Pulley Block Cable Retention and Anti-Overturn Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pulley blocks for zip-lines face safety issues due to accidental carabiner detachment and difficulty in restoring the pulley block to its proper operative position after cable disengagement, with additional safety components requiring complex processing and frequent checks.
Innovation Solution
A pulley block design featuring a rotatable closure arm that secures the support cable, an auxiliary seat to manage user loads and prevent interference, and elastic means to maintain the closure position, ensuring the pulley block remains securely engaged with the cable and can spontaneously return to its correct position if overturned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional safety parts (safety ropes, threaded connecting means) are added to prevent carabiner detachment, then safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the carabiner directly into the main structure as an integral component rather than a separate removable part. The carabiner body is formed as one piece with the main structure, eliminating the need for separate safety ropes, threaded connections, or additional fastening mechanisms. This merging of components maintains safety while reducing device complexity and the number of parts that require assembly and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the removable carabiner component entirely from the system and replaces it with an integrated carabiner structure. By extracting the removable carabiner and its associated fastening mechanisms (safety ropes, screws, threaded connections), the design eliminates the complexity of assembling and disassembling multiple safety components while maintaining the essential safety function.
2Ease of operation
If removable carabiner is used to connect pulley block to harness, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of accidental detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The carabiner is merged with the main structure as an integral, non-removable component. This eliminates the risk of accidental detachment that plagues removable carabiners while maintaining the connection function. The integrated design ensures the carabiner cannot separate from the main structure, providing reliable safety without requiring additional fastening mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If pulley block design allows easy cable insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability worsens due to risk of cable disengagement
Solution Approach 1:
The cable retention system is segmented into distinct functional zones: an opening position for easy cable insertion/withdrawal, and a closed position for secure cable retention. The closure arm acts as a gate that can be opened to allow cable access and then closed to prevent accidental disengagement. This segmentation allows the system to provide both ease of operation and reliability through position-dependent functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure arm is designed to be movable between opening and closed positions, transitioning the cable seat from an open state (allowing cable insertion) to a closed state (preventing cable disengagement). This dynamic element enables the system to adapt its functionality based on operational needs, providing ease of cable insertion when opened and safety when closed.
4Reliability
If means are provided to prevent pulley block overturning, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary seat is positioned to create a counterbalancing effect that prevents pulley block overturning. By placing the auxiliary seat (which supports the user's harness) at a specific location on the main structure, the design creates a stable weight distribution that naturally prevents the pulley block from rotating or overturning on the cable, eliminating the need for additional anti-overturning mechanisms.
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
Enhances safety by preventing accidental cable disengagement and facilitating easy cable insertion, while reducing the risk of parts detachment and simplifying maintenance, as the pulley block automatically re-engages the cable and maintains a secure configuration.
Implementation Method 1
elastic means acting between the support body and the closure arm, so as to urge the closure arm towards the closure position
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a pulley block for the movement and/or aerial transport of a body along a support cable, particularly intended to be used on "zip-lines", which reduces the risk of an accidental detachment of parts supporting the body to be transported, thanks to an auxiliary seat (7) which is distinct from the cable seat (3).