Vertical Cable Shuttle Locking With Spiral Backup Braking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fall protection devices face challenges in providing consistent braking performance across varying cable diameters and ensuring reliable engagement without damaging the guide member or the user, with a risk of catastrophic failure if the braking lever malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A locking system featuring a rotatably mounted braking element with a logarithmic spiral structure that engages the guide member during a fall, providing a constant slope angle for gripping and featuring a biased center of gravity for stable engagement, along with a shock absorber for enhanced safety and a secondary braking feature to prevent accidental disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a braking lever is used to engage the guide member, then the device can provide fall protection, but there is a risk of catastrophic failure if the braking lever malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The braking system is divided into two independent segments: a primary braking lever and a secondary braking element. Each segment can independently engage the guide member to provide braking force. This segmentation ensures that if one segment fails, the other can still provide fall protection, thereby improving reliability without requiring a completely complex system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary braking element acts as a pre-positioned backup that automatically engages if the primary braking lever fails. This prior cushioning approach ensures that there is always a fallback mechanism in place before catastrophic failure can occur, enhancing the overall reliability of the fall protection system.
2Reliability
If the braking element engages the guide member during a fall, then braking force is applied, but the guide member may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The braking element is designed with a logarithmic spiral geometry that maintains a constant slope angle. This geometric parameter optimization allows the braking element to engage the guide member at optimal contact points, distributing the braking force evenly and preventing concentrated stress that could damage the guide member while maintaining effective braking performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction between the braking element and guide member, which could potentially cause damage, is optimized through the logarithmic spiral design to convert the harmful frictional force into beneficial gripping force. The constant slope angle ensures that the friction force is directed appropriately to provide braking without excessive wear or damage to the guide member.
3Strength
If the braking element is made of hard material like alloy steel, then it can provide strong braking force, but it may cause more wear on the guide member
Solution Approach 1:
The braking element is made of alloy steel or similar hard material only at the specific contact surfaces that engage the guide member, while other portions of the braking element can be made of less hard materials. This localized application of hard material provides the necessary braking force at the contact points without unnecessarily increasing wear on the guide member across the entire component interface.
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 system ensures consistent and reliable braking performance across different cable diameters, reduces the risk of guide member damage, and provides enhanced safety through independent secondary braking, preventing catastrophic failures and ensuring user safety during falls.
Implementation Method 1
The braking element having a logarithmic spiral structure configured to rotate into engagement with a guide member during a fall. The logarithmic spiral structure of the braking element defines a constant slope angle for gripping of the guide member.
Implementation Method 2
The locking system also includes a shock absorber fabricated along the braking lever. The shock absorber is configured to absorb shocks during a fall.
Implementation Method 3
The braking element having a logarithmic spiral structure configured to actuate, via a spring, and to rotate into engagement with the guide member during the fall.
Implementation Method 4
The braking element having a braking surface to provide contact surface area with the guide member during the fall. In some embodiments, the braking surface corresponds to an abrasive outer surface.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A
AI summary
A locking system for a vertical cable shuttle is disclosed. The locking system comprises a housing defining a guide path and slideably attached to a guide member. A braking lever configured to engage the guide member. The braking lever comprises a shock absorber fabricated along the braking lever and configured to absorb shocks during a fall. Further, a braking configured independent from the braking lever. The braking element is a logarithmic spiral structure configured to rotate into engagement with the guide member during the fall, and defines a constant slope angle for gripping of the guide member. The braking element having a braking surface to provide contact surface area with the guide member during the fall.