US 2026/0273316 A1Published application

Self-retracting lifeline device with integrated ratchet mechanism powered by a current generator

AssigneeHoneywell Safety Products USA, Inc.

InventorDavid Balandra Gomez

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Abstract

A self-retracting lifeline (SRL) device is provided. For example, an SRL device comprises a housing, a rotatable axle, a lifeline wound around the axle such that extending the lifeline rotates the axle in a first rotational direction, a coil spring wound around the axle to provide a rotational biasing force to the axle in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction such that the axle provides a retraction force to the lifeline, an electrical generator attached to the axle to generate electricity when the axle rotates, a ratchet wheel attached to the axle such that the ratchet wheel rotates when the axle rotates, a pawl having a pivoting proximal end, and an electrically activated actuator connected to a distal end of the pawl to pivot the pawl from a disengaged position to an engaged position when the generated electricity is above a threshold.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A self-retracting lifeline (SRL) device comprising:

a housing defining an opening;
a rotatable axle mounted within the housing;
a lifeline at least partly wound around the axle and having a proximal end attached to the axle, at least a distal portion of the lifeline extending through the opening in the housing and positioned outside of the housing, wherein extending the lifeline rotates the axle in a first rotational direction;
a coil spring wound around the axle to provide a rotational biasing force to the axle in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction such that the axle provides a retraction force to the lifeline;
an electrical generator attached to the axle such that the electrical generator generates electricity when the axle rotates, the generated electricity being proportional to a rotational speed of the axle;
a ratchet wheel attached to the axle such that the ratchet wheel rotates when the axle rotates, the ratchet wheel having a main body and a plurality of teeth positioned around an outer edge of the main body of the ratchet wheel;
a pawl having a proximal end pivotably affixed to a first stationary portion of the SRL device;
and
an electrically activated actuator configured to receive the generated electricity from the electrical generator and connected to a distal end of the pawl and configured to pivot the pawl from a disengaged position to an engaged position when the generated electricity is above a threshold;
wherein, when the pawl is in its disengaged position, the pawl does not contact the ratchet wheel;
and
wherein, when the pawl is in its engaged position, the pawl engages with the ratchet wheel to stop rotation of the ratchet wheel in the first rotational direction and thereby stop rotation of the axle in the first rotational direction and stop extension of the lifeline.

9 more elements

A method of constructing a self-retracting lifeline (SRL) device, the method comprising:

mounting rotatable axle mounted within a housing defining an opening;
attaching a proximal end of a lifeline to the axle;
at least partly winding the lifeline around the axle such that unwinding the lifeline rotates the axle in a first rotational direction;
extending at least a distal portion of the lifeline through the opening in the housing such that the distal portion of the lifeline is positioned outside of the housing;
winding a coil spring around the axle to provide a rotational biasing force to the axle in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction such that the axle provides a retraction force to the lifeline;
attaching an electrical generator to the axle such that the electrical generator generates electricity when the axle rotates, the generated electricity being proportional to a rotational speed of the axle;
attaching a ratchet wheel to the axle such that the ratchet wheel rotates when the axle rotates, the ratchet wheel having a main body and a plurality of teeth positioned around an outer edge of the main body of the ratchet wheel;
pivotably affixing a proximal end of a pawl to a first stationary portion of the SRL device;
electrically connecting an electrically activated actuator to the electrical generator to receive the generated electricity;
and
connecting the electrically activated actuator to a distal end of the pawl, the actuator configured to pivot the pawl from a disengaged position to an engaged position when the generated electricity is above a threshold;
wherein, when the pawl is in its disengaged position, the pawl does not contact the ratchet wheel;
and
wherein, when the pawl is in its engaged position, the pawl engages with the ratchet wheel to stop rotation of the ratchet wheel in the first rotational direction and thereby stop rotation of the axle in the first rotational direction and stop extension of the lifeline.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.