Patent Application
20110272654
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to rope protection, and more specifically to systems and methods for protecting a rope as it slides over an edge.
When rope is rigged so that it runs over an edge, severe stress is put on the rope that can cause the rope to fail. Current solutions involve using a simple edge protector, which is usually made of canvas or coated nylon and is rectangular in shape. Such simple edge protectors are wrapped over the rope, secured back on themselves with Velcro® and then placed on the edge over which the rope runs.
Edge protectors made of nylon or coated nylon are typically suitable for use only in static situations in which the rope does not slide over the surface of the edge protector. If rope slides over a surface made of a thermoplastic material, so much heat friction is often generated that it melts both the edge protector and the rope.
Edge protectors made of canvas are typically used in situations in which the rope slides over the surface of the edge protector. Canvas does not melt. However, this still presents a problem because thermoplastic rope sliding over canvas typically generates enough heat to melt the rope.
There are many rescue situations that call for a rope going over an edge, and then for the rope to be pulled back up over the edge with a victim and/or object. High friction edge protectors generate so much friction against the rope that it is very difficult to pull the load back up. In order to pull the rope back up, complex pulley systems are typically needed. Even then, this puts immense stress on the rope and causes the rescuers to work more slowly.
There are many rescue situations that call for a rope going over an edge, and then for the rope to continue to slide over the edge while the victim and/or object is being lowered to the ground. When the edge protector has high friction against the rope, it is possible for descent to be hindered to the point that the victim and/or object can become stuck in mid-descent.
When a rope runs over an edge with a small radius, it puts large stresses on the rope that can cause the rope to fail. Edge protectors are typically a single or double layer of fabric. When laid over an edge, they do little to increase the radius that the rope must run over. Such simple edge protectors are often doubled up and/or a coat is placed under the edge protector to increase the radius over which the rope runs. These approaches require extra time and are typically not stable or reliable.
If a rope slips off or out of its edge protector during a rescue and makes direct contact with a sharp or rough edge, it can cause the rope to fail. Most makeshift edge protectors make no attempt to restrain the rope and keep it within the dimensions of the edge protector. Some existing commercial edge protectors wrap around the rope and connect back to themselves with Velcro® as the sole mechanism for edge protection. If an edge protector slips over the edge, either up or down, it may still be on the rope, but it no longer protects the rope against the edge. This can cause a rope to fail.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a low coefficient of friction against the rope so that heat is not generated as the rope slides over the edge protector which can damage the rope. The edge protector uses a low coefficient of friction material as the layer that contacts the rope, according to embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, it may use a Teflon® impregnated fiberglass and/or other similar material with a low coefficient of friction as the layer that contacts the rope, according to embodiments of the present invention.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, the edge protector has a pair of internal guide rails that run parallel to the rope and keep the rope in place inside the edge protector, as a way to guide the rope inside the edge protector so that the rope does not slip outside the edge protector.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, because the edge protector uses internal guide rails to secure and channel the path of the rope inside the edge protector, the closing of the edge protector is accomplished by means of a simple “sandwich” flap that is quick and easy, and presents a faster and easier way to close and secure the edge protector around the rope.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, the edge protector has a plurality of bands on the side that contacts the edge. The sharp edge fits between the bands and the bands keep the edge protector from slipping up or down, so that it protects the rope during the entire duration of the rescue, according to embodiments of the present invention. A secondary means may be used to secure the position of the edge protector, such as a rope or strap attached to the edge protector.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the edge protector includes a plurality of raised bands on the side that contacts the sharp edge, which serve to increase the radius of the rope path and reduce stress on the rope so that the rope is not damaged.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
During formation of the guide rails 108, various materials may be inserted within the tube and/or loop before the base 110 is stitched, so as to stiffen and/or reinforce the guide rails 108, according to embodiments of the present invention. For example, rope, pieces of rope, foam, filler material, plastic rods, and/or a combination of such materials may be inserted within the fold and/or tube for stiffening and/or reinforcement, according to embodiments of the present invention. According to embodiments of the present invention, the layer of the inner surface 106 just below the rope guide 104 is a rubber-coated Nylon layer, such as, for example, Hypalon® coated Nylon. In some cases, the rubber-coated Nylon layer or other underlying layer may be folded and/or looped along with the rope guide 104 material to form the guide rails 108, according to embodiments of the present invention.
Anchor attachment loops 114 may be stitched and/or otherwise attached to the edge protector 100 to permit the edge protector 100 to be anchored and/or tied off (e.g. with a runner cord of the like) to further prevent slippage of the edge protector 100 with respect to the edge as the rope 102 travels along the rope travel path 103, according to embodiments of the present invention. For example, a runner cord could be tied through one of the anchor attachment loops 114 and then tied to an object that is fixed with respect to the edge over which the edge protector 100 is placed. Alternatively, two different runner cords could each be attached to anchor attachment loops 114, one at each end of the rope travel path 103, to minimize slippage for rope 102 travel in both directions. The one or more anchor attachment loops 114 may be attached to the device 100 at or near the ends of the rope travel path 103, without interfering with the rope travel path 103, according to embodiments of the present invention, for better stabilization of the device 100 along the rope travel path 103. Although anchor attachment loops 114 are described, one of ordinary skill in the art, based on the present disclosure, will appreciate that various other anchoring mechanisms may be included with device 100 to tie down and/or minimize large-scale slippage of the edge protector 100 with respect to the rope, and/or deter the entire device 100 from sliding past the edge and down the rope 102, according to embodiments of the present invention.
Edge alignment indicators 116 may be included on the device 100 to visually indicate a possible or optimal placement of the edge protector 100 with respect to the edge. For example, the edge alignment indicators 116 may be tabs and/or flags and/or loops and/or the like attached at a position along the rope travel path 103 indicating where, underneath the rope guide 104, edge engagement bands 204 are located, according to embodiments of the present invention. Because the edge protector 100 would normally be laid over the edge with the inside 106 facing away from the edge, including a visual indicator 116 on the inside 106 and/or on the device 100 visible from any angle and/or whether the device 100 is in an open or closed configuration permits the user to position the device 100 properly 100 with respect to the edge without actually looking at the bottom of the device. This can save time in an emergency, for example.
Although embodiments of the present invention are described as having components attached via stitching and/or sewing, one of ordinary skill in the art, based on the disclosure provided herein, will appreciate that the various components may be formed and/or coupled to one another via a combination of one or more of stitching, sewing, adhesive, welding, pressure fit, clamps, pins, rivets, and staples.
As illustrated in
The edge engagement bands 204 maybe formed similarly to the guide rails 108, according to embodiments of the present invention. For example, the bottom surface 202 layer may be folded, looped, and/or formed into a tube, and then sewn back onto itself and/or to an underlying layer at base 206, according to embodiments of the present invention. Similarly, pieces of rope and/or other fillers or stabilizers may be included within the edge engagement bands 204 to increase their stiffness and/or stability, and/or to increase their thickness (for increasing the radius of bending/curvature of the rope 102). The ends of such folds or tubes may be stitched flat at ends 208, according to embodiments of the present invention.
Although
According to embodiments of the present invention, the edge engagement bands 204 and/or the bottom layer 202 are formed of a layer of rubber-coated Nylon, such as, for example, Hypalon® coated Nylon. According to embodiments of the present invention, the outer layer 202 may be the same layer as the inner layer 106; according to other embodiments of the present invention, the outer layer 202 and inner layer 106 may be separated by one or more intervening layers of the same or different materials.
An extension of the inner layer 106 and/or outer layer 202 may be included in the form of a flap 120, according to embodiments of the present invention. The flap 120 may be folded over, such as at seam 122, onto and/or over the rope guide 104 to further retain the rope 102 within the rope guide 104, according to embodiments of the present invention. A strip of a hook material 118 and a loop material 119 (e.g. a Velcro® combination) or vice versa may be placed onto the inner surface 106 and the flap 120 to permit removable closure of the edge protector 100, according to embodiments of the present invention. Other removable closure elements may be used, according to embodiments of the present invention.
An edge-edge protector for rope 102 containing a surface 104 that contacts the rope 102 that has a low coefficient of friction against rope may be used. Teflon® impregnated and coated fiberglass may be used for rope guide 104, but other materials may be used, including but not limited to silicon coated fiberglass, silicon coated canvas, sacrificial polyethylene coated fiberglass or canvas, and/or high melt-temperature plastics such as polysulfone. Teflon® material may also be referred to as polytetrafluoroethylene (or “PTFE”) material.
An edge-protector 100 for rope 102 includes internal guide rails 108 running substantially parallel to the path 103 of the rope 102 to keep the rope 102 in place inside the edge-protector, according to embodiments of the present invention. The guide rails 108 may be curved or even conical, such that they guide and contain the rope 102 inside the edge protector 100, according to embodiments of the present invention. According to embodiments of the present invention, the guide rails 108 are separated by a distance that is at least equal to the diameter of the rope 102 used and not more than ten times the diameter of the rope 102 used. According to other embodiments of the present invention, the guide rails 108 are separated by a distance that is two to five times the diameter of the rope 102 used. According to yet other embodiments of the present invention, the guide rails 108 are separated by a distance that is two and a half to three times the diameter of the rope 102 used.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the width of the guide rails is determined by three factors: a) the diameter of rope 102 used, b) the number of ropes 102 the edge protector 100 contains during use, and c) minimizing size and weight. A second consideration may be the height of the guide rails 108 inside the edge protector 100. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the height of the guide rails 108 is a fourth to two and a half times the diameter of the rope 102; according to other embodiments of the present invention, the height of the guide rails 108 is a half to two times the diameter of the rope 102; and according to yet other embodiments of the present invention, the height of the guide rails 108 is three-fourths to one and a half times the diameter of the rope 102. The height of the guide rails is sufficient to contain the rope 102 and prevent the rope from rubbing against the inner surface (of the flap 120) of the edge protector 100, which increases friction, according to embodiments of the present invention.
An edge protector 100 with bands 204 on the outer surface 202 contacts the sharp edge that runs substantially perpendicular to the path 103 of the rope 102 inside the edge protector 100, according to embodiments of the present invention. These bands 204 serve to keep the edge protector 100 from slipping when the rope 102 is loaded and pulled either up or down, according to embodiments of the present invention. According to some embodiments of the present invention, these bands 204 are at least one millimeter in height; according to other embodiments of the present invention, these bands 204 are at least three millimeters in height; and according to yet other embodiments of the present invention, these bands 204 are at least five millimeters in height.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, the bands 204 are placed one to twenty-five millimeters apart; according to other embodiments of the present invention, the bands 204 are placed five to fifteen millimeters apart; and according to yet other embodiments of the present invention, the bands 204 are placed seven to thirteen millimeters apart.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, bands 204 serve to increase the radius of the rope path 103 over the edge and reduce stress on the rope 102. According to some embodiments of the present invention, such perpendicular bands 204 are at least one fourth the diameter of the rope 102; according to other embodiments of the present invention, such perpendicular bands 204 are at least one half the diameter of the rope 102; and according to yet other embodiments of the present invention, such perpendicular bands 204 are at least equal to the diameter of the rope 102. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the horizontal bands 204 are placed apart a distance equal to one fourth to five times the diameter of the rope 102; according to other embodiments of the present invention, the horizontal bands 204 are placed apart a distance equal to one half to three times the diameter of the rope 102; and according to yet other embodiments of the present invention, the horizontal bands are placed apart a distance equal to one and a half to two and a half times the diameter of the rope 102.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/302,944, filed on Feb. 9, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61302944 | Feb 2010 | US |
