CARABINER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING

The carabiner comprises a C-shaped body (1) and a gate (2) fitted movable between an open position and a closed position. The gate (2) is fitted rotatable with respect to the body (1). The gate (2) defines a cavity (2a) receiving a spring (4). A pusher (5) presses on the body (1). The spring (4) installed in the cavity (2a) of the gate (2) presses on the gate (2) and on the pusher (5) to bias the gate (2) to the closed position. The spring (4) is a coil spring extending along the longitudinal axis of the cavity (2a). The spring (4) and pusher (5) are fixedly mounted on one another to form a monolithic assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a carabiner and to a method for manufacturing one such carabiner.

STATE OF THE ART

In the fields of working at height, caving and mountaineering, it is common practice to use carabiners having a movable gate associated with a spring. Different configurations of gates and springs are known that enable the gate and spring to be associated so that the spring moves the gate so that the carabiner is closed. The spring applies a force on the gate to bias the latter to its closed position thereby closing the carabiner.

It is known from the document U.S. Pat. No. 8,234,761 to form a gate that is openable and closable. The gate formed by a wire is elastically deformable and is prestressed to place itself against the body in the absence of any outside force. The gate is formed by a metal wire having two attachment points offset along the large axis of the carabiner to define an axis of rotation of the openable gate and a spring effect.

Another carabiner configuration is also known with a movable gate that is hollow. The spring is a coil spring installed inside the gate. The spring deforms inside the gate. One end of the spring is pressing on the inside of the gate whereas the other end is pressing on a pusher that presses on the body of the carabiner close to the axis of rotation between the gate and body. Rotation of the gate results in rotation of the pusher and compression of the spring.

Different pusher configurations are known with in particular a pin that pushes into the coil spring. In one configuration, the pusher has one end having a cross-section close to the cross-section of the cavity of the gate so as to close the cavity. Rotation of the gate with respect to the body corresponds to translation of the pusher in the cavity which applies a more or less large stress on the coil spring. The spring is configured to repel the pusher corresponding to a gate in the closed position of the carabiner. In another configuration, the pusher that closes the cavity is replaced by a rod that partially obstructs the cavity and that passes through at least a part of the coil spring to ensure a good mechanical connection between the pusher and the coil spring.

Different configurations of carabiners are illustrated in the documents EP 1710456, FR 2731255, EP 1703148, JP 2016-6342, U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,823, FR 2651684 and CN 209212760.

It is known from document U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,001 a hook that opens outward and has a hollow gate. The inside of the gate receives a coil spring that slides along the outside surface of the hook. The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,467 disclose a carabiner provided with a gate equipped with a pusher topped by an elastically deformable part forming a spring. The plunger and the spring are monolithic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention consists in remedying these shortcomings, and more particularly in providing a carabiner that ensures a better cooperation between the coil spring and the pusher while at the same time keeping an assembly formed by the spring and the pusher that is easy to install in the carabiner and that is economically viable.

These shortcomings tend to be overcome by means of a carabiner having:a C-shaped body,a gate fitted movable between an open position and a closed position, the gate being fitted movable in rotation with respect to the body, the gate defining a cavity designed to house a spring,a pusher pressing on the body,a spring installed in the cavity of the gate and pressing on the gate and on the pusher to bias the gate to the closed position, the spring being a coil spring extending along the longitudinal axis of the cavity.

The carabiner is remarkable in that the spring and pusher are fixedly mounted on one another to form a monolithic assembly.

According to one feature of the invention, the spring and pusher are formed by one and the same metal wire.

In preferential manner, the metal wire has a constant diameter from one end of the spring to the other and from one end of the pusher to the other.

Advantageously, the pusher is in the form of a ring, the spring having two pressing points on the ring.

In a particular embodiment, the support is L-shaped or U-shaped.

According to another feature, the pusher is included in a plane that contains a diameter of the spring.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for manufacturing a carabiner that is easier to implement than the methods of the prior art.

This result tends to be achieved by means of a method for manufacturing a carabiner comprising the following steps:providing a C-shaped body;providing a gate, the gate defining a cavity designed to house a spring;providing a monolithic assembly formed by the spring and a pusher that are fixedly mounted on one another, the spring being a coil spring;installing the monolithic assembly in the cavity, the spring being installed in the cavity of the gate, the spring extending along the longitudinal axis of the cavity;fitting the gate on the body in rotatable manner between an open position and a closed position, the gate being fitted movable in rotation with respect to the body, the pusher pressing on the body and the spring pressing on the gate and on the pusher to bias the gate to the closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS.1and2illustrate a cross-sectional view of a carabiner provided with a body1, a gate2and a rotation shaft3. Body1is C-shaped. Gate2is fitted movable in rotation with respect to body1. Gate2is fitted rotatable around a rotation shaft3. Gate2is fitted movable between a closed position (FIG.1) and an open position (FIG.2). In the closed position, gate2closes the carabiner which then defines a closed loop. In the open position, gate2closes the carabiner which then defines an open loop allowing a tool or a strap to be inserted.

Body1presents a C-shape with opposite first and second ends1aand1bfacing one another. First end1ais joined to second end1bby connecting portion1cwhich is preferentially rectilinear or substantially rectilinear. Gate2is fixed to second end1bby means of rotation shaft3. In the closed position, gate2connects first end1ato second end1b.

Gate2defines a cavity2adesigned to house a spring4. The carabiner has a spring4and a pusher5. Spring4is a coil spring the spring axis B of which is parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A of cavity2a. Spring4has one end that is pressing against gate2. The coil spring extends along longitudinal axis A of cavity2a. Longitudinal axis A of cavity2apasses through or is in immediate proximity to the axis of gate2with respect to body1. Spring4is formed by a plurality of non-jointed coils so as to work in compression. Spring4is compressed between one end of cavity2aand pusher5. The use of a coil spring is more advantageous than a flat spring known from the prior art.

Pusher5is pressing directly against body1. Pusher5is housed in a dedicated space of body1, for example in the form of a dish or a hook arranged in body1to block one end of pusher5. Pusher5separates spring4and body1. This configuration is more advantageous than the one illustrated in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,001 because the pusher can intervene in the rotation of the gate when the latter is deformed from its end wedged in the cup or the hook to the other end attached to the spring.

Rotation of gate2results in movement of pusher5which is inserted more or less deeply in cavity2a. Insertion of pusher5into cavity2abiases spring4which opposes this insertion. Rotation of gate2from the closed position to the open position results in depression of pusher5into cavity2aand compression of spring4.

Pusher5and spring4are installed in fixed manner on one another so as to form a single part that is inserted into cavity2awhen spring4is installed in cavity2a. Mechanical fixing of pusher5on spring4enables transmission of the forces between pusher5and spring4to be defined precisely. This makes it possible to better define the behaviour of spring4and the behaviour of pusher5when rotation of gate2takes place.

In the prior art configurations where the pusher has one end having a substantially identical cross-section to the cross-section of the cavity, it is not possible to have a perfect complementarity between the two parts. Furthermore, to avoid introducing friction between gate2and pusher5, it is sought to provide a pusher5with a substantially smaller cross-section than that of the cavity. Unfortunately, this configuration results in cavity2abeing able to retain moisture or debris when the carabiners are used in difficult conditions, for example caving or mountaineering. This may result in premature ageing of spring4with a modification of its mechanical behaviour.

In the prior art configurations where pusher5is in the form of a rod inserted between the coils of spring4, the width of the rod must be sufficiently large to come into contact with the coils substantially over a diameter without coming into contact with the side wall of the cavity to reduce friction. As the parts as small, installation of the spring and pusher is a painstaking operation. The behaviour of gate2can vary depending on how spring4and pusher5are installed. Spring4and pusher5move with respect to one another. As a result of the large number of movements of gate2between its open position and closed position, the mechanical connection between spring4and pusher5is modified which modifies the behaviour of gate2with time.

It is therefore particularly advantageous to have a spring4and a pusher5that are irremediably fixed to one another so as to form an assembly whose mechanical behaviour is better mastered in particular as the carabiner is increasingly used. Mechanical fixing of spring4with pusher5enables the mechanical behaviour of the assembly formed by spring4and pusher5to be better mastered throughout rotation of gate2between the closed position and the open position. It is particularly advantageous to provide for the end of spring4in contact with pusher5not to be totally sealed so as to make it easier to extract ice, mud or sand which may penetrate into spring4. Depending on the configurations, pusher5does not obstruct or hardly obstructs the central hole of the spring in its proximal end of pusher5.

In a particular embodiment, fixing of spring4with pusher5defines a hinge with elastic deformation.

In an advantageous configuration, pusher5and spring4are formed by one and the same part so as to form a monolithic, and therefore inseparable, assembly.

In preferential manner, spring4and pusher5are made from metal material, preferably in the same grade of metal and even more preferentially in a single technological step so as to form an assembly whose mechanical performances are even better mastered.

In a preferred embodiment, spring4is formed by a wire, preferably a metal wire, forming the coil spring, and the wire that extends from spring4is used to form pusher5. Advantageously, the straight section of the wire is circular. It is particularly advantageous to use a metal wire of circular cross-section which greatly reduces wear of pusher5and/or of body2in comparison with a pusher formed by a plate as illustrated in the document EP 1710456. Preferentially, the cross-section of the wire is identical between spring4and pusher5, i.e. it is constant from one end of spring4to the other and from one end of pusher5to the other. It is also possible to provide pusher5in a wire that is thicker than the wire forming spring4so as to form a pusher with a reduced deformation. Preferentially, the metal wire is deformed to define spring4and the rest of the metal wire extending spring4is then deformed to form pusher5. In an alternative embodiment, the metal wire is deformed to define pusher5and the rest of the metal wire extending pusher5is then deformed to form spring4. The metal wire extending between spring4and pusher5results in a better mastery of the mechanical connection between these two parts and of the orientation of the pusher at the join between pusher5and spring4.

Advantageously, pusher5is in the form of a ring. The ring can be of any shape. One end of the ring is pressing on body1. The other end of the ring is pressing on spring4. In a preferential configuration illustrated inFIGs.3ato4e, a part of the ring extends away from spring4. The bottom coil of spring4is pressing on the ring of pusher5to limit deformation of spring4by flexion.

It is particularly advantageous to provide a pusher5that presents apertures in a direction perpendicular to the direction B. Pusher5can be in the form of a ring or a hook of any shape so long as it performs transmission of the compression force on spring4when rotation of gate2takes place. By using an apertured pusher5, removal of ice and sand that may settle between body1and pusher5is easier to perform. Each time gate2is moved, pusher5moves with respect to body1which may give rise to rapid ageing of gate2and/or of pusher5and also a modification of the interface between gate2and pusher5. The use of an apertured pusher5makes for a more homogeneous operation of gate2with time.

It is advantageous to form a pusher5in the form of a ring so as to limit its deformation along spring axis B thereby improving biasing of spring4.

In a particular configuration, pusher5is not in the form of a ring and is for example L-shaped or U-shaped. The force take-up of the bottom coil of spring4is not on two distinct points of pusher5but on one point only. Depending on whether spring4presses on one point, two points or more than two points of pusher5, it is possible to modify the mechanical behaviour of the assembly when rotation of gate2takes place.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS.3ato4e, pusher5is illustrated in the form of a rectangular ring. This shape can be modified in order to modify the mechanical behaviour of pusher5.

FIGS.5aand5billustrate different configurations of a pusher in order to modify its mechanical behaviour and therefore the mechanical behaviour of spring4fixed to pusher5.FIG.5aillustrates a pusher5with a lateral reinforcement formed by a fold of material.FIG.5billustrates a U-shaped pusher that presents a single point of contact between spring4and pusher5.

FIGS.3ato3eillustrate a spring4that is a coil spring with a pusher5extending exclusively along a diameter of the circular cross-section of spring4.FIGS.3a,3b,3c,3dand3erespectively represent a top view, a left-hand side view, a front view, a right-hand side view and a bottom view of an embodiment of an assembly formed by spring4and pusher5. As an alternative,FIGS.4ato4eillustrate a spring4that is a coil spring and that is associated with a pusher5defining a plane and the plane defines an angle with the direction containing the different centres of the spiral of the coil spring.FIGS.4a,4b,4c,4dand4erespectively represent a top view, a left-hand side view, a front view, a right-hand side view and a bottom view of another embodiment of an assembly formed by spring4and pusher5.

The incline of pusher5with respect to the extension direction of coil spring4enables the mechanical behaviour of the assembly formed by spring4and pusher5to be modified.

FIGS.6a,6band6cillustrate another embodiment of the assembly formed by spring4and pusher5. Pusher5extends from spring4and presses on spring4on the portion diametrically opposite the connection between spring4and pusher5. This arrangement is clearly visible in the cross-sectional view ofFIG.6a. It is advantageous for pusher5to insert itself partially inside spring4so as to rigidify the portion that performs the mechanical connection between spring4and pusher5thereby better mastering transmission of the forces between spring4and pusher5. Such a mechanical connection between pusher5and spring4enables a more efficient closing of gate2to be achieved.

The carabiner can be manufactured by means of a manufacturing method that comprises:providing a C-shaped body1;providing a gate2, gate2defining a cavity2adesigned to house a spring4;providing a monolithic assembly formed by spring4and a pusher5that are fixedly mounted on one another, spring4being a coil spring;installing the monolithic assembly in cavity2a, spring4being installed in cavity2aof gate2, spring4extending along the longitudinal axis of cavity2a;fitting gate2on body1in movable manner between an open position and a closed position, gate2being fitted movable in rotation with respect to body1, pusher5pressing on body1and spring4pressing on gate2and on pusher5to bias gate2to the closed position.

It is possible to improve a carabiner of the prior art by replacing spring4and pusher5by an assembly formed by a spring fixedly mounted with a pusher5according to one of the many configurations described in the foregoing.