GB2443284A - An adjustable harness for sailing and sail boarding - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable harness for sailing and sail boarding with a built in trapeze/sailboard hook assembly and adjustable side flaps. Preferably the harness is in the form of a nappy harness, with a back support, shoulder straps and a hook assembly with an internal spreader bar attached to a front piece 26 that made form a moulded assembly of composite materials that are flexible in the side regions to promote dexterity. The back and front of the harness may be joined together via a double hook and loop fastening system, where one of the flaps 27 is sandwiched between two layers 26, 28 or via a single hook and loop fastening system. The hook assembly may have a safety release system such as a quick release pin that detaches the hook 12 from the spreader bar assembly. The harness may have a moulded back and optional lumbar pad 21 that may be held in place via hook and loop fasteners. The harness may be used for droop hiking, sail boarding and trapezing, although a different harness assembly may be used for example the droop hiking (fig 5).

Description

Intellectual Pror'rty Offh_. (:)c::cxJ Cra1ivty and io'aiion Applicutin

No. GBO7 155047 RTM Dale:10 December 2007 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Velcro UK Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office I dti A DT 3ERV1CE

Field of the invention

The invention generally relates to a novel harness support system for trapezing from a sailing vessel, or harness support for a sailboard, or a harness support for a droop hiking position from a sailing vessel.

Background of the Invention

While trapeze harness support systems have been applied for dinghy sailing and sail boarding applications for some time, the designs for these harnesses are either a complex series of strapping adjustments around the legs and waist, or a custom fit design without enough adjustment and support. Strapping adjustments provide a series of linear tensioning points rather than uniform load support Recent developments in the these trapeze harnesses include improvements to the design of the hook system, including spreader bars such as in US patent 4,588,044, or a variety of quick release systems for safety such as in US patent 4,140, 205 and US patent 4,378,614 or more recently in UK patent application GB 2,396,654 A.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved harness.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided, a harness including a waist adjustment by side flaps and Velcro for a front piece containing a built in trapeze/sailboard hook assembly.

Preferably, the harness includes two flaps on each side providing a double-Velcro system for the connection to both the front and back of the trapeze/sailboard hook assembly.

Preferably, the harness includes the frontpiece hook assembly made with a sewn in, or otherwise firmly fixed, internal spreader bar.

Preferably, the harness includes a frontpiece made by a moulded assembly of composite materials to provide a more continuously stiffliess across width, and built in strength such that it is essentially acting as a larger spreader bar. Preferably, the moulding is made to be more flexible in side areas to promote dexterity.

In one embodiment, the harness is designed for trapezing, including elements for good harness design such as optional lumbar pads, and moulded back with varying ergonomic stiffness. In one embodiment, the harness is designed for droop hiking, including elements for 2.

good harness design such as optional himbar pads, and moulded back with varying ergonomic stiffness.

Preferred embodiment of the present invention improves the fitting of a spreader bar or a quick release hook design, into a more ergonomically adjustable system that works for a wider variety of body shapes, with more uniform and two dimensional tensioning, and no complicated strapping.

The harness system is designed to have a wider range of adjustments for an improved ergonomic fit for custom body shape, and without using complicated strapping. This improved adjustment helps to promote support around the hips, lower back and legs. The improved design also promotes a more even spread of the loads from the point where the harness is attached to the trapeze wire, or windsurfer wing rope. The total result is a harness that is more comfortable with more spread load between the point at the supporting hook and the body. This gives the sailor better responsiveness to the dynamics of the boat and improved muscular support.

A further preferred embodiment improves the fitting of the harness around the groin region by integrating soft material such as neoprene around strong webbing such that the stnzcture and stability of the harness is maintained.

Brief description of the drawings

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a spreader bar and hook assembly as one particular embodiment of the system; Fig 2. illustrates the front view of a trapeze harness design as one particular embodiment of the system, with its side flaps open.

Fig. 3 illustrates the front view of a trapeze harness design as one particular embodiment of the system, with its side flaps closed.

Fig 4. illustrates a lumbar pad.

Fig 5. illustrates the front view of a droop hiking version of the a harness as another particular embodiment of the system. 3.

Fig 6. illustrates a cross section view looking down the harness as one particular embodiment to show the design of the front panel and soft groin area.

Fig 7. illustrates on particular embodiment for the construction of the soft groin area.

Description of Preferred and Other Embodiments

The preferred embodiments provide an improved uapczc or other hiking harness of design similar to those in Fig 2,3 and 5. A significant element of the design of the harness is the inclusion of a two dimensional adjustable Velcro Hook and Loop assembly for the Sideflaps 27 to the Frontpiece 26 and Overfiaps 28. This assembly can be of a single (without Overfiaps 28) or double (with Overfiaps 28) Velcro Hook and Loop.

This design promotes the more uniform load of the hook across the body with a sewn in hook assembly, preferably with a spreader bar, such as shown in fig 1, sewn inside the Frontpiece 26. The two way adjustable Velcro Hook and Loop design makes it possible to provide a wider range of custom adjustable positions for the body type, with the ability to adjust both the horizontal and vertical positioning of the flaps. The system is also less like of a series of linear loads like other strapping adjustments in the past. The act of trapezing and applying load to the hook will pull the spreader bar towards the Velcro and Hook flap assembly, helping to keep it closed and further enhancing the stability of the harness.

This combination of innovations make the harness fit better and become more responsive to body movement while sailing, while also providing improved muscular support, comfort, dexterity and responsiveness to the dynamics of the boat or sailboard.

In the case that the harness is for trapezing from a sailing dinghy, then the harness is most likely to be a design similar in form as shown in Fig 2 and Fig 3. If the harness is for droop hiking from a sailboat, however, it can also be designed like that shown in FigS, where the Frontpiece 26 is not connected to the back of the harness.

The total solution provides for a harness that can be manufactured in standard sizes, such as small, medium and large, and yet better custom fit the user than systems using strapping, and all the while provide a more uniform and adjustable load bearing harness to the body.

In one preferred embodiment, there is provided a trapeze harness, constructed of composite materials, as per Fig 2 and Fig 3. The choice of composite materials for the harness is designed to be stiff in areas that are essential to provide support and less stiff in other areas in order to promote flexibility. At the time of writing this document there are a wide range of harness constructions available commercially, using different materials, from simple sail materials to complex moldings of various man made materials. Also possible in a preferred embodiment, it can be advantageous to include a pad 21 that can be positioned in the lumbar region of the back in an optional custom position. In Figure 4 there is shown a preferred embodiment for a lumbar pad, constructed of two sheets of neoprene 41 gLued together and sandwiching two flat bars of fibreglass 42. These lumbar pads can be made in various sizes and weights to suit the custom requirements of the sailor and/or the weather conditions. The lumbar pad 21 can be optionally placed into the back of the harness by Velcro Hook and Loop, and placed at a height that suits the sailors custom fitting needs.

In this preferred embodiment there is provided a spreader bar and hook assembly, an example as shown in Fig 1. There are a variety of spreader bars available commercially, and any of these can be used in the present invention. The spreader bar assembly, however, used in the preferred embodiments needs to be chosen carefully such that it can be stitched firmly behind the Frontpiece 26 via multiple points 14 of Fig 1. This spreader bar is preferably curved to the body shape and is designed to the correct length in accordance to the size range of the harness. Preferably the shoulder strap 24 passes through an opening like 15 on the spreader bar so that it can easily slide, enabling the straps to remain tight as the body twists at the waist While the harness design is made to be adjustable, it is also made to be adjustable within a range sensible for a size group. There can be a standard spreader bar dimension for the different sizes, such as extra small, small, medium, large, and extra large, for example, or other size ranges as deemed best for the sailing population. In the application where the sailor istrapezmgfromasaiingdinghythespreaderbarwillhaveahooklikethatshownat2in Fig 1. This assembly, however could also be designed for a sail board with an alternative hook such as that disclosed in US patent 4,741,280.

Preferably, the Frontpiece 26 has a sewn (or otherwise firmly affixed) spreader bar behind it Also preferably there is an Overfiap 28 that is Velcro Hook underneath. The Sideflaps 27 then can be inserted between the Frontpiece 26 and Overfiaps 28 and closed to form a strong double Velcro assembly.

The spreader bar is then well fixed into the inside of the Frontpiece 26 such that it is stiff and can spread the loads during the acts of hiking or trapezing with the harness. It can optionally have a covering on the inside such that the body is insulated from direct contact with the Spreader Bar, preferably with some padding such as 5 mm of foam. 5.

Importantly, this double Velcro assembly makes the harness adjustable in two dimensions across the waistline, in both height and width, so it is possible to vary a wider range of fittings than would have otherwise been achievable by a linear strapping assembly.

It is also possible to twist the Sideflaps 27 slightly to tighten the bottom leg region more than the top waist line region, as another example of the variety in adjustments possible. This double Velcro system is also designed so that the area of Velcro coverage is large enough to hold the forces of the harness such that the Sideflaps 27 will not become unattached. The act of hiking or trapezing will also naturally pull on the Frontpiece 26 and increase the pressure of the Velcro Hook and Loop attachment at the front.

The harness in Fig 2 and Fig 3 shows an adjustment for the shoulder straps 24, where webbing or similar strap material passes through the top of the spreader bar at 15. A shoulder strap then loops from one shoulder to the next via 15 and to an adjustable buckle 29. This assembly is designed so that the angle of the straps are not prone to sliding off the shoulders, and importantly so that the straps on the left and right can automatically change length while the body twists and still maintain the correct tension. Optionally the shoulder strap design can be made with an extended piece of webbing from the Frontpiece 26 to the loop 52, as shown for another embodiment for droop hiking as shown in FigureS. The shoulder strap buckle 29 isdesignedtobefirmyetenabletheusertoadjusttheharnesswhileinuseandcanbe optionally detatchable for easy entry and re-entry. Alternatively the shoulder straps can be designed with a detachable point at 52. Once the tensions, positioning and adjustments of the Frontpiece Velcro assembly, and shoulder strap are made, they can be left between uses and are essentially "set and forget" with this easy entry point at the detatchable point 52.

The harness in Fig 5. also shows a different assembly for the shoulder adjustment, using a line or rope 51 and cleat 53 system designed for quick adjustments during racing events.

In another preferred embodiment for a harness like that shown in Fig 2 and 3, the groin area 25 is made to be comfortable using a soft construction of composite materials. An example construction for this region is shown in figures 6 and 7, where strong webbing 61 is sewn to the front and back of the harness to maintain strong support, while wrapped in neoprene 72 and sewn into a front piece 71 over the crotch area also of neoprene.

EXAMPLES OF THE SYSTEM IN USE

Exanmle 1 Small Boat Dinghy Sailina and Tranezing The harness, like the examples in Fig 2 and Fig 3, provides excellent levels of support, dexterity, sensitivity, responsiveness and comfort This makes it particulaily attractive for a trapezing in a small sailing dinghy.

Examnle 2 Yachting and Droon Hiking The harness, like the example in Fig 5, provides excellent levels of support, dexterity, sensitivity, responsiveness and comfort, It is possible to design versions of the same boot for yachting, in various weights and sole designs. This also inludes ankle cut sailing shoes using the same Vecro Tab and Lace system design.

Exanmle 3 Sailboard Harness A similar harness can be designed in the styles for sailboarding, with Velcro adjustment for a more custom fit than the commercially available harnesses with multiple strapping The foregoing describes preferred forms of the present invention. Modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention. g.

Claims (11)

1. The claims defining the inventions are as follows: 1. A harness

   including a waist adjustment by side flaps and Velcro for a front piece containing a built in trapeze/sailboard hook assembly.
2. 2. A harness as claimed in claim 1 where there are two flaps on each side providing a double-Velcro system for the connection to both the front and back of the trapeze/sailboard hook assembly.
3. 3. A harness as claimed in claim 1 or 2 where the frontpiece hook assembly is made with a sewn in, or otherwise firmly fixed, internal spreader bar.
4. 4. A harness as claimed in claim 3 where the frontpiece is made by a molded assembly of composite materials to provide a more continuously stiffness across width, and built in strength such that it is essentially acting as a larger spreader bar.
5. 5. A harness as claimed in claim 4 where the molding is made to be more flexible in side areas to promote dexterity.
6. 6. Abarnessasclaimedinclaimlor2or3or4or5wheretheharnessis designed for trapezing, including elements for good harness design such as optional lumbar pads, and molded back with varying ergonomic stiffness
7. 7. A harness as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 where the harness is designed for droop hiking, including elements for good harness design such as optional lumbar pads, and molded back with varying ergonomic stiffness.
8. 8. A harness as claimed in claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 where the harness is designed for sail boarding, including elements for good harness design such as optional lumbar pads, and molded back with varying ergonomic stiffness.
9. 9 Aharnessasclaimedinclaim6or7or8wherethehookassemblyhasasafety release system, such as a quick release pin that detaches the hook from the spreader bar assembly, or other alternative quick release design.
10. 10. A harness as claimed in 1 or 2 or 3 of 4 or 5 where the groin region is constructed of webbing that is covered in soft composite materials to provide increased comfort.
11. 11. A harness substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples