Breakaway vest

Active Publication Date: 2010-06-03
SAFETY SUPPLY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]This disclosure describes breakaway garments designed to improve safety and reduce the risk of injury and loss of life. The garment includes a front panel including a front upper portion and a front lower portion. The front panel includes at least a pair of sections joined by a donning fastener. The donning fastener is configured to facilitate donning, securing, and removing the garment. The front panel also includes a first safety fastener configured to allow the front panel to separate under tension above a breakaway threshold, which may be, for example, a pound of tension. In this embodiment, a back panel having a back upper portion and a back lower portion is coupled to the front panel.

Problems solved by technology

For these types of workers, becoming entangled with machinery may result in extreme bodily harm, if not death.
For a variety of reasons, however, (e.g., bulky uniforms, excessive equipment and accessories, inflexibility) pull-over vests may not be easy or practical for all wearers to put on and take off.
This oversight can lead to injury or loss of life.
This technique, however, is time consuming because it is difficult to properly align the various hook and loop portions of the garment.
Because of these problems, many may not wear their breakaway vests at all times, or may not wear their vests properly, which may lead to injury or loss of life.

Method used

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Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0016]In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, such terms as “forward,”“rearward,”“left,”“right,”“upwardly,”“downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. Also, the illustrations and descriptions are for disclosing various embodiments of a breakaway vest and do not limit the vest to any particular embodiment disclosed.

[0017]FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a safety garment 10 of the present invention. While the garment depicted is a vest, and in particular a breakaway vest, the present invention is inclusive of other breakaway garments as well, for example, breakaway jackets. Vest 10 includes front panel 4 (also shown individually in FIG. 2) coupled to back panel 7 (also shown individually in FIG. 3). Front panel 4 includes upper portion 20 and bottom portion 22, and back panel 7 includes upper portion 24 (see FIG. 3)...

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PUM

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Abstract

A safety vest is claimed and described. In preferred embodiments, the vest includes a front panel formed from a first section and a second section. The vest also includes a donning fastener having a first and second side. The first donning fastener side connects to the first section of the front panel. The vest also includes a safety fastener having a first safety fastener side and a second safety fastener side. In most embodiments, the first side of the safety fastener is positioned on the second donning fastener side. The second safety fastener side is connected to the second section of the front panel. The vest can be donned, secured, and removed with the donning fastener and, because of safety fasteners, will safely break away from a wearer under tension.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001](1) Field[0002]This disclosure relates generally to garments, and, more particularly, to vests for increased safety.[0003](2) Related Technology[0004]Traditional breakaway vests are known in the art. While they are commonly designed to increase visibility, they are primarily designed to breakaway from the wearer's body under tension or during a safety emergency. Such a feature is desirable, for example, for police officers or public transit workers who risk having portions of their clothing caught in or on vehicles. If these situations do occur, breakaway vests reduce the risk of workers being dragged by breaking away from the wearer's body under tension. Breakaway garments and vests are also desirable for machine workers, e.g., press operators, trash collectors, or wood chip operators, who risk having clothing caught in machinery. For these types of workers, becoming entangled with machinery may result in extreme bodily harm, if not death.[0005]Some traditional bre...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A41D1/04
CPCA41D13/0002A41D2400/44A41D13/129
InventorYOUNG, PHILIPJOYCE, TAMARA L.
OwnerSAFETY SUPPLY