Utility Winch system
In an utility winch system, wherein the system includes an utility winch provided on the outside of a vehicle body, a DC power source provided within an engine room, a pair of connector parts consisting of one connector part connected to the DC power source and exposed to the outside of the vehicle body, and other connector part connectable to one connector part, and a control switch connected to the other connector part, thereby controlling the running of an electric motor of the Utility Winch by way of the pair of connector parts.
When the pair of connector parts are joined together, this Utility Winch system comprises; a power source switch provided between the DC power source and the Utility Winch in the vehicle body; and a power-source-switch controlling means adapted to turn the power source switch to a close position only when the pair of connector parts are joined together. By this arrangement, in the event that the Utility Winch is broken due to the collision of automotive vehicles during the running thereof, there is no risk that the DC power source is short-circuited, and hence a fire of the automotive vehicle is avoided. Furthermore, electric errosion is avoided.
An Utility Winch of such an utility winch system is mounted on the outside of an automotive vehicle, such as on a front portion, as an assembly unit including an electric motor and relays for controlling rotation in the normal direction or inthe reverse direction, of an electric motor, and the assembly unit is usually fed with a voltage. This, however, is responsible for formation of a short-circuit in the automotive vehicle, which would lead to occurance of an automotive fire from amotor-car accident, such as results from the collision of automotive vehicles.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an Utility Winch system which prevents with certainty an automotive fire upon collision of automotive vehicles, as well as prevents electrical damage.
To attain the object, there is provided according to the present invention an Utility Winch system including an Utility Winch provided on the outside of an automotive vehicle, a DC power source provided in an engine room, a pair of connectorparts consisting of one connector part connected to the DC power source and exposed to the outside of the automotive vehicle, and another connector part adapted to be connected to one connector part, and a control switch connected to the other connectorpart and adapted to control the running of an electric motor of the Utility Winch by way of the pair of connector parts when the pair of connector parts are joined together. The aforesaid Utility Winch system is characterized by a power source switchprovided between the DC power source and the electric motor of the Utility Winch in the automotive vehicle, and a power-source-switch controlling means adapted to turn the power source switch to a closed position only when the pair of connector partsare joined to each other.
By the above-described arrangement of the present invention, normally a voltage can not reach the outside of an automotive vehicle, but is applied to the Utility Winch provided on the outside of the vehicle body only when the pair of connectorparts are connected to each other for operating the Utility Winch. In the event that the Utility Winch is damaged due to the collision of automotive vehicles during the running of the automotive vehicle, there is no risk that the DC power source isshort-circuited, which would lead to an automobile fire, and electric damage is prevented.
Preferably, the power source switch is constituted from contact portions of relays, and the power-source-switch controlling means is a closed circuit which is completed by way of the coils of the relays when the pair of connector parts areconnected to each other. As soon as the pair of connector parts are connected to each other for operating the Utility Winch, a relay serving as the power source switch closes, thereby allowing a current to flow from the DC power source to the electricwinch.
Preferably, the electric motor of the Utility Winch is a DC series motor, and the control switch is adapted to control a direction of a field system of the DC series motor, thereby running the DC series motor in the normal direction or in thereverse direction.
Preferably, the Utility Winch is an assembly unit, which comprises a winch mechanism, an electric motor for operating the winch mechanism, a normal rotation relay and a reverse rotation relay both of which are provided between the power sourceswitch and the electric motor and controlled by the control switch. Preferably, the normal rotation relay and the reverse rotation relay are connected to separate series field coils of the electric motor, respectively, and these series field coils areso arranged as to form fields systems directed opposite to each other.
Preferably, the assembly unit of the utility winch comprises a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the electric motor, and the control switch assembly unit comprises indication means adapted to be connected by way of thepair of connector parts to the temperature detecting means, and a control switch.
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