BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1) Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to safety and rescue extraction of downed or injured law enforcement, military or tactical operations personnel from a hostile combat environment, and more particularly, to a hands-free body harness for carrying a litter that will allow a user in a combat situation to support the load of an injured person and a litter on their shoulders to carry the litter to safety without compromising the rescuer's ability to use his hands and maintain engagement of the enemy with his weapon.

[0003] 2) Description of Related Art

[0004] Rescuers working to remove injured personnel in a hostile combat environment face many challenges. Once an injured person has been rescued from a dangerous position, the conventional means for transporting the injured person away from the combat zone is on a litter. The litter generally requires two people at opposite ends to grab handles at each end of a pair of support poles, then lift and carry the litter with their hands to move the injured person. The entire weight of the litter and injured person is then supported in the arms and hands of the litter bearers lifting and carrying the litters. For extended transports, this method is overly strenuous, and expose the litter bearers to increased threat as they lower their weapons to carry the injured person on the litter. [0005] Further, the litter bearers may be of sufficiently different height that the litter is carried on an incline. This can lead to stability issues and generally make it more difficult for the litter bearers to safely carry the injured person.

[0006] Some litters utilize a wheeled arrangement to roll the litter, allowing the weight to be supported by the wheels and not the person moving the litter. This arrangement still requires the rescuer to use his hands to push or pull the litter along, and does not allow for movement of the litter over rugged terrain. Additionally, these wheeled supports are not transportable on the front lines by troops.

[0007] Thus, current extraction methods involving litters are overly burdensome, may involve items not easily transportable, and generally cause the litter bearers to disengage from the enemy when attempting to transport the injured person, leading to potentially deadly results for the rescuers. Accordingly, a need was realized for a more efficient way to remove injured personnel that is quick, reliable, easily transportable, and limits dangerous exposure of the rescuers and the injured person during extraction.

[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a litter carrying harness worn around the body of the litter bearers that will support the weight of the litter on the litter bearers in a hands-free arrangement to allow the litter bearers to maintain engagement of an enemy with their weapons. [0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a litter carrying harness that is adjustable to accommodate differences in height of the litter bearers to maintain the litter in a generally level carrying position.

[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a litter carrying harness that allows the litter bearers to carry a litter for longer distances and at a faster rate.

[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a litter carrying harness that promotes a preferred posture for the litter bearers to move the injured person in an efficient manner.

[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a litter carrying harness that is light weight, durable and easily transportable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing an arrangement of lightweight durable nylon straps that hang over the shoulders to bear the weight of an injured person on a litter. Shoulder pads are provided on the straps to comfort the load on the litter bearer. The straps crossover along the back of the wearer so that the weight of the litter draws each strap portion towards the neck to prevent the straps from slipping off the shoulders. A pair of litter handle loops are disposed at the ends of the straps. The loops for the litter handles are large for easy application, and are made to be placed around the litter handles. To prevent the loops from sliding off the litter handles, a non-slip handle grip layer is carried in the loops for engaging the litter handles. The straps interconnect through buckles designed for raising and lowering the positioning of the litter handle loops, because the injured person is more easily carried at waist level. This accommodates for larger and smaller sized litter carriers in height, so that the injured person sits level even when the terrain is not level or the litter bearers are drastically different in height.

[0014] Once the patient is placed on the litter and raised to the appropriate height, the litter bearers can utilize their hands and engage targets when they are in immediate danger. It also allows for the litter bearers to distribute the weight of the patient to their shoulders allowing them to carry for a longer distance at a faster rate. The litter carrying harness makes it possible to carry the litter with a patient in rugged terrain where a standard wheeled litter carrying device cannot be used. The litter carrying harness eliminates the need for a security detail with the litter bearers since the litter bearers are free to use their hands and engaging enemies with their weapons while carrying the litter.

[0015] In one embodiment, the litter carrying harness comprises a first elongated strap portion having a first distal end formed in a loop to define a first litter handle loop for carrying a litter handle generally on a left side of the body; a first shoulder pad carried at a second distal end of the first elongated strap portion for resting on the right shoulder; a second elongated strap portion having a first distal end formed in a loop to define a second litter handle loop for carrying a litter handle generally on a right side of the body; a second shoulder pad carried at a second distal end of the second elongated strap portion for resting on the left shoulder generally opposite the first shoulder pad on the right shoulder; a first connecting strap interconnecting the second distal end of the first elongated strap and the second litter handle loop; and, a second connecting strap interconnecting the second distal end of the second elongated strap and the first litter handle loop. Accordingly, a litter carrying harness is provided with a hands-free arrangement for moving an injured person on a litter while allowing the litter bearers to use their hands for other tasks.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the harness includes a first adjustable coupling interconnecting the first connecting strap to the second distal end of the first elongated strap so that the relative position of the second litter handle loop from the first shoulder pad can be adjusted by varying the length of the first connecting strap to vary the height at which the litter is carried. Additionally, a second adjustable coupling is provided interconnecting the second connecting strap to the second distal end of the second elongated strap so that the relative position of the first litter handle loop from the second shoulder pad can be adjusted by varying the length of the second connecting strap to vary the height at which the litter is carried.

[0017] In a further embodiment, the harness includes a securing buckle interconnecting the first and second elongated strap portions in a crossover arrangement, wherein the securing buckle is movable along the first and second elongated strap portions for varying the distance between the shoulder pads to accommodate different users.

[0018] In a further embodiment, the harness includes a handle grip layer lining at least a portion of each of the first litter handle loop and the second litter handle loop to resist sliding of the litter handles when placed in the handle loops. In one embodiment, the handle grip layer comprises a rubberized material secured to an interior side of the handle loops.

[0019] In a further embodiment, the harness includes a shoulder grip layer carried by each of the first shoulder pad and the second shoulder pad to resist sliding movement of the shoulder pads on the shoulders of the litter bearer. In one embodiment, the shoulder grip layer comprises a rubberized material secured to a bottom side of the shoulder pads for engaging the shoulder of the litter bearer.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the harness includes a holder carried by each of the first connecting strap and the second connecting strap for securing unused portion of the first and second connecting straps. In one embodiment, the holder comprises an elastic strap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The construction designed to carry out the invention will hereinafter be described, together with other features thereof. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 shows a front plan view of a litter carrying harness according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 shows a detailed perspective view of a litter handle loop according to the present invention; [0024] Figure 3 shows a detailed side view of a litter handle carried by one of the litter handle loops according to the present invention; and,

[0025] Figure 4 shows a front view of the litter carrying harness with the handles of the litter received into the first and second litter handle loops for supporting the litter in a hands-free arrangement according to the present invention.

[0026] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can meet certain other objectives. As such, the preceding objects can be viewed in the alternative with respect to any one aspect of this invention. These and other objects and features of the invention will become more fully apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying figures and examples. However, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are of a preferred embodiment and not restrictive of the invention or other alternate embodiments of the invention. In particular, while the invention is described herein with reference to a specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that the description is illustrative of the invention and is not constructed as limiting of the invention. Various modifications and applications may occur to those who are skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0027] With reference to the drawings, the invention will now be described in more detail. Referring to Figures 1 and 4, a litter carrying harness, designated generally as 10, is shown. Litter carrying harness 10 provides a hands-free arrangement for carrying a litter that will allow a user in a combat situation to support the load of an injured person and a litter on their shoulders to carry the litter to safety without compromising the rescuer's ability to use his hands and maintain engagement of the enemy with his weapon.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, a first elongated strap portion 12 includes a first distal end 13 formed in a loop to define a first litter handle loop, designated generally as 14, for carrying a litter handle generally on a left side of the body. A first shoulder pad 18 is carried generally at a second distal end 20 of first elongated strap portion 12 for resting on the right shoulder. As shown in Figure 4, litter handle 16 is positioned in litter handle loop 14 for being carried generally along the left leg of the user. When worn by the litter bearer, first shoulder pad 18 would be positioned over the right shoulder of the user.

[0029] A second elongated strap portion 22 includes a first distal end 24 formed in a loop to define a second litter handle loop, designated generally as 26, for carrying a litter handle generally on a right side of the body. A second shoulder pad 28 is carried generally at a second distal end 30 of second elongated strap portion 22 for resting on the left shoulder generally opposite first shoulder pad 18 on the right shoulder. As shown in Figure 3 and 4, litter handle 32 is positioned in litter handle loop 26 for being carried generally along the right leg of the user. When worn by the litter bearer, second shoulder pad 28 would be positioned over the left shoulder of the user.

[0030] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, preferably, each of litter handle loops 14 and 26 include a non-slip handle grip layer 48 lining at least a portion of the inside of each loop to resist slipping of the loops on the litter handles 16 and 32. In one embodiment, handle grip layer 48 comprises a rubberized or like material secured to an interior side of handle loops 14 and 26 to help grip litter handles 16 and 32.

[0031] Preferably, the first and second elongated strap portions 12 and 22 consists of a high tensile strength foldable webbing material. In one embodiment, the webbing material is a woven nylon product formed into straps with a width of approximately 1-2 inches.

[0032] Referring to Figures 1 and 4, in a preferred embodiment, shoulder pads 18 and 28 include a non-slip shoulder grip layer 36 to further resist sliding movement on the shoulders. In one embodiment, the shoulder grip layer 36 comprises a rubberized or like material secured to a bottom side of the shoulder pads for engaging the shoulder of the litter bearer. In one embodiment, padding for the shoulder pads 18 and 28 consists of a foam material encased in 500 Cordura nylon, lined with shoulder grip layer 36 towards the shoulder of the user.

[0033] Referring to Figures 1 and 4, a securing buckle 34 is carried by first and second elongated strap portions 12 and 22 so that first and second elongated strap portions 12 and 22 are arranged to crossover between shoulder pads 18 and 28, and first and second litter handle loops 14 and 26. This crossover arrangement helps to resist the shoulder pads from sliding off the shoulder under the weight of the litter by directing the shoulder pads towards each other in the direction of the neck when weight is applied to harness 10. Also, securing buckle 34 is movable along the first and second elongated strap portions for varying the distance between the shoulder pads to accommodate different users. By moving securing buckle 34 upward toward shoulder pads 18 and 28, the distance is shortened, and by moving securing buckle 34 downward, the distance between the shoulder pads in increased.

[0034] With further reference to Figures 1 and 4, a first connecting strap 38 is provided interconnecting second distal end 20 of first elongated strap portion 12 and second litter handle loop 26. A second connecting strap 40 is provided interconnecting second distal end 30 of second elongated strap portion 22 and first litter handle loop 14.

[0035] In the illustrated embodiment, a first adjustable coupling 42 interconnects first connecting strap 38 to second distal end 20 of first elongated strap portion 12 so that the relative position of second litter handle loop 26 from first shoulder pad 18 can be adjusted by varying the length of first connecting strap 38 to vary the height at which the litter is carried. A second adjustable coupling 44 interconnects second connecting strap 40 to second distal end 30 of second elongated strap portion 22 so that the relative position of first litter handle loop 14 from second shoulder pad 28 can be adjusted by varying the length of second connecting strap 40 to vary the height at which the litter is carried. In combination, adjustable couplings 42 and 44 operate to accommodate different heights among users carrying a litter to maintain the litter in a generally level carrying position, and to position the litter where it is most comfortable for the harness user. Preferably, any extra unused portion of the connecting strap material is secured in place to connecting straps 38 and 40, respectively, by a holder 46 carried on each of straps 38 and 40 to prevent interference with adjacent items on the user. In one embodiment, holder 46 comprises an elastic strap.

[0036] While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.