Harness

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a harness and, in particular, to a harness for use in climbing activities which provides the user with improved support without restricting motion.

Background of the Invention

Harnesses for preventing falls are commonly used by individuals engaged in working at heights, such as arborists, high-rise window washers, construction workers, emergency service rescue workers and electricity and telecommunications workers. Harnesses are also used in a variety of recreational purposes including rock climbing and caving.

Harnesses in current use typically have a waist strap worn around the user' s waist and leg straps encircling the upper legs, the leg straps generally being attached to the front, or both the front and back, of the waist strap by means of webbing.

In use, the harness is generally attached to a support line which is suspended from the structure of interest, for example a tree trunk or electricity pole, thereby supporting the weight of the wearer at the waist and thighs only. This can be uncomfortable, particularly during periods of extended use, as it places considerable strain on the lower spine of the wearer when in a suspended position, leading to the potential for slipped or burst disc problems.

Restricting the spine in this way also has the undesirable effect of hampering the wearer's movements. This is a particular disadvantage where the wearer may be required to perform sitting, twisting or standing manoeuvres when wearing the harness, for example when working at heights in trees.

Moreover, the multiplicity of straps means that such harnesses can be difficult to put on and off and also difficult to store.

There therefore remains a continuing need for the development of an improved harness in order to overcome the problems associated with current harnesses.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is based on the finding that improved support and flexibility of movement for the wearer may be provided by altering the manner in which the leg straps are connected to the waist belt of the harness in order to distribute the wearer' s body weight more effectively when suspended from a supporting structure.

The invention therefore provides a harness comprising:

a pad adapted to fit around at least a rear portion of the waist of a wearer; at least one anchoring means located towards the rear of the exterior of the pad; a front waist strap; right and left leg straps, each of which leg straps is separately connected to the front waist strap; a right connecting strap, slideably connected to the right leg strap; a left connecting strap, slideably connected to the left leg strap; right and left linking elements located on either side of the pad towards the front of the exterior of the pad, to which the front waist strap is connected at either side and through which the respective connecting straps slideably pass, wherein the right connecting strap passes around the exterior right side of the pad to an anchoring means at which it is

adjustably fastened and the left connecting strap passes around the exterior left side of the pad to an anchoring means at which it is adjustably fastened.

The harness of the invention reduces the strain placed on the wearer's body, especially the spine, when suspended in the harness by distributing the forces over the wearer' s lower body whilst allowing for flexibility of movement, thereby affording improved comfort and versatility compared to current harnesses.

Detailed description of the Invention

As used herein, ^λ right' and ^λ left' in relation to the harness mean the right and left hand sides, respectively, of the harness as worn by the wearer. It will be understood that the right, or first, leg strap of the harness refers to the leg strap encircling the wearer's right leg and the left (or second) leg strap refers to the leg strap encircling the wearer's left leg.

The pad of the harness according to the invention is adapted to fit around at least a rear portion of the wearer' s waist and is conveniently shaped to follow the curves of the pelvic girdle, extending around the wearer' s waist from the rear to the front of the abdomen, thereby distributing the wearer' s weight onto the sacrum when the harness is suspended from a supporting structure. This has the advantage of reducing the risk of lower spine stiffness without imposing restrictions on the wearer's movement .

Preferably the ends of the pad extend around the wearer's waist from the rear to the front part of the abdomen but not necessarily so far as to meet in the middle at the front.

In one embodiment, the upper edge of the pad is preferably shaped so as to minimise interference with the wearer' s ribs when the wearer is suspended in a sitting position yet remain in

place without being pulled off the hips should the wearer wish to adopt a standing position when suspended. The lower edge of the pad is preferably shaped so as to clear the hip.

In a particular embodiment of the harness according to the invention, the pad is symmetrical around its centre. The vertical depth of the pad (that is the distance from the upper edge of the pad extending downwardly to the lower edge of the pad) is preferably greatest at its centre, so as to provide support broadly across the wearer' s lower back, and tapers towards the ends so that the lower edge of the pad sits clear of the hips when worn and does not restrict the wearer' s ability to move as desired.

The pad may be made of any weight-bearing material conventionally used in the art which is sufficiently strong and flexible. Suitably, the pad may be made of a material commonly used in harnesses such as leather, nylon or other man-made polymeric materials and combinations of these materials.

At least a region of the inside surface of the pad, that is the surface of the pad which comes into contact with the wearer, is preferably provided with a cushioned lining for added comfort to the wearer. It will be appreciated that an additional cushioning layer may be unnecessary in all areas of the inside surface of the pad but generally the entire inside surface of the pad is preferably provided with a cushioned lining.

The cushioned lining may comprise any resilient cushioning material known in the art to be suitable for use in harnesses. Preferably, the material chosen will be breathable so as to allow a degree of ventilation and will move smoothly over the skin as the wearer turns and stretches, minimising the risk of soreness. Examples of suitable materials which may be used include expanded polymer foam, elastomeric foam, gels and felts. Typically, the cushioning material may be covered by a covering

mesh fabric layer and the cushioning material and/or fabric layers are attached to the inner surface of the pad by conventional means, for example by stitching or using a suitable adhesive .

The pad may suitably be provided with one or more integral or detachable storage compartments for storing convenient items such as first aid kits, torches and the like which the wearer may require ready access to when working suspended from a supporting structure. These storage compartments may be made of the same material as the pad or some other suitably durable material appropriate to the intended use.

The pad may additionally be provided with one or more loops for the attachment of equipment bearing carabineers and/or a central point of attachment for heavy equipment such as a handsaw or chainsaw. The loops, which are desirably located apart from, conveniently to either side of the central attachment point, may be formed integrally with the pad or attached separately to the pad and are preferably vertically aligned such that the wearer can conveniently locate them without having to twist around excessively. Attaching heavier equipment to the pad at a central rear point of attachment has the advantage that this pulls the sacrum pad down, which is more comfortable for the wearer, and has the effect of stabilising the harness. Moreover, the weight of the attached equipment is loaded across the wearer' s pelvis and hips centrally, reducing the risks of trapped nerves and tilted pelvis syndrome which are typically observed when equipment such as chainsaws is carried on the side of the harness.

In another embodiment, the pad may be provided with attachment means for attaching means for securing the harness to a supporting structure. Typically, the securing means is an adjustable rope or strap for encircling the structure and the securing means is attached to the pad by attaching means such as

a D-ring, buckle or clasp fixed, preferably symmetrically, at either side of the pad. Once the harness is secured to the supporting structure in this way, the suspending support attachment can be removed if desired, for example to facilitate adoption of the desired working position.

The anchoring means in the harness according to the invention may comprise any means to which the respective connecting straps of the harness may adjustably be fastened securely. Varying the position along the strap at which the anchoring means engages allows the effective length of the connecting strap to be altered, and hence the tightness of the harness to be optimised for the individual wearer.

The anchoring means may suitably be in the form of a buckle or the like.

In one embodiment of the harness according to the invention there are provided individual right or first and left or second anchoring means to which the right, firstand left, second connecting straps respectively are fastened.

The anchoring means may be attached to, or integral with, the pad. Conveniently, however, the harness according to the invention may be provided with a rear waist strap which is attached to the exterior surface of the pad by stitching or other conventional attachment mechanisms. Alternatively the rear waist strap may be threaded through a pair of slots located at the rear of the pad, passing between the slots on the inside surface of the pad and emerging from both slots on the outside surface of the pad, said strap being provided with anchoring means, such as a buckle, at each end for anchoring the right and left connecting straps respectively. The region of the rear waist strap which is located between the slots may suitably be attached to the pad itself by stitching or other conventional attachment mechanisms.

The linking elements may be attached to, or integral with the pad. Conveniently the individual linking elements are attached to the pad by means of a strap which passes through the linking elements and is attached to the pad by stitching or other conventional attachment mechanisms.

The front waist strap in the harness according to the invention is suitably a loop which is linked at either side, by means of right, first and left, second linking elements, to the pad.

Conveniently, the front waist strap is provided with means for connecting the harness to a support line, said means typically comprising a metal ring or the like which may suitably be attached to the front portion of the loop by sewing or other conventional attachment methods. Alternatively a fabric loop may be used.

The right, first and left, second leg straps are conveniently connected by respective strap connections to the back portion of the front waist strap loop.

The connections to the leg straps may be fixed, for example by sewing the respective strap to the corresponding leg strap, or the leg straps may be slideably connected to the front waist strap by any conventional method, for example by looping the strap connection around the corresponding leg strap and sewing the loop shut or providing the end of the strap with a ring through which the leg strap may be passed.

In one embodiment, the straps connecting the respective leg straps to the front waist strap may be attached to the back portion of the loop by sewing or other attachment means.

The straps connecting the right and left leg straps to the front waist strap may conveniently be formed from the same continuous strap.

The linking elements located on either side of the pad serve both to link the front waist strap to the right and left connecting straps and also to allow the length of the front waist strap to be adjusted by altering the positions at which it engages with the linking elements. Any element which can fix the length of the front waist strap whilst allowing free passage of the connecting strap may suitably be used as a linking element. Typically the linking element comprises a buckle or similar, particularly a double buckle.

Each individual leg strap is adapted to be secured around the wearer' s leg and is provided with adjusting means to enable the leg strap to be adjusted optimally for the individual wearer. Any conventional adjusting means may be employed, typically a buckle, or a snap-fit closure.

Each leg strap is also suitably provided with a cushioned lining as described above for the comfort of the wearer. The cushioning also helps to distribute pressure around important arteries when the wearer is suspended in the harness, thereby reducing the risk of suspension trauma during periods of static hanging or if the wearer should have an accident and fall and become unconscious .

The front of the leg straps may be slideably connected to the front waist strap of the harness by any conventional means as described above. The rear of each leg strap may also suitably be attached, preferably adjustably, to the corresponding side of the rear of the pad by one or more straps.

Each individual leg strap is slideably connected, by means of a connecting strap which passes slideably through the linking element provided on the pad and around the exterior side of the pad, to the anchoring means towards the rear of the exterior of the pad as described above. Any conventional means for

slideably connecting the connecting strap to the leg strap may be used, such as those methods described above.

In a particular embodiment, the front of the leg strap may be connected to the connecting strap by a connector comprising a ring through which the leg strap may be passed linked to a shackle .

In use, the wearer is secured in the harness by adjustment of the connecting strap at its anchor point at or towards the rear of the pad.

In one embodiment, the leg straps, connecting straps and front waist straps are made of the same material, suitably a high strength webbing material such as nylon.

The harness according to the invention may be a "sit" harness which is secured around the wearer' s waist and thighs but in an alternative embodiment, the harness may also be provided with straps which extend upwardly over the wearer' s shoulders in the form of a "full body" harness.

An embodiment of the invention will now be particularly described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a harness according to the invention as worn by a wearer;

Figure 2 shows a back view of the harness of Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, the harness indicated generally at 1 comprises a pad 2 which fits around the rear of the wearer's waist and is shaped to follow the curves of the pelvic girdle, extending around the wearer' s waist from the rear to the front of the abdomen on both sides of the wearer but not meeting at the front. The pad tapers towards the ends so that the lower

edge of the pad sits clear of the hips when worn and does not restrict the wearer's movement.

The pad may be provided with a cushioned lining (not shown) on its inside surface, that is the surface which comes into contact with the wearer. In the embodiment shown, the pad is provided with loops 3 for the attachment of equipment bearing carabineers and also a pair of attaching means (in the embodiment shown a pair of D-rings, 4, although other attaching means would be acceptable) to which a rope or strap or other such means for securing the harness to a supporting structure (not shown) may be attached. The D-rings 4 are arranged symmetrically at either side of the pad and may be held in place on the pad by direct attachment or by a piece of webbing fed through the D-ring and sewn to the pad on either side (not shown) .

The harness has a front waist strap 5 which in the embodiment shown is a loop which is linked at either side to the pad, by right 6 and left 7 linking elements (a pair of double buckles) by means of which the length of the front waist strap can be adjusted. The linking elements are located on the pad by means of an additional strap (not shown) . The front waist strap is provided with a metal ring 10 attached to the front portion of the loop 11 to which a support line (not shown) for suspending the harness to a supporting structure may be attached.

Right, first and left, second leg straps (12, 13) are connected by respective strap connections (14, 15) to the back portion of the front waist strap loop (16) . The connections to the leg straps may be fixed, for example by sewing the respective strap to the corresponding leg strap, but in the embodiment shown the leg straps are slideably connected to the front waist strap by looping the strap connection around the corresponding leg strap and sewing the loop shut. The straps (14, 15) connecting the respective leg straps to the front waist strap are attached to the back portion of the front waist strap loop (16) by sewing.

The individual leg straps (12, 13) are secured around the wearer's leg and are each provided with adjusting means to enable the leg strap to be adjusted optimally for the individual wearer. In the embodiment shown the adjusting means are a buckle (17, 18) although any other conventional adjusting means may be employed.

Each individual leg strap is slideably connected, by means of a connecting strap (8,9) which passes slideably through the double buckle linking element (6,7) provided on the pad and around the exterior side of the pad to the anchoring means towards the rear of the exterior of the pad (shown in Figure 2) . The slideable connection of the connecting strap (8, 9) to the respective leg strap (12, 13) is provided by a ring (19, 20) provided at the end of the respective connecting straps through which the respective leg straps can pass. In the embodiment shown, the right and left connecting straps are joined together by a linking strap 21 which is a work positioning attachment point.

The attachment of the right and left connecting straps to right and left anchoring means (22,23) provided at either end of a rear waist strap (24) threaded through a pair of slots (25) located at the rear of the pad is shown in Figure 2.In the embodiments shown, the anchoring means are a buckle. Also shown in Figure 2 are attachments (26, 27) from the leg straps to the rear of the pad and a point of attachment (28) for heavy equipment such as a chainsaw. It can also be seen that in this embodiment, the vertical depth of the pad (1) is greatest at its centre, thereby providing support broadly across the wearer's lower back.

In use, the harness can be tightened around the wearer by adjustment of both connecting straps at their anchor points at the rear of the pad.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations to the embodiments described above may be made in the invention without departing from the scope as described herein.