Winch automation device, associated automated winch and associated installation method

Abstract

The invention relates to a winch automation device comprising: a motor (12) intended to engage a capstan drum (2) of the winch; a motor supervision member (15) able to fix the torque applied by the motor to the capstan drum (2); a memory (22) integrating a set of pre-recorded manoeuvres (29, 32, 33), each manoeuvre being associated with at least one limit force (30, 31); means (28) for measuring the force engaged on the winch; and a human-machine interface (26a), connected to the supervision member, and comprising: motor-actuation means (35-37); manoeuvre selection means (34); and at least a display (27) able to convey to a user of the winch information regarding the force engaged on the winch and information regarding the expected limit force for the selected manoeuvre.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: WINCH AUTOMATION DEVICE, WINCH

[0003] AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED INSTALLATION METHOD

[0004] Technical field

[0005] The present invention relates to the technical field of nautical equipment and, more particularly, to accessories used on sailboats. It relates more specifically to an automated or semi-automated winch, that is to say a winch in which at least one maneuver can be carried out by the intervention of a motor.

[0006] More specifically, the invention relates to a device for automating a winch, an automated winch and a method for installing the automation device.

[0007] State of the art

[0008] Generally speaking, a sailing boat has one or more devices called "winches" which are specific winches, intended to control at least one sail of a boat, around which a rope, also called a line, is wound and unwound, for example to trim sheets or hoist a sail. A winch consists of a drum on which the line can be wound to carry out a maneuver. Generally, the drum is rotated by a crank used by a user.

[0009] In a sailing maneuver on a sailboat (tack, reefing, jibing, hoisting the mainsail, sheeting the genoa, sheeting the mainsail, hoisting the spinnaker, sheeting the spinnaker, tensioning the runners, furling a headsail, etc.), it is important to carry out the maneuver successfully, quickly, precisely and without breaking anything. Indeed, as long as the maneuver is not completed, the boat is in an unstable and uncomfortable transitory situation, with sails that flap and get damaged. It is therefore sought to carry out the maneuver as quickly as possible to return to a perfectly stable situation and without risk to the equipment. To be as fast as possible while having an effort exerted on the handle compatible with human capacities and the desired traction effort on the rope, winches are generally equipped with two or three reduction speeds.These speeds allow the desired traction force to be achieved on the rope at the maximum speed possible for a sailor.

[0010] Whatever the maneuver, and particularly for tacking, reefing, and hoisting sails (mainsail, spinnaker, etc.), there are two different situations in which the efforts involved are not the same: the transitional phase, and the final phase.

[0011] During the transitional phase, the efforts are "moderate", the navigator will try to be fast by turning his manual handle as quickly as possible on the most suitable winch speed to maintain a moderate effort, and he will be extremely vigilant. Indeed, during this transitional phase, if he feels a sudden increase in effort, he must stop and try to understand what is happening, because it is often the sign of something being stuck.

[0012] For example, on a 40-foot sailboat and during a mainsail hoisting maneuver, when a sailor feels haptic feedback that seems abnormal, typically haptic feedback of between 8 and 13 kg when maneuvering at high winch speed or between 5 and 8 kg when maneuvering at low winch speed, prudence generally dictates that he stop and check the equipment. If he continues the maneuver, there is a significant risk of breaking something.

[0013] However, the navigator's experience is particularly important in determining when to stop a maneuver to control the boat because the feeling, potential sources of problems and the effort involved vary from one maneuver to another and from one boat to another.

[0014] Typically, for raising the mainsail, the maneuver consists of hoisting the sail by deploying the mainsail, with the boat facing the wind, without breaking or tearing anything. In this maneuver, there are multiple sources of problems: a slide that can jam, a batten that can get caught in the sail bag's retaining rope, a reefing line that is not released, etc. If the sailor does not feel these different problems, the tension applied to the winch can cause the sail to break or tear.

[0015] When tacking the genoa, the maneuver consists of releasing the leeward sheet, followed by resuming the sheet on the other tack at the same time as the boat passes head to wind, the genoa then passes onto the other tack and the navigator gradually sheets in the genoa. During this maneuver, several sources of problems are also possible: a sheet can make a knot at the entrance to the block of the sheet traveler and jam, a sheet can get stuck on a mast step or other spar on the deck... If something gets stuck and the navigator starts to pull hard on the sheet, equipment can break.

[0016] Reefing involves reducing the area of ​​the mainsail. This maneuver is performed when wind conditions are strong, meaning when there are significant forces on the boat, so you must be particularly vigilant. The transitional phase involves reducing the mainsail. To do this, the sailor begins by aligning the mainsail with the wind, then takes in the reefing line while releasing the mainsail halyard. During this maneuver, there is a particular risk that a slider will jam, which can tear the mainsail. Therefore, visual control and control of the forces applied to the handle are very important for this maneuver. During this transitional phase of the maneuver, the forces applied are limited, and if something jams, the sailor quickly feels resistance, which nevertheless remains much weaker than the torque needed to tighten the mainsail.

[0017] When hoisting a spinnaker, a jamming situation can also occur, for example when the halyard loop gets stuck on a sheave, or the halyard gets caught on a spreader bar. Detecting abnormally high stress is important to avoid breakage.

[0018] When a sailor furls a headsail, yet another level of effort is involved. There are also situations where the equipment can become trapped, and the sailor must be aware of both the forces involved and the limits beyond which the equipment is likely to break.

[0019] Furthermore, in addition to the transitional phase, the efforts also vary in the final adjustment phase. For example, for raising the mainsail, reefing or hoisting a spinnaker, these maneuvers end with the tensioning of the halyard. The efforts are then very significant and there is almost no risk of breakage. In this final phase, the sailor mainly seeks to precisely adjust the level of tension on the sail with the required force, often very significant. For tacking, the final phase consists of sheeting in to adjust the sail tension, the efforts involved are then very significant although often less significant than for tensioning the mainsail in strong winds.

[0020] So there are a large number of different maneuvers with distinct phases during which an experienced sailor must feel the efforts involved and the evolution of the tension on the line. This is the main reason why the majority of winches are still manual winches.

[0021] Furthermore, to limit the effort and improve the speed of winding the line around the winch drum, it is also possible to use an automated or motor-assisted winch, i.e. a winch in which a motor drives the drum in rotation. In fact, automated winches were first introduced for sailors who were tired, for example due to age, and for whom the effort required for manual maneuvers was too difficult. Then, automated winches were developed for the comfort of sailors and to allow maneuvers to be carried out more quickly than with a manual winch.

[0022] There are now manual winches, automated winches, and motor-assisted winches. For example, document FR 3 055 619 describes the structure of a state-of-the-art motor-assisted winch. In manual or motor-assisted winches, the user feels haptic feedback when operating the winch, which allows them to feel the tension applied to the line by the winch.

[0023] This feeling of the efforts made on the rope thanks to haptic feedback is essential to avoid the risks linked to the maneuvers previously mentioned.

[0024] So, in terms of safety, as soon as the user feels an effort that is too great in relation to the maneuver undertaken, he can detect a problem and stop his maneuver before breaking something. In addition, this "feeling" is also very important in sailing practice so that the user can correctly adjust his maneuver (halyard tension, backstay tension, etc.).

[0025] Automated winches, as described in document WO 2008 / 027111, do not allow this haptic feedback to be transmitted and the risk of breakage during a maneuver is therefore very high. On the other hand, automated winches are very efficient since they are capable of operating the winch at a speed much higher than that of a manual or motor-assisted maneuver.

[0026] To manage the variations in forces to be applied to an automated winch, document EP 2 179 959 proposes detecting the gear ratio used by the winch and setting the torque applied by the electric motor coupled to the winch according to the detected gear ratio. However, this solution does not allow adaptation to the great variability of maneuvers that can be used with a winch.

[0027] For example, with the solution of document EP 2 179 959, it is possible to set two separate limits for a winch with an efficiency of 60% having a first speed with a power ratio of 11 and a second speed with a power ratio of 46. For the first speed, it is possible to set the limit at 25 kg so that the maximum pull on the line can reach 165 kg (25x11x0.6). For the second speed, it is possible to set the limit at 20 kg so that the maximum pull on the line can reach 552 kg (20x46x0.6). These values ​​are consistent for hoisting the mainsail with the first speed and tensioning the mainsail in second speed. However, for other maneuvers, these limits may be too restrictive to perform the maneuver at full speed; or too wide to limit the risk of breaking equipment.

[0028] Thus, even with the solution described in document EP 2 179 959, the major problem with automated winches lies in the risk of breaking the equipment when too much tension is applied to a rope or a sail. Currently, with an automated winch, it is not uncommon to break equipment when using an automated winch or to tear a sail.

[0029] To address this technical problem, it would be possible to use a torque limitation system imposed by the automated winch. However, torque limitation is extremely complex to implement in practice since a winch is generally used for a large number of separate maneuvers and the torques implemented for these different maneuvers are also very variable.

[0030] Thus, by sizing an automated winch with a low-power electric motor so as to avoid the winch having the power necessary to break equipment, the power of the winch could be insufficient for certain maneuvers, particularly during the final phases, and this power could nevertheless be sufficient to damage equipment.

[0031] It should be noted that certain winches, as described in documents US 9,975,742, US 2015 / 284229, US 2021 / 229963, US 2016 / 098096 or US 2016 / 046468, integrate a human-machine interface to indicate the forces used to lift or pull loads. However, these winches are not suitable for the sailing field and therefore do not correspond to sailboat winches. Furthermore, simply providing information on the forces used by a winch would not be sufficient to address the technical problem, given the great variability of the maneuvers and the problems that may arise during these maneuvers. The technical problem of the invention is therefore to find how to obtain an automated winch allowing a crew member to effortlessly operate the winch, by correctly adjusting its maneuver, while protecting the equipment during different maneuvers.

[0032] Statement of the invention

[0033] To address this technical problem, the invention proposes using a human-machine interface associated with a memory in which maneuvers are pre-recorded with limit forces associated with each maneuver. The human-machine interface allows, on the one hand, a user to select the maneuver he wishes to perform and, on the other hand, to obtain information on the effort used over time during the maneuver.

[0034] Thus, the user can obtain information on the effort applied and check, during the maneuver, that the effort applied is not excessive compared to the limit effort pre-recorded for the selected maneuver.

[0035] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a device for automating a winch for controlling at least one sail of a boat, the winch comprising a drum intended to receive a line to carry out a maneuver, said automation device comprising: a motor intended to engage said winch drum; and a motor supervision member capable of fixing the torque applied by the motor to the drum.

[0036] The invention is characterized in that the device also comprises: a memory integrating a set of pre-recorded maneuvers, at least one maneuver corresponding to a raising of the mainsail or the tightening of a halyard; each maneuver being associated with at least one limit force; means for measuring the force applied to the winch; and a man-machine interface, connected to the supervision unit, comprising: means for actuating the motor; means for selecting a maneuver from the set of pre-recorded maneuvers; and at least one display capable of transmitting to a user of the winch information on the force applied to the winch and information on the limit force expected for the selected maneuver.

[0037] Thus, the invention relates to a device for automating a winch. This automation device can be installed during the construction of the boat at the same time as installing the winch. Alternatively, this device can be attached to an existing winch of a boat. In addition, the motor for actuating the winch can correspond to an electric motor or a hydraulic motor without changing the invention.

[0038] Furthermore, this device can provide the sole means of actuation of the winch, thus obtaining a fully automated winch. Mechanical means can also be used to decouple the motor to allow manual actuation of the winch, thus forming a semi-automated winch.

[0039] The invention therefore makes it possible to provide two crucial pieces of information to the user: the force applied to the winch and the expected force limit for the selected maneuver. These two pieces of information allow the user to maintain control over the forces applied, even during transient phases. As is the case with the haptic feedback felt by the user when a winch is operated manually, this information transmitted by the human-machine interface allows the user to finely adjust their maneuver with great safety for the equipment.

[0040] As for the effort applied to the winch, it can be estimated or measured in several ways.

[0041] According to a first variant, the motor corresponding to an electric motor, the force applied to the winch is estimated from the electrical power consumed by the motor. In practice, the motor often corresponds to an electric motor powered by a fixed voltage while the motor supply current can vary. It is therefore possible to characterize the motor torque as a function of the intensity applied to the motor and the rotation speed of the motor. By measuring the motor supply current, and knowing the rotation speed of the motor, it is possible to determine at any time the torque exerted by the motor. Knowing the reduction ratio of the electric motor, also knowing the different reduction ratios of the motorized winch, as well as the efficiency of the winch, it is possible to calculate at any time the tension force exerted by the line on the winch which is directly proportional to the motor torque.-Thus, when the winch has two directions of rotation associated with distinct reduction ratios, the effort applied as a function of intensity differs depending on the direction of rotation selected.

[0042] This first variant of obtaining the force applied makes it possible to obtain information with a precision of around 10% with the force actually measured on the tip.

[0043] According to a second variant, the force applied to the winch is measured from at least one strain gauge mounted between a moving element of the winch or the motor and a fixed element. For example, the moving element may correspond to an epicyclic gear train of the motor or a winch gear while the fixed element may correspond to a motor casing. These strain gauges make it possible to obtain information on the traction undergone by the winch due to the tension of the line, and therefore on the torque applied to the line.

[0044] Besides the method of obtaining the force applied to the winch, this information can be displayed on the human-machine interface in several ways.

[0045] In fact, the effort applied can be expressed in kilograms, equivalent to the effort exerted by a crank. The effort applied can also be expressed in rope tension at the winch outlet.

[0046] To do this, it is necessary to know precisely the characteristics of the winch because the force in the rope is not only a function of the torque exerted by the motor on the winch drive shaft, but also a function of the reduction ratio of the winch in the speed considered, and of course also a function of the efficiency of the winch.

[0047] Whatever the expression of the force applied to the human-machine interface (kilograms equivalent to a force exerted by a crank or rope tension at the winch outlet), the limit forces of each maneuver are displayed with the same expression.

[0048] These limit forces can be used solely for information purposes for the user, so that he can compare the force currently applied to the winch with an expected force for the current maneuver, or for adjustment (backstay tension, halyard tension, etc.) by approaching what is usually achieved with a traditional handle.

[0049] Preferably, the supervisory device comprises a torque limiter configured to limit the torque of the motor when the force applied to the winch reaches the limit force recorded for the selected maneuver.

[0050] Thus, even if the user does not monitor the human-machine interface to detect an exceeding of the limit force recorded for the selected maneuver, the supervisory device can be configured to impose a torque limit on the winch for each maneuver.

[0051] Preferably, the human-machine interface incorporates means for modifying the limit force for the selected maneuver. This modification of the limit force can be carried out during the maneuver to circumvent the limit imposed by the torque limiter.

[0052] Furthermore, this modification of the limit force can be recorded or not in the memory so that it can be reused for a next maneuver of the same nature.

[0053] For each type of maneuver, the user can therefore record the force limits that he does not wish to exceed. These limits can be different for several winch speeds. Thus, by iteratively modifying the limits as he sees fit, the user can create a set of pre-recorded maneuvers.

[0054] For example, a maneuver may be raising the mainsail with a limit in a first gear of 19.7 kg of equivalent effort on a handle, or 130 kg of tension on the line, and a limit in a second gear of 4.7 kg of equivalent effort on a handle, or also 130 kg of tension on the line. Another maneuver may be tightening a halyard with a limit in a first gear of 30 kg of equivalent effort on a handle, or 198 kg of tension on the line, and a limit in a second gear of 25 kg of equivalent effort on a handle, or 690 kg of tension on the line.

[0055] By recording changes in limit forces in the memory, the user can thus modify their preferences over time according to their feelings.

[0056] Furthermore, it is also possible to modify this value from an administration console. For example, the supervisory body and / or the human-machine interface may integrate means of wireless communication with a portable device on which an administration console makes it possible to adjust parameters of the human-machine interface and / or the supervisory body.

[0057] For example, from the human-machine interface or from the administration console, it is possible to modify the brightness, the writing size, the language of the human-machine interface, the winch parameters allowing to obtain the forces engaged, the limit forces associated with the different maneuvers recorded in the memory, add new maneuvers...

[0058] Furthermore, this device can be fitted to any type of winch by sizing the motor according to the characteristics of the winch.

[0059] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to an automated winch comprising: a doll intended to receive a line to carry out a maneuver; and a winch automation device according to the first aspect of the invention. Preferably, the motor of the winch automation device corresponds to an electric motor powered by a battery associated therewith.

[0060] In existing automated winches, the electric motor is traditionally powered by electrical energy from an electrical network integrated into the boat. However, to provide the power needed to power the motor, it is often required to use an electrical network carrying significant power. Indeed, the service batteries of boats are traditionally 12 or 24 volts and, to power electric winch motors, it is required to use thick cable, typically with a cross-section of 35 mm 2 , to be able to carry an intensity which can exceed 100 amps.

[0061] However, the integration and routing of these electrical power cables inside a boat poses a large number of installation constraints.

[0062] By using a battery to power the electric motor, it is not necessary to integrate power electrical cables inside the boat and low power electrical cables can be sufficient to recharge the battery, outside the phases of use of the winch. To do this, the battery is preferably connected to a charging circuit with a voltage lower than 40 volts and a current lower than 3 amps.

[0063] Preferably, the motor is a brushless motor associated with a gear reducer. A brushless motor is also called a "brushless" motor in English literature.

[0064] A gear reducer can correspond to an epicyclic train followed by a possible angle transmission device to facilitate the integration of the motor under the winch.

[0065] In conventional winch motors, the motors correspond to a direct current motor associated with a wheel and worm type reducer, the overall efficiency of these motors is around 30%. With this embodiment of the invention using a brushless motor associated with a gear reducer, the overall efficiency of the motor can be around 60%, thus limiting energy losses. In addition, to obtain the same effort, the level of electrical power required to power a brushless motor associated with a gear reducer can be lower than to power a direct current motor associated with a wheel and worm type reducer. Thus, for the same voltage, it is possible to limit the intensity to power a brushless motor associated with a gear reducer.

[0066] For example, to obtain a mechanical power of the order of 500 watts, current motors require a current of 138 amps and this embodiment allows only 28 amps to be used. It follows that it is possible to use a 6 mm cable 2 section between the battery and the motor instead of using a 35 mm cable 2 of section.

[0067] The human-machine interface can also display information on the battery charge level.

[0068] Thus, the human-machine interface comprises at least one screen to display the effort engaged, at least one limit effort associated with the selected maneuver, possibly a description of the selected maneuver, possibly the selected winch speed, possibly the battery charge level and possibly the next maneuver and the previous maneuver so that the user can easily change the selected maneuver. Indeed, to select the maneuver, the human-machine interface can integrate push buttons allowing switching from one maneuver to another.

[0069] In addition to the maneuver selection buttons, the human-machine interface may include two means of actuating the motor for each direction of rotation of the winch. Preferably, the actuation of the motor is conditioned by the use of a "dead man" type control requiring the user to press at least two buttons to control the operation of the motor so that an unintentional press on a button does not cause the motor to start.

[0070] Furthermore, the human-machine interface can be connected wired or wirelessly with the supervisory device. According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for installing an automation device according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the following steps: installing the motor, the supervisory device and the human-machine interface; defining the winch type in an administration console; downloading, from a server, the limit forces associated with the winch type defined for different maneuvers; recording the limit forces in the memory; and configuring the human-machine interface according to the user's preferences.

[0071] Brief description of the drawings

[0072] The manner of carrying out the invention, as well as the advantages which result therefrom, will emerge clearly from the description of the embodiments which follow, supported by the appended figures in which:

[0073] [Fig.l] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an automated winch according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0074] [Fig.2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the human-machine interface of an implementation of the automated winch of Figure 1;

[0075] [Fig.3] Figure 3 is a partially sectioned schematic representation of one embodiment of the automated winch motor of Figure 1;

[0076] [Fig.4] Figure 4 is a representation of part of a database containing characteristics of different winches;

[0077] [Fig.5] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective representation of a human-machine interface according to another embodiment of the invention; and

[0078] [Fig.6] Figure 6 is a front-view schematic representation of the human-machine interface of Figure 5.

[0079] Detailed description of the embodiments

[0080] Figure 1 illustrates an automated winch according to one embodiment of the invention. The winch comprises a base 1 fixed to a hull 0 of a boat and a doll 2 movable in rotation around a main transmission axis 3. More precisely, the doll 2 comprises an upper part 2.1 making it possible to hold a boot 6 while it is being wound around a central part 2.3 of the doll 2. A pivot connection 2.2 is formed between the doll 2 and the hull 1 so that the doll 2 is movable in rotation.

[0081] In a manual winch, the rotational movement of the headstock 2 is exerted by a winch handle fixed in a housing 3.1. This housing 3.1 drives in rotation two gear trains 4 and 5. These two gear trains make it possible to rotate the headstock 2 in the same direction of rotation but with different speeds. Thus, the pinions 4.1 and 4.2 of the gear train 4 make it possible to reverse the direction of rotation applied to the main transmission shaft 3. When a movement is applied in a first direction of rotation to the main transmission shaft 3, only the epicyclic gear train 4 is used to drive the headstock 2 with a first speed. Conversely, when the main transmission shaft 3 is driven in the other direction of rotation, only the epicyclic gear train 5 is used with the pinions 5.1 and 5.2 which impose a gear ratio making it possible to limit the speed of the headstock 2.

[0082] Thus, a classic winch has a transmission axis 3 allowing it to support two directions of rotation so as to drive a doll 2 with two distinct speeds and the same direction of rotation.

[0083] Of course, all mechanical configurations can be considered without changing the invention.

[0084] Regardless of the mechanical configuration of the winch used, the invention proposes to automate the winch by driving the main transmission shaft 3 by a motor 12, preferably an electric motor. To do this, the lower part 3.2 of the main transmission shaft 3 can be coupled to the rotor of the motor 12. More specifically, as illustrated in Figure 3, the rotor of the motor 12 can extend perpendicular to the main transmission shaft 3 so as to limit the size of the automation device.

[0085] For example, the rotor of the motor 12 may be fixed to an epicyclic gear train 10, the output of which is connected to a pinion 9 supported by a bearing 9-1. A gear 8 then makes it possible to connect the pinion 9 to the main transmission shaft 3 of the winch. Preferably, a fan 13 is placed near the motor 12 to ensure its cooling and the motor 12 is protected by a casing 16.

[0086] In addition to the mechanical elements, the motor 12 can be electrically powered by a supervision member 15 integrated into the casing 16 of the motor 12. The supervision member 15 corresponds for example to a motherboard integrating a processor and a power control circuit 19 of the motor 12.

[0087] As illustrated in Figure 3, this supervisory body 15 may have connectors 15-1 accessible by opening a cover 14.

[0088] Preferably, the motor 12 corresponds to an electric motor and the power supply of the motor 12 is provided by a battery 23 via the power control circuit 19 of the supervisory unit 15.

[0089] The battery 23 can be placed under the engine 12, itself placed under the winch, but it can also be mobile depending on the implementation constraints and arranged in any location of the boat. Thus, the power supply of the engine 12 can be provided directly by the battery 23 without having to route significant electrical power along the hull 0 of the boat.

[0090] Outside of the phases of use of the battery 23 to power the motor 12, a recharging circuit 25 can be implemented by the supervisory unit 15 by recovering the energy available on a low voltage network 25, typically a network 25 with a voltage lower than 40 volts and a current lower than 3 amps. This network 25 can correspond to a cable which carries the energy from the service batteries of the boat, typically in 12 or 24 volts.

[0091] The supervisory device 15 can be powered solely by the battery 23 or by the battery 23 and the recharging circuit 25.

[0092] Furthermore, the supervisory body 15 can integrate wireless reception means 21 in order to communicate with a portable device 38, such as a smartphone or a touchscreen tablet.

[0093] Furthermore, the supervisory member 15 is connected to the human-machine interface 26a. The connection between the human-machine interface 26a and the supervisory member 15 can be made wired or wireless, for example using the wireless communication means 21.

[0094] The human-machine interface allows the user to select the maneuver he wishes to perform and to control the motor 12 in the first or second speed.

[0095] To control the start of the engine 12 from the human-machine interface 26a, the user can press a button 35 for activating the engine 12 in the first gear or a button 36 for activating the engine 12 in the second gear. An example of a human-machine interface 26a is illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0096] Furthermore, to ensure the safety of the automation device, the user must preferably press simultaneously one of the buttons 35 or 36 and a second button 37 to ensure that the user operates at least two buttons simultaneously when he wishes to start the rotation of the winch.

[0097] The buttons 35 and 36 may correspond to push buttons while the button 37 may correspond to a potentiometer making it possible to adjust the rotation speed according to the pressure force on the button 37. According to the invention, when the user operates the winch, he receives, on the human-machine interface 26a, information on the force applied 28 to the winch. This force applied 28 to the winch may be measured by strain gauges or estimated from the electrical power transmitted to the motor 12.

[0098] To display the engaged force 28, the human-machine interface 26a has a display 27, for example a screen, on which the engaged force 28 is displayed and updated in real time, for example every tenth of a second. In addition to the engaged force 28, the screen 27 can also display information on the expected limit force 30, 31 for the selected maneuver 29. In the example of FIG. 1, the screen 27 displays the expected limits 30, 31 for the two rotation speeds of the winch. Alternatively, a single limit force can be displayed by detecting the direction of rotation selected by the user.

[0099] In addition to this information on the effort engaged 28 and the limit effort 30, 31, the selected maneuver 29 can also be displayed on the screen 27 so that the user can confirm that he has selected the correct desired maneuver.

[0100] To select the maneuver to be performed, the human-machine interface 26a preferably has maneuver selection buttons 34. For example, if the winch is configured to perform four maneuvers, the human-machine interface 26a may have four buttons 34 to select one of the four maneuvers. Alternatively, five buttons 34 may be used.

[0101] In practice, the number of maneuvers is often very large and it is preferable to use the human-machine interface 26a to allow the user to select the desired maneuver 29 by scrolling through the pre-recorded maneuvers. Thus, on the human-machine interface 26a, the screen 27 can also display the previous maneuver 32 and the next maneuver 33, thus facilitating the scrolling through the different proposed maneuvers so that the user can select the desired maneuver.

[0102] The maneuver selection buttons 34 can also be used to configure part of the information of the human-machine interface 26a or the limit forces 30, 31. For example, of the four buttons 34, two buttons can be used to select the desired maneuver and two other buttons can be used to raise or lower the expected limit for the current maneuver and the speed currently used. Thus, the user can optionally modify the pre-recorded values ​​of the limit forces 30, 31 in order to adapt to his feelings for the maneuver performed. Of course, many other parameters can be modified through the human-machine interface 26a, such as brightness, language or even writing size.

[0103] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another example of a human-machine interface 26b in which the buttons 35 and 36 correspond to potentiometers, allowing the rotation speed to be adjusted, while the button 37, not visible, corresponds to a push button. The four buttons 34 are arranged in the shape of a cross and also allow the maneuver to be selected, and the limit to be adjusted if necessary.

[0104] On the screen 27, the selected maneuver is displayed at the top while the engaged force 28 is arranged in the center and to the right of the screen 27. In the center and at the bottom of the screen 27, the limit force 30 is displayed with the speed 41 currently implemented by the user, by selecting one of the buttons 35 or 36. Furthermore, to the left of the screen 27, the sailboat 40 is shown schematically with a black dot corresponding to the position of the controlled winch so that the human-machine interface 26b can be used for several motorized winches of the sailboat 40. If the user exceeds the indicated limit force 30, the engaged force 28 can be displayed in red or surrounded by a flashing red square to quickly inform the user.

[0105] Furthermore, the human-machine interface 26b can be used to control other electrical systems of the sailboat and the representation of the sailboat 40 thus makes it possible to indicate which electrical system is controlled or configured by the user.

[0106] Furthermore, other parameters can be set from an administration console running on the portable device 38. For example, this administration console can come from a mobile application for a smartphone or touchscreen tablet that the user can download from an application store. This administration console is particularly useful when the user wishes to install the automation device on an existing winch because he can then enter the characteristics of the winch and use the administration console to connect to a server on which limit forces are pre-recorded for different types of winch, as illustrated in FIG. 4. By downloading the limit forces 30, 31 for different maneuvers and for the specific winch, these limit forces 30, 31 can be recorded in a memory 22 of the supervisory unit 15.Alternatively, the memory 22 may be arranged in the human-machine interface 26a-26b.

[0107] The human-machine interface 26a-26b is configured to display the limit forces 30, 31 of the maneuvers pre-recorded in this memory 22 or simply to inform the user when a limit force is reached or almost reached. Furthermore, this administration console can prove particularly interesting for analyzing usage data (histories, operating times, forces used by type of maneuver, etc.).

[0108] An example of information stored on the remote server is shown in Figure 4 with different winch brands, different winch types and different sizes.

[0109] From these characteristics of the winch, it is possible to obtain the reduction ratios and the efficiency of the winch allowing to estimate, from the electrical power consumed by the motor 12, the force applied 28 on the winch.

[0110] By obtaining the applied force 28 on the winch and the expected limit force 30, 31 for the selected maneuver 29, the user can now use a winch effortlessly, while benefiting from feedback for this maneuver. By regularly monitoring this information available on the human-machine interface 26a-26b, the user can therefore limit the risk of equipment breakage during the various maneuvers, while benefiting from very rapid maneuvers to limit transient phases.

[0111] Furthermore, if the user wishes to limit the attention that he must pay to the human-machine interface 26a-26b during maneuvers, the automation device can also include a torque limiter configured to limit the torque of the motor 12 when the engaged force 28 reaches the expected limit force 30, 31 for the speed and the selected maneuver 29. Thus, the invention proposes to provide new information associated with a winch to facilitate the control of the winch in the various possible maneuvers of a boat, while benefiting from rapid maneuvers and while limiting the risk of breakage of the equipment or tearing of the sails.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. A winch automation device for controlling at least one sail of a boat, the winch comprising a drum (2) for receiving a line (6) to perform a maneuver, said automation device comprising: a motor (12) for engaging said drum (2) of the winch; and a motor (15) monitoring device capable of setting the torque applied by the motor (12) on the drum (2); characterized in that the device also comprises: a memory (22) incorporating a set of pre-recorded maneuvers (29, 32, 33), at least one maneuver (29, 32, 33) corresponding to raising the mainsail or tightening a halyard; each maneuver (29, 32, 33) being associated with at least one limit force (30, 31); means for measuring the force applied (28) to the winch; and a human-machine interface (26a-26b), connected to the supervisory unit (15), comprising: means for actuation of the motor (35-37);means for selecting (34) a maneuver from among the set of pre-recorded maneuvers (29, 32, 33); and at least one display (27) capable of transmitting to a winch user information on the effort exerted (28) on the winch and information on the expected limit effort (30, 31) for the selected maneuver (29).

2. Automation device according to claim 1, wherein, the motor (12) corresponding to an electric motor, the force exerted (28) on the winch is estimated from the electrical power consumed by the motor (12).

3. Automation device according to claim 1, wherein the force exerted (28) on the winch is measured from at least one strain gauge mounted between a moving element of the winch or motor and a fixed element.

4. Automation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the monitoring element (15) comprises a torque limiter configured to limit the torque of the motor (12) when the effort applied (28) to the winch reaches the recorded limit effort (30, 31) for the selected maneuver (29).

5. Automation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the human-machine interface (26a-26b) incorporates means for modifying the limit force (30, 31) for the selected maneuver (29).

6. Automation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the supervisory unit (15) and / or the human-machine interface (26a-26b) integrates wireless communication means (21) with a portable device (38) on which an administration console allows setting parameters of the human-machine interface (26a-26b) and / or the supervisory unit (15).

7. Automation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the motor (12) corresponds to a brushless motor associated with a gear reducer.

8. Automated winch comprising: a drum (2) intended to receive a line (6) for performing a maneuver; and a winch automation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Automated winch according to claim 8, wherein the motor (12) of the winch automation device corresponds to an electric motor powered by an associated battery (23).

10. Automated winch according to claim 9, wherein the battery (23) is connected to a charging circuit (25) with a voltage less than 40 volts and a current less than 3 amps.

11. Method for installing an automation device according to one of the claims 1 to 7, the process comprising the following steps: installation of the engine (12), the supervisory unit (15) and the human-machine interface (26a-26b); definition of the winch type in an administration console; downloading, from a server, the limit forces (30, 31) associated with the type of winch defined for different maneuvers; recording the limit forces in memory (22); and configuring the human-machine interface (26a-26b) according to the user's preferences.

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