Rope Shackle Structure Without Buttons for Secure Load Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional metal shackles used for lifting, rigging, and towing are heavy, bulky, and difficult to manually handle, posing safety concerns and storage challenges, while soft shackles with buttons are prone to rope damage and accidental disengagement.

Innovation Solution

A shackle design featuring a flexible elongate member made of rope, formed into a continuous endless circuit with three sequentially adjacent noose portions, allowing for proportional tightening or loosening of end noose portions when the intermediate noose portion is contracted or extended.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If metal shackles are used to ensure strength for heavy loads, then the strength is improved, but the weight and bulkiness increase making them difficult to handle and store

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies this principle by replacing the traditional rigid metal shackle structure with a flexible rope-based construction. The rope is formed into a continuous endless circuit with noose portions that provide the necessary coupling function while being lightweight and flexible. This flexible construction dramatically reduces weight and bulkiness while maintaining adequate strength for the intended applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If metal shackles are used to ensure strength for heavy loads, then the strength is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates requiring multiple persons and additional equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible rope construction allows the shackle to be easily manipulated, folded, and deployed by a single person. The rope's flexibility enables simple handling operations compared to rigid metal shackles that require mechanical aids or multiple workers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by creating a flexible, adaptable structure that can be easily configured and reconfigured. The rope-based shackle can dynamically adjust to different loading conditions and be quickly deployed or stored, improving operational ease compared to static metal structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Weight of moving object

If soft shackles with button are used to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to rope damage and accidental disengagement

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveweightVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the rope into a continuous endless circuit without separate button components. This integration eliminates the interface between button and rope that causes disengagement issues. The continuous construction ensures that the load path is unbroken and eliminates accidental opening risks associated with button-type soft shackles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a button that attaches to the rope (as in conventional soft shackles), the patent inverts the approach by forming the rope itself into the coupling structure with noose portions. This reversal eliminates the button component entirely and uses the rope's own continuity to provide secure coupling, preventing both rope damage and disengagement issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Strength

If metal shackles are used to ensure strength, then the strength is improved, but the safety deteriorates due to stored energy release and projectile formation when breaking

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible rope construction inherently dissipates energy through deformation and stretching rather than storing elastic energy like rigid metal. When the rope reaches its load limit, it fails gradually through fiber breakdown rather than catastrophic snap, eliminating projectile formation and sudden energy release that endanger personnel and equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 shackle provides a lightweight, compact, and safe solution for handling heavy loads, as it can be easily deployed and stored by a single person, and reduces the risk of accidental disengagement or damage.

Implementation Method 1

Soft shackles are known... However, such button shackles come with several disadvantages... the rope to be damaged or otherwise needing replacement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12203529B2Shackle

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 RIGGING CONCEPTS LTD

AI summary

The present invention relates to a shackle. The shackle comprises a shackle body for use with a shackle pin. The shackle body comprises a flexible elongate member comprising at least one length of rope circuitously formed so that the flexible elongate member passes through itself and defines three sequentially adjacent noose portions. Three sequentially adjacent noose portions comprise an intermediate noose portion and two end noose portions at opposing ends of the shackle body.