US 12,459,789 B2
Coupling for suspended load control apparatus, system, and method
Derek Sikora, Denver, CO (US); and Logan Goodrich, Golden, CO (US)
Assigned to Vita Inclinata IP Holdings LLC, Denver, CO (US)
Filed by Vita Inclinata IP Holdings LLC, Broomfield, CO (US)
Filed on May 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/748,985.
Application 17/748,985 is a continuation of application No. 17/431,019, filed on Aug. 13, 2021, granted, now 11,339,034.
Application 17/748,985 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/062414, filed on Nov. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/940,155, filed on Nov. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0274809 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. B66C 13/10 (2006.01); B64D 1/22 (2006.01); B66C 13/08 (2006.01); B66C 13/46 (2006.01)
CPC B66C 13/105 (2013.01) [B66C 13/085 (2013.01); B66C 13/46 (2013.01); B64D 1/22 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A suspended load control system to control a winch tension on a load suspended by a main load bearing line from a carrier, comprising:
a winch, a winch control line to be secured to the load and the winch, a thruster, a sensor suite, and a computer processor and a memory;
wherein the suspended load control system, including at least the winch and the thruster, is to be suspended below the carrier on the main load bearing line;
wherein the memory comprises a control module which, when executed by the computer processor, is to determine the winch tension on the winch from the winch control line based on a sensor data from the sensor suite and is to control the winch tension from the winch control line to decrease latency between movement or rotation of the load control system and the load and reduce a reaction time between movement or rotation of the load control system and the load, wherein the winch control line spans between the winch and the load, the load is to be secured to the carrier by the main load bearing line, wherein the main load bearing line is to transfer a main lifting force between the carrier and the load, wherein the winch control line is not to transfer the main lifting force between the carrier and the load, wherein the winch tension from the winch control line is to couple movement or orientation of the load and movement or orientation of the load control system; and
wherein the control module is to control the thruster to move or rotate the load control system and the load.