FLOATING HARNESS

Abstract

A safety harness and a method of integrating the safety harness into apparel such as a firefighter's turnout suit. The safety harness may include a waist strap, a leg strap for encircling a wearer's leg, and a support strap slideably attached to the waist strap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Many features of the invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings representing different embodiments, in which:

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a safety harness and trousers;

FIG. 2 provides another perspective view of a safety harness and trousers;

FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of a floating harness;

FIG. 4 provides a close up view of a floating harness integrated into firefighter's trousers;

FIG. 5 provides a perspective view of how a floating harness, trouser liner, and trouser outer layer may be integrated together;

FIG. 6 provides a view of a floating harness on a wearer under a no-load condition;

FIG. 7 shows the harness of FIG. 6 under a load condition;

FIG. 8 provides a close up view of another embodiment of a floating harness integrated into firefighter's trousers; and

FIG. 9 provides a perspective view of another embodiment of a safety harness and trousers.

Claims

1. A floating harness comprising: a waist strap;a leg strap of fixed circumference for encircling a wearer's leg; anda support strap slideably attached to the waist strap, the support strap fixed to the leg strap.

2. The floating harness of claim 1, comprising a second leg strap that is a mirror image of the leg strap.

3. The floating harness of claim 2, comprising a second support strap fixed to the second leg strap.

4. The floating harness of claim 3, wherein a first and second support straps are slideable about the waist strap by a length greater than or equal to the width of the waist strap.

5. The floating harness of claim 4, wherein the first and second support straps are vertically slideable around the waist strap by a distance greater than 5 centimeters.

6. The floating harness of claim 1, wherein the waist strap is retained by the right and left support straps and wherein the waist strap is not fixed to the first and second support straps.

7. The floating harness of claim 1, wherein the support strap comprises a fastening loop.

8. The floating harness of claim 1, comprising a fastener for adjustably securing the waist strap.

9. The floating harness as in claim 1, comprising a buckle that is locked when the harness is under a load.

10. The floating harness of claim 9, wherein the buckle is biased in a closed position by a spring.

11. The floating harness of claim 1, wherein the straps are made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester, polybenzimidazole (PBI), nylon, modacrylic, and aramid fibers, and/or combinations thereof.

12. The floating harness of claim 1 wherein the leg strap and support strap comprise a single, unitary strap.

13. The floating harness of claim 1 wherein the support strap is slideable laterally along at least a quarter of the length of the waist strap.

14. A firefighter's ensemble comprising: a floating harness including: a waist strap;a leg strap for encircling a firefighter's leg; anda support strap slideably attached to a waist strap; andtrousers including: a waistband defining a guide for receiving the support strap wherein the support strap is retractably retained by the guide; anda retainer attached to an inside surface of the trousers, the retainer constructed and arranged to slideably retain the waist strap of the harness.

15. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 14, wherein the support strap is fixed to the leg strap and the leg strap has a fixed circumference.

16. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 14, wherein the support strap comprises a fastening loop.

17. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 14, wherein the retainer is a substantially vertically oriented loop.

18. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 14, wherein the support strap is slideably retained by the waist strap.

19. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 14, wherein the waistband of the trousers defines an opening for providing a pathway for two ends of the harness waist strap whereby the waist strap can be secured externally of the trousers.

20. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 19, wherein the opening is in the front portion of the trousers.

21. The firefighter's ensemble of claim 1, wherein the floating harness is integrated between an inner layer and outer layer of the trousers.

22. A firefighter's trouser for retaining a floating harness, the trouser comprising: a torso section including a rear portion and a front portion;two leg portions attached to the torso portion;a retainer for retaining a waist strap of the floating harness to an inside surface of the trousers; anda waistband defining a guide, the guide oriented substantially vertically, the guide constructed and arranged to slideably receive a support strap of a floating harness.

23. The firefighter's trousers of claim 22 wherein the waistband defines at least one opening through which a harness waist strap can be fastened.

24. The firefighter's trouser of claim 22, wherein the retainer is a substantially vertically oriented loop attached to an inside surface of the trousers.

25. The firefighter's trouser of claim 22, wherein the retainer is at a rear portion of the trousers.

26. The firefighter's trouser of claim 23, wherein the retainer is attached to the waistband.

27. The firefighter's trouser of claim 22 comprising: an inner thermal layer; andan abrasion resistant outer layer wherein the waistband and the support strap guide are attached to the outer layer.

28. The firefighter's trouser of claim 22 further comprising a chemical and biological agent resistant liner.

29. The firefighter's trousers of claim 27, wherein the floating harness is removably integrated between the inner thermal layer and the outer layer.

30. Firefighter's trousers for retaining a floating harness, the trousers comprising: a belt retainer attached to an outer surface of the trousers, the belt retainer including two slots for passage of a harness waist strap and a slot for passage of a harness support strap; anda slit passing through at least an exterior surface of the trousers whereby the slit provides a passageway for the support strap from the interior surface of the trousers to the exterior surface of the trousers.

31. The firefighter's trousers of claim 30, wherein the slit is protected by the belt retainer.

32. The firefighter's trousers of claim 30 further comprising a tab on an internal surface of the trousers, the tab constructed and arranged to retain a harness support strap.

33. The firefighter's trousers of claim 30 wherein the belt retainer comprises a fastener for retaining a fastening loop in contact with the belt retainer.

34. The firefighter's trousers of claim 30 comprising left and right belt retainers and slits.