US 11,970,870 B2
Fall restraint apparatus and associated systems and methods
Matthew Fife, Everette, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/538,863.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/126,866, filed on Dec. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0195742 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. E04G 21/32 (2006.01); A62B 35/00 (2006.01); A62B 35/04 (2006.01)
CPC E04G 21/3204 (2013.01) [A62B 35/0068 (2013.01); A62B 35/0081 (2013.01); A62B 35/0056 (2013.01); A62B 35/0075 (2013.01); A62B 35/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fall restraint apparatus comprising:
an extension member, comprising a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end, wherein:
the second end is movable, relative to the first end, in a first direction and a second direction, opposite the first direction, along a plane; and
the second end is configured to extend away from the first end to an extended position and retract from the extended position toward the first end to a retracted position;
at least one rail to which the extension member is movably coupled so that the extension member is movable in a third direction along the at least one rail, the third direction being angled relative to the first direction and the second direction; and
a flexible tether, having a fixed length and comprising an anchor end, attached to the second end of the extension member, and a user end, configured to attach to a user;
wherein:
when in the extended position, the second end is no more than a second distance away from the first end; and
the sum of the fixed length and the second distance is less than a first distance away from the first end.