U.S. patent number RE37,394 [Application Number 09/547,448] was granted by the patent office on 2001-10-02 for safety vest.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Guardian Fall Protection, Inc.. Invention is credited to Clifford Woodyard.
United States Patent |
RE37,394 |
Woodyard |
October 2, 2001 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Safety vest
Abstract
A safety vest incorporates a safety harness between a vest inner
lining and a vest outer shell with attachment couplers and rings
incorporated in the vest in vest pockets that store the attachment
couplers and rings out of sight in communicating between harness
and a lanyard external to the vest. Thus, the attachment rings are
stored in vest pockets except during use, making the vest appear as
a normal garment suitable for general wear off a work location or
during general harness nonuse periods. Storing the rings in vest
pockets also avoids the rings becoming annoyances or hazards. The
harness is multiuse and versatile with attachment rings and
couplers in various locations on the harness so a wearer can move
between different applications, including a ring on the dorsal back
for use in fall arrest, rings on waist sides so the vest can be
used for work positioning, a coupler at the sternum, a ring at the
waist buckle for repel attachments, and leg straps for support
below the waist when required. In each case, the attachment ring is
conveniently stored out of sight during nonuse in a vest pocket.
The safety harness can be inspected through the lumbar pocket.
Inventors: |
Woodyard; Clifford (Kent,
WA) |
Assignee: |
Guardian Fall Protection, Inc.
(Kent, WA)
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Family
ID: |
22552796 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/547,448 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
154790 |
Sep 17, 1998 |
06035440 |
Mar 14, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/102; 182/3;
2/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D
13/0007 (20130101); A62B 35/0018 (20130101); A62B
35/0037 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A41D
13/00 (20060101); A62B 35/00 (20060101); A62B
001/16 (); A62B 035/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/102,69,94,79,85,93,300,311,312 ;119/770 ;128/846,874,875
;182/3,4 ;244/151R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hale; Gloria M.
Assistant Examiner: Patel; Tejash
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Tingey; David L.
Claims
Having described the invention, what is claimed is as follows:
1. A safety vest adapted to receive a lanyard in secure attachment
thereto, the improvement comprising,
a harness, the harness having a waist belt with belt ends and a
pair of shoulder straps each with strap ends attached to the waist
belt and each forming a shoulder loop having a front shoulder loop
strap portion and a back shoulder loop strap portion and disposed
such that the wearer's arms pass through the shoulder loops,
an attachment means on the harness for securing the lanyard to the
harness, a garment including an outer shell, the harness inside the
outer shell, with pockets with openings in the outer shell
providing access from the harness inside the garment to the lanyard
external to the jacket, and
at least one harness attachment strap extending from the harness
opposite a pocket opening to the attachment means attached on its
distal end and of length sufficient to pass from the harness
through the pocket opening to outside the garment outer shell.
2. The safety vest of claim 1 in which the pockets comprise front
waist pockets with openings in the outer shell through which the
waist belt ends pass when extended from a storage position inside
the garment to outside the garment outer shell.
3. The safety vest of claim 1 wherein said attachment means
includes a waist belt attachment means on the ends of the waist
belt for attaching a lanyard.
4. The safety vest of claim 1 further comprising an attachment
means on the ends of the waist belt for interlocking the waist belt
ends.
5. The safety vest of claim 1 further comprising a matching inner
lining sewn to the outer shell with the harness sewn to the garment
between the .[.two linings.]. .Iadd.inner lining and the outer
shell.Iaddend..
6. The safety vest of claim 1 further comprising
a pair of positioning rings on the waist belt,
a pair of positioning ring pockets adapted to store the positioning
rings with openings in the outer shell through which the
positioning rings pass respectively when extended from their
storage positions inside the positioning ring pockets to external
the outer shell for attachment to a lanyard.
7. The safety vest of claim .[.6.]. .Iadd.14.Iaddend. in which the
positioning rings and positioning ring pockets are located on the
waist belt at the garment sides.
8. A safety vest adapted to receive a lanyard in secure attachment
thereto, the improvement comprising,
a harness, the harness having a waist belt with belt ends and a
pair of shoulder straps each with strap ends attached to the waist
belt and each forming a shoulder loop having a front shoulder loop
strap portion and a back shoulder loop strap portion and disposed
such that the wearer's arms pass through the shoulder loops,
an attachment means on the harness for securing the lanyard to the
harness,
a garment including an outer shell, the harness inside the outer
shell, with pockets with openings in the outer shell providing
access from the harness inside the garment to the lanyard external
to the jacket,
a left and a right sternum strap each attached at a sternum strap
proximal end to a respective front shoulder loop portion, the
sternum straps having releasably interlockable distal ends,
a right and a left sternum pocket adapted to store the sternum
straps with openings in the outer shell through which the
respective sternum straps pass from their storage position inside
the sternum pocket to external the outer shell.
9. The safety vest of claim 8 in which the sternum straps have
releasably interlockable distal ends.
10. The safety vest of claim 1 further comprising
a dorsal ring having a lanyard attachment hole and a strap
passthrough hole through which the back shoulder loop strap
portions pass, the dorsal ring being disposed on the straps such
that when the garment is worn, the dorsal ring is approximately in
the wearer's dorsal area,
a dorsal ring pocket adapted to store the dorsal ring with openings
in the outer shell through which the dorsal ring may pass from its
storage position inside the dorsal ring pocket to external the
outer shell for attachment to a lanyard.
11. A safety vest adapted to receive a lanyard in secure attachment
thereto, the improvement comprising,
a harness, the harness having a waist belt with belt ends and a
pair of shoulder straps each with strap ends attached to the waist
belt and each forming a shoulder loop having a front shoulder loop
strap portion and a back shoulder loop strap portion and disposed
such that the wearer's arms pass through the shoulder loops,
an attachment means on the harness for securing the lanyard to the
harness,
a garment including an outer shell, the harness inside the outer
shell, with pockets with openings in the outer shell providing
access from the harness inside the garment to the lanyard external
to the jacket,
a first pair of releasably interlocking leg straps and
a second pair of releasably interlocking leg straps, each leg strap
of the first and second pair depending from the waist belt,
a pair of first leg strap pockets adapted to respectively store the
first leg straps with openings in the outer shell through which the
respective first leg straps may pass from their storage positions
inside the first leg strap pockets to external the outer shell,
a vest lumbar pocket adapted to store the second leg straps with an
opening in the outer shell through which the second leg straps may
pass from their storage positions inside lumbar pocket to external
the outer shell for use, the distal ends of first and second leg
straps interlockable to form a loop around a wearer's leg.
12. The safety vest of claim 11 in which the second pair of leg
straps are an extension of the shoulder strap forming a single
strap with a first end attached to the waist belt and looping up to
the shoulder and back again to and below the waist belt and looped
back from below the waist belt for interlocking with the first pair
of leg straps.
13. The safety vest of claim 11 in which the vest lumbar pocket is
open to the safety harness between the garment inner and outer
shells therein providing access to the safety harness for
inspection.
14. A safety vest adapted to receive a lanyard in secure attachment
thereto, the improvement comprising,
a harness, the harness having a waist belt with belt ends and a
pair of shoulder straps each with strap ends attached to the waist
belt and each forming a shoulder loop having a front shoulder loop
strap portion and a back shoulder loop strap portion and disposed
such that the wearer's arms pass through the shoulder loops,
an attachment means on the harness for securing the lanyard to the
harness, including an attachment means on the ends of the waist
belt for attaching the lanyard,
a garment including an outer shell, the harness inside the outer
shell, with pockets with openings in the outer shell providing
access from the harness inside the garment to the lanyard external
to the jacket, the pockets comprising a cavity in which the
attachment means is stored during nonuse, and in which the pockets
further comprise front waist pockets with openings in the outer
shell through which the waist belt ends pass when extended from
inside the garment to outside the garment outer shell,
a left and a right sternum strap each attached at a sternum strap
proximal end to a respective front shoulder loop portion,
a right and a left sternum pocket adapted to store the sternum
straps with openings in the outer shell through which the
respective sternum straps pass from their storage position inside
the sternum pocket to external the outer shell, the sternum straps
having interlockable distal ends,
a dorsal ring having a lanyard attachment hole and a strap
passthrough hole through which the back shoulder loop strap
portions pass, the dorsal ring being disposed on the straps such
that when the garment is worn, the dorsal ring is approximately in
the wearer's dorsal area,
a dorsal ring pocket adapted to store the dorsal ring with openings
in the outer shell through which the dorsal ring passes when
extended from its storage position inside the dorsal ring pocket to
external the outer shell for attachment to a lanyard,
a first pair of leg straps and
a second pair of leg straps, each leg strap of the first and second
pair depending from the waist belt,
a pair of first leg strap pockets adapted to respectively store the
first leg straps with openings in the outer shell through which the
respective first leg straps pass when extended from their storage
positions inside the first leg strap pockets to external the outer
shell,
a vest lumbar pocket adapted to store the second leg straps with an
opening in the outer shell through which the second leg straps pass
when extended from their storage positions inside lumbar pocket to
external the outer shell for use, the distal ends of first and
second leg straps releasably interlockable to form a loop around a
wearer's leg,
a pair of positioning rings on the waist belt,
a pair of positioning ring pockets adapted to store the positioning
rings with openings in the outer shell through which the
positioning rings pass respectively when extended from their
storage positions inside the positioning ring pockets to external
the outer shell, the positioning rings and positioning ring pockets
located on the waist belt at the garment sides.
15. The safety garment of claim 14 further comprising at least one
harness attachment strap extending from the harness opposite a
pocket opening to the attachment means attached on its distal end
and of length sufficient to pass from the harness through the
pocket opening to outside the garment outer shell.
16. The safety vest of claim 14 further comprising a matching inner
lining sewn to the outer shell with the harness between the two
linings.
17. The safety vest of claim 14 in which the second pair of leg
straps are an extension of the shoulder strap forming a single
strap with a first end attached to the waist belt and looping up to
the shoulder and back again to and below the waist belt and looped
back from below the waist belt for interlocking with the first pair
of leg straps..Iadd.
18. A safety vest adapted to receive a lanyard in secure attachment
thereto,
the improvement comprising,
a harness including a pair of shoulder straps,
an attachment means on the harness for securing the lanyard to the
harness,
a garment including an outer shell, the harness inside the outer
shell, with a pocket with an opening in the outer shell providing
access from the harness inside the garment to the lanyard external
to the garment, and
at least one harness attachment strap extendable from the harness
opposite said pocket opening to the attachment means attached on
its distal end and of length sufficient to pass from the harness
through the pocket opening to outside the garment outer shell, said
harness attachment strap storable within the outer shell pocket
during nonuse..Iaddend..Iadd.
19. The safety vest of claim 18 further comprising an inner lining
inside the outer shell with the harness in a cavity formed between
the inner lining and the outer shell..Iaddend..Iadd.
20. The safety vest of claim 19 wherein said pockets are defined by
said cavity..Iaddend.
Description
.Iadd.This is a reissue application of this inventor's application
filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 17,
1998 and assigned Ser. No. 09/154,790 and issued Mar. 14, 2000,
under U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,440..Iaddend.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to safety harnesses and, more specifically,
to a safety harness in combination with a vest or similar garment
with retractable attachment rings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Use of safety harnesses is well-known. Commonly, the harness is
fabricated of a strong webbing fabric. The harness usually
comprises a combination of straps that wrap the user's torso and
perhaps his legs. Typically, one is worn by persons working at
precarious heights to which is attached a lanyard connected to an
anchor point. Various points of attachment to the vest are provided
depending its intended use. Generally, a ring or other coupling
mechanism is incorporated into the harness webbing to which the
lanyard is attached. A common complaint of user's is that such a
harness, though quite functional and adequate for its purpose, is
at least inconvenient and sometimes difficult to put on.
There are several disclosures in the prior art that combine a
safety harness with a garment such as a vest or a jacket with the
harness inside, outside or between inner and outer shells of the
garment. Thus, when the garment is put on in the normal manner, the
harness attached thereto is also put on--the straps are constrained
to maintain their intended relationship. As a result, putting on
the harness is as simple as putting on a jacket.
Such a garment-safety harness combination remains a work garment,
unsightly for wear off a work location, and it does not include leg
straps in which a user can sit or be supported from below the
waist.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to a safety harness incorporated
between an inner lining and an outer shell of a vest with
attachment couplers and rings incorporated in the vest as lanyard
attachment points in vest pockets in communication with the
harness. The rings are removable from the pockets while still
attached to the harness for lanyard attachment external to the
vest.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to present a garment
such as a vest which incorporates a safety harness inside a vest
outer shell. It is a further object that the attachment rings be
stored in vest pockets except during use, making the vest appear as
a more normal garment suitable for general wear off a work location
or during general harness nonuse periods. Storing the rings in vest
pockets also avoids the rings becoming annoyances or hazards, such
as hitting or catching on things, when not in use with the
harness.
It is another object that the harness be multiuse and versatile
with attachment rings or couplers in various locations on the
harness so a wearer can move between different applications. This
is achieved in part by a ring on the dorsal back for use in fall
arrest. Similarly, rings are provided on waist sides so the vest
can be used for work positioning, such as when the user attaches
himself to a wall and leans out onto the harness. A coupler is also
provided at the sternum so the harness can be used with a cable
grab lanyard for climbing a vertical cable. Another ring is
provided at the waist buckle for repel attachments. In each case,
the attachment ring is conveniently stored out of sight during
nonuse in a vest pocket.
It is a further object that the harness include leg straps for
support below the waist when required. This is achieved in a pair
of straps each depending from a harness waist band with a distal
end attachable to the waist band forming a loop around a user's
leg. The leg straps are stored during nonuse in a rear vest pocket
at the lumbar area. During use, the straps are pulled from the
lumbar pocket.
It is a final object that the vest be adapted for physical
inspection of the harness to check for wear and general integrity
of the harness. This object is achieved in the lumbar pocket
extending sufficiently across the vest back to allow the vest to be
inverted, or turned inside out, with the harness between the vest
inner lining and outer shell exposed to view.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a back view of the safety harness of the present
invention opened flat against an outline of a vest in which it is
sewn.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the vest with attachment
rings external their respective pockets.
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the vest with attachment
rings contained within their respective pockets with the safety
harness shown hidden.
FIG. 4 is a back perspective view of the vest with attachment rings
external their respective pockets.
FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of the vest with attachment rings
contained within their respective pockets.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The safety garment of the present invention comprises a safety
harness 10 adapted with various associated attachment rings,
couplers, and straps to receive a lanyard in secure releasable
attachment thereto for anchoring the wearer of the garment to an
anchor point.
To facilitate ease of putting on the harness and to fully cover the
harness with its associated rings, couplers, and straps during
nonuse such that it is not visible from external the garment, it is
sewn into the inside of a vest, jacket, or similar garment adapted
to fit around the wearer's torso, between garment inner lining 11
and outer shell 12. During periods of nonuse, the safety harness
with its attachment rings, buckles, and straps are under the
garment outer shell and unseen from outside the vest.
Pockets are provided in the garment outer shell with openings
enabling access from the harness inside the garment to the lanyard
external to the garment. Attachment straps extend from the harness
opposite a pocket opening to an attachment coupler attached on its
distal end and of length sufficient to pass from the harness
through the pocket opening to outside the garment outer shell. The
pockets also comprise a cavity in which the attachment coupler is
stored during nonuse. The various pockets include front waist
pockets 8 with openings 9 in the outer shell through which the
waist belt ends may pass from inside the garment to outside the
garment outer shell.
Referring to the figures, the harness 10 includes a waist belt
.[.11.]. .Iadd.7.Iaddend. and a pair of shoulder straps 12 each
with strap ends 13 attached to the waist belt and each forming a
shoulder loop 14 having a front shoulder loop strap portion 15 and
a back shoulder loop strap portion 16, disposed over the garment
shoulders such that the wearer's arms pass through the shoulder
loops. .[.Matching belt couplers 17 on the belt ends 18 may be
releasably interlocked as a buckle or coupled to a lanyard..].
A pair of sternum straps 19 are each attached at a sternum strap
proximal end 20 to a respective front shoulder loop portion.
Respective sternum pockets 21 are provided to store the sternum
straps during nonuse out of sight. Sternum pocket openings 22 in
the outer shell are provided through which the respective sternum
straps pass from their storage position inside the sternum pocket
to external the outer shell.
A dorsal ring 23 having a lanyard attachment hole 24 and a strap
passthrough hole 25 is mounted on the back shoulder loop strap
portions, said portions passing through the passthrough hole. The
dorsal ring is disposed on the straps such that when the garment is
worn, the dorsal ring is approximately in the wearer's dorsal area
making the versatile safety garment useful for fall arrest. A
dorsal ring pocket 26 is provided to store the dorsal ring with
pocket openings 27 in the outer shell through which the dorsal ring
may pass from its storage position to external the outer shell for
attachment to a lanyard.
Two pair of releasably interlocking leg straps 28 depend from the
waist belt as extensions of the shoulder strap, secured to the
waist belt as it crosses, each pair forming a leg loop 29 below the
waist belt for disposition around a wearer's leg. A pair of first
leg strap pockets 30 are provided to respectively store the first
leg straps during nonuse with openings 31 in the outer shell
through which the respective first leg straps may pass from their
storage positions inside the first leg strap pockets to external
the outer shell. A vest lumbar pocket 32 is also provided in which
the second leg straps may be stored and including an opening 33 in
the outer shell through which the second leg straps may pass from
their storage positions inside the lumbar pocket to external the
outer shell. The lumbar is large and open to between the garment
inner lining and outer shell therein providing access to the safety
harness within for visible inspection.
A pair of positioning rings 34 are provided on the waist belt at
the garment sides 35 for securing a wearer, for example, to a wall
or to rebar during construction of a building. A pair of
positioning ring pockets 36 are also provided in which the
positioning rings may be stored during nonuse with openings 37 in
the outer shell through which the positioning rings may pass from
their storage positions inside the positioning ring pockets to
external the outer shell for attachment to a lanyard.
* * * * *