TREA

Carabiner Orientation Device for Traditional Climbing

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Information

  • Patent Application
  • 20250186840
  • Publication Number
    20250186840
  • Date Filed
    December 07, 2023
    a year ago
  • Date Published
    June 12, 2025
    5 months ago
  • Inventors
    • Barghahn; Brent (Flagstaff, AZ, US)
Information
Abstract
An improved carabiner orientation device designed for traditional climbing, which allows a carabiner to be held in a fixed orientation within a webbing loop while maintaining the natural open loop shape of the webbing. The device is adaptable to different carabiner sizes and types and is resilient under load conditions typical in traditional climbing, especially when a secondary carabiner is clipped into and weighted within the webbing loop.
Description
PRIOR ART



  • “EDELRID Anti-Twist Rubber Keeper,” available at [https://edelrid.com/us-en/sport/carabiners-and-quickdraws/antitwist-v10] (accessed Sep. 15, 2023).

  • “Kong Fast Rubber Biner Keeper,” available at [https://www.kong.it/en/product/fast-rubber/] (accessed Sep. 15, 2023).

  • “Petzl Sting Carabiner and Quickdraws,” available at [https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Carabiners-And-Quickdraws/STRING-M] (accessed Sep. 15, 2023).

  • “Petzl Captiv Connector,” available at [https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Professional/Connectors/CAPTIV] (accessed Sep. 15, 2023).

  • John C. Bishop, “Strap Slot for a Carabiner,” U.S. Pat. No. D467,156 S1, filed Jun. 4, 2001, and granted Dec. 17, 2002.

  • Rocke Thompson, “Carabiners having captive eye opening and methods of fabrication and use,” U.S. Patent Application US20050229367A1, filed Jan. 27, 2005, and published Oct. 20, 2005.

  • Paul Petzl and Anne Bauvois, “Snap-hook equipped with a locking ring with a separating bar,” U.S. Patent Application US20030167608A1, filed Feb. 24, 2003, and published Sep. 11, 2003.

  • Frederick Allan Hall, “Improvements in and relating to karabiners,” European Patent Application EP0976936A1, filed Jul. 16, 1999, and published Feb. 2, 2000.

  • HaoYu Feng, Dan Xiong, Jinyao Feng, “Multiple compartment carabiner,” U.S. Pat. No. 11,795,992B1, filed Mar. 17, 2023, and granted Oct. 24, 2023.

  • Karl Schwappach, Zine-Eddine Boutaghou, “Carabiner with anti-cross loading feature,” U.S. Pat. No. 8,156,617B2, filed Jan. 27, 2009, and granted Apr. 17, 2012.

  • Peter G. Pinholster, Jr., Ryan Marc Klinger, Emily Anne Danielson, Nicholas James Hunt, Kyle Nathan McNamee, “Carabiner,” U.S. Pat. No. D980,699S1, filed Jan. 20, 2021, and granted Mar. 14, 2023.



BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to rock climbing equipment, specifically to the systems and methods for maintaining the orientation of a carabiner within a webbing loop.


Description of the Related Art

In traditional climbing, camming devices equipped with webbing loops and a paired carabiner are commonly used for fall protection. Typically, these loops allow the carabiner to spin freely, potentially allowing the carabiner to flip upside down. This necessitates that climbers vigilantly monitor and correct any such inversions before clipping a protection rope into the carabiner, thus expending energy that could be better utilized for the climb. Existing devices designed to maintain a carabiner in a fixed orientation within a webbing loop often pinch the webbing loop flat, which may lead to problematic outcomes under certain traditional climbing load conditions. This pinching can result in the breaking of the device or in the carabiner being loaded in an undesirable manner. Additionally, other existing devices, which aim to hold the webbing loop within a specific zone of a carabiner, fail to secure the webbing snugly. This lack of secure fit leads to excessive movement of the carabiner, further complicating the task of clipping a rope into it. Furthermore, maintaining the webbing loop in its natural open shape facilitates the easier clipping of a secondary carabiner into the loop for connecting the primary webbing to additional webbing loops, thereby straightening the path of the protection rope.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention introduces a carabiner orientation device specifically tailored for rock climbing. It is designed to secure a carabiner in a fixed orientation while simultaneously preserving the natural open loop shape of the webbing. This device is particularly advantageous in scenarios where a secondary carabiner needs to be clipped and subjected to the force of a climbing fall without compromising the integrity of the device. The inventive device achieves this by snugly holding the inside face of the webbing loop against the inside of the carabiner at a localized point. This approach ensures consistent orientation of the carabiner, maintains the open loop shape of the webbing, and allows the webbing loop and device to adapt to varying loads without undue stress or risk of breakage.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS


FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the entire carabiner orientation device according to a flat three-loop embodiment of the invention. Key components such as the flexible strap (10), shown in its folded state, and the multiple openings (50, 60, 70) are visible, as well as the webbing loop (30) with its naturally retained open-loop shape.



FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the entire carabiner orientation device according to a three-dimensional embodiment. Key components such as the flexible strap (40) and the multiple openings (80, 90) are visible, along with the webbing loop (30) and its naturally retained open-loop shape.



FIG. 3 presents a side view of the device, highlighting the interaction between the carabiner (20) and the webbing loop (30). It shows the naturally retained open-loop shape of the loop (30), demonstrating how the loop path is unencumbered by the retention device, allowing its path to adapt under various loads, including those from both primary (20) and secondary carabiners.



FIG. 4 presents a detailed perspective view of the flat three-loop embodiment, highlighting the three strategically placed openings (50, 60, 70) connected by the flexible strap (10).



FIG. 5 presents a detailed perspective view of a three-dimensional embodiment, highlighting the two strategically placed openings (80, 90) connected by the flexible strap (40).





DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a carabiner orientation device comprising two distinct embodiments (10, 40), each designed to maintain a carabiner (20) in a fixed orientation within a webbing loop (30) while preserving the natural open loop shape of the webbing (30) used in traditional climbing equipment.


Flat Three-Loop Embodiment (10):





    • a. Description: This embodiment is a versatile add-on accessory designed for integration with existing closed webbing loops. It is composed of a flat, flexible strap featuring three strategically placed openings (50, 60, 70).

    • b. Functionality: The embodiment is designed to fold twice around the webbing (30), with all three openings (50, 60, 70) sliding onto the carabiner body. This folding method enables the device to be added onto already closed webbing loops, fully enclosing a strand of the webbing loop (30) locally and maintaining a tight hold on the carabiner body (20).

    • c. Advantage: The adaptability of this folding method allows the device to be compatible with any carabiner (20), enabling it to be added to pre-closed webbing loops (30) while still fully enclosing a strand of the loop and ensuring a secure fit.


      Three-Dimensional Embodiment with Orthogonal Openings (40):

    • a. Description: Designed for integration during the original manufacturing of climbing equipment, this embodiment features a more complex, three-dimensional structure with two distinct, orthogonal openings (80, 90). It is intended to be slid onto a strand of the webbing (30) before the loop is permanently closed.

    • b. Functionality: One opening is designed for carabiner (20) passage and the other for the webbing loop (30). This design ensures a secure attachment when incorporated during the manufacturing process. Once installed, it functions similarly to the flat three-loop embodiment (10), fully enclosing a strand of the webbing loop (30) locally and maintaining a tight hold on the carabiner (20) body.

    • c. Advantage: The primary benefit of this design is its seamless integration into climbing gear. It provides a robust solution for maintaining carabiner (20) orientation without compromising the integrity of the webbing loop (30). The orthogonal opening (80, 90) arrangement ensures a firm hold on both the carabiner and the webbing, facilitating consistent orientation and accommodating load adjustments, akin to the natural behavior of an unmodified webbing loop (30).





Overall Functionality and Benefit: Both embodiments share the essential feature of holding the inside face of the webbing loop (30) snugly against the inside of the carabiner (20) in a localized manner, using a flexible strap (10, 40). This design ensures a consistent orientation of the carabiner (20) and maintains the webbing's (30) natural open loop shape. It allows the webbing loop (30) to adapt its path under various loads, including those from both primary (20) and secondary carabiners within the loop, particularly during a climbing fall. This critical improvement over existing devices addresses the main challenges in traditional climbing, reducing the energy climbers expend on equipment management and allowing greater focus on climbing movement.

Claims
  • 1. A device for maintaining the orientation of a carabiner within a webbing loop, comprising a flexible strap with multiple openings, wherein the openings are configured to secure the device at a fixed location on the carabiner body, and to retain the carabiner at a fixed location within the webbing loop through a retention mechanism that operates at a localized area on the webbing loop, thereby specifically preserving the webbing's natural open-loop shape.
  • 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible strap comprises a folding strap having three openings formed therein, a first connecting member positioned between a first and a second opening, and a second connecting member positioned between the second and a third opening.
  • 3. The device of claim 1, comprising a flexible folding strap with two openings, wherein the openings are stacked and orthogonal to each other, one opening configured to receive a webbing loop and subsequently allow the loop to be permanently closed, and the second opening configured to receive a carabiner, thereby holding the carabiner in a fixed orientation.