Abstract:
A solar-powered boat winch suited for installation upon boat lifting structures such as those in a remote location. The solar powered boat winch includes an electric motorized winch, a solar cell, a rechargeable battery, a recharger, and mechanical mounts for attaching the solar powered boat winch to a boat lift structure. The solar cell collects sufficient solar energy and converts it into electricity that charges the rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery acts as the power source for an electric motor of the winch. The winch assembly also includes remote controlled operation.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no current co-pending applications. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed towards boat winches. More particularly, the present invention is directed to remote controlled, solar powered boat lifting winches. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are numerous types of small water craft on the waters today. For example, small boats, jet skis, pontoon boats, row boats, power boats and the like. Such small water craft are very popular, relatively low cost, widely available, and widely used. However, in general they require protection and maintenance. To provide protection and maintenance such water craft must be taken out of the water. 
     Small water craft are frequently removed from the water by boat lifts. Boat lifts remove water craft from the water in a manner that protects the water craft&#39;s hull from damage to enable maintenance, transportation, and storage of the water craft. Most boat lifts are either hand-operated or operated by electric power that is supplied by power lines. Hand-operated systems use a hand-crank to power cables and pulleys that raise or lower the water craft. Operating a boat lift by hand quickly becomes tiring for all but those in peak physical shape. In particular, elderly, handicapped, the very young, and others may simply find hand cranking too difficult. 
     The alternative to hand operated boat lifts are electric powered boat lifts. Such boat lifts require the availability of electrical power. Since some boat lifts are located far from power lines the use of electrical-powered boat lifts can be problematic. Running electric power to remotely located boat lifts may be far too costly and difficult to be practical. Indeed, in some remote locations, such as in wilderness areas, running power lines is not possible no matter what the cost. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for boat lifts that can be used in remote locations without requiring electrical power lines and without required hand powered operation. Beneficially, those boat lifts would be electrically operated, would be low cost, easy to use and easy to install. Preferably such boat lifts would provide safe, “green” energy methods of raising and lowering water craft. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention provide for electric-powered boat lifts that can be used in remote locations without requiring electrical power lines or hand-powered operation. Beneficially, such boat lifts can provide a safe, “green” energy method of raising and lowering water craft. 
     The principles of the present invention provide for a solar-powered lift mechanism that uses a small solar panel and regulator to charge a deep-discharge rechargeable battery. Electric power from the battery is selectively used to power a DC motor that raises and lowers the boat lift. The invention is perfect for remote locations where conventional power sources are not readily available. 
     A solar-powered boat winch that is in accord with the present invention includes a winch assembly having a gear reducer, an electric motor that rotates the gear reducer and a gear pulley that is turned by the gear reducer. A winch bracket is attached to the winch assembly. The winch bracket itself is configured to attach to an external structure. A battery provides electric power to the electric motor while a switch selectively switches the electric power from the battery to the electric motor. A solar panel having a solar cell produces electrical power which is regulated by a voltage regulator and used to charge the battery. 
     Beneficially the battery is located inside a battery box assembly that includes a protective enclosure. The protective enclosure includes an access panel and a weather seal so as to provide a sealed box. The battery box assembly further includes a support tray that is attached to a battery tray bracket that is configured to mount to an external structure. 
     In practice there is a cable wound on the gear pulley while the switch supplies electric power to the electric motor so as to selectively rotate the electric motor in either direction. Preferably the switch is a rocker switch while the battery is a deep-cycle 12-volt battery. In addition to the switch the solar-powered boat winch may include a remote control for remotely controlling the winch assembly and a control module for energizing the electric motor based on input from the switch or from the remote control. A receiver receiving the signals from the remote control and applies control signals to the control module. For convenience the remote control is a fob. 
     The receiver may be affixed to the battery enclosure while the solar panel may be attached to a swivel mount. In practice the winch bracket may be welded to the gear reducer. To mount the solar-powered boat winch the winch bracket may include at least two (2) first bracket ears that are configured to fit around an external structure. At least one (1) of the bracket ears may include an aperture for receiving a fastener. In use the solar-powered boat winch can includes at least one (1) rigging that receives the cable. For example, the rigging may be a rigging pulley. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a solar-powered boat winch  10  that is in accord with the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the solar-powered boat winch  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ; and, 
         FIG. 3  is an electrical block diagram of the solar-powered boat winch  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  solar-powered boat winch 
               20  winch assembly 
               22  motor 
               24  gear reducer 
               26  pulley 
               28  lift switch 
               30  cable 
               40  control module 
               42  receiver 
               44  antenna 
               46  remote control device 
               48   a  first button 
               48   b  second button 
               50  ring 
               52  signal 
               60  battery box assembly 
               61  battery 
               62  enclosure 
               64  access panel 
               65  gasket 
               66  tray 
               67  battery tray bracket 
               70  fastener 
               80  solar panel 
               82  housing 
               84  solar cell 
               86  swivel mount 
               90  winch bracket 
               92   a  first bracket ear 
               92   b  second bracket ear 
               100  boat lifting structure 
               102  rigging equipment 
               105  wiring 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 3 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a solar-powered boat winch  10  that is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The solar-powered boat winch  10  includes a cable-driven winch assembly  20  for raising and lowering water craft such as motor boats, pontoon boats, jet skis, and the like from an existing boat lift  100 . The cable-driven winch assembly  20  is powered by electricity produced by a solar panel  80 . The solar powered boat winch  10  is designed to replace either a hand crank winch assembly or an electric winch that is designed to be powered via a conventional 110-volt power source. Consequently, the solar-powered boat winch  10  is particularly useful in remote locations where conventional power sources are not readily available. Additionally, for safety and convenience the solar-powered boat winch  10  supports operation using a hand-held remote control  46 . 
     While the solar-powered boat winch  10  is a very useful replacement for existing boat lift devices, the solar-powered boat winch  10  is also well suited for new cable-driven boat lifts  100 , either standard or as optional equipment. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  provide perspective views of the solar powered boat winch  10  which in accord with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The solar-powered boat winch  10  comprises the winch assembly  20 , a winch bracket  90 , a battery box assembly  60 , and the solar panel  80 . The solar panel  80  provides electrical power to charge an on-board battery  61 , which in turn powers a DC motor  22  which operates the cable winch assembly  20 . The DC motor  22  can selectively raise and lower water craft using the existing boat lift structure  100 . In practice the winch assembly  20  is configured to be rigidly affixed to the boat lift  100  by the winch bracket  90 . 
     The winch assembly  20  is beneficially a 12-volt motorized unit envisioned as capable of applying a minimal force of approximately two-thousand pounds (2000 lb.) upon an extended cable  30 . The cable  30  is attached to various riggings  102  of the boat lift  100 , such as pulleys, cables, and the like, to lift or lower the boat lift  100 . The winch assembly  20  is envisioned as being somewhat similar to commercially-available cable-driven units. The winch assembly  20  includes the DC motor  22 , a gear reducer  24 , a cable pulley  26  suitable for winding up a length of marine-grade cable  30 , and a 3-position rocker-type lift switch  28 . The solar powered boat winch  10  further comprises an electronic control module  40 . 
     As previously noted the winch assembly  20  is securely attached to the boat lift  100  via an integral winch bracket  90 . The winch bracket  90  is welded to, or otherwise affixed to the gear reducer  24 . The winch bracket  90  comprises a large, generally flat metal plate that provides an attachment to the remainder of the solar-powered boat winch  10 . The winch bracket  90  includes a pair of first bracket ears  92   a  and a pair of second bracket ears  92   b  that wrap around opposing parallel sides of a stationary member of the boat lift  100 . The bracket ears  92   a ,  92   b  are envisioned being secured to the boat lift  100  using a plurality of fasteners  70  such as lag screws, bolts, or the like. However, should be understood that the solar-powered boat winch  10  may be introduced with winch brackets  90  that are designed to fit snuggly to various appendages of different boat lifting structures  100 . Thus the illustrated winch bracket  90  may be modified as required to fit on different boat lifting structures  100 . 
     The battery  61  is well protected within the battery box assembly  60 . The battery box assembly  60  beneficially includes a rectangular plastic or metal enclosure  62 , an access panel  64 , a support tray  66 , and a battery tray bracket  67 . The battery box assembly  60  not only protects the battery  61  from the elements but it also enables easy access to the battery  61  for repair or replacement via the access panel  64 . The access panel  64  is a removable flat plate that is located along a side of the enclosure  62  to which it is affixed and sealed using a plurality of fasteners  70  and a perimeter edge gasket  65 . The battery  61  and enclosure  62  are supported by the horizontal tray  66 , which is a rigid rectangular platform shaped similar to the enclosure  62 . The battery tray bracket  67  is a length of angle-shaped metal that is welded or otherwise permanently affixed to the bottom of the support tray  66 . The support tray  66  in turn is affixed to the boat lifting structure  100  by a plurality of fasteners  70 . 
     The solar panel  80  is an adjustable self-contained unit capable of charging the battery  61 . The solar panel  80  includes a protective sealed plastic housing  82 , a set of photovoltaic solar cells  84  which cover a front surface, and a molded-in, single axis swivel mount  86  along the rear surface. The swivel mount  86  allows azimuth adjustment. As such it is tightened in position via a fastener  70  such as a wing nut. 
     The side of the battery enclosure  62  supports a receiver  42  and its antenna  44 . The receiver  42  and antenna  44  are preferably adhesively affixed, although other mounting methods may be used. The receiver  42  and antenna  44  are envisioned as being similar to those manufactured by SUPERWINCH® and other companies which provide remote activation of the winch assembly  20  upon receipt of a wireless signal  52  from a remote control device  46 . The remote control device  46  is preferably a fob or similar hand-held signal transmitting structure. The receiver  42  and antenna  44  are in electrical communication with the control module  40  of the winch assembly  20  via wiring  105 . This enables remote controlled actuation of the winch assembly  20 . The remote control device  46  has a first button  48   a  to lower the boat lift  100 , a second button  48   b  to raise the boat lift  100 , and an attaching ring  50  which provides a convenient attachment of the remote control device  46  to a purse or other readily available item. 
     The control module  40  includes a housing which provides weatherproof protection to internal electrical and electronic equipment necessary for the operation of the solar-powered boat winch  10 . The electrical and electronic equipment include, but is not limited to: a printed circuit board, microprocessors, memory chips, embedded software, a battery-charging circuit, relays, and the like. The control module  40  manages the power from the solar panel  80  to charge the battery  61 . Additionally, the control module  40  provides software and hardware switching as required to direct power from the battery  61  to the motor  22  when directed by wired and wireless signals from the lift switch  28  and the remote control device  46 , respectively (see  FIG. 3 ). 
       FIG. 3  presents an electrical block diagram of the solar-powered boat winch  10 . The control module  40  receives power from the solar panel  80  and uses it to charge the battery  61 . The solar panel  80  includes at least one photovoltaic solar cell  84  and an integrated 12-volt regulator with a wattage rating capable of charging the battery  61 . The battery  61  is preferably a deep-cycle, 12-volt marine-type unit designed to reliably operate over repeated discharge cycles. Power from the battery  61  is directed by the control module  40  to energize the motor  22  of the winch assembly  20  based upon input signals from the lift switch  28  and the remote control device  46 . The remote control device  46  is a battery-operated hand-held unit in wireless communication with the antenna  44  and the receiver  42 . They operate to allow remote controlled operation of the solar-powered boat winch  10 . The remote control device  46  has the first button  48  and second button  48   b  which cause the motor  22  to rotate to lower or raise the boat lift  100 . 
     The wireless signal  52  from the remote control device  46  is envisioned as a one-way signal. But, duplex communication might be incorporated for special purposes. It is envisioned that the signal  52  would be of a frequency modulated (FM) signal on a frequency authorized for such use. However, other methods of modulation such as amplitude modulation, single side band, digital, continuous wave and the like would also work. Thus the type of signal should not be construed as a limiting factor of the solar-powered boat winch  10 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention. While only one particular configuration was shown and described that was for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the solar-powered boat winch  10  it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The method of installing and using the solar-powered boat winch  10  may be achieved by: removing an existing manual hand-crank winch from the existing cable-driven boat lift  100 , if previously installed; installing the solar-powered boat winch  10  upon the boat lift  100 , preferably at the location vacated by the manual winch, by attaching the first  92   a  and second  92   b  bracket ears of the winch bracket  90  to the boat lift  100  using fasteners  70 ; installing the battery  61  into the battery box assembly  60 , if not previously installed, by removing fasteners  70  and access panel  64 ; connecting the terminal of the battery  61  to the wiring  105 ; inserting the battery  61  into the enclosure  62 ; replacing the access panel  64  using the fasteners  70 ; adjusting the swivel mount  86  of the solar panel  80  by loosening the fastener  70 ; pointing the solar cell  84  toward the sun; securing the solar panel  80  in position by tightening the fastener  70 ; allowing sufficient time for the solar panel  80  to charge the battery  61 ; connecting the cable  30  of the solar-powered boat winch  10  to various rigging members  102  of the existing boat lift  100 ; installing a fresh battery into the remote control device  46 ; lifting or lowering the boat lift  100  by actuating the winch assembly  20  either by pressing the lift switch  28  in a respective up or down direction, or by pressing the first  48   a  or second  48   b  button of the remote control device  46 ; holding down the switch  28  or button  48   a ,  48   b  to wind or release a length of cable  30  from the pulley  26  until the boat lift  100  is moved to a desired position; and benefiting from reduced effort and ease while lifting or lowering a boat lift  100  afforded a user of the solar-powered boat winch  10 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.