METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AN ADJUSTABLE HARNESS
An adjustable harness is implemented by interweaving a cord throughout a woven portion of the harness to form a loop portion, an intermediate portion and an end portion. A length of the loop portion is selected by adjusting a length of the end portion. Once an appropriate length of the loop portion is selected, a locking mechanism attached to the intermediate portion ensures that the length of the loop portion remains fixed. A breakaway buckle may be attached to the adjustable harness and a carabiner may be attached to the breakaway buckle. In operation, a loop portion of the adjustable harness may be cinched down onto an accessory, such as a water bottle, and locked into place. A carabiner may then be attached to a user and the breakaway buckle may be used by the user to conveniently remove the accessory for use and then returned for storage.
The present invention generally relates to harnesses, and more particularly to adjustable harnesses.
BACKGROUNDWoven straps and lanyards made of cord-type materials (e.g., parachute cord) abbreviated as “paracord,” are extremely popular and pervasive in today's society. While originally associated with airborne applications (e.g., military airborne units) for use with parachutes, paracord has now found application in almost any situation where light, yet strong cordage may be needed.
Paracord may be used, for example, to implement a harness that may be used to secure equipment to persons so as to avoid losing small or important items. Once these harnesses (e.g., lanyards) are attached to the person, for example, any equipment that may be attached to the person via such a harness may be maintained in close proximity to the person no matter where that person may be at any particular time.
One common example of a harness that may be used to secure equipment to a person includes a strap that may be worn around the neck of a person. Such a strap may maintain a position of equipment (e.g., binoculars) to within a convenient distance of the person, such that whenever use of the equipment is required, all that need be done by the person is to locate the end of the harness to which the equipment is attached.
In some instances, however, simply locating the end of the harness to which the equipment is attached may be impeded (e.g., by exterior clothing). For example, a particular outdoor activity may require the application and subsequent removal of a garment (e.g., jacket) during cold and warm periods, respectively, of the outdoor activity. During the warm periods, access to the equipment that is strapped to the user may be unimpeded. During cold periods, however, the garment may be applied over the top of the equipment, such that access to the equipment may only be achieved by first removing a portion of the garment so as to gain access to the equipment that may be covered beneath the garment.
During such activities, a shorter harness may be used to maintain access to the equipment when no external garment is used. However, a longer harness may be necessary when an external garment is used so that the equipment may be secured to hang below the garment to remain conveniently accessible to the person even when the external garment is in use. Such uses, however, requires the use of multiple harnesses, each sized for the particular application - a shorter harness to maintain convenient access to equipment during a first usage scenario and a longer harness to maintain access to the equipment during a second usage scenario.
Efforts continue, therefore, to develop a single harness that may be used throughout multiple usage scenarios to preclude the use of multiple harnesses.
SUMMARYTo overcome limitations in the prior art, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, various embodiments of the present invention disclose methods and apparatus for adjustable harnesses that may be used to secure equipment to persons throughout a number of usage scenarios. Such adjustable harnesses may, for example, be implemented as a woven strap that may be made of parachute cord (abbreviated as “paracord”) constructed from nylon or other cord materials, such as cotton, silk etc.
The harnesses may be adjustable along one or more dimensions (e.g., length) and one or more ends of the adjustable harnesses may be attached to equipment, such as binoculars, rifles, shotguns, cameras and range finders to name only a few. Other accessories, such as water bottles and snack containers, may also be tethered to the person via the adjustable harnesses.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a harness comprises a weave portion and a cord interwoven throughout the weave portion to form a first loop portion, an intermediate portion and an end portion. A length of the first loop portion is configured to be adjustable by adjustment of a length of the end portion. A locking mechanism is coupled to the intermediate portion to fix the length of the first loop portion once adjusted. The locking mechanism is configured to cinch onto the weave portion to maintain the length of the first loop portion.
In accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention, a harness system comprises a harness that includes a weave portion and a cord interwoven throughout the weave portion to form a first loop portion, an intermediate portion and an end portion. A length of the first loop portion is configured to be adjustable by adjustment of a length of the end portion. A locking mechanism is coupled to the intermediate portion to fix the length of the first loop portion once adjusted. The locking mechanism is cinched onto the weave portion to maintain the length of the first loop portion. The harness system further includes an accessory coupled to the first loop portion.
Various aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:
Generally, the various embodiments of the present invention are applied to adjustable harnesses with locking mechanisms that may be used to tether equipment and/or accessories to a user. One or both ends of the harness may be used to tether equipment (e.g., binoculars, range finders, rifles) and/or accessories (e.g., water bottles, snack containers) to the user.
A dimension of the harness (e.g., length) may be adjusted to make the equipment and/or accessory more accessible to the user depending upon a particular use scenario. For example, a water bottle may be attached to a user's backpack, belt loop, quiver or any other desired object and a dimension (e.g., length) of the harness may be adjusted so as to be optimum for any type of user (e.g., the harness length may be increased for taller users and the harness length may be decreased for shorter users) so as to make the water bottle more accessible to the user via such an adjustable harness.
Whether the equipment or other accessory is strapped to the user via one or both ends of the harness, a dimension (e.g., length) may be adjusted (e.g., lengthened or shortened) to match the needs of the person. The adjusted dimension may then be prevented from changing by using a locking mechanism. For example, both ends of a neck harness may be used to strap a pair of binoculars to a user and each end may be adjusted to shorter or longer lengths depending upon whether the person has direct access to the binoculars (e.g., when the harness is not worn underneath an outer garment) or indirect access to the binoculars (e.g., when the harness is worn underneath an outer garment). For an indirect access scenario, for example, a length of the harness may be increased to allow the binoculars to extend below the outer garment so that the user may have direct access to the binoculars despite the existence of the outer garment.
To make the harness adjustable, a first length of cord may be interwoven into a weave of a strap, such that the first length of cord may form a closed loop at a first end of the strap and a free end of the first length of cord may ultimately emerge from the weave at a distance (e.g., a few inches) from the first end of the strap. The loop and the free end may then work in conjunction with one another to allow the loop to achieve an adjustable length with respect to the first end of the strap while a locking mechanism is disengaged. Once engaged, however, the locking mechanism may prevent a length of the loop from being changed.
In a first embodiment, a second end of the strap may receive a latching mechanism (e.g., carabiner or other latching mechanism) that may not allow a dimension adjustment. In such an instance, a first end of the harness may exhibit an adjustable dimension (e.g., a first loop having an adjustable length) and a second end of the harness may not exhibit an adjustable dimension (e.g., a second loop diametrically opposed to the first loop). The first loop may, for example, function as a latching mechanism (e.g., the first loop may be shortened around the neck of a water bottle) and the second loop may be tethered to a user via the latching mechanism attached to the second loop.
In a second embodiment, a second length of cord may be interwoven into a weave of the strap, such that the second length of cord forms a closed loop at a second end of the strap and a free end of the second length of cord may ultimately emerge from the weave at a distance (e.g., a few inches) from a second end of the strap. The second loop and the second free end may then work in conjunction with one another to allow the second loop to achieve an adjustable length with respect to the second end of the strap. In such an embodiment, the harness may exhibit an adjustable dimension (e.g., a length of a loop portion) at both ends of the harness.
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Extension cord 106 may exhibit an intermediate portion 112 and an end portion 116. Similarly, extension cord 108 may exhibit an intermediate portion 114 and an end portion 118. As described in more detail below, intermediate portions 112 and 114 may be encapsulated by a weave, such that each intermediate portion forms a loop at either end of the weave. Additionally, end portions 116 and 118 may emerge from the weave at a distance (e.g., a few inches) from their respective loop portions.
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An additional assembly step is exemplified in
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In operation, a length of end portion 306 may be adjusted in either direction 310 to effectively adjust a length of loop 312. For example, a length of end portion 306 may be decreased by first pulling intermediate portion 314 through weave 302 to decrease the length of end portion 306 and increase the length of intermediate portion 314. Next, the increased length of intermediate portion 314 may be decreased by pulling portion 316 in direction 308 through weave 302 to increase a length of loop 312. Conversely, a length of loop 312 may be decreased by first pulling intermediate portion 314 through weave 302 to decrease the length of loop 312 and increase the length of intermediate portion 314. Next, the increased length of intermediate portion 314 may be decreased by pulling end portion 306 in direction 310 through weave 302 to increase a length of end portion 306.
It can be seen, therefore, that adjustment of the length of loop 312 works in conjunction with a length of end portion 306. In addition, the length of loop 312 may be locked into position by tightening intermediate portion 314 onto the corresponding locking mechanism (e.g., bead 304). Intermediate portion 314 may be tightened by shortening intermediate portion 314 either by lengthening the length of end portion 306 or by lengthening the length of loop portion 312. In order to prevent end portion 306 from being pulled completely through weave 302, a stop mechanism (e.g., diamond knot 318) may be utilized. Additionally, a sliding mechanism (e.g., ranger knot 320) may be similarly utilized to prevent loop portion 312 from being pulled completely into weave 302.
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As exemplified in step 1 of
In step 2 as exemplified in
In step 3 as exemplified in
Next, portion 620 of cord 604 may be pulled in direction 626 (as exemplified in step 6 of
In step 7 as exemplified in
In step 8 as exemplified in
In step 9 as exemplified in
In step 10 as exemplified in
In step 11 as exemplified in
In step 12 as exemplified in
Once the desired length of harness assembly is achieved, cord 644 of the weave may be terminated. For example, cord 644 may be cut such that a portion (e.g., about ¼″) of cord 644 remains protruding from the harness assembly. Next, the protruding end of cord 644 may be finished (e.g., melted and then pressed to form flat end 664) as exemplified in step 13 of
In step 14 as exemplified in
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To begin attachment of a harness assembly to breakaway buckle 702, cords 712 and 714 may be threaded through hole 710 from front to back leaving a length 716 (e.g., 5-6 inches) of each of cords 712 and 714 hanging down from breakaway buckle 702. Portion 718 of cord 714 may loop behind cords 712 and 714 and may be threaded through loop 722 formed by cord 712. Similarly, portion 720 of cord 712 may loop in front of cords 712 and 714 and may be threaded through loop 724 formed by cord 714.
The next step, as exemplified in
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As a first step, cinch loop 810 may be loosened (e.g., lengthened) by creating slack in cinch cord 814 that may be threaded through a locking mechanism (e.g., bead 812). Next, a length of cinch loop 810 may be increased by decreasing a length of adjustment cord 816 such that a portion of bottle 808 (e.g., bottle neck 818) may be engaged by cinch loop 810. Once engaged, slack in cinch cord 814 may be removed by adjustment of a free end of cinch loop 810 and lengthening of adjustment cord 816 such that bead 812 snugs up against harness assembly 802 to lock loop 810 in place around bottle neck 818. Accordingly, carabiner 806 may be engaged onto a user (e.g., a belt loop of the user) such that water bottle 808 is maintained within reach of the user. In addition, break away buckle 804 may be used to conveniently disconnect water bottle 808 from the user to, for example, make water bottle 808 available for refill.
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In the steps exemplified in
As exemplified in
In the step exemplified in
Loop 932 remains as an auxiliary loop that may be used to attach additional latching mechanisms (e.g., carabiner 942) as exemplified in
In use, loop 948 may be drawn tight around an object (e.g., a neck portion of water bottle 950) by pulling portion 928 in direction 952, which also causes loop 920 to tighten bead 912 up against wrapped portion 934. As a result, loop 948 is held taut around water bottle 950. In addition, carabiner 942 may be used to attach the harness and water bottle to a user (e.g., to a belt loop of a user).
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In use, as exemplified in
Other aspects and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended, therefore, that the specification and illustrated embodiments be considered as examples only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
Claims
1. A harness, comprising:
- a weave portion;
- a cord interwoven throughout the weave portion to form a first loop portion, an intermediate portion and an end portion, wherein a length of the first loop portion is configured to be adjustable by adjustment of a length of the end portion; and
- a locking mechanism coupled to the intermediate portion to fix the length of the first loop portion once adjusted, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to cinch onto the weave portion to maintain the length of the first loop portion.
2. The harness of claim 1, wherein the cord is comprised of parachute cord.
3. The harness of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a bead.
4. The harness of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a knot formed in the intermediate portion of the cord.
5. The harness of claim 1, further comprising a second loop portion formed by the cord, the second loop portion being diametrically opposed to the first loop portion.
6. The harness of claim 1, wherein a length of the second loop portion is adjustable.
7. The harness of claim 1, wherein a length of the second loop portion is not adjustable.
8. The harness of claim 7, further comprising a carabiner coupled to the second loop portion.
9. The harness of claim 7, further comprising a breakaway buckle coupled to the second loop portion.
10. The harness of claim 9, wherein the breakaway buckle includes,
- a first breakaway portion coupled to the second loop portion; and
- a second breakaway portion removably coupled to the first breakaway portion.
11. The harness of claim 10, further comprising a carabiner coupled to the second breakaway portion.
12. A harness system, comprising:
- a harness including, a weave portion; a cord interwoven throughout the weave portion to form a first loop portion, an intermediate portion and an end portion, wherein a length of the first loop portion is configured to be adjustable by adjustment of a length of the end portion; and a locking mechanism coupled to the intermediate portion to fix the length of the first loop portion once adjusted, wherein the locking mechanism is cinched onto the weave portion to maintain the length of the first loop portion; and
- an accessory coupled to the first loop portion.
13. The harness system of claim 12, wherein the accessory includes a water bottle.
14. The harness system of claim 12, wherein the accessory includes binoculars.
15. The harness system of claim 12, wherein the accessory includes a range finder.
16. The harness system of claim 12, wherein the accessory includes a snack container.
17. The harness of claim 12, further comprising a second loop portion formed by the cord, the second loop portion being diametrically opposed to the first loop portion.
18. The harness system of claim 12, further comprising a breakaway buckle coupled to the second loop portion, the breakaway buckle including,
- a first breakaway portion coupled to the second loop portion; and
- a second breakaway portion removably coupled to the first breakaway portion.
19. The harness system of claim 18, further comprising a carabiner coupled to the second breakaway portion of the breakaway buckle.
20. The harness system of claim 19, wherein the carabiner is configured to attach the harness and the accessory to a user.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 20, 2016
Publication Date: Jun 1, 2017
Applicant: 5B Outdoors, LLC (Apache Junction, AZ)
Inventors: Catherine A. Belzner (Apache Junction, AZ), Steven C. Belzner (Apache Junction, AZ)
Application Number: 15/356,625