Buoyancy harness

Abstract

A buoyancy harness for connecting a rider to a water sport apparatus, including sailboards, boats, and boating accessories, the harness comprised a body portion, a fastener, and a connector. The body portion may take the form of a waist or seat harness that is configured to encircle at least a portion of the lower abdomen of the rider and possibly a portion of the pelvic region. At least a portion of the body portion is comprised of at least one layer of buoyant material. The body portion may also include a water permeable material that permits trapped water to pass through the harness. The fastener is operably connected to the body portion and is configured to secure the body portion to at least a portion of the rider. The connector is also operably connected to the body portion and is configured for operable attachment to the water sport apparatus.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention pertains to a harness for attachment to a water sport apparatus, such as a sailboard, sailboat, kite, boat, or boating accessory. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a buoyant seat or waist harness that may be directly or indirectly attached to a water sport apparatus which covers at least a portion of the participant's, hereinafter referred to as rider, lower abdomen region. The present invention provides some buoyancy in the event that the rider falls into the water or in the event of an emergency. [0002] Over the years, water-based sports, and particularly sailboarding, including windsurfing and kiteboarding, have steadily increased in popularity. Unlike surfing, sailboarding sports are not dependent on large waves for excitement. Instead, sailboarding sports rely on the power of the wind to propel the rider along or above the water, thereby allowing those not conveniently located near a sea or ride-able wa...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] The body preferably has an outer region, an inner region, an upper region, a mid region, and a lower region. At least a portion of the inner region may include at least one layer of buoyant material, such as, but not limited to, a closed cell foam. Besides providing buoyancy, the layer or layers of buoyant material may also provide padding that prevents the development of pressure points inside the harness and discomfort to the rider. Further, at least a portion of the outer region of the lower region may include a water permeable material configured to allow trapped water to flow through the harness, and thus improve the rider's comfort while also reducing drag.

[0024] In one embodiment of the seat harness, the harness may, when inverted, be configured to be used as a buoyant chest harness. In such an embodiment, the thigh strap may be used as one or more arm straps, thereby assisting in transforming the apparatus into an upper body floatation device. The fastener may also be configured so as to wrap around a portion of the rider's back region so as to further secure the apparatus to the rider's body.

Problems solved by technology

However, some waist harnesses do not extend as far, if at all, below the waist of the rider, or do not cover any portion of the rider's buttock region.

However, unlike jacket harnesses, non-inflatable waist or seat harnesses do not assist in keeping a rider afloat in water.

Some boards however, such as those used for kiteboarding, are no larger than a wakeboard, and therefore often do not provide sufficient flotation to help an injured or tired rider stay afloat in the event of an emergency.

Yet, because of issues related to comfort, maneuverability, or a general disregard for safety, the majority of participants in sailboarding activities do not wear floatation jackets and continue to wear waist and seat harnesses that are not buoyant.

However, many riders do not wear impact vests because such vests are cumbersome and thus restrict the upper body movement and maneuverability of the rider.

Further, some riders refuse to wear impact vests because the large vests are considered to be unstylish.

Additionally, while participating in sailboarding and boating activities, riders typically continuously wear seat and waist harnesses for several hours before removing the harness.

Because seat and waist harnesses do not include buoyant materials, non-inflatable seat and waist harnesses are often stiff, and thus create pressure points inside the harness that cause rider discomfort, and may result in uncomfortable sores and skin irritation.

Although the harness taught by the U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,153 reference is intended to allow a rider to transfer his or her weight to the boom, and thus relieve strain on the arms, the harness does not also function as a flotation device.

Thus, if a rider were in danger in the middle of a body of water, the rider most likely would have to rely on the board for flotation.

Buoyant harness jackets however are typically cumbersome, uncomfortable, and do not allow the rider to use all of his or her body weight in maneuvering the sailboard to the same extent attainable with waist and seat harnesses.

The device disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,961 patent does not teach a waist or seat harness that also acts as a flotation device without the need for inflation.

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