US-12616875-B2 - Auto-belay notification system

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided to aid a rock climber in remembering to attach to an auto-belay system prior to climbing. In one embodiment, a climbing notification system includes a climber component coupled to a harness. The climber component includes a first portion with a single sensor and an alarm; a second, detachable portion semi-permanently attached to a first, bottom surface of the first portion where the second, detachable portion is magnetically couplable to the first portion. The first portion may include a processor and a power source; wherein, in a first condition where the second, detachable portion is magnetically coupled to first portion, the alarm is disabled; and in a second condition, where the second, detachable portion is detached from the first portion, the alarm is generated in response to the single sensor detecting a threshold proximity to an antenna positioned at a predetermined height.

Inventors

• Joseph Grosjean
• William R. Huseby

Assignees

• CityRock LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240522

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A climbing notification system, comprising: a climber component coupled to a harness, the climber component comprising: a first portion including a processor, a single sensor, and an alarm; a second, detachable portion semi-permanently attached to a first, bottom surface of the first portion, the second, detachable portion magnetically couplable to the first portion; and a power source; wherein: in a first condition, where the second, detachable portion is magnetically coupled to first portion, the alarm is disabled; and in a second condition, where the second, detachable portion is detached from the first portion, the alarm is generated in response to the single sensor detecting a threshold proximity to an antenna positioned at a predetermined height.
2. 2 . The climbing notification system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes at least two warning lights.
3. 3 . The climbing notification system of claim 2 , wherein a first warning light of the at least two warning lights indicates a low battery and a second warning light of the at least two warning lights indicates alarm activation.
4. 4 . The climbing notification system of claim 2 , wherein the at least two warning lights are recessed.
5. 5 . The climbing notification system of claim 1 , wherein the power source lasts for two weeks.
6. 6 . The climbing notification system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a first shape and the second, detachable portion has a second shape, and wherein an outer perimeter of a bottom surface of the first portion along an axial plane mirrors an outer perimeter of a top surface of the second, detachable portion along an axial plane and the outer perimeter of the bottom surface of the first portion is in face sharing contact with the outer perimeter of the top surface of the second, detachable portion.
7. 7 . The climbing notification system of claim 6 , wherein the bottom surface of the first portion comprises a charging connector.
8. 8 . The climbing notification system of claim 7 , wherein the bottom surface of the first portion comprises a recessed test button.
9. 9 . The climbing notification system of claim 8 , wherein when the bottom surface of the first portion and the top surface of the second, detachable portion are attached, the charging connector is hidden.
10. 10 . The climbing notification system of claim 1 , wherein the second, detachable portion comprises a plurality of magnets.
11. 11 . The climbing notification system of claim 10 , wherein the first portion comprises a reed switch.
12. 12 . The climbing notification system of claim 11 , wherein when the first portion and the second, detachable portion are connected, a magnet of the plurality of magnets moves the reed switch into a position that closes an electrical contact.
13. 13 . The climbing notification system of claim 1 , wherein the alarm has a decibel level of 95 db.
14. 14 . The climbing notification system of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable range controller including a signal generator and an amplifier, wherein the adjustable range controller controls a strength of a signal generated by the signal generator using the amplifier.
15. 15 . The climbing notification system of claim 14 , wherein the adjustable range controller emits continuously.
16. 16 . The climbing notification system of claim 14 , wherein the adjustable range controller comprises a first antenna box inside a second antenna box, wherein the first antenna box comprises a filter and the second antenna box comprises a fan and a filter.
17. 17 . A method for a climbing notification system, the method comprising: detecting a proximity of a wireless alarm unit to an antenna of the climbing notification system, wherein the wireless alarm unit comprises a first portion including a single sensor and a wireless alarm and a second portion comprising a detachable magnetic component; and when the wireless alarm unit is within a threshold proximity of the antenna, determining whether the detachable magnetic component of the wireless alarm unit of the climbing notification system is coupled to the first portion of the wireless alarm unit; and in a first condition, where the detachable magnetic component is coupled to the wireless alarm unit, disabling the wireless alarm unit; and in a second condition, where the detachable magnetic component is not coupled to the wireless alarm unit activating an alarm in the wireless alarm unit.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein in the first condition, the detachable magnetic component closes contacts in a reed switch in the first portion.
19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein in the second condition, the contacts of the reed switch are open.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/503,909 filed on May 23, 2023. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/503,909 is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to auto-belay systems used when practicing rock climbing. BACKGROUND Rock climbing is a popular activity that is often carried out on artificial climbing walls in indoor or outdoor environments. In such environments, climbers usually work with a partner to mitigate falls. Generally, a rope is wrapped around a metal bar (known as a belay bar) anchored to the top of a climbing wall so that the rope extends up from the ground, around the belay bar, and back down to the ground in what is referred to as a top-rope set-up. Thus, the rope has an ascending portion extending from the ground or floor up to the belay bar, and a descending portion extending down to the ground or floor from the belay bar. An end of an ascending portion of the rope is attached to the harness of the climber with a knot, and a partner of the climber (e.g., a belayer) secures the descending portion of the rope to the partner's harness using a belay device. When the rope is taut, the weight of the climber may be supported by the rope, with the weight of the partner (and friction from the rope wrapped around the belay bar) providing a counterbalancing force. The rope is secured to the partner's harness through the belay device, which includes a friction-based braking mechanism that may arrest or slow a fall of the climber if utilized correctly. As the climber climbs up the climbing wall, the partner can also control the movement of the rope through the belay device, to take up slack in the rope, or to provide slack in the rope when requested by the climber. As such, the safety of the climber is dependent on the attentiveness of the belaying partner, both during climbing, and during a setup of the belay by the partner. Prior to starting to climb, the climber and the partner generally perform a reciprocal check of each other's harnesses, knots, belay device, and/or other safety equipment used for climbing. To reduce the dependency of the climber on the attentiveness of the belaying partner and to allow climbers without a partner to climb safely, modern climbing walls may include an auto-belay system, also referred to herein as an auto-belay. An auto-belay is a mechanical device that provides a way of lowering a climber to the ground after they have completed their climb. It may be installed at or near a top of a climbing wall and includes rope or webbing that descends down to the climber. For example, the webbing may be manufactured of a material similar to that of a seat belt, with a heavy-duty loop stitched at an end of the webbing. A carabiner may be sewn to the loop so that it is semi-permanently attached to the auto-belay webbing. Thus, the climber may attach the harness to the webbing via the carabiner (also referred to herein as “clipping in”). The auto-belay system maintains the webbing under light tension, and when not in use, an end of the descending webbing may be temporarily secured to anchor points on or near the bottom of the climbing wall. In some cases, the end of the descending webbing is secured to a cloth “gate” arranged at a starting point of a climbing route, where the gate is a large piece of fabric that may cover the starting point, to encourage the climber to clip into the auto belay. When starting to climb, the climber detaches the end of the descending webbing from the climbing wall and attaches the webbing to the climber's harness, for example via a carabiner as described above. As the climber climbs, the auto-belay system retracts the webbing to maintain the appropriate tension. If the climber falls, a braking mechanism of the auto-belay system arrests the fall of the climber. When the climber reaches the auto-belay, the climber lets go of the wall, allowing the climber's weight to be held by the webbing, and the braking mechanism to be engaged, allowing the climber to be slowly lowered to the ground. However, current auto-belay systems rely on the climber to not only remember to clip into the auto-belay, but also to attach to the system appropriately. There is no partner to perform a reciprocal check. If the climber fails to clip into the auto-belay or incorrectly clips into the auto-belay, nothing may prevent the climber from falling to the ground and potentially injuring themselves. SUMMARY The current disclosure at least partially addresses one or more of the above identified issues by a climbing notification system, comprising a climber component coupled to a harness, the climber component comprising a first portion including a processor, a single sensor, a power source and an alarm; a second, detachable portion semi-permanently attached to a first, bottom surface of the first portion, the