EP2318635B1 - Electronically controlled catching device for a fall protection system - Google Patents

Abstract

The catching device (10) for a fall protection system can be guided in a guide rail (12) and a protected person can impact the device. The catching device (10) comprises a locking device (30) pre-stressed into a first position in which the catching device can be locked onto the guide rail, and a support device that retains the locking device in a second unlocked position. The catching device (10) further comprises an electrical/electronic speed setting device (60) and an electronic control system (70) for releasing the support device when a pre-determined speed is exceeded, and thereby releasing the locking device (30) for shifting to the first, locking position. The locking device (30) can comprise a two-part pawl latch (100) with a lever (104) and a latching lug (102) designed as two separate elements rotatably mounted on an axle (120), wherein the point of impact (18) is located at one end of the lever (104).

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a safety gear for a permanently installed climbing protection system for preventing the fall of a person from a ladder, a pedestal or the like. The safety gear, which is also referred to as a runner, is guided in a guide rail. The person to be secured carries a safety harness and is connected via a connecting means with the runner. The connecting means is attached to a stop point of the rotor. The catching device has a locking device, which is displaceable between a first, unlocked position and a second, the safety gear arresting on the guide rail position. A holding device retains the locking device in the first, unlocked position, and the locking device is biased in the second, locking position. In case of a crash, the locking device is triggered speed-dependent.

State of the art

Mechanical safety gears are out of the DE-U-295 01 716 and the WO 99/49939 known. The safety gears are guided along the guide rail of the climbing protection system. The locking device has a pivotally mounted pawl, wherein the one end of the pawl has the stop point and the other end a detent and wherein the detent engages in the event of a crash in catching latches of the guide rail and thus prevents a crash. The pawl is biased by a spring in the arresting position. The locking lug of the pawl points downward, so that when climbing the latches of the guide rail are run over. When descending the user leans back slightly (backward pull), so that the pawl is brought into the unlocked position and the runner can move freely downward.

Since a fall in a climbing protection system is mainly due to the increased speed of the runner compared to the normal driving speed within the climbing protection system differs, it is conceivable to design safety gears with speed-dependent locking devices. Such a safety gear is in the DE 103 42 627 A1 described. The safety gear described therein has a spring-loaded pawl, at the non-locking end of which a follower roller is located, and an attachment point. If the person to be secured moves slowly and in a controlled manner down the climbing protection system, the feeler roller is guided over catching slots of the guide rail, whereby a spring always retracts the locking pawl into its starting position in good time so that the pawl does not engage in the catching tracks of the guide rail. In contrast, in the case of a crash in which the safety gear moves significantly faster along the guide rail, the return spring does not have enough time to retract the pawl to the starting position, so that the locking end engages the catch slots of the guide rail and thus prevents the crash. A disadvantage of this safety gear, however, is that the mechanical parameters that determine the locking speed, such as the distance of the safety catch or the moment of inertia of the pawl, after the completion are no longer variable. It is therefore not possible to adapt the properties of the safety gear to the particular circumstances.

Out EP 1 820 539 Also, a safety gear with a speed-dependent locking device is known, wherein the locking device comprises a centrifugal clutch. A friction wheel rolls off when moving the safety gear on the guide rail, and its rotational speed is thus proportional to the speed of the safety gear. When a predetermined threshold value of the speed is exceeded, a retaining device is released by the centrifugal clutch, so that a prestressed latch is pressed into a recess in the guide rail and thus locks the safety gear. The document EP 1820 539 discloses a safety gear having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Out DE 21 28 662 For example, an emergency brake system for a lift is known, in which a generator determines an electrical quantity that the Speed of the elevator corresponds. When a threshold value is exceeded, the locking device is triggered by an electromagnet and the movement of the elevator is stopped. The locking device itself consists of two pairs of brake shoes whose toothed outer edges can engage opposite guide rails of the elevator and bring the elevator to a halt by friction.

Presentation of the invention

Technical task

Object of the present invention is to provide a safety gear according to claim 1, the locking device is responsive to speed, the speed at which engages the locking device is adjustable.

Technical solution

According to the invention this object is achieved in that the safety gear has an electronic device for speed determination, which triggers the locking device in dependence on the speed of the rotor.

Advantageous effects

The electronic speed determination triggers the locking device very fast.

Preferably, the locking device comprises a holding device with an electromagnet, wherein the holding device is disengaged or released by the electromagnet is energized.

Preferably, the safety gear has an electronic control which activates the locking device by disengaging or releasing the retaining device when the speed of the runner exceeds a predetermined threshold speed, e.g. in a crash.

Preferably, the locking device has a movable stop element, which is held in operation by means of the holding device in a first, unlocked position. Will the holding device decoupled, the movable stop member is released and pressed by a stress element, such as a spring, in the second, locking position.

Preferably, the movable stop member is a movable pin or a rotatably mounted pawl.

Preferably, the locking device is a combination of electrical and mechanical security. For this purpose, the locking device on a two-piece pawl. One part of the pawl is the locking lug rotatably mounted on an axle. The other part forms a mechanical lever, which is also rotatably mounted, expediently on the same axis as the locking lug, and having the attachment point. The lever and the detent are held together by means of the holding device, so that the combination of lever and detent acts like a conventional pawl. When the retainer is disengaged, the detent detaches from the mechanical lever and is forced into the arresting position. The two-part embodiment of the pawl also makes it possible to reduce the reaction time of the locking device.

The two-part embodiment also has a particularly positive effect if the electronic control of the electromagnet should have a malfunction (eg electromagnet defective). By virtue of the advantageous combination of mechanical and electronic security, the catching device is then not ineffective, but it can still ensure sufficient securing of the user with the aid of the mechanical locking device. By this embodiment, the proven safety of conventional safety gears is complemented by the option in a particularly advantageous manner, the speed at which the locking device is triggered to adjust individually and adapt to the specific needs of the user and the conditions of the respective climbing protection system. Thus, the safety gear increases the safety of the climbing protection system while offering a much greater ease of use than conventional safety gear.

In the two-part embodiment is here understood by the first unlocked position, that position in which the latching lug is held by the holding means on the lever. In the second, locking position, however, the holding device has released the locking lug, so that it has detached from the lever. If the electronics fails and therefore the mechanical lever together with the latch like a conventional, one-piece. Pawl pivoted against the catching latches of the guide rail and locked to them, so the latch is in the locking position, although the holding device has not solved and the latch still holding back. Normally, however, the electronics react faster than the mechanics, so that, for the sake of simplicity, this linguistic incorrectness can be accepted.

Preferably, the speed-determining electronic device includes a generator that is driven by a wheel or pulley, the wheel being pressed against the guide rail of the climbing protection device so that it is in constant contact with the running surface of the guide rail.

The electrical energy generated by the generator during movement of the rotor on the rail is also preferably used to supply electrical power to the electronic control and the electromagnet. In particular, the electrical energy generated by the generator may be stored in capacitors to provide the controller with sufficient energy to energize the electromagnet. The electrical energy supplied by the generator alone may be sufficient to power the control system and the electromagnet. As a result, the safety gear is completely self-sufficient and independent with respect to the power supply.

The electronic device for determining the speed can also have other optical or electronic elements. In a preferred embodiment, the speed of the rotor via an optical sensor (eg speckle sensor) based on the optical River determines. The speed can also be determined by capacitive or inductive methods.

Preferably, the speed threshold is chosen to be above the speed that the runner reaches when the user is using the climbing device normally. The fact that the locking device of the rotor is triggered as a function of its speed, makes the blocking of the rotor independent of any possible stresses of the attachment point by the user. In the event of a fall, blocking the runner will not prevent the user from pulling on the anchor point.

The locking device according to the invention can react earlier in a crash than in the prior art. In particular, the threshold value of the speed can be selected to correspond to a drop height of less than or equal to 50 cm, preferably less than or equal to 10 cm. In practice, it is advantageous to choose this threshold in a range between 0.7 and 1.5 m / s, more preferably 0.8 to 1.2 m / s.

Advantageously, the locking device is mounted on the rotor so that manipulation of the movable stopping element is prevented by the user when the rotor is mounted on the rail. Thus, the user can not prevent the stop member from blocking the runner on the rail in the event of a user crash.

With the same aim, it is further advantageous to mount the stop member on the runner so that the user can not mechanically act on the stop member with a tool to block it to prevent movement to the second, locking position when the stop Runner is mounted on the rail.
The advantageous embodiments and expedient developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 die Fangvorrichtung zur persönlichen Absturzsicherung nach einer ersten Ausführungsform der Erfindung in einem Prinzipschema;
• Fig. 2 die Fangvorrichtung zur persönlichen Absturzsicherung nach einer zweiten Ausführungsform der Erfindung in blockierter Position;
• Fig. 3 die Fangvorrichtung zur persönlichen Absturzsicherung nach einer zweiten Ausführungsform der Erfindung in freigegebener Position;
• Fig. 4 die Fangvorrichtung von Figur 2 in eine räumliche Darstellung;
• Fig. 5 das Gehäuse der Geschwindigkeitsbestimmungseinrichtung von
• Figur 4 im Schnitt;
• Fig. 6 die Fangvorrichtung zur persönlichen Absturzsicherung nach einer vierten Ausführungsform der Erfindung, wobei die mechanische Arretiereinrichtung blockiert und die freie Bewegung des Läufers unterbindet;
• Fig. 7 die Fangvorrichtung von Figur 6, wobei sich die Arretiereinrichtung in ihrer ersten, entriegelten Position befindet, in der sie eine freie Bewegung des Läufers entlang der Führungsschiene erlaubt;
• Fig. 8 die Fangvorrichtung von Figur 6, wobei die elektronische Arretiereinrichtung blockiert und die freie Bewegung des Läufers unterbindet;
• Fig. 9 die Fangvorrichtung zur persönlichen Absturzsicherung nach einer fünften Ausführungsart auf einem Schienenabschnitt montiert in einer räumlichen Darstellung;
• Fig. 10 die Fangvorrichtung von Figur 9, wobei die Arretiereinrichtung eine freie Bewegung des Läufers entlang der Führungsschiene erlaubt;
• Fig. 11 die Fangvorrichtung von Figur 9, wobei der elektronische Arretiereinrichtung blockiert ist und die freie Bewegung des Läufers unterbindet;
• Fig. 12 die Fangvorrichtung von Figur 9, wobei die mechanische Arretiereinrichtung blockiert und die freie Bewegung des Läufers unterbindet; und
• Fig. 13 die Fangvorrichtung von Fig.9 in einer räumlichen Darstellung

ohne die Schiene.Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1 the fall arrester for personal fall protection according to a first embodiment of the invention in a schematic diagram;
• Fig. 2 the safety gear for personal fall protection after a second embodiment of the invention in the locked position;
• Fig. 3 the fall arrester for personal fall protection according to a second embodiment of the invention in a released position;
• Fig. 4 the safety gear of FIG. 2 in a spatial representation;
• Fig. 5 the housing of the speed determining device of
• FIG. 4 on average;
• Fig. 6 the fall arrest device for personal fall protection according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, wherein the mechanical locking device blocks and inhibits the free movement of the runner;
• Fig. 7 the safety gear of FIG. 6 with the locking device in its first, unlocked position, in which it allows free movement of the slider along the guide rail;
• Fig. 8 the safety gear of FIG. 6 wherein the electronic locking device blocks and stops the free movement of the runner;
• Fig. 9 the safety device for personal fall protection according to a fifth embodiment mounted on a rail portion in a three-dimensional representation;
• Fig. 10 the safety gear of FIG. 9 wherein the locking device allows free movement of the rotor along the guide rail;
• Fig. 11 the safety gear of FIG. 9 wherein the electronic locking device is blocked and inhibits the free movement of the runner;
• Fig. 12 the safety gear of FIG. 9 wherein the mechanical locking device blocks and stops the free movement of the runner; and
• Fig. 13 the safety gear of Figure 9 in a spatial representation

without the rail.

Way (s) for carrying out the invention

In FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a safety gear 10 according to the invention a personal fall protection shown. The schematic diagram is simplified to the principle of a locking device 30th to explain. The safety gear or the rotor 10 is guided along a rail 12. The slider 10 is mounted to slide on the rail 12. FIG. 1 does not represent the means of the rotor 10, due to which it can slide on the rail 12. In this regard, the rail 12 and the slider 10 may be implemented in the prior art. The slider 10 has a housing 20 with a front side 14 and a back side 16. When the slider 10 is mounted on the rail 12, the back 16 points to the rail 12 and the front 14 to the user. The rotor 10 has an abutment point 18 and the locking device 30, which can prevent sliding of the rotor 10 on rail 12 at least in the downward movement, when the speed of the rotor 10 exceeds a predetermined threshold. The attachment point 18 is attached to the housing 20 of the rotor 10 in this schematic diagram, and thus does not interfere with the locking device 30 described below regardless of a load by the user.

The locking device 30 comprises a bolt 32 which is slidably mounted in an opening 34 of the rotor 10. The bolt 32 may be in two positions. In a first position, the bolt 32 is retracted as far as possible into the housing 20 of the rotor 10 and allows the free movement of the rotor 10 along the rail 12. The rail 12 has at intervals catching latches 106 in the form of openings or latches 107 in the form of Notches ( Fig. 2 ). In the second position, the bolt 32 protrudes so far beyond the rear side 16 of the rotor 10 that it engages in one of the catching latches 106 of the rail 12 and thus blocks the movement of the rotor 10 along the rail 12. In order to limit the sliding of the bolt 32 in the direction of the rail 12, a stop 38 is provided. The bolt 32 is stressed by means of a compression spring 40 in the direction of the second, blocking position. The housing 20 of the rotor 10 is designed so that it covers the entire locking device 30, and thus the user from the front side 14 of the rotor 10 has no access to the locking device 30. This avoids that the user neither intentionally can unintentionally engage in the locking device 30. The fact that the bolt 32 protrudes from the back 16 of the rotor 10 is not a disadvantage since the back 16 is not accessible to the user when the runner 10 is seated on the rail 12.

The locking device 30 further comprises a holding device, by which the bolt 32 is held in the first, non-blocking position. The holding device consists of a pin 42 which engages in a recess 44 of the bolt 32. The pin 42 may be designed as a magnetic core of an electromagnet 46 and with an in FIG. 1 spring, not shown, may be biased into the recess 44 of the bolt 32. In this situation, the solenoid 46 is turned off. The holding device is disengaged by the electromagnet 46 is energized, whereby the pin 42 is drawn into the electromagnet 46 and simultaneously pulled out of the recess 44 of the bolt 32. The biased pin 32 is then moved by the spring 40 to the second, blocking position, and stops the free movement of the rotor 10 along the rail 12th

The locking device 30 is triggered when the sliding speed of the rotor 10 in the rail 12 exceeds a predetermined speed, which is representative of a crash situation. The speed of the rotor 10 is determined by means of an electric generator 60 mounted on the rotor 10. The electric generator 60 has a rotor axis that is driven by a friction wheel 62 or a roller that rolls on the rail 12. The friction wheel 62 may be mounted directly on the axis of the rotor of the generator 60 or transmit rotation to it via a motion transmission system. Typically, the voltage or frequency of the electrical signal generated by the generator 60 increases with the rotational speed of the rotor. An electronic controller 70 is connected to the generator 60 and receives its voltage or frequency signal. It activates the electromagnet 46 and thus triggers the locking device 30, as soon as generated by the generator 60, for the speed of the rotor 10th characteristic size exceeds a predetermined threshold. The speed threshold may be fixed or adjustable via a potentiometer, for example.

The electronic controller 70 may be an electronic card or printed circuit that is well known to those skilled in the art. For example, if the variable characteristic of the speed is the voltage supplied by the generator 60, the comparison can be made by means of an electronic circuit.

The electrical energy generated by the generator 60 as the rotor 10 moves on the rail 12 may be used to provide electrical power to the electronic controller 70 and the electromagnet 46. In particular, the electrical energy generated by the generator 60 may be stored in capacitors to provide the controller 70 with sufficient energy to energize the solenoid 46. The electrical energy supplied by the generator 60 alone may be sufficient to power the control system 70 and the electromagnet 46. As a result, the safety gear 10 is completely self-sufficient and independent with respect to the power supply.

If the slider 10 is blocked on the rail 12 after the bolt 32 has moved to the second, blocking position, the user can then manually reset the bolt 32 to the non-blocking position, for example, from the rear part of the rail 12 press the end of the pin 32 until the pin 42 again engages in recess 44 of the bolt 32.

The in the Figures 2 and 3 illustrated second embodiment of the safety gear 10 is also performed on the guide rail 12. The guide rail 12 is a C-profile, wherein the opening edges of the C-profile serve as guide flanges. The rotor 10 has guide grooves 82 on both sides, which receive the guide flanges of the guide rail 12. In the guide grooves 82 are guide rollers 84 to 89, which roll on the outside and the inside of the guide flanges. The guide rollers 84 to 89 are preferably made of plastic or elastomer or coated with such a material to limit the noise during sliding of the rotor 10 on rail 12. The rollers 84 to 89 also provide for the positioning of the rotor 10 in relation to the rail 12 and consequently the friction wheel 62 on the rail 12.

In contrast to the first embodiment, here the central element of the locking device 30 is a pawl 100 which is rotatably mounted in the rotor 10 and which can be pivoted into a first and a second position. In the first position, shown in Figure 3 , a locking lug 102 of the pawl 100 does not engage in the rail 12 and therefore allows free movement of the rotor 10 along the rail 12 in up and down movement. In the second position, shown in Fig. 2 , The locking lug 102 of the pawl 100 engages the catching latches 106, 107 of the rail 12 and thus blocks the downward movement of the rotor 10. An upward movement of the rotor 10 is also possible in the second position, since the locking lug 102 of the pawl 100 by their bevelled shape can be moved in the upward movement on the catching latches 106, 107 of the guide rail 12. A stop 108 on the runner 10 prevents the pawl 100 from moving beyond the second position. The stopper 108 may be solid and integral with the rotor 10. It can also be adjustable so that the height of the projection of the locking lug 102 of the pawl 100 on the rear wall 16 of the rotor 10 is adjustable. As a result, the rotor 10 can be adapted to different rails 12 with a greater or lesser spacing of the catching latches 106, 107 from the rear side 16 of the rotor 10. The stop 108 is, for example, a screw screwed into the rotor 10 without a head.

The pawl 100 is stressed in the direction of the second position. The stress is preferably an elastic loading element, for example a spring 110 between the runner 10 and the pawl 100. Alternatively, the stress on the pawl 100 towards the bottom of the rail 12 can only be achieved by gravity acting on the pawl 100 acts.

As in the first embodiment, the safety gear 10 has a retainer which holds the pawl 100 in the first position during normal operation and which can be disengaged to allow movement of the pawl 100 to the second position. The holding device may be identical to that of the first embodiment, except that the recess 44 is provided in the pawl 100.

In the Figures 2 and 3 an advantageous variant of the holding device is shown. It includes a magnetic pedestal or permanent magnet 114 and an electromagnet 112 having a metal or other surface suitable for permanently bonding the permanent magnet 114 thereto when the solenoid 112 is not turned on. Preferably, the permanent magnet 114 is attached to the pawl 100 and the solenoid 112 to the rotor 10. The solenoid 112 maintains the pawl 100 in the first position by virtue of the permanent magnet 114 magnetically adhering to the corresponding surface of the solenoid 112. The retainer is disengaged by turning on the solenoid 112 to produce a magnetic force that opposes the magnetic adhesion of the permanent magnet 114 and is sufficient to release the permanent magnet 114 from the corresponding surface of the solenoid 112. The biased pawl 100 is pivoted by the spring 110 into the second position, so that the detent 102 of the pawl 100 engages in one of the catching latches 106, 107 of the guide rail 12 and thus prevents the downward movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12. The pivoting of the pawl 100 to the second position results from the stress of the spring 110 or any other load means mentioned above, but the swing speed can be advantageously enhanced by magnetically repelling the permanent magnet 114 from the solenoid 112 to provide faster blocking of the rotor 10 To ensure rail 12.

As in the first embodiment, the locking device 30 according to this second embodiment is activated when the Sliding speed of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold speed, which is representative of a crash situation exceeds.

In the illustrated example, the electronic controller 70 and the electrical generator 60 are housed in the same housing 72. Like it out FIG. 5 The housing 72 also contains the friction wheel 62, which is intended to roll on the front side of the rail 12, and two further wheels or rollers 64 and 66. The friction wheel 62 rotates the rotor of the electric generator 60, the friction wheel 62 carrying the friction wheel 62 Roller 64 drives, which in turn drives the roller 66 on the rotor axis of the electric generator 60.

In addition, a counter-roller 68 is provided to ensure the contact of the friction wheel 62 with the rail 12. The counter-roller 68 should roll on the front wall of the rail 12 with respect to the friction wheel 62. It is preferable to provide that the front wall of the rail 12 is clamped elastically between the friction wheel 62 and the counter roller 68. For this purpose, the counter-roller 68 can be elastically stressed against the friction wheel 62. In addition, the counter-roller 68 may be rotatably mounted on the end of an arm 74 pivotally mounted on the housing 72 relative to an axis 76. The end of the arm 74 which carries the counter-roller 68, by a compression spring 78, the only in FIG. 5 is shown, claimed in the direction of the friction wheel 62. Finally, it is advantageous to provide a means to catch the game to z. B. in the event that the front of the rail 12 should have deformations, ensure that there is contact between the friction wheel 62 and the rail 12. In the example shown, this is achieved in that the housing 72 is pivotally mounted about an axis 80 on the rotor 10 together with the counter-roller 68.

Of course, the conductive means and the arrangement of the housing 72 with the components described above can also be applied in the context of the first embodiment.

The pawl 100 is disposed on the rotor so as to avoid manual intervention by the user. In one more more advantageous arrangement, the pawl 100 can be arranged so that it is avoided that the user can block the pawl 100 by using a tool, such as a screwdriver between pawl 100 and rotor 10, to prevent movement in the direction of rail 12. In the example shown, the solenoid 112 is housed in a housing 10 mounted on rotor 10. More specifically, this housing 20 is mounted on the front side 14 of the rotor 10 over the aperture 34 in which the pawl 100 is located. In the example given, the housing 20 only partially covers the opening 34, namely the lower part with the latching lug 102 of the pawl 100, which lies opposite its pivot axis 120. Thus, the housing 20 prevents the user from intentionally blocking the pawl 100 from engaging in the catch latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12 by manual engagement with the free portion of the pawl 100 or by inserting a tool such as a screwdriver into the aperture 34 between the free end of the pawl 100 and the rotor 10 can hold. In the non-covered by the housing 20 part of the opening 34, the user can not grip or block the pawl 100, since this does not protrude beyond the front 14 and the clearance between the side edges of the pawl 100 and the side walls of the opening 34 is sufficiently low to prevent the user from inserting a finger or a tool, such as a screwdriver. In a variant, the aperture 34 on the front side 14 is completely closed by the housing 20 or any other suitable means, for example a plate attached to runners 10 above the portion of the aperture 34 not covered by the housing 20. The fact that the pawl 100 may protrude relative to the backside 16 of the runner 10 is not a disadvantage in the safety aspect because the back 16 of the runner 10 is inaccessible to the user when the runner 10 is mounted on the rail 12, because the walls of the rail 12 surround the rear part of the rotor 10.

If the locking device 30 has been triggered and blocked the free movement of the rotor 10 in the rail 12, it is envisaged that the user can bring the pawl 100 back into the first position to continue the descent or rise of the climbing device. In the example shown, the notches or latches 107 of the rail 12 during an upward movement of the rotor 10 to a sufficient pivotal movement of the pawl 100 toward the first position, so that the permanent magnet 114 due to the fact that the solenoid 112 is no longer energized again magnetically adhered to the corresponding surface of the electromagnet 112. Once the pawl 100 is in the first position, the safety gear 10 is ready for personal fall protection again.

FIG. 4 shows a spatial representation of the safety gear 10 according to this second embodiment. For clarity, the attachment point 18 is not shown.

In a third, not shown embodiment, the safety gear 10, a second, mechanical locking device to block the sliding of the rotor 10 in the rail 12 in the fall of the user, said second locking device of the prior art, such as in the DE-U-295 01 716 described, corresponds. The second locking means comprises a further pawl, which can be pivoted from a first position, in which it does not hinder the movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 in downward movement, in a second position in which they the movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 blocked in the downward direction. In this case, the stopper 18 is mounted on this second pawl. The transition of the second pawl from the first position to the second is triggered by the downward change of direction due to a train that the user exerts on the second pawl via a connecting means with which it is attached to the attachment point 18. The second locking device operates independently of the first locking device 30 according to the first or second embodiment. Consequently, if the one locking device is defective, the second one works Farther. In particular, the second conventional locking device continues to provide fall protection when the first locking device should not operate, for example due to a failure of the electrical generator 60 or the control system 70. In this embodiment, the first locking means 30 according to the first or second embodiment and the second locking means according to the prior art can be successively mounted longitudinally on the same slider 10.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a personal fall arrest safety device 10 according to a fourth embodiment, which is a further development of the second embodiment. Therefore, the entire description of the second embodiment applies to this fourth embodiment except for the components which will be described in detail below. The counter-roller 68 has not been shown for reasons of clarity.

The safety gear 10 has a pawl, which in contrast to the pawl 100 of the second embodiment is made in two parts. This two-part pawl is composed of a mechanical lever 104 and a detent 102 which are rotatably mounted independently on the same axis 120. The mechanical lever 104 has the attachment point 18, to which the user is attached via a connecting means. The holding device of the locking device 30 serves to hold the latching lug 102 on the mechanical lever 104. For this purpose, the holding device may have an electromagnet 112, which is enabled by current supply as in the second embodiment. The solenoid 112 is located on the detent 102, while the permanent magnet 114 is mounted opposite to the lever 104, or vice versa. When the retainer is engaged, the permanent magnet 114 adheres to the corresponding surface of the solenoid 112. Therefore, in normal operation, the mechanical lever 104 and the detent 102 are fixedly connected. The unit consisting of the mechanical lever 104 and the locking lug 102 thus functions similarly to a conventional pawl after the State of the art. The fact that the user pulls back or up on the anchor point 18 causes the two-piece pawl 102, 104 to be released from the latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12. This situation will be in FIG. 7 in which the arrow 122 indicates the direction in which the connecting means between the attachment point 18 and the user of the fall arrest system tensile stress on the anchor point 18 is applied. This train is in the opposite direction of the stress of the latch 102 by the spring 110th

On the other hand, the fact that the user is pulling down on the anchor point 18 as indicated by arrow 122 in FIG FIG. 6 As a result, the two-piece pawl 102, 104 is pushed toward the rail 12. Therefore, the detent 102 engages the latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12, as in FIG FIG. 6 is pictured. Consequently, the locking lug 102 blocks the movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 in the downward direction. Due to the chamfered shape of the pawl 102, the upward movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 is still possible. It is preferable that the lever 104 has a bearing surface 124 that is in contact with a surface 126 of the latch 102 to transmit shear stresses of the mechanical lever 104 to the latch 102 and to prevent them from passing over the permanent magnet 114 and the corresponding surface of the electromagnet 112 take place. Incidentally, the detent 102 is mounted on the slider 10 so as to prevent manipulation by the user. In the illustrated example, the portion of the mechanical lever 104 towards the upper end of the rail 12 forms a fork at the level of the axis 120. The portion of the detent 102 toward the upper portion of the rail 12 is mounted between the arms of the mechanical lever 104, which form the aforementioned fork. The detent 102 does not protrude beyond the front surface of the mechanical lever 104. In addition, the play between the arms of the fork of the lever 104 and the upper part of the Latch 102 sufficiently small to prevent the user to introduce a finger or a tool, such as a screwdriver, there. Therefore, the user can not grasp this part of the latch 102 or block with the aid of a tool. The rest of the detent 102 extends completely under the lever 104. Therefore, the user can not reach these areas of the latch 102 with his fingers. The clearance between the end of the lever 104 and the lower end of the rail 12 and the runner 10 can be made sufficiently small so that the user can not insert his fingers there to restrain the latch 102. One in the FIGS. 6 to 8 Paneling 128, not shown, may be provided to further restrict access to latching lug 102. One possible embodiment of the shroud 128 is shown in FIG FIG. 12 shown.

The housing 72 is attached to the front side 14 of the rotor 10. A friction wheel 62 is provided to roll on the front of the rail 12. The friction wheel 62 is mounted in the housing 72 and protrudes partially out of this, in order to come into contact with the rail 12. Preferably, the friction wheel 62 is mounted directly on the axis of the electrical generator 60 in the housing 72. In the illustrated example, the housing 72 is pivotally mounted relative to an axis 80 on the rotor 10. By this pivotal mounting the game can be collected to ensure a permanent contact between the friction wheel 62 and the front wall of the rail 12 during the sliding of the rotor 10 on the rail 12. The housing 72 preferably resiliently, for example via a spring, about the pivot axis 80 in the direction of rail 12 claimed to ensure a permanent contact with the rail 12, even if they should have any shape changes.

As described in the second embodiment of the safety gear, the electronic controller 70 causes the locking device 30 to trip when the sliding speed of the runner 10 on the rail 12 exceeds a threshold above which the user is assumed to be in a crash situation located. The electronic control system 70 and the measurement of the sliding speed of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 by means of an electric generator 60 can be carried out in an identical manner as described with reference to the second embodiment. In the FIGS. 6 to 8 However, the housing 72, which contains these components, attached to the upper end of the rotor 10, which facilitates the connections of the electronic control 70 with the electromagnet 112. Alternatively, it may be attached to the lower end as shown for the second embodiment.

The disengagement of the holding device causes the latching lug 102 from the mechanical lever 104, as in FIG. 8 represented, is solved. The latch 102 is stressed by the spring 110 towards the bottom of the rail 12 and engages the catch latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12 to block the downward movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12. The upward movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 is still possible in this situation.

The safety gear 10 according to this fourth embodiment is used as follows. In normal use situation, the detent 102 is fixedly connected to the lever 104 via the holding device. When the user uses the safety gear 10 in a climbing system, he exerts a rearward or upward tensile load on the anchorage point 18 so that the two-piece pawl is kept away from the area of the catching latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12. This train may be manual or caused by a connection between the user and the attachment point 18. This case is in FIG. 7 illustrated. When the user crashes, it takes a certain amount of time in locking devices 30 with a conventional pawl 100 until the pawl 100 engages the catching latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12 by the downward tensile load on the attachment point 18. The more time passes until the locking device 30 triggers, the lower the user falls in the event of a crash. By in the FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrated two-piece Pawl, the reaction time of the locking device 30 is reduced. Once the speed of the runner 10 on the rail 12 exceeds a predetermined speed, the electronic control 70 disengages the holding system before the two-piece pawl moves in a conventional manner, ie under the influence of the downward pull on the stop 18, in FIG the catch latches 106, 107 of the rail 12 is pressed. When the holding device is disengaged, the detent 102 is released from the lever 104 and under the influence of the spring 110 in the direction of the catching latches 106, 107 of the rail 12 claimed. As a result, the runner 10 locks on the rail 12 more quickly than in conventional safety gears. To achieve this effect, as explained above, the speed threshold set to the electronic controller 70 must be appropriately selected. FIG. 8 illustrates the situation illustrated in which the safety gear 10 stops the user's fall, the train is still directed to the stop point to the rear, while the detent 102, which is no longer connected to the lever 104, already in the latches 106, 107 on Bottom of the rail 12 engages. In the same way, the safety gear 10 remains effective also in the case where the user deliberately pulls the stopper point 18 backwards or upwards to prevent the pawl 102 from engaging in the catching latches 106, 107 of the rail 12. Once the speed of the rotor 10 exceeds the speed dictated by the electronic controller 70, the retainer is released and the detent 102 is forced into the catch latches 106, 107 of the rail 12 to prevent the movement of the rotor 10 on the rail 12 despite the user's pulling motion to block the stop 18.

The re-engagement of the holding device takes place automatically in this embodiment in that the mechanical lever 104 is pivoted in the fall short time after the release of the holding device also due to the weight of the user in the second position and thereby again in contact with the locking lug 102nd is brought. The permanent magnet 114 then adheres magnetically to the corresponding surface of the electromagnet 112, because the solenoid 112 is already de-energized at the moment. Because, since the rotor 10 is again at standstill at this time, its speed is therefore below the comparison threshold, the solenoid 112 has been set by the electronic controller 70 de-energized.

Should a malfunction prevent the decoupling of the holding device during the crash, for example, if the generator 60 or the control system 70 would be defective, the locking lug 102 would due to the pulling movement down, the weight of the user on the attachment point 18 and thus on the lever 104th is still forced to press into the catching latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12. Thus, locking means 30 also blocks runner 10 on rail 12, in a manner known in the art.

FIGS. 9 to 12 show the safety gear 10 in a fifth embodiment, which represents a further development of the fourth embodiment. Therefore, the entire description of the fourth embodiment applies to this fifth embodiment except for the components which will be detailed below.

At the bottom of the lateral grooves 82 buffers 90 and 92 are fixed. These buffers absorb shocks and mechanical oscillations between the bottom of the lateral grooves of the rail 12 and the rotor 10 during movements on the rail 12 and limit the noise caused by the movement of the rotor 10. The buffers 90, 92 can also be used in the above embodiments.

The pawl is in turn made in two parts, in which case the detent 102 is rotatably mounted with two fork-shaped arms on the shaft 120. The lever 104 is mounted between the arms of the fork of the latch 102. As an alternative, the reverse configuration as described in the fourth embodiment is also applicable.

The spring 110 does not bear the locking lug 102 directly in the direction of the rail 12, but initially only the lever 104, which then transmits the stress to the latching lug 102. It is the object of another spring 130 to press the latching lug 102 against the catching latches 106, 107 of the rail 12 when the lever 104 is kept away from the rail 12 and the latching lug 102 is released from the lever 104. This case will be in FIG. 11 shown.

The advantage of two springs 110 and 130 is that the reaction speed of the locking device 30 is accelerated in certain cases. Because if in the event of a user crash, the movements of the detent 102 and the mechanical lever 104 overlap, the detent 102 is directly loaded by the spring 130 and simultaneously claimed indirectly by the spring 110. Thus, the time required to pivot the latch 102 from the first to the second position, so the reaction time of the locking device 30 is reduced.

The measures taken to prevent the user from acting on the locking lug 102 or blocking it with a tool are similar to those described with reference to the fourth embodiment. It is also the panel 128 may be provided to prevent any insertion of a tool or a finger of the user, should the game between the part of the latch 102, which faces the lower part of the rail 12, and the opposite edge of the opening 34 of the rotor 10 be big enough. The fairing is only in the FIGS. 10 to 12 shown schematically.

As in the fourth embodiment, the housing 72 (not shown) including the generator 60 and friction wheel 62 may be mounted on the front side 14 of the rotor 10 in a recess 73.

The operation of the protective device according to the fifth embodiment is identical to the operation of the fourth embodiment except for the above-described roller of the springs 110 and 130.

Of course, this invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiments, but may have many variants that are available to those skilled in the art.

In the various described embodiments, the electronic controller 70 may be arranged to set, in addition to the speed, the direction of movement of the runner 10 on the rail 12 so as not to cause disengagement of the restraint system when the speed threshold is exceeded during ascent. This will prevent the slider 10 from jamming on the rail 12 when the slider 10 is facing up, i.e., the slider 10 is in the up position. in a direction that does not correspond to a crash. However, it is easier not to make this determination and always trigger the locking device 30 as soon as the speed threshold is exceeded, no matter in which direction the rotor 10 slides. Normally, this speed threshold is not reached when the user climbs up a climbing system and so in this case does not lead to a blockage of the rotor 10 on the rail 12. Due to their bevel, the locking lug 102, the latches 106, 107 normally run over anyway.

In the various embodiments, the speed is measured by means of an electrical generator 60. Alternatively, other means of speed measurement may be used. In particular, can be resorted to an inductive, capacitive or optical speed sensor, which can cooperate with the catching latches 106, 107 at the bottom of the rail 12 or other elements which are built into the rail 12, for this purpose. However, the use of an electric generator 60 is advantageous because it can also be used to generate the required electrical energy alone for the operation of the safety gear 10. In the various described embodiments, the electronic controller 70 is provided to activate the locking device 30 when the speed threshold from the runner 10 is exceeded. Of course, the controller 70 may also do so can be used to activate the locking device 30 already when the speed limit is reached.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Safety gear / runner

12

guide rail

14

Front of the runner

16

Rear of the runner 18 stop point

20

casing

30

locking

32

bolt

34

perforation

38

attack

40

feather

42

pen

44

recess

46

electromagnet

60

generator

62

friction wheel

64

role

66

role

68

counter-roller

70

control

72

casing

73

recess

74

poor

76

axis

78

compression spring

80

swivel axis

82

guide

84

leadership

85

leadership

86

leadership

87

leadership

88

leadership

89

leadership

90

buffer

92

buffer

100

pawl

102

locking lug

104

mechanical lever

106

catching stops

107

catching stops

108

attack

110

feather

112

electromagnet

114

permanent magnet

120

swivel axis

122

Direction of tensile stress

124

bearing surface

126

area

128

paneling

130

feather

Claims (12)

1. Catch device (10) for a fall protection system, it being possible for said catch device to be guided in a guide rail (12) and to be used to anchor the protected person, with a locking device (30) which can be moved between a first, unlocked position and a second position which locks the catch device (10) at the guide rail, a holding device restraining the locking device (30) in the first, unlocked position and the locking device (30) being prestressed into the second, locking position, characterized by an electrical/ electronic speed determination device (60) and an electronic controller (70), which releases the holding device when a predetermined speed is exceeded and thus releases the locking device (30) to enable it to move into the second, locking position.
2. Catch device (10) according to Claim 1, the holding device having an electromagnet (46, 112), and the holding device being uncoupled when the electromagnet (46, 112) is excited.
3. Catch device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, the locking device (30) having a movable bolt (32) or a rotatably mounted detent pawl (100).
4. Catch device (10) according to either of Claims 2 and 3, the electronic controller (70) exciting the electromagnet (46, 112) when the catch device (10) exceeds a predetermined speed.
5. Catch device (10) according to either of Claims 3 and 4, with a two-part detent pawl (100), which comprises a lever (104) and a latching tab (102), which are in the form of two separate elements and are mounted rotatably on a spindle (120), the anchorage point (18) being located at one end of the lever (104).
6. Catch device (10) according to Claim 5, the latching tab (102) being pressed by the mechanical lever (104) into the catches (106, 107) of the guide rail (12) in the event of a malfunction of the electronic controller (70) in the event of a fall.
7. Catch device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, the electronic speed determination device having a generator (60), which is driven by a friction wheel (62), which rolls on the guide rail (12), and the electrical signal generated by the generator (60) represents a measure for the speed of the catch device (10).
8. Catch device (10) according to Claim 7, the generator (60) producing the energy required for the operation of the locking device (30) and the electronic controller (70).
9. Catch device (10) according to either of Claims 7 and 8, which has a device which ensures the contact between the friction wheel (62) and the rail (12).
10. Catch device (10) according to Claim 9, the device having an opposing roller (68) which presses the friction wheel (62) against the guide rail (12), with the result that the rail (12) is clamped between the opposing roller (68) and the friction wheel (62).
11. Catch device (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, the electronic speed determination device containing optical, capacitive or inductive elements.
12. Catch device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the locking device (30) is fitted on the catch device (10) in such a way that manual intervention in the movable stop element (32, 100) is prevented when the catch device (10) is mounted on the guide rail (12).

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