US20150345157A1

US20150345157A1 - Equipment for moving people in height in non horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation

Info

Publication number: US20150345157A1
Application number: US14/825,546
Authority: US
Inventors: Manoel Penha dos Santos Junior
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-11-11
Filing date: 2015-08-13
Publication date: 2015-12-03
Also published as: SG11201401788SA; FR2982604B1; PL2776362T3; MX2014005629A; US20140196983A1; ES2556471T3; PT10756U; AU2012335172A1; MX343320B; PT2776362E; PT10756T; FR2982604A1; EP2776362B1; BR112014003230B1; RU2014123673A; EP2776362A1; DK2776362T3; BR112014003230A2; WO2013068996A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to equipment intended to moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation vertically and horizontally, comprising a chute with a docking and fixing system, engine for the horizontal displacement engine for the vertical displacement, suspension cable for the harness of the operator, wireless control and safeguarding system for rescue and recovery.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to equipment intended to moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation vertically and horizontally.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of equipment are known in the art intended to allow the displacement of people and/or cargo in height in non-horizontal surfaces. One example of this equipment is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. JP2000318986 that allows the displacement of people and/or cargo in moving platforms. Or as in Korean Patent No. KR20100085204 which discloses an apparatus that allows the displacement of a cage for transporting people and/or cargo, through a system of ropes and pulleys.
There are other devices that, allowing the displacement of people without the need of transport cages or moving platforms, are only able to make it vertically, requiring that the horizontal positioning be effected by manual adjustments, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,840 where an engine performs the vertical translation, but the horizontal translation is performed manually. Or the case of U.S. Patent No. US2004055824 that discloses equipment for the vertical movement in facades. Or U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,282 that discloses a fixed equipment that is remotely controlled, and allows the vertical displacement of people.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an equipment intended to moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation vertically and horizontally.
It is an equipment that, by considering and improving upon the concepts that are part of the previously described patents, has the advantage of allowing that, in a single machine, it is possible to safely perform vertical and horizontal displacement, simultaneously or separately, avoiding the use of moving platforms, chairs or transport cages, allowing that the operator does not have to leave the machine to perform its repositioning, or the need to have other people to do so.
It is, additionally, an equipment that when operated by remote control, prevents the existence of cables near the operator, which typically disturbs his or her work. And, since it is controlled by the operator, allows the same to, at any time, decide on the best position to carry out his or her work, not needing any help to do so.
Being a device that does not require the installation of permanent and complex structures, it becomes easy to move it to where it is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent the diametric perspective view, respectively, without and with the housing (5).

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent the front view, respectively, without and with the housing (5).

FIGS. 5 and 6 represent the rear view, respectively, without and with the housing (5).

FIGS. 7 and 8 are, respectively, the right side view and the left side view of the apparatus of the invention.

In these figures the various components comprising the device of the invention are depicted:

runner (1) with an engaging and fastening system;

engine for the horizontal displacement (2);

engine for the vertical displacement (3);

harness suspension cable of the operator (4);

housing (5) in which the equipment permitting the vertical displacement is installed, namely the engine for the vertical displacement (3), the drum (6), the electric brake (8) and the vertical brake (16);

drum (6) for the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable of the harness of the operator;

emergency device for the controlled descent (7);

electric brake (8);

support system for the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable of the harness of the operator(9);

runner stop (10);

horizontal limit means detector (11); and

travel limit plate to activate it (12);

rotational gear (13);

vertical limit means detector (14);

horizontal brake (15);

vertical brake (16);

overload detection system (17);

suspension coupling system (18); emergency device coupling system (19) connected to the emergency device for the controlled descent (7);

Vertical limit waffle (20).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces, allowing their translation vertically and horizontally.
By the below designated “suspension cable” is intended any type of equipment required to achieve the proposed objective, namely cables, chains, ropes, or the like.
The operator properly placed on the harness carriage, which in turn, through a coupling system (18), is placed in the suspension cable of the harness of the operator (4). Through the remote control that he or she is holding, the operator can start the engine (3) that allows its vertical displacement, or if the horizontal movement is intended, start the engine (2). If a problem occurs with the engine (3) of the vertical displacement, or with the suspension cable of the harness of the operator (4), the existence of an emergency device for the controlled descent (7), independent from the equipment, connected to the operator through an emergency device coupling system (19), enables the descent of the operator to the ground, without needing any outside help. In case of failure of the equipment, as the operator is connected to the emergency device for the controlled descent (7) through the emergency device coupling system (19), the operator can release him or herself from the suspension coupling system (18), passing the load to the emergency device for the controlled descent (7), and descend to the ground. When this device is loaded, it slows the rope passing through it, for a safe descent from the operator to the ground.
The suspension cable of the harness of the operator (4) is an equipment manufactured in any material suitable for the purpose, depending its choice on the efforts that it may be subject to, namely steel cable, chain or cable of natural or synthetic fibers.
All this equipment is suspended on a runner (1) which, on the other hand is fixed, through fixing systems, on the upper limit of the surface on which the operator intends to move.
The vertical displacement system is equipped with several devices already on the market, such as an engine (3) that sets the drum (6) in motion, from which the cable harness suspension of the operator (4) is wound/unwound and allows for the ascent/descent of the operator, an electric brake (8) which allows the stop in the event of power failure, a support system to the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable harness of the operator (9), a cable tensioning on the drum (6) which prevents the accidental unwinding, a vertical brake (16) for enabling the descent without resorting to energy, vertical limit switching means (14) stopping the engine (3) when the vertical travel limit waffle (20) in the suspension cable reaches it, and an overload detection system (17) through a spring system and a micro switch that detects if the lifted weight is bigger than the allowed upper limit and stops the gear that allows the vertical upper movement. The vertical limit switching means (14) is either a mechanical or an electronic switch.
The horizontal displacement system, whose left/right movement is effected (1) with an engagement and fixing system applied at the top of the surface, being equipped with an engine (2) with a rotational gear (13) that rotates in order to allow the cable, chain or rope to be moved in order to perform the horizontal movement of the person, i.e., if the gear turns in one direction, the person is moved left, and moved right when the gear turns in the opposite direction; horizontal limit switching means (11) stopping the engine (2) when it hits the travel limit plate (12) before reaching the runner stop (10) preventing the continuation of the horizontal movement in that direction, and a system for the winding/unwinding of the power cord. The horizontal limit switching means (11) is either a mechanical or an electronic switch.

Claims

1. Equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical translation and horizontal translation, comprising:

a runner with an engagement and fixing system;

an engine for the horizontal displacement;

an engine for the vertical displacement;

a runner stop;

a suspension cable of the harness of the operator;

a drum for the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable of the harness of the operator;

electric brake;

a support system to the winding/unwinding of the suspension cable of the harness of the operator and a sensor of the end of the course at the top, comprising:

a rotational gear;

horizontal limit switching means;

a vertical travel limit waffle to activate the vertical limit switching means;

vertical limit switching means;

a travel limit plate to activate the horizontal limit switching means;

a system for the winding/unwinding of the power cord;

a cable tensioning device in the drum to prevent the accidental unwinding;

a vertical brake; and

an overload detection system.

2. The equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation of claim 1, further comprising an emergency device that enables the controlled descent, independent from the equipment, connected to the operator through the emergency device coupling system, allowing the operator releasing him or herself from the suspension coupling system, passing the load to the emergency device for the controlled descent, and descend to the ground.

3. The equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation of claim 1, wherein the suspension cable of the harness of the operator being selected from the group consisting of a steel cable, a chain, and a cable of natural or synthetic fibers.

4. The equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation of claim 2, wherein the suspension cable of the harness of the operator being selected from the group consisting of a steel cable, a chain, and a cable of natural or synthetic fibers.

5. The equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation of claim 1, wherein the horizontal limit switching means is either a mechanical or an electronic switch.

6. The equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation of claim 1, wherein the vertical limit switching means is either a mechanical or an electronic switch.

7. The equipment for moving people in height in non-horizontal surfaces with vertical and horizontal translation of claim 1, wherein the equipment is suspended on a runner, said runner being fixed through fixing systems, on the upper limit of the surface on which the operator intends to move.