Patent Application
20060059665
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a safety release device for a kite, and in particular to a safety release device for releasably fastening together first and second portions of a kite line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A user controls the power and direction of a kite by manipulating a control bar connected to the kite lines. In one configuration the control bar is arranged to slide long a center control line having a harness loop for attaching the kite to a harness hook worn by a user.
It is possible to loose control of the kite and be over powered. This can be particularly dangerous during launching when the user is on or near land, solid objects, spectators, and other kites. For this reason it is known to provide a safety release device in the central control line. If the user looses control of the kite or the kite becomes over powered the user lets go of the control bar and it is pulled along the center control line by the kite until it hits the release device. The release device which operates to break the center control line portions de-powering the kite.
However, when performing certain maneuvers the user must remove his or her hands from the control bar. A problem exists because this would result in the safety release device operating to de-power the kite.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety release device for a kite that overcomes or ameliorates the above problem. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety release device for fastening together first and second portions of a kite line that can be disabled by the user during riding.
According to the invention there is provided a safety release device for releasably fastening together first and second portions of a kite line, the safety release device comprising a first fastening member having a first end and a second end, the first end having a first attachment point for attachment of a first line portion extending away from the release device in a first direction and the second end having an aperture, a second fastening member having a tongue and a second attachment point for attachment of a second line portion extending away from the release device in an opposite direction, the release device having a fastened position in which the second fastening member engages through the aperture of the first fastening member and the tongue extends in the opposite direction, a release member movably positioned on the first fastening member and movable between a secured position for securing the tongue to hold the release device in the fastened position and a released position releasing the tongue such that tension on a line attached to the release device pulls the second fastening member out of engagement through the aperture, and a releasable locking member provided on or with the release member for locking the release member in the secured position so as to prevent it being moved to the released position.
Preferably, the locking member comprises a rotational body having a recess into which the first fastening member is receivable and rotatable between a first position in which the recess and the first fastening member are aligned and a second position in which the recess and the first fastening member are misaligned.
Preferably, the first fastening member is receivable in the recess when the first fastening member moves between the secured position and released position.
Preferably, the release member is manually movable to the released position while the locking member is in the locked position
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 3 to 8 show parts of the safety release device,
In the drawings there is depicted a safety release device for releasably fastening together the first and second portions 3, 4 of the center kite line. The device comprises a first fastening member 11, a second fastening member 12, a release member 13 movably positioned on the first fastening member 11 and a releasable locking member 14.
The first fastening member 11 comprises a rectangular slider having a first curved end bar 15, a straight second end bar 16 and two parallel side bars 17, 18 that define an aperture for receiving the second fastening member 12. Two triangular shaped tabs 19, 20 extend laterally from the two parallel side bars 17, 18 respectively. The first line portion 3 is attached to the second end bar 16 and extends in a first direction towards the harness loop 5.
The second fastening member comprises a tongue 21 bent at its proximate end to form a shoulder 22 with an attachment eyelet 23. The second line portion 4 is attached to the eyelet 23 and extends in an opposite direction towards the kite (not shown).
The release member 12 comprises a release knob 24 having two longitudinally extending bars 25, 26 supporting a securing ring 27. The release knob 24 has an elongate aperture 28 having a shape complementary to the first fastening member 11. The release member 12 is slidably located on first fastening member 11 with release knob 24 sliding along parallel side bars 17, 18. The triangular shaped tabs 19, 20 prevent the release member 12 from sliding off the front of first fastening member 11.
The locking member 14 comprises a generally cylindrical body 10 having a passage 29 extending through its centerline. An elongate recess 30, coaxial with the passage 29, extends from a first face 32 of the locking member 14 almost entirely through its depth. The recess 30 is a complementary shape to the first fastening member 11 so that it can be slidably received in the recess 30. A second shallow recess 31 is provided coaxial with passage 29 and at right angles to first recess 30. Second recess 31 is shallow so as to only receive the second end bar 16 of first release member 11.
In a fastened position, shown in
The locking member 14 is movably attached to release knob 24 by elastic shock cords 33, 34. First line portion 3 passes through passage 29. As shown in
The knob 24 of release fitting 12 is wider than the body 10 of locking member 14. This allows the user to push the release knob 24 independently of the locking member 14. The release knob 24 can be manually moved forward by the user, stretching shock cords 33, 34, while the locking device 14 is in the locked position to de-power the kite.
In the unlock position the locking member 14 is rotationally aligned so that first fastening member 11 is slidably received within first deep recess 30. In this position the release device is ready so that a control bar striking the safety release device will cause the locking member 14 and release member 12 to slide together along first fastening member 11 moving ring 27 away from tongue 21. The pull of the kite on a second line portion 4 pulls the second fastening member 12 out of engagement through the aperture causing the safety release device to operate.
A barrel shaped piece of foam 35 is used as a spring to hold the release member 12 in the fastened position. Nylon webbing 36 is sewn onto the second line portion 4 as a stop for the foam barrel 35. The barrel 35 fits between the webbing 36 and the ring 27. The foam barrel 35 is compressed when the release member 12 is moved along first release fitting 11.
The release device overcomes the problem with known release systems because the rider can turn locking member 14 to a ready position during launch or other situations when it might be dangerous if the kite becomes overpowered. When the rider wants to perform maneuvers which required him or her to remove their hands from the control bar 1 they can set the locking member 14 to the disabled position to prevent operation of the safety release device when the control bar strikes it.
