Abstract:
A control device configured to control a winch assembly having a supporting structure has a guide, which engages a cable extending along a path in a sliding manner, and is configured to follow the movements of the cable crosswise to the path; a first control chain activated by movements of the guide in a first direction crosswise to the path; and a second control chain activated by movements of the guide in a second direction crosswise to the first direction and the path.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application is a national stage application of PCT/IB2015/055730, filed on Jul. 29, 2015, which claims the benefit of and priority to Italian Patent Application No. MI2004A001376, filed on Jul. 29, 2014, the entire contents of which are each incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Generally, certain known snow groomers comprise a cutter to manipulate the snow surface and a shovel to move snow masses along ski slopes. When the snow groomer works along a ski slope characterized by particularly steep slopes, the free end of the cable of the winch assembly is fixed to an anchorage, so as to operate the snow groomer with the help of the winch assembly, ensure relatively greater safety and/or prevent the groomer vehicle itself from skidding in case the groomer vehicle loses its grip on the snow surface. If, on the one hand, the winch increases relative safety along steep slopes, handling the cable, on the other hand, can give rise to certain drawbacks, in particular while the cable is being wound. 
         [0003]    To avoid certain of these drawbacks, certain control devices are configured to control the cable and fulfill the function of positioning the cable both when the cable is unwound from the reel and when the cable is wound around the reel. In particular, certain control devices substantially fulfill the function of making sure that the cable is wound on the reel in a spiral shape having a defined pitch. However, these control device cannot detect possible abnormalities in the way in which the cable is wound and/or unwound. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure relates to a device configured to control an auxiliary winch assembly configured to move a crawler vehicle, in particular a snow groomer, along steep slopes. 
         [0005]    In particular, a snow groomer comprises a frame; a control unit; and the winch assembly, which, in turn, comprises a supporting structure; a reel, which can rotate relative to the supporting structure; a cable, which can be wound around and unwound from the reel; an actuator assembly configured to rotate the reel around the axis; and a control device, which is mounted on the supporting structure and fulfils the function of controlling the cable while the cable is wound and unwound. 
         [0006]    An advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a control device which is able to control the cable of a winch assembly in a relatively more effective way. 
         [0007]    According to the present disclosure there is provided a control device configured to control a winch assembly having a supporting structure, the control device comprising a cable locator configured to position a cable of a winch assembly in a first direction; a guide, which is mounted on the cable locator in a movable manner, engages the cable extending along a path, and is configured to follow the movements of the cable crosswise to the path; a first control chain activated by movements of the guide in a first direction crosswise to the path; and a second control chain activated by movements of the guide in a second direction crosswise to the path and the first direction. In this way, users can make sure that the cable actually occupies the desired position, which is correlated with a specific operating phase of the winch assembly and can be determined through respective acceptability intervals or threshold values. 
         [0008]    In particular, the first control chain extends between the guide and the cable locator and is configured to move the cable locator on the basis of the relative position between the guide and the cable locator, whereas the second control chain is configured to stop the cable on the basis of the position of the guide in the second direction and of a threshold value. In this way, the control device fulfils the dual function of guiding the cable during winding and unwinding operations and of avoiding possible drawbacks caused by a possible wrong positioning of the cable. 
         [0009]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first and second control chain comprise a shared rocker arm, which comprises a base which oscillates about a first axis with respect to the cable locator, and an appendix which oscillates with respect to the base about a second axis; the guide being supported by the appendix. As such, based on the “articulated” rocker arm disclosed herein, the guide can follow and detect the movements of the cable in a plane crosswise to the path of the cable itself. 
         [0010]    Another advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a winch assembly that can reduce certain of the drawbacks of certain of the known prior art. 
         [0011]    According to the present disclosure there is provided a winch assembly for a crawler vehicle, in particular a snow groomer, the winch assembly comprising a supporting structure configured to mount on a snow groomer; a cable; a powered reel configured to selectively wind and unwind the cable; an idle sheave configured to support the cable; and a control device configured to control the position of the cable between the reel and the idle sheave. In this way, the control device can control the position of the cable between the reel and the idle sheave. 
         [0012]    In particular, the winch assembly as claimed in the Claim comprises a control unit configured to acquire data relating to the winding status of the cable on the reel, and to supply threshold values for the position of the guide in the second direction. In this way, the admissible threshold for the position of the guide in the second direction can be regulated in a relatively fine manner, therefore avoiding false alarms. 
         [0013]    A further advantage of the present disclosure is to provide a method for controlling a winch assembly, which is not affected by certain of the drawbacks of certain of the known prior art. 
         [0014]    According to the present disclosure there is provided a method for controlling an auxiliary winch assembly configured to move a crawler vehicle, in particular a snow groomer, along steep slopes, wherein the winch assembly comprises a supporting structure; the method comprising the steps of engaging a cable in a guide fitted movably to a cable locator and configured to follow movements of the cable crosswise to the path; activating a first control chain via movements of the guide with respect to the cable locator in a first direction; and activating a second control chain via movements of the guide in a second direction. 
         [0015]    Additional features and advantages are described in, and will be apparent from the following Detailed Description and the figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Other features and advantages of the disclosure will be best understood upon perusal of the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of a snow groomer according to the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity and on a larger scale, of the winch assembly of the snow groomer shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view, with parts removed for greater clarity and on a further larger scale, of a detail of the winch assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a plan view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of a control device of the winch assembly according to the present disclosure; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the control device of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Referring now to the example embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , with reference to  FIG. 1 , number  1  indicates, as a whole, a crawler vehicle, especially a snow groomer, which comprises a frame  2 ; two tracks  3  (only one of them is shown in  FIG. 1 ); two drive wheels  4  (only one of them is shown in  FIG. 1 ), which are operatively connected to the respective tracks  3 ; idler-wheels  5  configured to support the tracks  3 ; a cabin  6 ; a user interface  7  arranged in the cabin  6 ; a shovel  8 , which is supported by the frame  2  on the front side; a cutter  9 , which is supported by the frame  2  on the rear side; a winch assembly  10 , which is fixed above the frame  2 ; an internal combustion engine  11 ; and a powertrain  12 , which is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine  11 ; to the drive wheels  4 ; to the shovel  8 ; to the cutter  9 ; and to the winch assembly  10 . The powertrain  12  can be hydraulic or electric or a combination thereof. 
         [0023]    The snow groomer  1  comprises a control unit  13 , which is connected to a user interface  7  and is configured to control the crawler vehicle  1  and the winch assembly  10 . 
         [0024]    The winch assembly  10  comprises a supporting structure  14 , which is mounted on the frame  2 ; a reel  15 , which is supported by the supporting structure  14  so as to rotate around an axis A 1 ; a cable  16 , which has an end fixed to the reel  15  and is partly wound around the reel  15 ; a control device  17  configured to control the cable  16  when the cable is unwound from the reel  15  and wound on the reel  15 . In the example shown, the supporting structure  14  comprises a portion  18  that is integral to the frame  2  and a portion  19  that is mounted on the portion  18  so as to rotate around an axis A 2 , in order to aim the cable  16  at an anchoring point of the cable  16  regardless of the orientation of the crawler vehicle  1  relative to the anchoring point (which is not shown in the accompanying figures). The portion  18  of the supporting structure  14  supports the reel  15 , an idle sheave  20 , which can rotate around an axis A 3  that is parallel to the axis A 1  of the reel  15 , and the control device  17 , which is arranged between the reel  15  and the idle sheave  20 . The portion  19  comprises idle sheaves  21 ,  22  and  23 . 
         [0025]    The supporting structure  14  comprises a fifth wheel coupling  24 , which is interposed between the portion  18  and the portion  19 ; a powered mechanism  25 , which is operatively coupled to the fifth wheel coupling  24  so as to selectively rotate the portion  19  around the axis A 2  relative to the portion  18 . 
         [0026]    The winch assembly  1  further comprises an actuator assembly  26 , which is operatively connected to the reel  15  and is configured to rotate the reel  15  around the axis A 1  in opposite directions; and a sensor  27 , which is coupled to the reel  15  so as to detect the position of the reel  15  around the axis A 1 . The angular position of the reel  15  enables users to calculate the quantity of cable  16  wound on the reel  15  and the quantity of cable  16  on the outside of the reel  15 . 
         [0027]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the reel  15  comprises a cylindrical body  28 , along which a helical recess  29  is obtained, and two flanges  30 , which are perpendicular to the axis A 1 . Only one of the two flanges  30  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The flanges  30  fulfil the function of keeping the cable  16  in an orderly configuration, especially when the cable  16  is wound on one or more portions of cable  16  that were previously wound in a spiral shape. Due to the fact that the cable  16  is wound on the reel  15  and unwound from the reel  15  in an orderly fashion, it is possible to define the point of tangency of the cable  16  on the reel  15  in any operating instant. 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the control device  17  comprises a cable locator  31 , which engages the cable  16 , and is movable relative to the supporting structure  14  in a direction D 1  that is parallel to the axis of the reel  15  (perpendicular to the plane of the sheet in  FIG. 3 ); an actuator  32  to selectively move the cable locator  31  in the direction D 1 , and a rocker arm  33 , which engages the cable  16  and oscillates with respect to the cable locator  31  around an axis A 4  that is perpendicular to the direction D 1 . 
         [0029]    According to the schematic view of  FIG. 5 , the cable locator  31  engages the cable  16  with a guide  34 , whereas the rocker arm  33  engages the cable  16  with a guide  35 . The rocker arm  33  comprises a base  36 , which is mounted on the cable locator  31  so as to rotate around the axis A 4 , and an appendix  37 , which is mounted so as to rotate with respect to the base  36  around an axis A 5 . The axes A 4  and A 5  are transverse to one another and, in this case, are perpendicular to one another. Hence, the rocker arm  33  is articulated around the axis A 5 , which is perpendicular to the axis A 4 . 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the control device  17  comprises an actuating device  38 , in this case a hydraulic distributor, of the actuator  32 . The actuating device  38  is mechanically connected to the rocker arm  33 , so that the rotation of the rocker arm  33  around the axis A 4  with respect to the cable locator  31  determines a status variation in the actuating device  38  and a given or designated movement of the actuator  32 , such as to re-establish the relative position between the rocker arm  33  and the cable locator  31 . 
         [0031]    The guide  34  comprises two coplanar sheaves  39  with the respective grooves  40  facing one another in the respective point of tangency with the cable  16 , so as to enclose the cable  16  between the grooves  40  themselves, as well as a sheave  41  that is perpendicular to the sheaves  39 , is arranged under the sheaves  39  and is provided with a groove  42 . The sheave  41  is slightly not aligned with the sheaves  39  along the path P of the cable  16 , so as to not interfere with the sheaves  39 . 
         [0032]    Similarly, the guide  35  comprises two coplanar sheaves  43  with the respective grooves  44  facing one another, so as to enclose the cable  16  between the grooves  44  in the respective points of tangency, as well as a sheave  45  that is perpendicular to the sheaves  43 , is arranged above the sheaves  43  and is provided with a groove  46 . The sheave  45  is slightly not aligned, so as to not interfere with the sheaves  43 . 
         [0033]    The appendix  37  is elastically kept in a balance position relative to the base  36 . In the example shown, elastic elements  47  connect the appendix  37  to the base  36  and to the cable locator  31 , respectively. 
         [0034]    The control device  17  comprises a sensor  48  to detect the relative angular position between the appendix  37  and the base  36  of the rocker arm  33 . In the example shown, the sensor  48  is mounted on the base  36  and is connected to the appendix  37  via a mechanical transducer  49 . 
         [0035]    With reference to  FIG. 5 , the control device  17  is sensitive to the movements of the guide  35  both in the direction D 1  and in the direction D 2 . 
         [0036]    With reference to  FIG. 4 , a movement of the guide  35  in the direction D 1  triggers a control chain  50 , which determines the movement of the cable locator  31  in the direction D 1 , until the appendix  37  is in the relative position with respect to the cable locator  31  before the movement of the cable locator  31 . In the example shown, the kinematic chain  50  is mechanical-hydraulic and comprises the rocker arm  33 , the actuating device  38  and the actuator  32 . 
         [0037]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a movement of the guide  35  in the direction D 2  triggers a control chain  51 , which determines the stop of the cable  16  and of the winch assembly  10 , when the movement in the direction D 2  exceeds a given or designated threshold value. The control chain  51  is mechatronic and comprises the appendix  37 ; the sensor  48 ; the mechanical powertrain  49 ; and a control unit  52 , which fulfils the function of emitting an error signal to stop the cable  16 , when the position of the guide  35  in the direction D 2  exceeds a threshold value. 
         [0038]    According to a particular embodiment of the disclosure, the control unit  52  is connected to the sensor  27  of the reel  15 , so as to be able to calculate the expected tangency position of the cable  16  relative to the cylindrical body  28  or to a layer of wound cable  16 . Based on the signals emitted by the sensor  27 , users can calculate the expected position of the guide  35  and, as a consequence, threshold values and acceptability intervals for the position of the guide in the direction D 2 . 
         [0039]    In use and with reference to  FIG. 2 , when the cable  16  is wound and unwound on the reel  15 , the cable  16  is moved by the control device  17  parallel to the axis A 1  of the reel  15  so as to cause the cable  16  to be arranged in a predetermined spiral shape and, at the same time, the position of the guide  35  in the direction D 2  is controlled so as to detect possible abnormal positions of the cable  16 . Accordingly, if the cable were to move beyond the flange  30  of the reel  15 , the guide  35  would end up in an abnormal position and the cable  16  would be stopped in order to avoid possible damages to the winch assembly  10 . 
         [0040]    Furthermore, it is evident the present disclosure also covers embodiments that are not described in the detailed description above as well as equivalent embodiments that are part of the scope of protection set forth in the appended Claims. As such, changes may be made to the embodiments of the present disclosure described with reference to the attached drawings without, however, departing from the protective scope of the accompanying Claims. Accordingly, various changes and modifications to the presently disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.