ES2293780B1 - ELEMENT OF LOOP WITH ENERGY ABOSORBEDOR. - Google Patents

Abstract

Mooring element with energy absorber of the type used by operators who perform various activities on facades or walls of buildings or other similar situations that require the performance of vertical works, as well as operators specialized in work at height in general, essentially characterized by being constituted by a single end equipped with a main loop (3) for fixing to the operator's harness, which divides the line into two symmetrical or asymmetric loops (1) and (2), whose end can have one or more energy absorbing elements (4 ), as well as two end loops (7) enabled for fixing the harness or safety cable and a plurality of intermediate loops (8) that form a plurality of anchor points for the placement of the corresponding locking carabiner to the safety cable or to the fixation points of the work surface.

Description

Mooring element with absorber Energy.

Description of the invention

The object of the present invention, as It is expressed in the statement of this specification, it consists of a mooring element with energy absorber, used normally by operators who perform various activities in facades or walls of buildings or other similar situations that require vertical work as well as operators specialists in work at height in general.

This type of operators, to develop their labor need specific safeguard elements that guarantee a safe development of your activities throughout moment.

The main of these devices is the Baga or safety tie element that holds the operator in The work point. This mooring element is constituted as minimum by a non-elastic end equipped with two carabiners in their ends, of which one is fixed by the carabiner to the descender placed on the main or descent rope and the other end is also attached by carabiner to the fall arrest device placed on the safety rope. In the baga there is a reinforcement in which by means of a carabiner, it is fixed to the safety harness.

As we have said, this mooring element is usually be configured by two ends each fixed on one side to a secure support on the work surface and on the other to the harness of the operator. This arrangement allows the operator to work suspended from both ends without balancing towards sides and with some freedom of movement.

To prevent the operator from suffering a braking abruptly in case of accidentally falling or slipping from your position work, with the consequent risk of injuries that represents, different absorber systems have been devised energy whose purpose is to make braking gradual and not abrupt; They are mainly based on the use of elements elastic and / or elements provided with tear seams or similar, which allow a certain elongation during which absorbs the energy of the fall.

A common way to place the absorber of energy in the traditional mooring elements, consists of do it between the proximal end of the anchor line and the harness of security, in case of carrying out a single end; if the device is from those with two ends, the energy absorber is usually placed between the junction of the two anchor ends and the harness of security.

All these security elements have their origin and main use in the sport of climbing, so if they can be used in vertical work operations, not They are totally suitable for them because their use is noticeably different, for example, in climbing the athlete is attached to the climbing surface with his hands and feet keeping the baga without tension as a security element in case of fall, while vertical work operators use the baga as a support element of which remain hung while doing their job for which they need their free hands.

Another important difference is the fact that a climber simply has to carry the minimum material required for immediate climbing, dragging the rest in a sack or bag which remains secured in a lower position until it is hoisted when a safe position is reached while an operator of vertical work must carry at all times all its hand tools can be especially heavy, for example an electric hammer, a drilling machine or an equipment of welding.

In this sense, this type of mooring element Traditional presents some drawbacks.

First, it carries a single absorber of energy, regardless of whether it carries a single anchor line or It takes more than one (usually two).

Second, the single energy absorber develops its absorber deployment vertically, with what the route that the operator makes in case of fall can reach to be important and this can be dangerous, because the weight supported is much superior in a vertical work operator with what the inertia in the falls can be very large if they have a long journey Therefore, one of the security measures Basic in these works is that this route is small.

Third, in the event that the item mooring is composed of two or more anchor ropes, it will be treated normally from independent ends connected to each other in some way: knotted, sewn or similar.

Fourth, the components of the element of Tie down are usually in the same order: safety harness, energy absorber, anchor ends and carabiner; this is because that there is only one absorber and therefore must be located in the common area to the two anchor ends, that is, between the knot of union of the two ends and the safety harness.

Fifth, the mooring element has a unique length which forces the operator to perform their work always at the same distance from your hands and this can be uncomfortable sometimes.

To avoid these and other possible drawbacks, the new mooring element has been designed with energy absorber object of the present report.

The new mooring element presents several advantages among which the following should be highlighted.

First, the whole mooring element and its energy absorber are constituted by a single end that It can form a single loop or two. In principle, the new mooring element has been thought to be normally formed by two ties (what in previous devices would be the two independent anchor ends).

Second, each loop can present two folds (joined together by a seam or glued tear or some other similar union element) which are what constitute the energy absorber; so each loop can present its own energy absorber. In this way the operator, in case of accidental fall, is doubly protected, first because it has two energy absorbers instead of just one and second, because in case of vertical fall, the route that the operator makes to as the absorbers tear apart, it is less because corresponds to the vertical component of the elongation of each laced when the seams of the corresponding absorbers of energy fall apart.

Third, each loop of the cape presents a set of intermediate loops and an end loop, made by unbreakable joints (sewn, glued or similar); this allows the operator to place the carabiner of each loop on the loop that suits you, to get your hands to the most adequate and comfortable working distance.

Fourth, since the whole element of mooring and its energy absorbers are constituted by a only cape with laces provided with folds and loops, the manufacturer can place the folds and loops of each loop in the order you want (adaptable to different types of work) without that this represents any appreciable change in the process of Mooring element manufacturing.

The new element is described below. mooring with energy absorbers, object of the present memory.

A single end constitutes in principle two ties of the same or different length, although you can also Perform in single laced versions. The mooring element It has a loop to which the safety harness of the operator. Next, at the longest end it presents two perpendicular folds that constitute the absorber element of Energy; said folds are joined together by joints tear-offs (such as longitudinal sewing) such that if the operator accidentally falls into vacuum, the progressive tearing of said joints will absorb the energy of the fall, slowing the Operator smoothly and not abruptly. Preferably said absorber is protected inside a cover of transparent heat shrinkable plastic to protect it from dirt, friction and the work activity itself. Finally, the invention involves a set of intermediate loops in addition to a final loop at the distal end of each loop, made by means of rings of the own end that unites itself (with unions unbreakable cross-sewn). In this way, the operator you can place the carabiner in the most convenient loop for the Distance to work.

Distal loops are also enabled to be able to hold the harness, so that the device configured as double loop can be used at the same time As a simple loop.

Description of the drawings

In order to illustrate how much so far we have exposed, is accompanied by the present specification and forming an integral part of it, a set of drawings in those represented in a simplified and schematic way, two examples of practical explanations only explanatory although not limiting the characteristics of the novel element of tie up with energy absorbers.

These examples correspond to a device according to the invention of symmetrical double loop with absorber of energy on each loop, and a double loop device Asymmetric with a single energy absorber.

Figure 1 shows a general scheme of the new device according to the symmetric version.

Figure 2 shows a general outline of the new device according to the asymmetric version.

Figure 3 shows a sequence of images in which is observed as the folds are progressively torn which constitute the energy absorber of the ties, in the extent to which it is being subjected to traction.

Description of a case study

In the figures that accompany this memory describes, by way of example, two practical cases of realization of the mooring element object of it.

The new mooring element is made by a single end that constitutes in principle two ties (1 and 2) with a main loop (3) to which the safety harness is attached of the operator.

Each loop, in the case of the symmetric example and one in the asymmetric example, presents two folds that constitute in each case, the energy absorbing element (4); sayings folds are joined together by tearing joints by sewn (5), so that if the operator falls into a vacuum accidentally, the progressive tearing of these joints (figure 2)  it will absorb the energy of the fall, slowing the operator down Soft and not sharp.

At the ends of each loop it is arranged in each case a final loop (7) enabled for fixing both the harness as to the fixing bracket of the rope or cable security, and between this final loop and the main loop (3) is incorporate a set of intermediate loops (6) made by  rings of the cape itself that joins itself with high joints resistance (8). These loops make up a plurality of points of anchor for the placement of the corresponding carabiner of fastening to the safety cable. In this way, the operator can place the carabiner in the most convenient loop for distance to which I must work.

They will be independent of the purpose of this invention the materials used in the manufacture of different elements that compose it, as well as the forms, dimensions and accessories that may present, and may be replaced by other technically equivalent ones, provided that no affect the essentiality of it or depart from the scope defined in the claims section.

Established the expressed concept, it is written to then the note of claims, thus synthesizing the news that you want to claim.

Claims (4)

1. Mooring element with energy absorber of the type used by operators who perform various activities on facades or walls of buildings or other similar situations that require vertical work, as well as operators specializing in work at height in general, essentially characterized by being constituted by a single end equipped with a main loop (3) for fixing to the operator's harness, which divides the end into two symmetrical or asymmetric laces (1) and (2), whose end can have one or more energy absorbing elements (4), as well as two end loops (7) enabled for fixing the harness or safety cable and a plurality of intermediate loops (6) that form a plurality of anchor points for the placement of the corresponding cable fixing carabiner safety or to the fixation points of the work surface. 2. Mooring element according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the energy absorber (4) of each loop (1) and (2) is constituted by a set of folds made with the end itself and fixed by means of a progressively tear-off joining elements being covered by a transparent protective element. 3. Mooring element according to previous claims, characterized in that the connecting element of the energy absorbing elements is preferably tear-off sewing lines (5). 4. Mooring element according to previous claims, characterized in that the energy absorbers (4) are arranged at any point of each loop (1) and (2) working along the longitudinal axes of each and forming an angle greater than 90 ° with respect to the vertical