Wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device
OwnerNeil E. Broteninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device to resist sliding movement of a climber on a climbing surface includes a pick blade pivotable between a retracted position and a deployed position. A tip of an out-turned tooth on the pick blade can be oriented downwardly and outwardly in the retracted position to engage and catch the climbing surface. An out-turned fin can be disposed on the opposite end of the pick blade above the pivot to urge the pick blade out of the retracted position upon pressing the fin against the climbing surface.
Claims20
A wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device configured to resist sliding movement of a climber on a climbing surface, comprising:
- a) a rigid base plate sized and shaped to conform to a limb or a torso of a climber's body;
- b) means for securing the base plate to the limb or the torso of the climber's body;
- c) a pick blade pivotally coupled to the base plate at a pivot near a proximal end of the pick blade, and pivotable between a retracted position with the pick blade disposed adjacent the base plate, and a deployed position with the pick blade extending outwardly and transversely with respect to the base plate;
- d) at least one out-turned tooth on a distal end of the pick blade;
- and
- e) a tip of the tooth being oriented outwardly with respect to the base plate in the retracted position to engage and catch the climbing surface upon downward movement of the tooth against the climbing surface and urge the pick blade towards the deployed position.
A wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device configured to resist sliding movement of a climber on a climbing surface, comprising:
- a) a rigid base plate sized and shaped to conform to a limb or a torso of a climber's body;
- b) means for securing the base plate to the limb or the torso of the climber's body;
- c) a pick blade pivotally coupled to the base plate at a pivot near a proximal end of the pick blade, and pivotable between a retracted position with the pick blade disposed adjacent the base plate, and a deployed position with the pick blade extending outwardly and transversely with respect to the base plate;
- and
- d) an out-turned fin disposed on the proximal end of the pick blade and extending outwardly beyond an outer surface of the pick blade in the retracted position and capable of urging the pick blade out of the retracted position upon pressing the fin against the climbing surface.
A wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device configured to resist sliding movement of a climber on a climbing surface, comprising:
- a) a rigid base plate sized and shaped to conform to a limb or a torso of a climber's body;
- b) means for securing the base plate to the limb or the torso of the climber's body;
- c) a pick blade pivotally coupled to the base plate at a pivot near a proximal end of the pick blade, and pivotable between a retracted position with the pick blade adjacent the base plate, and a deployed position with the pick blade extending outwardly and transversely with respect to the base plate;
- d) an out-turned tooth on a distal end of the pick blade;
- e) a tip of the tooth disposed out of the sheath in the retracted position;
- f) the tip being oriented downwardly and outwardly with respect to the pivot in the retracted position to engage and catch the climbing surface upon downward movement of the tooth against the climbing surface and urge the pick blade towards the deployed position;
- g) an outer surface of the tooth being oriented downwardly and outwardly with respect to the pivot in the retracted position to abut and slide along the climbing surface upon upward movement of the tooth against the climbing surface;
- h) a broad head disposed on the out-turned tooth extending transversely with respect to the pick blade.
- i) an out-turned fin disposed on the proximal end of the pick blade above the pivot and extending outwardly beyond an outer surface of the pick blade in the retracted position and capable of urging the pick blade out of the retracted position upon pressing the fin against the climbing surface;
- j) a broad tab disposed on the fin extending transversely with respect to the fin;
- and
- k) locking means for automatically locking the pick blade in the deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.