US 12,358,764 B2
Tether management system and method
Jang En Joshua Chao, Singapore (SG); Gurbind Singh s/o Harbir Singh, Singapore (SG); and Peng Wee Marcus See, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to AVETICS GLOBAL PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
Appl. No. 17/787,523
Filed by AVETICS GLOBAL PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
PCT Filed Dec. 18, 2019, PCT No. PCT/SG2019/050623
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 20, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/126071, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0380186 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B66D 1/50 (2006.01); B64U 10/60 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01)
CPC B66D 1/50 (2013.01) [B64U 10/60 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01); B64U 2201/202 (2023.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tether management system comprising:
a spool rotatable to reel in and reel out a tether;
a tension pulley engaging the tether;
a tension sensor coupled to the tension pulley for measuring a tension of the tether;
a controller for receiving a desired tension of the tether and for controlling the rotation of the spool to reel in and reel out the tether based on a difference between a measured tension from the tension sensor and the desired tension of the tether;
a moveable pulley that does not directly actuate the tension sensor and is disposed to engage tether between the spool and the tension pulley;
an elongated compression spring for biasing the moveable pulley to be moveable along a linear path to adjust a tension of the tether when the tension of the tether deviates from the desired tension;
a first rod over which the elongated compression spring is sleeved;
a second rod at least substantially parallel to the first rod;
a pulley support for supporting the moveable pulley, the pulley support including two bushings through which the first rod and the second rod penetrate to allow the pulley support to be slidable thereon;
a first end block at a first end of the first rod and the second rod; and
a second end block at a second end of the first rod and the second rod;
wherein the elongated compression spring has a free length that is at least substantially equal to a length of the first rod, and, when biased, has a force of about twice the tension of the tether over a range of operating tension of the tether.