Cartesian Winch Spooler with Counterbalance

Abstract

A winch system includes a reel, a reel motor operably connected to the reel and configured to rotate the reel about a reel axis, and a spooling guide assembly. The spooling guide assembly includes a spooling guide supported by a carriage so as to be movable with the carriage along a Cartesian x-axis. A table on which the carriage is movably mounted is configured to be moved along a Cartesian y-axis which is perpendicular to the Cartesian x-axis. A frame is configured to support the table. A first counterbalance has a first portion fixedly attached to the frame. The first counterbalance is operably connected to the table and is configured to apply a first force to the table in a first direction opposite to a gravitational force on the table when the table is located at a first position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A winch system, comprising:
 a reel;   a reel motor operably connected to the reel and configured to rotate the reel about a reel axis; and   a spooling guide assembly, the spooling guide assembly including
 a spooling guide supported by a carriage so as to be movable with the carriage along a Cartesian x-axis, 
 a table on which the carriage is movably mounted, the table configured to be moved along a Cartesian y-axis, the Cartesian y-axis perpendicular to the Cartesian x-axis, 
 a frame configured to support the table, and 
 a first counterbalance having a first portion fixedly attached to the frame, the first counterbalance operably connected to the table and configured to apply a first force to the table in a first direction opposite to a gravitational force on the table when the table is located at a first position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The winch system of  claim 1 , the spooling guide assembly further comprising:
 a table motor; and   a first drive shaft operably coupled to the table motor and to the table so as to move the table along the Cartesian y-axis,   wherein the first counterbalance has a second portion fixedly attached to the first drive shaft.   
     
     
         3 . The winch system of  claim 2 , the spooling guide assembly further comprising:
 a second counterbalance with a third portion fixedly attached to the frame, the second counterbalance operably connected to the table and configured to apply a second force to the table in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the table is located at the first position.   
     
     
         4 . The winch system of  claim 3 , the spooling guide assembly further comprising:
 a second drive shaft operably coupled to the table,   wherein the second counterbalance includes a fourth portion fixedly attached to the second drive shaft.   
     
     
         5 . The winch system of  claim 4 , the spooling guide assembly further comprising:
 a first drive wheel operably connected to the first drive shaft;   a second drive wheel operably connected to the second drive shaft; and   a drive component operably connected to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel so as to drive the second drive wheel with the first drive wheel.   
     
     
         6 . The winch system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance is configured to apply a third force to the table when the table has been moved in the first direction from the first position to a second position;   the second counterbalance is configured to apply a fourth force to the table when the table has been moved in the first direction from the first position to the second position; and   either the third force is less than the first force and the fourth force is greater than second force, or the third force is greater than the first force and the fourth force is less than the second force.   
     
     
         7 . The winch system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance and the second counterbalance are configured to provide a floating condition for the table.   
     
     
         8 . The winch system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the reel includes a barrel section and at least one flange at an end of the barrel section; and   the first counterbalance and the second counterbalance are configured to provide a floating condition for the table at a location midway between a height of the table when the spooling guide is aligned with a top of the barrel section, and a height of the table when the spooling guide is aligned with a top course of flexible material when a maximum number of courses of the flexible material are spooled on the reel.   
     
     
         9 . The winch system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance and the second counterbalance are configured to provide the floating condition for the table at a location whereat the spooling guide is aligned at one-half a height of the at least one flange above the top of the barrel section.   
     
     
         10 . The winch system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance comprises one of a first torsion spring, a first pneumatic cylinder, and a first hydraulic cylinder; and   the second counterbalance comprises one of a second torsion spring, a second pneumatic cylinder, and a second hydraulic cylinder.   
     
     
         11 . A spooling guide assembly, comprising:
 a spooling guide supported by a carriage so as to be movable with the carriage along a Cartesian x-axis to align the spooling guide with a spooling location of a reel;   a table on which the carriage is movably mounted, the table configured to be moved along a Cartesian y-axis, the Cartesian y-axis perpendicular to the Cartesian x-axis;   a frame configured to support the table; and   a first counterbalance having a first portion fixedly attached to the frame, the first counterbalance operably connected to the table and configured to apply a first force to the table in a first direction opposite to a gravitational force on the table when the table is located at a first position.   
     
     
         12 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a table motor; and   a first drive shaft operably coupled to the table motor and to the table so as to move the table along the Cartesian y-axis,   wherein the first counterbalance has a second portion fixedly attached to the first drive shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second counterbalance with a third portion fixedly attached to the frame and operably connected to the table, the counterbalance configured to apply a second force to the table in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the table is located at the first position.   
     
     
         14 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second drive shaft operably coupled to the table,   wherein the second counterbalance has a fourth portion fixedly attached to the second drive shaft.   
     
     
         15 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first drive wheel operably connected to the first drive shaft;   a second drive wheel operably connected to the second drive shaft; and   a drive component operably connected to the first drive wheel and the second drive wheel so as to drive the second drive wheel with the first drive wheel.   
     
     
         16 . The winch system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance is configured to apply a third force to the table when the table has been moved in the first direction from the first position to a second position;   the second counterbalance is configured to apply a fourth force to the table when the table has been moved in the first direction from the first position to the second position; and   either the third force is less than the first force and the fourth force is greater than second force, or the third force is greater than the first force and the fourth force is less than the second force.   
     
     
         17 . The spooling guide assembly  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance and the second counterbalance are configured to provide a floating condition for the table.   
     
     
         18 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the reel includes a barrel section and at least one flange at an end of the barrel section; and   the first counterbalance and the second counterbalance are configured to provide a floating condition for the table at a location midway between a height of the table when the spooling guide is aligned with a top of a barrel section of the reel, and a height of the table when the spooling guide is aligned with a top course of flexible material when a maximum number of courses of the flexible material are spooled on the reel.   
     
     
         19 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance and the second counterbalance are configured to provide the floating condition for the table at a location whereat the spooling guide is aligned at one-half a height of at least one flange of the reel above the top of the barrel section.   
     
     
         20 . The spooling guide assembly of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first counterbalance comprises one of a first torsion spring, a first pneumatic cylinder, and a first hydraulic cylinder; and   the second counterbalance comprises one of a second torsion spring, a second pneumatic cylinder, and a second hydraulic cylinder.