Release mechanism for harness system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943714-B2
Application number	US-201213717968-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2012
Priority date	Mar 16, 2012
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A harness system includes a waist belt assembly, a first releasable retainer attached to the waist belt assembly, shoulder straps, a back plate connected to the shoulder straps, and a release system including at least a first release strap connected to and extending from the back plate. The first release strap includes at least a first releasable connector in operative connection with the first releasable retainer so that actuation of the first release strap causes disconnection of the first releasable connector from operative connection with the first releasable retainer so that the first releasable retainer becomes disconnected from connection with the back plate and the back plate can be removed by a user while the waist belt assembly remains worn by the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A harness system comprising:
a waist belt assembly;
a releasable retainer system attached to the waist belt assembly,
shoulder straps,
a back plate connected to the shoulder straps and adapted to support one or more air tanks, and
a release system in operative connection with the back plate, the back plate and shoulder straps being connected to the waist belt assembly via connection of the releasable retainer system and the release system such that removal of connection between the releasable retainer system and the release system disconnects the back plate and should straps from connection with the waist belt assembly, the release system comprising one or more release straps connected to and extending from the back plate, each of the one or more release straps comprising a releasable connector operatively connectable with the releasable retainer system so that, when the releasable connector is operatively connected with the releasable retainer system, user action consisting of application of force to each of the one or more release straps by a user while wearing the harness system causes disconnection of the releasable connector of each of the one or more release straps from operative connection with the releasable retainer system so that the releasable retainer system becomes disconnected from connection with the back plate, whereby the back plate and the shoulder straps, which are connected to the back plate, can be removed by the user wearing the harness system while the waist belt assembly remains worn by the user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more release straps comprises a first section on one side of the releasable connector of each of the one or more release straps, the first section of the one or more release straps being connected to the back plate, and a second section on the other side of the releasable connector, the second section being releasably connected to the waist belt assembly.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the second section of the one or more release straps comprises a fastener in the vicinity of an end of the first section of the one or more release straps connecting the first section of the one or more release straps to the waist belt assembly and a second fastener between the end of the first section and the releasable connector connecting the first section to the waist belt assembly, the first fastener requiring application of force in a first direction by the user to the end of the first section of the one or more release straps to disconnect the first fastener from connection with the waist belt assembly, the second fastener requiring application of force to the end of the first section in a second direction, different from the first direction, by the user to disconnect the second fastener from connection with the waist belt assembly, each of the first fastener and the second fastener being required to be disconnected from connection with the waist belt assembly before the releasable connector can be disconnected from operative connection with the releasable retainer system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein continued application of force to the end of the first section in the second direction after disconnection of the second fastener from the waist belt assembly results in disconnection of the releasable connector from operative connection with the fits releasable retainer system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the second fastener comprises a length of a hook and loop fastener on the first section of the first release strap which cooperates with an associated length of hook and loop fastener on the waist belt assembly, a generally rearward force on the second section of the one or more release straps being required to disconnect the second fastener from connection with the waist belt assembly.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the releasable connector of each of the one or more release straps is passed through an associated passage in the releasable retainer system to operatively connect the releasable connector to the releasable retainer system and is pulled through the associated passage in the releasable retainer system in an opposite direction to disconnect the releasable connector from operative connection with the releasable retainer system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the releasable connector of each of the one or more release straps comprises a sewn fold in each of the one or more release straps.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the releasable retainer system comprises one or more retainer straps, each of the one or more retainer straps being attached at a first end thereof to the waist belt assembly and releasably attached at a second end thereof to one of the one or more release straps via the associated passage which is formed in each of the one or more retainer straps, each of the one or more retainer straps being adapted to pass through a back plate connector connected to the back plate.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more release straps comprise a first release strap connected to a first side of the back plate and a second release strap connect to a second side of the back plate.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the waist belt assembly further comprises a descent system comprising a descent line stowed within the waist belt assembly.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the back plate is adapted to connect an SCBA air tank thereto.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first release strap is positioned on a first side and the second release strap is positioned on a second, opposite side.

13. A system comprising:
a harness system comprising shoulder straps and a back plate connected to the shoulder straps and adapted to support one or more air tanks;
a waist belt assembly;
a releasable retainer system attached to the waist belt assembly and to the back plate, and
a release system in operative connection with the back plate, the back plate and shoulder straps being connected to the waist belt assembly via connection of the releasable retainer system and the release system such that removal of connection between the releasable retainer system and the release system disconnects the back plate and should straps from connection with the waist belt assembly, the release system comprising one or more release straps connected to and extending from the back plate, each of the one or more release straps comprising a releasable connector operatively connectable with the releasable retainer system so that, when the releasable connector is operatively connected with the releasable retainer system, user action consisting of application of force to each of the one or more release straps by a user while wearing the harness system causes disconnection of the releasable connector of each of the one or more release straps from operative connection with the releasable retainer system so that the releasable retainer system becomes disconnected from connection with the back plate, whereby the back plate and the shoulder straps, which are connected to the back plate, can be removed by the user wearing the harness system while the waist belt assembly remains worn by the user.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the one or more release straps comprises a first section on one side of the releasable connector of each of the one or more release straps, the first section of the one or more release straps being connected to the back plate, and a second section on the other side of the releasable connector, the second section being releasably connected to the waist belt assembly.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second se

Assignees

• Steck Jeremy A
• Tekelenburg Marco
• Shannon Stewart
• Msa Technology Llc

Inventors

• Steck Jeremy A
• Tekelenburg Marco
• Shannon Stewart

Classifications

• A62B9/04 Primary

  Couplings; Supporting frames · CPC title

• A62B35/0025 Primary

  Details and accessories · CPC title

• A62B25/00

  Devices for storing {or holding or carrying} respiratory or breathing apparatus · CPC title

• A45F2003/146

  Pack-carrying harnesses · CPC title