Patent Application
20220071376
The present invention is directed to safety retention belts, utility belts, and an integrated implementation of a safety retention belt with a second belt.
A variety of belts and straps serving different purposes may be utilized by a user, for example military personnel. A retention belt is safety-rated to withstand fall loads while securely holding the wearer and includes an anchoring point for a tether (e.g., a safety tether affixed to a helicopter). A utility belt selectively holds a variety of tools, munitions, and other supplies.
An integrated belt assembly comprising an inner belt and an outer belt is provided. In embodiments, a utility belt for integration with a safety belt is provided. In other embodiments, a method of equipping an inner belt and an outer belt is provided.
In certain embodiments, an integrated belt assembly, comprises an inner belt configured to fit in the belt loops of a wearer's pants, the inner belt defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner belt comprising: a sleeve member, a padding member extending through the sleeve, a strap extending through the sleeve member and comprising a unitary rigger loop extending from the outer face, the strap being fall-rated, wherein the unitary rigger loop is integrally formed from the strap of the inner belt by folding the strap upon itself, wherein the unitary rigger loop extends parallel to a longitude of the inner belt, a first buckle affixed to the strap for closing the inner belt, a first fastener of a hook-and-loop fastener interface provided at the outer surface of the inner belt; and an outer belt defining an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer belt comprises: a pass-through window formed in the outer belt and sized to accommodate the unitary rigger loop, a plurality of carriers provided on the outer surface of the outer belt, a second buckle affixed to the outer belt for closing the outer belt, and a second fastener of a hook-and-loop fastener interface provided at the inner surface of the outer belt for selectively attaching to the first fastener with the unitary rigger loop extending through the pass-through window.
In certain embodiments, the unitary rigger loop is laterally compressed and reinforced relative to the remainder of the belt.
In certain embodiments, the strap, the unitary rigger loop, and the first buckle provide a fall-rated tensile strength.
In certain embodiments, the pass-through window is sized to encircle the unitary rigger loop without contacting the unitary rigger loop.
In certain embodiments, the pass-through window being elongate in a longitudinal direction of the outer belt and defining a length of about 0.5″-4.0″ and a height of about 0.25″-1.75″.
In certain embodiments, the padding member comprises a medium density closed cell foam.
In certain embodiments, the strap comprises a continuous tubular webbing with a fall-rated tensile strength.
In certain embodiments, the strap is permanently affixed to the sleeve member.
In certain embodiments, the sleeve member comprises stretch woven nylon.
In certain embodiments, the first buckle comprises a double-back buckle formed by two metallic loops affixed to one end of the inner belt.
In certain embodiments, the outer belt comprises: a thermoplastic fabric layer mounting the second part of the hook-and-loop fastening interface, and a laminate fabric layer.
In certain embodiments, the laminate fabric layer provides the plurality of carriers.
In certain embodiments, the plurality of carriers comprises a MOLLE interface integrally formed in the laminate fabric layer.
In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic fabric layer comprises a laminate of nylon fiber layers.
In certain embodiments, the thermoplastic fabric layer comprises a plurality of cutouts for imparting flexibility to the outer belt.
In certain embodiments, the outer belt further comprises a binding strap for affixing the second buckle to the outer belt.
In certain embodiments, the second-buckle comprises a quick-release buckle.
In certain embodiments, the outer belt defines a height greater than a height of the inner belt.
In certain embodiments, a utility belt for integration with a safety belt comprises a safety belt buckle and a rigger loop, comprising: a first part of a hook-and-loop fastening interface extending from an inner face of the utility belt; a thermoplastic fabric layer mounting the first part of the hook-and-loop fastening interface; a laminate fabric layer defining a plurality of MOLLE carriers and permanently affixed to the thermoplastic fabric layer; a quick-release buckle for closing the utility belt; an adjustable binding affixing the quick-release buckle to the thermoplastic fabric layer; and a pass-through window laser-cut through the thermoplastic fabric layer and the laminate fabric layer, the pass-through window cap.
In certain embodiments, the pass-through window is elongate in a longitudinal direction of the utility belt and defining a length of about 0.5″-3.0″ and a height of about 0.25″-1.5″.
In certain embodiments, a method of equipping, comprises: donning an inner belt by passing the inner belt through one or more pant belt loops and fastening a first buckle of the inner belt, the inner belt defining an inner face and an outer face, the inner belt comprising: a sleeve member, a padding member extending through the sleeve, a strap extending through the sleeve member and comprising a unitary rigger loop extending from the outer face, the strap being fall-rated, wherein the unitary rigger loop is integrally formed from the strap of the inner belt by folding the strap upon itself, wherein the unitary rigger loop extends parallel to a longitude of the inner belt, wherein the first buckle is affixed to the strap, a first fastener of a hook-and-loop fastener interface provided at the outer surface of the inner belt; removably mounting an outer belt to the inner belt, the outer belt defining an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer belt comprising: a pass-through window formed in the outer belt and sized to accommodate the unitary rigger loop, a plurality of carriers provided on the outer surface of the outer belt, a second buckle affixed to the outer belt for closing the outer belt, and a second fastener of a hook-and-loop fastener interface provided at the inner surface of the outer belt for selectively attaching to the first fastener with the unitary rigger loop extending through the pass-through window.
In certain embodiments, a retention lanyard is attached to the rigger loop and mounting accessory equipment to the outer belt.
The invention can be completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been depicted by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring to
Referring to the embodiments included in
In certain embodiments, the inner belt 22 includes an attachment mechanism, such as a buckle 48 that is fall-rated and permanently affixed to a first longitudinal end 50 of the inner belt 22 for selective attachment to a second longitudinal end 52. The illustrated embodiment of buckle 48 is a metallic double-back style buckle including a first loop 54 and a second loop 56 that may each be generally rectangular, the first loop 54 being relatively larger. In other embodiments, inner belt 22 may include other attachment mechanisms that securely attach ends 50, 52, including buckles, clasps, ties, and snaps.
Referring also to
In certain embodiments, the rigger loop 26 is unitarily formed from a portion of the strap 62 and therefore is also formed of a fall-rated fabric. In further embodiments, the strap 62 at the first longitudinal end 50 is looped over itself and permanently stitched at each longitudinal end of the rigger loop 26. The rigger loop 26 is laterally compressed onto itself and stitched with longitudinal seams 65 (
In some embodiments, the sleeve member 60 defines the outer face 42 of the inner belt 22 and mounts the loop fastener 44. The sleeve member 60 may be formed from four or five pieces sewn together, the pieces including two long pieces 66, 68 that substantially define the longitudinal extent of the sleeve member 60 and two or three shorter pieces 70, 72 that enclose the sleeve and form cuff-like ends to the sleeve member 60.
In certain embodiments, the sleeve member 60, the strap 62, and the padding member 64 may be formed of various materials for providing suitable utility and comfort. In some embodiments, the sleeve member 60 may be formed of stretch woven nylon, the strap 62 may be formed of a continuous piece of 1-1.5″-wide tubular nylon webbing with a fall-rated strength, and the padding member 64 may be a medium-density closed cell foam. Generally, the inner belt 22 is sized to slide through belt loops of pants and has a width of about 2″ or less. The width of the loop fastener 44 of the hook-and-loop fastener interface 46 may be the same or slightly less, in some embodiments having a width of about 1.25-1.5″. In certain embodiments, the primary load-carrying function of the inner belt 22 is performed by the strap 62 and buckle 48. The padding member 64 is located between the strap 62 and the user, providing the user a layer of cushioning from the strap 62. In these embodiments, the sleeve member 60 serves to cover the padding member 64 and portions of the strap 62, protect the strap 62 and padding member 64 from abrasion, and is configured to combine those elements and serve as a platform for the loop fastener 44.
Referring also to
Referring also to
In certain embodiments, the primary load carrying function of the outer belt 24 is performed by the inner layer 110 in combination with the buckle 98, and inner layer 110 may be provided with a series of cutouts 114 to improve flexibility and decrease weight. In some embodiments, the nylon laminate of the outer layer 112 may be a nylon laminate of 500 denier or 1000 denier, such as a three-layer laminate of 100% nylon in 500/1000 denier. In one such embodiment, the outer layer 112 may be a nylon laminate produced by Brookwood Companies Incorporated and sold under the trade name Squadron™. In general, the function of the outer layer 112 is to provide a covering for aesthetics and comfort over the inner layer 110. In certain embodiments, the outer layer 112 defines the outer face 92 of the outer belt 24 and includes a plurality of carriers 116 for attaching additional equipment and accessories. The carriers 116 can include hook and loop closures, loops, straps, buckles, snaps, slots, mounting hardware, threaded receivers for a screw, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of carriers 116 includes a field of slots 118 defining a Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system. Various other carriers or combinations of carriers may be implemented on the outer face 92 of the outer belt 24, such as pouch attachment ladder system (PALS) webbing, hook-and-loop fastening systems, snaps, buckles, clips, and the like. Generally, the outer belt 24 is sized to provide a suitable load-supporting base for equipment, and may be the same width or wider than the inner belt 22. In some embodiments, the outer belt 24 is not sized to slide through belt loops of a wearer's pants, and is secured to the wearer by the hook-and-loop fastener interface 46 and buckle 98.
In certain embodiments, the pass-through window 28 is unitarily formed as a cutout from the outer belt 24. In some embodiments, the pass-through window 28 of the illustrated embodiment is laser-cut through both the inner layer 110 and the outer layer 112. In various embodiments, the pass-through window 28 is generally elongate, rectangular or oval shaped, and sized to accommodate the rigger loop 26. The pass-through window may be elongate in a longitudinal direction of the outer belt 24 and defining a length of about 0.5″-4.0″ and, preferably of about 0.5″-3.0″, a height of about 0.25″-1.75″ and, preferably about 0.25″-1.5″ In certain embodiments, the pass-through window 28 is centrally located widthwise at the first longitudinal end 100 of the outer belt 24.
In use, the integrated belt assembly 20 may be worn about a wearer's waist. As noted, in certain embodiments the inner belt 22 is sized to fit within a wearer's pant belt loops to provide secure attachment to the wearer. In some embodiments, the outer belt 24 is attached around the inner belt 22 by adherence between the loop fastener 44 and the hook fastener 94, and aided by the buckle 98. In certain embodiments, the outer belt 24 may have a greater height that does not fit through belt loops. In some embodiments, the inner belt 22 has a height of about 1-2.5″ and the outer belt 24 has a height of about 2-4″ or more. The loop fastener 44 and the hook fastener 94 fields may have a height of about 1.25-1.5″. The outer belt is aligned over the inner belt such that when the outer belt is placed over the inner belt and affixed to the inner belt and user via the hook and loop fastener system 46 and/or the buckle 98, the rigger loop 26 is aligned with the pass-through window 28 such that the rigger loop 26 is readily accessible through the pass-through window 28. This allows a user to attach/detach a safety retention lanyard to the fall-rated inner belt 22 via a carabineer or the like, for example when entering or exiting a helicopter. The rigger loop 26 is centrally and closely mounted to the inner belt 22, integrated with the strap 62, providing a direct transfer of the wearer's weight load to the retention lanyard. In other words, the weight of the wearer can be borne by the rigger loop 26 at an angle perpendicular to the wearer without the outer belt 24 obstructing a retention lanyard. Because the outer belt 24 does not obstruct the rigger loop 26, the user can quickly attach/detach the safety retention lanyard and is less likely to attach the safety retention lanyard to the wrong location. The rigger loop 26 also allows for the safety retention lanyard to be temporarily attached at both ends to the rigger loop 26 for transport. The combination of inner and outer belt provides the wearer with a two-belt system that holds up the pants of the wearer like a traditional belt, performs as fall-rated safety belt, and allows the wearer to carry all of the gear normally carried on a gear belt in a compact, comfortable, and integrated system. The combination of inner and outer belts accomplishes the functions of what would normally take three or more different belts and/or harnesses.
In certain embodiments, the rigger loop 26 is readily accessible for tethered attachment and detachment to a fixed structure. A retention tether line (not shown) may be carried by a user with both ends attached to the rigger loop 26, and one end selectively attached to a fixed structure when needed.
The illustrated loop fastener 44 and the hook fastener 94 may be oppositely arranged on the outer belt 24 and the inner belt 22, respectively, or may be provided in an alternating arrangement on each of the inner and outer belts. Various other attachment structures, alone or in combination, may be implemented for temporary attachment of the inner belt 22 and the outer belt 24, including clips, snaps, buckles, slots, magnets, hooks, straps, mechanical fasteners and the like.
The pass-through window 28 may be selectively openable, for example by clips, a mechanical gate, or hook-and-loop, allowing the outer belt 24 to mount to the inner belt 22 even while the rigger loop 26 is engaged with a retention lanyard. In other embodiments, the pass-through window 28 may be substituted with a full or partial break in the outer belt 24. In the case of a partial break, the pass-through window may be open on one end all the way to the edge of the outer belt 24, forming a “C” shape, In embodiments with a full break, the outer belt 24 being substantially only held by the hook-and-loop fastening interface 46 and/or belt loops of the wearer's pants. The rigger loop 26 may be sized or oriented differently, for example extending transverse to the longitude of the inner belt 22, and the pass-through window 28 may have a corresponding shape to accommodate any such variations in the rigger loop 26.
The term “fall-rated” as used herein encompasses various standards and metrics for a tensile strength that is suitable to safely arrest the accidental free fall of a person without breaking. In some example standards, such fall-rated equipment can withstand loads of about 3,000-5,000 pounds (lbs.) (13.25-22.25 kN). In some embodiments, the fall-rated strap 62 of the inner belt 22 has a load rating of 4,000 lbs (17.79 kN) corresponding to United States military specifications under Mil-W-5625-1. The principles of the present invention may be applicable to a variety of uses as a fall-protection measure, such as climbing, repelling, and the like. Such uses may include other military or para-military uses such as tethering to a boat, helicopter, airplane or other vehicle, rock climbing, along with other jobs with fall risks including construction, utilities, confined space entry, drilling, and the like. These other uses may be subject to alternative requirements for fall-rated equipment.
All of the features disclosed, claimed, and incorporated by reference herein, and all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. For example, some or all of the permanently stitched connections in the illustrated embodiments may be replaced by gluing, ultrasonic welding, removable connections, or the like. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is an example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. Inventive aspects of this disclosure are not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, but rather extend to any novel embodiment, or any novel combination of embodiments, of the features presented in this disclosure, and to any novel embodiment, or any novel combination of embodiments, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.
Although specific examples have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose could be substituted for the specific examples disclosed. This application is intended to cover adaptations or variations of the present subject matter. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be defined by the attached claims and their legal equivalents, as well as the illustrative aspects. The above described embodiments are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be considered limiting. Further modifications of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the inventive aspects.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/076,334, filed Sep. 9, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63076334 | Sep 2020 | US |
