Breakaway Fall Arrest Connector With Energy-Absorbing Backup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety belts lack energy-absorbing capabilities and are prone to disengagement due to careless operation, leading to severe injuries during fall arrest, with no substitute protection in place.
Innovation Solution
A fall arrest connector featuring a retaining ring, buckle ring, and breakable connection that separates when subjected to a predetermined external force, connecting to an energy-absorbing package and providing double-locking protection to prevent disengagement, thereby absorbing arrest forces and offering instant protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If no energy absorbing device is connected between the user and the support, then the connector structure is simple, but the user is severely injured due to the arrest force generated during fall arrest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an energy-absorbing device (shock absorber) connected between the retaining ring and buckle ring that activates during fall arrest to cushion the arrest force. This device includes energy-absorbing elements that deform or dissipate energy to reduce the peak force transmitted to the user, providing beforehand cushioning against the harmful arrest force while maintaining a relatively simple overall connector structure.
2Ease of operation
If the conventional connector is easily disengaged from the wearable harness due to careless operation, then the ease of operation is high, but the reliability of protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the connector into two separate rings: a retaining ring that connects to the wearable harness and a buckle ring that connects to the safety belt, linked by a breakable connection. This segmentation allows each component to have optimized engagement and disengagement characteristics, with the retaining ring providing secure connection to the harness while the breakable connection ensures controlled separation under load, improving both ease of operation and reliability.
3Device complexity
If the conventional connector is disengaged due to careless operation, then the device complexity is low, but no substitute protection device could protect the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-arranges the breakable connection between the retaining ring and buckle ring at a predetermined location, and pre-connects the energy-absorbing device to both rings. When disengagement occurs due to careless operation, the breakable connection is designed to break at a specific point, automatically activating the energy-absorbing device as a substitute protection mechanism before the user can be injured, providing preliminary prepared protection without adding excessive complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The connector effectively reduces the risk of severe injury by absorbing fall arrest forces and preventing accidental disengagement, providing a safer and more reliable protection mechanism for users working at heights.
Implementation Method 1
When the retaining ring, the buckle ring, or a combination thereof is pulled by a predetermined external force, the breakable connection is broken to allow the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion to separate apart from each other
Implementation Method 2
the energy-absorbing package could absorb the arrest force immediately to prevent the user from being injured during fall arrest
Data Source
AI summary
A fall arrest connector is used to connect at least a safety belt with a snap hook and a wearable harness for a user to wear. The fall arrest connector includes a retaining ring, a buckle ring, and a breakable connection. The retaining ring, including the first connecting portion, is connected to the wearable harness. The buckle ring, including the second connecting portion, is hooked by the snap hook. The breakable connection connects the second connecting portion and the first connecting portion. When the retaining ring or the buckle ring is pulled by a predetermined external force, the breakable connection is broken to separate the first and the second connecting portion. The retaining ring and the buckle ring could respectively be connected to the substitute protection device, which could provide the user an instant protection when the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are separated.