Rope Cleaner
Patent Number: US 12343766 Grant Date: 2025-07-01 Filing Date: 2023-11-13
Overview
This patented rope cleaning system, filed in November 2023 and granted on July 01, 2025, captures a practical, mechanically robust solution for reliably removing debris from ropes without disassembly. Developed by inventors based in Paradise, TX and Childress, TX and prosecuted with strong claim scope, the design combines a two‑part frame with replaceable wiper disks that accept a rope through a receiver slot aligned with an open frame end. Radial slots and bristle segments around a central aperture allow the disks to deform under an inward squeeze, tightening around rope fibers to abrade and extract contaminants while preserving core integrity. The frame’s fastener architecture, inner diameter lip and optional posts maintain alignment and permit multi‑layer stacks of wiper disks in varied materials (nylon, plastic, 3D‑printed PLA) and thicknesses for configurable stiffness and wear life. The receiver slot enables inserting a rope into the wiping aperture without taking the tool apart, and the fastener arrangement makes the wipers serviceable, reducing long‑term maintenance cost.
Key Features
- Receiver slot aligned with open frame for tool‑side loading
- Radial slots and bristle segments that compress with a simple squeeze
- Multi‑layer, replaceable wiper disks (3 mm–3 cm thickness range)
- Robust fastener/frame geometry with alignment lip and support posts
- Compatible materials: nylon, plastic, PLA
This pragmatic invention improves uptime for rope‑dependent operations and offers adaptable performance across agricultural, industrial, and recreational rope maintenance applications.
Invention Details
Abstract: A rope cleaning tool for cleaning a rope. The rope cleaning tool comprises one or more wiper disks and a frame assembly. The frame assembly comprises a first shell portion and a second shell portion, and a plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners comprise at least a first fastener, and each comprise a first fastener portion and a second fastener portion. The frame assembly is attached to a portion of the one or more wiper disks using a portion of the plurality of fasteners. Each among the frame assembly comprises an enclosed end and an open end. The one or more wiper disks comprises a receiver slot and a wiping aperture. The receiver slot is aligned with the open end of the frame assembly.
Summary of the Invention: A rope cleaning tool for cleaning a rope. Said rope cleaning tool comprises one or more wiper disks and a frame assembly. Said frame assembly comprises a first shell portion and a second shell portion, and a plurality of fasteners. Said plurality of fasteners comprise at least a first fastener, and each comprise a first fastener portion and a second fastener portion. Said frame assembly is attached to a portion of said one or more wiper disks using a portion of said plurality of fasteners. Each among said frame assembly comprises an enclosed end and an open end. Said one or more wiper disks comprises a receiver slot and a wiping aperture. Said receiver slot is aligned with said open end of said frame assembly. Said receiver slot and said wiping aperture comprises a cut in said one or more wiper disks allowing an object to pass through said receiver slot and slide into said wiping aperture without disassembling said rope cleaning tool. Said wiping aperture can further comprise a central portion and a plurality of radial slots arranged around said central portion. Said central portion comprises a round shape. Said plurality of radial slots extend outward from said central portion toward said frame assembly. Said plurality of radial slots are configured to allow said one or more wiper disks to be deformed when squeezing said frame assembly with an inward force. Said one or more wiper disks comprises a plurality of bristles comprising portions of said one or more wiper disks between said plurality of radial slots. Each among said plurality of bristles are configured for cleaning objects in said wiping aperture. Said rope cleaning tool comprises an unsqueezed configuration and a squeezed configuration. Said unsqueezed configuration comprises said rope cleaning tool without said inward force applied to said frame assembly. Said squeezed configuration comprises said rope cleaning tool with said inward force applied to a portion of said frame assembly.
Patent Document
Related: Agriculture | Mechanical Engineering | Cleaning And Maintenance | Childress, Texas | Paradise, Texas | Shannon Warren, Patent Attorney