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EP4474021A1 - Appareil de sécurité - Google Patents

Appareil de sécurité Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4474021A1
EP4474021A1 EP24173310.4A EP24173310A EP4474021A1 EP 4474021 A1 EP4474021 A1 EP 4474021A1 EP 24173310 A EP24173310 A EP 24173310A EP 4474021 A1 EP4474021 A1 EP 4474021A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
flexible connection
connection means
safety apparatus
winding device
drum
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24173310.4A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Egon Resch
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ober ALP SpA
Original Assignee
Ober ALP SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ober ALP SpA filed Critical Ober ALP SpA
Publication of EP4474021A1 publication Critical patent/EP4474021A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
    • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
    • A62B35/00—Safety belts or body harnesses; Similar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion
    • A62B35/0043—Lifelines, lanyards, and anchors therefore
    • A62B35/0075—Details of ropes or similar equipment, e.g. between the secured person and the lifeline or anchor
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
    • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
    • A62B35/00—Safety belts or body harnesses; Similar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion
    • A62B35/0081—Equipment which can travel along the length of a lifeline, e.g. travelers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
    • A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
    • A62B35/00—Safety belts or body harnesses; Similar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion
    • A62B35/0093—Fall arrest reel devices

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a safety apparatus, such as a via ferrata set or lanyard, which must be carried, for example, by a sports mountaineer in order to secure him to the safety elements of an alpine via ferrata, or to anchor himself in a stop, or which may be used by an operator who must anchor himself to anchorages, such as on building structures.
  • a safety apparatus such as a via ferrata set or lanyard
  • the safety apparatus e.g., the via ferrata set
  • the safety apparatus comprises a body attachment portion, configured to be fixed or which may be fixed to a safety harness, e.g., climbing harness, or to a clothing item of an operator or climber, and a pair of coupling elements, such as climbing carabiners, configured to be coupled to a fixing element of a via ferrata or a structure or for a stop, such as a steel cable or rope, a hook, a loop, and the like.
  • the coupling elements are connected to the attachment portion on the body by flexible connection means, such as a fixing strap or the like.
  • a harness such as a sit harness or a full harness, to which the safety apparatus is attached.
  • the known type of via ferrata set also has, as seen, a pair of coupling elements, usually climbing carabiners, with which the sports climber may engage a safety element of the via ferrata, e.g., a steel cable attached to the rock.
  • a safety cable runs between the portion attached to the body and the coupling element, which allows a distance to be maintained between the sports climber and the safety element of the via ferrata to ensure the climber has the necessary freedom of movement.
  • connection cables between the harness and the coupling elements must be of sufficient length.
  • connection cables are known to wind with an elastic sheath or to incorporate an elastic element into the connection cable, so that said cable is gathered in the unloaded state and is therefore easier to handle, with sports climbers being able to stretch it again with little effort to couple the corresponding coupling element to the subsequent safety element of the via ferrata.
  • connection cable allow only a limited shortening of the total length of said rope to the extent of the elasticity of the elastic sheath or the elastic cord. Therefore, the known type of connection cable, even if in the gathered configuration, still has a considerable length, which during athletic movement in a via ferrata may cause discomfort to the user who risks becoming entangled.
  • connection cables which is provided with elastic means capable of recovering the excess portion of the connection cables.
  • the recovery or winding system tends to continuously recover the excess length of the connection cables without the possibility of being able to carry out an intermediate adjustment which may be very useful to a climber.
  • the known recovery systems do not allow the overall length of the apparatus to be made much shorter: in this way, the apparatus is cumbersome and the cables could interfere with or get stuck in the rocks or even the clothing of the climber.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a safety apparatus, for example for use in a via ferrata of the type mentioned above, which is capable of improving the freedom of movement of the sports climber and which is at the same time versatile and manageable.
  • the reference numeral 4 globally denotes an overall view of a safety apparatus, for example a via ferrata set or lanyard, for a rope or cable (not shown), according to the present invention.
  • the safety apparatus 4 comprises an attachment portion 8, configured to be fixed to a climbing harness or a clothing item of a user.
  • the attachment portion 8 may be of various types and configurations, in a known manner.
  • the attachment portion 8 also comprises an energy dissipator, not shown, which is activated in the event of a severe jerk, for example following the fall of the climber.
  • the energy sink known in the art, may also be of various types.
  • the safety apparatus 4 further comprises at least one coupling element 12, such as a climbing carabiner, configured to be coupled to a fixing element of a via ferrata, of a stop or a structure, such as a steel cable or rope, a hook, a loop fixed in the rock or on a wall/structure, and the like.
  • a coupling element 12 such as a climbing carabiner, configured to be coupled to a fixing element of a via ferrata, of a stop or a structure, such as a steel cable or rope, a hook, a loop fixed in the rock or on a wall/structure, and the like.
  • Said coupling element 12 is connected to the attachment portion 8 by means of a flexible connection means 16, such as a fixing strap, a cable, a rope, or the like.
  • the flexible connection means 16 is provided with at least one winding device 20 having at least one drum 24 rotating about a pin 28 on which the flexible connection means 16 is wound.
  • the pin 28 is integral with the drum 24.
  • the winding device 20 comprises an elastic means (not shown) biasing the rotating drum 24 to wind up and shorten the flexible connection means 16, so as to approach the coupling element 12 to the attachment portion 8.
  • the elastic means acts as a return for the flexible connection means 16, which is shortened and pulled back towards the attachment portion, so as to approach the coupling element to the climber or operator.
  • the winding device 20 is provided with a winding end stroke, given that the flexible connection means 16 has a thickened portion 18 that acts as an undercut with respect to a window 56 for the passage of said flexible connection means 16 within the winding device 20.
  • the unwinding end stroke is given by the total or complete straightening of said flexible connection means 16. In other words, at the end of total unwinding, the flexible connection means 16 straightens out completely, protruding from the winding device 20.
  • the flexible connection means 16 integrally absorbs the tensile impact and in no way stresses the winding device 20 or its pin 28; therefore, the winding device 20 may be made in such a way as to have a simple and lightweight architecture, which at the same time is strong and secure.
  • the flexible connection means 16 comprises a strap or rope which, at an intermediate point 36, is folded into two mutually overlapping parts 40,44 and wound up on said drum 24.
  • the strap or rope is first folded into two parts 40,44 at the intermediate point 36, and then the two folded and overlapping parts or portions 40,44 are wound onto the drum 24, taking care to start by winding the portion of the connection means 16 comprising the intermediate point 36 onto the drum.
  • the intermediate point 36 is fixed to the drum 24 by a fixing means 38 such as a clip or webbing 39. It should be noted that, by virtue of the clip, the intermediate point is fixed directly onto the pin 28, or preferably the interposition of the webbing 39 may be envisaged.
  • the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16, opposite to said intermediate point 36, are connected to said at least one coupling element 12 and to the attachment portion 8, respectively.
  • the winding device 20 is used to wind up and manage a single coupling element 12.
  • the apparatus 4 comprises two coupling elements 12, each provided with a flexible connection means 16 that connects the corresponding coupling element 12 to the attachment portion 8 by means of a respective winding device 20.
  • the safety apparatus 4 comprises a single winding device 20 and a single flexible connection means 16, wherein the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16, opposite to said intermediate point 36, are connected to a first coupling element 12' and a second coupling element 12", respectively.
  • the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16 opposite to said intermediate point 36 are connected to a first coupling element 12' and a second coupling element 12", respectively.
  • the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16, opposite to said intermediate point 36 protrude at an arc of a circle of the drum 24 of less than 120°.
  • the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16, opposite to said intermediate point 36 protrude in positions that are not diametrically opposite to each other with respect to the pin 28, but rather closer together so as to form an angle of less than 120°.
  • the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16, opposite to said intermediate point 36 protrude in such a way as to be superimposed and parallel therebetween.
  • the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16, opposite to said intermediate point 36 protrude through the same window 56 formed on the winding device 20.
  • This arrangement makes it possible to limit the length and overall bulk of the safety apparatus 4 and therefore also reduces the risk of it becoming entangled with the clothing of the climber or operator.
  • the winding device 20 is provided with a clutch and/or retaining device 60 configured to brake and/or lock the ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16.
  • the clutch and/or retaining device 60 comprises at least one cam 64 displaceable from a clutch and/or retaining position, in which it at least partially abuts against said at least one connection means 16 so as to counteract at least partially the elastic pullback action of the elastic means, to a releasing position, in which it does not affect said at least one connection means 16.
  • the clutch and/or retaining device 60 comprises an abutment plate 68, and wherein both ends 48,52 of the flexible connection means 16 are interposed between said cam 64 and said abutment plate 68. In this way a single clutch and/or retaining device 60 is obtained which acts on both ends 48,52 simultaneously.
  • the clutch and/or retaining device 60 comprises an outer slider 72, operatively connected to said cam 64.
  • said outer slider 72 is configured to travel in an arc of a circle.
  • the outer slider 72 is coupled to a plate 76 that supports the drum 24 of the winding device 20.
  • the outer slider 72 is operatively connected to a spring 78 fixed to the winding device so as to lock the outer slider 72, and the respective cam 64, at a release stroke end and a locking stroke end.
  • the rotating drum 24 comprises two lobes 80 that define a pair of radial shoulders.
  • Said lobes 80 are used to ensure the drawing of the flexible connection means 16 and therefore the winding thereof about the rotating drum 24.
  • said lobes 80 define a gap 88 in which the flexible connection means 16 and/or, if provided, the fixing means 38, such as the clip or webbing 39, are preferably engaged and fixed.
  • the winding device 20 is provided with at least one ring 84 in which at least one of said ends 48,52 passes out of the window 56. In this way, the winding device 20 is prevented from overly misaligning with respect to the flexible connection means, thus avoiding the risk that the safety apparatus 4 may become entangled with the climber's clothing.
  • said ring 84 is fixed to the plate 76 that supports the drum 24 of the winding device 20.
  • the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
  • the winding device may automatically wind up the flexible connection means.
  • connection means essentially always remains stretched between the attachment portion and the coupling element and does not lower even when the sports climber or operator approaches the rock wall or in general the structure on which he is operating.
  • connection means that is temporarily not in use may be wound up automatically and then brought into a space-saving state without any special manual operation.
  • the solution is very compact and lightweight, as well as cost-effective to implement.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Emergency Management (AREA)
  • Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
EP24173310.4A 2023-06-09 2024-04-30 Appareil de sécurité Pending EP4474021A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT202300011850 2023-06-09

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4474021A1 true EP4474021A1 (fr) 2024-12-11

Family

ID=87974777

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP24173310.4A Pending EP4474021A1 (fr) 2023-06-09 2024-04-30 Appareil de sécurité

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4474021A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050145435A1 (en) * 2001-04-24 2005-07-07 Choate Gary E. Twin retractable for fall arrest
US20050217937A1 (en) * 2004-04-05 2005-10-06 Rohlf Bradley A Retractable safety device
DE102015109444A1 (de) * 2015-06-12 2016-12-15 Bornack Gmbh & Co. Kg Seilsicherungsvorrichtung

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050145435A1 (en) * 2001-04-24 2005-07-07 Choate Gary E. Twin retractable for fall arrest
US20050217937A1 (en) * 2004-04-05 2005-10-06 Rohlf Bradley A Retractable safety device
DE102015109444A1 (de) * 2015-06-12 2016-12-15 Bornack Gmbh & Co. Kg Seilsicherungsvorrichtung

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