CA3215524A1 - Handheld device fall arresting device - Google Patents

Abstract

A fall arresting device apparatus includes a tensioner pulley device, which has a housing and a reel-tensioned lanyard that is retractably extendible from the housing, a clamp coupled to the tensioner pulley device, the clamp including a lever handle for releasable attachment to a user's person or clothing; and an anchor structure, being coupled to the housing, and attachable to a handheld device of the user.

Description

Handheld Device Fall Arresting Device TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to handheld device accessories in general, and handheld device fall arresting device apparatus and methods in particular.
BACKGROUND

[0002] When phones or other handheld devices are stored inside of a user's pocket or otherwise worn on the user's person, phone users at times, accidentally or purposely, physically drop their phones which results in the phone coming into physical contact with the ground or other hard surfaces with force, which oftentimes results in physical damage, or loss of said phone. Further to this issue, there are many circumstances whereby a phone, which may be of considerable value to the user, may be stolen from an owner's pocket or hands.

[0003] As such, there exists a need for alternative devices or methods to durably secure the user's phone physically to their person such that said alternative device acts as a phone fall arresting device where if the user accidentally or purposely physically drops their phone from their pocket or wearable crevice located on user's person or hands, then the physically dropped phone will fall and will not impact the ground or will impact the ground or another hard surface with reduced fall speed and force, thereby eliminating or reducing physical damage or loss of said phone.

[0004] The present disclosure is directed to addressing the above-noted challenges. The examples provided in this section are not prior art of or to the present invention.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0005] In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fall arresting device apparatus, comprising a tensioner pulley device, including a housing, and a reel-tensioned lanyard having a first end that is retractably extendible from the housing; a clamp coupled to the tensioner pulley device, the clamp including a lever handle for releasable attachment to a user's person; and an anchor structure, being coupled to the housing, and attachable to a handheld device of the user.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05

[0006] It is to be understood that other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration.
As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all within the present invention.
Furthermore, the various embodiments described may be combined, mutatis mutandis, with other embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Referring to the drawings, several aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in detail in the figures, wherein:
a) Fig. lA is a schematic diagram of a fall arresting device apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus being attached to a user's waistband;
b) Fig. 1B is a view of a phone with an anchor plate attached.
c) Fig. 2A is a top plan view of a clamp of a fall arresting device apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
d) Fig. 2B is a side elevation view of the clamp of Fig. 2A;
e) Fig. 2C is a rear elevation view of the clamp of Fig. 2A;
f) Fig. 2D is an exploded top perspective view of the clamp of Fig. 2A;
g) Fig. 3A is a front view of a tensioner pulley device of a fall arresting device apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
h) Fig. 3B is a side view of the tensioner pulley device of Fig. 3A;
i) Fig. 3C is an exploded perspective view of the tensioner pulley device of Fig. 3A;
j) Fig. 4A is a front view of a fall arresting device apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
k) Fig. 4B is a side view of the fall arresting device apparatus of Fig. 4A;
and 1) Fig. 4C is an exploded perspective view of the fall arresting device apparatus of Fig. 4A.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments contemplated by the inventor. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a comprehensive understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

[0009] The phone fall arresting device may reduce the fall speed and momentum of a falling phone that has been physically dropped by the user, and this phone fall arresting device prevents or reduces the impact force of the physically dropped phone if and when the falling phone comes into physical contact with the ground or any other hard surface. The fall arresting device may be characterized as a holder and/or carrier for handheld articles. The fall arresting device may be useful while travelling or camping. The fall arresting device may include an automatic spring reel.
There is provided a phone fall arresting device apparatus, and related methods of use thereof.

[0010] A device which acts as a phone fall arresting device for a user's phone or other handheld device also addresses other problems for the phone user. This phone fall arresting device durably secures the phone to the user's person's clothing, backpack, purse, or other item that the user is wearing. Once the user's phone is secured by the phone fall arresting device, then the user has the ability to store said phone in any pocket or wearable crevice located securely on their person. If said phone is accidentally or purposely physically dropped by the user, then the phone fall arresting device with its spring-loaded tension capabilities, may reduce the fall speed and force of said falling phone thereby preventing or reducing phone damage, and said phone will remain physically attached to the user, thus avoiding physical loss, misplacement, or theft of said phone.

[0011] The phone fall arresting device also allows for the storage of the user's phone inside of the user's pocket or other wearable crevice located on the user's person. The phone fall arresting device also allows for quick physical deployment of the user's phone from the user's pocket or wearable crevice located on the user's person.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05

[0012] The phone fall arresting device also allows for the user's phone to physically suspend from the user's person when said phone is removed from the user's pocket or other wearable crevice located on the user's person, and if said phone is activated on speaker mode then said phone can be used hands free to verbally communicate with another person or phone if a voice phone call is activated by the user under appropriate conditions.

[0013] The phone fall arresting device may be usable by either right-handed or left-handed users.
The phone fall arresting device may include an ambidextrous design.

[0014] Also, with this phone fall arresting device, the user's phone may be physically attached in a durable manner to the user's person thereby reducing the physical misplacement or theft of said phone. Additional benefits may include quick deployment of the phone from the user's pocket or from wearable crevice for use, and the ability for the phone to be used in a "hands free" manner during voice communications with another person, ambidextrous design, and the phone may be storable inside of the user's pocket or other wearable crevice located on their person.

[0015] The present invention relates generally to a phone fall arresting device for phones or other handheld devices which may prevent or reduce damage, loss, misplacement, or theft of said phone.
The device may allow for added benefits such as quick deployment of the phone from the user's pocket or wearable crevice (located on user's person), the ability to use and operate the phone "hands free" during a phone call (when on "speaker mode" and is physically suspended from the phone fall arresting device outside of user's pocket or wearable crevice), may allow for ambidextrous use of said phone, and may be storable inside of the user's pocket or other wearable crevice.

[0016] The phone fall arresting device may include a tensioner pulley device where a mechanical automatic spring reel tensioned lanyard extends from or retracts into the tensioner pulley device housing, all of which attaches to the user's clothing or person via a clamp, and where the extended end of the lanyard is affixed physically to the user's phone via an anchor structure (e.g., an anchor plate) that may be, e.g., firmly affixed to the back side, bottom edge of the user's phone, or a phone case. In some embodiments, the anchor structure may be a phone case which firmly envelops the Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 phone.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the phone fall arresting device comprises a clamp located on the back side of the phone fall arresting device where the tensioner pulley device is located on the front side of the phone fall arresting device.

[0018] According to this embodiment, the clamp is included to secure or to remove the phone fall arresting device to or from the user's person and the clamp employs a two handed procedure when securing or removing the phone fall arresting device to or from the user's secure clothing article or adorned securely on the user's person. The clamp's "bite" area employs a saw tooth pattern (or other suitable pattern or design) and the clamp is located on the back side of the phone fall arresting device. The location of said clamp on the back side of the phone fall arresting device, the clamp's design, and the two handed procedure for attaching or removing the clamp from the user's person enables a durable attachment of the clamp to the user's person and prevents accidental removal of .. the phone fall arresting device from the user's person.

[0019] According to this embodiment, The clamp attaches to the user's clothing such as waistband, belt, pocket lining or other securely worn clothing article or adornment where the clamp side of the phone fall arresting device faces towards the user's body, where the clamp is affixed to the tensioner pulley device, and the clamp does not disengage from the user's clothing or person if the phone fall arresting device is pulled in any direction away from the user's body. The clamp located facing towards the user's body reduces removal of the phone fall arresting device by other people from the user because the clamp is hidden from view from others and is inaccessible to others.
Also the positioning of the clamp takes advantage of the human body physically pressed against the clamp which assists in keeping the clamp physically in place. The positioning of the clamp against the human body also protects the lever handle (used to secure or release the clamp to the user's person) of the clamp from accidental release from external physical forces because the human body is pressed against the lever handle when the lever handle is in the closed and secured position, maintaining the lever handle in the closed position. Also, with the lever handle physically .. pressed against the user's body, access to the lever handle is available to the user but access to the lever handle is restricted to other people. The clamp is designed to self-lock when the lever handle Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 of the clamp is in the closed and secured position and so it is not absolutely necessary to attach the clamp against the human body.

[0020] According to this embodiment two hands are required to operate the clamp. The user employs both of their hands to attach or to remove the phone fall arresting device from the user's clothing or person. This two-handed procedure ensures a secure and durable attachment to the user's person, also the two handed procedure makes removal of the phone fall arresting device by someone which is not the user more difficult, thereby increasing the security and durability of the phone fall arresting device's physical attachment to the user.

[0021] According to this embodiment, to attach the phone fall arresting device the user uses both hands; using one hand to hold and to stabilize the phone fall arresting device and the other hand to hold the user's clothing material in a position which is advantageous for attachment. The clamp works by opening the clamp's "bite" area with the clamp's top mounted lever handle. When the clamp is in the open position, the open crevice of the clamp's open mouth contains rows of saw tooth pattern features or other suitable pattern inside the mouth of the clamp. The space inside of the open area of the mouth of the clamp is the "bite" area. The clamp is able to "bite" on material inserted inside of the clamp's open "mouth" by the user closing and securing the clamp's "mouth"
employing the clamp's top mounted lever handle.

[0022] According to this embodiment, to attach the phone fall arresting device to the user using both hands, one hand manipulates the user's clothing in order to give the open mouth "bite" area of the clamp access to a suitable location for attachment on the user's clothing material and the other hand is used to manipulate the phone fall arresting device into place.
Then the open mouth bite area of the clamp is positioned inside of the user's clothing material waistband, belt, or other suitable material or location. The user then secures the phone fall arresting device by closing or securing the lever handle of the clamp. The ideal location to secure the phone fall arresting device is on the user's waistband or belt. The user may decide on other points to attach the device, such as the front pocket or the back pocket. This positioning gives the user's hand unobstructed access to the storage pocket without the phone fall arresting device interfering with the insertion of said phone into the pocket or interfering with the removal of said phone from the pocket. Right-handed Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 users mount the phone fall arresting device on their right-side waistband.
Left-handed users mount the phone fall arresting device on their left-hand waistband. The phone fall arresting device is an ambidextrous design due to its ability of the tensioner pulley device to rotate fully clockwise or counter-clockwise in any direction while the clamp remains stationary when in use.

[0023] According to this embodiment, the phone fall arresting device remains secured to the user's clothing or other securely worn article regardless of which direction the phone fall arresting device is pulled away from the user's body. To release the phone fall arresting device from the user's clothing or person, the user manually opens the bite area or mouth of the clamp employing the top mounted lever handle of the clamp. To remove the phone fall arresting device from the user's clothing or person, one hand is used to hold the phone fall arresting device in place and the other hand is used to open and release the clamp by opening and releasing the lever handle of the clamp.

[0024] According to this embodiment, if the lever handle of the clamp is in the open or released position, then the bite area or mouth of the clamp is in the open or released position. This open or released lever handle position releases the phone fall arresting device from the user's clothing or person.

[0025] According to this embodiment, if the lever handle of the clamp is in the closed or secured position, then the bite area or mouth of the clamp is in the closed or secured position. This closed or secured lever handle position secures the phone fall arresting device to the user's clothing or person.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the clamp's bite area contains rows of a saw tooth pattern or design which will not damage clothing when the clamp is in the closed or secured position and this saw tooth pattern or design and their pattern or design are required for the clamp's durable gripping strength. Other suitable patterns may be used inside of the clamp's bite area.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the invention, the tensioner pulley device may be attached to the front side of the phone fall arresting device where the clamp is attached to the back side of the phone fall arresting device where full rotation in either clockwise or counter clockwise Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 direction is capable between the clamp and the tensioner pulley device. The tensioner pulley device employs an internal mechanical automatic spring reel which supplies continuous tension to allow for a lanyard or rope to extend from or to retract into the internal housing of the tensioner pulley device when said lanyard is under the load of a phone or other hand-held device.

[0028] According to this embodiment, when the phone fall arresting device is in use, the clamp remains attached in a stationary position to the user's clothing or other wearable secure anchor point, however, the tensioner pulley device rotates clockwise or counter clockwise in any direction relative to the stationary clamp. The ability to rotate allows the user to choose which pocket or wearable crevice on the user's clothing or person in which to store their phone or other handheld device inside of the front pocket or back pocket or backpack pocket, or purse pocket, on either the left or right side of the user's body or person. This allows for the phone fall arresting device to be used by either left or right-handed users.

[0029] According to this embodiment, the tension (which may be continuous and substantially constant) supplied by the mechanical automatic spring reel of (e.g., located inside of) the tensioner pulley device housing may be configured such that if a phone or other handheld device is physically dropped from any height by the user, from the height where the user stores their phone on their person up to the height of the user's head when the phone is in use and from a standing or seated position, that the tension supplied may decrease the fall speed and momentum of the falling phone and thereby reduce the force or inertia of the falling phone, thus preventing the phone from coming into physical contact with the ground or other hard surfaces, or reducing the force absorbed by the phone when coming into contact with the ground or other hard surfaces, thus, preventing or reducing the damage or loss of the user's phone.

[0030] The tension supplied by the tensioner pulley device may be created by an internal mechanical automatic spring reel (spring) mounted inside of the tensioner pulley device housing.
Spring strength may be selected according to the given phone, and/or may be selected according to average and/or maximum weights of phones available on the market, in order to ensure the weight may be supported by the strength of the spring's tension. The spring should apply enough force so that when the user's phone is physically dropped from a height, then the falling phone Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 will not impact the ground or other hard surface, or the impact force is substantially reduced, avoiding damage or loss to the phone.

[0031] According to this embodiment, also coupled to (e.g., inside of) the tensioner pulley device housing is the lanyard which extends from and/or retracts into the tensioner pulley device housing.
The lanyard operates from the tension supplied by the internal mechanical automatic spring reel (spring) which may be located inside of the tensioner pulley device housing.

[0032] According to one embodiment, if an abrupt force is applied to the lanyard (such as if the phone falls or is pulled quickly out of the pocket or hand by a thief), a locking mechanism engages to immediately stop the lanyard from extending further, thereby preventing the continued drop or theft of the user's phone or other handheld device. This locking mechanism may perform via various techniques, but in one embodiment, a lever attached to the spring reel moves outward and catches on a toothed gear attached to the inside of the tensioner pulley device housing, preventing further extension until the lanyard is retracted slightly.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the invention, the lanyard may be housed inside of the tensioner pulley device housing with one end of the lanyard fixed or stationary inside of the tensioner pulley device housing and the unfixed or moving end of the lanyard protruding and extending out from the tensioner pulley device housing. The extended lanyard is under continuous tension supplied from the tensioner pulley device's internal mechanical automatic spring reel. The extended end of the lanyard is able to have the "slack" (length of lanyard that is not under continuous tension) adjusted to the user's requirements by a mechanical stopper device that is located on the extended lanyard closest to the tensioner pulley device housing. The endpoint of the extended lanyard is affixed physically with a fastener, carabiner, hook, clasp, or other suitable fastener to the user's phone or other handheld device employing an anchor plate or another suitable method that enables the lanyard to be affixed to the user's phone.

[0034] According to this embodiment, the lanyard extends or retracts to a maximum length of approximately 77 cm (30 inches) which would accommodate a human which is maximum 200 cm tall (6 foot 6 inches) tall. Varying lanyard lengths may be used to accommodate varying physical Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 heights of users.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the lanyard may be made of "braided stainless steel rope"
also commonly known as "aircraft wire". 1/16-inch diameter "aircraft wire" a length of approximately 30 inches long may be used for the lanyard in order to accommodate a human that is maximum 6 foot, 6 inches in height. This type of material may be rust resistant, able to coil and uncoil without (or with reduced) kinking, and is generally difficult or impossible to cut with a hand-held knife or blade (reducing theft), and is unlikely to fray (come apart) which reduces risk of inconvenience and/or injury to the user from loose wire strands protruding away from the lanyard. The lanyard may also be made from any other suitable material, type, diameter or length of rope that may be compatible with the other components of the given phone fall arresting device embodiment.

[0036] When the phone fall arresting device is used to secure the user's phone physically to their person, said phone is storable inside the user's pocket or wearable crevice, and when the user retrieves said phone for use, the affixed lanyard remains under continuous tension to said phone through the phone's affixed anchor plate. As the user moves their phone from different heights and different projections around and away from the user's body, the continuous tension in the lanyard ensures that the lanyard maintains a straight and firm trajectory between the tensioner pulley device to the phone (i.e. the lanyard does not "flop" around loosely when extended and in use). If the user should physically drop their phone for any reason, the continuous tension of the lanyard will reduce the fall speed and momentum of the falling phone, thereby preventing or reducing damage or loss of said phone.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the lanyard may include a mechanical stopper device, which may prevent the lanyard from retracting fully back into the tensioner pulley device housing.
The mechanical stopper device may be manually repositioned on the lanyard in order to give out or to take in slack (length of lanyard which is not under continuous tension) from the tensioner pulley device.

[0038] The mechanical stopper device may allow for the user to adjust the slack (length of lanyard Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 which is not under continuous tension) of the lanyard in order to prevent the user's phone (or other handheld device) from being pulled out from the user (e.g., the inside bottom of the user's pocket or other wearable crevice) as a result of the lanyard's continuous tension strength when said phone is stored inside of a pocket (or wearable crevice or elsewhere). Different pockets may have different depths, so a deeper pocket may require more slack (more length of lanyard that is not under continuous tension) in the lanyard in order for the user's phone to remain securely inside and at the bottom of the user's pocket. With the desired slack adjustment, the user's phone is not pulled out from the user's pocket as a result of the lanyard's continuous tension.
Conversely, a shallow depth pocket will require less slack (less length of lanyard that is not under continuous tension) of the lanyard. The mechanical stopper device may be coupled to, e.g., the extended lanyard at the lanyard position closest to the outside of the tensioner pulley device housing.

[0039] According to a further embodiment, the mechanical stopper device may function by manually squeezing a spring-loaded piston that is located on the mechanical stopper device. When this piston is manually squeezed the holding force of the mechanical stopper device is reduced/removed and allows for the re-positioning of the mechanical stopper device on the lanyard. By manually releasing force from the piston, the holding force is reapplied to the mechanical stopper device and it remains stationary on the lanyard at the new position. Other suitable methods for adjusting the position of the mechanical stopper device, and thereby the slack, may also be used.

[0040] According to a further embodiment, the lanyard physically connects from the tensioner pulley device to the user's phone or phone case or other handheld device via an anchor plate. The extended lanyard's endpoint is fixed with a fastener, carabiner, clasp, hook or other suitable fastener where said fastener physically joins to the anchor plate through an anchor point (for example, a small hole or other suitable method) located in or on a portion of the anchor plate where the anchor point protrudes away from the back side, bottom edge of the phone, as shown in Fig.
1B. The anchor plate is affixed to the user's phone via an adhesive or other suitable method to affix the anchor plate to the back side, bottom of the user's phone.

[0041] Alternatively, the anchor plate may be a resiliently flexible phone case which snugly or Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 "snap fits" by friction around the phone, as is known in the art, and which includes an anchor point such as a small hole or other means to accept an attachment to a lanyard.

[0042] According to this embodiment, the anchor plate is made from a durable and rigid material to ensure the integrity of the anchor plate and of the anchor point. The anchor plate may be made from material such as, but not limited to, one or more of: plastic, metal, wood, fiberglass, carbon fibre, etc.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the invention, the anchor plate may have a sleeve to be able to physically store several credit cards, identification cards, or other cards or currency inside of the anchor plate.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the anchor plate is affixed to the back side, bottom of the user's phone (or phone case that user's phone is securely encased inside of).
The anchor plate may be coupled to the user's phone via an adhesive or double coated tape or by other suitable methods.
To affix the anchor plate to the phone (e.g., the back side, bottom edge of the phone or phone case) or other handheld device, the surface of where the anchor plate is to be affixed may be clean and dry of all dirt, oil or surface contaminants. The anchor plate may be affixed on the phone where an anchor point (e.g., a small hole, or other suitable means that may be located in or on the anchor plate) may be positioned near the bottom edge of the phone, but remaining visible and accessible to the user. In this manner, a user may hold the phone to their head in use, and the anchor point and lanyard will be positioned below the phone, out of the way.

[0045] According to one embodiment, to affix the anchor plate to the phone or phone case, or other handheld device, the user may peel off a protective paper layer from the double sided tape, then position the anchor plate at the appropriate location and press the anchor plate and the phone firmly together for one minute. The user should ensure the correct location, not obstructing the anchor point with the phone, before attaching the anchor plate since once attached, the anchor plate has a very strong hold on the phone and is difficult to remove.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the anchor plate has unique dimensions and shape to Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 maximize contact surface area in order to maximize the attachment strength to the phone or phone case or other handheld device.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the unique, rounded shape of the anchor plate allows the anchor plate to not injure users from sharp or pointed protrusions.

[0048] According to some embodiments of the invention, the phone fall arresting device may be used to secure keys, a wallet, cash or coin, credit cards, identification cards, a television remote control, any combination of the above, and any other similar personal item to the user at the end point of the extended lanyard instead of the end point of the lanyard securing a phone.

[0049] With reference to Fig. 1, a fall arresting device apparatus 100 may include a tensioner pulley device 1, a clamp 2, a lanyard 3, an anchor plate 4, a mechanical stopper device 5, and a fastener 6 (e.g. a carabiner). In use, the clamp is secured to a user's person, e.g., clothing (such as a shirt, jacket, waistband, pocket, belt, etc.). An end of the lanyard is coupled to the user's handheld device (e.g., mobile phone). The lanyard may be coupled to the user's phone, e.g., via a coupling on the user's phone or protective case, and/or via any number of apparatus or methods. The lanyard may have a length that is spooled on the tensioner pulley device such that at rest the length is substantially entirely within the tensioner pulley device, with an end portion of the lanyard protruding therefrom so that the user may grasp it and couple it to the handheld device. When the apparatus is coupled to the user's clothing and to the user's handheld device, the apparatus acts to protect the handheld device. The lanyard may have a length selected such that the length is long enough for the user to use the handheld device normally, e.g., at arm's length. The lanyard may be under a tension selected to prevent the device from hitting the ground if the user were to drop the device from, e.g., standing height. That is, when the user drops the device, it may fall a length of the lanyard and then the tension may cause the lanyard to retract, thereby bringing the device back to the person rather than permitting the device to fall to the ground.

[0050] Fig. 1 also illustrates how fall arresting device apparatus 100 may be used, e.g., how it may be coupled to a waistband 7 of a user's pants 200, and how a phone (that is coupled to the fall arresting device apparatus) may be positioned, for example, within and at the bottom of a user's Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 phone pocket 8, a user's rear pocket 91, and/or a user's front pocket 92.

[0051] Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate a clamp 20 from various perspectives.
Fig. 2A, depicts a top view of clamp 20 according to one embodiment. Fig. 2B depicts a side view of the clamp. Fig. 2C
depicts a rear view of the clamp. Fig. 2D depicts an exploded perspective view of various components of the clamp according to some embodiments. With reference to Figs.
2A-2D, in one embodiment, clamp 20 may have a clip construction. Clamp 20 may include a base 21, an upper assembly 22, a lever handle 23, and one or more dowel pins 24. Base 21 may include engagement means 25 (including, in the illustrated embodiment, a clip saw tooth engagement means matable with a corresponding pattern on upper assembly 22).

[0052] Figs. 3A, 3B, and 3C depict a tensioner pulley device 10 of a fall arresting device apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. Tensioner pulley device 10 may include a rear housing 11, a front housing 12, a spring mount 13, a spring cover 14, a spring 15, a dowel pin access hole 16, and a friction ring 17.

[0053] Figs. 4A and 4B depict a fall arresting device apparatus 1000 according to one embodiment.
Fall arresting device apparatus 1000 may include tensioner pulley device 10 and clamp 20. As illustrated, the tensioner pulley device may be affixed to the front side of the main body of the fall arresting device. The clamp may be affixed to the back side of the main body of the fall arresting device. The clamp may further include a bearing 18 (which may be, e.g., a light duty dry-running thrust bearing) between the clamp and the tensioner pulley device. The clamp and the tensioner pulley device may be coupled together via a screw 19.

[0054] References in the specification to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic.
Moreover, such phrases may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment referred to in other portions of the specification. Further, when a particular aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect or connect such module, aspect, feature, structure, or characteristic with Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05 other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described. In other words, any module, element or feature may be combined with any other element or feature in different embodiments, unless there is an obvious or inherent incompatibility, or it is specifically excluded.

[0055] It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element or step.
As such, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for the use of exclusive terminology, such as "solely," "only," and the like, in connection with the recitation of claim elements or use of a "negative" limitation. The terms "preferably,"
"preferred," "prefer,"
"optionally," "may," and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.

[0056] The singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "and/or" means any one of the items, any combination of the items, or all of the items with which this term is associated. The phrase "one or more" is readily understood by one of skill in the art, particularly when read in context of its usage.

[0057] The term "about" can refer to a variation of 5%, 10%, 20%, or 25% of the value specified. For example, "about 50" percent can in some embodiments carry a variation from 45 to 55 percent. For integer ranges, the term "about" can include one or two integers greater than and/or less than a recited integer at each end of the range. Unless indicated otherwise herein, the term "about" is intended to include values and ranges proximate to the recited range that are equivalent in terms of the functionality of the composition, or the embodiment.

[0058] As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, particularly in terms of providing a written description, all ranges recited herein also encompass any and all possible sub-ranges and combinations of sub-ranges thereof, as well as the individual values making up the range, particularly integer values. A recited range includes each specific value, integer, decimal, or identity within the range. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, or tenths. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etc.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05

[0059] As will also be understood by one skilled in the art, all language such as "up to", "at least", "greater than", "less than", "more than", "or more", and the like, include the number recited and such terms refer to ranges that can be subsequently broken down into sub-ranges as discussed above. In the same manner, all ratios recited herein also include all sub-ratios falling within the broader ratio.

[0060] The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to those embodiments .. will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout the disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the elements of the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for" or "step for".

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05

Claims (10)

1. I. A fall arresting device apparatus, comprising:
   a tensioner pulley device, including a housing, and a reel-tensioned lanyard having a first end that is retractably extendible from the housing;
   a clamp coupled to the tensioner pulley device, the clamp including means for releasable attachment to a user's person; and an anchor structure, being coupled to the housing, and attachable to a handheld device of the user.
2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for releasable attachment comprises a lever .. handle.
3. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamp further comprises a rotatable connection connectable to a user's clothing.
4. 4. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tensioner device further includes a locking mechanism configured to prevent further extension of the lanyard in the event of rapid extension of a length of the lanyard, and further configured to pennit further extension of the lanyard after the lanyard is retracted slightly.
5. .. 5. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a stopper device configured to define the lanyard into a relaxed portion and a tensioned portion.
6. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stopper device is adjustable such that the user can select relative lengths of the relaxed portion and the tensioned portion.
7. 7. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the anchor structure is an anchor plate.
   
   Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05
8. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the anchor plate comprises an overhang portion having an attachment opening.
9. 9. The apparatus of claim 7 or 8 wherein the anchor plate is attached to the phone with an adhesive, such as double-sided tape.
10. 10. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-5 wherein the anchor structure comprises a phone case.
    
    Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-05