Patent Abstract:
A safety restraint system for a person comprising two carabiners configured to receive at least one restraint element, each of the carabiners comprising a hook for receiving the element, a gate comprising a first branch forming a door and a second branch for actuating the door, a first means for locking the gate in a holding configuration. The system further comprising a transmission device connecting the carabiners together, the device arranged to make it impossible to switch from a state in which each of the carabiners is secured to an element to a state in which neither of the carabiners are secured to an element.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a safe securing system for a person, a carabiner useable for such a system and an assembly for securing a person comprising such a system. 
         [0002]    It is known, in particular from Document EP 2 637 747-A1, to provide a safe securing system for a person, comprising two carabiners intended to receive at least one securing element, each of said carabiners comprising:
       a hook for receiving said securing element, said hook being generally in an inverted J-shape when seen from the side, the ascender of the J forming a lower gripping part and the curved part of the J forming an upper reception part for receiving said securing element, said upper reception part including an opening so that said securing element can pass into it,   a gate—particularly a generally V-shaped gate—comprising a first branch forming a door and a second branch that activates said door, said gate being mounted on said hook at the intersection between said first and second branches, said gate being free to rotate about a rotation axis located between said lower gripping part and said upper reception part, said gate being moveable into:
           Firstly, an angular reception configuration for receiving said securing element between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said second branch, and wherein said first branch can be closed by applying an upwards pressure (particularly by said element) on said second branch, and   Secondly, an angular retaining configuration for retaining said securing element inside said upper reception part between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said first branch,   
           a first means for locking said gate in the angular retaining configuration,   a transmission device connecting said carabiners to each other, said device being arranged to ensure that at least one carabiner is always secured to a securing element.       
 
         [0009]    The securing element may for example be a cable, a ladder rung or a scaffolding bar. 
         [0010]    Such a system is integrated particularly into an assembly also including a harness for securing a person, the carabiners being attached to said harness by straps or ropes. 
         [0011]    Such a system can be used particularly to secure site operators working at a height or persons performing “via ferrata” (climbing path) or tree-to-tree activities. 
         [0012]    The fact of having two carabiners connected by the transmission device enables the user to change from one securing element to another while remaining in a safe condition, since he or she is always in a situation in which at least one of the carabiners is attached to a securing element. 
         [0013]    In construction activities, the securing element is often a scaffolding bar or a metal angle or a similar metal element that consequently has a large cross-sectional dimension—for example a diameter of between 50 and 70 mm. 
         [0014]    In order to achieve optimal ergonomics, it is essential that a carabiner does not have any projection that could hinder its attachment when it is moved in translation downwards, therefore along a vertical direction or a direction with a vertical component. 
         [0015]    However, when the carabiner is intended to be secured to a securing element with a large cross-section, a large opening and therefore a door with a corresponding size are essential. 
         [0016]    Consequently, when the gate is in the reception configuration, the door can form a projection that may hinder the securing of the carabiner on the securing element. 
         [0017]    The purpose of the invention is to mitigate this disadvantage. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0018]    To that effect, a first aspect of the invention discloses a safe securing system for a person, comprising two carabiners intended to receive at least one securing element, each of said carabiners comprising:
       a hook for receiving said element, said hook being generally in an inverted J-shape when seen from the side, the ascender of the J forming a lower gripping part and the curved part of the J forming an upper reception part for receiving said securing element, said upper reception part including an opening so that said securing element can pass into it, a gate—particularly a generally V-shaped gate—comprising a first branch forming a door and a second branch that activates said door, said gate being mounted on said hook at the intersection between said first and second branches, said gate being free to rotate about a rotation axis located between said lower gripping part and said upper reception part, said gate being moveable into:
           Firstly, an angular reception configuration for receiving said securing element between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said second branch, and wherein said first branch can be closed by applying an upwards pressure (particularly by said element) on said second branch; and   Secondly, an angular retaining configuration for retaining said securing element inside said upper reception part between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said first branch,   
           a first means of locking said gate in the angular retaining configuration,   a transmission device connecting said carabiners to each other, and comprising two cables ( 14 ) each sliding in a sheath, each of said cables being connected:
           on one side, to a gate ( 10 ), at a distance from its rotation axis ( 12 );   on the other side, to the first means for locking the other gate ( 10 ),   
           such that placing a gate ( 10 ) in the angular retaining configuration causes deactivation of the first means for locking the other gate ( 10 ), whereas placing a gate ( 10 ) in the angular reception configuration causes activation of the first means for locking the other gate ( 10 ), so as to ensure that at least one carabiner ( 2 ) is always secured to a securing element ( 3 ),
 
said lower gripping part comprising for each carabiner a reception face facing said first branch when said gate is in its angular reception configuration, said reception face extending over all or some of the height of said lower gripping part.
       
 
         [0027]    Note that throughout this description, unless mentioned otherwise, positioning terms in space (upper, lower, under, bottom, top, vertical, horizontal, etc.) are considered with reference to a carabiner in its normal working situation, its lower gripping part extending vertically. 
         [0028]    When it is said that the transmission device is arranged to ensure that at least one carabiner is always secured to a securing element, reference is made to normal conditions of use of the system, in other words without using a tool or a complex manoeuvre in order to achieve emergency unlocking. 
         [0029]    Indeed, in some systems it is possible to unlock one carabiner although the other carabiner is not secured, said unlocking making use of a tool or activation of an access device that is not practical for the user&#39;s hand. 
         [0030]    With the proposed arrangement, there is a system in which there are no projecting parts from the carabiners that could hinder their securing manoeuvre by downwards translation, therefore along a vertical direction or including a vertical component, for example inclined at the order 45° from the vertical. 
         [0031]    Indeed, the invention takes advantage of the fact that the gripping part is wide (particularly corresponding to the width of a hand) to bring the door (that is also wide) facing said part, such that said door does not form a projection that hinders the securing of the carabiner when the gate is in the angular reception configuration. 
         [0032]    A second aspect of the invention relates to a carabiner that can be used for such a system. 
         [0033]    A third aspect of the invention discloses an assembly for securing a person comprising such a system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0034]    Other special features and advantages of the invention will become clear after reading the following description given with reference to the appended figures in which: 
           [0035]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of an assembly for securing a person comprising a system according to the invention. 
           [0036]      FIGS. 2 a  to 2 h    are transparent side views of a carabiner according to one embodiment, and a securing element, the first branch of said carabiner being shown:
       open ( FIG. 2 a   ),   during its closing with the lock in the locked position ( FIG. 2 b   ) and in the release position ( FIG. 2 c   ),   closed with the first and second latches in the locked position ( FIG. 2 d   ),   closed with the first latch in the locked position and the second latch in the unlocked position ( FIGS. 2 e , 2 f    in which the gate that has turned to its angular reception configuration is blocked in rotation because the first latch is locked),   closed with the first and second latches in the unlocked position ( FIG. 2 g   ),   closed with the first latch in the unlocked position and the second latch in the locked position ( FIG. 2   h.            
           [0043]      FIGS. 3 a  and 3 b    are diagrammatic side views of another embodiment of a carabiner, with the first branch closed ( FIG. 3 a   ) and open ( FIG. 3 b   ). 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0044]    A safe securing system  1  for a person is described with reference to the figures, comprising two carabiners  2  intended to receive at least one securing element  3 , each of said carabiners comprising:
       a hook  4  for receiving said securing element, said hook being generally in an inverted J-shape when seen from the side, the ascender of the J forming a lower gripping part  7  and the curved part of the J forming an upper reception part  5  for receiving said securing element, said upper reception part including an opening  6  so that said securing element can pass into it,   a gate  10  (particularly a generally V-shaped gate) comprising a first branch forming a door  8  and a second branch  11  that activates said door, said gate being mounted on said hook at the intersection between said first and second branches, said gate being free to rotate about a rotation axis  12  located between said lower gripping part and said upper reception part, said gate being movable into:
           Firstly, an angular reception configuration for receiving said element between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said second branch, and wherein said first branch can be closed by applying an upwards pressure (particularly by said securing element) on said second branch; and   Secondly, an angular retaining configuration for retaining said securing element inside said upper reception part between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said first branch,   
           a first means for locking said gate in the angular retaining configuration,   a transmission device  9  connecting said carabiners to each other, said transmission device being arranged to ensure that at least one carabiner  2  is always secured to a securing element  3 ,
 
said lower gripping part comprising a reception face  31  facing said first branch when said gate is in its angular reception configuration, said reception face extending over all of the height or some of the height of said lower gripping part.
       
 
         [0051]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the lower gripping part  7  is provided with an orifice  30  into which a user&#39;s hand will fit. 
         [0052]    With such an arrangement, the user&#39;s hand does not interfere with the first branch  8 , when it extends in front of the reception face  31 , when the gate  10  is rotated towards its retaining configuration. 
         [0053]    Furthermore, the presence of such an orifice  30  enables the user to optimise his or her grip on the carabiner  2  making it possible to hang from a securing element  3 . 
         [0054]    Finally, such an orifice  30  provides protection for the user&#39;s fingers. 
         [0055]    A protection cover (not shown) can be provided extending laterally from the orifice  30  to surround at least a part of the user&#39;s fingers not protected by the walls of said orifice. 
         [0056]    The protection cover can be in the form of a part associated with the hook  4 , for example attached by screws, said part particularly being made of a moulded plastic material to be lightweight, or being derived from the material of said hook. 
         [0057]    According to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the first branch  8  extends facing the reception face  31 , said first branch is at least partially inserted in a complementary shaped housing  13  formed in the lower gripping part  7 . 
         [0058]    In the embodiments shown, the housing  13  is in the form of a cavity. 
         [0059]    In one variant not shown, the housing  13  is in the form of a recess that opens up laterally on each side of the wall  31 . 
         [0060]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing  13  is in the form of a cavity delimited partly by the reception face  31  and by a wall  32  integrated into a projection  33  located at the bottom of said reception face. 
         [0061]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the first branch  8  is entirely inserted into the cavity such that said first branch does not form a projection that would hinder the securing of the carabiner  2 . 
         [0062]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the projection  33  includes an inclined face  34  designed to guide the securing element  3  between the first  8  and second  11  branches of the gate  10  in the angular reception configuration when the carabiner  2  is positioned above said securing element. 
         [0063]    Thus, the projection  33  does not at all hinder maneuvers to insert a securing element  3  into a carabiner  2 . 
         [0064]    It can be seen that with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , a securing element  3  can be inserted along a direction inclined at about 45° from the vertical, while with the embodiment in  FIG. 2  a securing element  3  can be inserted along an approximately vertical direction. 
         [0065]    With the embodiments shown, the transmission device  9  comprises two cables  14  each sliding in a sheath not shown, usually called “Bowden cables”, each of said cables being connected:
       on one side, to a gate  10 , at a distance from its rotation axis  12 ,   on the other side, to the first means for locking the other gate  10 ,       
 
         [0068]    such that placing a gate  10  in the angular retaining configuration ( FIGS. 2 d  to 2 h   ) causes deactivation of the first means for locking the other gate  10  ( FIGS. 2 g , 2 h   ), whereas placing a gate  10  in the angular reception configuration ( FIG. 2 ) causes activation of the first locking means for locking the other gate  10  ( FIGS. 2 d  to 2 f   ). 
         [0069]    According to the embodiments shown, the first locking means comprises:
       a first latch  15  fitted in rotation on the hook  4  between a locked position ( FIGS. 2 d  to 2 f   ) and an unlocked position ( FIGS. 2 g , 2 h   ),   a first spring  16  for moving said first latch to the locked position,   a first tooth  22  located on said gate, to contain said first latch in the locked position.       
 
         [0073]    According to the embodiments shown, placing a gate  10  in the angular reception configuration applies a tension on the corresponding cable  14 , the effect of said tension being to release the first latch  15  from the first tooth  22  on the other gate  10 . 
         [0074]    According to the embodiments shown, the system  1  also includes a second locking means, said second locking means comprising:
       a second latch  18  mounted in rotation about the rotation axis  19  of the first latch  15  between a locked position ( FIGS. 2 d  and 2 h   ) and an unlocked position ( FIGS. 2 e  to 2 g   ), said second latch having a zone  20  for allowing the user to move said second latch to the unlocked position (in this case by pressing it),   a second spring  21  (in this case taken from the first spring  16  that is based on metal wire comprising two tabs separated by a spiral, each of said tabs bearing on a latch  15 ,  18  respectively) for moving said second latch to the locked position,   a second tooth  17  (in this case offset axially and angularly relative to the first tooth  22 ) for holding said second latch in the locked position.       
 
         [0078]    The presence of the second locking means obliges the user to perform a voluntary manoeuvre to detach a carabiner  2  from a securing element  3 . 
         [0079]    According to the embodiments shown, a carabiner  2  also comprises a spring  35  for moving the gate  10  to the angular reception configuration. 
         [0080]    Opening of the first branch  8  is thus assisted, that facilitates removal of a securing element  3  from the carabiner  2 . 
         [0081]    According to one embodiment, the system  1  comprises a device for guaranteeing that a carabiner  2  will be attached to a securing element  3 , said guaranteeing device including:
       a lock  23  mounted (in this case in rotation) on the reception part  5  and moveable between a locked position ( FIG. 2 b   ) for preventing the gate  10  to move to said angular retaining configuration and a release position ( FIG. 2 c   ) allowing said gate to move to said angular retaining configuration,   a third spring, not shown, for moving said lock to the locked position,   a magnet  24  mounted on said lock to move said lock to the release position when a material that can be attracted by a magnet (said material forming particularly a part of a securing element  3 ) is placed below said lock.       
 
         [0085]    There is thus a safety device that prevents the securing of a carabiner  2  on a securing element  3  that is not made of a material (metallic in that case) that can be attracted by a magnet. 
         [0086]    According to one variant embodiment, the system  1  comprises a device for guaranteeing that a carabiner  2  will be attached to a securing element  3 , said guaranteeing device including:
       a lock  23  mounted (in this case in rotation) on the upper reception part  5  and moveable between a locked position ( FIG. 2 b   ) for preventing the gate  10  to move to the angular retaining configuration and a release position ( FIG. 2 c   ) for allowing said gate to move to said angular retaining configuration, a third spring, not shown, for moving said lock to the locked position,   a component  24  made of a material that can be attracted by a magnet, said component being mounted on said lock to enable said lock to move to the release position when a magnet is located below said lock,   a magnet, not shown, intended to be mounted on a securing element  3  to enable said lock to move to the release position when said magnet is located below said lock.       
 
         [0090]    There is thus a safety device that prevents the securing of a carabiner  2  on a securing element  3  that has not been identified as suitable for such a securing, a securing element  3  being fitted with a magnet facing which said carabiner  2  must be placed to that it can be secured. 
         [0091]    We will now describe a carabiner  2  that can be used for such a system, said carabiner comprising:
       a hook  4  for receiving a securing element  3 , said hook being generally in an inverted J-shape when seen from the side, the ascender of the J forming a lower gripping part  7  and the curved part of the J forming an upper reception part  5  for receiving said securing element, said upper reception part including an opening  6  so that said securing element can pass into it,   a gate  10 —particularly a generally V-shaped gate—comprising a first branch forming a door  8  and a second branch  11  that activates said door, said gate being mounted on said hook at the intersection between said first and second branches, said gate being free to rotate about a rotation axis  12  located between said lower gripping part and said upper reception part, said gate being moveable into:
           Firstly, an angular reception configuration for receiving said securing element between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said second branch and wherein said first branch can be closed by applying an upwards pressure (particularly by said securing element) on said second branch; and   Secondly, an angular retaining configuration for retaining said securing element inside said upper reception part between said first and second branches, in which said opening is closed off by said first branch,   
           a first means for locking said gate in the angular retaining configuration,       
 
         [0097]    said lower gripping part comprising a reception face  31  facing which said first branch extends when said gate is in the angular reception configuration, said face extending over all or some of the height of said lower gripping part. 
         [0098]    According to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the first branch  8  extends facing the reception face  31 , it is at least partially ( FIG. 2 ) or completely ( FIG. 3 ) inserted in a housing  13  formed in the lower gripping part  7 , so as not to inconvenience the user. 
         [0099]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the gripping part  7  is provided with an orifice  30  into which the user&#39;s hand will fit. 
         [0100]    With such an arrangement, the user&#39;s hand does not interfere with the first branch  8 , when it extends in front of the reception face  31 , when the gate  10  is rotated towards its angular retaining position. 
         [0101]    Furthermore, the presence of such an orifice  30  enables the user to optimise his or her grip on the carabiner  2  making it possible to hang from a securing element  3 . 
         [0102]    Finally, such an orifice  30  provides protection for the user&#39;s fingers. 
         [0103]    A protection cover (not shown) can be provided extending laterally from an orifice  30  to surround at least a part of the user&#39;s fingers not protected by the walls of said orifice. 
         [0104]    The protection cover can be in the form of a part associated with the hook  4 , for example attached by screws, said part particularly being made of a moulded plastic material to be lightweight, or being derived from the material of said hook. 
         [0105]    In the embodiments shown, the housing  13  is in the form of a cavity. 
         [0106]    In one variant not shown, the housing  13  is in the form of a recess that opens up laterally on each side of the wall  31 . 
         [0107]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing  13  is in the form of a cavity delimited partly by the reception face  31  and by a wall  32  integrated into a projection  33  located at the bottom of said reception face. 
         [0108]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the first branch  8  is entirely inserted into the cavity such that said first branch does not form a projection that would hinder securing of the carabiner  2 . 
         [0109]    The projection  33  includes an inclined face  34  designed to guide the securing element  3  between the first and second branches  8 ,  11  of the gate  10  in the angular reception configuration when the carabiner  2  is positioned above said securing element. 
         [0110]    According to the embodiments shown, a carabiner  2  also comprises a spring  35  for moving the gate  10  to the angular reception configuration. 
         [0111]    Opening of the door  8  is thus assisted, that facilitates removal of a securing element  3  from the carabiner  2 . 
         [0112]    Obviously, such a carabiner  2  can be used alone, without being integrated into a system  1  as described above, the planned arrangement making it possible to have a carabiner without a projecting part that could hinder its securing manoeuvre when it is moved in downwards translation. 
         [0113]    Note that the orifice  30  described above can also apply to carabiners of types other than that described above. 
         [0114]    To achieve this, the invention also relates to a carabiner comprising:
       a hook for receiving a securing element, said hook having a gripping part and a reception part for receiving said securing element, said reception part having an opening through which said securing element can pass,   a door for closing said opening,
 
said gripping part being provided with an orifice into which a user&#39;s hand will fit.
       
 
         [0117]    Finally, an assembly  25  for securing a person is described comprising such a system  1 , said assembly also comprising a harness  26  for securing a user and two straps  27  connecting the carabiners to said harness. 
         [0118]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the harness comprises a belt  28  and two loops  29  into which the user&#39;s thighs fit and an adjustment loop (not shown).

Technology Classification (CPC): 0