Dynamic climbing rope

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a dynamic climbing rope C2 comprising a core A2 made of different elastic monofilaments and a sheath comprising a set of sheath yarns braided around the core A2. The set of braided sheath yarns includes at least one protective sheath yarn G21, G22, G23 comprising an elastic yarn G210, G220, G230 and at least one protective yarn G211, G221, G222, G231, G232 covering the elastic yarn 210, G220, G230. The protective yarn G211, G221, G222, G231, G232 is made of a material with a resistance characteristic among: cut resistance, abrasion resistance, heat resistance, greater than the material of each elastic monofilament of the elastic yarn, and covers at least 20% of the elastic yarn.

Description

DOMAINE TECHNIQUE DE L'INVENTION

[0001] The technical field of the invention is that of dynamic climbing ropes.

[0002] The present invention relates to a dynamic climbing rope and in particular to its sheath. ARRIERE-PLAN TECHNOLOGIQUE DE L'INVENTION

[0003] Dynamic and static climbing ropes are known. Climbing ropes are used as safety ropes in rock climbing, rescue operations, military exercises, caving, search and rescue uses, boating, camping, etc.

[0004] Dynamic climbing ropes have the advantage, unlike static ropes, of having a more or less high elasticity, which will allow the climber to cushion the fall. Indeed, it is necessary to cushion the fall since the attachment of a climber's harness can be at a height (distance d) greater than the anchor point of the rope, implying a fall height (corresponding to twice the distance d) before the dynamic rope can cushion the user's fall thanks to its elasticity. The dynamic ropes used in climbing and mountaineering meet an EN892 standard which presents resistance requirements for dynamic forces.

[0005] Climbing ropes often bear loads during use and can be inadvertently damaged during use. The dynamic rope includes a protective sheath, to protect the rope core, which includes elastic threads.

[0006] For example, in the event of a fall, the protective sheath may rub against a support point, such as a rock or an anchor point, to protect the rope core. However, the sheath may deteriorate, and the damaged rope may be dangerous to use and / or have reduced load-bearing capacities. Damaged ropes with deteriorated sheaths must be replaced. However, replacing damaged ropes can be costly and time-consuming. In addition, failure to inspect ropes can lead to accidents resulting in serious injuries or even death.

[0007] In the case of static or moving support on a protruding part of a rock, friction can be sharp and cause damage by cutting one or more sheath threads, or even the core of the rope in the worst cases. Friction can also be abrasive, causing damage by tearing or fraying of one or more sheath threads.

[0008] Furthermore, during a fall, the moving rope causes friction between the sheath and a support of the rope which will cause the support to heat up, the temperature of which risks modifying the characteristics of the sheath wires sliding against the support. This then leads to deterioration by modification of the mechanical characteristics including elasticity, cutting and abrasiveness, of the rope wires, resulting in a reduction in the life of the rope, or worse, the rope breaking.

[0009] Additionally, when climbing, even without the user falling, the sheath will rub against walls that may have protruding parts, causing abrasion and shearing. A wall exposed to the sun can also burn and change the characteristics of the sheath.

[0010] Mechanical devices are known to address the technical problem of preventing wear of the sheath wires by friction against a rock, for example a protective sleeve around the sheath to protect it as described in US 20210308529A1. However, such devices are heavy, require handling to position and require anticipation of the support area.

[0011] One solution to prevent rope breakage is to add a metal mesh between the sheath and the core to protect it in case of damage to the sheath. However, such a mesh is heavy and static, altering the elastic characteristics of the rope, preventing it from complying with the EN892 standard and thus classifying it as a static rope. Document US8978532 B2 describes a rope comprising a core made of a material with low abrasion resistance and a cut-resistant sheath made of a material with greater abrasion resistance.

[0012] Thus, there is a need to improve the protection of dynamic ropes against damage during use, or in the event of a fall. This protection must be provided without manipulation and lightweight.

[0013] The challenge is to design a much safer rope for use in climbing, mountaineering or other high-risk disciplines (rescue operations, military exercises, caving), by addressing the problem of resistance to cutting, and / or abrasion and / or heat. RESUME DE L'INVENTION

[0014] The invention provides a solution to the problems mentioned above, by making it possible to protect sheath wires.

[0015] One aspect of the invention relates to a dynamic climbing rope comprising: a core comprising at least one set of different assembled elastic monofilaments, a sheath surrounding the core, the sheath comprising a set of sheath threads braided around the core, characterized in that: the set of braided sheath threads comprises at least one protective sheath thread comprising: an elastic thread formed by at least one elastic monofilament, at least one protective thread covering the elastic thread by covering at least 20% of an external surface of the elastic thread, the protective thread having: a length greater than the length of the elastic thread, at least one resistance characteristic among: cutting, abrasion, heat, greater than the resistance of the elastic thread.

[0016] By virtue of the invention, at least one sheath wire has a protective wire covering the elastic wire, making it possible to protect the elastic wire of the sheath. Thus, in the event of rupture of all the elastic wires of the core and the sheath, the protective wire of each sheath wire can resist the damage that caused the rupture of the elastic wires. In addition, the at least 20% covering of the elastic wire, allows on the one hand the protective wire to extend in the event of elongation of the dynamic rope to reduce its influence on the elastic characteristics of the dynamic rope and on the other hand to sufficiently cover the elastic wire to limit its risk of cutting and / or fraying by abrasion and / or burning.

[0017] By protective thread covering the elastic thread, we mean that the protective thread is wrapped around the elastic thread. The covering allows to have a protective thread without significantly modifying the dynamic characteristics of the rope. Indeed, when the rope is stretched in the event of a fall, the protective thread wrapped around the elastic thread of the sheath will unfold like the stretching of a helical spring. It will therefore very little modify the dynamic characteristics of the rope compared to the same rope without a sheath thread including a covering by a protective thread around its elastic thread.

[0018] Elastic thread means an elastic thread of rope that allows it to stretch in its elastic zone (without entering the plastic zone) to lengthen the rope by at least 20% according to the drop test of standard EN892.

[0019] In addition to the characteristics which have just been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the dynamic climbing rope according to one aspect of the invention may have one or more additional characteristics among the following, considered individually or according to all technically possible combinations:

[0020] According to one embodiment, the protective wire has a higher cutting resistance than the elastic wire. The cases of dynamic rope breakage observed in the field are different from those against which the EN892 standard warns. The known cases of dynamic rope breakage occurred when it was cut on a sharp edge of a rock face. Cutting resistance is an important characteristic for dynamic rope although it is not regulated by the standard.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the protective thread has a higher abrasion resistance than the elastic thread.

[0022] According to one embodiment, in an unstressed state of the dynamic climbing rope, the protective wire comprises a wrapping pitch around the elastic wire of the sheath, the wrapping pitch allowing, in a stressed state under a tensile force of the dynamic climbing rope, an elongation of the protective sheath wire by increasing the wrapping pitch of the protective wire around the elastic wire up to a breaking stress of the elastic wire. This makes it possible to use, in the event of a fall, the entire range of elastic and even plastic deformation of the elastic wire of the sheath before the characteristics of the protective wire come into action to slow the fall.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the protective thread is static. By static is meant that the thread does not include sufficient elastic characteristics to meet the EN892 standard in the case where it is used without covering (for example by being braided with other elastic sheathing threads).

[0024] According to one embodiment, the protective wire covers more than 50% of the peripheral surface of the elastic wire of the sheath.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the set of braided sheath threads consists solely of protective sheath threads braided with each other. This provides protection over all of the sheath threads, thereby protecting the periphery of the sheath. Such a dynamic climbing rope has protective properties that significantly increase the lifespan of the dynamic rope.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the set of braided sheath threads is made up solely of protective sheath threads and elastic threads braided together, of which at least 50% of the sheath threads are protective sheath threads. This provides significant overall protection across all the sheath threads, thus largely protecting the periphery of the sheath. Such a dynamic climbing rope has protective properties that significantly increase the lifespan of the dynamic rope. This lifespan is, admittedly, lower than that of the previous embodiment, but its production is less expensive and less cumbersome due to the lower number of protective threads.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the material of the protective thread mainly comprises one component from among: polyester, high modulus polyethylene, aramids, liquid crystal polymers, PBOs.

[0028] According to one embodiment, at least one protective sheath wire comprises two protective wires wrapped around the elastic wire. This provides protection redundancy in the event of breakage of the protective wire.

[0029] According to an example of this embodiment, the first protective wire is wrapped in a direction of rotation opposite to the second protective wire. This allows for two protective wires with less twist on the protective sheath wire. Indeed, having a twist in one direction and a twist in the other direction allows for balancing the twist on the protective sheath wire.

[0030] According to one embodiment, each sheath wire comprises several elastic wires and at least one protective sheath wire.

[0031] According to one embodiment, each elastic yarn monofilament of the sheath is composed of 100% polyamide 6.

[0032] According to one embodiment, each elastic yarn monofilament of the core is composed of 100% polyamide 6.

[0033] In the case of a rope comprising the characteristics of the last two embodiments mentioned, the rope has the same elastic characteristics at the level of the core and the elastic threads of the sheath.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the core comprises several sets of different elastic monofilaments assembled together, each set thus formed constituting an elastic wick.

[0035] The invention and its various applications will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the accompanying figures. BREVE DESCRIPTION DES FIGURES

[0036] The figures are presented for information purposes only and in no way limit the invention. There figure 1A shows a schematic representation of a section of a rope according to an example of a first embodiment of the invention. The figure 1B shows a schematic representation of a section of a protective sheath wire of a sheath of the rope of the figure 1A . There figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a portion of climbing rope according to an example of a second embodiment. The figure 3a shows a schematic representation of an example of a protective sheath wire of the climbing rope of the figure 2 . There figure 3b shows a schematic diagram of wrapping an elastic thread with a protective thread to form a protective sheath thread for the figure 3a . There figure 4a shows a schematic representation of an example of a protective sheath wire of the climbing rope of the figure 2 . There figure 4b shows a schematic diagram of wrapping an elastic thread with a protective thread to form a protective sheath thread for the figure 4a . There figure 5a shows a schematic representation of an example of a protective sheath wire of the climbing rope of the figure 2 . There figure 5b shows a schematic representation of a cross-section of a protective sheath wire of the figure 5a . DESCRIPTION DETAILLEE

[0037] There figure 1A shows a schematic representation of a section of a dynamic climbing rope C1 according to an example of a first embodiment of the invention.

[0038] The dynamic climbing rope C1 comprises a core A1 comprising at least one set of different assembled elastic monofilaments A1010, here represented by points. In this case, the core A1 comprises in this example several cables A10 each comprising twists A100 twisted together, each comprising at least one strand A101 (between 2 and 7 strands). The strands A101 of a twist A100 are twisted together. In this case the core A1 comprises 8 cables A10 visible on the figure 1A , each comprising three twists A100 each comprising four twisted strands but they could also be braided together. Each strand A101 comprises a plurality of elastic monofilaments A1010. In this example each strand A101 comprises two hundred monofilaments A1010 composed of 100% polyamide 6. In other words, the core A1 comprises at least one set of different elastic monofilaments A1010 assembled. Here several groups of elastic monofilaments A1010 are assembled into several groups forming strands A101, which are assembled in groups to form twists A100 which are assembled in groups to form cables A10 of the core A1.

[0039] The dynamic climbing rope C1 further comprises a sheath G1 surrounding the core A1. The sheath G1 comprises a set of sheath yarns G10, G11 braided around the core A1. The set of sheath yarns G10, G11 comprises at least one protective sheath yarn G11. In this example of this embodiment, the set of sheath yarns G10, G11 comprises 50% protective sheath yarns G11 and 50% elastic sheath yarns G10. The sheath yarns G10, G11 may have the same diameter or a different diameter.

[0040] There figure 1B represents a cross-section of a G11 protective sheath wire.

[0041] The protective sheath yarn G11 comprises an elastic yarn G110 formed by at least one elastic monofilament G1102. The elastic yarn G110 comprises in this example strands G1101, (between one and six strands), in this case five strands G1101, each comprising elastic monofilaments G1102 twisted or braided together. According to another example, the elastic yarn is a monofilament for example made of elastane.

[0042] The protective sheath yarn G11 further comprises at least one protective yarn G111 covering the elastic yarn G110. The protective yarn G111 is therefore wound around the elastic yarn G110 and therefore has a length greater than that of the elastic yarn. The protective yarn G111 covers the elastic yarn according to a covering pitch; in this example, the pitch corresponds to the diameter of the protective yarn G111; in other words, the covering of the protective yarn G111 covers 100% of the elastic yarn G110.

[0043] The G111 protective thread comprises at least one protective monofilament such that the G111 protective thread has a resistance characteristic among: cutting, abrasion, heat, greater than the resistance of the G110 elastic thread. For example, the G111 protective thread is made from a material among polyester, high modulus polyethylene, aramids, liquid crystal polymers, PBOs. These materials make it possible to have resistance characteristics both to cutting, abrasion and heat greater than that of the PA6 monofilaments of the G1101 rovings of the G110 elastic thread. In this example, the G111 protective thread is made of high modulus polyethylene known by the acronym HMPE also called HPPE. In this case the protective thread has a count of 220 decitexs, comprising eighty twisted protective monofilaments, for example according to 80 turns per meter.Twisting makes wrapping easier, because when wrapping without twisting the filaments there is a risk of filament separations which cause thread breakage and lint in the machines. Such a protective thread has a cutting resistance characteristic superior to that of elastic threads comprising PA6 monofilaments of G1101 rovings of G110 elastic thread. Of course this protective thread is only one example among others.

[0044] Thus the protective sheath thread G11 comprises a protective surface corresponding to 100% of the periphery of the protective sheath thread G11 (100% coverage by the protective thread G111) against cutting. The sheath G1 comprising in this example, 50% of protective thread G111, approximately 50% of the external surface of the sheath G1 is protected against cutting (this depends on the differences in diameter between the elastic sheath thread G10 and the protective sheath thread G11). Indeed, the elastic sheath thread G10 can for example be identical to the elastic thread G110 or be different, for example by having an additional strand to have a diameter closer to the protective sheath thread G11. Such a percentage of protection of the sheath G1 makes it possible to protect the user in the event of support on a protruding part of a rock since the cut cannot reach the core A1 of the dynamic climbing rope C1.Of course, the G1 sheath may comprise only G11 protective sheath wires or fewer G11 protective sheath wires, for example a single wire.

[0045] Thus, when the dynamic climbing rope C1 is in an unstressed state (at rest), the protective wire G111 comprises a wrapping pitch (here corresponding to the diameter of the protective wire G111) around the elastic wire G110 of the sheath allowing the protective sheath wire G11 in a stressed state under a tensile force, to elongate by increasing the wrapping pitch of the protective wire G111 around the elastic wire G110 up to a breaking stress of the elastic wire G110. In the unstressed state the elastic wire G110 of the sheath G1 comprises an initial diameter and under stress a reduced diameter due to the elongation of the elastic wire G110. The wrapping of the protective wire G111 therefore also has the advantage of being able to deform by increasing its pitch while reducing friction with the elastic wire G110.

[0046] In this example, the protective sheath threads G11 are identical but could be different, in particular by having different sheathing pitches, different protective threads G11 as in the example of a dynamic climbing rope C2 of a second embodiment described below in relation to the figures 2 , 3a , 3b , 4a , 4b , 5a, 5B and 6.

[0047] The dynamic climbing rope C2 of this second embodiment is identical to the dynamic climbing rope C1 of the first embodiment except for the features described below. In particular, the core A2 of the dynamic climbing rope C2 may be identical to one of the examples of the core A1 described in the first embodiment.

[0048] There figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a portion of climbing rope C2, according to an example of a second embodiment, comprising a sheath G2 whose sheath threads comprise three different protective sheath threads G21, G22, G23. The sheath G2 comprises elastic sheath threads G20 which may be identical to the different examples of the elastic sheath threads G10 of the first embodiment and each elastic thread of the protective sheath threads G21, G22, G23 may also be identical to one of the examples of elastic thread G10 described previously.

[0049] The first G21 protective sheath wire is visible in figure 3a and includes a G210 elastic thread and a G211 protective thread wrapped around the G210 elastic thread. The figure 3b schematically represents a wrapping machine for wrapping the protective thread G211 around the elastic thread G210. The wrapping machine comprises a reel B210 comprising the elastic thread G210 which unwinds and a reel B211 comprising the protective thread G211 which unwinds surrounding the reel B211 around the elastic thread G210. The rotation of the reel B211 around the elastic thread G210 unwinds the protective thread G211 around the elastic thread G210 thus forming the wrapped protective sheath thread G21. In this example, the reel B211 rotates at a rotational speed around the elastic thread G210 forming between two turns a wrapping step of the protective thread G211 on the elastic thread G210, as seen in the figure 3a The pitch is approximately 1.2 times the diameter of the G211 protective wire. A B21 coil winds the G21 protective sheath wire by rotating on itself. The B21 coil then makes it possible to make the B2 sheath by braiding the G21 protective sheath wire around the A2 core with the two other G22, G23 protective sheath wires and the other G20 elastic sheath wires. The G211 protective wire is, in this example, more resistant to cutting than the G210 elastic wire but can also be more resistant to heat or abrasion than the G210 elastic wire.

[0050] The protective wires are shown wrapped on the elastic wire according to a principle diagram to differentiate the protective sheath wires G21, G22, G23.

[0051] For example, in the example of the second protective sheath wire G22 which is shown in the figure 4a , the elastic thread G220 is completely covered by two protective threads G221, G222. The second protective sheath thread G22 is therefore different from the first protective sheath thread G21 in that it comprises a double covering. The second protective sheath thread G22 therefore comprises the first protective thread G221 covered on an intermediate thread formed by the second protective thread G222 covered around the elastic thread G220.

[0052] In particular, the first protective thread G221 is wrapped on the intermediate thread in the opposite direction of rotation to the rotation of the wrapping of the second protective thread G221 on the elastic thread. In this example, the two protective threads G221, G222 are wrapped with the same (regular) pitch.

[0053] There figure 4b represents the principle diagram of the double wrapping according to this example. In this example, a reel B220 unwinds the elastic thread G220 and a first reel B222 comprising the second protective thread G222 rotates around this elastic thread G220 in a first direction of rotation for the wrapping around the elastic thread G220 forming an intermediate thread.

[0054] A second coil B221 comprises the first protective wire G221 which unwinds by rotating in the opposite direction of rotation around the intermediate wire forming the second protective sheath wire G22. The second coil B221 thus rotates in the opposite direction of rotation relative to the coil B222.

[0055] The first and second protective threads G221, G222 can be identical, for example made of high modulus polyethylene. In this case, the protective threads have a count of 220 decitex, comprising eighty twisted protective monofilaments, for example 80 turns per meter. Thus, they have better resistance to cutting and abrasion than the elastic thread G220.

[0056] According to another example not shown, the first thread and the second protective thread do not have the same resistance characteristics among cutting, abrasion, heat. For example the first protective thread is resistant to cutting and the second protective thread to abrasion, each having a resistance greater than the material of the elastic thread (in this case elastic monofilaments).

[0057] The third protective sheath wire G23, shown in the figure 5a , is different from the second protective sheath wire G22 in that the wrapping pitches correspond to the diameter of the corresponding protective wire G232, G233. A second protective wire G232 is wrapped by covering 100% with an elastic wire G230 and a first protective wire G231 is wrapped by covering 100% of the second protective wire G232.

[0058] There figure 5b represents a section of this third protective sheath yarn G23. The elastic yarn G230 comprises in this example three braided strands G2301; each strand G2301 comprises a plurality of monofilaments G2302, for example 200 monofilaments. In this example, each elastic strand G2301 comprises monofilaments composed of 100% polyamide 6.

[0059] In the various examples, the protective threads G211, G221, G222, G231, G232 may comprise wicks or only assembled, twisted or braided monofilaments, or even a single monofilament. Each protective thread G211, G221, G222, G231, G232 has a resistance characteristic among cutting, abrasion, heat, greater than the resistance of the material of each elastic monofilament of the elastic thread G110. The material of each protective thread G211, G221, G222, G231, G232 may be different, for example by mainly comprising one component among: polyester, high modulus polyethylene, aramids, liquid crystal polymers, PBOs.

[0060] In another example not shown, the sheath comprises only protective sheath wires; some, or all, are among the examples of protective sheath wires G11, G21, G22, G23 described in the two embodiments.

Claims

1. Dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2) including: a. a core (A1, A2) comprising at least one set of different elastic monofilaments (A1010) assembled, b. a sheath (G1, G2) surrounding the core (A1, A2), the sheath (G1, G2) comprising a set of sheath threads (G10, G11, G20, G21, G22, G23) braided around the core (A1, A2), characterized in that: c. the set of braided sheath threads (G10, G11, G20, G21, G22, G23) comprises at least one protective sheath (G11, G21, G22, G23) comprising: i. an elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230) formed by at least one elastic monofilament (G1102, G2302), ii. at least one protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232) wrapping the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230) by covering at least 20% of an external surface of the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230), the protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232)) having:

1. a length greater than the length of the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230), 2. at least one resistance characteristic among: cutting, abrasion, heat, greater than the resistance of the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230).

2. A dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2) according to claim 1, wherein the protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232) has a cutting resistance greater than that of the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230).

3. A dynamic climbing rope (C2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protective thread (G221, G222, G231, G232) has a higher abrasion resistance than that the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230).

4. A dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2) according to any preceding claim, wherein in an unstressed state of the dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2), the protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232) comprises a wrapping pitch around the elastic thread (G110, G210, G220, G230) of the sheath (G1, G2), the wrapping pitch allowing in a stressed state under a dynamic climbing tensile force, an elongation of the protective sheath wire (G11, G21, G22, G23) by increasing the wrapping pitch of the protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232) around the elastic wire (G110, G210, G220, G230) up to a stress elastic thread breakage (G110, G210, G220, G230).

5. A dynamic climbing rope according to any preceding claim, wherein set of braided sheath threads consists solely of protective sheath threads braided together.

6. Dynamic climbing rope (C1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the set of braided sheath threads (G10, G11) consists solely of protective sheath threads and elastic threads braided together, of which at least 50% of the sheath threads are protective sheath threads.

7. Dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the material of the protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232) mainly comprises one of 0the following components: polyester, high-modulus polyethylene, aramids, liquid crystal polymers, or PBO.

8. A dynamic climbing rope (C2) according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one protective sheath thread (G22, G23) comprises two protective threads wrapped around the elastic thread (G220, G230).

9. Dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each elastic yarn monofilament (G110, G210, G220, G230) of the sheath (G1, G2) is composed of 100% polyamide 6.

10. Dynamic climbing rope (C1, C2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protective thread (G111, G211, G221, G222, G231, G232) is static.

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