Open pulley

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include an open pulley assembly including a pulley body and a deformable retaining member attached to the pulley body. The pulley body includes a rope saddle portion, a first outer wheel portion, and a second outer wheel portion substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion. The deformable retaining member is fixed to the first outer wheel portion and extends toward the second outer wheel portion. The deformable retaining member extends uniformly around the circumference of the first outer wheel portion and extends substantially perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion.

Description

[0001] Priority claims and cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 928,013, filed on October 30, 2019, entitled “Open Pulley,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and relied upon. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to an open pulley assembly for use with a powered winch. For example, the open pulley assembly can be used in a horizontal winch of a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] Trapped vehicles, such as those traveling in off-road conditions, are often moved using a powered winch. Adding a snatch ring to the winch assembly can increase the load capacity of the powered winch, making vehicle movement less difficult. Conventional snatch rings rely on the tension on the rope passing through the snatch ring to hold the rope in the snatch ring's rope saddle. In vertical rigging applications, gravity effectively maintains the tension in the rope. When using a snatch ring in horizontal rigging applications, slack can be introduced into the system, causing the rope to fall off the rope saddle. Therefore, there is a need for an improved snatch ring and associated pulley.

[0005] The information included in the background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is for technical reference purposes only and should not be considered subject matter of the scope of the present invention. Summary of the invention

[0006] An illustrative embodiment of the present invention may include an open pulley assembly having a pulley body and a deformable retaining member. The pulley body may include a first outer wheel portion and a second outer wheel portion substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion. The pulley body may further define a rope saddle portion between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion, and a central hole extending through the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. The deformable retaining member may be fixed to the first outer wheel portion of the pulley body. The deformable retaining member may extend toward the second outer wheel portion, uniformly around and adjacent to the outer circumference of the first outer wheel portion, and between and substantially perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion.

[0007] Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may include an open pulley assembly including a pulley body and a plurality of flexible fingers. The pulley body may include a first outer wheel portion and a second outer wheel portion, the first outer wheel portion including a plurality of through holes defined therein, the second outer wheel portion being substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion and including a plurality of through holes defined therein. The pulley body may also define a rope saddle portion between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. A plurality of first resilient fingers may be located within the plurality of through holes in the first outer wheel portion. A plurality of second resilient fingers may be located within the plurality of through holes in the second outer wheel portion. A plurality of first resilient fingers may extend from the first outer wheel portion to the second outer wheel portion. A plurality of second resilient fingers may extend from the second outer wheel portion toward the first outer wheel portion.

[0008] Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention may include an open pulley assembly including a pulley body and first and second annular protrusions. The pulley body may include a first outer wheel portion and a second outer wheel portion, the first outer wheel portion including a plurality of through holes defined therein, the second outer wheel portion being substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion and including a plurality of through holes defined therein. The pulley body may further define a rope saddle portion between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. The first continuous annular protrusion may be positioned adjacent to an outer periphery of the first outer wheel portion and extend substantially perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion. The second continuous annular protrusion may be positioned adjacent to an outer periphery of the second outer wheel portion and extend substantially perpendicular to the second outer wheel portion.

[0009] In view of the disclosure herein, and without limiting the scope of the invention in any way, in a first aspect of the disclosure of the invention, which may be combined with any other aspects listed herein unless otherwise specified, an open pulley assembly includes a pulley body and a first deformable retaining member. The pulley body includes a first outer wheel portion, a second outer wheel portion substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion, and a rope saddle portion. The rope saddle portion is defined between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion, and defines a central hole extending through the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. The first deformable retaining member is fixed to the first outer wheel portion of the pulley body. The first deformable retaining member extends toward the second outer wheel portion, uniformly around and adjacent to the outer circumference of the first outer wheel portion, and between and substantially perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion.

[0010] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, which can be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise specified, the open pulley further comprises a second deformable retaining member fixed to the second outer wheel portion. The second deformable retaining member extends toward the first outer wheel portion, uniformly surrounds and is adjacent to the outer circumference of the second outer wheel portion, and is between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion and is substantially perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion.

[0011] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise indicated, the first deformable retaining member comprises a plurality of finger-shaped elastic members spaced apart from each other.

[0012] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, the first deformable retaining member and the second deformable retaining member each include a respective plurality of resilient fingers spaced apart from each other.

[0013] In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, each resilient finger of a first deformable retaining member is aligned with a respective opposing resilient finger of a second deformable retaining member.

[0014] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, which can be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise specified, the pulley body defines a plurality of through holes in the first outer wheel portion and a plurality of through holes in the second outer wheel portion. The elastic fingers of the first deformable retaining member are located in the through holes in the first outer wheel portion. The elastic fingers of the second deformable retaining member are located in the through holes in the second outer wheel portion.

[0015] In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, the first deformable retaining member is in the form of a continuous annular protrusion extending substantially perpendicularly to the first outer wheel portion.

[0016] In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, which can be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise specified, the first deformable retaining member is in the form of a continuous annular protrusion extending substantially perpendicularly to the first outer wheel portion. The second deformable retaining member is in the form of a continuous annular protrusion extending substantially perpendicularly to the second outer wheel portion.

[0017] In a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise indicated, the continuous annular protrusion comprises a flat coupling surface attached to the first outer wheel portion of the pulley body.

[0018] In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, the pulley body defines an annular groove in the first outer wheel portion. The continuous annular protrusion includes a coupling member forming a base of the continuous annular protrusion and configured to be retained in the annular groove. The coupling member of the continuous annular protrusion is retained in the annular groove.

[0019] In an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise indicated, the annular protrusion comprises a rib having a triangular cross-section.

[0020] In a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise indicated, the annular protrusion comprises a thin annular wall.

[0021] In a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise indicated, the deformable retaining member is in the form of a bristle ring comprising a plurality of flexible bristles extending from a base ring.

[0022] In a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which aspect can be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, the pulley body defines an annular groove in the first outer wheel portion. The base ring includes a coupling component configured to be retained in the annular groove. The coupling component of the bristle ring is retained in the annular groove.

[0023] In a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, the surface defining the central hole is coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction.

[0024] In a sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise specified, an open pulley includes a pulley body and a plurality of first elastic fingers. The pulley body includes: a first outer wheel portion, which includes a plurality of through holes defined therein; a second outer wheel portion, which is substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion and includes a plurality of through holes defined therein; and a rope saddle portion, which is defined between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. The plurality of first elastic fingers are located within the plurality of through holes in the first outer wheel portion, and the plurality of second elastic fingers are located within the plurality of through holes in the second outer wheel portion. The plurality of first elastic fingers extend from the first outer wheel portion toward the second outer wheel portion. The plurality of second elastic fingers extend from the second outer wheel portion toward the first outer wheel portion.

[0025] In a seventeenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, a rope saddle portion of the pulley body defines a plurality of rope pulling components.

[0026] In an eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which aspect may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise stated, the pulley body defines a central hole bounded by a surface, and the surface is coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction.

[0027] In a nineteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise specified, an open pulley assembly includes a pulley body, a first continuous annular protrusion, and a second continuous annular protrusion. The pulley body includes: a first outer wheel portion, which includes a plurality of through holes defined therein; a second outer wheel portion, which is substantially parallel to the first outer wheel portion and includes a plurality of through holes defined therein; and a rope saddle portion, which is defined between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. The first continuous annular protrusion is adjacent to the outer periphery of the first outer wheel portion and extends substantially perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion. The second continuous annular protrusion is adjacent to the outer periphery of the second outer wheel portion and extends substantially perpendicular to the second outer wheel portion.

[0028] In a twentieth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless otherwise specified, the pulley body defines a corresponding annular groove in each of the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion. Each of the first continuous annular protrusion and the second continuous annular protrusion includes a coupling component that forms a base of the corresponding continuous annular protrusion and is configured to be retained in the corresponding annular groove. The coupling components of each continuous annular protrusion are retained in each annular groove.

[0029] Additional features and advantages of the disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods are described and will become apparent in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. The features and advantages described herein are not all inclusive, and in particular, many other features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the accompanying drawings and description. Moreover, it is not necessary for any particular embodiment to have all of the advantages listed herein. In addition, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been selected for readability and instructional purposes, rather than to limit the scope of the subject matter of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] It should be understood that the drawings depict only typical embodiments of the present invention and should not be considered to limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention will be described and explained with additional explanations and details through the use of the drawings. The drawings are listed as follows:

[0031] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a split pulley assembly.

[0032] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1A cross-sectional view of the open pulley assembly of line 2-2.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a pulley body of a split pulley assembly. Figure 3A is an isometric view of the body of the pulley. Figure 3B It is along Figure 3A A cross-sectional view of the pulley body along line 3B-3B. Figure 3C It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the pulley body along line 3C-3C.

[0034] Figure 4 is an isometric view of the fingers of a split pulley assembly.

[0035] Figure 5 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a split pulley assembly.

[0036] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a split pulley assembly. Fig. 6A is an isometric view of an open pulley assembly with a rope engaged in the open pulley assembly. Figure 6B is an isometric view of an open pulley assembly.

[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a split pulley assembly. Fig. 7A is an isometric view of an open pulley assembly with a rope engaged in the open pulley assembly. Figure 7B is an isometric view of an open pulley assembly.

[0038] Figure 8 is an isometric view of successive components of an embodiment of a split pulley assembly.

[0039] Fig. 9 It is along Figure 7B Line 9-9 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an open pulley assembly.

[0040] Fig.10 is an isometric view of an open pulley assembly with a rope engaged in the open pulley assembly.

[0041] Fig.11 It is along Fig.10 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an open pulley assembly of line 11-11.

[0042] Fig.12 is an isometric view of a pulley body of an embodiment of a split pulley assembly.

[0043] Fig.13 is an isometric view of the fins of an embodiment of a split pulley assembly.

[0044] Fig.14 is an isometric view of an open pulley assembly with a rope engaged in the open pulley assembly.

[0045] Fig.15 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a split pulley assembly.

[0046] Fig.16 is along Fig.15 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an open pulley assembly of line 16-16.

[0047] Fig.17 is an isometric view of the bristle structure of an embodiment of an open pulley assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] A snatch ring pulley is often used in conjunction with a powered winch to move large vehicles. When used in horizontal rigging applications, slack is often introduced into the system, which in turn causes the rope to move out of the rope saddle of the snatch ring pulley. Accordingly, the snatch ring pulley disclosed in the present invention includes a flexible retaining member. In some embodiments, the snatch ring pulley also includes a traction member. When slack is introduced into the system, the flexible retaining member guides the rope toward the rope saddle to prevent the rope from falling off the snatch ring pulley. Because the retaining member is flexible, the retaining member can extend around the periphery of the snatch ring pulley and deform at the entry and exit points of the rope. Therefore, the snatch ring pulley can be used at multiple rope angles without damaging the surface of the rope.

[0049] Open pulley assembly with flexible finger retaining member

[0050] An exemplary embodiment of an open pulley assembly 100 may generally consist of a pulley body 102 and at least one rope holding member 104. In some embodiments, the pulley body 102 may include a traction member 114. The pulley body 102 is generally annular. Two disc-shaped outer wheel portions 108a / b are connected by a rope saddle portion 106. Although the pulley body 102 is described in three parts, the pulley body 102 can be formed as a single piece of material. The pulley body 102 can be formed of, for example, aluminum, titanium, a polymer, an iron material, or a composite material.

[0051] The central hole 110 in the pulley body 102 extends from the outer surface 118 of the first outer wheel portion 108a, through the rope saddle portion 106, to the other outer surface 118 of the second outer wheel portion 108b. The central hole 110 is designed so that the pulley body can rotate about the rope passing through the central hole 110. Therefore, in order to prevent wear on the rope passing through the central hole 110, the central hole surface 112 is curved between the outer surfaces 118 of the outer wheel portions. For example, Figure 2As shown, the center hole surface 112 is curved such that the radius of the center hole 110 is larger where the center hole surface 112 intersects the outer wheel portion outer surface 118 and is smaller at the rope saddle portion 106 .

[0052] In some embodiments, the center hole surface 112 may include a surface coating, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), i.e., Teflon. In these embodiments, the PTFE surface contacts the flexible shackle rope passing through the center hole 110. When the pulley body 102 rotates during use, the PTFE coating on the center hole surface 112 reduces wear and friction between the center hole surface 112 and the flexible shackle rope. The PTFE coating can be applied to the center hole surface 112 by, for example, applying the coating to the center hole surface 112 and removing any excess coating from the center hole surface 112. The remaining PTFE impregnates the center hole surface 112, thereby reducing friction between the center hole surface 112 and the flexible shackle rope, extending the life of the flexible shackle rope.

[0053] like Figure 2 As shown, the rope saddle portion 106 of the pulley body 102 is curved to accommodate the rope 700 within the rope saddle. The curve of the rope saddle portion 106 can be a circular segment so that the curve generally follows the cross-sectional curve of the rope 700 within the rope saddle portion 106. In some embodiments, the rope saddle portion 106 can include one or more traction components. For example, Figure 3A As shown, the rope saddle portion 106 may include a groove 114. The groove 114 may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a length of rope within the rope saddle portion 106. The edge where the groove 114 meets the surface of the rope saddle portion 106 may be smoothed to prevent rope wear. The groove 114 may have a variety of cross-sectional shapes, such as a curved bottom, a square bottom, or a "V" shaped groove. In other embodiments, other traction components may be used, such as a spray-on friction coating on the surface of the rope saddle portion 106.

[0054] The outer wheel portion 108a / b of the pulley body 102 is separated by the rope saddle portion 106 and includes an inner surface 116 and an outer surface 118. Figure 3A and 3BAs shown, the outer surface 118 includes an annular outer flat portion 140 and an annular outer curved portion 142, the outer curved portion 142 connecting the outer flat portion 140 to the central hole surface 112. Similarly, the inner surface 116 of the outer wheel portion 108a / b includes an annular inner flat portion 144 and an annular inner curved portion 146, the inner curved portion 146 connecting the inner flat portion 144 to the rope saddle portion 106. The annular outer flat portion 140 and the annular inner flat portion 144 are generally parallel to each other. For each of the two outer wheel portions 108a / b, a curved outer rim 148 is formed between the inner surface 116 and the outer edge of the outer surface 118.

[0055] like Figure 3A and 3C As shown, the outer wheel portion 108a / b may include evenly spaced through holes 120 extending from the outer surface 118 to the inner surface 116. In some embodiments, such as the pulley body 102, the through holes 120 are arranged so that the through holes 120 on one outer wheel portion 108a are directly opposite the through holes 120 on the other outer wheel portion 108b. The through holes 120 may include counterbores 122 extending inwardly from the outer surface 118, such as Figure 3C shown.

[0056] In the embodiment of the open pulley assembly 100 , the rope retaining member is comprised of a plurality of flexible fingers 104 positioned within the through hole 120 . Figure 4 1 and 2. A single flexible finger 104 is shown in FIG. The flexible finger 104 may be made of, for example, but not limited to, silicone, rubber, or another flexible elastomeric material. Preferably, the flexible finger 104 includes a head 124 having a head radius and an annular clamp 126 having a clamp radius spaced from the head 124 along the length of the axis of the finger 104. The clamp radius and the head radius are greater than the other radii of the flexible finger measured from the central axis of the flexible finger 104, and the flexible finger 104 extends from the head 124 to the inner tip 134 of the flexible finger 104. The head radius may correspond to the radius of the counterbore 122 in the outer surface 118 of the outer wheel portion 108a / b, and the thickness of the head 124 may correspond to the depth of the counterbore 122. In other embodiments, the radius of the head 124 may be less than the radius of the counterbore 122, but greater than the radius of the through hole 120.

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, the head 124 is generally cylindrical and includes a substantially flat bottom surface 136. The clip 126 can be in a variety of shapes. For example, in Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the clip 126 is formed as a frustum-shaped annular barb formed by a slightly curved proximal surface 128 and a tapered distal surface 130. A section of the flexible finger 104 extending between the proximal surface 128 of the ridge and the bottom surface 136 of the head 124 is generally cylindrical and may conform to the thickness of the outer wheel portion 108a / b between the outer flat portion 140 of the outer surface 118 and the inner flat portion 144 of the inner surface. The extension 132 of the flexible finger 104 extending from the tapered distal surface 130 of the clip 126 to the inner tip 134 may be generally cylindrical, tapered, or curved.

[0058] In other embodiments, for example, Figure 5 , 6A As shown in FIGS. 6B and 6B , the size, form and position of the fingers 204, 304 may vary. Figure 5 , 6A and 6B, with Figure 1-4 The structural elements in the embodiments are the same and similar reference numerals in the corresponding series start with 200 and 300 instead of 100, respectively. Figure 5 Another open pulley assembly 200 is shown, in which the through holes 220 are staggered so that the through holes 220 on one outer wheel portion 208a are not directly opposite the through holes 220 on the other outer wheel portion 208b. Figure 1-4 The length of the fingers is short. Fig. 6A and 6B In another exemplary embodiment shown, the flexible finger 304 may be similar to Figure 4 However, the flexible finger 304 may have an extension 332 that is much shorter than the flexible finger 104. The flexible finger 304 may also define an inner tip 334 that may be rounded or substantially flat and may have a radius greater than Figure 4 The radius of the inner tip 134 of the finger 104.

[0059] Open pulley with flexible finger retaining member - assembly

[0060] like Figure 1As shown, the flexible fingers 104 are fitted into the through-holes 120 in the pulley body 102. The extensions 132 of the flexible fingers 104 protrude from the outer wheel portion inner surface 116. The head 124 of each finger 104 is located in the corresponding bore 122 of the through-hole 120 into which the finger 104 is inserted. The flat outer surface of the head 124 of each finger may be flush with or recessed from the annular outer flat portion 140. The annular clip 126 may be substantially compressible to be pressed through the through-hole 120 with moderate force. The proximal surface 128 of the clip 126 abuts against the annular inner flat portion 144 of the outer wheel portion 108a / b. Because the radius of the clip 126 is greater than the radius of the through-hole 120, the clip 126 is prevented from being pulled out of the through-hole 120 in the direction of the head 124 and is therefore fixed in the through-hole 120. Additionally, since the through holes 120 are positioned such that the through holes 120 in one outer wheel portion 108a are directly opposite to the through holes 120 in the other outer wheel portion 108b, the flexible fingers 104 are also opposite, such as Figure 1 Typically, the length of the extension 132 of the flexible finger 104 is such that the extension 132 extends over the rope saddle portion 106, while the inner tips 134 of the opposing fingers 104 are spaced apart from one another.

[0061] exist Figure 5 In another embodiment, the open pulley assembly 200 includes a pulley body 202, and the pulley body 202 includes a through hole 220. Figure 1-4 In the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of flexible fingers 204 are fitted into the through holes 220. The extensions 232 of the flexible fingers 204 protrude from the inner surface 216 of the outer wheel portion 108a / b and extend over a portion of the rope saddle portion 206. In the open pulley assembly 200, the through holes 220 are staggered so that when the flexible fingers 204 are fitted into the through holes 220, the flexible fingers 204 in one outer wheel portion 208a are not opposite to the flexible fingers 204 protruding from the other outer wheel portion 208b. The extensions 232 of the flexible fingers 204 extend from one inner surface 216 toward the opposite inner surface 216, with a gap between the inner tip 234 of the flexible fingers 204 and the opposite inner surface 216.

[0062] The flexible finger 204 is positioned in the through hole 220 in the pulley body 202 such that the head 224 of the flexible finger 204 is positioned in the counterbore 222 of the through hole 220. The height of the head 224 of the flexible finger 204 is generally slightly less than the depth of the counterbore 222 so that an object in contact with the outer surface of the pulley body does not contact the head 224 of the flexible finger 204. The clip of the flexible finger 204 (not in Figure 5The position of the clip (shown) causes the proximal surface of the clip to abut against the annular inner flat portion of the outer wheel portion 208a / b. When the flexible fingers 204 are assembled in the through hole 220 of the pulley body 202, the flexible fingers 204 are staggered so that the inner tips 234 of the flexible fingers 204 are not directly opposite the inner tips 234 of the flexible fingers mounted on the other outer wheel portion of the pulley body 202.

[0063] exist Fig. 6A and Figure 6B In another embodiment, the flexible finger 304 is assembled in the pulley body 302 to form an open pulley assembly 300 in a manner similar to the way the flexible finger 104 is assembled in the pulley body 102. In this embodiment, the length of the flexible finger 304 is shorter than in the previous embodiment. Other embodiments are also possible. For example, the fingers on the opposite sides of the outer wheel portion can have varying lengths whether in a directly opposite or staggered configuration. For example, in a directly opposite configuration, the flexible finger on one outer wheel portion can be longer than the flexible finger directly opposite it on the opposite outer wheel portion. The width of the gap between the opposite fingers or between the fingers and the opposite inner surface can also be variable within the same open pulley assembly or between different models. For example, different gap sizes can be used to accommodate ropes of different diameters.

[0064] Open pulley with flexible finger retaining member - operation

[0065] In use, the open pulley assembly 100 provides a mechanical advantage for winch operation. The open pulley assembly 100 is typically used in conjunction with a winch rope 700, such as a synthetic winch line, which is spooled on a powered winch mounted on a vehicle (referred to herein as a "winch vehicle"). Figure 1 As shown, a rope shackle 702 or other rope or net or belt is attached to the open pulley assembly 100 by passing the rope shackle 702 through the central hole 110 of the pulley body 102. The rope shackle 702 can be used to anchor the open pulley assembly 100 to a fixed point or vehicle or other object to be pulled by the winch line via a tow strap, chain, rope, etc. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the winch rope 700 unwound from the winch is located in the rope saddle portion 106 of the pulley body 102. The distal end of the winch rope 700 can be attached to a vehicle or an object to be towed.

[0066] Alternatively, if the rope shackle 702 is attached to a vehicle or object to be pulled (e.g., via a towing strap), the distal end of the winch rope 700 can be attached to a fixed point on or adjacent to the winch vehicle. In another use, the winch vehicle may need to pull itself out (e.g., out of a stuck position or tilted up). In such a configuration, the open pulley assembly 100 can be attached to a fixed point via a towing strap, and the distal end of the winch rope 700 can be attached to a second fixed point on the winch vehicle itself.

[0067] When the winch rope 700 is pulled (i.e., retracted by the winch), as the distal end of the winch rope 700 moves relatively close to the pulley body 10, the proximal length of the winch rope 700 moves relatively away from the pulley body 102 (i.e., is wound on the winch), as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown by the directional arrow in , the pulley body 102 rotates on the rope shackle 702 used as an axis. As noted, the surface 112 of the center hole 110 can be coated with a friction-reducing material to reduce wear on the rope shackle 702 when the open pulley assembly 100 rotates on the rope shackle.

[0068] Thus, when the powered winch is operating, the winch rope 700 moves around the rope saddle portion 106 of the pulley assembly 102, and the open pulley assembly 100 provides a mechanical advantage to the winch.

[0069] Before tension is applied to the winch rope 700, or when tension is released from the winch rope 700, if not otherwise held, the open pulley assembly 100 is unsupported and, if not otherwise secured, will fall to the ground. However, it is inherently unsafe for a person to hold the winch rope 700 or the open pulley 100 (or between the winch, the fixed point, and the vehicle being pulled). At this time, the winch rope 700 is not securely held within the rope saddle portion 106. The pulling members 114 are provided to prevent the winch rope 700 from sliding around the pulley body 102, but they do not serve to hold the winch rope within the rope saddle portion 106 because the winch rope 700 needs to freely enter and exit the rope saddle portion 106 when the open pulley assembly 100 rotates. However, it is important that the winch rope 700 remain located between the outer wheel portions 108a / b so that when tension is applied to the winch rope 700, the winch rope 700 is located in the rope saddle portion 106. If the winch rope 700 falls outside of the outer wheel portions 108a / b and is then placed under tension, it will pull and slide away from the rope shackle 702 during winch operation and may damage and weaken the rope shackle 702 due to the friction created.

[0070] In an embodiment of the open sheave assembly 100, the flexible fingers 104 around the circumferential edge of the outer wheel portion 108a / b serve as retaining members to retain the winch rope 700 within the rope saddle portion 106 of the open sheave assembly 100 when the winch rope 700 is slack. The flexible fingers 104 are generally disposed radially outward from the winch rope 700 in the rope saddle portion 106. Figure 2 106, the spacing distance D1 between the tips of the opposing fingers 104 is less than the diameter of the winch rope 700. The fingers 104, although flexible, are resilient enough to secure the winch rope 700 within the outer wheel portion 108a / b when the winch rope 700 is slack. If slack is introduced into the winch rope 700, the retaining member 104 guides the winch rope 700 toward the rope saddle portion 106 to reduce the possibility of the winch rope 700 slipping out of the pulley assembly 100, thereby interfering with the operation of the powered winch.

[0071] In embodiments where the rope saddle portion 106 includes a traction feature (e.g., groove 114), the traction feature also helps prevent the winch rope 700 from slipping out of the rope saddle portion 106. Figure 2 As shown, the flexible fingers 104 deform at the locations where the winch rope 700 enters and exits the open pulley assembly 100. Thus, when the winch rope 700 is under tension and the proximal portion is pulled toward the winch, the resilient fingers 104 deform or bend out of the way at the continuously changing entry and exit points of the winch rope 700 as the open pulley assembly 100 rotates. Thus, the open pulley assembly 100 can be used with the winch rope 700 at various entry and exit angles and locations relative to the periphery of the open pulley assembly 100 without damaging the winch rope 700.

[0072] exist Figure 5-6B The operation of the open pulley assemblies 200 and 300 depicted in FIG. 1 is substantially similar to that of the open pulley assembly 100. In the open pulley assembly 200, the rope saddle portion (not shown) Figure 5 The winch rope 700 in FIG. 1 is held by the staggered arrangement of the flexible elastic fingers 204. Figure 5 As shown, the spacing distance D2 between the tip of the finger 204 and the opposing inner surface 216 is less than the diameter of the winch rope 700. When the winch rope 700 enters and leaves the pulley body 202, due to the staggering of the flexible fingers 204, the winch rope 700 may deform one flexible finger 204 at the entry point and deform one flexible finger 204 at the exit point.

[0073] like Fig. 6A and 6BAs shown, in the open pulley assembly 300, the flexible finger 304 can be shorter and stiffer, and does not deform as much as the flexible finger 104 due to its shorter length. Therefore, the spacing distance between the opposing fingers 304 can be greater to accommodate a larger diameter winch rope 700. In this embodiment, the surface of the rope 700 contacts the rounded inner tip 334 of the flexible finger 304, rather than the side wall surface of the extension. This embodiment can provide easier entry and exit of a larger diameter winch rope 700 while still providing retention.

[0074] Open pulley assembly with continuous retaining member

[0075] An alternative embodiment of the open pulley system 400, 500 having a continuous annular protrusion as a retaining member is Figure 7A-13 As shown in Figure 7A-13 As shown, Figure 1-4 The structural elements of the embodiments are the same, and are indicated by similar reference numerals starting with 400 or 500 in their respective series instead of starting with 100. Figure 7A-9 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the open pulley assembly 400 generally includes a pulley body 402 and a rope retention structure in the form of two continuous annular rib members 404. The pulley body 402 is substantially the same as the pulley body 102 described above, except that the pulley body 402 does not include a through hole. Instead, the inner surface 416 and the outer surface 418 of the outer wheel portion 408a / b are continuous.

[0076] Each continuous annular rib member 404 is generally annular and is made of a flexible elastic material such as silicone. Figure 8 and 9 , the continuous annular rib member 404 is formed with a flat base 450 and an annular wall 456 extending from the flat base 450. The flat base 450 has a generally rectangular cross-section that can extend laterally on each side of the annular wall 456 to form a lip 452. The flat base 450 provides a coupling surface 454 that forms the base of the continuous annular rib member 404. The coupling surface 454 of the flat base 450 can be adhered to the inner surface 416 of each outer wheel portion 408a / b. The lip 452 can provide a larger surface area for adhesion and can help resist peeling forces when the winch rope 700 moves over the annular rib member 404. The annular wall 456 can have a generally triangular cross-section (isosceles in this case), but other cross-sectional shapes are possible. The annular wall 456 terminates at an inner edge 458. The inner edge 458 can be a true corner edge surface or, as Figure 8 and 9 As shown, it can be a flat surface.

[0077] exist Figure 10-13In the illustrated embodiment, the open pulley assembly 500 generally includes a pulley body 502 and a rope retention structure in the form of two continuous thin annular walls 504. The pulley body 502 of the open pulley system 500 is substantially the same as the pulley body 102 described above, except that the pulley body 502 does not include a through hole. The pulley body 502 defines an annular groove 522 extending from the inner surface 516 of the outer wheel portion 508a / b. The base retention portion 520 of each annular groove 522 can have an enlarged cross-section compared to the portion of the annular groove 522 closer to the inner surface 516. As shown in FIG. Fig.12 As shown, the annular groove 522 extends a full circumference inwardly of the periphery of the outer wheel portion 508a / b.

[0078] Each continuous annular wall 504 generally forms a ring. The annular wall 504 can be made of silicone or similar flexible elastic material. The coupling member 550 (e.g., linear convex edge) at the bottom of each annular wall 504 is located in the base holding portion 520 of the annular groove 522, and can have the same cross-section as the base holding portion 520. In the described embodiment, the base holding portion 520 and the coupling member 550 can both have a circular cross-section. In some embodiments, the base holding portion 520 and the coupling member 550 can have different cross-sectional shapes, such as an elliptical cross-section, a rectangular cross-section or a square cross-section. The web or fin 556 protrudes from the coupling member 550. Each fin 556 can have a substantially rectangular cross-section. Each fin 556 can extend from the coupling member 550 and pass through the annular groove 522, extend beyond and be roughly perpendicular to the inner surface 516 of the outer wheel portion 508a / b, and terminate at the inner edge 558. The fins 556 extending from each outer wheel portion 508a / b may be aligned with one another such that inner edges 558 of opposing fins 556 touch one another or are only slightly separated.

[0079] Open pulley with continuous retaining member - assembly

[0080] The open pulley assembly 400 is formed by a pulley body 402 and two continuous annular rib members 404. Figure 7B As shown in FIG. 4 , an annular rib member 404 is fixed to each inner surface 416 of the pulley body 402. Fig. 9 In the cross-sectional view of the split pulley assembly 400 shown, the coupling surface 454 of the annular rib member 404 contacts the inner surface 416 of the pulley body 402. In some embodiments, an adhesive may be used to secure the annular rib member 404 to the pulley body 402. When the annular rib member 404 is secured to the pulley body 402, the outer lip 452 of the flat base 550 of the annular rib member 404 may substantially coincide with the outer periphery of the inner surface 416.

[0081] The continuous member 404 is fixed to the inner surface 416 so that the inner edges 458 of the annular rib members 404 are generally aligned. In some embodiments, there is a space between the inner edges 458 of the annular rib members 404. In other embodiments, the inner edges 458 of the annular rib members 404 can contact each other. The size of the space between the inner edges 458 of the annular rib members 404 varies with the size of the annular wall 456 of the annular rib members 404 and the size of the rope saddle portion 406 of the pulley body 402. For example, a larger space between the inner edges 458 of the annular rib members 404 can be used to accommodate a larger rope in the rope saddle portion 406 of the pulley body 402.

[0082] The open pulley assembly 500 is formed by a pulley body 502 and two annular walls 504. Fig.11 As shown, the coupling member 550 fits into the corresponding base retaining portion 520 of the annular groove 522 in the pulley body 502. In some embodiments, the coupling member 550 can be placed in the base retaining portion 520 by forced insertion. In other embodiments, the annular wall 504 can be overmolded in place on the outer wheel portion 508a / b of the pulley body 502, so that the coupling member 550 is injected into the base retaining portion 520 and formed in place in the base retaining portion 520. The fins 556 of each annular wall 504 extend from the inner surface 516 toward the opposite fin 556. When both annular walls 504 are connected to the pulley body 502, the inner edge 558 of each continuous fin 556 is substantially opposite to the inner edge 558 of the other continuous fin 556.

[0083] In one embodiment, the open pulley assembly 500 includes only a small gap between the inner edges 558 of the annular wall 504. Thus, the annular wall 504 substantially covers the rope saddle portion 506 of the pulley body 502. In other embodiments, the fins 556 of the annular wall 504 may be shorter, resulting in a larger space between the inner edges 558 of consecutive fins 556.

[0084] In some embodiments, the annular rib member 404 may include a coupling member similar to the coupling member 550 and may fit within an annular groove in the pulley body 402, similar to the annular groove 522 in the pulley body 502. Similarly, in some embodiments, the pulley body 502 may be formed without the annular groove 522 and the annular wall 504 may be formed with a flat base having a coupling surface similar to the coupling surface 454 and may be fixed to the inner surface 516 of the pulley body 502.

[0085] Open pulley with continuous retaining member - operation

[0086] Open pulley assemblies 400 and 500 have similar operation to open pulley assembly 100 described above. Fig. 7A As shown, when the winch rope 700 is placed in the rope saddle portion 406 of the pulley wheel body 402 of the open pulley assembly 400, the annular rib members 404 can be deformed at the continuously changing entry and exit points of the winch rope 700 between the annular rib members 404 to accommodate the winch rope 700 when the pulley body 402 rotates. However, the annular rib members 404 act as a barrier for the portion of the winch rope 700 located in the rope saddle portion 406 of the pulley body 402. Therefore, when the tension on the winch rope 700 is relaxed and, for example, the open pulley assembly 400 falls to the ground, the portion of the winch rope 700 located in the rope saddle portion 406 is less likely to slip out of the rope saddle portion 406.

[0087] Similarly, when the winch rope 700 is disposed in the rope saddle portion 506 of the pulley body 502 of the open pulley assembly 500, the annular wall 504 deforms at the continuously changing entry and exit points of the winch rope 700 between the annular walls to accommodate the winch rope 700 as the pulley body 502 rotates. The continuous fins 504 act as a barrier to the portion of the winch rope 700 located in the rope saddle portion 506 of the pulley body 502. Therefore, when the tension on the winch rope 700 is relaxed and, for example, the open pulley assembly 500 falls to the ground, the portion of the winch rope 700 located in the rope saddle portion 506 is less likely to slip out of the rope saddle portion 506. Because the annular rib member 404 and the annular wall 504 continuously surround the pulley bodies 402 and 502, respectively, the open pulley assemblies 400 and 500 can be used with the winch rope 700 at various exit angles. Furthermore, since the annular rib member 404 and the annular wall 504 are flexible, the winch rope 700 is not damaged when entering and leaving the open pulley assemblies 400 and 500 .

[0088] Open pulley assembly with bristle retaining element

[0089] In another exemplary embodiment, an open pulley assembly 600 generally includes a pulley body 602 and a rope retaining structure in the form of two bristle loops 604. Figure 7A-13 As shown, Figure 1-4The structural elements of the embodiment of the present invention are indicated by similar reference numerals beginning with the respective series 600 instead of 100. The pulley body 602 is substantially the same as the pulley body 102 described above, except that the pulley body 602 does not include a through hole. The pulley body 602 defines an annular groove 622 extending from the inner surface 616 of the outer wheel portion 608a / b. The base retaining portion 620 of each annular groove 622 can have an enlarged cross-section compared to the portion of the annular groove 522 closer to the inner surface 616, such as Fig.16 The annular groove 622 extends completely around the interior of the periphery of the outer wheel portion 608a / b.

[0090] Each bristle ring 604 is formed by a plurality of individual bristles 656, which extend parallel and adjacent to each other from a coupling member 650 (e.g., a linear convex edge) at the base of the bristle ring 604. A solid bottom wall 652 may extend from the coupling member 650 and provide a solid, continuous surface from which each bristle 656 extends. The bristle ring 604 may be made of silicone or a similar flexible elastic material. The coupling member 650 is located within the substrate holding portion 620 of the annular groove 622 and may have the same cross-section as the substrate holding portion 620. As in the depicted embodiment, both the substrate holding portion 620 and the coupling member 650 may have a circular cross-section. In some embodiments, the base holding portion 620 and the coupling member 650 may have different cross-sectional shapes, for example, an elliptical cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, or a square cross-section. The bristles 656 may have a generally cylindrical shape and may extend beyond the inner surface 616 of the outer wheel portion 608a / b and be perpendicular to the inner surface 616. In one exemplary embodiment, the bottom wall 652 may extend from the coupling member 650 through the annular groove 622 so that the base of the bristles 656 is positioned at or above the inner surface 616. In some embodiments, the bristle ring 604 may include a single layer of individual bristles 656 extending around the circumference of the coupling member 650. In other embodiments, a single bristle ring 604 may include two or more layers of individual bristles 656. For example, a single bristle ring 604 may include two layers of bristles 656 extending from the bottom wall 652 and the coupling member 650 to form concentric circles. In addition, in some embodiments, the bristles 656 may be made of a different material than the coupling member 650. The bristles 656 extend from each outer wheel portion 608a / 608 and may be aligned with each other so that the tips 658 of opposing groups of bristles 656 may contact each other or may be slightly separated.

[0091] Open pulley with bristle retaining element - assembly

[0092] The open pulley assembly 600 is formed by a pulley body 602 and two bristle rings 604. Fig.16As shown, the coupling member 650 is assembled in the base holding portion 620 of the annular groove 622 in the pulley body 602. In some embodiments, the coupling member 650 can be placed in the base holding portion 620 by forced insertion. In other embodiments, the bristle ring 604 can be overmolded in a suitable position on the outer wheel portion 608a / b of the pulley body 602, so that the coupling member 650 is injected into the base holding portion 620 and formed in a suitable position in the base holding portion 620. In such an embodiment, as a convenience of the molding process, the bottom wall 652 is formed beyond the base holding portion 620 in the annular groove 622. The bristles 656 of each bristle ring 604 extend from the outer wheel portion inner surface 616 toward the opposite bristle ring 604. When the two bristle rings 604 are connected to the pulley body 602, the tips 658 of the bristles 656 in each bristle ring 604 are substantially opposite to the tips 658 of the bristles 656 in the other bristle ring 604.

[0093] In one embodiment, the open pulley assembly 600 includes only small gaps between the tips 658 of the bristles 656 in the bristle ring 604. Thus, the bristle ring 604 substantially covers the rope saddle portion 606 of the pulley body 602. In other embodiments, the bristles 656 of each bristle ring 604 can be shorter, resulting in larger spaces between the bristles 656 of the bristle ring 604. In some embodiments, the pulley body 602 can be formed without the annular groove 622 and the bristle ring 604 can be formed with a flat bottom having an engagement surface similar to the engagement surface 454 and can be fixed to the inner surface 616 of the pulley body 602.

[0094] Open pulley with bristle retaining element - Operation

[0095] The open pulley assembly 600 has similar operation to the open pulley assembly 100 described above. Fig.14 As shown, when the winch rope 700 is placed in the rope saddle portion 606 of the pulley body 602, the bristles 656 of the bristle rings 604 are deformed at the continuously changing entry and exit points of the winch rope 700 between the bristle rings 604 to accommodate the winch rope 700. However, the bristles 632 act as a barrier to the portion of the winch rope 700 located in the rope saddle portion 606 of the pulley body 602. Therefore, when the tension on the winch rope 700 is relaxed and, for example, the open pulley assembly 600 falls to the ground, the portion of the winch rope 700 located in the rope saddle portion 606 is less likely to slip out of the rope saddle portion 606.

[0096] It should be noted that any component in the various examples and embodiments provided herein may be interchangeable and / or replaced with any other example or embodiment. As such, any component or element discussion on a specific example or embodiment is intended to be illustrative only.

[0097] It should be noted that although various examples herein have been discussed with respect to U-hook devices, the devices and techniques described may be used in a variety of applications, such as but not limited to towing, moving, winching, lifting, pulling, dragging, adjusting or holding various objects.

[0098] All directional references (e.g., up, down, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are used for identification purposes only to aid the reader in understanding the examples of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting, especially with respect to position, orientation, or use of the invention, unless otherwise specified in the claims. Connective references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, joined, and the like) are to be interpreted broadly and may include intermediate members between the connection of elements and the relative movement of elements. Thus, connective references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other.

[0099] In some cases, components are described by referring to an "end" having a particular component and / or connection to another part. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments are not limited to components that terminate immediately beyond their points of connection to other components. Thus, the term "end" should be broadly construed in a manner that includes the vicinity rearward, forward, or otherwise proximate to the end of a particular element, link, component, part, member, etc.

[0100] In the methods directly or indirectly set forth herein, various steps and operations are described in one possible order of operation, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that these steps may be rearranged, replaced, or eliminated without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be construed as merely illustrative and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the broad understanding of the embodiments defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An open pulley assembly, comprising: a pulley body having a first outer wheel portion, a second outer wheel portion parallel to the first outer wheel portion, and a rope saddle portion defined between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion, and defining a central hole extending through the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion; and A first deformable retaining member fixed to the first outer wheel portion of the pulley body, wherein the first deformable retaining member extends toward the second outer wheel portion, uniformly surrounds and is adjacent to the outer circumference of the first outer wheel portion, and between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion and perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion, wherein the first deformable retaining member includes a plurality of elastic fingers spaced apart from each other, wherein the elastic fingers are arranged to be located radially outward of the winch rope retained in the rope saddle portion during operation, and the elastic fingers are capable of guiding the winch rope toward the rope saddle portion when the winch rope is slack, and deforming at the position where the winch rope enters and leaves the open pulley assembly.

2. The open pulley assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: A second deformable retaining component is fixed on the second outer wheel portion, wherein the second deformable retaining component extends toward the first outer wheel portion, uniformly surrounds and is adjacent to the outer circumference of the second outer wheel portion, and is between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion and perpendicular to the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion.

3. The open pulley assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The first deformable retention member and the second deformable retention member each include a respective plurality of resilient fingers spaced apart from one another.

4. The open pulley assembly according to claim 3, wherein: Each resilient finger of the first deformable retention member is aligned with a respective opposing resilient finger of the second deformable retention member.

5. The open pulley assembly according to claim 3, wherein The pulley body is provided with a plurality of through holes on the first outer wheel portion and a plurality of through holes in the second outer wheel portion; the elastic fingers of the first deformable retaining member are located in the through holes of the first outer wheel portion; and The resilient finger-like member of the second deformable retaining member is located in the through hole of the second outer wheel portion.

6. The open pulley assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The surfaces defining the central aperture are coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction.

7. An open pulley assembly comprising: The pulley body comprises: a first outer wheel portion including a plurality of through holes defined therein, a second outer wheel portion parallel to the first outer wheel portion and including a plurality of through holes defined therein, and a rope saddle portion defined between the first outer wheel portion and the second outer wheel portion; and a first plurality of resilient fingers disposed within the plurality of through holes in the first outer wheel portion and a second plurality of resilient fingers disposed within the plurality of through holes in the second outer wheel portion, wherein the first plurality of elastic fingers extend from the first outer wheel portion to the second outer wheel portion, wherein the second plurality of elastic fingers extend from the second outer wheel portion to the first outer wheel portion, and wherein the rope saddle portion does not include any elastic fingers, The resilient finger-shaped member is arranged to be located radially outward of the winch rope retained in the rope saddle portion during operation, and the resilient finger-shaped member is capable of guiding the winch rope toward the rope saddle portion when the winch rope is slack, and deforming at the position where the winch rope enters and leaves the open pulley assembly.

8. The open pulley assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The rope saddle portion of the pulley body defines a plurality of rope pulling components.

9. The open pulley assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The pulley body defines a central bore bounded by a surface, and the surface is coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction.

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