Attachment Thimble for Rope Shackle Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rope shackles face challenges in attaching securely to vehicles without causing stress and breakage, particularly due to limited attachment locations and the need for easy removal, which is not efficiently addressed by existing methods.
Innovation Solution
A metal attachment thimble with a tapered body and through-bore designed to receive a securement pin, allowing the rope shackle to be easily attached and removed from various vehicle structures, including trailer hitch receivers and D-ring mounts, reducing rope stress and providing additional attachment options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shackle pin is used to attach a rope shackle, then the attachment is secure, but it creates a tight bend in the rope causing stress and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
A thimble is introduced as an intermediary component between the shackle pin and the rope shackle. The thimble has a curved interior surface that guides the rope around a larger radius, preventing sharp bends while the shackle pin passes through the thimble's bore to secure the attachment. This mediator resolves the contradiction by maintaining attachment security through the pin-thimble connection while protecting rope strength by eliminating tight bends.
2Reliability
If traditional metal shackles are used, then attachment is secure and durable, but they are heavy and cumbersome to store
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the shackle from metal to rope, fundamentally altering the weight and storage characteristics. The rope shackle maintains sufficient strength for attachment purposes while being a fraction of the weight of metal shackles. The thimble component provides the necessary structural guidance, while the rope body delivers the weight reduction benefit.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rope shackles are attached to traditional D-ring mounting structures, then attachment is possible, but attachment locations are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The thimble is designed with a through-bore that accepts standard shackle pins, making it compatible with various mounting structures including but not limited to traditional D-rings. This universal interface allows the rope shackle system to be attached to multiple different vehicle structures (hitch receivers, bumper mounts, frame rails, etc.), greatly expanding attachment location options while maintaining a simple single-component attachment device.
Data Source
AI summary
An attachment thimble is disclosed for attaching a rope shackle to a vehicle for towing, pulling, or other tasks. In one embodiment, the attachment thimble has spaced apart flanges and a mid-portion with a diameter less than the dimensions of the flanges. A through-bore is formed through the thimble from one flange to the other flange. The thimble is sized to be slid into a hitch receiver or disposed between mounting dogs of a D-ring mount. In one application, a rope shackle is formed into a loop by pressing the knot on one end of the shackle through the eyelet on the other end. The thimble is then disposed in the loop and the knot, eyelet, and thimble are slid into the hitch receiver of a vehicle until its through-bore aligns with holes in the receiver. A securement pin is then slid through the receiver and through the thimble to secure the rope shackle to the hitch receiver for use.