WO2007110580A1

WO2007110580A1 - Safety lanyard

Info

Publication number: WO2007110580A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/000909
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Mark Edmondson
Original assignee: The Heightec Group Limited
Priority date: 2006-03-24
Filing date: 2007-03-15
Publication date: 2007-10-04
Also published as: WO2007110581A1; EP1998856A1

Abstract

A first embodiment comprises a lanyard for a fall protection harness, said lanyard comprising a connection means at a distal end thereof adapted to be connectable to a safety harness wherein the lanyard is provided with a body support means configurable between a stowed position on the lanyard and an operative position wherein the body support means can support a portion of a user's body to relieve at least a portion of the user's weight from the safety harness, the body support means being automatically deployed from its stowed configuration to its operative configuration when a tensile force applied to the lanyard exceeds a predetermined threshold. Also disclosed is a body support means for use with a lanyard, the body support means comprising an elongate member having a connection means at each end to enable the elongate member to be connected in parallel with a lanyard, the body support means including a body support member connected at one end to said elongate member and having a body support loop at an opposite end, the body support member being configurable between a stowed position on the elongate member and an operative position wherein the body support member can support a portion of a user's body to relieve at least a portion of the user's weight from a safety harness, the body support member being automatically deployed from its stowed configuration to its operative configuration when a tensile force applied to the elongate member of the body support means exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Description

Safety Lanyard

The invention relates to a safety lanyard for connection to a fall protection harness.

A safety lanyard in combination with a fall protection harness is used to arrest the fall of a person. When a fallen person is suspended by a lanyard connected to known types of fall protection harness, the majority of the persons weight is supported on the groin straps of the harness which causes discomfort and can lead to medical complications such as venous pooling.

The provision of a footloop attached to the harness enables the person who is suspended in the harness to stand up in the footloop and therefore reduce the pressure on the groin and other parts of the body.

While such footloops are known, the known footloops comprise separate units which must be attached to a harness. They therefore have the risk of being left behind or incorrectly attached. They also add extra bulk and clutter to a harness causing further inconvenience to the wearer. In addition the footloop has to be deployed by the user requiring several actions to be performed under difficult conditions and possibly whilst injured.

The invention seeks to remove these risks by providing a footloop which is incorporated into a lanyard and which deploys automatically in the event of a fall.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a lanyard for a fall protection harness, said lanyard comprising a connection means at a distal end thereof adapted to be connectable to a safety harness wherein the lanyard is provided with a body support means configurable between a stowed position on the lanyard and an operative position wherein the body support means can support a portion of a user's body to relieve at least a portion of the user's weight from the safety harness. Preferably the body support means is automatically deployed from its stowed configuration to its operative configuration when a tensile force applied to the lanyard exceeds a predetermind threshold. Alternatively it is envisaged that the body support means may be manually configurable between its stowed and operative positions.

Preferably the body support means comprises a strap having a loop formed at a distal end thereof, an opposite end of the strap being attached to the lanyard.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a body support means for use with a lanyard, the body support means comprising an elongate member having a connection means at each end to enable the elongate member to be connected in parallel with a lanyard, the body support means including a body support member connected at one end to said elongate member and having a body support loop at an opposite end, the body support member being configurable between a stowed position on the elongate member and an operative position wherein the body support member can support a portion of a user's body to relieve at least a portion of the user's weight from a safety harness.

The body support member may be automatically deployed from its stowed configuration to its operative configuration when a tensile force applied to the elongate member of the body support means exceeds a predetermined threshold. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of the lanyard with the support loop in the stowed position;

Figure 2 is a front view of the lanyard with the support loop in the active position;

Figure 3 is a view of the support loop in the stowed position with the protective cover removed; and

Figure 4 is an alternative embodiment of the invention with the support loop in the stowed position provided as a separate unit attached to an existing lanyard.

A lanyard, being a rope, webbing, chain or other flexible elongate member, is used to support a person in the event of a fall.

A lanyard according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings. The lanyard (1) incorporates a connection loop at each distal end thereof to enable the lanyard to be connected at one end to a fall protection harness, typically at a dorsal connection, and the opposite end to an anchor point.

The lanyard (1) incorporates a tear out section (2) capable of dissipating energy in the event of a fall. The tear out section (2) comprises an elongate section of material that is folded, the folded section being interconnected, for example by weak stitching or weak interconnecting fibres, and contained beneath a protective cover (3).

In the event of the user falling, as the lanyard comes under tension and the weak stitching or fibres in said tear out section rupture and the tear out section elongates, absorbing the energy of the impact. As the weak stitching or fibres rupture, the tear out section increases in length, expanding outwards from inside said protective cover (3).

A body support means (4) is attached to the end of the tear out section, nearest the user (5). The body support means is normally held in a folded, stowed position beneath the protective cover (3) alongside the tear out section (2). In the event of the user falling, as the tear out section elongates, the body support means is pulled from the protective cover to occupy an active position wherein the user can obtain additional support from said body support means by placing their foot or knee in a loop provided at the end of the body support means whereby the user can relieve the weight applied to the groin straps.

Preferably adjustment means, such as an adjustable buckle, is provided so that the length of said body support means can be varied to fit different sizes of user.

Preferably the loop of said body support means is stiffened, for example by a plastic tube surrounding a region of the loop to hold the loop open to assist the user in placing their foot, leg etc in said lower section.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention said body support means is provided as a separate unit. Said unit being connected in parallel with an existing lanyard (1) incorporating tear out section (2) contained beneath a protective cover (3). The body support means (4) is contained beneath a separate protective cover (6) and is releaseably connected to the end of the tear out section nearest the user (5). The protective cover (6) is releaseably connected to the end of the tear out section furthest from the user (7). In the event of the user falling, as the tear out section elongates said body support means (4) is pulled from the protective cover (6) to occupy an active position wherein the user can obtain additional support from the body support means.

Various modifications and variations to the described embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments.

Claims

1. A lanyard for a fall protection harness, said lanyard comprising a connection means at a distal end thereof adapted to be connectable to a safety harness wherein the lanyard is provided with a body support means configurable between a stowed position on the lanyard and an operative position wherein the body support means can support a portion of a user's body to relieve at least a portion of the user's weight from the safety harness.

2. A lanyard as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the body support means is automatically deployed from its stowed configuration to its operative configuration when a tensile force applied to the lanyard exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. A lanyard as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body support means comprises a strap having a loop formed at a distal end thereof for insertion of a user's foot or knee, an opposite end of the strap being attached to the lanyard.

4. A lanyard as claimed in claim 3, wherein a portion of the loop is stiffened such that the loop is held open to assist insertion of a user's foot or knee.

5. A lanyard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, when in its stowed position, the body support means is contained beneath a protective cover.

6. A lanyard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body support means includes adjustment means to enable its length to be varied.

7. A body support means for use with a lanyard, the body support means comprising an elongate member having a connection means at each end to enable the elongate member to be connected in parallel with a lanyard, the body support means including a body support member connected at one end to said elongate member and having a body support loop at an opposite end, the body support member being configurable between a stowed position on the elongate member and an operative position wherein the body support member can support a portion of a user's body to relieve at least a portion of the user's weight from a safety harness.

8. A body support means as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body support member is automatically deployed from its stowed configuration to its operative configuration when a tensile force applied to the elongate member of the body support means exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. A body support means as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein a portion of the loop is stiffened such that the loop is held open to assist insertion of a user's foot or knee.

10. A body support means as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, wherein, when in its stowed position, the body support means is contained beneath a protective cover.