Hip-Lock Waist-Belt
The Invention is a load bearing Waist-Belt with two types of independent adjustment straps that change the shape and dimensions of the Waist-Belt to conform to the individual body shape of the wearer, and improve weight transference to the hips.
Waist-Belts (also called hip-belts) are an everyday staple of devices designed to carry heavy loads. Harnesses, backpacks, golf club harnesses, and child carriers regularly include a load bearing Waist-Belt. Waist-Belts are a padded strap that goes around and over the hip bone to help redistribute the load's weight from the shoulders to the hips. Waist-Belts are most common in outdoor backpacks that are designed to catty large and heavy loads.
Children are heavy to carry. Most commercially available child carriers consist of a load-bearing pouch attached to shoulder straps that loop around the upper torso. Many also include a metal frame that connects to the shoulder straps and a Waist-Belt at the lowest portion of the frame, consistent with the backpack assemblies.
In each of the above embodiments, the Waist-Belt is typically attached to a lower portion of the load-bearing device or harness, extending around and over the hips of the wearer (see
In each of the above embodiments, the Waist-Belt has two distinct functions:
-
- 1. to reduce the unwanted movement of the load-bearing device, thus reducing abrading of the wearer's back,
- 2. to distribute the weight of the cargo onto a wearer's hips, lower lumbar area, and away from the shoulders and upper torso.
When carrying heavy loads, it is the upper torso that fatigues first. The weight that is transferred to the hips is felt directly on the legs, and the legs are much stronger muscles than the shoulders and upper torso. Hence it is desirable to improve the Waist-Belt design assembly to:
-
- 1—improve comfort
- 2—improve weight transference to the hips and away from the upper torso
The Invention is a load bearing Waist-Belt with two types of independent adjustment straps that change the shape and dimensions of the Waist-Belt to conform to the individual body shape of the wearer. The Invention's first strap is the waist-strap (31) which adjusts the overall circumference of the Waist-Belt; reducing the circumference as the adjustment strap is tightened. This type of waist-strap is common to all load bearing belt designs. This Invention adds adjustable Hip-lock-straps (30) to the waist-strap (31). When tensioned, the Hip-lock-straps (30) deform the shape of the Waist-Belt above the hip bones. The Waist-Belt deforms in shape; it bends over above the hip bones, above the Iliac Crest; fundamentally changing the shape of the Waist-Belt to match the shape of the wearer's body. Thus the Invention does not rely on the padding or foam in the belt to conform to the wearer's hip shape but enables the wearer to change the shape of the Waist-Belt as desired to match their individual body shape. Thus the Invention:
-
- 1—improves comfort
- 2—improves weight transference to the hips and away from the upper torso
The following inventions are considered and some referred to in the descriptions below:
- U.S. Pat. No. 9,788,599 03/2015 Michael Hesterberg, Sven Tulowitzki
- Ser. No. 11/246,397 08/2018 Phuong Nguyen
- Ser. No. 11/219,317 11/2018 Rodney V. Telford
- Ser. No. 11/109,663 03/2017 Evan A. HogeZachary K. HillmanBrandon J. Bair
- Ser. No. 11/064,794 06/2017 Gordon, Hunt, Kelly
- Ser. No. 10/849,409 05/2014 Robert MONCREIFF
- Ser. No. 10/806,238 05/2018 John Bemis SearsMatthew Halloran Connors
- Ser. No. 10/638,827 02/2019 Schlofman, Williams, Regan
- Ser. No. 10/617,194 02/2017 Rogers, Tagumi, Guthrie
- Ser. No. 10/251,465 02/2015 Cres Trilles AlcantraFemando Calderon Aguilar
- U.S. Pat. No. 9,462,875 03/2013 Paduano, TAGUMI, STERRY, WOOKEY
- U.S. Pat. No. 8,360,289 07/2010 Thomas Mark Thibadeau, JR. Tabita G. Verumen
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,108 B2 8/2003 Mydans
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,727 B2 5/2005 Moore
Embodiments described herein provide an adjustable load-bearing Waist-Belt that adjusts and changes shape around the hips and lumbar area, conforming to the wearer's individual body shape. This Invention:
-
- better adjusts to the wearer's body shape
- provides more effective load distribution to the hips and lumbar area
Load bearing Waist-Belts are designed to exploit the shape of the human body's hips to transfer weight from the cargo onto the hips. The positioning of the Waist-Belt to the hip bone's Iliac Crest (10) is vital to the successful function of the weight transference. The Waist-Belt cannot simply be wholly above the Iliac Crest(10) as this would push against the lower ribs and/or the diaphragm, causing issues of discomfort. The Waist-Belt encompasses the Iliac Crest (10); it is important it is both above and below. A traditional Waist-Belt is tensioned with the waist-strap (5), creating lateral force all around the body, producing inward compression. Waist-Belts have variations in the design of the foam/padding in the belt to maximize the effectiveness of the lateral compression force and comfort. The inward lateral force creates greater compression on the hip bone (12) and less compression above the hip bone (11). This foam compression shapes the belt to the wearer's body shape by compressing the padding in the belt. Based on the body shape, the compression at the hip bone is greater (12), and above the hip bone it is lesser (11).
The padding of the traditional waist-belt thus conforms to the shape of the wearer's body, creating the slope hugging the Iliac Crest (10). This curvature around the Iliac Crest (10), created through lateral inward-facing forces, is the mechanism for weight transference from the heavy load to the hips. But if the density of the foam/padding (11) is too light, the force exerted by the body (21) against the belt would simply compress the foam/padding. This would lead to the Waist-Belt slipping down over the Iliac Crest (10) and down to the ground. But if the density of the foam/padding (11) is too great, the force exerted by the body (21) against the belt would not lead to sufficient compression of the foam/padding and would be uncomfortable to the wearer, especially on the hips (12). To prevent the weight of the load forcing the traditional waist-belt down over the hips, over the Iliac Crest (10), the foam/padding at (11) must be dense enough to resist compressing but be light enough to conform to the body shape of the wearer. A conflict in design and an inherent point of trade-off.
The Invention (Hip-Lock Waist-Belt) does not rely on foam density to perform weight transference from the load to the hips. The Invention (Hip-Lock Waist-Belt) does not depend on foam density to adjust and conform to the wearer's unique body shape. The Invention (Hip-Lock Waist-Belt) comprises of a wide padded belt that encompasses the lower lumbar area and wraps around both sides of the body, enclosing each hip of the wearer. The belt's circumference wraps around to at least cover the hip bones of the wearer and goes further. The invention comprises of three straps for securing the belt. The first strap is the waist-strap (31) that covers the full circumference of the wearer's waist, from the lower back all the way round to the front abdomen, where the waist-strap buckles together. The waist-strap (31) is tightened to secure the Waist-Belt to the wearer. The waist-strap (31) is used to decrease the Waist-Belt assembly perimeter until it snugly fits around the wearer's waist. The second strap, hip-lock-strap (30), resides above the waist-strap (31) at the top of the belt. It starts from the lower back, traverses around the right-hand side of the wearer, across the top of the right hip bone, above the Iliac Crest, and ends further forward than the right hip bone. At its forward termination point, the strap is tightened with a friction device such as double d-rings (33), slide triglides (33), or a ladderlock buckle (33). The third strap, hip-lock-strap (30), resides above the waist-strap (31) at the top of the belt. It starts from the lower back, traverses around the left-hand side of the wearer, across the top of the left hip bone, above the Iliac Crest, and ends further forward than the left hip bone. At its forward termination point, the strap is tightened with a friction device such as double d-rings (33), slide triglides (33), or a ladderlock buckle (33). The second and third straps, the Hip-lock-straps (30), can be implemented as a single strap secured at the lower lumbar area of the Waist-Belt, traversing around both LHS and RHS of the wearer, across the top of the hip bones, and ending as described above with a friction device on each side.
The waist-strap (31) reduces the circumference of the belt to the wearer's waist size. The strap needs to be tight, as the Waist-Belt needs to be tight around the wearer's waist because this lateral force compresses the padding in the belt and provides an essential force for weight transference from the load to the hips. In a traditional load bearing Waist-Belt, this compression is the only method by which the belt matches the shape of the wearer. The foam and padding in the traditional Waist-Belt compress to different degrees according to the body shape. In a conventional Waist-Belt, the compressed padding is more at the hip bones, with the less compressed padding above the hip bones.
Gordon, Hunt, Kelly (U.S. Ser. No. 11/064,794) shows two independent belts in their Invention, a Waist-Belt and a hip-belt. The two-belt scheme enables the hip-belt to be adjusted independently of the Waist-Belt for comfort. But ultimately, the Waist-Belt overlaps; it shrouds the hip-belt thus the circumference of the Waist-Belt dictates the overall forces, and you have created bulk and potential discomfort. While there are separate adjustment straps for the Waist-Belt and the hip belts, the belts themselves are only adjusted by circumference; they do not adjust the belt in any other dimension.
This Invention adds the adjustable hip-lock-straps (30) to the waist-strap (31) on a unified Waist-Belt. The Hip-lock-straps, when tensioned, deform the shape of the Waist-Belt above the hip bones. The Waist-Belt deforms in shape; it bends over above the hip bones, above the Iliac Crest, changing the shape of the Waist-Belt to match the shape of the wearer's body. The waist-strap (31) reduces the circumference of the Waist-Belt to compress it tight to the wearer's hips. When tightened, the hip-lock-strap (30) bends the Waist-Belt at an angle.
Thus the adjustable Hip-lock-straps (30) adjust the shape of the Waist-Belt in the vertical dimension. The waist-strap (31) adjusts the shape of the Waist-Belt in the horizontal dimension. The invention does not rely on the padding in the belt to conform to the wearer's hip shape but enables the wearer to change the actual shape of the Waist-Belt, in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, to match their individual body shape, as seen in
The Hip-lock-straps (30) invoke a shape change to the Waist-Belt that also dramatically changes the forces in play when distributing the heavy load's weight to the waist. As can be seen in
As can be seen in
This upward force created by changing the shape of the Waist-Belt not only applies to the hips but also to the lower lumbar area. As the Hip-lock-strap (30) is tightened, the Waist-Belt deforms its shape at the top high in the Lower Lumbar Area. The amount the belt changes shape (
The Invention changes the forces that are created by the Waist-Belt. The Hip-lock-strap (30) is designed to create a new and effective additional plane of force (
Thus the Invention:
-
- 1—transfers the downward forces exerted by the load to the hips more effectively, which means load distribution is more effective
- 2—the comfort of the wearer is improved, as the wearer can shape the Waist-Belt to their own body shape
As the Hip-lock-strap (30) is tightened, the Waist-Belt deforms its shape at the top, above the Iliac Crest (10). The amount to which the belt changes shape (
There are multiple potential configurations for effective adjustment of the tension in a Hip-lock-strap on a load bearing Waist-Belt.
Claims
1. A load bearing Waist-Belt comprising of a padded belt that encompasses the lower lumbar area and wraps around both sides of the wearer's waist, encompassing each hip of the wearer, with independent adjustment straps, one for the waist circumference adjustment and another for the fitting over the hip-bones.
2. A load hearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the adjustment Hip-Strap starts from the lower back, traverses around each side of the wearer, across the top of the hip bone, above the Iliac Crest, and ends forward of the hip bone.
3. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps can be implemented as a single strap that is secured at the back, and that goes around the left-hand-side and right-hand-side of the wearer.
4. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps when tightened, change the shape of the Waist-Belt, bending the Waist-Belt over and above the hip bones to match the shape of the wearer's body.
5. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps can be placed in channels to ensure their path goes around the left-hand-side and right-hand-side and above the Iliac Crest of the wearer.
6. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps end forward of the hip bone and are terminated and adjusted with a friction device.
7. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps are tension adjusted by looping the strap through double D-rings.
8. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps are tension adjusted by looping the strap through slide triglides.
9. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps are tension adjusted by looping the strap through ladderlock buckle.
10. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where each adjustment Hip-Straps comprises of two straps. One rear strap spanning from the lumbar area forward over the Iliac Crest and is attached via a friction device. A second strap that is anchored forward spanning backward towards the hips and looping through the same friction device. The wearer pulls the second strap forwards to adjust the Hip-Strap.
11. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the two adjustment Hip-Straps are attached at the forward end to wires which adjust the tension of the Hip-Straps with a ratchet device.
12. A load bearing Waist-Belt according to claim 1 where the internal foam structure combines high density foam and shaped low density foam to enable the waist-belt shape change.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 21, 2022
Publication Date: Jan 25, 2024
Inventor: Nicholas Charles Fishwick (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 17/870,517