Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Torso harness – Strand-engaging – with descent retarder
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-20
2002-08-13
Lev, Bruce A. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Torso harness
Strand-engaging, with descent retarder
C182S003000, C119S857000, C244S15100A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431313
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a roping sit harness comprising a securing belt joined to a pair of leg loops by joining means. A sit harness of this kind is used for the safety of people doing mountaineering, caving, pot-holing, climbing, and working at heights.
STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE
Known roping sit harnesses generally comprise leg loops joined to the attachment point by two distinct joining straps. Attachment of the joining straps made of polymer material to the front part of the leg loops is performed either by a sliding assembly by means of securing loops or directly by stitched seams. The manufacturing time of this type of sit harness is relatively long as it requires several stitching and assembly operations in the plant. The flexibility of the joining straps constitutes another drawback for the user, since these straps tend to get twisted when he passes his legs through the leg loops.
FIG. 1
shows a first type of known sit harness which is equipped with leg loops of circular cross section. Application of a force F to the attachment point generates forces F
3
, F
4
and F
1
in the left leg loop and forces F
5
, F
6
and F
2
in the right leg loop. The harness is well adjusted on the user's thighs but the angle &agr; between the forces F
3
, F
4
, and between the forces F
5
, F
6
is about 160°, which contributes to increasing the forces in the leg loops.
FIG. 2
shows a second type of known sit harness with “pear-shaped” leg loops. For the same force F applied to the attachment point, the forces F′
3
, F′
4
; F′
5
, F′
6
in the leg loops are lower than the forces F
3
, F
4
; F
5
, F
6
, as the angle &agr;′ is smaller than &agr;. The harness is however less well adjusted at the level of the user's thighs, due to the fact that the pear shape imposes a larger circumference of the leg loop than that of the user's thigh.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to achieve a roping sit harness enabling a permanent shaping to be obtained facilitating assembly in the plant and being easier for the user to put on.
The sit harness according to the invention is characterized in that:
the pair of leg loops is joined to an intermediate part, the assembly being manufactured from a synthetic fabric stuffed with padding foam to constitute a single semi-rigid part,
the front part of each leg loop is attached without discontinuity to the intermediate part by an internal joining part with a triangular distributor for balancing the forces applied to said monoblock part.
According to a preferred embodiment, the monoblock part formed by the pair of leg loops and the joining strap is manufactured from a semi-rigid complexing cut flat and then reclosed on itself.
According to one feature of the invention, each leg loop presents a non-adjustable closed loop.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, each leg loop can be provided with a loop adjustable by means of an adjustment strap operating in conjunction with at least one self-jamming loop. The self-jamming loop is fixed onto each leg loop near to the triangular force distribution zone.
It is clear that the thickness of the padding foam at the level of the triangular joining part can be equal to or greater than that present in the remaining part of the monoblock part.
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patent: 6189651 (2001-02-01), Sadeck
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patent: 2933771 (1981-03-01), None
patent: 0736310 (1996-10-01), None
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patent: 2750609 (1998-01-01), None
Hede Jean Marc
Petzl Paul
Lev Bruce A.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Zedel
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