Back to results
US 2019/0175972 A1Published application
Isokinetic Rope Climbing Method and Machine
OwnerMark Smallinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endless loop rope climbing machine that maintains a constant rope speed through a hydraulic resistance mechanism having a pressure compensated flow control valve.
Claims11
A rope climbing apparatus comprising:
- a. a support structure;
- b. a friction sheave mounted to the support structure and having a tapered channel;
- c. a climbing rope threaded about the friction sheave and seated within a portion of the tapered channel, friction between said climbing rope and tapered channel resulting in rotation of the sheave as force is applied to the climbing rope;
- d. a hydraulic reservoir for retaining fluid and having an inlet and outlet;
- e. a hydraulic pump connected to the hydraulic reservoir outlet having a hydraulic pump shaft that is mechanically connected to the friction sheave such that the pump actuates and propels fluid as the friction sheave rotates;
- and
- f. a pressure compensated flow control valve comprising an adjustable fluid flow rate, an entrance orifice mechanically affixed to the hydraulic pump, an exit orifice mechanically affixed to the intake of the hydraulic reservoir, and a pressure compensating spool, wherein increases or decreases in fluid flow within the valve cause the pressure compensating spool to shift position within said valve, nearly instantaneously restricting or increasing fluid flow to the exit orifice and thereby allowing or inhibiting rotation of the hydraulic pump shaft to maintain a substantially constant resistance on the climbing rope.
4 more elements
A method for providing substantially consistent resistance in a rope climbing machine based on the force applied, said method comprising:
- a. Providing a rope climbing machine having a support structure, a resistance mechanism comprised of a friction sheave mechanically affixed to a closed loop hydraulic system, and a rope threaded about said friction sheave;
- b. Applying force to the rope;
- c. Placing a pressure compensated flow control valve within the closed loop hydraulic system, the pressure compensated flow control valve having a compensator sensing spool that nearly instantaneously restricts or increases fluid flow within the closed loop hydraulic system when torque is applied to the friction sheave, thereby restricting motion of said friction sheave to maintain a substantially constant rope resistance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.