Lanyard with stress indicator

1 . A stretchable lanyard for arresting a falling hand tool attached to the stretchable lanyard, the stretchable lanyard comprising:

a lanyard tool attaching end portion;

a lanyard anchoring end portion;

a stretchable lanyard body disposed between the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion; and

a stressed lanyard indicator assembly connected to the stretchable lanyard adjacent to at least one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion and extends over a portion of the stretchable lanyard body wherein the stressed lanyard indicator assembly indicates when a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred.

2 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 1 wherein the stressed lanyard indicator assembly includes at least one stress indicium that, when a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred, changes from one of (1) a non-triggered position to a triggered position or (2) a non-visual position to a visual position.

3 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 2 wherein the stressed lanyard indicator assembly further includes a predefined length of outer tubing surrounding a portion of the stretchable lanyard body wherein the predefined length of outer tubing is fixed on one end to one of a respective one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion and, on an opposite end, not fixed to the stretchable lanyard body wherein the at least one stress indicium is between the outer tubing and the portion of the stretchable lanyard body before a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred.

4 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 3 wherein the at least one stress indicium is one of (1) a mark disposed on or embedded into the stretchable lanyard body, (2) a predefined length of shrink tubing surrounding and fixed to a portion of the stretchable lanyard body, and (3) a biasing indicator strap wherein the biasing indicator strap is fixed on one end between a predefined length of shrink tubing surrounding and fixed to a portion of the stretchable lanyard body and not fixed at an opposite end wherein the biasing indicator strap is folded upon itself before a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred and biased away from itself after a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred.

5 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 2 wherein the at least one stress indicium is a mark disposed on or embedded into an indicator strap wherein the indicator strap is fixed on one end to a predefined length of shrink tubing surrounding and fixed to a portion of the stretchable lanyard body adjacent to but spaced from the respective one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion and on an opposite end to a corresponding one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchor attaching end portion wherein the mark is captured by the shrink tubing before a falling tool event has occurred and released by the shrink tubing after a falling tool event has occurred.

6 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 4 wherein the predefined length of shrink tubing is an adhesive shrink tubing.

7 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 5 wherein the predefined length of shrink tubing is an adhesive shrink tubing.

8 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 3 wherein the outer tubing is one of opaque, translucent or transparent.

9 . The stretchable lanyard of claim 4 wherein the predefined length of shrink tubing is one of opaque, translucent or transparent.

10 . A method of determining when a stretchable lanyard has experienced a falling tool event, the method comprising:

obtaining a stretchable lanyard having a stressed lanyard indicator assembly connected to the stretchable lanyard adjacent to at least one of a lanyard tool attaching end portion or a lanyard anchoring end portion;

looking at the stressed lanyard indicator assembly; and

determining whether at least one stress indicium has changed from one of (1) a non-triggered position to a triggered position or (2) a non-visual position to a visual position wherein the at least one stress indicium indicates whether a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred.

11 . A method of making a stretchable lanyard with a stress indicator, the method comprising:

obtaining a stretchable lanyard having a lanyard tool attaching end portion, a lanyard anchoring end portion and a stretchable lanyard body disposed between the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion; and

attaching a stressed lanyard indicator assembly adjacent to at least one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion or the lanyard anchoring end portion and extends over a portion of the stretchable lanyard body wherein the stressed lanyard indicator assembly indicates when a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the attaching step includes providing at least one stress indicium that changes when a falling tool arresting event with sufficient force has occurred from one of (1) a non-triggered position to a triggered position or (2) a non-visual position to a visual position.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the attaching step includes providing a predefined length of outer tubing and surrounding a portion of the stretchable lanyard body wherein the predefined length of outer tubing is fixed on one end to one of a respective one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion and, on an opposite end, not fixed to the stretchable lanyard body wherein the at least one stress indicium is between the outer tubing and the portion of the stretchable lanyard body before a falling tool arresting event has occurred.

14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the providing step includes selecting the at least one stress indicium from (1) a mark disposed on or embedded into the stretchable lanyard body, (2) a predefined length of shrink tubing surrounding and fixed to a portion of the stretchable lanyard body and (3) a biasing indicator strap wherein the biasing indicator strap is fixed on one end between a predefined length of shrink tubing surrounding and fixed to a portion of the stretchable lanyard body and not fixed at an opposite end wherein the biasing indicator strap is folded upon itself before a falling tool arresting event has occurred and biased away from itself after a falling tool arresting event has occurred.

15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the providing step includes selecting the at least one stress indicium that is a mark disposed on or embedded into an indicator strap wherein the indicator strap is fixed on one end to a predefined length of shrink tubing surrounding and fixed to a portion of the stretchable lanyard body adjacent to but spaced from the respective one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchoring end portion and on an opposite end to a corresponding one of the lanyard tool attaching end portion and the lanyard anchor attaching end portion wherein the mark is captured by the shrink tubing before a falling tool event has occurred and released by the shrink tubing after a falling tool event has occurred.