GURTZEUG

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a roping harness comprising a belt and a pair of leg loops. State of the art

[0002] In the field of climbing, mountaineering, ski touring, or for carrying out work at height, rope harnesses ensure the safety of people.

[0003] Typically, a roping harness consists of a waist belt and a pair of leg loops. Depending on the type of use, the waist belt and leg loops can be thicker or thinner to ensure user comfort. For example, a harness designed for working at height must be particularly comfortable to allow for prolonged use. When climbing, the harness must also be comfortable to avoid injuring the climber who falls on a lead route.

[0004] In mountaineering and ski touring, the harness is primarily intended for tying up a roped party. The thickness of the waist belt and leg loops can be thinner because they are rarely under tension. This results in a weight saving and compactness that athletes appreciate, but at the expense of comfort.

[0005] To ensure good conditions of use regardless of the discipline practiced, it is important to strike a balance between user comfort, the weight of the roping harness, and its compactness. This makes the harness versatile and the user does not need to carry multiple pieces of equipment. In many activities, it is particularly advantageous to use a harness that is as light as possible, which means choosing clever solutions to save a few grams.

[0006] It is also advantageous to provide a method of use that is easy to implement.

[0007] WO 93 / 24182 relates to a roping harness that includes a waist belt and leg loops closed by a buckle having holes that cooperate with a rod. US 8,505,683 relates to a mobile anchoring system. The anchoring system is provided with a buckle at one end and a series of buckles at the other end of the strap. The end of the strap with a single buckle passes through one of the buckles at the other end after going around the tree. The single buckle is attached to the user. Summary of the invention

[0008] An object of the invention is to provide a harness which allows the belt and / or the leg loops to be effectively closed to the desired circumference while ensuring good comfort of use and low weight.

[0009] These needs tend to be solved by means of a harness comprising a belt and leg loops each provided with a device for adjusting the circumference of the leg loops. The device for adjusting the circumference of each leg loop comprises a first end formed by a wire element having a first section and comprising a plurality of projecting zones having a second section greater than the first section. The second end of the leg loop is formed by a constriction buckle.

[0010] In another development, the roping harness comprises leg loops and a belt provided with a belt circumference adjustment device. The belt circumference adjustment device comprises a first end formed by a wire element having a first section and comprising a plurality of projecting areas having a second section greater than the first section. The second end of the belt is formed by a choke buckle.

[0011] Advantageously, the plurality of protruding zones is formed by a plurality of nodes defined by the wire element.

[0012] In a particular embodiment, the plurality of protruding areas comprises between two and five protruding areas.

[0013] It is advantageous to provide that the choke loop is a so-called lark's head knot.

[0014] In a further development, a loop gripping member is mounted on the choke loop.

[0015] Preferably, the second end is formed by a wire element sewn to define a ring cooperating with the wire element to form the choke loop. Alternatively, a ring is defined by splicing a wire element forming the second end, the ring cooperating with the wire element to form the choke loop.

[0016] The invention also relates to a method which makes it easier to adjust the circumference of the belt and / or a thigh circumference by means of a lightweight adjustment system.

[0017] These needs are tended to be solved by means of a method of using a harness according to the preceding embodiments which comprises the steps: Insert at least one of the protruding areas into a choke buckle to define a circumference, tighten the choke buckle so as to close the belt, one of the protruding areas locking the choke buckle at the desired circumference. Summary description of the drawings

[0018] Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the following description of particular embodiments given as non-limiting examples and illustrated with the aid of the appended drawings, in which: there figure 1 represents a schematic view of a roping harness; the figure 2 schematically represents a roping harness according to the invention, with a leg loop and a belt provided with a closing device according to the invention; the figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 represent, schematically, a specific view of the formation of a sliding knot by means of a ring formed at the end of a thread. Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

[0019] A roping harness 1 such as that shown schematically in figure 1 comprises a belt 2 with a waist circumference 2a associated with a device 3 for adjusting the circumference of the belt 2 which can also perform the function of an opening / closing device for the belt 2.

[0020] The harness 1 also has a pair of leg loops 4, each leg loop 4 being connected to the dorsal part of the belt 2 advantageously by two elastic or non-elastic straps 5, and to the ventral part for example by a bridge 6 via a central ring 7. In an alternative embodiment illustrated in figure 2 , each leg loop 4 is fixed independently to the front part of the belt 2.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, each thigh circumference 4 is associated with a device 8 for adjusting the circumference of the thigh circumference 4 which, in this embodiment, also performs the function of a device for opening / closing the thigh circumference 4.

[0022] As shown in the figure 2 , the adjustment device 3 is fixed in first and second positions A and B on a waist circumference support band 2a. The adjustment device 3 is configured so as to adjust the circumference of the waist circumference to allow adjustment of the circumference to the build of the user. An identical configuration is used for the adjustment device 8 of the thigh circumference 4.

[0023] Harness 1 is advantageously without shoulder straps in order to reduce the weight of harness 1 and its bulk.

[0024] The device 3 for adjusting the circumference of the belt 2 and / or the device 8 for adjusting the circumference of the thigh circumference 4 have a first end 9 formed by a first wire element fixed to a first end of the belt 2 and / or a thigh circumference 4 and having a first section comprising a plurality of projecting zones 10 having a second section greater than the first section. Two successive projecting zones 10 are separated by a zone having the first section.

[0025] The 3 / 8 adjustment device also has a second end 11 fixed to a second end of the belt 2 or the leg loop 4 and comprising a second wire element 11a terminated by a constriction loop 12 formed by means of a ring 13 which cooperates with the wire element 11a.

[0026] In an advantageous embodiment, at least a portion of the plurality of protruding zones 10 is formed by a plurality of knots formed by the wire element. It is particularly advantageous to produce the protruding zones 10 by means of a knot because this embodiment is easy to produce while limiting the weight. It is possible to remove a knot and reform it next to it. It is then possible to finely adapt the position of the protruding zone 10 to adapt the circumference of the belt 2 and / or the thigh circumference 4 to the build of the user. Alternatively or in addition, at least a portion of the plurality of protruding zones 10 is formed by braiding the wire element, by overmolding or crimping a protruding element onto the wire element or by means of an additional element installed inside the wire element.

[0027] Alternatively, it is possible to produce the protruding area 10 by folding the wire element on itself and maintaining the folded areas by sewing. It is also possible to provide for the protruding area 10 to be formed by an external element which is fixed to the wire element by any suitable means, for example by sewing or by deformation of the external element.

[0028] Particularly advantageously, the adjustment device 3 / 8 with the plurality of protruding areas 10 has between two and five protruding areas 10. By using several protruding areas 10, it is possible to quickly define different circumferences of the belt 2 or the leg circumference 4 by moving the constriction buckle 12 from one protruding area 10 to the next protruding area 10.

[0029] In a particular configuration, the choke loop 12 is a so-called lark's head knot which makes it possible to quickly form an attachment point which comes into abutment all around the wire element and on the circumference of the protruding zone 10. This configuration also makes it possible to not have to form a knot with two ends of a rope which facilitates its use when the user is wearing gloves.

[0030] It is also important to provide for the use of a buckle gripping member 15 which is mounted on the buckle 12. The use of the gripping member 15 allows the choke buckle to be easily opened even when the user is wearing gloves and / or the choke buckle is wet.

[0031] In a particular configuration, the second end 11 of the 3 / 8 adjustment device is formed by a wire element 11a sewn to define the ring 13. Alternatively, the ring 13 is defined by splicing the wire element 11a forming the second end 11.

[0032] In the illustrated configuration, a first end of the support strip 2a of the belt 2 is terminated by the first wire element which may be in the form of a rope, a cord, a strap. The first end defines a plurality of projecting zones 10 which makes it possible to form a plurality of stop zones. The second end of the support strip 2a of the belt 2 is terminated by the second wire element 11a which may be in the form of a rope, a cord, a strap. The second end 11 defines a constriction knot 12, for example in the form of a ring 12, folded back on itself to define a lark's head.

[0033] Advantageously, the adjustment device 3 is different from the opening / closing device of the belt 2. The opening / closing device may be formed by two rings 14 located at the two opposite ends of the belt 2 in the longitudinal direction. The two rings 14 cooperate with a connector (not shown), for example a carabiner or a quick link which closes the belt 2 to advantageously form a suspension point capable of keeping the user suspended in the harness 1. Alternatively, the two rings 14 cooperate with a rope which defines a knot which encloses the two rings 14.

[0034] It is particularly advantageous to form two rings 14 of textile material, for example with a rope or a strap in order to limit the weight of the harness 1. When the constriction buckle 12 is open, it is possible to remove the protruding zones 10 which allows the complete opening of the belt 2 of the harness 1 and facilitates its installation in particular when the user wears skis or crampons.

[0035] Once the belt 2 is installed around the waist, the user can insert the protruding area 10 most suited to the user's build and then close the constriction buckle 12.

[0036] With the choke buckle 12 closed, an attempt to open the belt 2 places the choke buckle 12 against a protruding area 10 which forms a stop and prevents the buckle from moving along the first end of the adjustment device 3. An identical operation can be applied to the adjustment device 7 of a thigh circumference 4.

[0037] It is particularly advantageous to provide that at least one leg loop 4 is formed by a strap having one end attached to the belt 2. The width of the strap may increase in order to define a comfort zone which comes into contact with the back of the user's thigh and improve comfort when the user is suspended in his harness 1.

[0038] After the comfort zone, the width of the thigh strap 4 may decrease until the strap forming the thigh strap 4 is fixed with the first end of the adjustment device 8 which comprises the plurality of protruding zones 10.

[0039] The second end 11 of the adjustment device 8 is fixed to the strap between the attachment point to the belt 2 and the start of the comfort zone. The second end projects from the strap to cooperate with the first end and close the thigh loop 4.

[0040] This construction allows for a fully openable leg loop 4, which makes it easier to install leg loop 4 when the user is wearing skis or crampons or when it is preferable to install a harness 1 while keeping both feet on the ground.

[0041] It is particularly advantageous to have a wire element having a circular section to form the protruding areas 10 with nodes which ensures better contact between the choke loop 12 and the stop. A substantially identical configuration can be used to form the harness belt.

[0042] The embodiments presented make it possible to form a purely textile harness 1, that is to say without metal or plastic parts which are usually found in the buckles for adjusting the circumference of the belt and / or the leg loops.

[0043] There figure 3illustrates a particular embodiment of the second end of the 3 / 8 adjustment device which terminates in a ring 13 made of wire element. The wire element 11a folds to define the ring 13 and the portions of the wire element 1a are sewn together to fix the dimensions of the ring 13. Alternatively, the ring 13 is defined by splicing and sewing.

[0044] The wire element 11a passes through the ring 13 so as to define the constriction loop, i.e. a lark's head as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 . Once the loop 12 is formed, the user passes one or more protruding areas 10 through the loop 12 to fix the circumference of the belt 2 or the thigh circumference 4. When the circumference reaches the desired value, the user closes the constriction loop 12 so that the adjacent protruding area forms a stop which fixes the circumference of the thigh circumference as illustrated in figure 6 .

[0045] It is for example possible to provide that the plurality of consecutive protruding zones 10 are spaced one centimeter apart to define several available circumferences.

[0046] The use of a 3 / 8 adjustment device produced by a first wire element defining protruding zones 10 and cooperating with a second wire element defining a constriction loop makes it possible to form a harness 1 where the 3 / 8 adjustment device can accept significant constraints while remaining comfortable, simple to use and of very limited weight.

Claims

1. A roping harness (1) comprising a waistband (2) and leg loops (4), at least one of the waistband (2) and each leg loop being provided with a device for ajusting circumference (3, 8) configured to adjust the circumference of the waistband (2) or each of the leg loops (4), characterized in that the device for ajusting circumference (3, 8) has a first end formed by a first wire element having a first cross-section comprising a plurality of projecting areas (10) having a second cross-section whose transverse cross-section is larger than the transverse cross-section of the first cross-section, and in that a second end (11) of the device for ajusting circumference (3, 8) is formed by a choke loop (12).

2. The roping harness (1) according to claim 1 wherein at least a part of the plurality of projecting zones (10) is formed by a plurality of knots defined by the first wire element.

3. The roping harness (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least a part of the plurality of projecting zones (10) is formed by braiding the first wire element, by overmolding or crimping a protruding element onto the first wire element or by means of an additional element installed inside the first wire element.

4. The roping harness (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the plurality of projecting zones (10) comprises between two and five projecting zones (10).

5. The roping harness (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the choke loop (12) is a so-called cow hitch.

6. The roping harness (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a choke loop gripper (15) is mounted on the choke loop (12).

7. The roping harness (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second end (11) is formed by a second wire element (11a) sewn to define a ring (13) cooperating with the first wire element to form the choke loop (12) or wherein the choke loop (12) is defined by splicing the second wire element (11a) forming the second end (11), the splice defining a ring (13) and the ring (13) cooperating with the first wire element to form the choke loop (12).

8. A method of using the roping harness (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps : - inserting at least one of the projecting areas (10) into the choke loop (12) to define a circumference, - tightening the choke loop (12) so as to close the belt (2) or the leg loop, one of the projecting zones (10) locking the choke loop (12) at the desired circumference.