Device for Storing a Rope for a Descender and Assembly Comprising a Descender and the Device

Abstract

A device for storing a rope for a descender includes the rope, a rope drum, and a dimensionally stable rope bag, wherein the rope has a diameter of less than or equal to 8 mm and is at least partially wound on the rope drum in such a way that a first end of the rope can be unwound from the rope drum, and wherein the rope drum is disposed in the rope bag in such a way that the first end of the rope can be led out of an opening) of the rope bag. Furthermore, an assembly includes a descender and the above-mentioned device, wherein the descender includes a centrifugal brake configured such that a rope passing through the descender can be slowed down in its motion, and wherein the rope of the device is passed through the descender.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. Device for storing a rope for a descender, wherein the device comprises the rope, a rope drum and a dimensionally stable rope bag, wherein: the rope has a diameter of less than or equal to 8 mm and is at least partially wound onto the rope drum such that a first end of the rope can be unwound from the rope drum, and the rope drum is disposed in the rope bag in such a way that the first end of the rope can be led out of an opening of the rope bag.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope drum comprises a cylindrical rope pulley, an axle pushed through the rope pulley and two circular support discs, wherein the rope pulley is rotatably mounted about the axle, the axle is connected at both ends to a respective support disc, and the diameter of the support discs is larger than the diameter of the rope pulley completely wound up with the rope.

18. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope bag comprises at least two rollers such that two outer portions of the rope drum are mounted on the rollers.

19. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope drum is mounted between side walls of the rope bag.

20. Device according to claim 16, comprising a storage bag, wherein the rope drum is disposed in the storage bag and/or comprising a padding, wherein the padding is disposed between the rope drum and at least one of a side wall of the rope bag and the storage bag.

21. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope bag has a shape corresponding to the rope drum, comprises a closable opening on a circumferential surface.

22. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope bag comprises fastening means for fastening the rope bag to a user.

23. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope is a hybrid rope.

24. Device according to claim 16, wherein the rope comprises a core and a sheath bonded to the core.

25. Device according to claim 24, wherein core and sheath are thermally bonded with at least one adhesive thread laid spirally on the core.

26. Device according to claim 24, wherein the core of the rope comprises aramid and/or wherein the sheath of the rope comprises one of polyamide or polyamide 6.

27. Assembly comprising a descender and a device according claim 16, wherein the descender comprises a centrifugal brake designed in such a way that a rope passing through the descender can be slowed down in its motion, and wherein the rope of the device is passed through the descender.

28. Assembly according to claim 27, comprising a fastening device preferably designed as a snap hook, wherein the rope is connected at the first end to the fastening device.

29. Assembly according to claim 27, wherein the descender comprises a through hole for fastening the descender, wherein the descender is free of a transmission and/or wherein the descender unwinds at least one of unattended and automatically.

30. Assembly according to claim 27, wherein the descender comprises a load-dependent braking mechanism.

31. Assembly according to claim 27, wherein the descender is configured to slow down the motion of the rope by means of sliding friction.

32. Assembly according to claim 27, wherein the assembly comprises a lanyard wearable at the body.

33. Assembly according to claim 27, wherein the lanyard wearable at the body is configured as at least one of a rescue triangle, a climbing harness, a seat harness, a chest harness, a fall arrest harness and a tether.

34. Assembly according claim 31, wherein the lanyard wearable at the body is connectable to the through hole of the descender.

35. Use of the assembly according to claim 27 for at least one of: a) abseiling from at least one of a wind turbine, from a building, from a lifting platform, from a crane, and from a high-bay warehouse, and b) abseiling for abseiling distances of at least one of 3 m, 50 m, 100 m and 150 m.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings based on preferred exemplary embodiments.

[0038] In the Figures:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a rope pulley of a device for storing a rope according to a first preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows the rope pulley of FIG. 1, which is connected to support discs,

[0041] FIG. 3 shows the rope pulley of FIG. 1, which is arranged in a storage bag;

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a rope bag of a device for storing a rope according to another preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view and a side view of a support disc of the device of FIG. 4; and

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a plurality of views of a descender of an assembly comprising the descender and the device for storing the rope according to a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0045] FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically show different components of a device 10 for storing a rope 12 for a descender 44 according to a first preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the present exemplary embodiment, the device 10 comprises a rope 12, a rope drum 14 (see FIG. 2) and a dimensionally stable rope bag 16 (not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3). As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, the rope 12 is at least partially wound on the rope drum 14, so that a first end 18 of the rope 12 can be unwound from the rope drum 14. In the present exemplary embodiment, the rope 12 has a diameter of 5.9 mm.

[0046] In addition, the rope drum 14 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a cylindrical rope pulley 20 shown in FIG. 1, an axle 22 pushed through the rope pulley 20 and two circular support discs 24, wherein the support discs 24 are only shown in FIG. 2 and not in FIG. 1. The rope pulley 20 is rotatably mounted around the axle 22, wherein the axle 22 is connected at both ends to a respective support disc 24. In additionas can be seen in particular in FIG. 2the diameter of the support discs 24 is larger than the diameter of the rope pulley 20 completely wound up with the rope 12.

[0047] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, it is not only provided that the rope drum 14 is arranged in the rope bag 16 (not shown) in such a way that the first end 18 of the rope 12 can be led out of an opening of the rope bag 16, but also that the device 10 comprises a storage bag 26 (see FIG. 3). In the present exemplary embodiment, the storage bag 26 is made of aluminum and is closable in a gas-tight manner. In addition, the device 10 in the present exemplary embodiment comprises a padding 28, which is arranged between the support disc 24 and a side wall of the storage bag 26. In the present embodiment, the padding 28 comprises two circular foam sheaves.

[0048] The rope 12 of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a hybrid rope having a core of aramid and a sheath of polyamide 6. The core is thermally bonded to the sheath by two adhesive threads laid spirally on the core.

[0049] FIG. 4 schematically shows a rope bag 16 of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the device 10. In this exemplary embodiment, the dimensionally stable rope bag 16 has a cylindrical shape and an opening 32 on a circumferential surface which can be closed with a zipper 30. The diameter of the rope bag 16 is 29 cm and the length 35 cm. In addition, the rope bag 16 comprises fastening means 34 for fastening the rope bag 16 to a body of the user.

[0050] FIG. 5 schematically shows a circular support disc 24 of the rope drum 14 of the device 10 arranged in the rope bag 16 of FIG. 5. The support disc 24 has a diameter of 23 cm. In addition, the support disc 24 has an opening 36 in the center for connecting the support disc 24 to the axle 22 (not shown in FIG. 5) of the rope drum 14. As can be seen from the cross-sectional view of the support disc 24 in FIG. 5a), the support disc 24, which is designed as a plastic sheave 38, is covered on both sides by a foam layer 40 as padding 28, wherein all three layers are covered by a textile layer 42.

[0051] FIG. 6 schematically shows several views of a descender 44 of an assembly comprising the device 10 for storing the rope 12 and the descender 44, according to a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 shows only the descender 44 and not the entire assembly. The descender 44 comprises a centrifugal brake designed in such a way that a rope 12 (the rope itself is not shown) passing through the descender 44 can be slowed down during its motion. Accordingly, the assembly is such that the rope 12 is passed through the descender 44, wherein the rope path 46 having a plurality of deflections is shown in FIG. 6b).

[0052] Furthermore, as can be readily seen in FIGS. 6a) and 6b), the descender 44 comprises a through hole 48 for attaching the descender 44 to a body of the user. The descender 44 is free of a transmission. Instead, the descender 44 includes a brake drum 48, a brake core 50, a centrifugal weight 52, multiple deflections 54, and a rope sheave/axle 56. In addition, the descender 44 is configured to unwind unattended and automatically without requiring the user to operate any handle or lever of the descender 44. Furthermore, the braking mechanism is configured to be load dependent by means of the slider 58 so that in a load-free position, virtually no force is applied to the rope 12.

[0053] The described exemplary embodiments are merely examples, which may be modified and/or supplemented in a variety of ways within the scope of the claims. Any feature that has been described for a particular exemplary embodiment may be used independently or in combination with other features in any other exemplary embodiment. Any feature that has been described for an exemplary embodiment of a particular category can also be used in a corresponding manner in an exemplary embodiment of another category.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0054] 10 device [0055] 12 rope [0056] 14 rope drum [0057] 16 rope bag [0058] 18 first end of the rope [0059] 20 rope pulley [0060] 22 axle [0061] 24 support disc [0062] 26 storage bag [0063] 28 padding [0064] 30 zipper [0065] 32 closable opening [0066] 34 fastening means [0067] 36 opening [0068] 38 plastic sheave [0069] 40 foam layer [0070] 42 textile layer [0071] 44 descender [0072] 46 rope path [0073] 48 brake drum [0074] 50 brake core [0075] 53 centrifugal weight [0076] 54 deflection [0077] 56 rope sheave/axle [0078] 58 slider