Patent ID: 8215618

Claim:
A winch system for moving a load, the system comprising: a drum defining an outer surface, a central axis, an axial direction, an angular direction and a radial direction; a drum rotating device; a cable jacket; a force member; a current path; and an electrical commutator; wherein: the drum is sized, shaped, located and/or connected to selectively rotate the drum about its central axis; the force member is sized, shaped and constituted to have sufficient tensile strength to move the load; the force member extends at least: (i) at least once around the drum in the angular direction, and (ii) from the proximity of the outer surface of the drum in a direction away from the drum; the current path extends at least: (i) from the electrical commutator to the outer surface of the drum, (ii) at least once around the drum in the angular direction, and (iii) from the proximity of the outer surface of the drum in a direction away from the drum; the electrical commutator and drum are sized, shaped, connected and/or located so that at least a portion of the current path rotates about the central axis of the drum with the drum; the electrical commutator is sized, shaped located and/or electrically connected to conduct electrical current between a non-rotating current input/output and a rotating end of the current path; and the cable jacket sized, shaped, connected and/or located to wrap around and mutually constrain a portion of the force member and a portion of the current path.