US2021214890A1PendingUtilityA1

Directional rope structures and methods and mooring systems including directional rope systems and methods

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Assignee: SAMSON ROPE TECHPriority: Jan 10, 2020Filed: Jan 8, 2021Published: Jul 15, 2021
Est. expiryJan 10, 2040(~13.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Kris VolpenheinJames R. Plaia
D07B 1/148D07B 1/142B63B 21/20B63B 2021/203D07B 2201/1096D07B 2501/2061D07B 2201/1016D07B 2201/104
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Claims

Abstract

A rope structure defining first and second ends and comprising first and second directional strands defining a first and second characteristics, respectively, and at least one additional strand. The second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand and the at least one additional strand is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics. A first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within intermediate sections of the rope structure such that the first adjacent portion(s) of the first directional strand is(are) closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion(s) of the second directional strand and the second adjacent portion is(are) closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A rope structure defining first and second ends, the rope structure comprising:
 a first directional strand defining a first characteristic;   a second directional strand defining a second characteristic, where the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics;   at least one additional strand that is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics; wherein   the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure; and   a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure such that
 the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand, and 
 the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. 
   
     
     
         2 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are visually distinguishable. 
     
     
         3 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics include at least one of color, size, and texture. 
     
     
         4 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are non-visible. 
     
     
         5 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detectable. 
     
     
         6 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics include at least one of conductivity, magnetism, ultra-violet dyes, and RFID identifier. 
     
     
         7 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detected by at least one of a camera, RFID sensor, and magnetic sensor. 
     
     
         8 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detected using image processing data. 
     
     
         9 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of pairs of first and second directional strands. 
     
     
         10 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand comprises a plurality of additional strands. 
     
     
         11 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand provides at least one functional characteristic to the rope structure. 
     
     
         12 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand provides a plurality of functional characteristics to the rope structure. 
     
     
         13 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand comprises at least first and second types of additional strands. 
     
     
         14 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 5 , in which:
 the first type of additional strand provides a first functional characteristic to the rope structure; and   the second type of additional strand provides a second functional characteristic to the rope structure.   
     
     
         15 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand comprises
 a plurality of the first type of additional strand; and   a plurality of the second type of additional strand.   
     
     
         16 . A mooring system for securing a vessel relative to a predetermined location comprising:
 vessel hardware supported by the vessel;   predetermined location hardware supported at the predetermined location; and   a rope structure defining first and second ends and comprising a plurality of types of strands, where
 at least one of the types of strands forms a first directional strand defining a first characteristic, 
 at least one of the types of strands forms a second directional strand defining a second characteristic, where the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics, 
 at least one of the types of strands is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics, 
 the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure, and 
 a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure such that
 the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand, and 
 the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand; wherein 
 
   the mooring system operates in
 a first configuration in which the first end is operatively connected to the vessel hardware and the second end is operatively connected to the predetermined location hardware, and 
 a second configuration in which the second end is operatively connected to the vessel hardware and the first end is operatively connected to the predetermined location hardware. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method of determining directionality of a rope structure comprising a plurality of strands and defining first and second ends, the method comprising the steps of:
 identifying a first directional strand from the plurality of strands, where the first directional strand defines a first characteristic;   identifying a second directional strand from the plurality of strands, where the second directional strand defines a second characteristic;   distinguishing the second directional strand from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics;   supporting the first and second directional strands to define
 at least one intermediate section of the rope structure, 
 a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand, and 
 a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand, where 
 the first adjacent portion and the second adjacent portion are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure; and 
   identifying the first and second ends of the rope structure based on a determination that
 the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand, and 
 the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. 
   
     
     
         18 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are visually distinguishable. 
     
     
         19 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are non-visible. 
     
     
         20 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detectable.

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