Equipment-holding garment

Abstract

An aircrew ensemble 8 including a first, protective garment 10 such as a flight suit or vest, having a first plurality of attachment elements 38A, 38B. spaced apart on the garment configured to co-operate with a second plurality of complementary attachment elements of a lifejacket (30, figure 1B) that can be worn over the first, protective garment and attached by co-operation of the respective first and second pluralities of attachment elements. The ensemble further includes a second, equipment-holding garment 50 having a third plurality of complementary attachment elements 38A, 38B, such that the second, equipment-holding garment can be worn over the first, protective garment in place of the lifejacket and attached to the first, protective garment, so that the second, equipment-holding garment is interchangeable with the lifejacket.

Description

Equipment-Holding Garment TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to aircrew ensembles worn by aircrew in flight. The present invention also relatas to a method of enabling an aircrew member to store equipment on their person. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Aircrew such as pilots wear an ensemble including a protective flight garment {e.g., a flight suit or vest} when flying in aircraft. Traditionally the suit is either a single piece suit combining both jacket and trousers in a single garment or it is a two-piece suit with a separate jacket and trousers. The protective garment may include special equipment (Aircrew Life Support Equipment - ALSE) that protects the wearer against the effects of g-acceleration or altitude and other potentially damaging factors. When flying thelr aircraft over water, the pilot and crew typically have a lifejacket which is usually attached to and worn over the flight garment. When flying over water, safety equipment 1s carried in a liferaft that is launched when contacting the water. However, when flying over land the lifejacket and liferaft may be dispensed with. When flying over land & more extensive range of safety and survival equipment is carried by the pilot and crew con their persons which may include water packs, first aid kit, etc. Conventionally, this safety and survival equipment is often carried in pockets or other equipment carrying arrangements on the protective flight garment located at the upper torso of the wearer but this has a number of disadvantages: On small and particularly small female aircrew the available surface area on the flight garment for pockets atc. is very limited. The equipment mounted on the chest and waist interferes with the aircrew operating the flight equipment of the aircraft around them such as flight controls etc. The equipment pockets can obstruct a barness worn by the alrcrew. The equipment when carried in the pockets cannct be easily removed for example when the aircrew are on stand-by or in the mess. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircrew ensemble including a first, protective garment. for covering at least a part of a body of a wearer and having a first plurality of attachment elements spaced apart on the garment configured to co-operate with a second plurality of complementary attachment elements of a lifejacket that in use can be worn over the first, protective garment and attached to the first, protective garment by co-cperation of the respective first and second pluralities of attachment elements, wherein the ensemble further includes a second, eguipment-holding garment having a third plurality of complementary attachment elements configured to co-operate with the first plurality of attachment zlements of the first, protective garment such that the second, eqguipment-holding garment can bs worn over the first, protective garment in place of the lifejacket and attached to the first, protective garment by co-operation of the respective first and third pluralities of attachment elements, so that the second, eguipment-holding garment is interchangeable with the lifejackst. The second, equipmsnt-holding garment preferably has substantially the same shape as the lifejacket, such that it overlies the same area of the first, protective garment as the lifejacket. This facilitates the interchangeability. The second, equipment-holding garment may be generally U-shaped, having a central portion configured to pass around the back of a wearer's neck and two arms extending from opposite sides of the central porticn configured to lie cover cpposite sides in front of the wearer's torso. Other shapes are also possible ~ such as a single-lobe design where the lobe liss ovsr the front of the wearer’s torso. The third plurality of complementary attachment elamsnts may comprise an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer’s torso, an attachment element at a position corresponding te the wearer's neck, and / or an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer’s waist. The attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's torso may compriss a zipper or buckle. The attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer’s neck may comprise a first end of a strap extending along the wearer’s back. The attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's waist may comprise a second end of the strap extending along the wearer's hack configured for attachment to a waist belt and / or comprises a loop at a position corresponding to the front of the wearer's waist, in use, configured for attachment to a waist belt. In the embodiment, the second, equipment-holding garment includes a plurality of raceptacles for holding equipment. The aircrew ensemblsz may include the lifejacket in addition to the equipment-carrying garment, these being worn interchangeably according to the circumstances. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of enabling an aircrew member to store equipment on their person when the aircrew member is wearing a first, protective garment for covering at least a part of their and having a first plurality of attachment elements spaced apart on the garment for co-operating with a second plurality of complementary attachment elements of a lifejacket that in use can be worn over the first, protective garment and attached to the first, protective garment by the respective first and second pluralities of attachment elements, the method including providing a second, equipment-holding garment having a third plurality of complementary attachment elements that co-operate with the first plurality of attachment elements of the first, protective garment so that the second, eguipment-holding garment is worn over the first, protective garment and attachad to the first, protective garment by the respective first and third pluralities of attachment elements in place of the lifejacket, so that the second, equipment-holding garment is interchangeable with the lifejacket. Embodiments of the invention may provide a new way of aircrew te carry their safety and survival squipment which is in the form of a “horseshoe”-shaped halter around the neck and chest. Embodiments of the invention may provide new type of equipment pack that can be fitted onto a flight vest or suit in place of a lifejacket when the aircrew are flying over land. The equipment pack and lifejacket both use the same attachment system. The system of flight jacket or vest with the lifejacket or the equipment pack is therefore medular mzaning that the aircrew can select wither the lifejacket or equipment pack to attached to the flight suit or jacket. All of the features described herein may be combined with any of the above aspects, in any combination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DEAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention an embodiment will now he described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A shows a front elevational view of a protective flight garment over which a lifejacket is worn; Figure 1B shows a left side view of the protective flight garment and lifejacket of Figure 1A (other side corrssponds); Figure 1C shows a partial rear elevational view the protective fiight garment and lifejacket cof Figure 1A; Figure 2A shows a front elevational view cf the protective fiight garment similar to that shown in Figure 1A over which an egquipment-carrying garment is worn: Figure 2B shows a left side view of the protective flight garment and equipment-carrying garment of Figure 2A (other side cerresponds}; and Figure 2C shows a cross-sectional view taken along lines A-A of Figures 22 and 28; In the drawings like elements are generally designated with the same reference sign. keferring first to Figure 1A, 1B and iC, an aircrew ensemble 8 includes a flight garment 10 that in this example is a flight vest (but could instead be a jacket or full body suit). The flight garment 10 may be made from an inherently fireproof fabric such as NOMEX®. The flight garment 10 has a waist portion 12, a neck opening 14, and left and right arm holes 16A and 165, respectively. The flight garment 10 also has a front opening 18 closed by, for example, a zipper. The flight garment 10 may also include anti-G inflatable bladders te protect the wearsr from high G-forces. The flight garment 10 carries equipment pockets 20. The flight garment 10 also carries a waist belt 22 and is fitted with a channel 24 extending up the wearer's back for receiving a lifejacket back strap 26. As shown in Figures 1A, 1B and 1C, a lifejacket 30 is worn over the flight garment 10. The lifejacket 30, in the example shown, is generally U-shaped and has a central portion 32 that passes around the back of the wearer's neck and two arms 34A and 34B extending from opposite left- and right-hand sides of the central portion 32 configured to lie over oppcsite sides in front of ths wearer’s torso. Other shapes and configurations of lifejacket are possible. The lifejacket 30 is fitted with an inflation system 33, such as a compressed gas cylinder for inflating a bladder within the lifejacket 30. The lifejacket 30 is typically attached to the flight garment 10 in two or three or more places. Tn the example shown, at tha front torso lifejacket 30 is attached to the flight garment 10 by a pair of zippers 238A and 3BB. A left-hand side zipper 38A has a first row of teeth extending longitudinally along the inner side of the left arm 34A of the lifejacket 30 and a corresponding second row of teeth extending longitudinally along the front of the flight garment 10 generally parallel and spaced to the left of the opening 18 of the flight garment 10. The left arm 34A of the lifejacket 30 is attached to the flight garment 10 by drawing a slider (not shown) of the zipper 382 upwards, which draws the first and second rows of teeth together in the conventional manner of operation of a zipper. Similarly, a right-hand side zipper 38B has a third row of tszeth extending longitudinally along the inner side of the right arm 348 of the lifejacket 30 and a corresponding fourth row of testh extending longitudinally along the front of the flight garment 10 generally parallel and spaced to the right of the opening 18 of the flight garment 10. Ths right arm 34B of the lifejacket 30 is attached to the flight garment 10 by drawing a slider (not shown) of the zipper 38B upwards, which draws the third and fourth rows of teeth together in the conventional manner of operation of a zipper. Alternative attachment arrangements Lo zippers may be used to attach the lifejacket 30 at the front torso to the flight garment 10, such as by buckles or the like. In the example shown, the arms 24A and 34B of the lifejacket 30 are attached to the waist belt 22 at the left- and right-hand sides of the wearer’s torso, respectively. This attachment way be by the waist belt 22 passing through a respective loop (not shown) attached to the underside of the left arm 34A and to the underside of the right arm 34B the lifejacket 30. These form strong anchoring points when the lifedjacket 30 is inflated. The back strap 26 is attached at its lower end to the waist belt 22 (e.g. by lifejacket loop 40 - sees Figure 1B) at the centre of the rear torso and is attached to the lifejacket at its upper end at the central portion 32 at the back of the neck. This may prevsat the lifejacket 30 riding up when inflated. As mentioned above, the back strap 26 is threaded through the channel 24 of the flight garment 10 to further locate the back strap 26. The first attachment elements of the flight garment 10 may comprise: the rows of teeth of the zippsrs 38A and 38B extending longitudinally along the front of the flight garment 10, the waist belt 22, and / or the channel 24 for the back strap 28. The corresponding second attachment elements of the lifejacket 30 may comprise: the rows of teeth of the zippers 38A and 383 extending longitudinally along the inner side of the left arm 34A and the right arm 2348 of the lifeiacket 30, the loops attached to the underside of the left arm 34a and to the underside of the right arm 34B of the lifsjackst 30 through which the waist belt 22 passes the back strap 26 {attached to the lifejacket 30 at its upper end), and / or the icop 40 attached te the back strap 26 at its lover end {for connection to the waist belt 22). As can be seen, the lifejacket 30 covers a significant proportion of the front torso of the wearer. The equipment pockets 20 are consequently located on the flight garment 10 at positions where space allows around the lifejacket 30 (and other equipment such A% a harness etc.). As shown in Figures 2A, ZB and 2C, an embodiment of the invention includes an equipment-carrying garment (or “halter equipment pack”) 50 that can be interchangeably fitted in place of the lifejacket 30. The equipment-carrying garment 50, in the example shown, is generally U-shaped and has a central portion 52 that passes around the back of the wearer’s neck and two arms 54A and 54B extending from opposite left- and right-hand sides of the central portion 52 configured to lie over opposite sides in front of the wearer's torso. Other shapes and configurations of eguipment-carrying garment 50 are possible. The equipment-carrying garment 50 and the lifejacket 10 however preferably have generally the same shape such that they overlie substantially the same areas of the flight garment 10. The squipment-carrying garment 50 is typically attached to the fiight garment 10 in two or three or more places. In the example shown, at the front torso, the equipment-carrying garment 50 is also attached to the flight garment 10 by the pair of zippers 38A and 38E. The left-hand side zipper 38A has a fifth row of teeth extending longitudinally along the inner side of the left arm 354A of the eguipment-carrying garment 50. The left arm 54A of the eqguipment~-carrying garment 50 is attached to the flight garment 10 by drawing a slider (net shown) of the zipper 38A upwards, which draws the fifth and second rows of teeth together in the conventional manner of operation of a zipper (as described above, the second row of teeth extends longitudinally aleng the front of the flight garment 1C generally parallel and spaced to the left of the opening 18 of the flight garment 10}. Similarly, the right-hand side zipper 38R has a sixth row of teeth extending longitudinally along the inner side of the right arm 54B of the equipment~carrying garment 50. The right arm 54B of the equipment-carrying garment SC is attached to the flight garment 10 by drawing a slider (not shown) of the zipper 38B upwards, which draws the sixth and fourth rows of teeth together in the conventional manner of operation of a zipper (as described above, the fourth row of testh extends longitudinally along the front of the flight garment 10 generally parallel and spaced to the right of the opening 18 of the flight garment 10). Alternative attachment arrangements to zippers may be used to attach the equipment-carrying garment 50 at the front torso to the flight garment 10, such as by buckles or the like. In the example shown, the arms 854A and 548 of the eguipment- carrying garment 50 are attached to the waist belt 22 at the left~ and right-hand sides of the wearer’s torso, respectively. This attachment may be by the waist belt 22 passing through a respective loop (not shown) attached to the underside of the left arm 54A and to the underside of thes right arm 54B of the equipment-carryving garment 50. An equilpmant-carrying garment pack strap 5& is attached at its lower end to the waist belt 22 (e.g. by equipment-carrying garment loop 60 - see Figure 2C} at the centre of the rear torso and is attached to the equipment-carrying garment 50 at its upper end at the central portion 52 at the back of the neck. As menticned above, the back strap 56 is threaded through the channel 24 of the flight garment 10 to further locate the back strap 26. As mentioned above, the first attachment elements of the flight garment 10 may comprise: the rows of teeth of the zippers 238A and 38B =xtending longitudinally along the front of the flight garment 18, the waist belt 22, and / or the channel 24 for the back strap 26. The corresponding third attachment elements of the equipment- carrying garment 50 may comprise: the rows of teeth of the zippers 3BA and 38B extending longitudinally along the inner side of the left arm 54A and the right arm 54R of the equipment-carrying garment 548, ® the loops attached to the underside of the left arm 54A and to the underside of the right arm 54B of the eguipment-~ carrying garment 50 through which the waist belt 22 passes, the back strap 56 (attached to the equipment-carrying garment 50 at its upper end), and / or the equipment-carrying garment loop 60 attached to the back strap 56 at its lover end (for connection to the waist belt 22%. The first and third attachment elements co-operate to attach the equipment-carrying garment 50 to the flight garment 10. The equipmsnt-carrying garment SC includes pockets or pouches 70. The pockets or pouches 70 can be fitted with Velcra®, press studs or zippers {cr othar suitable releasable closures) to allow easy access to the different types of contents, such as safety and survival items. The second attachment elements of the lifejacket 30 and third attachment elasments of the squipment-carrying garment 50, when worn over the flight garment 10, are configured so that they are located at the same positions relative to the flight garment 10. Consequently, the first attachment elements of the flight garment 10 can co-operate with second attachment elements of the lifejacket 30, when the lifejacket 30 is worn over the flight garment 10, and the first attachment elements of the flight garment 10 can alsc co-operate with third attachment elements of the equipment~carrying garment 50, when the equipment- carrying garment 30 is worn over the flight garment 10. This enables the equipment-carrying garment 50 to be readily interchangeable with the lifejackst 30, so that either may be worn over the same flight garment 10 at different times, according to the circumstances. The equipment-carxying garment 30 can be fitted conto the flight garment 10 in place of the lifejacket 30 when the aircrew are flying over land and both use the same attachment system. The system of flight garment 10 with the lifejacket 30 or the equipment-carrying garment 50 is therefore modular, meaning that the aircrew can select either the lifejacket 30 or equipment- carrying garment 50 to attach to the flight garment according te the circumstances. The flight garment 10 shown in Figures 2B, 2B and 2C does not have the equipment pockets 20 shown Figures 1A and 1B. The pockets 20 may be replaced by the pockets or pouches 70 on equipment-carrying garment 50. However, the flight garment 10 of Figures 2A, 2B and 2C may include some pockets if desirsad, such as a weapon carrier or beacon holder. The above embodimsnts are described by way of example. Many variations are possible without departing from the invention.

Claims

10An aircrew ensemble including a first, protective garment for covering at least a part of a body of a wearer and having a first plurality of attachment elements spaced apart on the garment configured to co-operate with a second plurality of complementary attachment elements of a lifejacket that in use can be worn over the first, protective garment and attached to the first, protective garment by co-operation of the respective first and second pluralities of attachment elements, wherein the ensemble further includes a second, equipment-holding garment having a third plurality of complementary attachment elements configured to co-operate with the first plurality of attachment elements of the first, protective garment such that the second, equipment-holding garment can be worn over the first, protective garment in place of the lifejacket and attached to the first, protective garment by co-operation of the respective first and third pluralities of attachment elements, so that the second, equipment-holding garment is interchangeable with the lifeiacket.

2. The aircrew ensemble of claim 1, wherein the second,25        equipment-holding garment has substantially the same shapeas the lifejacket.

3. The aircrew ensemble of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second, equipment-holding garment is generally U-shaped and has a30        central portion configured to pass around the back of awearer's neck, iri use, and two arms extending from opposite sides of the central portion configured to lie over opposite sides in front of the wearer's torso, in use.35   4. The aircrew ensemble of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the thirdplurality of complementary attachment elements comprise an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's torso, in use, an attachment element at a positioncorresponding to the wearer's neck, in use, and an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's waist, in use.

5. The aircrew ensemble of claim 4, wherein the attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's torso, in use, comprises a zipper or buckle.

6. The aircrew ensemble of claim. 4 or 5, wherein the attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's neck comprises a first end of a strap extending along the wearer's back, in use.

7. The aircrew ensemble of claim 6, wherein the attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's waist comprises a second end of the strap extending along the wearer's back, in use, configured for attachment to a waist belt and / or comprises one or more loops at a position corresponding to the front of the wearer's waist, in use, configured for attachment to a waist belt.

8. The aircrew ensemble of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second, equipment-holding garment includes a plurality of receptacles for holding equipment.The aircrew ensemble of any one of claims 1 to 7, includin'the lifejacket.

10. A method of enabling an aircrew member to store equipment on their person when the aircrew member is wearing a first, protective garment for covering at least a part of their and having a first plurality of attachment elements spaced apart on the garment for co-operating with a second plurality of complementary attachment elements of a lifejacket that in use can be worn over the first, protective garment and attached to the first, protective garment by the respective first and second pluralities of attachment elements, the method including providing a second, equipment-holding garment having a third pluralityof complementary attachment elements that co-operate with the first plurality of attachment elements of the first, protective garment so that the second, equipment-holding garment is worn over the first, protective garment and attached to the first, protective garment by the respective first and third pluralities of attachment elements in place of the lifejacket, so that the second, equipment-holding garment is interchangeable with the lifejacket.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third plurality of complementary attachment elements comprise an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's torso, an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's neck, and an attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's waist.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's torso comprises a zipper or buckle and the second, equipment-holding garment is attached to the first, protective garment by closing the zipper or fastening the buckle.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's neck comprises a first end of a strap extending along the wearer's back.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the attachment element at a position corresponding to the wearer's waist comprises a second end of the strap extending along the wearer's back that is attached to a waist belt and / or comprises a loop position corresponding to the front of the wearer’s waist that is attached to a waist belt.

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