Tool carrying strap and strap assembly for adjusting tool carrying strap

Abstract

A strap (100 / 200) for carrying an outdoor power equipment device, the strap may comprise: a back plate (110 / 210); a leg plate (260 / 310) for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg plate (260 / 310); a chest buckle (170 / 270) operable to alternately effect the putting on and taking off of the harness (100 / 200); and an adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) operably coupled to the back plate (110 / 210) and the chest buckle (170 / 270) to enable adjustment of the load bearing height of the leg plate (260 / 310). The adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) may include a strap portion (302) operably coupling the leg plate (260 / 310) to the back plate (110 / 210) at a selected one of the plurality of fixed anchor points via an attachment transition (308) disposed at a distal end of the first strap portion (302).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Exemplary embodiments relate generally to an outdoor power tool equipment harness and, more particularly, to a strap assembly for providing adjustability and comfort when wearing the harness. Background Art

[0002] Property maintenance tasks are often performed using various forms of outdoor power equipment that are configured to perform the corresponding specific tasks. Some of these forms of outdoor power equipment are designed to effectively perform specific tasks in situations that may be relatively brief or may take a long time (including working all day in some cases). When operating outdoor power equipment for long periods of time, fatigue may affect the operation of the outdoor power equipment. Regardless of the length of time an operator uses outdoor power equipment, it is important that the operator is able to maintain effective operation of the outdoor power equipment device to achieve the best possible results for the property maintenance task.

[0003] To help slow the rate and severity of fatigue, the operator may wear a harness that better distributes the forces felt by the operator from the weight of the outdoor power equipment. However, the fit of the harness may determine the effectiveness of the harness in minimizing fatigue. The harness may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, and therefore some form of adjustment of the harness may be desirable. However, a balance must be struck between ease of operation and safety of the operating setup, as well as between comfort and usability. Exemplary embodiments may optimize the balance of these factors. Summary of the invention

[0004] Some exemplary embodiments may provide a harness for carrying an outdoor power equipment device. The harness may include: a back panel; a leg panel for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg panel; a chest buckle operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness; and an adjustable strap assembly operably coupled to the back panel and the chest buckle to enable adjustment of the carrying height of the leg panel. The adjustable strap assembly may include a first strap portion that operably couples the leg panel to the back panel at a selected one of a plurality of fixed anchor points via an attachment transition provided at a distal end of the first strap portion. The adjustable strap assembly may also include a second strap portion that operably couples the leg panel to the chest buckle via an adjustable coupling portion that defines an infinite number of set positions corresponding to the carrying height of the leg panel.

[0005] According to another exemplary embodiment, a harness for carrying an outdoor power equipment device may include: a back panel; a leg panel for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg panel; a chest buckle operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness; and an adjustable strap assembly operably coupled to the back panel and the chest buckle to enable adjustment of the carrying height of the leg panel. The adjustable strap assembly may include a strap portion that operably couples the leg panel to the back panel at a selected one of a plurality of fixed anchor points via an attachment transition provided at a distal end of the first strap portion.

[0006] According to yet another exemplary embodiment, a harness for carrying an outdoor power equipment device may include: a back panel; a leg panel for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg panel; a chest buckle operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness; and an adjustable strap assembly operably coupled to the back panel and the chest buckle to enable adjustment of the carrying height of the leg panel. The adjustable strap assembly may include a strap portion that operably couples the leg panel to the chest buckle via an adjustable coupling portion that defines an infinite number of set positions corresponding to the carrying height of the leg panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Having generally described some exemplary embodiments above, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which:

[0008] Figure 1 shows a rear view of the shoulder strap prior to the addition of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustable strap assembly;

[0009] Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a harness according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0010] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of various portions of a harness including an adjustable strap assembly of an exemplary embodiment;

[0011] Figure 4A shows a rear perspective view of a back plate of a harness according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0012] Figure 4B shows a front perspective view of a back plate of a harness according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0013] Figure 4C shows a rear view of a back plate of a harness according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0014] Figure 5A shows a perspective view of an anchor hole and an attachment transition according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0015] Figure 5Billustrates rotation of an attachment transition portion to align the attachment transition portion to pass through an anchor hole according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0016] Figure 5C shows a perspective view of an attachment transition fully positioned in a backplane according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0017] Fig. 6A shows a front view of a chest buckle according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0018] Figure 6B shows a chest buckle according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein a strap portion coupled to the chest buckle is used to adjust the load-bearing height of a leg panel of a harness;

[0019] Figure 6C shows a strap portion transitioning to a locked or secured state according to an exemplary embodiment; and

[0020] Fig.6D A belt portion is shown at a fixed load height according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Some exemplary embodiments will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some but not all exemplary embodiments are shown. In fact, the examples described and depicted herein should not be regarded as limitations on the scope, applicability or construction of the present disclosure. On the contrary, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will meet applicable legal requirements. Throughout the text, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. In addition, as used in this article, the term "or" should be interpreted as a logical operator, and its result is true when one or more operands are true. As used in this article, "operably connected" should be understood to involve direct connection or indirect connection, in both cases, so that the components connected to each other can be functionally connected to each other.

[0022] In some exemplary embodiments, the operator may wear the harness while actively operating the outdoor power equipment. The harness may be used to be operably coupled to the outdoor power equipment, which may be too heavy or too cumbersome to operate effectively for a long time. The harness may include at least one leg plate, hip pad, or other contact pad structure that can separate the outdoor power equipment device from the operator to avoid direct physical contact with the operator, while engaging with the device so that the harness can support the weight of the device. In addition, the nature of performing lawn care and maintenance tasks may generally mean that anyone should be able to operate the outdoor power equipment, regardless of the size and strength of the operator. In this regard, even if a standard harness has multiple sizes built into it, the standard harness may not be suitable for all potential outdoor power equipment operators. In addition, some users (regardless of body size) may wish to carry the hip pad (and therefore the device) at different heights for different jobs or at different times.

[0023] While many harnesses allow for some form of adjustment, these changes are often limited to a single adjustment mechanism (which may slip over time) or to complex modifications that may require tools. Thus, there may be a need to not only expand the range of harness sizes so that operators of all sizes can wear the harness while operating outdoor power equipment, but also to make adjustability between different users and different equipment heights very easy and seamless. Thus, some exemplary embodiments may provide a harness and a strap assembly therefor that is not only easily adjustable (for comfort and / or tool carrying height), but also does not slip over time during use.

[0024] Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a rear view of the harness 100 prior to adding the hip pad adjustment assembly of the exemplary embodiment. Figure 1As shown in , the harness 100 may include a back plate 110, an engagement plate 120, a shoulder strap assembly 130, a waist belt 140, a side strap 150, and a chest buckle 170. The back plate 110 can be centrally positioned relative to the other components of the harness 100 so that the back plate 110 can be used as a base that can be operably connected to the other components. When the harness 100 is worn and the outdoor power equipment device is in use, the back plate 110 can also play an important role in supporting the back of the operator. The engagement plate 120 can operably connect the back plate 110 to the shoulder strap assembly 130 at one of a plurality of selected engagement positions. Accordingly, the shoulder strap assembly 130 can be configured to extend around the operator's shoulders and rest on the top of the operator's shoulders. The engagement plate 120 can enable the operator to move within a full range of motion by pivotally and operably connecting the shoulder strap assembly 130 to the back plate 110. In this regard, when the operator wears the harness 100 and operates the outdoor power equipment device, the operator's shoulders can move in response to the movement of the device. The pivotable and operative connection between the engagement plate 120 and the back plate 110 allows the operator to make such movements without the harness 100 restricting the operator and without the harness 100 being detached from the operator. In some embodiments, the position at which the engagement plate 120 is operatively coupled to the back plate 110 can be adjusted so that the effective size of the harness 100 can be changed accordingly.

[0025] The back panel 110 may also be operably coupled to a waist belt 140. The waist belt 140 may be configured to be secured to the operator's waist when the operator is wearing the harness 100. In this regard, the waist belt 140 may disperse some of the load forces generated by the weight of the outdoor power equipment away from the operator's shoulders to minimize fatigue of the operator when using the outdoor power equipment for an extended period of time. The back panel 110 may also be operably coupled to side straps 150, which may be configured to operably couple the back panel 110 to one side of the shoulder strap assembly 130 (e.g., to a side opposite to a side that directly or indirectly supports the outdoor power equipment arrangement, such as via a hook assembly provided on a leg panel or hip pad). The chest buckle 170 includes two parts that snap together, but the two parts are Figure 1 Shown unfastened together.

[0026] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of a harness 200 is shown according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 The strap 100 described in detail in the accompanying drawings may be an example of the strap 200 described herein. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the harness 200 may include a back plate 210, a joint plate 220, a shoulder strap assembly 230, a waist belt 240, a side strap 250, and a chest buckle 270, the structure and function of which may be the same as those described above with reference to FIG. Figure 1The structures and functions of the various components described are similar. The harness 200 may also include a leg panel 260 (or hip pad) that may be operably coupled to the back panel 210, the chest buckle 270, and the side straps 250 (or at least one shoulder strap in the shoulder strap assembly 230). In an exemplary embodiment, the side straps 250 may be operably coupled to the chest buckle 270, or may be operably coupled to the straps of the adjustable strap assembly 280 via a snap lock 275. In some embodiments, the leg panel 260 may be configured to rest along one side of the operator (e.g., the right or left side) to provide a pad barrier between the outdoor power equipment device and the leg or hip of the operator on the corresponding side. The leg panel 260 may have a hook or other device for supporting the outdoor power equipment device. In this regard, the operator may be additionally protected from injury from the outdoor power equipment device, especially under prolonged use and under the weight of the device.

[0027] The harness 200 may also include an adjustable strap assembly 280 that operably couples the chest buckle 270, the back panel 210, and the leg panels 260 together to enable an adjustable height setting of the leg panels 260. For example, the leg panels 260 may be configured to slide along the adjustable strap assembly 280. The chest buckle 270 may be operably coupled to the shoulder strap assembly 230, and in some cases may be supported from above on lateral sides of the shoulder strap assembly by respective right and left straps of the shoulder strap assembly 230. The chest buckle 270 may include a buckle or other releasable component to enable the left and right portions of the chest buckle 270 to be connected to each other (e.g., when in use and when worn for use) and separated from each other (e.g., to allow an operator to put on and take off the harness 200), for example, along Figure 2 The dashed lines shown in FIG. 1 connect and separate the structures to each other.

[0028] The chest buckle 270, in turn, may be operably coupled to the leg panel 260 along with the back panel 210 via the adjustable strap assembly 280. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the adjustable strap assembly 280 may be adjustably operably coupled to either the chest buckle 270 and the back panel 210 such that the operable coupling of the adjustable strap assembly 280 to both the back panel 210 and the chest buckle 270 may be adjusted without the use of tools.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the adjustable strap assembly 280 can be adjustably attached to the back panel 210 at one of a plurality of optional fixed anchor points. Thus, adjustment of the adjustable strap assembly 280 to the back panel 210 can generally be performed with the harness 200 removed and before the harness 200 is donned. In this regard, an operator can select one of the optional fixed anchor points and operably couple the adjustable strap assembly 280 to the back panel 210 at one of the selected fixed anchor points. In some cases, each of the optional fixed anchor points can be associated with a different height of the leg panel 260 (and therefore also the device supported by the leg panel 260). As will be explained in more detail below, the adjustable strap assembly 280 can include an attachment conversion portion that operably couples the adjustable strap assembly 280 to the back panel 210 at one of the selected fixed anchor points.

[0030] The adjustable strap assembly 280 may also be adjustably attached to the chest buckle 270. Since the chest buckle 270 may be operably coupled to the shoulder strap assembly 230 at its top portion, the adjustable attachment location of the adjustable strap assembly 280 may be at the middle of the chest buckle 270 or at the bottom portion of the chest buckle 270 to the left or right of the chest buckle. In an example where the leg panel 260 is worn on the right side of the operator (e.g., against the right hip or right leg of the operator), the chest buckle 270 may be operably coupled to the shoulder strap assembly 230 on the same side (e.g., the right side from the operator's perspective). The adjustable strap assembly 280 may be adjusted at an unlimited number of positions relative to the chest buckle 270, rather than only at a discrete plurality of selectable fixed positions as is the case with the adjustable nature of the connection to the back panel 210.

[0031] Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the height of the leg panels 260 can be adjusted (along the operator's legs or hips) based on repositioning of the connection of either or both of the adjustable strap assembly 280 and the chest buckle 270 (which has infinite adjustability within a range defined by the length of the adjustable strap assembly 280) and the back panel 210 (which has a fixed number of discrete anchor points). In an exemplary embodiment, the discrete anchor points of the back panel 210 can correspond to respective different carrying heights associated with different jobs (e.g., a lower position when mowing, and a higher position when clearing forests), wherein although the adjustment does not require the use of tools, the adjustment decision is typically made prior to donning the harness 200. At the same time, the infinite adjustability of the chest buckle 270 connection can allow for comfort adjustments to be made while the operator is donning the harness 200 and, therefore, after donning the harness 200. However, the infinitely adjustable nature of the connection between the chest buckle 270 and the leg panels 260 means that the chest buckle 270 can also be used to change the height for different jobs (including changing jobs) without removing the harness 200.

[0032] Figure 3 A perspective view of an adjustable strap assembly 300 is shown, which is the adjustable strap assembly described above with reference to FIG. Figure 2 An example of an adjustable strap assembly 280 is shown in FIG. 300. The adjustable strap assembly 300 is configured to Figure 1 The back plate 110 and the chest buckle 170 in the embodiment are operably connected to the leg plate 310 (which is Figure 2 ). The adjustable strap assembly 300 may include a first strap portion 302, a second strap portion 304, an adjustment strap 306, and an attachment transition 308 that may be operably coupled to the first strap portion 302 at a distal end of the first strap portion.

[0033] The leg panel 310 may include a pad portion 320, a hook portion 330, and a strap interface 340. The pad portion 320 may be made of leather, mesh material, or any other durable material that can contact and withstand the movement of the outdoor power equipment device when the outdoor power equipment device is supported by the hook portion 330 and moved (usually pivoted) to facilitate the device to perform cutting operations. The strap interface 340 provides an interface with the adjustable strap assembly 280 to define different load heights of the leg panel 310 and, therefore, different load heights of the outdoor power equipment device supported on the hook portion 330.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first strap portion 302, the second strap portion 304, and the adjustment strap 306 may be portions of the same integral strap, belt, or webbing. In such instances, the portions of the integral strap corresponding to the first strap portion 302, the second strap portion 304, and the adjustment strap 306, and thus the boundaries between the portions, may change dynamically depending on the position of the leg panel 310. Thus, for example, in the set position and when resting on the leg or hip of the operator, the strap interface 340 may be slidably engaged with the integral strap, and the portion of the integral strap extending from the attachment conversion portion 308 to the strap interface 340 may be considered the first strap portion 302. The portion of the integral strap extending from the strap interface 340 to the chest buckle 170 may be considered the second strap portion 304. Finally, the portion of the integral strap extending through the chest buckle 170 and extending outside the chest buckle to the free end 309 of the integral strap may be considered the adjustment strap 306.

[0035] In an alternative embodiment, the first strap portion 302 may be fixedly connected to the strap interface 340 and thus have a fixed length. In such an alternative embodiment, the second strap portion 304 may also be fixedly connected to the strap interface 340. However, even in such an example, the boundary between the second strap portion 304 and the adjustment strap 306 may vary in the manner described above.

[0036] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Front and rear perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of back plate 110 are shown in greater detail. Figure 4C A rear view of the back plate 110 is shown, which shows the side of the back plate 110 facing away from the operator when the harness 100 is worn. In this regard, the back plate 110 of this example may include a plate member 400, and the plate member 400 may include a plurality of retaining apertures 410. Each retaining aperture 410 may be configured to operably engage with the back plate 110. Figure 1 In some embodiments, the plate member 400 may include three retention apertures 410 disposed along a longitudinal centerline 415 of the plate member 400 to define three different attachment points for the engagement plate 120. In this case, each retention aperture 410 may have a corresponding size (small, medium, or large), and the harness 100 may be configured to a corresponding size depending on which retention aperture 410 the engagement plate 120 is operably coupled to. The retention apertures 410 may be aligned along the longitudinal centerline 415 of the plate member 400 so that the back plate 110 remains centrally positioned in the middle of the operator's back to better distribute the weight of the outdoor power equipment device when in use.

[0037] The plate member 400 may also include a waist portion 420 that may be configured to be operably coupled to the waist belt 140. The plate member 400 and waist portion 420 may be curved so that the back plate 110 conforms to the natural shape of the operator's back. In some cases, the plate member 400 may also include a plurality of structural cutouts strategically located at a plurality of locations on the back plate 110 as a means of reducing weight and cooling the operator without compromising the structural integrity of the back plate 110. Accordingly, the harness 100 may provide the best possible fit and comfort for the operator and may therefore more effectively minimize operator fatigue resulting from prolonged use of the outdoor power equipment device.

[0038] In some embodiments, the plate member 400 can be made of plastic or composite materials via an injection molding process to minimize manufacturing costs and provide a lightweight but strong material to meet the specific needs of the back plate 110. Injection molding can facilitate the formation of the above-mentioned cuts and appropriate curved shapes. In addition to the curvature of the plate member 400, the plate member 400 of some embodiments can also include a variety of reinforcing ridges 425 to increase the strength of the back plate 110. It can be seen that such reinforcing ridges 425 are formed at the peripheral edge of the plate member 400 and extend close to the retaining aperture 410.

[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the plate member 400 may also have a plurality of anchor holes 430 to which the first strap portion 302 may be operably coupled via the attachment transition 308. The location of the anchor holes 430 may be determined based on the type of work that is expected to be performed while the harness 100 is worn, and may be selected to produce different load heights (e.g., the load height of the leg panel 310, and therefore the load height of the outdoor power equipment device supported on the hook 330).

[0040] As from Figure 4C As can be seen in the example shown, the example includes two exemplary anchor holes 430, which are arranged at different heights, wherein the height of one anchor hole is lower than the height of the other anchor hole. In an exemplary embodiment, the example of the lower anchor hole 430 can be used for work that may require the outdoor power equipment device supported on the hook portion 330 to be carried at a lower position (e.g., mowing). The example of the higher anchor hole 430 can be used for different work that may require the outdoor power equipment device supported on the hook portion 330 to be carried at a higher position (e.g., forestry pruning or cutting). It is worth noting that the anchor holes 430 are not equidistantly arranged relative to the longitudinal centerline 415 (which is expected), but are equidistantly arranged relative to the peripheral edge of the plate member 400, so that the anchor holes 430 are equidistantly arranged relative to the reinforcing ridge 425 closest thereto for improved strength and stability.

[0041] from FIG. 5A to FIG. 5C Further improvements in the design to improve the durability and functionality of the anchor hole 430 can be seen in FIG. Figure 5A Shows Figure 4B 0046] An enlarged perspective view of one of the anchor holes 430 is shown in FIG. 1 (ie, the side facing the operator's back). This view illustrates several features of the anchor hole 430 that provide improved performance. Figure 5B The attachment transition 308 is shown alone to illustrate how the attachment transition 308 is operated to interact with a selected one of the anchor holes 430. Figure 5C The attachment transition 308 is shown fully positioned within a selected anchor hole 430 .

[0042] like Figure 5A and Figure 5C As shown in , each of the anchor holes 430 is surrounded by a retaining wall 500 on the operator-facing side of the plate member 400. The retaining wall 500 is formed by a series of ridges extending away from the surface of the plate member 400, and the height of these ridges is approximately equal to the thickness (T1) of the attachment conversion portion 308. In addition, the retaining wall 500 is formed to extend around the periphery of the attachment conversion portion 308 to guide and hold the attachment conversion portion 308 close to the plate member 400, and the retaining wall surrounds the attachment conversion portion on the peripheral edge. However, the retaining wall 500 further strengthens the plate member 400 in this area to improve the durability of the back plate 110 and the ability to withstand the weight of the outdoor power equipment device suspended by the hook portion 330, and the weight of the outdoor power equipment device is at least partially borne by the portion of the plate member 400 surrounding the anchor hole 430.

[0043] Each anchor hole 430 also has a unique functional shape that includes a transition channel 510 and a belt channel 520 extending on opposite lateral sides of the transition channel 510. The length (L1) of the transition channel 510 is slightly longer than the corresponding length (L2) of the attachment transition 308. The length (L1) of the transition channel 510 can extend in a direction that forms an acute angle relative to the longitudinal centerline 415 so that the first belt portion 302 is oriented to smoothly extend in the direction of the leg panel 310 without twisting to extend toward the leg panel 310, which may cause discomfort to the operator (which would be the case if the transition channel 510 was parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline 415). The width (W1) of the transition channel 510 is slightly greater than the thickness (T1) of the attachment transition 308. This arrangement ensures that the attachment transition 308 can pass through the transition channel 510 only when properly aligned with the transition channel 510, making it almost impossible for the attachment transition 308 to be accidentally disconnected from the anchor hole 430 after being attached to the anchor hole. At the same time, the length (L3) of the belt channel 520 is slightly greater than the width (W2) of the first belt portion 302. The width (W3) of the belt channel 520 is at least twice the thickness (T2) of the first belt portion 302. This arrangement ensures that even if the attachment transition 308 is fully located in the anchor hole 430, the first belt portion 302 can still move freely.

[0044] To adjust the load height of the leg panel 310, the operator may bring the first strap portion 302 and the attachment transition 308 closer to the back panel 110, and specifically closer to a selected one of the anchor holes 430, such as Figure 5A Then, the operator can Figure 5B The attachment conversion unit 308 is converted or rotated as shown by arrow 530 in FIG. Then, the rotated attachment conversion unit 308 can be Figure 5A 510 in the direction of arrow 540 in the figure. It is worth noting that due to the size and shape of the transition channel 510, the attachment transition 308 can only be passed through the transition channel 510 when it is rotated and aligned with the transition channel 510. However, if there is no belt channel 520, the first belt portion 302 is constrained in the transition channel 510. Therefore, the combination of the size and shape of these two combined channels enables easy operation but secure retention, which is achieved by the attachment transition 308. After the attachment transition 308 passes through the transition channel 510 in the rotated state, the attachment transition 308 can then be Figure 5A 550 in the direction of the arrow 550 to allow the attachment conversion portion 308 to be Figure 5C 308 is shown aligned with and completely within the retaining wall 500, wherein, again, the size and shape of the retaining wall 500 facilitates securely retaining the attachment conversion portion 308 during use.

[0045] The attachment conversion part 308 described above provides different fixed anchor points, which can be selected based on the different work or use of the outdoor power equipment device supported at the leg plate 310. However, as mentioned above, the attachment conversion part 308 can usually be adjusted when the harness 100 is taken off. At the same time, the chest buckle 170 can provide infinite adjustment when the harness 100 is put on to meet the comfort or work type.

[0046] Reference now Fig. 6A , Figure 6B , Figure 6C and Fig.6D , which shows the chest buckle 170 in different states relative to the second strap portion 304, the operation of the chest buckle 170 of the exemplary embodiment will be described in more detail. In this regard, Fig. 6A A front view of the chest strap buckle 170 is shown with the second strap portion 304 and the adjustment strap 306 removed. Figure 6B , Figure 6C and Fig.6D The second strap portion 304 and the adjustment strap 306 are shown in different states.

[0047] like Fig. 6A As shown in , the chest buckle 170 may include a first buckle portion 600 and a second buckle portion 610 that may be alternately buckled together or released from each other. Thus, for example, one of the first buckle portion 600 and the second buckle portion 610 may be a convex buckle portion, the other of the second buckle portion 610 and the first buckle portion 600 may be a concave buckle portion, and the convex buckle portion and the concave buckle portion may be alternately attached to or disconnected from each other. In the depicted example, the button may be provided on the back side of the chest buckle 170 (i.e., the side of the chest buckle 170 that faces the operator, and thus on Fig. 6A ), to release the attachment between the first buckle portion 600 and the second buckle portion 610.

[0048] One of the first buckle portion 600 and the second buckle portion 610 may also include an adjustable coupling portion 620, which may be infinitely adjustable as described above. The adjustable coupling portion 620 may be formed at the bottom edge of the chest buckle 170 to engage with the adjustable strap assembly 300. More specifically, the adjustable coupling portion 620 may engage with the second strap portion 304 and define an interface or boundary between the second strap portion 304 and the adjustment strap 306.

[0049] The adjustable coupling 620 may include a first belt channel 622 and a second belt channel 624, and the second belt portion 304 slides or passes through the first belt channel and the second belt channel in opposite directions to define a sliding interface (e.g., a three-slide buckle or a webbing slider). The sliding interface can provide a slidable interface for positioning the load-bearing height of the leg panel 310. In this regard, a general three-slide buckle or a webbing slider is able to maintain a set position, but allows the set position to be adjusted when the operator pulls the free end of the belt, webbing, or in this case, the adjustment belt 306. This type of adjustable coupling is commonly used in many similar contexts. However, although it is generally easy to use and often sufficient to maintain a set position, such a three-slide buckle or a webbing slider may slide over time in many cases, and especially when the supported load is heavy or moves a lot. Since this is exactly the use in many scenarios where the strap 100 is expected to be used, it is necessary to improve the general three-slide buckle or webbing slider for this situation. Accordingly, some exemplary embodiments of adjustable coupling portion 620 may also include a locking slot 640 that may retain adjustment strap 306 after it passes through the locking slot in a direction opposite to the direction of travel through second strap channel 624 .

[0050] The locking groove 640 may be formed to be spaced apart from the second belt channel 624 by the same distance as the distance separating the second belt channel 624 and the first belt channel 622. The length and width of each of the first belt channel 622, the second belt channel 624, and the locking groove 640 may be substantially the same, which may be slightly larger than the width and thickness of the second belt portion 304, respectively. The locking groove 640 may be defined by a first locking arm 642 spaced apart from and facing the second locking arm 644. The interval between the first locking arm 642 and the second locking arm 644 may define a sliding channel 646 into which the adjustment belt 306 may be inserted to lock the set position of the adjustable coupling portion 620 relative to the second belt portion 304.

[0051] in this regard, Figure 6B The second strap portion 304 is shown passing through the first strap channel 622 and the second strap channel 624 of the adjustable coupling portion 620, but the adjustment strap 306 (at Figure 6B646 and behind one of the locking arms, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 640. In this state, the adjustment strap 306 can be pulled by the operator in the direction of arrow 650 to transfer more of the second strap portion 304 toward the three-slide buckle or webbing buckle formed by the first strap channel 622 and the second strap channel 624 and to pass more of the second strap portion through the three-slide buckle or webbing buckle (e.g., in the direction of arrow 660). When the desired set position defining the desired load-bearing height of the leg panel 310 is reached, the operator can first pass one edge of the adjustment strap 306 through the slide channel 646 and behind one of the locking arms, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. Figure 6C Then, the other edge of the adjustment strap 306 can pass through the sliding channel and be located behind the other of the locking arms to place the adjustment strap 306 in the locking slot 640 (both edges are located behind the corresponding one of the first locking arm 642 and the second locking arm 644) to lock the set position so that the load height will not slide during the use of the outdoor power equipment device.

[0052] Some exemplary embodiments may provide a harness for carrying an outdoor power equipment device. The harness may include: a back panel; a leg panel for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg panel; a chest buckle operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness; and an adjustable strap assembly operably coupled to the back panel and the chest buckle to enable adjustment of the carrying height of the leg panel. The adjustable strap assembly may include a first strap portion that operably couples the leg panel to the back panel at a selected fixed anchor point among a plurality of fixed anchor points via an attachment conversion portion disposed at a distal end of the first strap portion. The adjustable strap assembly may also include a second strap portion that operably couples the leg panel to the chest buckle via an adjustable coupling portion that defines an infinite number of set positions corresponding to the carrying height of the leg panel.

[0053] Some embodiments of the harness may include additional features, modifications and / or enhancements, etc., to achieve other purposes or enhance the performance of the harness. Additional features, modifications and / or enhancements, etc. may be added in any combination with each other. Below is a list of various additional features, modifications and enhancements, which may be added individually or in any combination with each other. For example, the adjustable coupling portion may include a three-slide buckle or a webbing slider portion and a locking slot. In an exemplary embodiment, the locking slot may include a first locking arm and a second locking arm separated from each other by a sliding channel, and the second belt portion of the adjustable belt assembly may be slidably passed through the three-slide buckle or webbing slider portion to change the load height of the leg panel by pulling the adjustment belt at the distal end of the second belt portion when the adjustment belt is not retained in the locking slot, and the load height may be fixed when the adjustment belt is retained in the locking slot. In some cases, each of the fixed anchor points may include an anchor hole that defines different load heights corresponding to different types of work performed by the device. In an exemplary embodiment, the anchor hole may include a conversion portion channel, the length and width of which are slightly larger than the length and thickness of the attached conversion portion, respectively. The anchor hole may also include a belt channel disposed on opposite lateral sides of the transition channel. The length of the belt channel may be slightly greater than the width of the first belt portion, and the width of the belt channel may be slightly greater than the thickness of the first belt portion. In some cases, the length of the transition channel extends in a direction that forms an acute angle relative to the longitudinal centerline of the back plate. In an exemplary embodiment, the attachment transition is rotated to pass through the transition channel, and rotated back after passing through the transition channel to retain the attachment transition at the anchor hole. In some cases, the back plate may include a plate member, and the anchor hole may be formed at a portion of the plate member. The back plate may also include a retaining wall formed by a series of ridges extending away from the surface of the plate member to a height approximately equal to the thickness of the attachment transition. The retaining wall may be shaped to extend around the periphery of the attachment transition to guide and retain the attachment transition close to the plate member. In an exemplary embodiment, the fixed anchor point may include: a first anchor hole disposed at a first distance from the longitudinal centerline of the back plate; and a second anchor hole disposed at a second distance from the longitudinal centerline, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance. In some cases, the attachment transition portion may be disposed at a selected one of the plurality of fixed anchor points after the harness is removed by the operator, and the adjustable coupling portion may be operable after the harness is removed by the operator.

[0054] With the benefit of the teachings given in the foregoing description and the related drawings, a person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs will think of many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention as set forth herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that these modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, although the foregoing description and the related drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that alternative embodiments may provide different combinations of elements and / or functions without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, as set forth in some of the appended claims, combinations different from the combinations of elements and / or functions explicitly described above can also be envisioned. Where advantages, benefits, or solutions to problems are described herein, it should be understood that such advantages, benefits, and / or solutions may apply to some exemplary embodiments, but not necessarily to all exemplary embodiments. Therefore, any advantages, benefits, or solutions described herein should not be considered to be critical, necessary, or essential to all embodiments or the embodiments claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, these terms are used only in a general and illustrative sense and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A shoulder strap (100 / 200) for carrying an outdoor power equipment device, the shoulder strap (100 / 200) comprising: Back panel (110 / 210); a leg plate (260 / 310) for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg plate (260 / 310); a chest buckle (170 / 270) operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness (100 / 200); as well as an adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) operably coupled to the back panel (110 / 210) and the chest strap buckle (170 / 270) to slidably adjust the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310), wherein the adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) includes a first strap portion (302) that operably couples the leg panel (260 / 310) to the back panel (110 / 210) at a selected one of a plurality of fixed anchor points via an attachment transition (308) disposed at a distal end of the first strap portion (302), and The adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) includes a second strap portion (304) that operably couples the leg panel (260 / 310) to the chest strap buckle (170 / 270) via an adjustable coupling portion (620), the adjustable coupling portion defining an infinite number of setting positions corresponding to the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310).

2. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustable coupling portion (620) includes three sliders or webbing slider portions (622 / 624) and a locking slot (640).

3. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 2, wherein: The locking slot (640) includes a first locking arm (642) and a second locking arm (644) separated from each other by a sliding channel (646), and Wherein, the second strap portion (304) of the adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) can be slidably passed through the three-slide buckle or webbing slide buckle portion (622 / 624) to change the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310) by pulling the adjustment strap (306) at the far end of the second strap portion (304) when the adjustment strap (306) is not retained in the locking groove (640), and to fix the load-bearing height when the adjustment strap (306) is retained in the locking groove (640).

4. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of fixed anchor points includes an anchor hole (430) to define different load heights corresponding to different types of work performed by the device.

5. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 4, wherein: The anchor hole (430) includes a transition portion channel (510), the length (L1) and width (W1) of the transition portion channel are slightly larger than the length (L2) and thickness (T1) of the attachment transition portion (308), and wherein the anchor hole (430) includes a belt channel (520) arranged on opposite lateral sides of the transition portion channel (510), the length (L3) of the belt channel (520) is slightly larger than the width (W2) of the first belt portion (302), and the width (W3) of the belt channel is slightly larger than the thickness (T2) of the first belt portion (302).

6. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 5, wherein: The length (L1) of the transition channel (510) extends in a direction that forms an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline (415) of the back plate (110 / 210).

7. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 5, wherein: The attachment transition (308) is rotated to pass through the transition passage (510), and after passing through the transition passage (510), is rotated back to retain the attachment transition (308) at the anchor hole (430).

8. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 4, wherein: The back plate (110 / 210) includes a plate member (400), wherein the anchor hole (430) is formed at a portion of the plate member (400), and Wherein, the retaining wall (500) is formed by a series of ridges, which extend away from the surface of the plate member (400) to a height approximately equal to the thickness (T1) of the attachment conversion portion (308), and the retaining wall (500) is formed to extend around the periphery of the attachment conversion portion (308) to guide and retain the attachment conversion portion (308) close to the plate member (400).

9. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 4, wherein: The plurality of fixed anchor points include: a first anchor hole (430) disposed at a first distance from a longitudinal center line (415) of the back plate (110 / 210); and a second anchor hole (430) disposed at a second distance from the longitudinal center line (415), wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

10. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 1, wherein: After the harness (100 / 200) is removed by an operator, the attachment conversion portion (308) can be disposed at a selected one of the plurality of fixed anchor points, and After the shoulder strap (100 / 200) is put on by an operator, the adjustable connecting portion (620) is operable.

11. A shoulder strap (100 / 200) for carrying an outdoor power equipment device, the shoulder strap (100 / 200) comprising: Back panel (110 / 210); a leg plate (260 / 310) for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg plate (260 / 310); a chest buckle (170 / 270) operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness (100 / 200); as well as an adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) operably coupled to the back panel (110 / 210) and the chest strap buckle (170 / 270) to adjust the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310), The adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) includes a strap portion (304) that operably couples the leg panel (260 / 310) to the chest buckle (170 / 270) via an adjustable coupling portion (620), the adjustable coupling portion defining an infinite number of set positions corresponding to the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310).

12. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 11, wherein: The adjustable coupling portion (620) includes a three-slide buckle or a webbing slider portion (622 / 624), and the strap portion (304) can selectively engage with a locking groove (640) after passing through the three-slide buckle or webbing slider portion to alternately fix or adjust the strap portion (304).

13. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 12, wherein: The locking slot (640) includes a first locking arm (642) and a second locking arm (644) separated from each other by a sliding channel (646), and Wherein, the belt portion (304) of the adjustable belt assembly (280 / 300) can be slidably passed through the three sliders or the webbing slider portion (622 / 624) to change the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310) by pulling the adjustment belt (306) at the far end of the second belt portion (304) when the adjustment belt (306) is not retained in the locking groove (640), and to fix the load-bearing height when the adjustment belt (306) is retained in the locking groove (640).

14. A shoulder strap (100 / 200) for carrying an outdoor power equipment device, the shoulder strap (100 / 200) comprising: Back panel (110 / 210); a leg plate (260 / 310) for supporting the device in response to the device being attached to the leg plate (260 / 310); a chest buckle (170 / 270) operable to alternately enable donning and doffing of the harness (100 / 200); as well as an adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) operably coupled to the back panel (110 / 210) and the chest strap buckle (170 / 270) to adjust the load-bearing height of the leg panel (260 / 310), Wherein, the adjustable strap assembly (280 / 300) includes a strap portion (302), which operably connects the leg panel (260 / 310) to the back panel (110 / 210) at a selected fixed anchor point among a plurality of fixed anchor points via an attachment conversion portion (308) disposed at the distal end of the first strap portion (302).

15. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 14, wherein: Each of the plurality of fixed anchor points includes an anchor hole (430) to define different load heights corresponding to different types of work performed by the device.

16. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 15, wherein: The anchor hole (430) includes a transition portion channel (510), the length (L1) and width (W1) of the transition portion channel are slightly larger than the length (L2) and thickness (T1) of the attachment transition portion (308), and wherein the anchor hole (430) includes a belt channel (520) arranged on opposite lateral sides of the transition portion channel (510), the length (L3) of the belt channel (520) is slightly larger than the width (W2) of the belt portion (302), and the width (W3) of the belt channel is slightly larger than the thickness (T2) of the belt portion (302).

17. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 16, wherein: The length (L1) of the transition channel (510) extends in a direction that forms an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline (415) of the back plate (110 / 210).

18. The brace (100 / 200) of claim 16, wherein: The attachment transition (308) is rotated to pass through the transition passage (510), and after passing through the transition passage (510), is rotated back to retain the attachment transition (308) at the anchor hole (430).

19. The brace (100 / 200) according to claim 15, wherein: The back plate (110 / 210) includes a plate member (400), wherein the anchor hole (430) is formed at a portion of the plate member (400), and Wherein, the retaining wall (500) is formed by a series of ridges, which extend away from the surface of the plate member (400) to a height approximately equal to the thickness (T1) of the attachment conversion portion (308), and the retaining wall (500) is formed to extend around the periphery of the attachment conversion portion (308) to guide and retain the attachment conversion portion (308) close to the plate member (400).

20. The brace (100 / 200) of claim 15, wherein: The plurality of fixed anchor points include: a first anchor hole (430) disposed at a first distance from a longitudinal center line (415) of the back plate (110 / 210); and a second anchor hole (430) disposed at a second distance from the longitudinal center line (415), wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

Images