Patent Publication Number: US-11383136-B2

Title: Camming stem system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/840,532 filed Apr. 30, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention generally relates to active camming systems. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved camming stem system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Climbers generally use clean protection devices for two distinct purposes. First, a clean protection device may be used as a form of safety protection for protecting a climber in the event of a fall, and second, a clean protection device may intentionally be used to artificially support a climber&#39;s weight. Clean protection devices cam or wedge into a crack, hole, gap, orifice, taper, or recess in order to support an outward force. The surface on which the clean protection device supports the outward force is considered the protection surface. The protection surface can consist of natural materials such as rock, or it may consist of artificial materials such as concrete or wood. 
     Clean protection devices are generally divided into categories of active and passive. Passive protection devices include a single object which contacts the protection surface to support an outward force. For example, a wedge is a passive protection device because it has a single head with a fixed shape. There are numerous types of passive protection devices, including nuts, hexes, tri-cams, wedges, rocks, and chocks. Active protection devices include at least two movable parts that can move relative to one another to create a variety of shapes. For example, a slidable chock or slider nut is considered an active protection device because it includes two wedges that move relative to one another in order to wedge into crevices of various shapes and sizes. When the two wedges of the slider nut are positioned adjacent to one another, the overall width of the protection device is significantly larger than if the two wedges are positioned on top of one another. The two wedges must make contact with the protection surface in order to actively wedge the device within the protection surface. 
     A further subset of active protection is camming devices. These devices translate rotational displacement into linear displacement. Therefore, a slider chock would not be an active camming device because the two wedges simply slide relative to one another and do not rotate. Camming devices may include two, three, and four cam lobes. The cam lobes on an active camming device are generally spring biased into an expanded position and are able to rotate or pivot about an axle to retract. In operation, at least one cam lobe on either side of the unit must make contact with the protection surface for the device to be able to actively support an outward force. Some active protection devices can also be used passively to support outward forces as well. 
     Unfortunately, one of the largest disadvantages of lightweight active protection devices is a lack of stem rigidity. The connection system connects the camming objects to some form of clip-in point or loop. The two most common connection systems used in three and four lobe cam units are single stem and double stem systems. Double stem systems include a U-shaped cable that attaches independently to two cable terminals on either end of the head of the protection device. The clip-in point of a double stem system is simply the bottom of the U-shaped cable. Single stem systems include a single cable that is attached to a single cable terminal located at the center of the head of the protection device. The single stem system generally includes some form of clip-in loop attached to the single cable. Alternatively, a clip-in loop can be created by coupling the single cable back to itself with some form of swage. Single stem connection systems are generally preferable because they are less likely to obstruct the placement of the camming device. However, one of the problems with single stem connection systems is a lack of sufficient rigidity when selectively switching between an extended state and a retracted state. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an active camming stem system that increases the stem rigidity while minimizing overall weight and maintaining the necessary strength and flexibility for optimal use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to active camming systems. One embodiment of the present invention relates to an improved camming stem system including a head member, a plurality of cam lobes, a connection system, and a retraction system. The cam lobes may be selectively rotatable between an extended state and a retracted state with respect to at least one axle of the head member. The connection system may create an elongated, substantially rigid region by intercoupling the head member with a loop. The connection system is configured to create an elongated, partially rigid region by intercoupling the head member with a loop, wherein the connection system comprises a twisted cable coupled between the head member and the loop, and wherein the loop is oriented substantially parallel to the at least one axle, and wherein the twisted cable includes a twisting radial angle of at least 90 degrees. The first and second end of the twisted cable may be coupled to the head member orthogonal to the axle such that the first and second ends of the twisted cable are oriented orthogonal to the loop. 
     Embodiments of the present invention represent a significant advancement in the field of single stem active camming systems. The connection system of most conventional single stem camming systems includes at least one of a heavy rigid metal stem or over tube, an overly flexible single cable, and/or an awkward loop oriented orthogonal to the at least one axle. Conventional single stem camming systems generally include one or more undesirable characteristics in order to provide the necessary coupling and functionality. A metal rigid stem or over tube creates rigidity during retraction, but it adds significant weight to the system and is not optimally flexible in the extended state. An exposed single flexible cable creates flexibility during use in the extended state but often fails to provide the necessary rigidity during retraction. Embodiments of the present invention incorporate a novel use of a twisted cable to intercouple between the head member and loop so as to create an optimally oriented loop which is parallel to the axle. Orienting the loop parallel to the axle ensures that a user&#39;s thumb may optimally be placed in the loop during retraction of the trigger and cam lobes. The twisted cable includes a radial twisting angle of at least 90 degrees such that the two ends of the twisted cable are coupled to the head member orthogonal to the axle. The twisted cable maintains uniform radial rigidity of the stem. The twisted cable further provides the ability to swage the cables on top of each other orthogonal to the axles, allowing for a narrower head width, and lower weight than a single cable construction of equal strength. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth or will become more fully apparent in the description that follows and in the appended claims. The features and advantages may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Furthermore, the features and advantages of the invention may be learned by the practice of the invention or will be obvious from the description, as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following description of the invention can be understood in light of the Figures, which illustrate specific aspects of the invention and are a part of the specification. Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate and explain the principles of the invention. In the Figures, the physical dimensions may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same element, and thus their descriptions will be omitted. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a single stem active camming system in an extended state in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a single stem active camming system in a retracted state in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cross sectional perspective view of a single stem active camming system in an extended state in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross sectional perspective view of a single stem active camming system in a retracted state in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative, cross sectional perspective view of a single stem active camming system in an extended state in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an alternative, cross sectional perspective view of a single stem active camming system in a retracted state in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to active camming systems. One embodiment of the present invention relates to an improved camming stem system including a head member, a plurality of cam lobes, a connection system, and a retraction system. The cam lobes may be selectively rotatable between an extended state and a retracted state with respect to at least one axle of the head member. The connection system may create an elongated, substantially rigid region by intercoupling the head member with a loop. The connection system is configured to create an elongated, partially rigid region by intercoupling the head member with a loop, wherein the connection system comprises a twisted cable coupled between the head member and the loop, and wherein the loop is oriented substantially parallel to the at least one axle, and wherein the twisted cable includes a twisting radial angle of at least 90 degrees. The first and second end of the twisted cable may be coupled to the head member orthogonal to the axle such that the first and second end of the twisted cable are oriented orthogonal to the loop. Also, while embodiments are described in reference to a single stem active camming system, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the present invention are applicable to other areas, including but not limited to other camming systems. 
     The following terms are defined as follows: 
     Definitions 
     Twisted cable—a cable having two ends, a loop, and a radial twisting angle of at least 90 degrees between the two ends and the loop. 
     Reference is initially made to  FIGS. 1-2 , which illustrate perspective views of a single stem active camming system in the extended and retracted states, respectively. 
     Reference is initially made to  FIG. 1 , which illustrates an active camming system designated generally at  100 . The system includes a head member  120 , cam lobes  140 , a retraction system  160 , and a connection system  180 . The head member  120  further includes a first and second axle  124 , a head (See  FIG. 5 ), and a set of plates or axle separators  128 . The head member  120  intercouples the cable  182  (described below with reference to connection system  180 ) and the axles  124 . Non-illustrated alternative embodiments may incorporate a single axle without a plate or axle separator. The axles  124  are rigid cylindrical members which facilitate the rotation of the cam lobes  140  between extended and retracted states. The orientation of the axles refers to the lengthwise orientation. The Figures illustrate the cam lobes  140  in both the extended state ( FIGS. 1,3, and 5 ) and the retracted state ( FIGS. 2, 4, and 6 ). The axles  124  may comprise a rigid metal material configured to withstand various operational forces, including but not limited to shearing. The plates  128  rigidly intercouple the end regions of the axles  124  so as to support a particular spacing therebetween. The plates  128  are disposed on either side of the head member  120 . The plates  128  may be composed of aluminum or steel and shaped in an oval configuration. The head is configured to at least partially cover a coupling region of the axles  124  between the cam lobes  140  and resist translation and rotation of the axles  124 . The head  126  may be substantially T-shaped and composed of a rigid plastic or metal material. 
     The cam lobes  140  include independent lobes  142  and biasing springs  144 . It will be appreciated that alternative non-illustrated embodiments may include other lobe configurations, including but not limited to two or three lobe systems. The lobes  142  are rotatably coupled to the axles  124  to facilitate rotation between the extended and retracted states (i.e. axis of rotation). The cam lobes  142  are each substantially quarter circle-shaped with a curved camming surface and are configured to rotate about a rotation point mathematically corresponding to the shape of the curved camming surface. The cam lobes  142  may be composed of a metal material including but not limited to aluminum and may incorporate various internal recesses, depressions, etc. The cam lobes  142  are biased in the extended state with respect to the axles with the biasing springs  144 . The biasing springs  144  are intercoupled between the cam lobes  142  and the axles  124 . 
     The retraction system  160  is coupled between the connection system  180  and the cam lobes  140  and is configured to enable the selective engagement of the retracted state from the biased extended state. The retraction system includes a trigger  164  and a trigger assembly  170 . The trigger  164  is slidably coupled over the twisted cable  182  of the connection system  180 . The trigger  164  is shaped to include two finger regions orthogonally extending from the elongated region of the connection system  180 . The trigger  164  may be composed of a rigid plastic material. The trigger wires and trigger assembly  170  are coupled to the individual cam lobes  142  via retraction wires, but it will be appreciated that numerous non-illustrated couplings configurations may be incorporated. Although the illustrated embodiment includes a specific type of retraction system, it will be appreciated that the teaching of the present invention pertaining to the twisted cable may be implemented with other non-illustrated retraction systems such as direct trigger cables. The trigger  164  is configured to slide along the elongated region of the connection system  180  corresponding to the extended and retracted states of the cam lobes  140 . In operation, a user may retract the trigger  164  away from the head member  120  to overcome the biasing force of the cam lobes  140  toward the extended state ( FIG. 2 ). As the user continues to retract the trigger  164 , the cam lobes  142  rotate about the axles  124  toward the retracted state. 
     The novel connection system  180  includes a twisted cable  182  with a set of ends, a loop  190 , and a partially rigid region between the loop  190  and the head member  120 . The twisted cable  180  may also be referred to simply as the cable  180 . The two ends of the twisted cable  182  are coupled to the head portion of the head member  120  in a particular orientation. The twisted cable  182  also forms a loop  190  opposite the head member  120  on the system  100 . It will be appreciated that the orientation of the loop  190  is parallel to the orientation of the axles  124  and orthogonal to orientation of the cable ends  184 . 
     The components of the connection system  180  function synergistically for optimal operation of the retraction system  160 . The twisted cable  182  is flexibly biased toward an elongated straight configuration as shown. The region between the loop  190  and the head member  120  may be referred to as a partially rigid region because of the optimal flexibility created by the retraction system  160 . The twisted cable  182  may optionally route through a Y-shaped or V-shaped member or thumb rest  194  in which two portions of the twisted cable are initially separated. The medial portion of the twisted cable  182  forms the loop  190  within an optional U-shaped cover member  192 . The optional U-shaped cover member  192  may assist in forming the loop  190  and protecting the loop  190  portion of the twisted cable  182  during operation. The twisted cable  182  is disposed within an internal channel of the optional U-shaped cover member  192 . 
     Reference is next made to  FIG. 3-6 , which illustrate various cross-sectional perspective views of the single stem active camming system  100  of  FIGS. 1-2 .  FIGS. 3-4  illustrate vertical cross-sections of the extended and retracted states, while  FIGS. 5-6  illustrate horizontal cross-sections of the extended and retracted states. The cross-sectional figures illustrate one embodiment of the twisted cable  182 , forming the loop  190  and coupling with the head member  120 . The novel orientation of the twisted cable  182  enables the unique functionality that creates the optimal lengthwise rigidity and flexibility of the connection system  180  for operation of the retraction system  160 . The novel orientation includes coupling the cable ends  184  to the head member  120  in an orientation orthogonal to both the axles  124  and the loop  190 . The novel orientation of the twisted cable  182  further includes orienting the loop  190  parallel to the axles  124 . The annotated dashed lines in  FIGS. 1 and 5  illustrate the novel inherent geometrical relationship between the cable end  184  couplings, axle  124  orientation, and loop  190  orientation. 
     It should be noted that various alternative system designs may be practiced in accordance with the present invention, including one or more portions or concepts of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  or described above. Various other embodiments have been contemplated, including combinations in whole or in part of the embodiments described above.