JP2009173391A - Winch device having auto tension function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a winch capable of easily adding an auto tension function to a general-purpose winch device by automatically carrying out three motions of winding up, winding down and stopping by using a displacement sensor, inexpensive with a short delivery lead time. <P>SOLUTION: This winch device is constituted of a winch body consisting of a rotating drum to wind up a rope such as a wire rope, etc. and an actuator to rotate and drive the rotating drum, a rotation axis to make the winch body free to oscillate on a surface to cross a rotation axis of the rotating drum and the displacement sensor to detect a threshold value of oscillating displacement of the winch body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

According to the present invention, in a hoisting device (hereinafter referred to as a winch device) that winds or rewinds a rope such as a wire rope by rotating a drum, the rope may be loosened when the winch device is operating. The present invention relates to a winch device having a function of automatically adjusting the tension of the rope so as to prevent the rope from becoming too tight and a so-called auto tension function.

As an example of a winch device having an auto tension function, the device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-8768 can be given as an example.
The winch device having an auto-tension function described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-8768 is intended to complement the function of a self-propelled wall-peeling robot that cleans the wall surface (especially the outer wall) and peels the coating on the wall surface. Is provided.
In JP-A-5-8768, the following is described as an application example of a winch device having an auto tension function in the wall surface peeling robot.
“That is, the wall peeling robot is suspended by a pair of auto tension winches 50, 50.
If the tension of the pair of auto tension winches 50 and 50 is set so that the tension does not sag in the rope 51 and does not hinder the running of the robot body 1, the auto tension winches 50 and 50 The tension acts to support all or part of the weight of the robot body 1.
The auto tension winches 50 and 50 have a predetermined tension (in the example, 15 to 20 kgf when the weight of the robot body 1 is 290 kgf) and always wind the wire 51 (when energized). The two auto tension winches 50, 50 are installed with an appropriate interval, and the robot body 1 is suspended between the two auto tension winches 50, 50.
The wires 51, 51 are guided by pulleys 52, 52 arranged on the roof side and turned back to connect the suspension metal fittings 3, 3 fixed to the main body 10.
Although the auto tension winches 50 and 50 suspend the robot body 1, the auto tension winches 50 and 50 do not positively move the robot body 1 along the wall surface W. The main purpose is to reduce the load of the suction force of the suction ring 3 to be described later by supporting the part or the whole, so that the tension is such that the wires 51 and 51 do not sag and the robot body 1 is actively It is set to such an extent that it will not be pulled up.
Another object of the auto-tension winches 50, 50 is to prevent the robot body 1 from dropping due to insufficient adsorption force to the wall surface W of the robot body 1 in the event of a power failure or the like. Then, as described above, the tension is set to a small value to support the own weight of the robot body 1 and is mainly used for this purpose. "
Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-8768

In the winch device having an auto tension function described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-8768, it is extremely difficult to modify a general-purpose winch device and use it as a winch device having the auto tension function.
That is, the winch device having the auto tension function described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-8768 needs to be specially designed and specially manufactured, and thus is extremely expensive and has a delivery time. It takes a long time.
On the other hand, the winch device having the auto-tension function of the present invention can easily perform auto-tension on a general-purpose winch device by automatically performing three operations of hoisting, lowering and stopping using a displacement sensor. It is an object to provide a winch that is provided with a function and is inexpensive and has a short delivery time.

According to the invention, as described in claim 1 of the claims,
A winch body comprising a rotating drum for winding a rope such as a wire rope, and an actuator for rotating the rotating drum; a rotating shaft for allowing the winch body to swing on a surface intersecting the rotating axis of the rotating drum; There is provided a winch device having an auto tension function, characterized in that it comprises at least a displacement sensor for detecting a threshold value of the swing displacement of the winch body.
Further, as described in claim 2 of the claims,
When the main body of the winch does not oscillate due to the small tension of the rope, the rotating drum winds up the rope when the displacement sensor does not detect the threshold of the oscillating displacement, and thus the tension of the rope The winch body oscillates when the rotation increases, and thus the rotation of the rotating drum stops when the displacement sensor detects a threshold value of oscillating displacement;
The winch body oscillates due to the increase in rope tension, and therefore the rotating drum rewinds the rope when the displacement sensor detects the threshold of the oscillating displacement, and thus the rope tension decreases. The rotation of the rotating drum stops when the winch body reversely swings, and thus when the displacement sensor detects a swing displacement threshold;
The apparatus according to claim 1 is configured as described above.
Further, as described in claim 3 of the claims,
Provided with an actuator such as a coil spring, a spring or a rotary actuator for suppressing the swinging or rotation of the winch body in the same direction as the rope tension is about to rotate the circumference of the rotary drum An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 is provided.
As described in claim 4 of the claims,
A first displacement sensor for detecting a small swing displacement of the winch body and a second displacement sensor for detecting a large swing displacement of the winch body;
When the winch body does not swing due to the low tension of the rope, and therefore the first displacement sensor has not detected the swing displacement threshold, the rotating drum winds the rope, When the tension of the rope increases, the winch body swings, and thus when the first displacement sensor detects the swing displacement threshold, the rotation of the rotating drum stops;
When the tension of the rope further increases, the winch body further swings, and thus when the second displacement sensor detects the threshold of the swing displacement, the rotating drum rewinds the rope, and thus the tension of the rope decreases. The rotation of the rotating drum is stopped when the winch body reversely swings, and thus the one displacement sensor detects a swing displacement threshold;
When the tension of the rope further decreases, the winch body is further reversely swung by the force of the actuator such as the spring. Therefore, when the first displacement sensor does not detect the swing displacement threshold, the winch body is again swung. The rotating drum begins to wind the rope;
It is comprised as mentioned above, The apparatus of Claim 3 characterized by the above-mentioned is provided.
Further, as described in claim 5 of the claims,
The winch in which the axis of the rotary shaft on the surface intersecting with the rotation axis of the rotating drum and on the surface orthogonal to the surface intersecting with the rotation axis of the rotating drum is an axis of the rotation shaft enabling the winch body to swing. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is substantially the same as the axis of gravity of the body.

The present invention provides the following effects.
In the winch device having an auto tension function described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-8768, it is extremely difficult to modify a general-purpose winch device and use it as a winch device having the auto tension function.
That is, the winch device having the auto tension function described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-8768 needs to be specially designed and specially manufactured, and thus is extremely expensive and has a delivery time. It takes a long time.
On the other hand, the winch device having the auto-tension function of the present invention automatically performs the three operations of hoisting, lowering, and stopping using a displacement sensor, so that the general-purpose winch device has an auto-tension function. It will be added.
Thus, the winch device having an auto tension function according to the present invention is very easy to convert and use as a winch device having the auto tension function by modifying a general-purpose winch device. A delivery winch can be provided.

A first preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3,
The illustrated apparatus includes a winch body 1, a wire rope 2 wound around a rotating drum of the winch body 1, a swing base 3 to which the winch body 1 is fixed, a fixed base 4, and two swing pins 5. And two compression coil springs 6 and a limit switch 7.
3 is a side view in which a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is broken, and FIG. 4 is a view of the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 in the apparatus shown in FIGS. The state is shown in which the limit switch dock 3a, which is pulled by the rope 2 and swings clockwise and is welded to the bottom of the swing base 3, hits the swing lever of the limit switch 7.
The axis of the swing pin 5 is disposed on a line that is parallel to the axis of the rotation shaft of the rotating drum of the winch body 1 and passes through the center of gravity of the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3.
The reason why the swing pin 5 is arranged on a line passing through the center of gravity of the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 is parallel to the axis of the rotation shaft of the rotating drum of the winch body 1. This is to prevent the weight of the assembly of the main body 1 and the swing base 3 from acting on the wire rope 2 and increasing the tension of the wire rope 2.
If it is not necessary to precisely control the tension of the wire rope 2, the axis of the swing pin 5 is parallel to the axis of the rotary shaft of the rotating drum of the winch body 1, and the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 It is not necessary to arrange on a line passing through the center of gravity of the aggregate.

The operation of the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment of the apparatus constructed according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 will now be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 5 is a flow sheet showing the operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS.
When the wire rope 2 is not tensioned and thus the apparatus is in the state of FIG. 3, the limit switch 7 is not activated. In this state, when a switch (not shown) for turning the apparatus into an auto tension state is turned on, the rotating drum rotates counterclockwise and winds the wire rope 2.
When the tension of the wire rope 2 is increased by winding the wire rope 2, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 rotates clockwise around the swing pin 5, and the limit switch dock 3a becomes the limit switch. The limit switch 7 operates by hitting the swing lever 7 (the state shown in FIG. 4).
Next, if the limit switch 7 is operated, the rotation of the rotating drum is stopped, and then the rotating drum is rotated in the clockwise direction in the opposite direction to rewind the wire rope 2.
When the tension of the wire rope 2 decreases as the wire rope 2 is rewound, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 rotates counterclockwise around the swing pin 5 by the action of the compression coil spring 6. Then, the limit switch dock 3a is separated from the swing lever of the limit switch 7, and the operation of the limit switch 7 is cut (state shown in FIG. 3).
Thereafter, the apparatus repeats the above operation.
Next, when the device is in the state shown in FIG. 3, the external force pulls the wire rope 2 and the tension increases, so that the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 moves clockwise around the swing pin 5. When the limit switch 7 is rotated and the limit switch 7 operates by hitting the swing lever of the limit switch 7 (the state shown in FIG. 4), the rotating drum starts to rotate clockwise and rewinds the wire rope 2. .
When the tension of the wire rope 2 decreases as the wire rope 2 is rewound, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 rotates counterclockwise around the swing pin 5 by the action of the compression coil spring 6. When the limit switch dock 3a moves away from the swing lever of the limit switch 7 and the operation of the limit switch 7 is cut off (the state shown in FIG. 3), the rotation of the rotary drum is stopped.
Thereafter, the apparatus repeats the above operation.

The effect of the device of the first preferred embodiment of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be described in order to prevent the rope from sagging and the rope from over tensioning when the winch device is in operation. With regard to a winch device having a so-called auto tension function, which is a function of automatically adjusting the tension of the belt, there is an effect that a general-purpose, so-called commercially available winch device can be converted into a winch device having an auto tension function at a low cost and with a short delivery time. .
The above limit switch 7 is a kind of a displacement sensor that detects the displacement of the object, and is a “sensor that detects an arbitrary displacement of the object”, but a “sensor that detects a threshold value of the displacement of the object”. In other words.
In the apparatus constructed according to the present invention, a displacement sensor capable of continuously detecting the displacement of an object such as a rotary encoder can be used instead of the limit switch. Is set.
When the winch is an air winch using an air motor, a limit valve can be used as a “sensor for detecting an arbitrary displacement of an object”.
Next, when the description of the action of the compression coil spring 6 is added, the compression coil spring 6 has a function of preventing the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 from swinging clockwise. That is, the compression coil spring 6 has a function of adjusting the tension of the wire rope 2. When the spring force of the compression coil spring 6 is large, the tension of the wire rope 2 becomes large, and when the spring force of the compression coil spring 6 is small, the wire rope 2 2 tension is reduced.
In the devices of the first and second preferred embodiments of the device constructed according to the present invention, the swing angle range of the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 is 30 degrees or less. It is also possible to set the swing angle range to, for example, 720 degrees by using a rotary spring or a constant torque rotary actuator. In this case, a displacement sensor capable of continuously detecting the displacement of an object such as a rotary encoder is used instead of the limit switch, and 720 degrees is set as the “threshold value”.

Next, a second preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1, 2 and 6-8 illustrate a second preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.
1 and 2 are drawings common to a first preferred embodiment and a second preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.
6 is a side view in which a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is broken, and FIG. 7 is a view of the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 in the apparatus shown in FIGS. The limit switch dock 3a that is pulled clockwise and swung in the clockwise direction and welded to the bottom of the swing base 3 is close to the proximity switch 71 that is a “sensor for detecting an arbitrary displacement of the object”. Is shown (indicated by a solid line).
FIG. 8 is a flow sheet showing the operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7.
With respect to the difference between the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and the apparatus of the second preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, there is one in the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment. Whereas the limit switch 7 is provided, the device of the second preferred embodiment is provided with two proximity switches 71 and a proximity switch 72.
Since the proximity switch is also a kind of limit switch, it is hereinafter referred to as a first limit switch 71 and a second limit switch 72.
The first limit switch 71 is a first displacement sensor that detects a small swing displacement of the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3, and the second limit switch 72 is the winch body 1 and the swing base. 3 is a second displacement sensor that detects a large oscillating displacement of the assembly of 3;

The operation of the device of the second preferred embodiment of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
When the wire rope 2 is not tensioned and the apparatus is in the state shown in FIG. 6, the first limit switch 71 and the second limit switch 72 are not activated.
In this state, when a switch (not shown) for turning the apparatus into an auto tension state is turned on, the rotating drum rotates counterclockwise and winds the wire rope 2.
When the tension of the wire rope 2 is increased by winding the wire rope 2, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 is rotated clockwise around the swing pin 5 so that the limit switch dock 3a is the first. The first limit switch 71 operates in the vicinity of the limit switch 71 (state shown by a solid line in FIG. 7), and when the first limit switch 71 operates, the rotation of the rotating drum is stopped.
Next, in the above state, when the external force pulls the wire rope 2 and thus the tension of the wire rope 2 increases, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 is clockwise around the swing pin 5 by the external force. Therefore, when the limit switch dock 3a is moved close to the second limit switch 72 and the second limit switch 72 operates (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7), the rotating drum starts to rotate clockwise and the wire rope Rewind 2
When the tension of the wire rope 2 decreases as the wire rope 2 is rewound, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 rotates counterclockwise around the swing pin 5 by the action of the compression coil spring 6. When the first limit switch 71 is operated with the limit switch dock 3a approaching the first limit switch 71, the rotation of the rotating drum is stopped (a state indicated by a solid line in FIG. 7).
Thereafter, the apparatus repeats the above operation.
Next, when the device is in the state shown in FIG. 6, the external force pulls the wire rope 2 and the tension increases, so that the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 is centered on the swing pin 5 by the external force. When the limit switch dock 3a is moved in the clockwise direction and the second limit switch 72 is operated in the proximity of the second limit switch 72 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7), the rotating drum rotates in the clockwise direction. Begin to rewind the wire rope 2.
When the tension of the wire rope 2 decreases as the wire rope 2 is rewound, the assembly of the winch body 1 and the swing base 3 rotates counterclockwise around the swing pin 5 by the action of the compression coil spring 6. When the first limit switch 71 is operated with the limit switch dock 3a approaching the first limit switch 71, the rotation of the rotating drum is stopped (a state indicated by a solid line in FIG. 7).
Thereafter, the apparatus repeats the above operation.

The effect of the device of the second preferred embodiment of the device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be described in order to prevent the rope from sagging and the rope from becoming too tight when the winch device is operating. With regard to a winch device having a so-called auto tension function, which is a function of automatically adjusting the tension of the belt, there is an effect that a general-purpose, so-called commercially available winch device can be converted into a winch device having an auto tension function at a low cost and with a short delivery time. .
Regarding the difference between the effect of the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment and the effect of the apparatus of the second preferred embodiment, in the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment, the rotating drum of the winch body frequently rotates forward. In the apparatus of the second preferred embodiment, the rotation drum of the winch body repeats normal rotation and reverse rotation in the same manner, but is not as frequent as the first preferred embodiment. The difference is that there is a resting point.
Although the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention has been described above, various embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention can be considered in addition to the preferred embodiment according to the claims.

As described above, a winch device having a so-called auto tension function, which automatically adjusts the tension of the rope so that the rope does not loosen and the rope does not become too tight when the winch device is operating, As exemplified in the section of “Technology”, as a device that complements the function of the adsorption self-propelled wall work robot that cleans and paints the walls of oil storage tanks, hulls, etc., specifically prevents crashes. It can be conveniently used as a device.
Moreover, in an offshore ship refueling system, various uses, such as a winch device for stretching a wire rope while maintaining a constant tension between ships to be sailed, can be considered.

1 is a front view of a first preferred embodiment and a second preferred embodiment of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. FIG. The left view in the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with part of the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2 broken away. The figure which shows the state which the aggregate | assembly of the winch main body 1 and the rocking | fluctuation base 3 of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 rock | fluctuated clockwise. Flow sheet for the apparatus of the first preferred embodiment. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with part of the apparatus of the second preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2 broken away. The figure which shows the state which the aggregate | assembly of the winch main body 1 and the rocking | fluctuation base 3 of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 rock | fluctuated clockwise. Flow sheet for the apparatus of the second preferred embodiment.

Claims (5)

A winch body comprising a rotating drum for winding a rope such as a wire rope, and an actuator for rotating the rotating drum; a rotating shaft for allowing the winch body to swing on a surface intersecting the rotating axis of the rotating drum; A winch device having an auto tension function, comprising at least a displacement sensor for detecting a threshold value of swing displacement of the winch body. When the main body of the winch does not oscillate due to the small tension of the rope, the rotating drum winds up the rope when the displacement sensor does not detect the threshold of the oscillating displacement, and thus the tension of the rope The winch body oscillates when the rotation increases, and thus the rotation of the rotating drum stops when the displacement sensor detects a threshold value of the oscillation displacement;
The winch body oscillates due to the increase in rope tension, and therefore the rotating drum rewinds the rope when the displacement sensor detects the threshold of the oscillating displacement, and thus the rope tension decreases. The rotation of the rotating drum stops when the winch body reversely swings, and thus when the displacement sensor detects a swing displacement threshold;
The apparatus according to claim 1, configured as described above. Provided with an actuator such as a coil spring, a spring or a rotary actuator for suppressing the swinging or rotation of the winch body in the same direction as the rope tension is about to rotate the circumference of the rotary drum The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a device. A first displacement sensor for detecting a small swing displacement of the winch body and a second displacement sensor for detecting a large swing displacement of the winch body;
When the winch body does not swing due to the low tension of the rope, and therefore the first displacement sensor has not detected the swing displacement threshold, the rotating drum winds the rope, When the tension of the rope increases, the winch body swings, and thus when the first displacement sensor detects the swing displacement threshold, the rotation of the rotating drum stops;
When the tension of the rope further increases, the winch body further swings, and thus when the second displacement sensor detects the threshold of the swing displacement, the rotating drum rewinds the rope, and thus the tension of the rope decreases. The rotation of the rotating drum is stopped when the winch body reversely swings, and thus the one displacement sensor detects a swing displacement threshold;
When the tension of the rope further decreases, the winch body is further reversely swung by the force of the actuator such as the spring. Therefore, when the first displacement sensor does not detect the swing displacement threshold, the winch body is again swung. The rotating drum begins to wind the rope;
The apparatus according to claim 3, configured as described above. The winch in which the axis of the rotary shaft on the surface intersecting with the rotation axis of the rotating drum and on the surface orthogonal to the surface intersecting with the rotation axis of the rotating drum is an axis of the rotation shaft enabling the winch body to swing. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is substantially the same as the center of gravity axis of the main body.

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