ARRANGEMENT FOR CARRYING A HAND-HELD MOTOR-DRIVEN TOOL ON A HARNESS

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an arrangement for carrying a hand-held motor-driven tool on a harness, which arrangement comprises a hip pad for protecting an operator from the tool, the hip pad having a principal surface. The arrangement further comprises a strap/string, arranged at an upper portion of the hip pad and attaching the hip pad to the harness, and along which strap/string the hip pad is movably arranged.

The disclosure also relates to a harness having an arrangement according to the invention.

Background

In order to improve working conditions for an operator of a hand-held motor-driven tool, such as a clearing saw or a brush cutter, the hand-held motor- driven tool can be carried in a harness placed on the back, shoulders and hip of the operator. The use of a harness for carrying the tool reduces the loads on the arms of the operator since most of the weight of the tool is carried by the back, shoulders and legs of the operator instead of by the operator's arms. Thereby, the use of the tool will be less tiring, since the arms are relieved from the duty of carrying the tool and then can be used only for controlling the tool.

In WO02/096238 and WO02/096239 such a harness is shown, which harness has a hip pad. The hip pad is used for protecting an operator from the tool and for reducing the wear from the hook onto which the tool is connected and for supporting the tool on the hip of the operator.

The hip pad is arranged such that, when the harness is worn by the operator, the hip pad hangs down from the

harness so that the hip pad, during use, is placed close to one of the hips of the operator. The hip pad has a hook for receiving a tool . The hip pad is further arranged with a rope, which passes through a passage in the top section of the hip pad so that the hip pad can slide along the rope when the length of the rope is changed to adjust the position of the hip pad in relation to the operator, in order to optimize the position of the hip pad for the operator and the tool that is used, for example in order to suit operators of different length.

The harnesses described in WO02/096238 and WO02/096239 are arranged with specially designed ropes with a circular cross-section. In order to make it possible to attach such a rope to the harness in a secure way the rope has to have a flat-shaped part for the attachment to the harness and a circular shaped part for leading the rope through the hip pad. A rope arrangement like this is very expensive, since such ropes need to be custom-made for the purpose. The degree of adjustment is also limited, since the hip pad only can slide along the part of the rope with a circular cross-section.

Therefore there is a need for a different, more cost-efficient arrangement, and an arrangement with better adjustment possibilities, in order to make the hip pad more applicable to different operators and tools.

Summary

In order to solve the above problems an arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1 is provided and which is characterized in that the strap/string has a substantially flat shape, and wherein the strap/string is movably arranged at the upper portion in such a way that the width of a part of the strap/string in contact with the upper portion extends away from the principal surface of the hip pad.

By providing an arrangement according to claim 1 the hip pad can move along the strap/string in a flexible way

so that the hip pad can be adjusted as much as needed. The fact that the strap/string is arranged so that the width of the strap/string extends away from the principal surface the hip pad results in ergonomic advantages for the operator, since it improves the fit of the hip pad onto the hip of the operator and it also improves the range of movement for the operator.

By arranging the upper portion of the hip pad to protrude from the principal surface of the hip pad it is possible to lead the strap/string through the upper portion in such a way the width of the strap/string extends away from the principal surface.

By arranging the upper portion with a protrusion an angle of approximately 100-130 ³ is achieved between a lower edge of the upper portion and the principal surface of the hip pad, which results in an ergonomic and well- fitting hip pad, since the hip pad lies close to the hip of the operator.

By arranging at least one groove in the upper portion of the hip pad, for receiving the strap/string the hip pad is attached to the harness in an ergonomic and secure way and without running the risk of dropping the hip pad and thereby the tool .

By arranging the groove on the hip pad in such a way that the strap/string, when inserted into the groove, extends over the upper portion of the hip pad, the strap/string extends over the total length of the upper portion which improves the range of movement for the user. Because of the possibility to have an as wide distance as possible, the total length of the upper portion, between the ends of the strap/string before they extends up, towards the harness this arrangement also results in an advantageous distribution of power. The harness feels better for the user, since the weight from the tool is distributed over the entire harness and does not only weigh on the side to which the hip pad and thereby the tool is attached.

By arranging the at least one groove with at least two openings, wherein at least one of the at least two openings is arranged in an outer edge of the hip pad the strap/string extends over the total length of the upper portion of the hip pad so that a space between the ends of the strap/string is achieved.

By arranging two separate grooves on opposite sides of the upper portion of the hip pad so that the strap/string extends over a total length of the upper portion of the hip pad a space between the ends of the strap/string that is as wide as possible is achieved.

The hip pad is arranged such that the principal surface of the hip pad, when the harness is worn by the operator, is facing away from one hip of the operator. By the term "hip pad" is meant any means with the purpose of protecting an operator of the tool, onto which hip pad the tool can be arranged, such that the hip pad is arranged between the tool and the operator.

By the term "principal surface of the hip pad" is meant the main surface of the hip pad, or the remaining surface of the hip pad if upper portion is removed, i.e. a plain hip pad.

In one embodiment of the invention the strap/string is made of a flexible material. By using a flexible material it is possible to adjust the hip pad in an effective way.

In one embodiment of the invention the hip pad is made of a stiff, plastic material. By using a stiff, plastic material a durable and protective hip pad is provided.

The present invention also relates to a harness having an arrangement as described above.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Fig 1 schematically illustrates a harness having an arrangement according to prior art, with a rounded rope running through a hip pad and which rope is transformed to a flat shaped rope for attachment to the harness, Fig 2 schematically illustrates a front view of an arrangement according to the present invention.

Fig 3 schematically illustrates an oblique angle of a side view in perspective of the arrangement according to Fig 2. Fig 4 schematically illustrates a view from behind of an operator wearing a harness with an arrangement according to the invention.

Description of Embodiments The present invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. In figure 1 is a harness 10 shown having an arrangement, according to prior art, for carrying a handheld motor-driven tool, for example a brush cutter, a chain saw or that like.

An operator, like a forest worker, is intended to wear the harness 10.

The harness 10 comprises, among other things, two shoulder straps 11, a back plate 12, a relieving belt 13 and a hip pad 20. The hip pad 20 is arranged for protecting an operator from the tool. The shoulder straps 11 are arranged to the upper part of the back plate 12 extending from the back plate 12. When the harness 10 is carried by an operator, the

back plate 12 is put on the back of the operator, and the shoulder straps 11 extend over the shoulders of an operator. Each shoulder strap 11 is arranged with a buckle 11a and lib respectively. The relieving belt 13 is arranged to the lower part of the back plate 12.

A waist strap 14 comprising a bracket 14a can be arranged to the harness 10 in order to further improve the fit of the harness 10. The hip pad 20 is attached to the harness 10 by means of a catching belt 15. A guide rope 16 is further attached between the hip pad 20 and the back plate 12 in order to make the hip pad 20 movable. The guide rope 16 is in a first end 16a attached to the harness 10. When the harness is carried by an operator, a second end 16b of the guide rope 16 is fastened to the buckle lib of one of the shoulder straps, and the buckle lla of the other shoulder strap is fastened to the bracket 14a, and the buckles lla and lib are attached to each other over the breast of an operator.

The hip pad 20 is further arranged with an attachment element 17, for example in form of a hook. The tool is arranged to be attached to the harness 10 by means of the attachment element 17. In the embodiment of the invention described in the figures 2-4, an arrangement for carrying a hand-held motor-driven tool on a harness is shown, which arrangement is adapted to be arranged to a harness 10, for example to a harness 10 according to the description above .

The arrangement comprises a hip pad 20 for protecting an operator 40 from the tool (not shown) . The hip pad 20 is arranged such that, when the harness 10 is worn by the operator 40, the hip pad 20 hangs down from the harness 10 so that the hip pad is placed close to one of the hips of the operator 40.

The hip pad 20 is with advantage made of a durable and protective material such as stiff, plastic material like HDPE (high density polyethylene) or polyamide. The hip pad 20 can also be made of stiff, rubber material. By the term "hip pad" is meant any means with the purpose of protecting an operator of the tool, onto which hip pad the tool can be arranged, such that the hip pad is arranged between the tool and the operator.

The hip pad 20 has a principal surface 21, which surface 21 faces away from the hip of the operator during use. The hip pad 20 has a slightly concave shape in order to lie close to one of the hips of the operator 40. The hip pad further has a wearing surface 22, which surface 22 is reinforced with for example wadding ^' or that like, in order to protect the operator 40 from the tool.

The hip pad 20 has an upper portion 23. The upper portion 23 protrudes from the principal surface 21. The upper portion 23 has a lower edge 23a and a two outer edges 23b. The lower edge 23a forms an angle X of approximately 100-130 ² with the principal surface 21. The angle X is more preferably 110-12O ² and most preferably 110-115 ² .

By the term "principal surface of the hip pad" is meant the main surface of the hip pad, or the remaining surface of the hip pad if upper portion 23 is removed, i.e. a plain hip pad.

The upper portion 23 is provided with two separately arranged grooves 24, which are arranged on opposite sides of the upper portion 23. Each groove 24 comprises two openings 24a, 24b. The openings 24b are arranged at the outer edges 23b. In the space between the openings 24a of the grooves 24 the strap/string 25 lies close to the lower edge 23a of the upper portion 23.

By the term "groove" is meant a recess arranged in the upper part 23 of the hip pad 20 arranged to receive the strap/string 25, and which recess is at least partly covered.

A strap/string 25 is arranged to be inserted into the grooves 24. The strap/string 25 is provided with two ends 25a and 25b, which ends 25a and 25b are to be attached to the harness 10. The basic function of the guide rope 16 according to the prior art described above, to make the hip pad 20 movable, correspond to the basic function of the strap/string 25 according to the present invention.

The strap/string 25 is arranged to be inserted into the grooves 24 in such a way that the strap/string 25 extends over a total length of the upper portion 23 and so that the strap/string 25 is visible between the grooves 24, when lying close to the lower edge 23a.

The strap/string 25 turns around the outer edges 23b and from the outer edge 23b the two ends 25a and 25b extend up towards the harness 10. The strap/string 25 has a width and a length. The strap/string 25 has further a substantially flat shape over its total length. The strap/string 25 is with advantage made of a flexible material, like canvas, textile or soft plastic.

The upper portion 23 is arranged to receive the strap/string 25 in such a way that the width of the strap/string 25 extends away from the principal surface

21. The strap/string 25 is further arranged in the groove 24 in such a way that the width of the strap/string 25 extends away from the principal surface 21 of hip pad 20.

In one embodiment of the invention one groove 24 is arranged in the upper part 23 of the hip pad 20, which groove 24 extends over the total length of the upper portion 23.

In one embodiment of the invention the groove 24 is a totally covered "tunnel".

In another embodiment of the invention the groove 24 is a partly covered recess . The hip pad is arranged to be connected to a harness such that the hip pad protects a region around a hip of the operator, when the harness is worn by the operator.

An example of such a harness is shown in figure 1. Although, other types of harnesses may be used: from the simplest kind of harness comprising only one shoulder strap which extends down to a lower portion onto which the hip pad is arranged, to more complex harnesses, such as the harness shown in figure 1.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims .