Climb assist velocity control

A climb assist system configured to provide load assist to a climber during movement along a vertical direction on a structure, the climb assist system comprising:

• a first sheave coupled to an upper area of the structure;
• a second sheave coupled to a lower area of the structure;
• an assist rope that extends along at least a portion of the structure in the vertical direction, the assist rope extending between the first sheave and the second sheave;
• a rope grab configured to couple the climber to the assist rope such that movement of the climber relative to the assist rope is restricted;
• a drive system coupled to the assist rope such that the drive system is configured to provide the load assist to the assist rope;
• a brake configured to apply a braking force to slow downward movement of the climber;
• an input device configured to receive user input from a climber;
• a load sensor system configured to:
• detect a load applied to the rope grab;
• generate a detected rope grab signal in response to the detected load;
• and
• transmit the detected rope grab signal;
• and
• a control system configured to:
• receive the detected rope grab signal over a first channel from the load sensor system, the detected rope grab signal indicating a jerk of the climber during a descent along the vertical direction;
• receive a detected drive system signal over a second channel from the drive system;
• receive the user input over a third channel from the input device;
• interpret the detected rope grab signal, the detected drive system signal, and the user input to determine a load assist value, including comparing the monitored jerk of the climber with a predetermined jerk limit;
• generate a voltage signal corresponding to the load assist value;
• transmit a control system signal to the input device over a fourth channel;
• transmit the voltage signal to the drive system over a fifth channel to cause the drive system to dynamically adjust the load assist provided to the assist rope based on the voltage signal;
• and
• transmit a braking signal to the brake over a sixth channel to cause the drive system to apply the braking force when analyzing the detected load indicates an excess speed, wherein:
• responsive to determining the monitored jerk meets or exceeds the predetermined jerk limit for any detectable time during a specified period of time, the braking signal is transmitted to the brake to apply the braking force.

A climb assist system configured to provide load assist to a climber during movement along a vertical direction on a structure, the climb assist system comprising:

• an assist rope that extends along at least a portion of the structure in the vertical direction;
• a rope grab configured to couple the climber to the assist rope such that movement of the climber relative to the assist rope is restricted;
• a drive system coupled to the assist rope such that the drive system is configured to provide the load assist to the assist rope, the drive system defining a first node;
• a brake configured to apply a braking force to slow downward movement of the climber, the brake defining a second node;
• an input device configured to receive user input from a climber, the input device defining a third node, the third node comprising:
• an input component configured to receive the user input from the climber;
• an output component configured to present information to the climber;
• a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the user input over a wireless mesh network;
• and
• a wireless receiver configured to receive a control system signal over the wireless mesh network;
• a load sensor system defining a fourth node, the load sensor system configured to:
• detect a load applied to the rope grab;
• generate a detected rope grab signal in response to the detected load;
• and
• transmit the detected rope grab signal;
• and
• a remote control system defining a fifth node, the remote control system configured to:
• receive the detected rope grab signal from the load sensor system;
• receive a detected drive system signal from the drive system;
• receive the user input from the input device;
• interpret the detected rope grab signal, the detected drive system signal, and the user input to determine a load assist value;
• generate a voltage signal corresponding to the load assist value;
• transmit the voltage signal to the drive system to cause the drive system to dynamically adjust the load assist provided to the assist rope based on the voltage signal;
• transmit the control system signal to the input device;
• and
• transmit a braking signal to the brake to cause the drive system to apply the braking force when analyzing the detected load indicates an excess speed.