Wearable weight distribution device

Abstract

A wearable weight distribution device that includes an upper-body interface, a lower-body interface, and at least one retractable load-bearing component comprising a first end connected configured to be detachably connected to the upper-body interface and a second end configured to be detachably connected to the lower-body interface. The retractable load-bearing component is configured to extend and retract. When the retractable load-bearing component is in an extended position, a load path is provided from the upper-body interface, through the retractable load-bearing component, and to the lower-body interface to transmit at least a portion of the load from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface.

Description

WEARABLE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION DEVICECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63 / 607,904 filed on December 8, 2023 and entitled “Wearable Weight Distribution System and Methods of Use,” the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to devices and systems for distributing a load or weight worn by a user.

[0003] Military’ personnel, such as soldiers, are issued, and often required to wear body armor, such as an Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) or a Modular Scalable Vest (MSV). Training and combat missions require that the IOTV be outfitted with front and rear armor plates, along with various combinations of first aid kits, canteens, ammo pouches, etc. lOTVs typically weigh 30-35 pounds, and MSVs typically weigh 25-30 lbs. Furthermore, these vests can weigh much more hen fully loaded with other gear. When wearing a rucksack (backpack) in addition to an IOTV, the weight borne by soldiers’ shoulders and backs can exceed 100 or 150 pounds. The sustained weight of lOTVs can also increase a soldier’s risk of musculoskeletal overuse injuries or other injuries such as to the nen es, particularly in the back and shoulder regions. The sustained weight of lOTVs can create significant discomfort on the shoulders and lower back, which can impact a soldier’s health, fatigue state, physical effectiveness, and operational readiness. Thus, there is a need to offload the weight of body’ armor sustained by soldiers.SUMMARY

[0004] A wearable weight distribution device that comprising an upper-body interface that includes a load, a lower-body interface, and at least one retractable load-bearing component. The at least one retractable load-bearing component may comprise a first end connected to the upper-body interface and a second end configured to be connected to the lower-body interface. Either end of the retractable load-bearing component may be detachably connected to the upper-body or lower-body interface. The at least one retractable load-bearing component maybe configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position. When the at least one retractable load-bearing component is in the extended position, a load path can be provided from the upper-body interface, through the retractable load-bearing component, and to the lower-body interface to transmit at least a portion of the load from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface. When the retractable load-bearing component is in the retracted position, the retractable load bearing component can be collapsed and operatively disconnected from the lower-body interface such that no load path is provided from the upperbody interface to the lower-body interface.

[0005] In certain examples, the at least one retractable load-bearing component is coupled to a side panel at a side of the upper-body interface; the load of the upper-body interface is body armor; the at least one retractable load-bearing component is spring biased in the retracted position; and / or the at least one retractable load-bearing component is spring biased by a constant force spring coupled to a length of the at least one retractable load-bearing component.

[0006] In an example, when in the retracted position, the at least one retractable load-bearing component is fully retracted behind a portion of the upper-body interface such that no portion of the retractable load-bearing component is visible.

[0007] In another example, a string element is coupled to the second end of the at least one retractable load-bearing component and to the lower-body interface, the string element being taut when the at least one retractable load-bearing component is in the extended position, and the string element not being taut when the at least one retractable load-bearing component is in the retracted position.

[0008] In some examples, a control mechanism is operatively coupled to the retractable loadbearing component to move the retractable load-bearing component between the extended and retracted positions; the control mechanism is positioned on the upper-body interface; the control mechanism comprises one or more of: a clutch; an actuator is coupled to the control mechanism, the actuator being configured to engage and release the control mechanism; and / or the actuator is switch operatively coupled to the control mechanism. An actuator may be powered (e.g., motor, solenoid) or passive (e.g., manual control such as a knob that the user exerts a force upon to extend and / or retract the load-bearing component).

[0009] In certain aspects, the at least one retractable load-bearing component comprises collapsible scissor arms or the at least one retractable load-bearing component comprises telescoping rods.

[0010] A wearable weight distribution device that comprises an upper-body interface that includes a load, a lower-body interface, and first and second retractable load-bearing components. Each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components may comprise a first end detachably connected to a side of the upper-body interface and a second end configured to be detachably connected to the lower-body interface. First and second control mechanisms can be operatively coupled to the first and second retractable load-bearing components, respectively, to move the first and second retractable load-bearing components between an extended position and a retracted position. When the first and second retractable load-bearing components are in the extended position, a load path is provided from the upperbody interface, through each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components, and to the lower-body interface to transmit at least a portion of the load from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface. When the first and second retractable load-bearing components are in the retracted position, each of the first and second retractable load bearing components are collapsed and operatively disconnected from the lower-body interface such that no load path is provided from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface. The retractable load-bearing components may also be locked at intermediate lengths between fully extended and fully retracted positions.

[0011] In some examples, each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components comprises collapsible scissor arms; and / or each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components is spring biased in the retracted position. In some other embodiments, each of the load-bearing components has no spring bias, or each is biased to the extended position or biased to an intermediate position between fully retracted and extended positions.

[0012] In an aspect, when in the retracted position, each of the first and second retractable loadbearing components is fully retracted behind a side panel of the upper-body interface such that no portion of the retractable load-bearing component is visible.

[0013] In certain examples, each of the first and second control mechanisms comprises one or more actuators and / or one or more clutches attached to the upper-body interface; an actuator is coupled to each of the first and second control mechanisms, each actuator being configured toextend and / or retract each respective first and second retractable load-bearing component, each clutch is configured to lock the retractable load-bearing component as a given length and unlock it so that it may retract, each actuator comprising one or more powered (e.g., motorized) or passive (e.g., manual) mechanisms or a combination thereof attached to the upper-body interface; the load of the upper-body interface is body armor; and / or a string element is coupled to the second end of each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components and to the lower-body interface, the string elements being taut when the first and second retractable load-bearing components are in the extended position. In some embodiments, a single control mechanism controls both the first and second retractable load-bearing component. In some embodiments, there may be one or more actuators and one of more clutches. In some embodiments, there is only a single retractable load-bearing component, while in other embodiments there are more than two retractable load-bearing components (e.g., 3 or 4).

[0014] This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary' and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understand the nature and character of the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. It is to be understood that the drawings illustrate only some examples of the disclosure and other examples or combinations of various examples that are not specifically illustrated in the figures may still fall within the scope of this disclosure. Examples will now be described with additional detail through the use of the drawings, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a front side perspective view of a wearable weight distribution device, according to one example, showing the device as worn by a user;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the wearable weight distribution device of FIG. 1, showing a retractable load-bearing component in an extended position;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the wearable weight distribution device of FIG. 1, showing the retractable load-bearing component in retracted position FIG. 4;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a front view of the wearable weight distribution device of FIG. 1, showing retractable load-bearing components in an extended position;

[0020] FIG. 5 is front view of the wearable weight distribution device of FIG. 4, showing the retractable load-bearing components in a retracted position;

[0021] FIGS. 6 A and 6B are schematic views of the wearable weight distribution device of FIG. I. showing the retractable load-bearing component in extended and retracted positions respectively;

[0022] FIGS. 7 A and 7B are enlarged schematic views of the retractable load-bearing component of FIG. 1, in the extended and retracted positions respectively, and showing the retractable load-bearing component operatively coupled to a control mechanism;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a wearable weight distribution device, according to another example, showing the device as worn by a user and a retractable load-bearing component in an extended position;

[0024] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a wearable weight distribution device similar to FIG. 8. showing the retractable load-bearing component in a retracted position;

[0025] FIG. 10 is a partial side view of the wearable weight distribution device illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, showing the retractable load-bearing component connected to a side panel;

[0026] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the retractable load-bearing component of the wearable weight distribution device illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9;

[0027] FIG. 12 is a partial view of the retractable load-bearing component illustrated in FIG. 11;

[0028] FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the wearable weight distribution device illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, showing the user sitting on a seated surface and the retractable load-bearing component in the extended position to transfer load to the seated surface; and

[0029] FIGS. 14-17 are graphs illustrating the results of an example case study in connection with a wearable weight distribution device in accordance with the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present disclosure generally provides a wearable weight distribution device that comprises an upper-body interface that includes a load (e.g. weight of body armor), a lower- body interface, and at least one retractable load-bearing component. The at least one retractable load-bearing component may comprise a first end configured to be detachably connected to the upper-body interface and a second end configured to be detachably connected to the lower-body interface. The at least one retractable load-bearing component can be configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position, and may be lockable at one or more positions in between fully extended and retracted positions. When the at least one retractable load-bearing component is in the extended position (i.e., extended beyond some minimum or specified length), a load path is provided from the upper-body interface, through the retractable load-bearing component, and to the lower-body interface to transmit at least a portion of the load from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface. When the retractable load-bearing component is in the retracted position, the retractable load bearing component is collapsed and operatively disconnected from the lower-body interface such that no load path is provided from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface.

[0031] It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present disclosure may have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present disclosure, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, other elements found in atypical wearable assistance device or typical method of using a wearable assistance device. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements may be desirable and / or required in order to implement the present disclosure. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. It is also to be understood that the drawings included herewith only provide diagrammatic representations of the presently preferred structures of the present disclosure and that structures falling within the scope of the present disclosure may include structures different than those shown in the drawings. Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like structures are provided with like reference designations.

[0032] Before explaining at least one embodiment in detail, it should be understood that the inventive concepts set forth herein are not limited in their application to the construction detailsor component arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are merely for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting.

[0033] It should further be understood that any one of the described features may be used separately or in combination with other features. Other invented devices, systems, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examining the drawings and the detailed description herein. It is intended that all such additional devices, systems, methods, features, and advantages be protected by the accompanying claims.

[0034] The present disclosure relates to a wearable weight distribution device that is designed to offload or reduce back, shoulder, and neck strain due to load supported by the wearer (also referred to herein as the '‘user’’), such as the weight of body armor or other trunk-worn gear. To address the issue of sustained body armor weight, the present disclosure can provide a lightweight, wearable weight distribution device that can shift or offload a portion of the body armor weight from the shoulders of the wearer to the hips and / or waist of the wearer. A modeswitching (extendable / retractable) mechanism can disconnect from (or change its mechanical connection to) a lower-body interface, such as a waist belt, for example. This allows the user to modulate the amount of weight distribution and relief provided by the device. The device can retract up into the body armor when offloading is not desired and / or when a user wants to maximize freedom of movement. The device can then extend down to connect to (and / or transmit force to) a component on the waist belt or lower-body interface when offloading of the body armor weight is desired. Offloading of the body armor weight is achieved by providing a mechanical load path from the body armor to the waist belt, thereby enabling force (due to the weight of the body armor) to bypass or partially bypass the wearer’s shoulders and back.

[0035] A weight distribution device 100 of the present disclosure generally comprises an upper-body interface 102 that includes a load 10, such as the weight of body armor, a lower body interface 104, and one or more retractable load-bearing components 110, as seen in FIGS. 1-3. Upper-body interface 102 may be, for example, a vest, any body armor, an IOTV, an MSV, a lead apron, a heavy vest, a backpack, a camera stabilizer, a baby carrier, an exoskeleton or sub-portion of an exoskeleton, or the like. Lower-body interface 104 may be for example, a waist-belt, pants, shorts, a girdle, leg sleeves, or the like. Each retractable load-bearingcomponent 110 connects at one end 112 (also referred to as the ‘‘first end”) to upper-body interface 102 and is connectable at the other end 114 (also referred to as the “second end”) to lower-body interface 104. Either end of the retractable load-bearing component 110 may be detachably connected to the upper-body interface 102 or lower-body interface 104. The detachable nature of these connections may be such that the load-bearing component 110 is completely released from and separate from the upper-body interface 102 or lower-body interface 104. Alternatively, the detachable nature of these connections may be an operative or mechanical disconnection, such that force is no longer transmitted through the load-bearing component 110. Each retractable load-bearing component 110 can be extended to offload the weight of the body armor 10 from the user’s shoulders and back to the user’s waist.

[0036] In an aspect, the one or more retractable load-bearing components 110 comprise first and second retractable load-bearing components 110. As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the first retractable load-bearing component 110 can be connected to one side (e.g. the left side) of the upper-body interface 102 and the second retractable load-bearing component 1 10 can connected to the other side (e.g. the right side) of the upper-body interface 102. Each retractable load-bearing component 110 can be attached to a side panel 106, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, or portion thereof, of upper-body interface 102, and the attachments may be permanent or detachable.

[0037] When each retractable load-bearing component 110 is in its extended position, as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a load path is provided from upper-body interface 102 through the retractable load-bearing component 110 to the lower-body interface 104 to transmit at least a portion of the load 10 (e.g. weight of the body armor) from upper-body interface 102 to lower- body interface 104. And when each retractable load-bearing component 110 is in its retracted position, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, each retractable load-bearing component 110 is operatively disconnected from lower-body interface 104 such that no load path is provided from upperbody interface 102 to lower-body interface 104 when offloading of the weight of the body armor is not needed. Also, as seen in FIG. 5, when each retractable load-bearing component 110 is retracted into the retracted position, each retractable load-bearing component 110 can disappear behind or under upper-body interface 102 to be out of the way. As seen in FIG. 1, a fabric cover 116 can be provided to cover the retractable load-bearing component 110 when in the extended position to mitigate snags on the component.

[0038] In an example, each retractable load-bearing component 110 can comprise collapsible scissor arms 111, as seen in FIGS. 6A and 7A (showing the scissor arms 111 in the extended position) and FIGS. 6B and 7B (showing the scissor arms 111 in the retracted position). The scissor arm design of retractable load-bearing components 110 allows components 110 to collapse into a very7small form factor that can fit fully under or inside the side panel 106 of upper-body interface 102, as best seen in FIG. 6B. That is, when in the retracted position, scissor arms 111 are fully retracted behind a portion of the upper-body interface 102 such that no portion of the scissor arms 111 is visible, as seen in FIG. 5. In other examples, the retractable load-bearing components 110 may be positioned outside or adjacent to the side panel when fully retracted. There may be one or more load-bearing components 110 located along any side or sides of the user.

[0039] Each retractable load-bearing component 110 can be extended and retracted using a control mechanism 120. Control mechanism 120 can include, for example, any kind of manual actuator, powered actuator, clutch, friction lock, push button lock, latch, or the like for extending and / or retracting the load-bearing component 110, for locking or maintaining the load-bearing component 110 in its extended state, and for unlocking or releasing the same to allow the load-bearing component 110 to retract and / or extend.

[0040] An actuator 130 can be provided that is a switching or release mechanism operatively coupled the control mechanism 120 for engaging and releasing the clutch mechanism within the control mechanism 120. Actuator 130 can be, for example, a manual actuator such as a button, switch, or dial, or a powered actuator (e.g., motors, solenoid) with a processor, power source (e.g., battery ), and one or more sensors for controlling control mechanism 120.

[0041] Another or second actuator (124) can be provided to extend the retractable load-bearing component 110. Actuator (124) can be, for example, a manual actuator such as a button, switch, or dial, or a powered actuator (e.g., motors, solenoid) with a processor, power source (e g., battery) and one or more sensors for controlling control mechanism 120.

[0042] Control mechanism 120 and its actuators 130 and 124 can be located separately from each retractable load-bearing component 110 and connected thereto via a transmission 140, such as a Bowden cable, to transmit force between control mechanism 120 and load-bearing component 110. This enables the control mechanism 120 to be located anywhere on device 110 that is convenient for the wearer to reach and toggle the one or more actuators. In anexample, both control mechanism 120 and actuators 130 and 124 are located on upper-body interface 102. In other aspects, the control mechanism 120 is arranged such that one or more portions of the control mechanism 120 is located on the lower-body interface or elsewhere on the device or wearer of the device. Actuators 130 and 124 can be formed as part of control mechanism 120, as seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B. Alternatively, actuators 130 and 124 can be separate from control mechanism 120 and operatively coupled thereto via a transmission. In some embodiments, there are greater or fewer actuators, for instance, in the case of a single actuator that provides multiple functions (e.g., both retracts and extends the load-bearing component 110, or both unlocks the clutch and retracts the load-bearing component 110). There may be one or more clutch mechanisms within the control mechanism, and these may be unidirectional or bidirectional, and may or may not be spring biased.

[0043] To offload the weight of the body armor 10, the retractable load-bearing components 110 can be extended down until the scissor arms 111 are in compression. In an example, a string element 108 (FIGS. 6A and 6B), which may be part of lower-body interface 104 (or alternatively part of the load-bearing component 110, or the attachment in between) is connected to the scissor arms 111 and is in tension when the scissor arms 111 are extended. In this example, the string 108 becomes loose when the scissors arm 111 are retracted. This is an example of a detachable connection because when the string becomes loose it operatively disconnects the load-bearing components 110 from the lower-body interface 104 (i.e., the string cannot bear compression forces and therefore in this retracted state with loose string there is no load path that can transmit force from the upper-body interface 102 to the lower-body interface 104).

[0044] String element 108 can be, for example, string, rope, cable, elastic band, webbing, strap or other flexible element, and the like and can be tied to or clipped to the waist belt (lower- body interface) 104, and may be permanently attached or detachable thereto. Due to the flexibility and length of string element 108, string element 108 will not restrict movement of the scissor arms 111 when the scissor arms 111 are retracted.

[0045] The further each scissor arm 111 is extended, the greater the percentage of the load 10 (e.g. weight of the body armor) that is supported by the load-bearing component 110. When fully supported, the force of the load 10 travels through the scissor arms 1 11 (e.g. compression force), through the string elements 108 (tension force), through the lower body interface 104(e.g. waist belt), and onto the user’s waist, thus creating a load path that bypasses the user’s shoulders and back.

[0046] Extension of the scissor arms 111 of the load-bearing component 110 can be performed manually by the user pulling down on the scissor arms 111. Alternatively, extension of the scissor arms 111 and load-bearing component 110 can be achieved through remote actuation via control mechanism 120. For instance, control mechanism 120 can be a cooperating rotary ratchet 121 and pawl 122, as seen in FIGS. 7A and 7B which is a ty pe of unidirectional clutch designed to serve two purposes: (i) to lock the scissor arms 111 at a given length, and (ii) to allow the user to further extend the scissor arms 111. In an example, the user can manually rotate an outer housing 124 (manual actuator) of control mechanism 120, which causes an inner cable 126 (e.g. an inner cable of a Bowden cable) to wind around a spool 128 inside control mechanism 120, as seen in FIG. 7A (extended position) and FIG. 7B (retracted position). Inner cable 126 can run through an outer cable 129 and down to the first end 112 of the scissor arms 111. Thus, when inner cable 126 is pulled onto spool 128 inside control mechanism 120, it transmits force and pulls the first end 112 of the respective scissor arms 111 together, which causes the scissor arms 111 to extend. Because of the rachet and pawl design of control mechanism 120, inner cable 126 can rotate in one direction (to spool up), but the pawl or pawl tooth 122 in the ratchet 121 prevents the spool 128 from rotating in the other opposite direction, thus serving a locking function (i.e., clutch function) to maintain the scissor arms 111 and the load-bearing component 110 at a given length.

[0047] Once sufficient / desired offloading is achieved, the ratchet 121 and pawl 122 of each control mechanism 120 can lock or maintain the desired extension of each respective scissor arm 111. With scissor arms 111 extended at either hip or side of the user, as seen in FIG. 4, the load 10 or weight of the body armor can be taken off the user’s shoulders and redirected to the hips / waist, or to another object if the second end of the load-bearing component 110 is contacting the external environment. For instance, offloading can also be realized when the user is sitting by the load-bearing component 110 offloading the force directly onto a seated surface.

[0048] When offloading is not needed, the scissor arms 111 of the load-bearing component 110 are retracted (or collapsed) under the side panels 106 of upper-body interface 102. In an example, each scissor arm 111 can be spring biased in the retracted position. For example, thescissor arms 111 can be quickly retracted via a constant force spring 150 (FIG. 4) when control mechanism 120 is disengaged. The spring 150 acts as a passive actuator that provide the force needed to retract the load-bearing component 110. The spring 150 can be oriented along the length of the scissor arms 111 to bias the scissors arms 111 into a collapsed state. In other embodiments, the spring 150 may bias towards extension or towards a specified position (length) of the load-bearing component 110. The spring 150 may be replaced with another passive or powered actuator to serve the same retraction or extension function.

[0049] Control mechanism 120 can be disengaged by the user by manually disengaging the pawl 122 from the ratchet 121 using actuator 130. Actuator 130, can be, for example, a lever arm or button, as seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B, that the user manually pushes or pulls to release control mechanism 120 (e.g. by extracting the pawl 122 from the ratchet 121). This could also be an electromechanical actuator such as a solenoid. This would then allow the constant force spring 150 to retract the scissor arms 110. Actuator 130 may be replaced with another passive or powered actuators to serve the same clutch disengagement function.

[0050] FIGS. 8-13 illustrate a weight distribution device 100’ according to another example of the present disclosure. Device 100’ is similar to device 100 described above, except that the retractable load-bearing component 110’ comprises telescoping rods 111 ' (FIG. 11). Telescoping rods 111’ can be lengthened to an extended position, as seen in FIG. 8, and collapsed into a retracted position, as seen in FIG. 9. When the telescoping rods 111’ are in the extended position (FIG. 8), a load path is provided from upper-body interface 102, through the telescoping rods 111 ’, and to lower-body interface 104 to transmit at least a portion of the load (e.g. body armor weight) from upper-body interface 102 to lower-body interface 104. When the telescoping rods 111 ’ are in the retracted position (FIG. 9), the telescoping rods 111’ are collapsed and operatively disconnected from lower-body interface 104 such that no load path is provided from upper-body interface 102 to lower-body interface 104.

[0051] The telescoping rods 111 ’ can include an attachment, such as clips 113’ at a first end ‘ 112 that insert into attachments 103 (FIG. 10) of upper-body interface 102. The clips 113’ are an example of a detachable connection between the load-bearing components 110’ and the upper-body interface 102. The attachments 103 may be. for example, fabric loops, such MOLLE loops. The attachments 103 may be located at the side panels 106 of upper-bodyinterface 102 for receiving and coupling to the first end 112' of the telescoping rods 111', as seen in FIG. 10.

[0052] With the telescoping rods 111 ' at one or more sides of the user, the full or partial weight of body armor 10 can be taken off the shoulders and redirected to the hips / waist via lower-body interface 104, such as a waist belt. The waist belt may be cushioned, or similar to a tactical belt or any other belt, wrap, or attachment capable of transmitting loads comfortably to the user’s pelvis, waist, or hips.

[0053] Telescoping rods 111’ can be manually extended and the second end 114’ thereof placed into a corresponding attachment 105 of the lower-body interface 104, as seen in FIG. 11. The attachment 105 can be, for example, a fabric pouch, that is part of the waist belt. The ability to extend the telescoping rods 111 ’ into the pouch attachment 105 and retract out of the pouch attachment 105 is one example of a detachable connection. Once sufficient or desired offloading is achieved by the user, the telescoping rods 111’ can be locked into place via a control mechanism 120’, such as a cam lock (clutch), as seen in FIG. 11. The cam lock 120’ can provide a locking function by clamping down on the telescoping rods 111’ such that the relative positions and length of the telescoping rods 111 ’ is held in place via friction. The cam lock 120’ can also provide a switching function via a tab 122' (FIG. 12) that manually flips open to unlock / disengage and flips closed to lock / engage (clamp down on) the telescoping rods 111’. The cam lock 120’ can be configured side-to-side, but it could also be oriented up-down or in any other direction. The cam lock 102’ may be spring-loaded (biased into locked or unlocked mode), and it may be configured to allows rod motion of the telescoping rods 111’ in one direction but not in the other (e.g., to function like a unidirectional clutch). Because the telescoping rods 111’ are extendable to varying lengths, instead of a fixed length, this device 100’ can be adjusted by the wearer based on their desired offloading (e.g., partial or full offloading of the body armor weight).

[0054] When weight offloading is not needed, the telescoping rods 11 1 ’ can be quickly retracted up into the side panels 106 of upper-body interface 102 via a bias spring, such as an elastic cord that can run inside of the telescoping rods 111 ’. This retraction function allows a mode where the telescoping rods 111’ collapse up into the side panel 106, and thus act / move as part of the upper-body interface, so that the telescoping rods 1 11 ’ do not hinder a user’s range of motion, or protrude significantly from the body, or create any other interference ordiscomfort. This elastic cord enables this retraction to be fast and easy to use, which is also beneficial to the user experience. As soon as the tab 122’ on the cam lock 120’ is opened, the telescoping rods 1 11 ’ can retract upward and out of the way via the elastic cord. In this example, Note that in this example, the second end 114’ of the load-bearing component (telescoping rods) 111’ is completely disconnected from the lower-body interface 104 when retracted. There is no string element, for example, between the second end 114’ of the loadbearing component 111 ’ and the lower-body interface 104.

[0055] Offloading of the user’s shoulders and back can also be achieved even during sitting, as the extended rods 111’ can reach (rest on) the seating surface, as seen in FIG. 13, instead of being connected to the lower-body interface 104. Thus, the load 10 (e.g. weight of the body armor) is redirected to and bome by the seat during sitting, which bypasses and reduces loading on the wearer’s shoulders and back.

[0056] The present disclosure can be used to improve shoulder and back comfort, reduce musculoskeletal loading and overexertion injury risk to the back and shoulders, and reduce fatigue by offloading a portion or all of the weight of an IOTV or other trunk-worn loads (e.g., lead apron worn by a surgeon, other types of body armor, heavy vests, backpacks). The device can be mode-switching such that users can benefit from musculoskeletal offloading (extended mode) but then easily and quickly toggle the assistance off (retraced mode) to maximize freedom of movement and minimize form-factor of this wearable system. In certain aspects, the present disclosure does not require a motor or battery. The device of the present disclosure can integrate directly into existing body armor, specifically IOTV attachment points in the retracted state, and transfers the load to a lower belt-mounted carrier when extended. The wearable weight distribution device provides considerable relief to the user when engaged (extended) and gets out of the way to maximize freedom of movement when disengaged (retracted).

[0057] It should be understood that the inventive concepts set forth herein are not limited in their application to the construction details or component arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology’ employed herein are merely for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting.

[0058] It should further be understood that any one of the described features may be used separately or in combination with other features. Other invented devices, systems, methods, features, and advantages will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examining the drawings and the detailed description herein. It is intended that all such additional devices, systems, methods, features, and advantages be protected by the accompanying claims.

[0059] There are multiple variations of the devices of the present disclosure, for instance, involving different attachment points or numbers of attachment points to the upper and lower body interfaces 102 and 104.

[0060] If a passive actuator (e.g., spring) is used for retraction of the load-bearing component 110 / 110’, then this could be any kind of spring or elastic component, such as a metal spring, elastic bands, elastic webbing, elastic cord, or a gas spring. In other aspects, the spring can be replaced by a powered actuator, such as an electric motor or solenoid. A powered actuator may move (e.g., pull and push) the load-bearing components into retracted and / or extended states, or may engage or disengage one or more clutches. This actuator may be located in or on the load-bearing component, or could be located elsewhere on the upper-body or lower-body interface or on the user’s body and configured so that its force is transmitted via a transmission system such as gears, pulleys, or a Bowden cable to the load-bearing component.

[0061] A powered actuator may be powered by a battery (or other power source) and controlled by a processor (e.g., microcontroller) that can toggle modes or adjust the length of the loadbearing component based on sensor data or manual user action or input (e.g., manually pressing a button, voice control). An automated control system may be comprised of one or more sensors, a processor, and a control algorithm that switches modes based on inputs or a trigger from one or more sensors. Exemplary' sensors include microphones (to capture audio, voice), inertial measurement units (to capture body dynamics data), manual buttons or touch sensors, or muscle activity sensors (to capture electromyography). For example, a sensor might be an inertial measurement unit (IMU) worn on the IOTV or the device 100 / 100’, in which case the processor could command the powered actuator to extend the scissor arms or rods to provide support when the IMU signals indicate the user is in an upright standing or walking posture, and then command the powered actuator to retract the scissor arms or rods when the IMU signals indicate that the user’s posture or movement state changed (e.g., to crouching or running). Sensors may be directly7connected (wired) to the processor, or may7be remotesensors (e.g., on other parts of the body or IOTV) that wirelessly transmit data to the processor. The processor may then directly (wired) or remotely (wirelessly) transmit control signals to the powered actuator.

[0062] In some aspects, only a single rod component may be used to connect the upper-body and lower-body interfaces 102 and 104. This load-bearing component may come in other shapes such as a V- shape or upside-down V-shape. It may retract or collapse using mechanisms or geometries other than telescoping or scissors.

[0063] In other aspects, more than two rods components could be used, for instance, with one on the left, one or the right, and one on the back side (posterior) of the trunk and belt.

[0064] The trunk-worn load need not be an IOTV (body armor) for Soldiers, but could be any body-worn load including a backpack, vest, exoskeleton, exosuit, or lead apron (e.g., worn by doctors / nurses in the operating room).

[0065] The load-bearing components 110 / 110’ could be attached to upper-body or lower-body interfaces 102 and 104 in a permanent, semi-permanent, or detachable way. Exemplary variations include load-bearing components 110 / 110’ that can freely telescope in and out of attachment points on the interfaces when assistance is not needed, can quickly lock into place when needed, or can quickly unlock and / or detach (e.g., from waist-belt pouch) as needed.

[0066] In other examples, the control mechanism 120 / 120’can be comprised of a friction lock, a push button lock (as often found in suitcase handles), a friction clutch, one-way clutch, or any other kind of mode-sw itching lock or clutch. The control mechanism can be controlled by a manual actuator (broadly defined, such as a switch or button), or can be controlled by a powered actuator (e.g., motor).

[0067] The actuator 130 or switching mechanism may be comprised of a button, latch, clasp or other mechanism that a user manually interacts with to lock or unlock the system. The switch may be co-located with the control mechanism 120 / 120’. Alternatively, the switch may be located on another part of the device 100 / 100’, the body armor, or user’s body. There may be one switch per load-bearing component 110 / 110’. Alternatively, there may be a single switch that simultaneously controls multiple load-bearing components 110 / 110’. For instance, a single switch might be affixed to the waist belt of lower-body interface 104 of the user, withmultiple Bow den cables (or other flexible conduit transmissions) that connect to two or more load-bearing components 110 / 110’, such that when the actuator 130 is pressed, all load-bearing components 110 / 110’ lock or unlock simultaneously.

[0068] In some examples, the device 100 / 100' will be biased towards retraction, such that when a button is pressed a spring (or other actuator) will move the device into a retracted state. In other examples, the device will be biased towards extension, such that when a button is pressed a spring (or other actuator) will move the device into an extended state. In such a case, the user may manually retract the load-bearing component 110 / 110' or there may be other mechanisms or actuators to provide or enable this function.

[0069] In some aspects, the attachment to lower-body interface 104 can be designed with a mechanism to help move the load-bearing components 110 / 110’ into alignment or engagement (e.g., with a pouch) when they are extended. For instance, this could include of a magnet on the bottom end of the telescoping rods 110’, for example, and another magnet of opposite polarity’ on or in the pouch of lower-body interface 104, such that once the bottom of the rods 110’ end got close enough, the magnets helped pull the rods 110’ into full engagement to be ready for load-bearing.

[0070] In other aspects embodiments, the device 100 / 100’ attaches directly to the body armor or to another type of backpack, vest or trunk-worn load. In other aspects, the device 100 / 100’ is designed with a frame that wraps up over the shoulders, such that the body w orn load is worn or laid on top of this frame. There may be intermediate components or connectors between the load-bearing component and the attachment to the lower-body or upper-body interface.

[0071] In some aspects, the device 100 / 100’ connects to pouches (or other attachments) on a waist belt. In other embodiments the device 100 / 100’ could connect to pouches (or other attachments) on the legs (e.g., via thigh sleeves or shorts) or even extend all the way down to the feet / shoes or the ground via longer rods that use telescoping to maintain a small formfactor while retracted.

[0072] In another aspect, device 100 / 100' is built or integrated directly into body armor, such an IOTV, or into another kind of vest, backpack, exoskeleton, exosuit, or trunk-wom load. In some embodiments, the positions of components are inverted relative to the upper-body andlower-body interfaces in the examples detailed, for instance, each load-bearing component 110 / 110’ may extend upward and retract downward.EXAMPLE CASE STUDYDesign and Function

[0073] A weight distribution device was designed in accordance with the present disclosure to control the amount of body armor weight redirected to the user’s waist versus supported by their shoulders. A prototype of device 110 was used in a human subject experiment in which the body armor offloading, user-reported discomfort, muscle activity, and trunk kinematics was measured. Participants were tested wearing 16 kg body armor that is 0%, 30%, 60%, and 90% supported by the device to represent traditional body armor without support (0%), slightly- offloaded (30%), moderately-offloaded (60%), and greatly-offloaded (90%) body armor. Focus was made on walking and standing activities that are commonly performed for long durations by Soldiers who routinely wear body armor. The weight distribution device enabled us to offload 0-100% of trunk-worn body armor, and this prototype was confirmed to function up to at least 34 kg. This device comprises three main sub-systems: (i) a waist belt, (ii) two extendable scissor arms that connect the belt to the body armor, and (iii) two manual control mechanisms, one per extendable arm. The device was attached to a 3rdgeneration Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV), standard issue body armor for the U.S. Army. The device (excluding the body armor) is 950 g in total, with 500 g (extendable arms and control mechanisms) attached to the body armor and 450 g due to the waist belt.

[0074] The w eight of the body armor is offloaded to the padded waist belt via the tw o scissor arms. The belt is made from a military tactical belt (65mm tall by 12mm thick, MOLLE Battle Belt, Wolf Tactical). This belt is similar in size and padding to the tactical belts that some Soldiers already w ear for carrying additional gear. The top of each scissor arm is attached via MOLLE to the inside of the left-side and right-side panels of the body armor. The bottom of each scissor arm is connected to the belt via 13 cm of Kevlar string, which itself is affixed to the left and right sides of the waist belt. The scissors are made of 3.2 mm thick (7075 Aluminum) linkages connected via Chicago bolts and low-friction bushings.

[0075] When the scissors arms are extended (and the string element is taut in tension), then these components create a new load path from the body armor to scissor arms to the string tothe waist belt. If the scissor arms are extended further, then the body armor is pushed upwards and a greater percentage of the body armor weight goes through this new load path, as opposed to through the user’s shoulders and low back. If the scissor arms are retracted (and the string element is loose), then the full weight of the body armor is bome by the person’s shoulders and the only load path is through their musculoskeletal system (e.g., spine).

[0076] The control mechanism for each extendable arm comprises a rotary rachet / spool and pawl mechanism connected to the outside of each body armor side panel. Each mechanism controls the length of one scissor arm, and thus the amount of body armor offloading. The control mechanism is connected to the scissor arm via a Bowden cable. Internally, when the pawl is inserted into the ratchet it locks the inner Bowden cable length, which locks the scissor arm at its current length. Externally, the control mechanism is shaped like a dial that users can turn manually to rotate the ratchet / spool. To increase body armor offloading, the users rotate the control mechanisms with their hands. This spools in the inner Bowden cable and forces the scissor arms to extend. To reduce body armor offloading, the user pushes down on a release lever that extracts the pawl from the ratchet. This allows the inner Bowden cable to unspool and the scissor arms to retract. When fully retracted, the scissor arms are positioned under each side panel of the body armor and thus out of the way.

[0077] Design aspects of the weight distribution device enhances usability and practicality. These design aspects include the added constant power spring that connects the top and bottom of the scissor arms to quickly and fully retract them when the pawl is released. This feature is expected to be useful in highly-dynamic or emergency situations, for instance, by quickly getting the scissor arms out of the way. Second, the scissor arms are covered in an elastic fabric cover to help minimize snag risk when extended or pinch risk when retracting. Third, attachment methods (e.g., MOLLE) are employed that would allow the device to integrate into a variety of common body armors (e.g., Modular Scalable Vest, different generations of IOTV).Data collection

[0078] Thirteen (13) participants were recruited for this study (see Table 1 below). All participants were veterans recently discharged from the U.S. Army or Marines who had at least 3 years of experience wearing body armor.TABLE 1

[0079] Each data collection consisted of 28 trials split into 14 trial pairs of a standing trial followed by a walking trial. Participants performed the first and last trial pair without body armor to serve as a baseline (No-BA). For the middle 12 trial pairs, participants wore body armor and the offloading device. These 12 trial pairs tested 4 offloading conditions 3 times each in the following order: ZERO, LOW, MED, HIGH, ZERO, LOW, MED, HIGH, ZERO, LOW, MED. HIGH. For the ZERO conditions, the device did not provide any offloading, thus the body armor was fully supported by the shoulders. LOW, MED, and HIGH conditions provided a targeted offloading of 30%, 60%, and 90% of the total w eight of the body armor. Four (4) conditions were selected to represent a full spectrum of offloading amounts. Each condition was tested 3 times to allow greater intra-subject validity than testing each conditiononly once. The body armor worn was 16 kg (35 pounds), which includes a Gen 3 IOTV, a front and back training plate, and 2 kg weights attached to the front of the vest and to each side panel. Standing trials consisted of 1 minute of standing in a neutral posture. Walking trials consisted of 1 minute of level walking on an instrumented treadmill (BERTEC) at 1.5 m / s.

[0080] To adjust and validate the body armor offloading, two load cells connected in series were used with the Kevlar string that connects the device’s scissor arms and waist belt. Two FUTEK load cells (LCM200 and LCM300; Irvine, California) measured the left and right tension in the string at 2000 Hz. The sum of the tension in the string signifies the body armor offloading (i.e., the amount of force being offloaded from the shoulders and back to the waist). This data was used before each trial to adjust the scissor arms for the 4 different offloading conditions. For LOW, MED, and HIGH offloading conditions, the experimenter extended the scissor arms until the load cells collectively supported 46 N, 92 N, and 138 N, representing 30%. 60%. and 90% of the weight of the body armor. For the ZERO condition, the scissor arms were fully retracted and no load was supported by the load cells. Load cell data was also collected throughout each trial to further validate the offloading provided.

[0081] Trunk muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography (EMG) sensors collected at 2000 Hz (Delsys Tringo). The experimenter placed 8 sensors bilaterally following SENIAM guidelines on the participant's longissimus thoracis (measured lateral of LI), iliocostalis (measured lateral of L2), rectus abdominis, and external oblique. These muscles are comparable to previous studies on weight distribution devices and representative of the trunk muscles used to understand and model spine compression forces. Before attaching each sensor, the skin was shaved, abraded with a scrub brush, and wiped with an alcohol wipe. Participants performed maximum voluntary’ contractions (MVC) before the start of the data collection. Maximum activation of the Longissimus Thoracis and Iliocostalis Lumborum were recorded from an isometric trunk extension. Maximum activation of the rectus abdominis and obliques were recorded from an isometric trunk flexion. Both motions were performed in a roman chair while the experimenter provided manual resistance. Before analyzing, each muscle’s raw EMG data was filtered using the following steps: demeaned, high pass filtered using a 4thorder zero-lab Butterworth with 50 Hz cutoff frequency, rectified, low pass filtered using a 4thorder zero-lab Butterworth with a 10 Hz cutoff frequency, and normalized to theMVC.

[0082] Trunk flexion was measured using a wireless inertial measurement unit (Movella Dot) collected at 60 Hz. This sensor was placed along the spine between the T4-T8 vertebrae. Zero degrees of trunk flexion was defined for each participant as their average angle in the sagittal plane during their first standing trial without body armor (No-BA). Trunk motion was measured using optical motion capture and a special marker set for load carriage data collections. However, the data from the IMU was ultimately chosen to be used due to the prevalence of the body armor occluding the markers around the neck during the offloading trials.

[0083] Subjective data was collected from participants on local discomfort, overall discomfort, and preference. Bodily discomfort was assessed using a survey question for standing and walking trials at each offloading condition. To limit survey fatigue and allow for acclimation, this data was collected only during the last cycle of offloading condition tests (Trial pairs 10- 13). Participants rated the severity of their discomfort using the RPE-D, a 10 point discomfort scale ranging from "No Discomfort” at 0 to '‘Maximal Discomfort” at 10. This survey also includes a >10 option for “Pain”. Discomfort ratings were provided for the shoulders, back, and waist, which were expected to be affected by the body armor and different levels of offloading. The participants also rated their overall discomfort on the same scale. Finally, at the end of all the trials, the participants identified their preferred condition was out of the 4 options (ZERO, LOW, MED, HIGH).Data Analysis

[0084] The average of each trial’s offloading, trunk flexion, and muscle activity time series data was calculated. Trials with repeat conditions were combined, and the average of this time series data was calculated for each participant at each offloading condition. A generic extensor muscle activity was calculated by averaging together the 4 trunk extensors muscle signals (Longissimus Thoracis and Iliocostalis Lumborum) and a flexor muscle activity by averaging together the 4 trunk flexors (Rectus Abdominis and Obliques), these grouped muscle activities were used to examine more generalized trends in the trunk.

[0085] The offloading and subjective data were averaged across participants. This data was analyzed descriptively to help validate that offloading was being achieved, and as a guide to help further improve the design. Average offloading was used to validate that the device was providing offloading close to the target levels (30%, 60%, and 90%) across trials. Discomfortdata was averaged across participants and analyzed visually for trends and consistent preferences. Discomfort and preference data was also evaluated as number or proportion of participants who gave each answer.

[0086] Trunk flexion and muscle activity metrics were statistically analyzed using a linear mixed effects model. Using the fitlme function in MATLAB, participants were set as a random effect (random intercepts, fixed slope) and the offloading condition was set as a fixed effect. This model evaluated differences between the ZERO condition and the LOW, MED, and HIGH conditions. The primary metrics evaluated with this model were the trunk extensor muscle activity, the trunk flexor muscle activity, and the trunk flexion angle for both standing and walking. Multiple comparisons were corrected for using the Holm-Bonferroni method.Results

[0087] The graph of FIG. 14 shows the average and standard deviation offloading for standing (left) and walking (right) trials. The average achieved offloading with the weight distribution system was within 11 N of the targeted levels of offloading, shown as horizontal dashed lines. Offloading was measured using two load cells between the belt and the scissor arms. For the ZERO condition, the weight distribution device was fully retracted to not redistribute any load from the shoulders to the belt.

[0088] Load cell data demonstrated that the weight distribution device in accordance with the present disclosure provided offloading in 3 distinct categories, and up to 89% of the body armor weight. For standing trials, the belt supported an average ± standard deviation of 48±7 N, 96±9 N, and 136±8 N for LOW, MED, and HIGH offloading conditions. This amount of support equates to 32%, 63%, and 89% of the total weight of the body armor. For walking trials, the belt supported an average of 48±8 N, 86±10 N, and 126±9 N for LOW, MED, and HIGH offloading conditions. This amount of support equates to 32%, 56%, and 83% of the total weight of the body armor

[0089] The graph of FIG. 15 shows that the overall discomfort (left column) was lowest for the LOW and MED offloading conditions. As more weight was offloaded to the belt, discomfort was reduced at the shoulders but increased at the waist (middle two columns). Discomfort at the back was consistently low (right column). Discomfort during standing (top row) was consistently less than during walking (bottom row), however the trends betweenoffloading conditions were the same. Bars and error marks represent the average and standard deviation of the participant’s subjective discomfort scores using the RPE-D scale from 0 (No Discomfort) to 10 (Maximal Discomfort).

[0090] Subjective ratings demonstrated that the weight distribution device in accordance with the present disclosure can reduce the discomfort of standing and walking in body armor. Overall discomfort was lowest for the LOW offloading condition, and both LOW and MED conditions were rated lower than ZERO. For standing, 12 / 13 participants rated LOW better than or equal to ZERO and 11 / 13 rated MED better than or equal to ZERO. For walking, 12 / 13 participants rated LOW better than or equal to ZERO and 9 / 13 rated MED better than or equal to ZERO. At the shoulders, discomfort decreased with greater amounts of offloading. Inversely, discomfort at the waist increased as more of the load was supported by the belt. Discomfort at the back was low and did not have a consistent trend between conditions. 12 participants were asked for their preference between the 4 conditions. None of them preferred ZERO, while 3 preferred LOW, 4 preferred MED, and 1 preferred HIGH. The other 4 preferred somewhere between LOW and MED. One participant was mistakenly not asked their preference.

[0091] In the graph of FIG. 16, the left bars show average and standard deviation trunk flexion when standing. Standing with No-BA was defined as 0 degrees flexion for each participant. The right bars show average and standard deviation trunk flexion when walking. Trunk flexion when walking with HIGH offloading was statistically less than walking with ZERO offloading. All other comparisons were not statistically significant.

[0092] Trunk flexion angle was mostly unchanged across standing trials, but did become slightly more extended during walking as more weight was offloaded to the belt. For standing trials, there was no statistical difference between ZERO and the other 3 conditions. The average ± SD trunk flexion for ZERO was 0.6+1.9°, which was within 0.4° of the other 3 offloading conditions (LOW = 1.0+1.4, MED = 0.6+1.6, HIGH = 0.5+1.7). For walking trials, the HIGH trunk flexion (2.8+3.4) was statistically less than the ZERO condition of 4.8+3.5 (p< 0001). LOW (4. 1+3.6) and MED (3.7+3.6) trunk flexion were not statistically different than ZERO, however, did follow a trend of slightly decreasing trunk flexion with increasing offloading.

[0093] In the graph of FIG. 17, on top, the average and standard deviation muscle activity for the 4 extensor muscles during walking and standing. On bottom, the average and standard deviation of the 4 flexor muscle activities when standing and walking for each condition. There were no significant differences in these muscle activities between the body armor fully supported by the shoulders (ZERO) versus partially supported by the belt (LOW, MED, or HIGH).

[0094] Trunk extensors and trunk flexors had low levels of muscle activity and were not statistically different between offloading conditions. For standing, the average trunk extensors across participants were within ±0.1 %MVC across ZERO (2.4±1.4%MVC), LOW (2.2+1.3 %MVC), MED (2.2+1.3%MVC), and HIGH (2.2+1.2%MVC). Trunk flexors for standing were similarly consistent across ZERO (4.4+2.0 %MVC), LOW (4.7+2.3 %MVC), MED (4.9+2.5 %MVC), and HIGH (4.8+2.3 %MVC) conditions. Walking had higher muscle activity than standing, but was similarly agnostic to the level of offloading. Trunk extensors during walking had muscle activities of 6.2+2.2 %MVC, 6.2+2.3 %MVC, 6.5+2.4 %MVC, and 6.5+2.6 %MVC for ZERO, LOW, MED, and HIGH conditions respectively. Trunk flexors during walking had muscle activities of 7.1+3.1 %MVC, 7.4+3.1 %MVC, 7.5+3. 1 %MVC, and 7.8+3. 1 %MVC for ZERO, LOW, MED, and HIGH conditions respectively. Overall, these results demonstrate that this weight distribution device can provide body armor offloading and improve user comfort without introducing negative side effects to a user’s muscle activity or posture. This evidence supports the use of this kind of weight distribution device to improve comfort and reduce shoulder and spine loading, and suggests that it may help reduce back injury risk due to body armor.

[0095] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings that modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Likewise, the various examples described may be used individually or in combination with other examples. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various combinations of examples not specifically described or illustrated herein that are still within the scope of this disclosure. In this respect, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the specific examples set forth and the examples of the disclosure are intended to be illustrative, not limiting.

[0096] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, the adjective “another,” when used to introduce an element, is intended to mean one or more elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having” and similar terms are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0097] The term “mechanism” and “component” herein may be used interchangeably, and either may refer to a single part or to an assembly of more than one part.

[0098] Additionally, where a method described above or a method claim below does not explicitly require an order to be followed by its steps or an order is otherwise not required based on the description or claim language, it is not intended that any particular order be inferred. Likewise, where a method claim below does not explicitly recite a step mentioned in the description above, it should not be assumed that the step is required by the claim.

[0099] It is noted that the description and claims may use geometric or relational terms, such as, such as right, left, above, below, upper, lower, top, bottom, linear, arcuate, elongated, parallel, perpendicular, etc. These terms are not intended to limit the disclosure and, in general, are used for convenience to facilitate the description based on the examples shown in the figures. In addition, the geometric or relational terms may not be exact. For instance, walls may not be exactly perpendicular or parallel to one another because of, for example, roughness of surfaces, tolerances allowed in manufacturing, etc., but may still be considered to be perpendicular or parallel.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:1 . A wearable weight distribution device, comprising: an upper-body interface, the upper-body interface including a load; a lower-body interface; and at least one retractable load-bearing component comprising a first end connected to the upper-body interface and a second end configured to be detachably connected to the lower-body interface, the at least one retractable load-bearing component being configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein when the at least one retractable load-bearing component is in the extended position, a load path is provided from the upper-body interface, through the retractable load-bearing component, and to the lower-body interface to transmit at least a portion of the load from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface, and wherein when the retractable load-bearing component is in the retracted position, the retractable load bearing component is collapsed and operatively disconnected from the lower-body interface such that no load path is provided from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface.

2. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1, wherein the at least one retractable load-bearing component is coupled to a side panel at a side of the upper-body interface.

3. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1, wherein the load of the upperbody interface is body armor.

4. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1. wherein the at least one retractable load-bearing component is spring biased in the retracted position.

5. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 4, wherein the at least one retractable load-bearing component is spring biased by a constant force spring coupled to a length of the at least one retractable load-bearing component.

6. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1, wherein when in the retracted position, the at least one retractable load-bearing component is fully retracted behind a portion of the upper-body interface such that no portion of the retractable load-bearing component is visible.

7. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1, wherein a string element is coupled to the second end of the at least one retractable load-bearing component and to the lower-body interface, the string element being taut when the at least one retractable load-bearing component is in the extended position.

8. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1. wherein a control mechanism is operatively coupled to the retractable load-bearing component to move the retractable load-bearing component between the extended and retracted positions.

9. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 8. wherein the control mechanism is positioned on the upper-body interface.

10. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 8, wherein the control mechanism comprises an actuator and / or clutch.

11. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 8, wherein at least one actuator is coupled to the control mechanism, the one or more actuators being configured to extend and / or retract one or more load-bearing components, and / or to engage and / or disengage one or more clutch of the control mechanism.

12. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 11, wherein the one or more actuator is a manual switch or dial, passive actuator, or powered actuator that operatively couples to the control mechanism.

13. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1, wherein the at least one retractable load-bearing component comprises collapsible scissor arms.

14. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 1, wherein the at least one retractable load-bearing component comprises telescoping rods.

15. A wearable weight distribution device, comprising:an upper-body interface, the upper-body interface including a load; a lower-body interface; first and second retractable load-bearing components, each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components comprising a first end connected to a side of the upper-body interface and a second end configured to be detachably connected to the lower-body interface; first and second control mechanisms operatively coupled to the first and second retractable load-bearing components, respectively to move the first and second retractable load-bearing components between an extended position and a retracted position; wherein when the first and second retractable load-bearing components are in the extended position, a load path is provided from the upper-body interface, through each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components, and to the lower-body interface to transmit at least a portion of the load from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface, and wherein when the first and second retractable load-bearing components are in the retracted position, each of the first and second retractable load bearing components are collapsed and operatively disconnected from the lower-body interface such that no load path is provided from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface.

16. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components comprises collapsible scissor arms.

17. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components is spring biased in the retracted position.

18. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 15, wherein when in the retracted position, each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components is fully retracted behind a side panel of the upper-body interface such that no portion of the retractable load-bearing component is visible.

19. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second control mechanisms comprises an actuator and / or clutch attached to the upperbody interface.

20. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 19, wherein one or more actuator is coupled to each of the first and second control mechanisms, each actuator being configured to extend and / or retract one or more load-bearing components, and / or to engage and disengage one or more clutch of each respective first and second control mechanism, and each actuator is attached to the upper-body interface.

21. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 15, wherein the load of the upperbody interface is body armor.

22. The wearable weight distribution device of claim 15, wherein a string element is coupled to the second end of each of the first and second retractable load-bearing components and to the lower-body interface, the string elements being taut when the first and second retractable load-bearing components are in the extended position.

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