Push release loop

• US 6,988,694 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NALU KAI Incorporated
• Original Assignee: NALU KAI Incorporated
• Inventors: Montague, Donald Lewis, Barrs, Christopher Carswell, Pouchkarev, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): BAREFOOT, GALEN L
• Application Number:
  US10/432,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 244153 R-155 A, 294/82.32, 294/82.34, 114/39.18, 114/102.11, 114/39.16, 403/212, 403/DIG.4, 403/409.1, 245/985, 246/006, 241/28, 241/15.R, 241/15.A, 241/15.K, 241/15.H, 59/85, 59/88, 59/93
• US Class Current: 244/155.00A
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 8/16 Control arrangements, e.g. control bars or control lines
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 8/18 Arrangements for connecting the user to a kite-sail; Kite-safety means, e.g. chicken loops, safety leashes or quick release mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/14 Devices or coupling-pieces designed for easy formation of adjustable loops, e.g. choker hooks; Hooks or eyes with integral parts designed to facilitate quick attachment to cables or ropes at any point, e.g. by forming loops

Abstract

The invention is a device that push releasably retains one end of a rope (111) abutting against an intermediate part of the rope (103) to form a push releasable loop.

Claims

1. A kite device, comprising:

a kite structure having a leading edge and a trailing edge, each edge having right and left sides;

a canopy skin over said kite structure, whereby said kite structure and said canopy skin define an airfoil;

a control bar having a central hole and right and left ends;

right and left rear flying lines having kite ends and bar ends, said kite ends of said rear flying lines attached near said right and left sides of said trailing edge and said bar ends attached near said right and left ends of said control bar;

an attachment strap having a top end and a bottom end;

right and left front flying lines having kite ends and strap ends, said kite ends of said front flying lines attached near said right and left sides of said leading edge and said strap ends attached near said top end of said attachment strap;

a trim line attached near the bottom end of the attachment strap and having a user end extending through the hole in the control bar and beyond the control bar;

a retainer that retains the user end of the trim line abutting against an intermediate portion of the trim line beyond the control bar, whereby a loop is formed in the trim line;

wherein the retainer is slidable along the trim line away from the user end;

whereby pushing the retainer away from such user end along the trim line releases the user end of the trim line from the retainer;

whereby the user end of the trim line is no longer retained abutting against the intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the loop opens up.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, further comprising a collar attached to a distal end of said retainer, said collar having a depression complementary to a control bar, whereby said control bar can engage said collar to rotationally orient said loop.

8. A device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said retainer comprises:

a frame having a pivot point mounted on an intermediate portion of the trim line;

a pivotable pivot pin mounted on said pivot point to pivot on said frame between an open position and a closed position adjacent to said frame;

a ring mounted on the user end of the trim line that is engageable by the pivot pin;

whereby when the ring is engaged with the pivot pin, a loop is formed in said trim line;

a hollow sleeve slidably mounted on said trim line having a larger interior cross section than said frame and said pivot pin when said pivot pin is in said closed position;

whereby the sleeve can slide over the frame and said pivot pin in said closed position engaged with the ring to maintain said pivot pin in said closed position and maintain said loop; and

whereby when the sleeve is pushed away from the user end and beyond the pivot pin, the pivot pin is released and can pivot to the open position, releasing the ring and opening the loop.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said retainer comprises:

a frame having a pivot point mounted on an intermediate portion of the trim line;

a pivotable pivot pin mounted on said pivot point to pivot on said frame between an open position and a closed position adjacent to said frame;

a looplet formed in the user end of the trim line that is engageable by the pivot pin;

whereby when the looplet is engaged with the pivot pin, a loop is formed in said trim line;

a hollow sleeve slidably mounted on said trim line having a larger interior cross section than said frame and said pivot pin when said pivot pin is in said closed position;

whereby the sleeve can slide over the frame and said pivot pin in said closed position and engage with the looplet to maintain said pivot pin in said closed position and maintain said loop; and

whereby when the sleeve is pushed away from the user end and beyond the pivot pin the pivot pin is released and can pivot to the open position releasing the looplet and opening the loop.

2. An attachment strap device, comprising:

an attachment strap having a top end and a bottom end;

a trim line attached to the bottom end of the attachment strap and having a user end;

a retainer that retains the user end of the trim line abutting against an intermediate portion of the trim line, whereby the trim line forms a loop;

wherein the retainer is slidable along the trim line;

whereby pushing the retainer away from such user end along the trim line releases the user end of the trim line from the retainer;

whereby the user end of the trim line is no longer retained abutting against the intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the loop opens up.

3. A device for forming a push release loop in a rope, comprising:

a retainer that retains a user end of a rope abutting against an intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the rope forms a loop;

wherein the retainer is slidable along the rope;

whereby pushing the retainer away from such user end along the rope releases the user end of the rope from the retain;

whereby the user end of the rope is no longer retained abutting against the intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the loop opens up.

10. A device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said retainer comprises:

a frame having a pivot point mounted on an intermediate portion of the rope;

a pivotable pivot pin mounted on said pivot point to pivot on said frame between an open position and a closed position adjacent to said frame;

a ring mounted on the user end of the rope that is engageable by the pivot pin;

whereby when the ring is engaged with the pivot pin, a loop is formed in said trim line;

a hollow sleeve slidably mounted on said trim line having a larger interior cross section than said frame and said pivot pin when said pivot pin is in said closed position;

whereby the sleeve can slide over the frame and said pivot pin in said closed position engaged with the ring to maintain said pivot pin in said closed position and maintain said loop; and

whereby when the sleeve is pushed away from the user end and beyond the pivot pin, the pivot pin is released and can pivot to the open position, releasing the ring and opening the loop.

4. A device for push releasably forming a loop in a rope having a user end and a loop end, comprising:

a rope plug having a first cross section attached to an intermediate portion of the rope;

a loop plug having a second cross section attached to the loop end;

wherein said rope plug abuts against and overlaps said loop plug;

a retainer having an interior cross section narrower than the combined cross sections of said first cross section and said second cross section slidable along said rope and retaining said rope plug and said loop plug abutting and overlapping against each other;

whereby when said retainer is pushed along said rope away from said user end beyond said plugs, said plugs can slide past each other and said loop opens.

5. A device for push releasably retaining a loop having a loop end on a user end of a rope, comprising:

a rope plug having a first cross section attached to the user end of the rope;

a loop plug having a second cross section attached to the loop end;

wherein said rope plug abuts against and overlaps said loop plug;

a retainer having an interior cross section narrower than the combined cross sections of said first cross section and said second cross section slidable along said rope and retaining said rope plug and said loop plug abutting and overlapping against each other;

whereby when said retainer is pushed along said rope away from said user end beyond said plugs, said plugs can slide past each other and said loop separates from said rope.

6. A device, comprising:

a harness adapted to hold a user having a rope with a user end extending therefrom;

a retainer that retains the user end of the rope abutting against an intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the rope forms a loop;

wherein the retainer is slidable along the rope;

whereby pushing the retainer away from such user end along the rope releases the user end of the rope from the retainer;

whereby the user end of the rope is no longer retained abutting against the intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the loop opens up.

11. A device for forming a push release loop in a rope, comprising:

a frame means having a pivot point mounted on an intermediate portion of the rope;

a pivotable pivot means mounted on said pivot point to pivot on said frame between an open position and a closed position adjacent to said frame;

a ring means mounted on the user end of the rope that is engageable by the pivot pin;

whereby when the ring means is engaged with the pivot means, a loop is formed in said rope;

a hollow sleeve means slidably mounted on said rope having a larger interior cross section than said frame means and said pivot means when said pivot means is in said closed position;

whereby the sleeve means can slide over the frame means and said pivot means in said closed position engaged with the ring means to maintain said pivot means in said closed position and maintain said loop; and

whereby when the sleeve means is pushed away from the user end and beyond the pivot means, the pivot means is released and can pivot to the open position, releasing the ring means and opening the loop.

12. A device for forming a push release loop in a rope, comprising:

retainer means for retaining a user end of a rope abutting against an intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the rope forms a loop;

wherein the retainer means is slidable along the rope;

whereby pushing the retainer away from such user end along the rope releases the user end of the rope from the retainer means;

whereby the user end of the rope is no longer retained abutting against the intermediate portion of the rope, whereby the loop opens up.

13. A process for using a push release loop, comprising:

attaching said push release loop to an attachment strap for a kite, whereby a user of said kite can push release said loop whenever necessary.