# US 9,435,484 B1 · Safety catch connector

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- Number: US 9,435,484 B1
- Document ID: US9435484B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/712,919
- Filed: 2015-05-15
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-15
- Assignees: Aerohook Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Aerohook Technology Co., Ltd.; Kai Chieh Yang
- Inventors: Kai Chieh Yang; Yi Ching Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435484B1

## CPC

- A62B 35/0075: {Details of ropes or similar equipment, e.g. between the secured person and the lifeline or anchor}
- A62B 35/0087: {Arrangements for bypassing lifeline supports without lanyard disconnection}
- F16B 21/165: {with balls or rollers (for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1409)}
- F16G 15/06: Shackles designed for attachment by joint pins to chain elements, e.g. D-shackles {so called harp links; the D-chain links are classified according to the corresponding kind of chain}
- A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00)
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F16G: BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVING PURPOSES; CHAINS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR

## Abstract

A safety catch connector includes a catch member, first and second sleeves at two ends of the catch member to define a notch, a locking shaft slidably coupled at the first and second sleeves to selectively open and close the notch, a first controlling unit provided at the first sleeve to releasably lock up the locking shaft at the first sleeve, and a second controlling unit provided at the locking shaft to releasably lock up the locking shaft at the first sleeve, such that the first and second controlling units serves as two safety mechanisms to avoid an unintentional unlocking operation of the locking shaft. The locking shaft is quickly slid to open and close the notch for easy accessing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A safety catch connector, comprising:
an elongated catch member comprising an elongated retention arm providing a hanging space and a notch which forms at said hanging space, a first sleeve formed at one end of said retention arm, and a second sleeve at an opposed end of said retention arm to define said notch between said first sleeve and said second sleeve, wherein said first sleeve has a first sleeve hole formed at an axial direction and a locking groove which is radially formed at a bottom side of said first sleeve, wherein said second sleeve has a second sleeve hole formed at an axial direction to coaxially align with said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve;
an elongated locking shaft having a first end slidably passing through said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve and a second end slidably inserting into said second sleeve hole of said second sleeve to close said notch, wherein said locking shaft further has a first engaging slot radially formed at said first end of said locking shaft to align with said first sleeve and a manipulating portion extended from said first end, wherein a controlling channel is formed at an end of said manipulating portion at an axial direction thereof, wherein a shaft locking hole is radially formed at said locking shaft between said first end and said second end to communicate with said controlling channel and is positioned close to said first sleeve when said locking shaft is coupled between said first sleeve and said second sleeve at a closed position to close said notch;
a first controlling unit comprising a first locking element slidably coupled at said locking groove to slidably disposed at said first sleeve hole, wherein said first locking element has a locking channel formed therewithin, wherein said first controlling unit further comprises a first resilient element biasing against said first locking element to ensure a top edge of the locking channel being engaged with said first engaging slot of said locking shaft to lock up said locking shaft; and
a second controlling unit comprising an elongated controlling latch slidably coupled at said controlling channel, a second locking element disposed at an opening end of said shaft locking hole to slidably bias against an outer circumferential surface of said controlling latch, and a second resilient element disposed in said controlling channel to ensure said second locking element to be biased against an inner wall of said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve, wherein in order to open up said notch, said first locking element and said controlling latch are pressed at the same time to unlock with said locking channel and said second locking element respectively, so as to allow a sliding movement of said locking shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The safety catch connector, as recited in claim 1, wherein said locking shaft is an elongated shaft for a safety belt being wound therearound and said retention arm is adapted for holding at least one lifting lug of a catch device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 2, wherein said catch member further has a fastener hole formed at said first sleeve to communicate with said first sleeve hole and comprises a fastener engaged with said fastener hole at a position that a head portion of said fastener is extended through said fastener hole to protrude within said first sleeve hole, wherein said locking shaft further has an elongated keyway, wherein said head portion of said fastener is slidably engaged with said keyway.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 2, wherein a narrowed neck with a reduced diameter size is formed at each opening end of said shaft locking hole, wherein said controlling latch has a wedging groove radially indented at one end portion thereof, wherein said second locking element, having a ball shape, is disposed at each narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole to slidably bias against an outer circumferential surface of said controlling latch, wherein a diameter of said second locking element is larger than a diameter of said narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole and is smaller than a diameter of said shaft locking hole, wherein said second locking elements are radially and outwardly pushed to protrude at an outer circumferential surface of said locking shaft to bias against an inner wall of said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve as a second safety mechanism.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 2, wherein said locking shaft further has a second engaging slot radially formed at the second end thereof, wherein when said locking shaft is slid to locate said second engaging slot at said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve, said first locking element is released to lock at said second engaging slot to prevent said locking shaft from being entirely detached from said catch member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The safety catch connector, as recited in claim 1, wherein said locking groove is a through hole radially formed at said first sleeve to communicate with said first sleeve hole, wherein said first locking element has a locking channel formed therewithin for said locking shaft passing therethrough.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 6, wherein said catch member further has a fastener hole formed at said first sleeve to communicate with said first sleeve hole and comprises a fastener engaged with said fastener hole at a position that a head portion of said fastener is extended through said fastener hole to protrude within said first sleeve hole, wherein said locking shaft further has an elongated keyway, wherein said head portion of said fastener is slidably engaged with said keyway.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 6, wherein a narrowed neck with a reduced diameter size is formed at each opening end of said shaft locking hole, wherein said controlling latch has a wedging groove radially indented at one end portion thereof, wherein said second locking element, having a ball shape, is disposed at each narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole to slidably bias against an outer circumferential surface of said controlling latch, wherein a diameter of said second locking element is larger than a diameter of said narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole and is smaller than a diameter of said shaft locking hole, wherein said second locking elements are radially and outwardly pushed to protrude at an outer circumferential surface of said locking shaft to bias against an inner wall of said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve as a second safety mechanism.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 6, wherein said locking shaft further has a second engaging slot radially formed at the second end thereof, wherein when said locking shaft is slid to locate said second engaging slot at said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve, said first locking element is released to lock at said second engaging slot to prevent said locking shaft from being entirely detached from said catch member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The safety catch connector, as recited in claim 6, wherein said locking groove is a through hole radially formed at a bottom side of said first sleeve and is upwardly extended to communicate with said first sleeve hole, wherein said catch member further has a receiving hole formed at said retention arm to align with said locking groove, wherein said first controlling unit further comprises a first resilient element disposed in said receiving hole, wherein a bottom end of said resilient element is biased against a top side of said first locking element to push a bottom side of said first locking element out of said first sleeve while a top edge of said locking channel is engaged with said first engaging slot of said locking shaft to lock up said locking shaft as a first safety mechanism.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 10, wherein said catch member further has a fastener hole formed at said first sleeve to communicate with said first sleeve hole and comprises a fastener engaged with said fastener hole at a position that a head portion of said fastener is extended through said fastener hole to protrude within said first sleeve hole, wherein said locking shaft further has an elongated keyway, wherein said head portion of said fastener is slidably engaged with said keyway.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 10, wherein a narrowed neck with a reduced diameter size is formed at each opening end of said shaft locking hole, wherein said controlling latch has a wedging groove radially indented at one end portion thereof, wherein said second locking element, having a ball shape, is disposed at each narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole to slidably bias against an outer circumferential surface of said controlling latch, wherein a diameter of said second locking element is larger than a diameter of said narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole and is smaller than a diameter of said shaft locking hole, wherein said second locking elements are radially and outwardly pushed to protrude at an outer circumferential surface of said locking shaft to bias against an inner wall of said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve as a second safety mechanism.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 10, wherein said locking shaft further has a second engaging slot radially formed at the second end thereof, wherein when said locking shaft is slid to locate said second engaging slot at said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve, said first locking element is released to lock at said second engaging slot to prevent said locking shaft from being entirely detached from said catch member.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 1, wherein said catch member further has a fastener hole formed at said first sleeve to communicate with said first sleeve hole and comprises a fastener engaged with said fastener hole at a position that a head portion of said fastener is extended through said fastener hole to protrude within said first sleeve hole, wherein said locking shaft further has an elongated keyway, wherein said head portion of said fastener is slidably engaged with said keyway.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 1, wherein a narrowed neck with a reduced diameter size is formed at each opening end of said shaft locking hole, wherein said controlling latch has a wedging groove radially indented at one end portion thereof, wherein said second locking element, having a ball shape, is disposed at each narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole to slidably bias against an outer circumferential surface of said controlling latch, wherein a diameter of said second locking element is larger than a diameter of said narrowed neck of said shaft locking hole and is smaller than a diameter of said shaft locking hole, wherein said second locking elements are radially and outwardly pushed to protrude at an outer circumferential surface of said locking shaft to bias against an inner wall of said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve as a second safety mechanism.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The safety catch connector, as in claim 1, wherein said locking shaft further has a second engaging slot radially formed at the second end thereof, wherein when said locking shaft is slid to locate said second engaging slot at said first sleeve hole of said first sleeve, said first locking element is released to lock at said second engaging slot to prevent said locking shaft from being entirely detached from said catch member.