Folding carabiner

Abstract

In the field of hook technology, a foldable carabiner is provided. The carabiner includes a first hook ring (10) and a second hook ring (20) that can be folded into the first hook ring. The first and second hook rings can be integrally molded using an additive manufacturing process, and a connection (30) is formed between the first and second hook rings, allowing the first and second hook rings to rotatably open and close via the connection. The carabiner's two hook rings, in which the hook rings and the rotation axis are directly integrally molded using an additive manufacturing process, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing production costs.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of hook technology, and more particularly to folding carabiners. [Background technology]

[0002] With the popularity of outdoor activities and portable support equipment, products such as carabiners are gradually becoming more multifunctional. Existing alloy carabiners generally use a single-hook hanging design, with all weight supported by one hook, which relies on an independent metal pin or an assembled joint structure, making the manufacturing process complicated and preventing the realization of a complete, integrated molding.

[0003] In the course of attempting to additively manufacture carabiner structures using the FDM method, the applicant developed a folding carabiner with a one-piece molded pivot structure. This carabiner integrates the pivot and the upper and lower double hook ring force distribution structure. After unfolding, the upper and lower separated hook rings support the upper and lower edges of the table, respectively, achieving folding and load distribution without the need for metal pins. This carabiner structure can be manufactured using plastic materials such as PLA and PETG to ensure strength, and can also be manufactured using 3D printing additive manufacturing with various materials such as metal and ceramic, effectively solving the technical problem of traditional carabiner manufacturing being complex and unable to achieve a complete one-piece molding. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] In response to the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a foldable carabiner, which includes a first hook ring and a second hook ring foldable into the first hook ring; The first hook ring and the second hook ring are integrally molded, a connection portion is formed between the first hook ring and the second hook ring, and the first hook ring and the second hook ring are rotatably opened and closed via the connection portion.

[0005] Alternatively, in some technical solutions, the first hook ring has a substantially oval semi-closed structure, one end of the first hook ring is formed as a hook end, and a flange portion is formed protruding from the inner end of the hook end, which helps the first hook ring to be stably hooked on an object.

[0006] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the other end of the first hook ring is formed as an open end, and the second hook ring further includes a hanging portion and an extending portion, the hanging portion having an arc-shaped opening structure, the hanging portion being suitable for hanging an object, and the extending portion extending along the open end to seal the first hook ring.

[0007] Optionally, in some technical solutions, a locking portion is formed between the first hook ring and the second hook ring, and the first hook ring and the second hook ring can be rotated within the restriction provided by the locking portion.

[0008] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the locking portion includes a protruding tooth installed on the hook end and a locking groove installed on the extension portion, and the protruding tooth is locked in the locking groove to restrict the relative rotation between the first hook ring and the second hook ring.

[0009] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the extension part includes a first extension part and a second extension part that are integrally molded, and has a through groove between the first extension part and the hanging part, the through groove being suitable for a cable to enter the hanging part, the second extension part extends from the open end to the latch end and seals the first hook ring, and the locking groove is formed at the end of the second extension part.

[0010] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the connection portion includes a rotation axis formed on the first hook ring and an axis sleeve formed on the second hook ring, the axis sleeve being rotatably molded on the outer surface of the rotation axis, and the first hook ring restricting axial displacement of the axis sleeve on the rotation axis.

[0011] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the back surface of the second hook ring is formed with relief grooves on both sides of the shaft sleeve, the relief grooves are arc-shaped grooves, one end surface of the second extension part is formed as a relief surface, the relief surface presents a spherical transition, and the relief grooves and the relief surface are suitable for the second hook ring to rotate relative to the first hook ring.

[0012] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the minimum distance between the latch end and the open end is greater than the minimum distance between the latch end and the shaft sleeve; and / or The first hook ring and the second hook ring are integrally formed and manufactured using an additive manufacturing process.

[0013] Optionally, in some technical solutions, the protruding tooth presents a double M-shaped arcuate transition at the latch end, and the locking groove presents an M-shaped arcuate transition at the second extension portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0015] The present invention provides a foldable carabiner that includes a first hook ring and a second hook ring that can be folded into the first hook ring. The first and second hook rings can be integrally molded using an additive manufacturing process, and a connection is formed between the first and second hook rings, allowing the first and second hook rings to rotatably open and close via the connection. The carabiner's two hook rings, with the hook rings and the pivot directly molded integrally using an additive manufacturing process, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing manufacturing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the folding carabiner of the present invention in a folded state; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the folding carabiner of the present invention in an open state; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic exploded view of the folding carabiner of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a folding carabiner according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] To facilitate an understanding of the present invention, the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosed subject matter of the present invention.

[0018] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the present invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. Herein, the terms used in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, an embodiment of the present invention provides a foldable carabiner, including a first hook ring 10 and a second hook ring 20 that can be folded into the first hook ring 10. The first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 are integrally molded, forming a connection 30 between the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20, allowing the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 to rotatably open and close via the connection 30. The first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 of the carabiner are integrally molded using an additive manufacturing process, and the hook rings and the rotation axis 31 of the two hook rings are directly integrally molded using the additive manufacturing process, resulting in a simple manufacturing process and low manufacturing costs.

[0020] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 are integrally molded using PLA plastic by additive manufacturing (3D printing) using the FDM method. The first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 can be folded for storage, thereby reducing the volume occupied by the carabiner body. After folding, the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 are completely stacked on the same plane. More specifically, the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 directly form a connecting portion 30 during the integral molding process, and the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 can be rotatably opened and closed via the connecting portion 30, thereby achieving the purpose of folding and opening. When the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 are in an open state, the first hook ring 10 is used to hang from a table, cable, or rod-like object, or to hang from a gap in a rock wall to provide a lifting force, and the second hook ring 20 is used to hang a safety rope connected to a climber, or to directly hang an object to be held, such as a plastic bag or an item with a loop, to use the lifting force provided by the first hook ring 10. The lifting force of the first hook ring 10 is provided by the part of the first hook ring 10 that contacts the object to which it is hung, and when the first hook ring 10 is hung from a board such as a table, the contact position is the front end of the first hook ring 10, i.e., the front end of the first hook ring 10 can abut the top surface of the board, and the rear end can abut the underside of the board. When the first hook ring 10 is hung from a rod or cable, the contact position is the arc-shaped surface on the upper inside of the first hook ring 10. When the first hook ring 10 is used for mountain climbing, the first hook ring 10 is fastened into a gap in a rock wall, and the contact positions are simultaneously the front end and the upper inside of the first hook ring 10, and the rear end abuts against the rock wall.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , in this embodiment, the first hook ring 10 has a substantially elliptical semi-enclosed structure, one end of which is formed as a hooking end 11, and a flange portion 12 is formed protruding from the inner end of the hooking end 11, which helps the first hook ring 10 to be stably hooked to an object. Specifically, the outer contour of the first hook ring 10 has a substantially elliptical semi-enclosed structure, and the center is hollow, suitable for accommodating the second hook ring 20 after being folded. The upper portion of the first hook ring 10 is a hanging carrier, and the upper portion of the first hook ring 10 has a semi-circular arc structure, and the front end of the arc, i.e., the front end of the first hook ring 10, is formed as a hooking end 11, and the end face of the hooking end 11 may extend beyond the end point of the minor axis of the ellipse or may be flush with the surface. The lower portion of the first hook ring 10 can function as a support carrier, and the lower portion of the first hook ring 10 has a quarter-circular arc-shaped structure, with the end of the arc, i.e., the rear end of the first hook ring 10, forming an open end 13, the end face of which can extend beyond the end point of the major axis of the ellipse or be flush with the surface. The opening from the hook end 11 to the open end 13 of the first hook ring 10 serves as an opening for hanging the first hook ring 10 from an object, and the size of the opening can be specifically designed according to usage needs. For example, when the carabiner is to be hung on a rod-like object with a large outer diameter or a thick plate, the opening of the first hook ring 10 needs to be larger than the outer diameter of the rod-like object or the thickness of the plate so that the first hook ring 10 can smoothly enter and hang from the object. Preferably, in this embodiment, when the carabiner is hung on a rod-like object, to prevent the hook end 11 from coming off the rod-like object body and causing the hanging to fail, a flange portion 12 is formed on the inside of the end of the hook end 11, which is fastened to the bottom side of the rod-like object to form a larger enclosure, preventing the first hook ring 10 from easily coming off the rod-like object body. The flange portion 12 provides a holding force for the first hook ring 10, achieving the effect of more stably hanging the first hook ring 10 on the object.In some embodiments, in order to increase the contact friction force and more stably hook the first hook ring 10 onto an object, the flange portion 12 can be further fitted with an anti-slip sleeve (not shown), which is preferably a rubber sleeve or a silicone sleeve.

[0022] 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the connecting portion 30 includes a rotating shaft 31 formed on the first hook ring 10 and a shaft sleeve 32 formed on the second hook ring 20. The shaft sleeve 32 is rotatably molded on the outer surface of the rotating shaft 31, and the first hook ring 10 limits the axial displacement of the shaft sleeve 32 on the rotating shaft 31. Specifically, the rotating shaft 31 is formed as a cylindrical structure and is molded between the upper and lower ring portions of the first hook ring 10. The overall outer contour dimension of the first hook ring 10 is larger than the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 31, which is the same as machining the rotating shaft 31 on the main body of the first hook ring 10 by a cutting method. Therefore, the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 31 needs to be smaller than the dimension of the main body of the first hook ring 10. However, in this embodiment, the shaft 31 and the shaft sleeve 32 are directly formed by additive manufacturing (3D printing), which can effectively reduce costs. Directly forming the shaft 31 and the shaft sleeve 32 by cutting would be difficult, costly, and have large gaps, resulting in wobble. Furthermore, the shaft sleeve 32 is formed as a cylindrical structure. The shaft sleeve 32 is molded on the outer side of the middle of the upper and lower ring portions of the second hook ring 20, with the upper and lower end faces of the shaft sleeve 32 perforated. The shaft sleeve 32 is directly fitted to the shaft 31 during additive manufacturing (3D printing) and can rotate relative to the shaft 31. To prevent excessive vertical movement of the shaft sleeve 32 within the shaft 31 and achieve the effect of the first hook ring 10 limiting the axial displacement of the shaft sleeve 32 on the shaft 31, the inner diameter of the shaft sleeve 32 needs to be smaller than the size of the main body of the first hook ring 10.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1-2 , in this embodiment, a locking portion 40 is formed between the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20, and the rotation of the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 can be restricted by the locking portion 40. Specifically, the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 can be folded for easy storage. After folding, the locking portion 40 is formed between the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 to prevent the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 from accidentally opening. The locking portion 40 can lock the first hook ring 10 to prevent it from rotating relative to the second hook ring 20. That is, the locking portion 40 restricts the relative rotation of the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20, making storage and portability easier. When it is necessary to open it, the locking portion 40 is released by directly pressing the second hook ring 20, and the second hook ring 20 can then be opened and hung from an object.

[0024] 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the second hook ring 20 further includes a hanging portion 21 and an extending portion 22. The hanging portion 21 has an arc-shaped opening structure suitable for hanging an object, and the extending portion 22 extends along the open end 13 to seal the first hook ring 10. Specifically, the upper portion of the second hook ring 20 is the hanging portion 21, the lower portion is the extending portion 22, and the central portion is a linear connecting transition portion, with the shaft sleeve 32 located outside the transition portion. The hanging portion 21 has an arc-shaped opening structure suitable for a cable or object to be hung on and enter the hanging portion 21. The hanging portion 21 can be folded tightly against the inside of the upper portion of the first hook ring 10. The extension portion 22 has a double-layered arc-shaped structure, and the arc-shaped structure of the inner layer of the extension portion 22 can be folded tightly against the inside of the lower part of the first hook ring 10, and the arc-shaped structure of the outer layer of the extension portion 22 extends along the direction of the open end 13 and seals the first hook ring 10. Neither the arc-shaped structures of the inner nor outer layers of the extension portion 22 seals or reaches the hanging portion 21, and the locking portion 40 is molded on the arc-shaped end of the outer layer of the extension portion 22 and the hook end 11.

[0025] 2, in this embodiment, the locking portion 40 includes a protruding tooth 41 disposed on the hook end 11 and a locking groove 42 disposed on the extension portion 22, and the protruding tooth 41 is locked into the locking groove 42 to restrict the relative rotation of the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20. Specifically, in order to ensure stable folding of the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 and to prevent them from being actively released after folding, the protruding tooth 41 is formed on the back side of the hook end 11, and the locking groove 42 is formed on the inner side of the arc-shaped end of the outer layer of the extension portion 22, and the protruding tooth 41 and the locking groove 42 are connected in an overlapping manner, and when the protruding tooth 41 is locked into the locking groove 42, the rotation of the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20 is restricted. Preferably, in this embodiment, the protruding teeth 41 are arranged symmetrically, with a high and low double M-shaped arc transition, and the locking groove 42 also has an M-shaped arc transition. The protruding teeth 41 and the locking groove 42 with their arc transitions can achieve a smoother state during engagement and disengagement. The double M-shaped composite locking structure can form a double locking and positioning mechanism for engagement in both the folded position and the unfolded position, which greatly improves the operational error tolerance during opening and closing, prevents incorrect opening and closing, and ensures stability and reliability in daily use.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the extension portion 22 includes a first extension portion 221 and a second extension portion 222 that are integrally molded, and has a through groove 25 between the first extension portion 221 and the hanging portion 21, which is suitable for the cable to enter the hanging portion 21; the second extension portion 222 extends from the open end 13 to the latch end 11 and seals the first hook ring 10; and the locking groove 42 is formed at the end of the second extension portion 222. Specifically, the arc-shaped inner layer of the extension 22 is the first extension 221, and the arc-shaped outer layer of the extension 22 is the second extension 222. The first extension 221 extends toward the hanging part 21 but does not seal the second hook ring 20. The terminal end of the first extension 221 forms a through-groove 25 with the outer back surface of the hanging part 21, which is suitable for a cable to enter the hanging part 21 for connecting a safety rope when climbing. The second extension 222 extends from the open end 13 of the first hook ring 10 toward the hook end 11, sealing the first hook ring 10. The locking groove 42 is formed at the terminal end of the second extension 222. When folded, the second extension 222 joins with the hook end 11 to form a whole, improving the appearance and quality of the product.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the back surface of the second hook ring 20 has clearance grooves 23 formed on both sides of the shaft sleeve 32, and the clearance grooves 23 are arc-shaped grooves. One end face of the second extension portion 222 is formed as a clearance surface 24, and the clearance surface 24 has a spherical transition. The clearance grooves 23 and the clearance surface 24 are suitable for the second hook ring 20 to rotate relative to the first hook ring 10. Specifically, to avoid interference when folding the first hook ring 10 and the second hook ring 20, which would make opening and closing difficult, the back surface of the second hook ring 20 is formed with relief grooves 23 on both sides of the shaft sleeve 32. The relief grooves 23 are arc-shaped grooves, and the starting end face of the second extension portion 222 is formed as relief surfaces 24, which have a spherical transition. The relief grooves 23 and relief surfaces 24 are suitable for the second hook ring 20 to rotate more smoothly without interference with the first hook ring 10, improving convenience in daily use. Note that in some embodiments, the relief grooves 23 can be replaced with arc-shaped edges formed on the body of the first hook ring 10, and the relief surfaces 24 can also be located on the end face of the open end 13 of the first hook ring 10.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the minimum distance between the latching end 11 and the open end 13 is greater than the minimum distance between the latching end 11 and the shaft sleeve 32. Specifically, to ensure the carabiner's effective application and accommodate a wider range of applications, the minimum distance between the latching end 11 and the open end 13 is greater than the minimum distance between the latching end 11 and the shaft sleeve 32. In other words, in the open state, the distance between the latching end 11 and the open end 13 is greater than the distance between the latching end 11 and the shaft sleeve 32. This allows the carabiner's opening to be designed larger, allowing the carabiner to be hooked onto a rod-shaped object with a larger outer diameter or a thicker plate, ensuring the carabiner's effective application and expanding its application scenarios.

[0029] The folding carabiner of the present invention has substantial improvements in stability, anti-drop performance, adaptable range, ease of operation, and manufacturing consistency, and has excellent practical value.

[0030] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any manner, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combinations of these technical features, they should all be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0031] The above examples merely illustrate some embodiments of the present invention, and although the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and all of these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be governed by the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1st hook ring 10 Latch end 11 Flange part 12 open end 13 2nd hook ring 20 Hanging part 21 Extension part 22 1st extension part 221 2nd extension part 222 Relief groove 23 Flank 24 Through groove 25 Connection 30 Rotation axis 31 Shaft sleeve 32 Locking part 40 Protruding teeth 41 Locking groove 42

Claims

1. A foldable carabiner including a first hook ring and a second hook ring foldable within the first hook ring; A folding carabiner characterized in that the first hook ring and the second hook ring are manufactured as a single unit, a connection portion is formed between the first hook ring and the second hook ring, and the first hook ring and the second hook ring are rotatably opened and closed via the connection portion.

2. 2. The folding carabiner of claim 1, wherein the first hook ring has a substantially elliptical semi-closed structure, one end of the first hook ring is formed as a hook end, and a flange portion is formed on the inner side of the end of the hook end to protrude, and the flange portion helps the first hook ring to be stably hooked to an object.

3. 3. The folding carabiner of claim 2, wherein the other end of the first hook ring is formed as an open end, the second hook ring further includes a hanging portion and an extending portion, the hanging portion having an arc-shaped opening structure, the hanging portion being suitable for hanging an object, and the extending portion extending along the open end and sealing the first hook ring.

4. 4. The folding carabiner according to claim 3, wherein a locking portion is formed between the first hook ring and the second hook ring, and rotation of the first hook ring and the second hook ring can be restricted by the locking portion.

5. 5. The folding carabiner of claim 4, wherein the locking portion includes a protruding tooth provided on the hook end and a locking groove provided on the extension portion, and the protruding tooth is locked in the locking groove to limit relative rotation between the first hook ring and the second hook ring.

6. 6. The folding carabiner of claim 5, wherein the extension portion includes a first extension portion and a second extension portion that are integrally molded, and a through groove is provided between the first extension portion and the hanging portion, the through groove being suitable for a cable to enter the hanging portion, the second extension portion extends from the open end to the latch end and encloses the first hook ring, and the locking groove is formed at an end of the second extension portion.

7. 7. The folding carabiner of claim 6, wherein the connection portion includes a pivot shaft formed on the first hook ring and a shaft sleeve formed on the second hook ring, the shaft sleeve being rotatably molded to the outer surface of the pivot shaft, and the first hook ring limits axial displacement of the shaft sleeve on the pivot shaft.

8. 8. The folding carabiner of claim 7, wherein the back surface of the second hook ring has recessed grooves formed on both sides of the shaft sleeve, the recessed grooves being arcuate grooves, one end surface of the second extension portion being formed as a recessed surface, the recessed surface presenting a spherical transition, the recessed grooves and the recessed surface being suitable for the second hook ring to rotate relative to the first hook ring.

9. The minimum distance between the latch end and the open end is greater than the minimum distance between the latch end and the shaft sleeve; and / or 9. The folding carabiner according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the first hook ring and the second hook ring are integrally formed and manufactured using an additive manufacturing process.

10. The folding carabiner according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the protruding tooth presents a double M-shaped arc-shaped transition at the latch end, and the locking groove presents an M-shaped arc-shaped transition at the second extension portion.

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