200 and the opposing face of the ARP 220. Thus, the ARP 220 is biased from the closed end of the housing such that the anti-rotation profile 230 of the ARP 220 and the anti-rotation profile 240 of the drum 260 stay in mating contact To assemble this main section, the spring 21 0 is placed in a recess through the open end of the housing 200. The ARP 220 is then placed on the spring 210 with the anti-rotation profile 230 facing the open end of the housing 200. The drum 260 is then placed on the ARP plate 220 such that the anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 are in abutment. The drum 260 is located on the ARP 220 by using the projection 221 which projects out from the ARP 220 and thus into the corresponding recess 264 in the drum 260.

Following separate assembly of the lid section (Figure 3) and the main section (Figure 4), the two sections can be brought together to assemble the wheell winch I (clips/attachment points 201, 101). The wheel winch 1, when mounted to a car, has it's longitudinal axis aligned with the vertical (as in Figure 2B). The winch 1 is mounted such that the drive pin 11 0 is positioned to be accessible from the boot of the car. An accessible end of the drive pin 11 is adapted to be releasably engagable with a wheel wrench.

The operation of the assembled wheel winch I will now be described. The wheel winch has two positions; a locked winding position and an unlocked unwinding position.

In the locked position, the anti-rotation spring 210 biases the surfaces 230, 240 against one another. This in turn pushes the saw teeth 261, 102 into engagement to permit rotation of the drum 260, via the drive pin 110, spur gear 150 and gear teeth 263 to allow winding. However, un-winding is not permitted as the engagement of the saw teeth 261, 102 prevents rotation in the un-winding direction (abutment of the vertical slopes of the saw teeth). During winding in the locked position, a user can operate the winch I via the drive pin 110 such that the anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 slide over one another (the drum 260 rotates with respect to the stationary ARP 220).

To move the winch into the unlocked position, a force must be applied against the pin biasing spring 120 and the anti-rotation spring 21 0. Once this is done, the saw teeth 261, 102 move away from one another and are no longer engaged. However, the anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 are still in abutment. To unwind (or wind) the cable 280 in the unlocked position, a user needs to rotate the drive pin 110 in the appropriate direction to rotate the drum 260 with respect to the stationary ARP 220 (and lid 110).

In this unlocked position, if a load, such as a wheel, is attached to the end of the cable 280, the load would tend to unwind the cable 280 from the drum 260.

However, the biased abutment of the anti-rotation profiles 230, 240, by virtue of the force provided by the anti-rotation spring 210, provides sufficient resistance to prevent such free-unwinding. The profiles 230, 240 are such as to counterbalance the force applied by the load. Thus a user does not feel the tendency of the load to unwind the cable 280 from the drum 260.

Other anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 can be used than those shown in Figure 1, 2 and 4. Rather than smooth (with a smooth apex/troughs) symmetrical sinusoidal profiles, the profiles could be non-symmetrical in cross section. Thus, the slopes of the cross section on other side of the apex may have the same slope or different slopes. The slope to the left of the apex, when looking at an ARP 220 as in Figure 1, may be steeper than the slope to the right of the apex or vice versa.

The mating face 230 of the ARP 220 could be flat with dimples 300 arranged circumferentially around the perimeter of the mating face 230 (Figure 4). The corresponding mating face 240 of the drum 260 may comprise appropriately positioned spherical/curved or other form of projections 3 10. The curved projections 310 are arranged such that the curved surface would abut with the mating face 240 of the ARP 220. Rather than the ARP 220 having dimples 300, the drum 260 could have dimples 300 and the ARP 220 the projections 310.

Alternatively, both the drum 260 and the ARP 220 may have dimples 300 and projections 310, which may he alternately circumferentially positioned around the perimeter of the mating face (not shown).

The anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 may he completely flat surfaces rather than having any undulations (e.g. the smooth sinusoidal profiles described previously).

In such a case, the friction provided by such profiles may reduce comparatively rapidly over time as they would he "polished" through use. The undulating surface of the anti-rotation profiles 230, 240 essentially ease the load experienced by a user when unwinding the loaded cable 280.

One or embodiments disclosed in isolation or combination are also with the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the specific examples disclosed and encompasses one or more combinations and modifications within the ability of the person skilled in the art.

Although all the components may he made from plastic, one or more components may he made from metal (e.g. aluminium or sintered steel). The choice of material depends on the load and cost that the winch is designed to carry.

Other tooth and anti-rotation profiles, which perform the required functions, are also usable. The undulations may or may not extend over the entire face of the abutment faces. More than one anti-rotation spring may be used.

The drive mechanism may not be eccentric. Thus, for example, the drive pin may be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the drum 260 and an idler gear may be provided between the spur gear 150 and the gear teeth 263.

Although the car wheel winch described in detail allows only winding in the biased locked position, another embodiment could be arranged to allow only unwinding in the locked position. The present invention is not necessarily limited to application in car wheel winches or winches suitable for car wheels, but can be applied to other types of winches. The winch may or may not be located in a vehicle boot.

Claims

Claims 1. A winch for a wheel load comprising a rotatable member and a

load carrying cable attachable to the rotatable member, the winch arranged to allow winding and unwinding of the cable onto the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member, wherein the winch is arranged to have biased first configuration and second configurations, wherein the biased first configuration allows rotation in either the winding or unwinding direction, and the biased second configuration allows rotation in both winding and unwinding directions.

2. A winch according to claim 1, wherein in the first configuration, the winch is arranged to allow rotation in either one of the winding/unwinding directions.

3. A winch according to claim I., wherein the winch comprises one or more biasing members to bias the winch between the first and second configurations.

4. A winch according to claim 1, wherein the winch is arranged such that, in the first configuration, engagement of teeth on the rotatable member with corresponding teeth on a non-rotatable member provide rotation of the rotatable member in one direction and inhibit rotation in the other direction.

5. A winch according to claim 4, wherein the winch is arranged such that in the second configuration, the teeth of the rotatable member and non-rotatable member are disengaged.

6. A winch according to claim 1, wherein the winch comprises an anti-rotation member arranged to he biased in abutment against the rotatable member, the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member having abutment faces arranged to resist rotation of the rotatable member.

7. A winch according to claim I, wherein the winch comprises an anti-rotation member arranged to he biased in abutment against the rotatable member, the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member having abutment faces arranged to resist rotation of the rotatable member in the second configuration.

8. A winch according to claim 6 or 7. wherein the anti-rotation member s and/or rotatable member abutment faces are arranged to resist the torque that would he applied by a load which would, in normal operation of the winch, be attached to the load carrying cable.

9. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the anti-rotation member and/or rotatable member abutment faces are arranged to counterbalance the torque that would be applied by a load which would, in normal operation of the winch, be attached to the load carrying cable.

10. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the anti-rotation member and or the rotatable member are arranged to differentially apply resistance to rotation depending on the direction of rotation of the rotatable member.

11. A winch according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the load is a spare wheel.

12. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member comprise one or more undulations.

13. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein one or both of the abutment faces comprise sinusoidal undulati ons.

14. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein one or both of the abutment faces comprise smooth sinusoidal undulations.

15. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the undulations have differing slopes on either side of the undulation apex/trough.

1 6. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein one or both of the abutment faces comprise undulations in the form of projections/dimples.

17. A winch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the entire abutment area of the abutment faces comprise undulations.

18. A winch according to claim 1, wherein the winch can be moved from the first configuration to the second configuration by a user applying a force against the bias.

1 9. A winch according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable member is arranged to be rotated by a drive mechanism which is eccentric to the axis of rotation of the

rotatable drum.

20. A winch according to claim I wherein the rotatable member is a drum.

21. A car wheel winch according to claim 1.

22. A winch for a wheel load comprising a rotatable member and a load carrying cable attachable to the rotatable member, the winch arranged to allow winding and unwinding of the cable onto the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member, wherein the winch comprises an anti-rotation member arranged to be biased in abutment against the rotatable member, the anti-rotation member and/or the rotatable member having abutment faces arranged to resist rotation of the rotatable member.

23. A winch as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.