I just found this looking for some bar parts in marine catalogs. Its called the Allen Keyball. The concept of the ball replacing the hook system seems to have been done before the fireball system. It does not have a quick release I can see but it should be easy to make one up and attach it to a normal kite harness. Thought it was interesting and should share. I may order one and try it out.

I have Massive respect for the innovative design of the fireball system, i am not knocking the fireball, but it looks like a similar concept has been done before.

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Allen Keyball Trapeze System - 08:10:2014

Australian Distributor DeckHardware 02 9905 9400 www.deckhardware.com.au

For many years the development team at Allen were keen to design a trapeze system that improves the safety of the sport and reduces the risk of entrapment by the traditional hook-on trapeze harness. Designer Julian Bethwaite had also been thinking along the same lines and had produced a prototype of the keyball trapeze system. In conjunction with Bethwaite Design, Allen have developed the concept into a sleek and innovative design, eliminating the hook altogether to create a safe intuitive solution that really works.

http://www.deckhardware.com.au/_files/allen_keyball_trapeze_system.pdf

Nice find! No hope for the cabrinha patent IMO., unless the patent applies to the locking ball mechanism?

and this really make sense for sailing, the harness hook really is a PITA while throwing your self under the boom to get to the trap on the other side, it catches on lines and can damage deck and tramps (not to mention ribs). Replacing the hook with a dome as shown for skiff/cat sailing would be great - for kiting, I don't get it. If the big advantage is the vertical leverage distance to reduce spreader bar twist/roll, then it is still worse than the standard rope slider.

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TerryMcTool said..
Nice find! No hope for the cabrinha patent IMO., unless the patent applies to the locking ball mechanism?

Not necessarily. The patent examiner is given a limited amount of time to assess the suitability of the patent application. In reality all he/she will do is check existing patents falling under kite-boarding. She wont check academic papers, existing adverts, social media posts etc. She probably doesn't even realize that someone hanging off a trapeze is even remotely related to kiteboarding. After seeing nothing similar in existing patent applications it will be approved.

For the next 6 months "Allen Keyball" can dispute the patent. In reality they have no idea that the patent even exists, so nothing happens. At that time the patent is fully approved.

The only way to challenge the patent then is via expensive litigation.

If "Allen Keyball" has a patent then you are then in the position where the two parties can sue each other; for patent infringement for there respective patents.

Andthe legal fraternity wins again.

AS the patent holder Cabrinha would be required to defend the patent.
If they try to spend a ****load of money to stomp on somebody elses copy, then all the other party needs to do is show prior art.

It would be expensive and probably foolish for them to pursue and so the patent will be no more.

If they are smart they would not waste dollars going for a patent in the first place.

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Absolutbeginer said..
http://www.murrays.com/01-0311.html

www.murrays.com/01-1212.html

I find the above amazing because it would not take much to adapt the below image into a simple push away system that could work with a kite harness. A kiter who knows how most kite leash releases work, could adapt the below into a very similar setup to the Fireball system easily ( UNTESTED UNSAFE SO DONT TRY THIS AT HOME)

And the below could fit onto a normal kite harness.

After seeing the below, the Fireball system does not look like a new idea at all. Again I have massive respect for the fireball system and I am not knocking the setup. Thank you for the info Absolutbeginer.

Now do you have a brilliant suggestion as to how to make it slide?
I have a couple of ideas.

Looking forward to the pulleyless bridal upgrade you have graciously offered for this info.

3dprint.com/109480/3d-printed-trapeze-sailing/

Interesting reading here

I thought the same thing when I saw the cabrinha, about a sliding set up. A ball instead of Loop and a long horizontal slot on harness spreader.
Game changer!

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Absolutbeginer said..
Now do you have a brilliant suggestion as to how to make it slide?
I have a couple of ideas.

Looking forward to the pulleyless bridal upgrade you have graciously offered for this info.

KiteDesigner said..

Absolutbeginer said..
http://www.murrays.com/01-0311.html

www.murrays.com/01-1212.html

I find the above amazing because it would not take much to adapt the below image into a simple push away system that could work with a kite harness. A kiter who knows how most kite leash releases work, could adapt the below into a very similar setup to the Fireball system easily ( UNTESTED UNSAFE SO DONT TRY THIS AT HOME)

And the below could fit onto a normal kite harness.

After seeing the below, the Fireball system does not look like a new idea at all. Again I have massive respect for the fireball system and I am not knocking the setup. Thank you for the info Absolutbeginer.

and once you work out its crap you can gift it to that "special" friend

A sliding rope harness has more advantages, I think it makes the ball system redundant, nice idea, but I can't see any massive advantage over a decent rope slider harness setup.

Naish all over it a decade ago.

I still use this bar for snow kiting though i chopped and changed the line set up years ago

Yuk!!

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JB said..
Naish all over it a decade ago.

wow you could unhook but still stay connected.

You can add the Butt-Ball to the pile with Re-Con and Sigma in it I think... change for the sake of change... and as much as the click-bar is interesting in a techy sort of way you can probably throw it on that heap as well. But what would I know .

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sir ROWDY said...
You can add the Butt-Ball to the pile with Re-Con and Sigma in it I think... change for the sake of change... and as much as the click-bar is interesting in a techy sort of way you can probably throw it on that heap as well. But what would I know .

Not much.....

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JOYRIDER said..

sir ROWDY said...
You can add the Butt-Ball to the pile with Re-Con and Sigma in it I think... change for the sake of change... and as much as the click-bar is interesting in a techy sort of way you can probably throw it on that heap as well. But what would I know .

Not much.....

obviously

Interesting