Sensor-Guided Fairlead Positioning for Consistent Fleet Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fairleads fail to maintain a consistent fleet angle of ropes or cables as they are wound onto or off a winch drum, leading to undesirable winding due to variations in physical positioning, such as uneven ground or angled attachments.
Innovation Solution
An integrated positioning system with sensors, rollers, and a motor-driven frame that translates laterally along a guide rod to maintain the proper fleet angle, ensuring the rope or cable winds neatly on the drum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional fairlead is used to guide the rope or cable, then the lateral movement of the rope or cable is constrained, but the fleet angle cannot be maintained consistently, resulting in undesirable winding on the drum
Solution Approach 1:
The fairlead is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position along the guide rod. The motor-driven mechanism enables the fairlead to change its lateral position in response to varying fleet angle conditions, ensuring consistent rope winding quality despite changes in ground level or attachment point position.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor is incorporated to detect the actual fleet angle between the rope/cable and the drum. This sensor provides feedback to a control system that adjusts the fairlead position accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal winding conditions despite external variations.
2Manufacturing precision
If the winch is located on a bumper and the vehicle is on unleveled ground, then the fleet angle becomes extreme, but the rope or cable cannot wind flatly on the drum
Solution Approach 1:
The fairlead position is dynamically adjusted along the guide rod to compensate for the extreme fleet angles caused by unleveled ground. By moving the fairlead laterally, the system maintains the rope's entry angle into the drum within optimal ranges, ensuring flat winding despite the vehicle's uneven positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable fairlead acts as an intermediary element between the fixed winch drum and the varying external conditions (unleveled ground, attachment point position). It mediates the rope's path, adjusting its guidance angle to compensate for external misalignments and ensure proper winding.
3Manufacturing precision
If the rope or cable is attached to a fixed object not level with the vehicle, then the fleet angle varies, but the winding quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fairlead's lateral position along the guide rod is dynamically adjusted to accommodate variations in attachment point position. Whether the cable is attached higher, lower, or at an angle relative to the vehicle, the fairlead moves to maintain the optimal fleet angle for neat winding on the drum.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the geometric parameters of the rope path by moving the fairlead position. This alters the fleet angle dynamically to match the specific attachment point configuration, ensuring consistent winding quality across different operating conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A positioning system (100) includes a plurality of sensors (200), a frame (102), including a plurality of rollers (104, 106), and a housing (114). The housing includes at least one guide rod (108) and a driving module (110, 112). The at least one guide rod is disposed laterally within the housing. The frame is coupled to the at least one guide rod, such that the frame is configured to translate laterally along the at least one guide rod. The driving module is configured to translate the frame along the at least one guide rod, responsive to a signal received from the plurality of sensors.