Patent ID: 7127878

Claim:
A rope that fails in a predetermined manner when subjected to tension loads, comprising: a first material having a first set of tension failure characteristics, where the first material is combined into a first set of yarns that are combined into a first set of strands; and a second material having a second set of tension failure characteristics, where the second material is combined into a second set of yarns that are combined into a second set of strands; wherein the first and second sets of strands are combined to form the rope; the rope operates in a normal mode when the tension loads on the controlled failure rope are under a first tension threshold, where the first set of strands forms a primary strength component of the rope when the rope is operating in the normal mode, in a first stage of a failure sequence when the tension loads on the rope are above the first tension threshold and below a second tension threshold, where the material forming the first strands noticeably deforms in the first stage of the failure sequence; in a second stage of the failure sequence when the tension loads on the rope are above the second tension threshold, where the material forming the first set of strands fails and the second set of strands forms the primary strength component of the rope when the rope is operating in the second stage of the failure sequence; and the first tension threshold is below the second tension threshold.