Gear Loop with Foldable End Member for Climbing Harness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear loops for climbing harnesses are complex, costly to manufacture, and heavy due to solid seams, and lack durability and ease of assembly, particularly when encountering tight quarters or abrasive surfaces during climbing activities.
Innovation Solution
A gear loop design featuring a U-shaped body made of UV stable plastic with end members molded from thermoplastic elastomer, allowing the loop to fold back and reduce wear, and a flat slotted end member for secure attachment to the belt, enhancing durability and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fractionally strapped gear loops are used with solid seams to ensure high individual strength, then the strength and reliability are improved, but the weight and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fractional straps into a single continuous loop structure, eliminating the need for multiple separate straps and their corresponding solid seams. This merging reduces the overall weight while maintaining the necessary strength through the continuous loop design that distributes load across the entire structure rather than concentrating it in individual seams.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the heavy solid seams from the gear loop construction. By removing the need for extremely solid seams on multiple individual straps, the design reduces weight while maintaining reliability through the continuous loop architecture that inherently distributes stress without requiring reinforced seam points.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple pieces of cloth are sewn onto the belt to form gear loops, then the gear loops can be formed, but the manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate cloth pieces and sewing operations into a single continuous loop component. This single loop is designed to be attached to the belt as one unified piece rather than assembling multiple separate straps, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and assembly steps while maintaining the necessary gear loop functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous loop design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it forms the gear loop structure, provides attachment points for equipment, and distributes mechanical loads. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes.
3Strength
If gear loops are made rigid to provide structural support, then the strength is improved, but the ability to fold back in tight quarters is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the gear loop with dynamic characteristics that allow it to adapt between rigid and flexible states. The continuous loop structure provides structural strength when needed while naturally folding and bending in tight spaces due to its continuous, unbroken architecture. The loop can maintain its shape under load yet flex when compressed, providing both strength and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes changes in the physical parameters of the loop material and structure to achieve both rigidity and flexibility. The continuous loop design allows the material to exhibit different mechanical properties depending on the applied force and configuration, being rigid when supporting equipment weight but flexible when needing to fold in tight quarters or against rocks.
4Ease of manufacture
If gear loops are made from traditional materials and construction methods, then the manufacturing is familiar, but the durability against abrasion and wear is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction methods combining the continuous loop structure with strategic reinforcement elements. The main body uses durable material suitable for abrasion resistance, while specific high-wear areas incorporate reinforced sections or protective coatings. This composite approach maintains manufacturing feasibility while significantly improving durability against abrasion and wear compared to traditional uniform construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates protective features in advance of wear occurring, such as reinforced sections positioned at anticipated high-wear locations and a continuous loop design that distributes stress to prevent premature failure. This beforehand cushioning approach ensures extended durability by preemptively addressing wear and stress concentration issues that would otherwise reduce the gear loop's service life.
Data Source
AI summary
A gear loop for use in a climbing harness or any other recreational or commercial harness or belt and generally comprises a U shaped body, wherein the body is made of a first predetermined material. The gear loop body also has a first end and a second end. The gear loop further comprises an end member attached to the first end and the second end of the body. The end member is made of a second predetermined material. The end member is formed, such that it allows the gear loop to fold in a predetermined direction with relation to a harness.