Spring-Actuated Rope Ascender with Automatic Karabiner Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety ascenders require manual action to trigger blocking, which can be delayed or insufficient in case of a fall, and are inefficient due to the need for specific manual actions or rope diameter-dependent designs.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped clamp with a mobile control part biased by a spring to automatically position the karabiner for pre-blocking during ascent and ensure immediate blocking in case of a fall, featuring a compression or torsion spring and a swiveling control part with lateral extensions to guide the karabiner and a gripper for controlled descent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual action is required to trigger blocking by pulling the karabiner downwards, then the ascender can be held against the rope, but blocking is delayed or insufficient in case of a fall and user safety is not automatic
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is pre-loaded to automatically push the karabiner against the rope during normal ascent, creating a preliminary blocking action that is ready to engage immediately if a fall occurs. This eliminates the need for manual triggering while ensuring continuous safety monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The ascender uses the user's own weight and the spring mechanism to automatically trigger blocking without requiring external manual intervention. The system monitors fall conditions and activates blocking autonomously based on the rope's interaction with the arresting surface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the clamp is designed with a spiked arresting surface that swivels elastically according to rope diameter, then it can adapt to different rope sizes, but the karabiner loses efficiency when ascending and no means are provided to make the ascender slide downwards
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp is divided into separate functional components: the U-shaped clamp body, the mobile control part with spring, and the arresting surface with spikes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the clamp adapts to rope diameter while the spring-driven karabiner maintains ascension efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control part is made mobile and swivels on a pin, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position based on rope diameter while maintaining the blocking function. The spring provides dynamic force adjustment to ensure efficient ascension across different rope sizes without sacrificing blocking reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the spring is calibrated to make the rope touch the spikes slightly during ascent, then pre-blocking is achieved without hindering ascension, but the pressure exerted during normal ascent is considerably lower than during blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The spring applies a preliminary force during normal ascent that creates slight contact between the rope and spikes, preventing full engagement of the blocking mechanism. This preliminary action maintains ascension smoothness while preparing the system for immediate full blocking force if a fall occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the force parameter dynamically based on operational state. During normal ascent, the spring maintains low pressure for smooth movement. Upon detecting a fall condition, the mechanism transitions to a high-force blocking state where the karabiner engages fully against the rope.
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 solution provides automatic and immediate rope blocking without manual action, ensuring user safety and efficient ascension, while allowing controlled descent movements.
Implementation Method 1
a mobile control part (24) biased by a spring (30) to an active actuation position of the karabiner (19) along the ramp
Implementation Method 2
the spring used for pre-blocking is a compression spring fitted between a stud of the clamp and a curved nose of the control part
Implementation Method 3
It can also be replaced by a torsion spring fitted on the swivel-pin of the control part
Data Source
AI summary
Ascender for ascending on a rope, comprising a U-shaped clamp equipped with two lateral wings delineating an internal space for passage of the rope, and with an arresting surface with spikes against which the rope is blocked in case of a fall. The two wings are provided with two openings arranged facing one another and each having an edge in the form of an inclined ramp performing guiding of a karabiner passing through the two openings. The clamp comprises a mobile control part biased by a spring to an active actuation position of the karabiner along the ramp for the rope to come into contact against the arresting surface with spikes, so as to obtain a first ready-to-block state when ascending on the rope, and a second blocking state of the clamp on the rope in the event of a fall.