Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
HIGH-RISE EMERGENCY ESCAPE DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE I1WENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to an emergency escape device
for
high-rise buildings, and in particular to an emergency escape device that
carries a
person to slide down from the high-rise building along a rope with a
controlled speed
so as to allow the person to reach the ground safety with no damage.
2. Prior Arts
[0002] Emergency escape device is one the most important apparatus that a
high-rise building must equip. It allows users to escape out of the high-rise
building
and reach ground safely in case of emergency, such as earthquake and fire
catastrophe.
Conventional emergency escape facility, such as the slow descending device,
comprises of a pulley or reel around which a rope is wound. To operate, people
secure themselves to the rope with a hanging device and fall down from the
high-rise
building with the gravity of their own weight. The slow descending device
imposes
restraints to the descending speed whereby the people may reach the ground at
an
acceptable speed, which causes no strong impact of the people with the ground.
[0003] however, it is criticized as the complicated structure and operation
though the conventional device may effectively rescue people from the high-
rise
building. Particularly, it's hard for panic and elder people to properly
operate such
device in the emergency. Therefore, even most of tall buildings equip with the
emergency systems, still, people usually get hurt owing to the improper use.
[0004] The present invention intends to overcome the drawback of the
conventional devices.
1
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
SUMMARY OF 'THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0005) An objective of the present invention is to provide an emergency escape
device having simplified structure and mLnimal training ready to operate.
[0006] Another objective of the present invention is to provide an emergency
escape device that allows people to be conveyed from a high-rise building down
to the
ground with controlled speed so as to enhance operation safety.
(0007] A further objective of the present invention is to provide an emergency
escape device that allows a user to set a predetermined friction between the
device
and a rope along which the user is to slide down from a substantial height
down to the
ground in advance whereby the sliding speed of the escape device can be
immediately
set in an emergency situation.
[0008] A further objective of the present invention is to provide an emergency
escape device, which allows the user to manually control the sliding speed by
hand
moving a movable part with respect to a stationary part during the process of
sliding
down along a rope.
[0009] A further objective of the present invention is to provide an emergency
escape device, which allows for a preset sliding movement of the emergency
escape
device along a rope and also an adjustment of the sliding movement during the
process of sliding.
(0010] Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide an
emergency escape device that comprises a ready-to-release locking device,
allowing
the user to readily release and/or couple the escape device from/to a rope
along which
the user may slide down from a high-rise building for rescue.
[OOIl] A further objective of the present invention is to provide an emergency
escape system comprising a rope connecting between a high-rise building and
the
ground with a buffering device sliding fit over the rope and an escape device
as
described to cooperate with and slide down along the rope for high-rise
emergency
rescues.
2
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
[0012] In accordance with the present invention, to realize the above
objectives,
a high-rise escape device comprises a handgrip forming a first channel, and a
handle
pivoted to the handgrip and rotatable with respect to the handgrip between a
locked
position and a released position. The handle forming a second channel, which
forms,
together with the first open channel, a gap having a predetermined size to
define a
passage for the rope with a predetermined friction induced between the
channels and
the rope when the handle is at the locked position. A locking device is
provided
between the handle and the handgrip to selectively secure the handgrip at the
locked
position. A gap is present between the handle and the haridgrip when the
handle is at
the locked position, which gag allows for manually imposing a great friction
to the
rope. An emergency escape system comprises a rope extending from a high-rise
building to the ground with a buffering member slidably fit over the rope. The
escape device is coupled to the rope by pinching the rope between the first
and second
channels. A belt surrounds and secures a user to the escape device, whereby
the user
is allowed to slide down along the rope with a controlled speed for safely
reaching the
ground.
[0013] The present invention will become more obvious from the following
description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which
show,
for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with
the
present invention. In the drawings:
~lt.fEF I3E~~RIPTI~h1 ~F TI-Il; I~RA'V~IlNC'aS
[0014] Figure 1 is an exploded view of an escape device constructed in
accordance with the present invention;
[0015] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the escape device in a released
condition;
[0016] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the escape device in a locked
condition,
together with a belt that secures a person attached to the escape device;
[0017] Figure 4 is a bottom view of the escape device in the locked condition;
3
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
[0018] Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the escape device in the locked
condition;
[0019] Figure 6 is an exploded view of a locking device for securing the
escape
device in the locked condition;
[0020] Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the locking device;
[0021] Figure 8 is a schematic view demonstrating coupling of the belt that
secures a person to the escape device with a buckle; and
[0022) Figure 9 is a schematic view illustrating a lugh-rise emergency escape
system incorporating the escape device of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] With reference to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1-5, a
high-rise emergency escape device constructed in accordance with the present
invention comprises a stationary handgrip 1 and a movable handle 2 pivoted to
the
handgrip 1 by a pivot 21 whereby the a gripping gap through which a rope 4
extends
is adjustable by rotation of the movable handle 2 with respect to the handgrip
1 to
control friction between the escape device and the rope 4 and thus controlling
the
speed of a person carried by the escape device sliding down along a rope 4.
[0024] The stationary handgrip 1 comprises a flat elongate body 100 having a
first end forming a J-shaped hook 13 defining a rope channel 130 and an
opposite
second end forming a buckle hole 11 with which a buckle 5 i (see Figure 3) may
engage. A finger opening 12 is defined at one longitudinal edge of the
elongate body
100 for the extension of a user's finger (not shown) in holding the escape
device.
[0025] The flat body 100 has opposite first and second major faces 10, 10a. A
first pulley 15 is mounted to the first face 10 of the bandgrip 1 at a
position closed to
the hook 13 so that the first pulley 15 substantially aligns with the rope
channel 130
for smoothly guiding the rope 4 into the rope channel 130. In the embodiment
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
illustrated, the first pulley 15 is fixed to the handgrip 1 by a first pulley
holder 14,
which comprises a lying-down U-shaped member having two spaced limbs connected
by a bottom. The bottom is fixed to the first major face 10 of the handgrip 1
by any
suitable means, such as bolts, rivet, and welding. The first pulley 15 is
rotatably
supported between the limbs of the U-shape of the first pulley holder 14.
Preferably,
the rotational axis of the first pulley 15 is substantially parallel to the
first major face
of the handgrip body 100.
(0026] A through hole 16 is defined in an end portion of the J-shaped hook 13
for the extension of the pivot 21.
(0027] The movable handle 2 comprises two spaced plates 240 defining an
interior space 24 therebetween, which rotatably receives therein the thickness
101. of
the handgrip 1, which is the dimension between the major faces 10, 10a of the
handgrip 1. In other words, when the handgrip 1 is received in the movable
handle 2,
the major faces 10, 10a of the handgrip 1 are in surface contact with inner
surfaces of
the plates 240 of the handle 2, yet with a certain clearance therebetween to
allow for
rotation of the handle 2 with res~ct to the handgrip 1. Aligned through holes
26 are
defined in the plates 240 closed to a first end of the handle 2 for the
extension of the
pivot 21. The pivot 21 thus extends through both the through holes 26 of the
handle
2 and the through hole 16 of the handgrip 1 to pivot the first end of the
handle 2 to the
first end of the handgrip 1, which leaves an opposite end of the handle 2
rotatable
between locked and released positions, which will be further described
(0028] ~n an outer surface 20 of one of the plates 240 of the handle 2, a
second
pulley 23 is fixed whereby the second pulley 23 and the first pulley 15 are
located on
opposite sides of the escape device. The second pulley 23 is fixed to the
plate 240
by a second pulley holder 22, which, similar to the first pulley holder 14,
has a
U-shaped configuration with a bottom fixed to the plate 240 by suitable means,
such
as bolt, rivet, and welding and two limbs rotatably supporting the second
pulley 23
therebetween. The second pulley 23 is provided to guide the rope 4 out of the
rope
channel 130. Preferably, the first and second pulley 15, 23 are arranged to
guide the
rope 4 through the escape device in an S-shape as particularly shown in Figure
4.
5
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
[0029] . A concave recess 2S is defined in the first end of plates 240 of the
handle
2 to function as a guide channel for the rope 4. The guide channel 25
corresponds in
position to the rope channel 130 of the hook I3 of the handgrip body 10. The
guide
channel 25 and the rope channel 130 cooperate with each other to form a
passage for
the rope 4. Due to the rotatability of the handle 2 with respect to the
handgrip 1, the
relative position of the guide channel 25 with respect to the rope channel 130
is
changeable, which leads to adjustability of the cross-sectional dimension of
the rope
passage. In other words, the rope 4 may be subject to different magnitude of
gripping force applied thereto by the rope channel 130 and the guide channel
25,
rendering different friction between the rope 4 and the escape device. This
allows a
user to control sliding speed along the rope 4, which will be further
described.
[0030] Also referring to I~'igures 6 and 7, a locking device is provided to
secure
the handle 2 at a predetermined position (the locked position) with respect to
the
handgrip 1, which means a fixed spatial relationship between the rope channel
130
and the guide channel 25 and thus a fixed friction and sliding speed between
the
escape device and the rope 4. The locking device comprises a movable body 31
that
is movably attached to one of the plates 240 of the handle 2 and an adjustable
pin 32
extending from the movable body 31. The locking device further comprises a
Locking tab 171 fixed to the major face IO of the handgrip body 100. The pin
32 has
a free end engageable with the locking tab 171, which secures the handle 2 in
the
locked position with respect to the handgrip I. In other words, the handle 2
is
prevented from moving away from the handgrip 1 (moving from the locked
position
to the released position) when the pin 32 engages the locking tab 171, thereby
ensuring a predetermined friction between the escape device and the rope 4.
[0031] Spaced protrusions 3 S are formed on one plate 240 of the handle 2.
Aligned holes 351 are defined in the protrusions 35. The movable body 31 of
the
locking device comprises an arm 312 having a free end in which a through hole
313 is
defined. A pivot pin 314 extends through both the holes 351 and the hole 313
to
rotatably mount the main body 31 to the plate 240 of the handle 2. A resilient
biasing member 34, such as a spring illustrated in the drawings, is arranged
between
the movable body 31 and the handle 2 to secure the movable body 31 at an
engaging
position, while, under the action of a counter force, allowing the movable
body 31 to
6
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
move from the engaging position to a disengaging position. In the embodiment
illustrated, the spring 34 has a U-shaped having two limbs each forming a
helical
portion fit over the pivot pin 314 and a bottom supported on the movable body.
Ends of the limbs engage the handle 2 to bias the movable body 31 to the
engaging
position where the movable body 3 t abuts against the handle 2 with the pin 32
engaging the locking tab 171. By forcibly rotating the main body 31 about the
pivot
pin 314 in a direction away from the handle 2 and against the spring 34, the
pin 32 is
brought away from the locking tab 171 and engagement therebetween is broken to
release the handle 2. This allows the escape device to be removed from the
rope 4 or
to readjust the friction between the escape device and the rope 4.
[0032] In the embodiment illustrated, the locking pin 32 comprises a threaded
section that engages an inner-threaded hole 311 defined. in the movable body
31.
The threading engagement between the pin 32 and the hole 311 allows for
adjustment
of the relative position of the pin 32 with respect to tree main body 31 and
thus
adjustment of the predetermined locked position of the handle 2 with respect
to the
handgrip 1, which in turn allows for adjustment of the friction between the
escape
device and the rope 4.
[0033] A nut 33 is selectively mounted in the threaded section of the pin 32.
The nut 33 is abuttingly engageable with the main body 31 to prevent undesired
movement of the pin 32 with respect to the main body 31 thereby securing the
relative
position of the pin 32 and thus the friction between the escape device and the
rope 4.
[0034] A guide plate 17, functioning as a ramming surface, is mounted to the
handgrip 1 adjacent to the locking tab 171. The movable body 31 of the locking
device is provided with a camxning portion 310, which, when the movable body
31 is
moved from the disengaging position back into the engaging position, is
engageable
with the guide plate 17 under the action of the biasing force of the spring
34. The
guide plate 17 guides the movable body 31 back into the engaging position by
ramming engagement between the guide plate 17 and the ramming portion 310.
[0035] It is noted that as best seen in Figure 5, a gap defined by an angle 0
is
present between the handle 2 and the handgrip 1 when the handle 2 is secured
at the
7
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
locked position by the locking devise. Such a gap allows a user to manually
and
forcibly grip the rope 4 between the rope channel 130 of the handgrip 1 and
the guide
channel 25 of the handle 2. Thus, the friction between the escape device and
the
rope 4 can be selectively adjusted by the hand holding force of the user.
[0036] Also referring to Figures 8 and 9, a high-rise emergency escape system
in
accordance with the present invention comprises a rope 4 extending from an
emergency escape facility 6 mounted to a high-rise building 900 down to a
column
901 fixed to the ground 902 at a distance from the building 900. Two branch
ropes
42 extend from the free end of the main rope 4 and are tightened to the column
901 at
different altitudes by for example hooks 43. A buffering member 41, such as a
spring, a foamed body, and a rubber block, is slidably fit over the main rope
4 and is
maintained in position by the branches 42. Preferably, a predetermined
distance L is
present between the buffering member 41 and the column 901 and a predetermined
height H is present between the buffering member 41 and the ground 902.
[0037 To operate, the user wraps and secures a belt 5 around his or her waist
and couples a buckle 51 fixed at an end of the belt 5 tc~ the buckle hole 11
of the
handgrip 1. The user may then open the movable handle 2 of the escape device
of
the present invention by releasing the locking device, position the rope 4 in
the rope
channel 130 of the handgrip l, and close and lock the handle 2 whereby the
rope 4 is
pinched between the handle 2 and the handgrip 1. The user holds the handgrip l
and
selectively adjusts the friction between the escape device and the rope 4 and
then s)Lide
down along the rope 4.
(0038] ~nce the user approaches the column 901, the buffering member 41
effectively decelerates the user and protects the user from directly colliding
the
column 901 and the falling onto the ground 902. The distance L and the height
H
ensure that the user does not hit the column 901 or the ground 902. ~nce
reaching
the ground 902, the user may open the handle 2 and release the escape device
from
the rope 4 to allow the next user to safely slide down along the rope 4.
[0039 Although the present invention has been described with reference to the
preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that
a variety
s
CA 02484767 2004-10-14
of modifications and changes may be made without depairting from the scope of
the
present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.
