Patent ID: 6793038
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: A62B

Abstract:
A rescue system for rescuing occupants, comprising;a frame positioned adjacent an open or openable escape portion of a structure, the escape portion being open or openable to the outside or the structure; an air fan having a substantially horizontal shaft and at least two vanes coupled to the shaft, the shaft being mounted to said frame such that said fan is rotatable relative to said frame; a removable and replaceable cable cartridge comprising a rotatable housing which is removably coupled to said air fan so as to rotate said air fan upon rotation of said rotatable housing, and said cable cartridge having a cable pre-wound on said rotatable housing, said cable having a free end which is connectable to an occupant to be rescued; said rotatable housing of said cable cartridge having a substantially horizontal rotation axis when coupled to said air fan; and a guide section for guiding said cable, as it is unwound from said rotatable housing, over said frame and out of the escape portion of the structure; wherein when the occupant to be rescued goes out from the escape portion of the structure, the descending motion of the occupant to be rescued causes the cable to unwind from said rotatable housing of said cable cartridge and to move over said frame in engagement with said guide section with the same linear speed as the descending speed of the occupant to be rescued, thus causing said rotatable housing to rotate which in turn causes the air fan to rotate and to create air resistance to the descending speed, until the descending speed of the occupant to be rescued reaches a substantially equilibrium value when the resistance force created by the air fan is equal to the gravity force acting on the descending person.