Spliced rope system

Abstract

The present invention is related to a rope system (10, 20) comprising a first rope section (14, 24), a second rope section (16, 26) and a splice structure (12, 22), wherein the first and the second rope section comprise each at least 3 rope strands. Wherein said splice structure (12, 22) is between the first rope section (14, 24) and the second rope section (16, 26) and connects said first to said second rope section, wherein the rope system further comprises at least one conductive element (18, 28) extending from within the first rope section through the splice structure into the second rope section, whereby at least a portion of the conductive element is immobilized in both, the first and second rope section.

1 . A rope system comprising a first rope section, a second rope section and a splice structure, wherein the first and the second rope section comprise each at least a-rope strands. Wherein said splice structure is between the first rope section and the second rope section and connects said first to said second rope section, wherein the rope system further comprises at least one conductive element extending from within the first rope section through the splice structure into the second rope section, whereby at least a portion of the conductive element is immobilized in both, the first and second rope section. 
     
     
         2 . The rope system of  claim 1  wherein the conductive element is an optical conductive element and/or an acoustic conductive element and/or electrical conductive element. 
     
     
         3 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the rope system further comprises devices suitable to emit and receive a signal through the conductive element. 
     
     
         4 . The rope system of  claim 1  wherein the conductive element is one unitary element. 
     
     
         5 . The rope system of  claim 1  wherein the conductive element is assembled from two or more conductive sub-elements connected with each other by twisting, compression, wrapping, splicing, knotting, clamping, stitching or gluing, or combinations thereof to form the conductive element. 
     
     
         6 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the first rope section and the second rope section are sections of a single rope whereby the rope system is an eye-splice or a round sling. 
     
     
         7 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the first rope section and the second rope section are sections of distinct ropes whereby the rope system is a spliced rope. 
     
     
         8 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the conductive element comprised in the splice structure is arranged such that the conductive element splits when the length of the splice structure is reduced upon slippage to less than 50% of the original length of the splice structure. 
     
     
         9 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the rope system comprises at least one further conductive element. 
     
     
         10 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one conductive element forms a loop through the rope structure and passes from within the first rope section, through the splice structure into the second rope section and back through the splice structure into the first rope section. 
     
     
         11 . The rope system according to  claim 10  wherein the loop of the conductive element is fastened to the second rope section by a connection mean, preferably the connection mean is a knot, a braid or a plug. 
     
     
         12 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the conductive element is an optical fiber, a metal wire or metal cable, a carbon yarn or carbon fiber, or a synthetic yarn or synthetic fiber coated with a conductive layer. 
     
     
         13 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein the first and/or second rope sections comprises synthetic yarns, preferably high modulus synthetic yarns, more preferably high modulus ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) yarns, most preferably UHMWPE yarns with a tenacity of at least 1.8 N/tex. 
     
     
         14 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein each of the first and/or second rope section is braided and/or laid from at least 4 rope strands. 
     
     
         15 . The rope system according to  claim 1  wherein at least the first or the second rope section comprises a friction reducing agent.