SELF-SECURING DEVICE PREVENTING A COMMUNICATION MEANS FROM REMAINING IN AN UNDEFINED INTERMEDIATE POSITION

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-securing device for securing a person, having: a first fastening element for fastening to a securing element; a second fastening element for fastening to a securing element; a communication means for communicating between the first fastening element and the second fastening element such that, in a first posture of the communication means, the first fastening element can be operated and the second fastening element is blocked and, in a second posture of the communication means, the first fastening element is blocked and the second fastening element can be operated; and a control mechanism for controlling the communication means to prevent the communication means from remaining in an undefined intermediate posture between the first posture and the second posture.

Claims

1. A self-securing device for securing a person, the self-securing device comprising: a first fastening element for fastening to a securing element; a second fastening element for fastening to a securing element; a communication means for communicating between the first fastening element and the second fastening element such that, in a first posture of the communication means, the first fastening element is actuatable and the second fastening element is locked, and, in a second posture of the communication means, the first fastening element is locked and the second fastening element is actuatable; and a control mechanism for controlling the communication means to prevent the communication means from remaining in an undefined intermediate posture between the first posture and the second posture.

2. The self-securing device of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism is a magnetic control mechanism.

3. The self-securing device according to claim 1, wherein the control mechanism comprises two juxtaposed first magnetic elements with respect to which a string of the communication means is movable, and a second magnetic element fixedly attached to the string.

4. The self-securing device according to claim 3, wherein the first magnetic elements and the second magnetic element exert a magnetic force on each other such that the second magnetic element is arranged on one of the first magnetic elements in the first posture of the communication means, and is arranged on the other of the first magnetic elements in the second posture of the communication means.

5. The self-securing device according to claim 3, wherein the first magnetic elements and the second magnetic element exert on each other such a magnetic force that it is magnetically impossible for the second magnetic element to remain between the first magnetic elements, in particular that a second magnetic element located at an intermediate posture between the first magnetic elements is automatically returned from the intermediate posture to the first posture or to the second posture.

6. The self-securing device according to claim 3, comprising at least one of the following features: wherein the first magnetic elements generate a magnetic field; wherein the second magnetic element comprises a magnetizable material; wherein the first magnetic elements are made of a permanent magnetic material; wherein the second magnetic element comprises or consists of iron; wherein the first magnetic elements being magnetic rings having a central opening, said string being passed through said central openings; wherein the second magnetic element fully surrounding said string.

7. The self-securing device according to claim 1, comprising a housing in which at least part of the control mechanism is arranged, wherein in particular part of a movable string of the communication means is movably arranged in the housing and part of a sheath of the communication means surrounding the string is fixedly attached to the housing.

8. The self-securing device according to claim 7, wherein in a central region of the housing the sheath is interrupted and thereby the string is exposed, and wherein in particular at opposite free ends of the interrupted sheath in the housing each of the free ends is surrounded by a sheathing fixedly attached to the sheath.

9. The self-securing device according to claim 8, wherein an array of grooves is formed on opposite sides of said housing, respectively, wherein a respective pair of securing rings is inserted into two spaced grooves of each of said arrays, and wherein a respective one of said sheathings is displacement-secured between each pair of securing rings.

10. The self-securing device according to claim 7, wherein the control mechanism comprises two juxtaposed first magnetic elements with respect to which a string of the communication means is movable, and a second magnetic element fixedly attached to the string; wherein the first magnetic elements are arranged stationary in the housing and the second magnetic element is arranged fixed to the string and movable in the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show two views of a self-securing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a control mechanism in a housing of the self-securing device according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0032] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the control mechanism according to FIG. 3 in two different positions of a communication means.

[0033] Identical or similar components in different figures are given the same reference numerals.

[0034] Before describing exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures, some general aspects of embodiments of the invention will be explained:

[0035] According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a control for a communicating self-securing device can be created with which undefined intermediate states can be avoided. As a result, the safety of a self-securing device can be improved. At the same time, an uninterrupted operability of the self-securing device can be ensured. More specifically, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a control device for communicating fastening elements of a self-securing device is provided, which ensures that always exactly one fastening element of the self-securing device is closed, whereas the other fastening element of the self-securing device can be opened. Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system is provided in which a plurality of self-securing devices with this control is used.

[0036] A self-securing device of this type can also be referred to as a communicating self-securing set (especially a climbing set). Such a communicating self-securing device is used for the safety of climbers on climbing routes or high ropes courses. However, such self-securing devices can also be used for exposed work on house facades, roofs, bridges, masts, etc., as well as in shipping, especially for sailboats. A communicating self-securing device can have two carabiners or other fastening elements, each of which is connected to the person securing himself via a connecting piece designed, for example, as a rope or as a strap. Here, for example, a safety harness such as a waist belt may be used for the person securing himself. The two carabiners can be attached, for example, to the free ends of a Y- or V-shaped rope or strap, which rope or strap is provided in the middle or near the middle with an attachment device for attachment to a safety belt of the person securing himself. The two carabiners may additionally be connected to each other by a communication means, for example a Bowden cable system. This communication means is intended to ensure that only one of the two carabiners can be opened alternately at any one time, while the other carabiner is blocked against opening.

[0037] Communicating self-securing devices are intended to ensure that one carabiner is always reliably locked to the rope, whereas the other carabiner can be opened. This ensures that both carabiners can never be removed from the belay guide, for example a steel cable, at the same time and thus that the person connected to the self-securing device is always secured against falling by means of at least one carabiner.

[0038] This can be achieved by a communicative connection, for example by means of a Bowden cable. By moving a string cable inside the Bowden cable, one carabiner can thus always be locked and at the same time the lock of the other carabiner can be unlocked. The string cable should therefore only move between two desired positions. In a desired first position or posture, the first carabiner is locked and at the same time the second carabiner is unlocked. In another desired second position or posture, the first carabiner is unlocked and at the same time the second carabiner is locked.

[0039] Here, the following problem arises in conventional securing devices: In communicating securing systems, it has been shown in the past that the string cable of the Bowden wire repeatedly remained permanently in an undefined and undesirable rather stable intermediate posture between the two desired positions. This can be caused by the string shifting due to vibration or shock, which is very common when using a ropes course. Furthermore, it happens that by twisting the system and the carabiners, the string of the Bowden cable moves independently into this intermediate posture, or that the user does not properly perform the locking/unlocking operation of the carabiners to their full length. In this undesired intermediate posture, either both carabiners were now locked, or both carabiners were unlocked.

[0040] If both carabiners are locked, the secured person is reliably secured against falling, but cannot remove one of the carabiners from the rope and thus cannot switch to the next ropes course exercise. This leads to a malfunction or loss of function.

[0041] If both carabiners are unlocked, the belayed person can switch to the next ropes course exercise, but has the option of removing both carabiners from the belay rope at the same time. This means an unsecured situation which, in the worst case, can lead to the user falling from a great height.

[0042] Exemplary embodiments of the invention prevent the permanent assumption of an undefined intermediate posture between the two defined and desired positions, in which in each case one of the carabiners can be opened and the other carabiner is locked. This is accomplished by a preferably magnetic control mechanism which makes it impossible to remain in an undefined intermediate posture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show two views of a self-securing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 shows a control mechanism in a housing 3 of the self-securing device according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the control mechanism according to FIG. 3 in two different positions of a communication means 7.

[0044] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 thus show a self-securing device for securing a person according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The self-securing device shown has a first fastening element K1 in the form of a first carabiner for fastening to a securing element not shown (for example a safety rope). Furthermore, a second fastening element K2 designed here as a second carabiner is provided for fastening to the same or another securing element. The two fastening elements K1, K2 are connected to each other via a flexible connecting means 6, which serves as a fall protection. For example, the connecting means 6 can comprise a sewn textile strap.

[0045] Along (for example on and/or in) the connecting means 6 runs a communication means 7 operatively connected to the two fastening elements K1, K2. Preferably, the communication means 7 is designed as a Bowden cable. For example, such a Bowden cable can be embedded in a textile tube which can be sewn to the connecting means 6. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 each show a loop 11 at which the illustrated self-securing device can be connected to a harness (not shown) worn by a user.

[0046] The communication means 7 serves to communicate between the first fastening element K1 and the second fastening element K2 in such a way that, in a first posture of the communication means 7, the first fastening element K1 is actuatable (i.e. the first carabiner can be opened) and the second fastening element K2 is blocked (i.e. the second carabiner cannot be opened). In a second posture of the communication means 7, on the other hand, the first fastening element K1 is blocked (i.e. the first carabiner cannot be opened) and the second fastening element K2 can be actuated (i.e. the second carabiner can be opened).

[0047] The adjustment of the first posture or the second posture of the communication means 7 may be performed by a user actuation. This can be carried out, for example, by a user actuating a blocking device of a respective fastening element K1 or K2 (for example, by means of a securing means attached to a securing element, such as a securing rope, such as a securing pin or securing key). This actuation of the blocking device of a fastening element K1 or K2 can act on a blocking device of the respective other fastening element K2 or K1 by means of the communication means 7. This allows the fastening element K1 or K2 to be locked and the other fastening element K2 or K1 to be unlocked.

[0048] Advantageously, the self-securing device has a magnetic control mechanism for controlling the communication means 7 in such a way that the communication means 7 is reliably prevented from remaining in an undefined intermediate posture between the first posture and the second posture on the basis of set magnetic force ratios. Although the communication means 7 can briefly pass through an intermediate posture when switching between the first posture and the second posture, it does not remain there permanently because the magnetic forces of the control mechanism, which are described in more detail below, always force the communication means 7 into one of the first posture and the second posture. This makes it possible to ensure that at any point in time a user of the self-securing device is secured to the securing element by a locked one of the two fastening elements K1 or K2, while at the same time the respective other fastening element K2 or K1 can be removed from the securing element, which allows rehanging at any point in time. Other undesirable or undefined intermediate states cannot occur, in particular no unsafe simultaneous release of both fastening elements K1 and K2 and no function-disrupting simultaneous locking of both fastening elements K1 and K2. In the embodiment shown, all components of the control mechanism are integrated in a housing 3, through which a part of the communication means 7 designed as a Bowden cable is guided. This protects the components of the control mechanism against mechanical influences, dust and moisture.

[0049] Now referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the control mechanism in the housing 3 has two first magnetic elements 2a, 2b arranged next to each other, which are fixedly mounted in the housing 3. The communication means 7, which is in the form of a Bowden cable, has a string 5, which is in the form of a metal cable, and a sheath 4, inside which the string 5 is arranged so as to be displaceable relative to the sheath 4. A second magnetic element 1 is fixedly attached to the string 5 and, during operation, moves together with the string 5 relative to the sheath 4 and the housing 3. The first magnetic elements 2a, 2b are arranged stationarily in the housing 3, whereas the second magnetic element 1 is fixedly attached to the string 5 and movably arranged in the housing 3. If the string 5 moves from left to right or in the opposite direction during the transition between the first posture and the second posture relative to the sheath 4 as shown in FIG. 3, the second magnetic element 1 consequently moves along with the string 5. On the other hand, the string 5 of the communication means 7 performs a relative movement to the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b during its transfer between the first posture and the second posture.

[0050] The first magnetic elements 2a, 2b and the second magnetic element 1 are configured to exert a magnetic force on each other such that the second magnetic element 1 is positioned at the first magnetic element 2a in the first posture or position of the communication means 7 and is positioned at the other first magnetic element 2b in the second posture or position of the communication means 7. More specifically, the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b and the second magnetic element 1 exert a magnetic attraction force on each other such that it is magnetically impossible for the second magnetic element 1 to remain between the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b. The magnetic attraction force may have a local maximum at a position of the second magnetic element 1 corresponding to each of the first posture and the second posture, and may rapidly decrease sharply in an intermediate region. Due to these magnetic force conditions, even if the second magnetic element 1 is briefly at a position between the first posture and the second posture, the second magnetic element 1 is immediately self-retracted to the first posture or the second posture. Remaining in the unstable or unstable intermediate posture between the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b is impossible for the second magnetic element 1 due to the described force or potential relationships. Advantageously, an automatic return of the second magnetic element 1 and consequently of the string 5 of the communication means 7 into the first posture or into the second posture is associated with a perceptible and audible feedback to a user. This acoustic or haptic feedback represents an intuitively perceptible confirmation of correct operation of the self-securing device for a user, in particular when switching between the first posture and the second posture.

[0051] Preferably, the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b are formed as permanent magnets made of a hard magnetic material in order to permanently generate a magnetic field. The second magnetic element 1, on the other hand, can be formed as a body made of a magnetizable material, such as iron. Advantageously, according to FIG. 3 to over 5, the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b are magnetic rings with a central opening into which the string 5 together with the second magnetic element 1 firmly attached thereto can be inserted. The circular cylindrical second magnetic element 1 fits into each of the central openings and fully surrounds the string 5. The second magnetic element 1 may be configured to be magnetically attracted to the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b to be automatically located in the area of one of the first magnetic elements 2a or 2b. In the area between the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b, the magnetic attraction force on the second magnetic element 1 is either much smaller, or a magnetic repulsion force may also be realized there. Although a shaping of the first magnetic elements 2a, 2b as magnetic rings is preferred, the magnetic elements 2a, 2b can also have other shapes.

[0052] As already mentioned, the self-securing device has the housing 3 in which the described components 1, 2a, 2b of the magnetic control mechanism are housed in a protected manner. The housing 3 may be located at any position of the connecting means 6, in the illustrated embodiment in the area of the loop 11. However, it is also possible that the housing 3 is located adjacent to the first fastening element K1 or adjacent to the second fastening element K2.

[0053] As described above, a part of the string 5 of the communication means 7 movable in the longitudinal direction and relative to the sheath 4 is movably arranged in the housing 3. Furthermore, a part of the sheath 4 of the communication means 7 surrounding a partial area of the string 5 is fixedly and immovably attached to the housing 3. As can be readily seen in FIG. 4, in a central region 12 of the housing 3 the sheath 4 is interrupted so that the string 5 is exposed in the region 12. At opposite free ends of the interrupted sheath 4 in the housing 3, each of the free ends of the sheath 4 is surrounded by a respective sheathing 10 fixedly attached to the sheath 4. The sheathings 10 are each in the form of a circular cylinder with a central through hole.

[0054] Advantageously, an arrangement of equidistant grooves 8 is formed on each of opposite sides of the housing 3. A respective pair of securing rings 9 is inserted in two spaced grooves 8 of each of the arrangements. A spacing of two securing rings 9 in two grooves 8 of an arrangement corresponds substantially to an axial length of the associated sheathing 10. Indeed, a respective one of the sheathing 10 is inserted between each pair of securing rings 9 and is thereby arranged to be secured against displacement. The measures described allow positional adjustment between the string 5 and the sheath 4 of the communication means 7.

[0055] Due to the described functionality of the housing 3 and the components arranged therein, the fastening elements K1, K2, which are designed as carabiners, can be lightweight and of simple construction. Advantageously, the housing 3 can be positioned in the area of the belly button of a user during operation, so that the self-securing device is conveniently portable.

[0056] The self-securing device shown in the figures is configured to reliably prevent a dangerous or function-impairing intermediate posture of the communication means 7 between the first posture and the second posture as described above. Furthermore, the provision of the grooves 8 in conjunction with the locking rings 9 and the sheathing 10 allows for an adjustment of the string 5 relative to the sheath 4 to be made, for example at the factory, which also promotes a correct positioning of the magnetic elements 1, 2a, 2b relative to each other.

[0057] The communication means 7 designed as a Bowden cable and the string 5 located therein can thus be guided through the housing 3. The housing 3 is permanently connected to the sheath 4 of the communication means 7 and can be positioned anywhere on the communication means 7, which is designed as a Bowden cable. In this respect, it can also be permanently connected to one of the two fastening elements K1 or K2 designed as a carabiner or integrated in one of the two fastening elements K1 or K2. The iron core-subjected to magnetic attractionwhich forms the second magnetic element 1 is attached to the string 5 of the communication means 7. This iron core or an otherwise formed second magnetic element 1 can move exclusively between the two first magnetic elements 2a and 2b, which are preferably formed as magnetic rings. The magnetic fields of the two first magnetic elements 2a and 2b are arranged next to each other, whereby repulsive poles can face each other. Therefore, no stable non-magnetic center position exists. The second magnetic element 1 and the metal cable attached thereto, which can form the string 5, can therefore only oscillate between the two first magnetic elements 2a, 2b and cannot remain in an intermediate posture. In this way, the undesirable and dangerous intermediate posture can be reliably prevented in the case of self-securing sets communicating with Bowden cable.

[0058] At the same time, embodiments of the invention have the advantage that the changeover of the second magnetic element 1 between the magnetic fields can be perceived haptically and acoustically. This means that a user can clearly perceive a changeover process between the two fastening elements K1 and K2.

[0059] Simultaneously, the housing 3 also functions to adjust the length of the outer part of the Bowden cable, i.e., the sheath 4. This is advantageous in that it allows the lengths of the sheath 4 and the string 5 to be adjusted to each other. This function can be provided by the housing 3 having a plurality of grooves 8, one behind the other, on both sides in the longitudinal direction towards the communication means 7. In one of these grooves 8, for example, a metal ring or other securing ring 9 is inserted which fixes the end of the sheathing 10 (which may, for example, be pressed onto the sheath 4) of the communication means 7.

[0060] In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 it can be seen how the second magnetic element 1 is attracted by the respective ring magnet which forms the respective first magnetic element 2a or 2b. This allows the string 5 of the communication means 7 to be held in the respective desired position.

[0061] Supplementally, it should be noted that comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and one or a does not exclude a plurality. It should further be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to any of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as a limitation.