SAFETY DEVICE FOR CLIMBING AND SAFETY SYSTEM INCLUDING SUCH A DEVICE.

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety device (1) for climbing intended to be mounted on a climbing wall equipped with an automatic belay device, comprising a housing intended to be fixed at the base of the climbing wall, said housing comprising a lock movable by means of a manual actuation member, between an attachment position and a release position of a sling carabiner, thus forming a low anchor point for a sling end intended to attach to the user, a presence sensor for detecting the presence of the carabiner on the anchor point, a presence sensor for detecting the presence of a user in front of the housing,A radar to provide a three-dimensional point cloud corresponding to the user's positions on the climbing route, and a computer to analyze the data from the presence sensors and the radar and generate information and / or warning signals via colored LEDs. Figure for the abbreviation: [Fig 1]

Description

Title of the invention: SAFETY DEVICE FOR CLIMBING AND SYSTEM FOR SECURITY INCLUDING SUCH A DEVICE. technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the general technical field of sports equipment and in particular to equipment for practicing climbing and more specifically to equipment enabling the increase of the safety of athletes practicing climbing, in a sporting context or in a context of medical rehabilitation or health sport.

[0002] The invention relates to a safety device and a climbing system incorporating such a device, allowing athletes to avoid reducing the probability of users engaging on a climbing wall without being hooked.

[0003] The climbing system includes an automatic belay system for the climber. Such a belay system includes a motorized or non-motorized reel positioned at the end of the climbing route, generally at the top of the climbing wall, which winds the webbing to which the user is attached as they progress up the wall. The reel also locks the webbing in the event of a fall. Furthermore, for example, after prolonged tension on the webbing, the reel can unwind the webbing at a reduced speed to allow the user to descend to the ground.

[0004] In the present, the term "strap" should be understood in a broad sense, and can thus be replaced by the term "rope" or "line".

[0005] In the following, the term "user" or "carrier" or "climber" refers to a person secured by a strap, for example by means of a safety harness or a climbing harness, for the practice of sport climbing or for climbing sessions within the framework of a medical rehabilitation program.

[0006] The invention is suitable for all types of users, including people with disabilities (PSH) or reduced mobility and high-level athletes.

[0007] Constant efforts are being made to minimize the risks associated with the human factor in the practice of climbing, and in particular the risks associated with belaying errors or poor mastery of belaying techniques among beginners, which can sometimes be fatal. Previous technique

[0008] In climbing practice, it is known to use automatic belay devices. Such an automatic belay device is described, for example, in US patent 8,408,360 A1, which includes a webbing reel and sensors This system allows for the detection of a malfunction in the retractor and detects whether the user has detached the retractor strap from its lower anchor point on the climbing wall. The belay device described in this document, controlled by a processor, includes a sensor that detects the presence of the strap on its lower anchor point and a position sensor integrated into the wall at a specific height to detect when the user reaches that position. An alarm signal is generated by the processor based on the information read by the sensors.

[0009] Such a belay device, however, has drawbacks. Indeed, in the event of a belay failure, the alarm is only triggered once the climber reaches a certain height, which, in the event of a fall, even from a low height, can have serious consequences for the user. This is especially true when the user is elderly, disabled, or undergoing medical rehabilitation.

[0010] Furthermore, the device does not control whether, during a climber's descent, there is no one in the landing zone.

[0011] Furthermore, the position sensor is integrated into the wall, which can be technically complex to implement, particularly to ensure optimal communication with the processor and to protect it from repeated contact and impacts with users. These same sensors can be subject to masking if a resin plug or a wooden volume were to obscure the passage detection sensor, which would either render the system inoperative or cause it to malfunction permanently. Moreover, it is necessary to work at height to perform control and maintenance operations on the sensors.

[0012] In the event of a power failure or the end of life of a possible backup battery, these known devices cease to ensure their monitoring and therefore again give way to the aforementioned risks related to the human factor.

[0013] Finally, such a belaying device can easily be deceived by the attachment of another reel to its anchor point, located, for example, on the adjacent track. Presentation of the invention

[0014] The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a new safety device to reliably and simply detect a belaying failure in the practice of climbing.

[0015] The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a new safety device which renders the use of the reel inoperative in the event of a power failure of the monitoring device.

[0016] The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a security device that does not require sockets, and volumes made of wood or resin which could obscure the presence sensors.

[0017] The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a safety device which is capable of alerting a user who is under a climber in the process of descending in order to prevent the climber from falling on him.

[0018] The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by proposing a new security device which creates a unique identifying marker of the reel to which it is associated, thus preventing any fraud by the installation of a neighboring reel on its anchor point.

[0019] Another object of the invention aims to propose a new safety device to be integrated into an automatic belaying system for the practice of climbing.

[0020] The objects assigned to the invention are reached by means of a climbing safety device intended to be mounted on a climbing wall equipped with an automatic belay device, comprising a housing intended to be fixed at the base of the climbing wall, said housing comprising: - a movable lock, operated by a manual actuation device, between an engagement position and a release position of a webbing carabiner, thus forming a low anchor point for a webbing end intended to be attached to the user, said lock being lockable in its engagement position, - a presence sensor to detect the presence of the carabiner attached to the lock, - a proximity sensor to detect the presence of a user in front of the device, - a Doppler radar to provide a three-dimensional point cloud corresponding to the user's positions on the climbing route, and - a computer to analyze the data from the presence sensor, the proximity sensor and the Doppler radar and generate, via series of LEDs of different colors, information and / or warning light signals.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the housing comprises a basic structure having mounting elements for its attachment to the climbing wall via a rear face of said housing, said basic structure delimiting an anchoring opening accessible via a top face and a front face of said housing, the lock passing through said anchoring opening when it is in its hooked position.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the housing includes an electromagnet to lock the lock in its hooked position in the event of loss of electrical supply current, thus preventing the release of the carabiner with the manual actuation device.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the housing includes a torsion sensor located on the lock, to measure the presence and the tensile force exerted by the carabiner of the winder strap on the anchor point.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the housing includes a cover attached and fixed to the base structure to cover said base structure, the cover having a cutout whose shape corresponds to the shape of the anchoring opening and which is superimposed on said anchoring opening when the cover is attached to the base structure, to allow the carabiner to be engaged in said anchoring opening.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the cover has on a front face a set of openings defining a pattern illuminated by a first series of LEDs arranged in the housing and thus providing the user with at least one light signal of the operating status and availability of said housing and / or a visual warning signal, in the event of a failure to secure when the user engages in the climbing route.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the cover has on its upper face at least one additional opening, illuminated by a second series of LEDs of different colors, arranged in the housing and thus projecting onto the climbing wall at least one red warning light signal in case of failure to belay.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the housing includes a compartment with an access hatch, into which a power supply battery is inserted.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the case includes a storage compartment for a mobile phone, the cover having a shutter flap, lockable in the closed position of said storage compartment, when the absence of a carabiner in the anchoring opening is detected.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the housing includes a communication system based on WI-FI technology to exchange information and / or instructions with the computer and components of said housing and / or with a communication network external to the housing.

[0030] The objects assigned to the invention are also reached using a safety system, a climbing wall comprising one or more climbing routes and an automatic belaying device or system equipping each of the climbing routes, characterized in that it includes for the or each of the automatic belaying devices or systems, a safety device as presented above.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the automatic belaying device or system includes a reel, the speed of unwinding or the speed of descent of the strap during the descent of the user towards the ground is determined by a pad braking system or an electromagnetic braking system and is compared by the computer to a nominal speed, the increase in said speed of unwinding or descent being linked to the degradation and / or wear of the braking system and the control of this speed of unwinding or descent allowing to put in place a predictive maintenance procedure.

[0032] The safety device according to the invention has the enormous advantage of being able to equip all types of climbing walls associated with an automatic belay device. The safety device can thus be fitted to new walls from the moment of manufacture as well as to existing walls, without any structural modification being necessary to integrate sensors, and this with or without the presence of a power supply.

[0033] Thanks to the safety device according to the invention, a sporting activity such as climbing is made safer at relatively low costs. It is indeed possible to remotely and centrally monitor the belaying operations of a set of climbing routes.

[0034] Another advantage of the safety device according to the invention lies in its perfect compatibility with a motorized climbing assistance system, particularly for people with reduced mobility or disabilities.

[0035] The safety device also has the enormous advantage of alerting the user visually, simultaneously with the information received by the central monitoring station, to a belaying problem without an audible signal disturbing other climbers engaged on other climbing routes.

[0036] The safety device also advantageously provides data that will be used to implement predictive maintenance of automatic belaying devices, in particular reels.

[0037] The safety device also advantageously provides data which will be used to analyze the kinematics of the climber's movements during the climber's progression on his route.

[0038] Another advantage of the safety device according to the invention lies in its integration into a housing, which, once fixed to the wall at the base of the climbing route, constitutes a hold on which the user can lean.

[0039] The safety device according to the invention also advantageously replaces the flag currently used to attach the automatic reel. This flag is a consumable item that each climber steps on to access the climbing route. It therefore generates a significant volume of waste annually. Thanks to the safety device according to the invention, the flags can be eliminated in favor of a robust and permanent attachment point that generates no further waste. Brief description of the drawings

[0040] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which:

[0041] [Fig-1] is an exploded and perspective front view of an example embodiment of a safety device according to the invention,

[0042] [Fig.2] is an exploded and rear perspective view of the safety device of [Fig.1], and

[0043] [Fig.3] is a functional flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the safety device according to the invention. Description of the implementation methods

[0044] Structurally and functionally identical or similar elements, present on several distinct figures, are assigned the same numeric or alphanumeric reference.

[0045] Fig. 1 is an exploded and front perspective view of an example embodiment of a safety device 1 according to the invention and Fig. 2 is an exploded and rear perspective view of said safety device.

[0046] The safety device 1 is intended to be mounted on a climbing wall equipped with an automatic belay device. The safety device 1 comprises a housing 2 intended to be fixed at the base of the climbing wall.

[0047] The housing 2 includes a locking mechanism 3, for example a sliding pin, movable by means of a manual actuation member 4, for example a latch, between an engagement position and a release position of a webbing carabiner. The locking mechanism 3 thus forms a low anchor point for a webbing end intended to attach to the user when they are in an engagement position as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The locking mechanism 3 can be locked (blocked in the engagement position) in the event of a power failure by an electromagnet 3a, which prevents the release of the carabiner with the latch 4.

[0048] The housing 2 also includes a presence sensor to detect the presence of a carabiner attached to the lock 3. The presence sensor is, for example, a torsion sensor located on the lock 3 to measure the presence of the carabiner of the strap and the tensile force exerted by said carabiner of the strap on the lock 3 (anchor point).

[0049] The housing 2 also includes a proximity sensor 5 to detect the presence of a user in front of the housing 2.

[0050] The housing 2 also includes a Doppler radar 6 to detect the presence of one or more climbers above the housing 2. It also includes a torsion sensor located on the lock 3 (axis), allowing the tensile force exerted by the carabiner of the winder on the lock 3 constituting the anchor point to be measured.

[0051] The housing 2 advantageously includes a computer or microprocessor for analyzing the data from the presence sensors, proximity sensors 5 and the radar Doppler 6. The microprocessor is, for example, from the STM32, ESP32, or Raspberry Pi family. Based on the analysis results, the computer generates instructions and / or signals. These signals are, for example, informational and / or warning lights from LEDs of different colors.

[0052] The housing 2 advantageously comprises a basic structure 7 having mounting elements for its attachment to the climbing wall via a rear face 7a of said housing 2. The mounting elements include, for example, standard M10 screws for climbing as well as wood screws.

[0053] The basic structure 7 defines an anchoring opening 8 accessible via a top face and a front face of said housing 2. The width of the opening only slightly exceeds the width of standard carabiners on the market in order to prevent the carabiner from being detached by any means other than manipulating the locking lever (manual actuation element 4). Thus, when the locking electromagnet of the latch 3 is in the locked position (attachment position), the user cannot extract the carabiner housed in the anchoring opening 8.

[0054] The locking mechanism 3 passes through the anchor opening 8 when it is in its engaged position and thus locks the carabiner of the belay strap in its engaged position. Manipulating the actuating member 4 allows the locking mechanism 3 to be moved, so that its free end is then away from one edge of the anchor opening 8 when it is in its carabiner release position.

[0055] The housing 2 also includes a cover 9 attached and fixed to the base structure 7 to cover said base structure 7. The cover 9 has a cutout 10 whose shape corresponds to the shape of the anchoring opening 8 to allow the carabiner to be engaged in said anchoring opening 8. The shape of the cutout 10 is also provided to allow access to the manual actuation member 4.

[0056] The cover 9 has, on its front face 11, a set of openings defining a pattern 12, illuminated by a first series of LEDs 13 arranged in the housing 2 and more specifically on the base structure 7. The first series of LEDs 13 can thus provide the user with a visual signal indicating the operating status and availability of said housing 2. The first series of LEDs 13 can also provide the user with a warning signal in the event of a belay failure when the user begins climbing. The first series of LEDs 13 is, for example, integrated into a PMMA layer 13a.

[0057] The cover 9 has at least one additional opening 14 on its upper face, illuminated by a second set of LEDs 15 of different colors, arranged in the housing 2. The additional opening 14 is, for example, provided at the interface between the base structure 7 and the cover 9. The second set of LEDs 15 allows to project onto the climbing wall, on at least a portion of the climbing route, a red warning light signal in case of failure to belay or a green warning light signal authorizing the user to start their ascent.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the light signals are for example associated with sound signals from a siren 18 integrated into the housing 2.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the housing 2 includes a housing provided with an access hatch 16, into which a power supply battery 17 is inserted.

[0060] The housing 2 includes a communication system based on WLFI technology for exchanging information and / or instructions with the computer, components of said housing 2 and / or with a communication network external to the housing 2. The communication network external to the housing 2 allows in particular communication with a centralized control station of a climbing hall with several climbing routes and is positioned on the back of layer 13a in PMMA.

[0061] According to one embodiment, an audible alarm 18 of the alert siren type allows a safety alert audible to all persons located in the nearby area, including the climber who is the subject of the safety defect.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the housing 2 includes a storage compartment for a mobile phone and the cover 9 then includes a shutter flap that can be locked in the closed position of said storage compartment when the absence of a carabiner in the anchoring opening 8 is detected.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the computer determines, using the point cloud provided by the radar 5, an indirect measurement of the user's descent speed after reaching the top of the climbing route.

[0064] The invention also relates to a safety system for an automatic belay climbing wall equipping each of the climbing routes. Each of the automatic belay devices or systems advantageously comprises a device including, for example, one or more climbing routes and a dedicated safety device or system 1.

[0065] The automatic belaying device or system advantageously includes a reel, the speed of which of unwinding or descent of the strap during the descent of the user towards the ground, limited by a pad or electromagnetic braking system, is compared by the computer to a nominal speed.

[0066] An increase in said unwinding speed, which is linked to the degradation (wear) of the brake pads. Controlling this unwinding speed then allows for the implementation of a predictive maintenance procedure.

[0067] The safety device is used, for example, in conjunction with a safety harness and a motorized support and traction system. Such a motorized system can, for example, provide a pulling force in such a way as to reduce the effort required by the user when climbing a climbing wall.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the support and traction system is automated and includes a computer to determine traction assistance to be provided according to the traction effort provided by the user during his movements or also to propose a permanent balancing of all or part of the load suspended from it.

[0069] Fig. 3 is a functional flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the safety device 1.

[0070] The security device 1 operates in an environment sensitive to alert triggers 20, which is itself located in a network communication environment 30. An example of the operation of the security device 1 is thus schematically illustrated with box states EB0 to EB5, external actions AE1 to AE4 and logical questions Q1 to Q4.

[0071] The safety device 1 allows communication, for example via a Wi-Fi link, with an external station 40 to transmit operating parameters and data from sensors, for example the frequency of use of the route, the number of accidents avoided thanks to the device, the pulling force of the spiral spring which is in the winder, the state of wear of the winder braking system by measuring the descent speed of the climber and other information related to the use of the climbing hall.

[0072] Starting from a state of the housing in its initial state EB0, in which the first series of green LEDs flashes at a slow frequency close to the resting respiratory rate of a person. If no detection occurs for a specified period, the safety device 1 enters standby state EB2 (LEDs off). If movement is detected in front of the housing 2 by the proximity and / or motion sensor 6, following the logic question Q2, the housing 2 remains in its initial state EB0.

[0073] After an initialization corresponding to the EB1 state and a check of the peripherals of the housing 2 corresponding to the logical question Q3, the device is put into its home state EB0 after opening of the electromagnet which releases the mechanical use of the latch.

[0074] In the event of a technical problem, for example a sensor malfunction, corresponding to an external action AE1, the housing 2 is placed in a maintenance state EB3 and the electromagnet is released in order to mechanically lock the carriage. Resolving the problem following the logical question Q4 returns said housing 2 to its home state EB0. Otherwise, it remains in its maintenance state EB3.

[0075] If an unbelayed climber is detected on the route, corresponding to an external action AE2, the safety device 1 emits an alarm signal, including a rapid flashing of the second set of red LEDs 15 and, if applicable, also a rapid flashing of the first set of red LEDs 13. The emission of this alarm signal corresponds to the alert state EB4. The alarm signal may also include an audible alert. These alerts are advantageously transmitted to a climbing route control station and allow the user to be warned that they cannot begin their climb because their belay is not operational.

[0076] When the safety device 1 detects that the carabiner is removed from its anchor point in the housing 2 to be attached to the harness of the user in front of the housing 2, a situation corresponding to an external action AE3, the first series of LEDs 13 illuminates the pattern 12, for example in blue, with a slow flashing frequency, signifying that the lane corresponding to the dedicated housing 2 is occupied and that the belay is operational. This situation corresponds to the occupied state of the housing EB5.

[0077] When the carabiner is reattached to the lock 2 after the user has returned to the base of the climbing route, corresponding to an external action AE4, the safety device 1 (housing 2) returns to its home state EB0. In this home state, the shutter of the mobile phone compartment is advantageously unlocked automatically.

[0078] Advantageously, for each climbing route, the precise measurement of the tension of the spiral spring represents the equivalent of a unique identifying marker specific to each winder, like a unique identification code to be recognized by the housing 2.

[0079] It is evident that the present description is not limited to the explicitly described examples, but also includes other embodiments. Thus, a described technical feature may be replaced by an equivalent technical feature without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

Demands

1. A safety device (1) for climbing intended to be mounted on a climbing wall equipped with an automatic belay device, comprising a housing (2) intended to be fixed at the base of the climbing wall, said housing (2) comprising: - a lock (3) movable by means of a manual actuation member (4), between an attachment position and a release position of a sling carabiner, thus forming a low anchor point for a sling end intended to attach to the user, said lock (3) being lockable in its attachment position, - a presence sensor for detecting the presence of the carabiner attached to the lock (3), - a proximity sensor (5) for detecting the presence of a user in front of the housing (2), - a Doppler radar (6) for providing a three-dimensional point cloud corresponding to the user's positions on the climbing route,and - a computer to analyze the data from the presence sensor, the proximity sensor (5) and the Doppler radar (6) and to generate, via series of LEDs (13, 15) of different colors, information and / or warning light signals.

2. Safety device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (2) comprises a base structure (7) having mounting elements for its attachment to the climbing wall via a rear face (7a) of said housing (2), said base structure (7) delimiting an anchorage opening (8) accessible via a top face and a front face of said housing (2), the lock (3) passing through said anchorage opening (8) when it is in its hooked position.

3. Safety device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing (2) includes an electromagnet (3a) to lock the latch (3) in its latching position in the event of loss of electrical supply current, thus preventing the release of the carabiner with the manual actuation member (4).

4. Safety device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the housing (2) comprises a sensor torsion located on the lock (3), to measure the presence and the tensile force exerted by the carabiner of the winder strap on the anchor point.

5. Safety device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing (2) comprises a cover (9) attached and fixed to the base structure (7) covering said base structure (7), the cover (9) having a cutout (10) the shape of which corresponds to the shape of the anchoring opening (8) and which is superimposed on said anchoring opening (8) when the cover (9) is attached to the base structure (7), to allow the carabiner to be engaged in said anchoring opening (8).

6. Safety device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover (9) has on a front face (11) a set of openings defining a pattern (12), illuminated by a first series of LEDs (13) arranged in the housing (2) and thus providing the user with at least one light signal of operating status and availability of said housing (2) and / or a visual warning signal, in the event of a failure to secure when the user engages in the climbing route.

7. Safety device (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the cover (9) has on its upper face at least one additional opening (14), illuminated by a second series of LEDs (15) of different colors, arranged in the housing (2) and thus projecting onto the climbing wall at least one red warning light signal in case of failure to belay.

8. Safety device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing (2) has a housing provided with an access hatch (16), in which a power supply battery (17) is inserted.

9. Safety device (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the housing (2) has a storage compartment for a mobile phone, the cover (9) having a shutter flap, lockable in the closed position of said storage compartment, when the absence of a carabiner in the anchoring opening (8) is detected.

10. A security device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing (2) comprises a communication system based on Wi-Fi technology for exchanging information and / or instructions with the computer and components of said housing (2) and / or with a communication network external to the housing (2).

11. Safety system a climbing wall comprising one or more climbing routes and an automatic belay device or system equipping each of the climbing routes, characterized in that it comprises for the or each of the automatic belay devices or systems, a safety device (1) conforming to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. Safety system according to claim 11, characterized in that the automatic belay device or system comprises a retractor, the speed of unwinding or the speed of descent of the strap during the descent of the user towards the ground is determined by a pad braking system or an electromagnetic braking system and is compared by the computer to a nominal speed, the increase in said speed of unwinding or descent being linked to the degradation and / or wear of the braking system and the control of this speed of unwinding or descent allowing to put in place a predictive maintenance procedure.

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