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US 7,029,353 B2Granted
Line capture system and method
AssigneeCrossLine Solutions
InventorsLion Goodman, Michael Croslin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method involving a line capture device (10) and a flotation apparatus (49), the line capture device (100) having a body (14), at least one line retainer, each line retainer having a line retainer portion (16) and a latching portion (28), for retaining a portion of a captured line (12), and a capturing line (20) extending from the body (14) for pulling the device (10), the captured line (12), and a secondary object, e.g., a victim (40), back to a rescuer, the flotation apparatus (49) having a safety flotation vest (50) housing a deployable flotation device (42) and a deployable line (12) to be captured.
Claims12
A line capture device, comprising:
- a body having a line attachment section disposed at a proximal end and a line retainer portion attachment section disposed at a distal end;
- at least one line retainer, being radially disposed and coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section at the distal end, for retaining a line to be captured, each line retainer having a cavity for accommodating a captured line;
- and
- means for binding the line retainer portion to the body within a line retainer portion groove disposed within the line retainer portion attachment section for preventing bending, tipping, or misaligning of the line retainer portion,
- wherein each at least one line retainer comprises:
- a line retainer portion coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section, the line retainer portion having a generally straight arm configuration;
- and
- a latching portion mechanically coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section, the latching portion having a pivoting end and being in movable relation to the line retainer portion, the pivoting end being selected from a group consisting of a proximal end of the latching portion and a distal end of the latching portion, and
- wherein the latching portion comprises a mechanism disposed at the pivoting end which selected from a group consisting essentially of a spring and a flexure for allowing a line to be captured to be thereagainst pressed and to thereby effect opening of the latching portion.
6 more elements
A line capture device, comprising:
- a body having a line attachment section disposed at a proximal end and a line retainer portion attachment section disposed at a distal end;
- at least one line retainer, being radially disposed and coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section at the distal end, for retaining a line to be captured, each line retainer having a cavity for accommodating a captured line;
- a capturing line being coupled to the line attachment section disposed at the proximal end for pulling the body and the at least one line retainer portion for capturing a line;
- and
- means for binding the line retainer portion to the body within a line retainer portion groove disposed within the line retainer portion attachment section for preventing bending, tipping, or misaligning of the line retainer portion,
- wherein each at least one line retainer comprises:
- a line retainer portion coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section, the line retainer portion having a generally straight arm configuration;
- and
- a latching portion mechanically coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section, the latching portion having a pivoting end and being in movable relation to the line retainer portion, the pivoting end being selected from a group consisting of a proximal end of the latching portion and a distal end of the latching portion, and
- wherein the latching portion comprises a mechanism disposed at the pivoting end which selected from a group consisting essentially of a spring and a flexure for allowing a line to be captured to be thereagainst pressed and to thereby effect opening of the latching portion.
7 more elements
A line capture system, comprising:
- at least two line capture devices for mechanical cooperation with one another,
- wherein each device of the at least two line capture devices comprises:
- a body having a line attachment section disposed at a proximal end and a line retainer portion attachment section disposed at a distal end;
- at least one line retainer, being radially disposed and coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section at the distal end, for retaining a line to be captured, each line retainer having a cavity for accommodating a captured line;
- and
- means for binding the line retainer portion to the body within a line retainer portion groove disposed within the line retainer portion attachment section for preventing bending, tipping, or misaligning of the line retainer portion,
- wherein each at least one line retainer comprises:
- a line retainer portion coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section, the line retainer portion having a generally straight arm configuration;
- and
- a latching portion mechanically coupled to the line retainer portion attachment section, the latching portion having a pivoting end and being in movable relation to the line retainer portion, the pivoting end being selected from a group consisting of a proximal end of the latching portion and a distal end of the latching portion, and
- wherein the latching portion comprises a mechanism disposed at the pivoting end which selected from a group consisting essentially of a spring and a flexure for allowing a line to be captured to be thereagainst pressed and to thereby effect opening of the latching portion.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.