INCLEMENT WEATHER WORK GARMENTS

Abstract

An inclement weather garments provides a protective clothing that may be worn over, rather than beneath a safety restraint harness. This garment improves worker efficiency by retaining body heat, and also reduces the risk that the restraint harness may become entangled or snagged during movement of the worker. The garment includes a diaphragm configured to provide a resilient closure slit through which a retaining ring of the harness may extend. The diaphragm sealingly closes about the ring to retain the worker's body heat and keep rain outside the garment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cold weather garments, more particularly to cold weather work wear for linemen, arborists, and other trades requiring working with a safety harness.

In many trades, workers are required to wear a safety harness to work in compliance with federal laws governing work performed at elevated or fall hazard working conditions. During inclement weather, such as rain, and more particularly in the cold months it is difficult for the workers to wear suitable clothing for protection against the elements, while ensuring the effectiveness of the harness assembly.

Retaining body heat is essential for maintaining worker dexterity and coordination. When these aren't maintained during inclement weather conditions, this leads to a decline of worker efficiency and focus and an increased risk of serious injury. Due to restrictions of mobility in existing clothing, in addition to compromising the effectiveness of the harness, currently available warm or inclement weather clothing is ill suited for elevated work, or restraint specified environments.

As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus and method for inclement weather garments for workers requiring the use of a harness for their work environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention an inclement weather outerwear garment for wear with a safety restraint harness is disclosed. The inclement weather outerwear includes a garment body having a torso portion and arm portions. A closure slit is applied to an opening in the garment body and is positioned to correspond to a position of a retaining ring carried by the safety restraint harness. The closure slit includes a resilient diaphragm dimensioned to sealingly close about the retaining ring.

In some embodiments, the garment body is formed of a durable cold weather material. In other embodiments, the garment body is formed of a water resistant material.

The inclement weather outerwear may include a reinforcement base applied to the opening in the garment body and is aligned with the resilient diaphragm. The reinforcement base may be applied to the garment body via a stitch, an adhesive, or may be bonded to the garment body.

In other aspects of the invention, a closure to adapt an inclement weather garment as an outer garment for wear over a safety restraint harness is disclosed. The closure includes a reinforcement base having a longitudinal opening dimensioned to receive a restraint ring of the safety restraint harness, the reinforcement base has a peripheral surface for attachment to a body of the inclement weather garment. A resilient diaphragm covers the longitudinal opening. The resilient diaphragm has a closure slit defined to correspond to the longitudinal opening of the reinforcement base. The resilient diaphragm is adapted to sealingly engage the restraint ring when extending through the longitudinal opening. In some embodiments, the reinforcement base is formed of rubber. The longitudinal opening may be oval shaped. The closure may also include an adhesive to bond the reinforcement base to the garment body.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front elevation view of the cold weather garment in use with a safety harness.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the cold weather garment in use.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail front elevation view of the reinforced opening of the inclement weather garment.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a wet weather configuration of the inclement weather garment.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the wet weather configuration of the inclement weather garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention inclement weather garments that are specially adapted for workers in trades requiring a safety restraint harness.

As seen in reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1-5, the inclement weather garments 10 of the present invention provide a protective clothing that may be worn over, rather than beneath the safety restraint harness 14. This improves worker efficiency by retaining body heat, and also reduces the risk that the restraint harness 14 may become entangled or snagged during movement of the worker.

A typical safety restraint harness 14 may include a plurality of front straps 14a that contain the chest of the worker. The plurality of front straps 14a are integrally formed with a plurality of back straps 14b, such that the front straps 14a and back straps 14b may be fitted about the worker's torso to hold the worker.

Depending upon the work conditions or work environment hazards, one or more retaining rings 16 are secured to and disposed about the harness 14 as a restraint point. The worker may then connect a tether to the retaining ring 16 and a tie down point on the structure or support platform upon which the worker is performing operations. In other instances, the retaining ring 16 may be utilized to secure the worker via one or more ropes or cables to catch the worker in the event of a fall.

In some embodiments, the inclement weather work garment 12 of the present invention may be formed of a durable high quality work wear clothing fabric to assist in keeping line workers compliant and safe, while maintaining warmth. In other embodiments, the fabric may be selected from a durable water resistant or water repellant material. The modified outerwear 12 may thus be worn over a harness 14, without conflicting with or interfering with the utility of the harness 14. The garment 12 is provided with a reinforced and weather resistant closure slit 24 in relevant zones corresponding to the position of the one or more retaining rings 16 of the harness 14 so that the harness 14 can still function, while the garment 12 provides a line of protection against the weather.

As will be appreciated from the benefit of the present disclosure, the outer wear may be worn as one or more layers. For example, a cold weather garment 12 may be worn in cold conditions without forecast precipitation. For rainy conditions on warmer days, the water resistant inclement weather garment 30 may be worn alone. For those occasions with cold and rainy conditions, the worker may don both the cold weather garment 12 and the rain garment 30 in combination.

As best seen in reference to FIG. 3, the closure slit 24 of the garment 12 includes a durable and flexible reinforcement base 18 that is secured to the garment 12. The reinforcement base 18 may be formed of a natural or synthetic rubber material. The reinforcement base 18 may be secured to the garment 12 via a stitch, an adhesive, or may be molded and bonded to the garment fabric. The reinforcement base 18 has an opening 20, for example oval in shape. A diaphragm 22 is formed of a resilient material and is applied to cover the opening 20 in the reinforcement base 18. The diaphragm 22 has the closure slit 24 defined along a longitudinal length of the opening 20.

The retaining ring 16 may be inserted through the opening 20 and closure slit 24 and the resilient diaphragm 22 sealingly closes the opening 20 with the majority of retaining ring 16 positioned to the exterior of the garment 12. The reinforcement base 18 and diaphragm 20 may be applied to the interior or the exterior of the garment 12. Likewise, the diaphragm 20 may be applied to either the interior or exterior of the garment 12.

In use, the worker would don their restraint harness and secure it properly to their body. The worker may then apply the garment 12. In this condition, the worker may perform related or preparatory tasks that do not require the harness 14 and avoid entanglement or snagging of the harness 14. All the while, the worker remains warm and/or dry by the closure of the diaphragm 22 about the slit 24.

When the restraint harness 14 is necessary for performing hazardous tasks, the worker may simply extend the retaining ring 16 through the closure slit 24 and apply any tethers, ropes or cables to the retaining ring 16. Even when tethered, the worker nonetheless stays warm and/or dry by closure of the diaphragm 22 about the retaining ring 16.

As will be appreciated, the present invention may include an inclement weather garment 12, 30 with the closure slits 24 already applied. The present invention may also include a closure slit 24 provided as a kit for modification of an existing garment so that the worker need not spend additional money to add the benefits provided herein to their existing inclement weather wardrobe.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An inclement weather outerwear garment for wear with a safety restraint harness, comprising:

a garment body having a torso portion and arm portions;

a closure slit applied to an opening in the garment body and positioned to correspond to a position of a retaining ring carried by the safety restraint harness, the closure slit having a resilient diaphragm dimensioned to sealingly close about the retaining ring.

2. The inclement weather outerwear garment of claim 1, wherein the garment body is formed of a durable cold weather material.

3. The inclement weather outerwear garment of claim 1, wherein the garment body is formed of a water resistant material.

4. The inclement weather outerwear garment of claim 1, further comprising:

a reinforcement base applied to the opening in the garment body and aligned with the resilient diaphragm.

5. The inclement weather outerwear garment of claim 4, wherein the reinforcement base is applied to the garment body via a stitch.

6. The inclement weather outerwear garment of claim 4, wherein the reinforcement base is applied to the garment body via an adhesive.

7. The inclement weather outerwear garment of claim 4, wherein the reinforcement base is formed of a rubber material and is bonded to the garment body.

8. A closure to adapt an inclement weather garment as an outer garment for wear over a safety restraint harness, comprising:

a reinforcement base having a longitudinal opening dimensioned to receive a restraint ring of the safety restraint harness, the reinforcement base having a peripheral surface for attachment to a body of the inclement weather garment;

a resilient diaphragm covering the longitudinal opening, the resilient diaphragm having a closure slit defined to correspond to the longitudinal opening of the reinforcement base, the resilient diaphragm adapted to sealingly engage the restraint ring when extending through the longitudinal opening.

9. The closure of claim 8, wherein the reinforcement base is formed of rubber.

10. The closure of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal opening is oval shaped.

11. The closure of claim 8, further comprising:

an adhesive to bond the reinforcement base to the garment body.