Outdoor power tool harness

Abstract

An outdoor power tool harness (100) comprises a back plate (110); a chest buckle (170); a leg plate (160) operatively coupled to the back plate (110) and the chest buckle (170) to support the power tool; and a shoulder strap assembly (130) operably coupled to the back plate via a shoulder strap adjustment assembly (120), the shoulder strap adjustment assembly comprising an elongate sliding member affixed to the shoulder strap assembly (130) and configured to slide in relation to the back plate (110), thereby defining a continuous adjustment range along the length of the sliding member, and a locking member operable to lock the position of the sliding member to the back plate (110) at any position along the adjustment range, such that adjusting the position of the sliding member in relation to the back plate (110) adjusts the effective length of at least one shoulder strap (132 / 134) between the back plate (110) and the chest buckle (170).

Description

OUTDOOR POWER TOOL HARNESSTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Example embodiments generally relate to an outdoor power tool harness and, more particularly, relate to a height adjustment arrangement of a shoulder strap assembly of such a harness for conferring adjustability and comfort when wearing the harness.BACKGROUND

[0002] Property maintenance tasks are commonly performed using various forms of outdoor power tools that are configured for the performance of corresponding specific tasks. Some of those forms of outdoor power tools are designed to be effective at performing the specific tasks in situations that could be relatively brief, or could take a long time including, in some cases, a full day of work. When operating an outdoor power tool for a long period of time, fatigue can play a role in the operation of the outdoor power tool. Regardless of how long the operator uses the outdoor power tool, it is important that the operator remains able to effectively maneuver the outdoor power tool to achieve the best possible results for the property maintenance tasks.

[0003] To help reduce the speed and severity of the onset of fatigue, operators may wear a harness that may better distribute the force felt by the operator from the weight of the outdoor power tool. However, the fitment of the harness may determine the effectiveness of the harness at minimizing fatigue. The harness may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, and therefore some form of adjustment for the harness may be desired. However, a balance must be struck between ease of operation and security of operational settings, and between comfort and usability. Example embodiment enable obtaining a balance of these factors.SUMMARY

[0004] The above issues are at least partly addressed by an outdoor power tool harness comprising a back plate configured to interface with a back portion of an operator wearing the harness; a chest buckle; a leg plate operably coupled to the back plate and the chest buckle to support a power tool responsive to attachment of the power tool at the leg plate; and a shoulder strap assembly configured to support weight of the power tool at least in part on shoulders of anoperator when wearing the harness, the shoulder strap assembly comprising a first shoulder strap configured to be carried by a first shoulder of the operator and a second shoulder strap configured to be carried by a second shoulder of the operator, each of the first and second shoulder straps being operably coupled to the back plate and to the chest buckle, wherein the shoulder strap assembly is operably coupled to the back plate via a shoulder strap adjustment assembly comprising an elongate sliding member affixed to the shoulder strap assembly and configured to slide in relation to the back plate, thereby defining a continuous adjustment range along the length of the sliding member, and a locking member operable to lock the position of the sliding member to the back plate at any position along the adjustment range, such that adjusting the position of the sliding member in relation to the back plate adjusts the effective length of at least one of the first and second shoulder straps between the back plate and the chest buckle. Thereby, the effective length of at least one of the first and second shoulder straps may be continuously adjusted in a non-stepwise manner over a range of non-discrete lengths, determined by the adjustment range of the sliding member, to change a carrying position of the harness. According to embodiments, the locking member may be held at the back plate, and / or held in a fixed position in relation to the back plate. The locking member may, for example, be attached directly to the back plate. According to some embodiments, the locking member may be permanently attached to the back plate. The sliding member may be affixed to the shoulder strap at opposite ends of the adjustment range. By way of example, the sliding member may be configured as a strap. The locking member may be operable to be reconfigured between a locked state, in which it locks to the sliding member, and an unlocked state, in which it enables the sliding member to be adjusted along the adjustment range. Typically, the leg plate may be operably coupled to the back plate and the chest buckle via a carrying strap. The leg plate may be slidably suspended on the carrying strap. The harness may comprise a tool connector, for example a hook, for connecting to the outdoor power tool. The outdoor power tool may, for example, be a forestry and / or garden maintenance tool, such as a clearing saw, a brush cutter, a grass trimmer or a leaf blower. Such tools typically have an attachment loop for connecting to a hook of an outdoor power tool harness. The tool connector of the harness may be attached to the leg plate, or to a carrying strap at the position of the leg plate.

[0005] According to embodiments, the shoulder strap assembly may comprise a cushion pad arrangement comprising a first cushion pad configured to rest against the first shoulder of theoperator and a second cushion pad configured to rest against the second shoulder of the operator, and each of the first and second shoulder straps may comprise a respective chest buckle adjustment strap, which adjustably connects a respective cushion pad to the chest buckle so as to allow the position of the chest buckle to be adjusted in relation to the first and second cushion pads. Thanks to the combination of the chest buckle adjustment straps and shoulder strap adjustment assembly, the position of the cushion pads may be adjusted independently of the position of the chest buckle. In particular, the position of the front end of the cushion pad arrangement may be adjusted, which allows vertically moving the adjustment range of the chest buckle adjustment straps.

[0006] According to embodiments, the sliding member may be attached to the shoulder strap assembly at a first attachment position and at a second attachment position, and the locking member may be configured to lock to the sliding member at a selectable position between the first and second attachment positions.

[0007] According to embodiments, the outdoor power tool harness may further comprise a receiving pocket formed at the back plate, the receiving pocket being configured to receive the locking member. According to further embodiments, the receiving pocket may be shaped complementary to a shape of an outer perimeter of the locking member. The receiving pocket may be recessed into a surface of the back plate. Alternatively or additionally, the receiving pocket may be formed from sidewalls raised from a surface of the back plate.

[0008] According to embodiments, the locking member may comprise a cam buckle lock. The cam buckle lock may include a base portion that fits in a receiving pocket as defined above, and a pivot lock portion that rotates relative to the base portion to transition the locking member between a locked state and an unlocked state. Optionally, said base portion may be a metallic base portion and / or said pivot lock portion may be a metallic pivot lock portion.

[0009] According to embodiments, the cam buckle lock may include a base portion that is formed integrally into the receiving pocket and a pivot lock portion that rotates relative to the base portion to transition the locking member between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0010] According to embodiments, an instance of the sliding member may be provided at each of the first shoulder strap and the second shoulder strap such that the effective lengths of the first and second shoulder straps may be adjusted independently of one another.

[0011] According to embodiments, the shoulder strap assembly may further comprise a shoulder strap base element, wherein said first and second shoulder straps are operably coupled to the back plate via the shoulder strap base element, and wherein an instance of the sliding member is affixed to the shoulder strap base element such that the effective length of the first and second shoulder straps is adjusted simultaneously. According to embodiments, the shoulder strap base element may be configured as a base strap. The sliding member may be affixed to the shoulder strap base element at a lateral position between the first and second shoulder straps.

[0012] According to embodiments, the outdoor power tool harness may further comprise a waist belt operably coupled to the back plate to support the weight of the power tool at least in part on a waist of the operator when wearing the harness. The waist belt may comprise a waist belt buckle, which may optionally be connectable to the chest buckle.

[0013] According to embodiments, the sliding member may be permanently attached to the back plate.

[0014] According to embodiments, said sliding member may extend through at least one, and preferably two, through-apertures of the back plate.

[0015] According to embodiments, said shoulder strap assembly may comprise a cushion pad arrangement, and said shoulder strap adjustment assembly may be attached at a free end of the cushion pad arrangement, wherein said free end is movable in relation to the back plate responsive to adjustment of the shoulder strap adjustment assembly. Thereby, any creasing or folding of the cushion pad arrangement, responsive to adjustment of the effective length of the shoulder straps, may be avoided.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0016] Having thus described some example embodiments in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a rear view of an outdoor power tool harness with a shoulder strap adjustment assembly of an example embodiment;

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a harness in accordance with another example embodiment;

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a top portion of a back plate of the harness of Fig. 1;

[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of a back plate of the harness of Fig. 1;

[0021] FIG. 5 A illustrates a rear view of a top portion of the back plate of the harness of Fig.1;

[0022] FIG. 5B illustrates a front view of the top portion of the back plate of the harness of Fig. 1;

[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates a side perspective view of a shoulder strap of the harness of Fig. 1;

[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates a view of a sliding member and locking member interfacing with the shoulder strap of Fig. 6;

[0025] FIG. 8A illustrates a perspective view of the locking member of Fig. 7; and

[0026] FIG. 8B illustrates an exploded perspective view of the locking member of Fig. 8 A.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Some example embodiments now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all example embodiments are shown. Indeed, the examples described and pictured herein should not be construed as being limiting as to the scope, applicability or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” is to be interpreted as a logical operator that results in true whenever one or more of its operands are true. As used herein, operable coupling should be understood to relate to direct or indirect connection that, in either case, enables functional interconnection of components that are operably coupled to each other.

[0028] In some example embodiments, an operator may wear an outdoor power tool harness while actively operating an outdoor power tool. The harness may be utilized for operably coupling to an outdoor power tool that may be too heavy or otherwise cumbersome to effectively operate for extended periods of time. The harness includes at least one leg plate, which is sometimes also called hip pad, that may serve to separate the outdoor power tool from direct physical contact with the operator, while simultaneously engaging the power tool to enable the harness to support its weight. Furthermore, the nature of performing lawn care and maintenancetasks may often imply that anyone should be able to operate the outdoor power tool, regardless of the operator’s physical size and strength. In this regard, a standard harness may not properly fit all potential operators of the outdoor power tool, even with a range of sizes built into the standard harness. Moreover, some users (regardless of size) may wish to carry the leg panel / hip pad (and therefore also the power tool) at different heights for different jobs, or at different times.

[0029] Although many harnesses may be adjustable in some form, the changes are typically limited to only a single adjuster, which may slip over time, to discrete fixed positions, which inevitably do not suit some users, or to complicated modifications, which may require tools. As such, it may be desirable to not only expand the range of sizes of the harness so that operators of all sizes may still wear the harness when operating outdoor power tools, but to make the adjustability between supporting different users and different power tool heights very easy, and seamless. Thus, some example embodiments may provide a harness and shoulder strap assembly of the harness that can not only be adjusted easily (for comfort and / or tool carrying height), but which do not slip over time and in use.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a rear view of an outdoor power tool harness 100 of an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the harness 100 includes a back plate 110, a shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120, a shoulder strap assembly 130, an optional waist belt 140, an optional side strap 150, a leg plate 160, and a chest buckle 170. The back plate 110 may, in a functional sense, be centrally located relative to the other components of the harness 100 such that the back plate 110 may serve as a base to which the other components may be operably coupled. The back plate 110 may also play an integral role in supporting the operator’s back when the harness 100 is being worn and an outdoor power tool is in use. The back plate 110 may be operably coupled to the shoulder strap assembly 130 at one of a plurality of selected locations, where such selected locations are selected by the operator via the shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120.Accordingly, the shoulder strap assembly 130 may be configured to extend around, and rest on top of, an operator’s shoulders. The shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120 may give the operator the ability to move in a full range of motion comfortably by enabling the operator to operably couple the shoulder strap assembly 130 to the back plate 110 at any of a plurality of non-discrete locations along the length of each shoulder strap (or a common adjustment strap). In this regard, it may be possible to quickly and easily adjust the position at which the shoulderstraps of the shoulder strap assembly operably couples to the back plate 110, which may accordingly alter the effective size of the harness 100.

[0031] The back plate 110 may also be operably coupled to the waist belt 140. The waist belt 140 may be configured to secure to an operator’s waist when the operator is wearing the harness 100. In this regard, the waist belt 140 may distribute some of the load force from the weight of the outdoor power tool off of the operator’s shoulders, so as to minimize the onset of operator fatigue when using the outdoor power tool for an extended period of time. The back plate 110 may also be operably coupled to the side strap 150, which may be configured to operably couple the back plate 110 to one side of the shoulder strap assembly 130, e.g. via the chest buckle 170. The side strap 150 is configured to pass below the operator’s arm pit on a side opposite the side at which the outdoor power tool is directly or indirectly supported (e.g., via a hook assembly disposed on the leg plate / hip pad 160). The chest buckle 170 includes two parts 170a, 170b that buckle together, but are shown unbuckled in FIG. 1.

[0032] The leg plate 160 may include a pad portion 162 and a hook 164, and may be suspended in an optional carrying strap 180, the length of which may be adjustable.Alternatively, the leg plate 160 may be coupled to e.g. the waist belt 140. The pad portion 162 may be made of leather, webbed material, or any other durable material that can withstand contact with and movement of the outdoor power tool as it is supported by the hook 164 and moved (typically pivoted) to facilitate cutting operations by the power tool. The adjustable carrying strap 180 provides an interface to the back plate 110 and the chest buckle 170, and thereby a functional connection to the shoulder strap assembly 130, to define different carrying heights for the leg plate 160 and consequently for the outdoor power tool supported on the hook 164. In the illustrated example, the carrying strap 180 has a first end 180a connected to the back plate 110, and a second end 180b connected to the chest buckle 170 so as to be adjustable in a ladder buckle adjuster 170c at chest buckle 170. The side strap 150 comprises a buckle connector 151 which is connectable to a mating connector 152 of the chest buckle 170, and / or to a mating connector 153 on the carrying strap 180.

[0033] The shoulder strap assembly 130 of this example embodiment includes a first shoulder strap 132 and a second strap 134 that each individually operably couple to the back plate 110 via the shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120. In this regard, each of the first shoulder strap 132 and the second shoulder strap 134 may interface separately with the shoulderstrap adjustment assembly 120 to define a positioning of the shoulder straps 132, 134 and / or the back plate 110 on the back of the operator at any selectable height (or position on the back) that the operator desires. Once a comfortable positioning is determined, the shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120 may be secured to maintain the fitment selected on the operator. Details of how the strap adjustment assembly 120 operates (and is structured) according to an example embodiment will be discussed in greater detail below.

[0034] The shoulder strap assembly 130 comprises a cushion pad arrangement 133, 135, whereby the first shoulder strap 132 comprises a first cushion pad 133 configured to rest against a first shoulder of the operator, and the second shoulder strap comprises a second cushion pad 135 configured to rest against the second shoulder of the operator. Each of the first and second shoulder straps 132, 134 further comprises a respective chest buckle adjustment strap 137, 139, which adjustably connects the respective cushion pad 133, 135 to the chest buckle 170. This allows the position of the chest buckle 170 to be adjusted in relation to the first and second cushion pads 133, 135.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a harness 200 in accordance with an example embodiment. The harness 100 detailed in FIG. 1 may be an example of the harness 200 described herein, i.e. features described for the harness 200 may be provided for also in the harness 100 of Fig. 1, and vice versa. As shown in FIG. 2, the harness 200 may include a back plate 210, a strap adjustment assembly 220, a shoulder strap assembly 230, a belt 240, a side strap 250, and a chest buckle 270, which may have similar structure and function as the corresponding similarly named components described in reference to FIG. 1 above. The harness 200 may also include a leg plate 260 (or hip pad) which may be operably coupled to both the back plate 210, the chest buckle 270 and the side strap 250 (or at least one of the shoulder straps of the shoulder strap assembly 230). In an example embodiment, the side strap 250 may be operable coupled to the chest buckle 270 or another portion of the harness 200 via a snap lock (not shown). In some embodiments, the leg plate 260 may be configured to rest along one side (e.g., right or left) of the operator to provide a padded barrier between the outdoor power tool and the leg or hip of the operator on the corresponding side. The leg plate 260 may have a hook or other device for supporting the outdoor power tool. In this regard, the operator may have additional protection from the outdoor power tool, especially for an extended period of time, and weight of the power tool.

[0036] The harness 200 may also include an adjustable carrying strap 280 that operably couples the chest buckle 270, the back plate 210, and the leg plate 260 together to achieve adjustable height settings for the leg plate 260. For example, the leg plate 260 may be configured to be slidable along the carrying strap 280. The chest buckle 270 may be operably coupled to the shoulder strap assembly 230 and, in some cases, may be supported from above on each lateral side thereof by respective right and left straps of the shoulder strap assembly 230. The chest buckle 270 may include a buckle or other releasable component to enable left and right portions of the chest buckle 270 to be either connected to each other (e.g., when in use and being worn for use) and separated from each other (e.g., to permit donning and doffing the harness 200 by the operator), for example, along the dashed line perforation shown in FIG. 2.

[0037] The chest buckle 270 is also operably coupled to the leg plate 260, along with the back plate 210, via carrying strap 280. Moreover, in an example embodiment, the carrying strap 280 may be operably coupled to each of the chest buckle 270 and the back plate 210 in an adjustable manner so that both the operable coupling of the carrying strap 280 to the back plate 210 and to the chest buckle 270 are adjustable without tools.

[0038] In some cases, the carrying strap 280 may be adjustable at an infinite number of locations with respect to the chest buckle 270 instead of the discrete number of selectable fixed positions. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that the leg plate 260 is adjustable in height (along the operator’s leg or hip) based on repositioning of the carrying strap 280 connection to either or both of the chest buckle 270 (which has infinite adjustability over a range defined by the length of an adjustment strap of the carrying strap 280) and the back plate 210 (which may, for example, have a fixed number of discrete anchor points).

[0039] The shoulder strap assembly 230 includes two shoulder straps (e.g., similar to the first shoulder strap 132 and the second shoulder strap 134 of FIG. 1). However, unlike the example of FIG. 1, in which the first and second shoulder straps 132 and 134 individually interface with the shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120, the shoulder strap assembly 230 includes a shoulder strap base element 222 to which both of the two shoulder straps of the shoulder strap assembly 230 attach (and terminate at). The shoulder strap base element 222 may be configured as a strap, referred to hereinbelow as a base strap, connected to each of the first and second shoulder straps 132, 134. The base strap 222 and the two shoulder straps of the shoulder strap assembly 230 may therefore form a Y shape with the base strap 222 forming the base of the Y shape. Only the basestrap 222 may therefore interface, via a shoulder strap adjustment assembly 220, with the back plate 210 in this case, but the single point of interface may adjust the height of each of the two shoulder straps, and therefore also allow the back plate 210 to be positioned on the back of the operator at a selected height with only one adjustment (via the strap adjustment assembly 220) instead of two adjustments (i.e., one for each individual one of the first and second straps 132 and 134 of FIG. 1).

[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a top portion of the back plate 110 of FIG. 1 to illustrate various components of the shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120. The shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120 includes two instances of a sliding member 300 affixed to a portion of the shoulder strap assembly 130 (at respective ones of the first or second shoulder straps 132 / 134). The shoulder strap adjustment assembly 120 also includes two instances of a locking member 310 that is disposed within a respective receiving pocket 320 formed in the back plate 110. The illustration of Fig. 3 is also valid for elucidating the embodiment of Fig. 2, which differs from the illustration of Fig. 3 in that the shoulder strap adjustment assembly 220 comprises only one single instance of the sliding member 300, affixed to the base strap 222, and one single instance of the locking member 310. Notably, as used herein the terms strap and belt may be understood to correspond to material that may be embodied by any durable material that forms an elongated and flexible component such as a strap, belt or webbing connecting various other components, or to which such components may be attached.

[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the back plate 110 in isolation, and FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate rear and front views of the top portion of the back plate 110, respectively, in isolation. FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the first shoulder strap 132 in isolation (which is identical in construction to the second shoulder strap 134), and FIG. 7 is a close-up view of a proximal end of the first shoulder strap 132 (relative to the back plate 110) to illustrate some of the components of the strap adjustment assembly 120 in greater detail. FIG. 8 A illustrates a perspective view of the locking member 310 and FIG. 8B illustrates an exploded view of the locking member 310. While the drawings illustrate the manner in which the shoulder straps 132, 134 are operably connected to the back plate 110, it will be appreciated that the base strap 222 may be connected to the backplate 210 in the same manner, mutatis mutandis.

[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 3-8B, the sliding member 300 may define an operable range (or simply a range 340) over which the locking member 310 can be moved in slidable contactwith the sliding member 300 while the locking member 310 is in an unlocked state. When the locking member 310 is transitioned to a locked state with the sliding member 300 at a selected location within the range 340, the sliding member 300 may be locked or fixed relative to the locking member 310. When the locking member 310 is in the locked state, an effective length of the shoulder strap assembly 130 (relative to the back plate 110) is determined and fixed.

[0043] In an example embodiment, an instance of the sliding member 300 may be affixed to the first shoulder strap 132 at a first attachment position 601 and a second attachment position 602, which attachment positions may be at opposite ends of the range 340. In some cases, for example, the sliding member 300 may be sewed to the first strap 132 at opposite ends of the range 340. In such cases, the sliding member 300 may extend through a first through-aperture 350 and, optionally, a second through-aperture 351, formed in the back plate 110, and sewed to the first strap 132 thereafter. This creates a permanent connection between the first strap 132 and the back plate 110, but allows the point along the range 340 at which the locking member 310 is fixed to be variable, thereby enabling the effective length of the first strap 132 to be changed. In this regard, as noted above, the locking member 310 may be operable to lock the sliding member 300 at a selected position along the range 340 when the locking member 310 is in the locked state and enable the sliding member 300 to be adjusted along the range 340 in the unlocked state. Notably, strategies other than sewing may alternatively be employed for attaching the sliding member 300. For example, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, bindings, or the like may alternatively be employed to permit disassembly and reassembly of the sliding member 300 with the first and second straps 132 and 134 (and / or the base strap 222) and in some cases.

[0044] The through-apertures 350, 351 may be formed in a portion of the receiving pocket 320. In an example embodiment, the receiving pocket 320 itself may be formed at the back plate 110 in such a way as to retain or hold the locking member 310 and prevent movement of the locking member 310 (particularly when the harness 100 is being wom / used by the operator). In particular, the receiving pocket 320 may be formed as either or both of an extended set of sidewalls that extend away from a surface to define the receiving pocket 320 and a depression into a surface that defines the receiving pocket 320. The surface in either case may be a surface 400 of a plate member 410 of the back plate 110. The surface 400 indicated in Fig. 5 A faces away from the body of the operator when the harness 100 is worn.

[0045] The plate member 410 may also include a waist portion 420 that may be configured to operably couple to the waist belt 140. The plate member 410, and the waist portion 420, may be curved so that the back plate 110 conforms to the natural shape of the operator’s back. In some cases, the plate member 410 may further include a plurality of structural cutouts strategically disposed at various locations on the back plate 110 as a method of saving weight and improving cooling of the operator without compromising on the structural integrity of the back plate 110. Accordingly, the harness 100 may provide the best possible fit and comfort for the operator and may therefore be more effective in minimizing the fatigue levels of the operator due to the extended use of the outdoor power tool.

[0046] In some embodiments, the plate member 410 may be formed from a plastic or composite material via an injection molding process in order to minimize manufacturing costs as well as provide a lightweight, yet strong, material to meet the specific needs of the back plate 110. Injection molding may facilitate forming the cutouts mentioned above, and the curved shapes where appropriate. In addition to the curvature of the plate member 410, the plate member 410 of some embodiments may also include various reinforcement ridges to increase the strength of the back plate 110.

[0047] In an example embodiment, the plate member 410 may also have a plurality of anchoring apertures to which various components of the harness 100 may be attached. The through-aperture 350 (or apertures) may be an example or examples of such anchoring apertures. The locations of the anchoring apertures may be determined based on the type of components being attached to the harness 100.

[0048] In an example embodiment, an inner perimeter 430 of the receiving pocket 320 may be shaped complementary to a shape of an outer perimeter 450 of the locking member 310. Thus, for example, sidewalls 440 extending away from the surface 400 to form the receiving pocket 320 as a depression from the surface 400. Whether formed as a depression, from extended sidewalls, or both, the receiving pocket 320 being shaped to correspond to the outer perimeter 450 of the locking member 310 helps facilitate the retention of the locking member 310 in one location at the back plate 110 so that adjustment of the effective length of the first and second shoulder straps 132 and 134 is entirely dependent on the location along the range 340 of the sliding member 300 at which the locking member 310 is affixed to the sliding member 300.

[0049] In the example of FIGS. 6 and 7, it can be seen that various indicia of size (e.g., size indicators 600) may be provided on the first and second shoulder straps 132 and 134. The size indicators may indicate suggested settings for differently sized operators, for example as indicated by L, M, S (Large, Medium, Small) in Fig. 7. Whereas the size indicators 600 may be disposed at discrete locations within the range 340, they are merely indicators of approximate location. The entirety of the range 340 and infinite, non-discrete fixing locations along the range 340 remain available for the operator to select in determining the effective length of the first and second straps 132 and 134. The proximal ends of the cushion pads 133, 135 (Fig. 1) define free ends 601, which are freely movable in relation to the back plate 110 (Fig. 1). This facilitates adjustment of the shoulder strap adjustment assembly, and also reduces the risk of any uncomfortable creases being formed in the cushion pads.

[0050] In an example embodiment, the locking member 310 may be embodied as a cam buckle lock, which is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The cam buckle lock may include a base portion 500 of metal or plastic, which defines the outer perimeter 450 of the locking member 310. Thus, the base portion 500 may be shaped to fit snugly in the receiving pocket 320. The cam buckle lock may also include a pivot lock portion 510 of metal or plastic that rotates relative to the base portion 500 to transition the locking member 310 between the locked state and the unlocked state. Notably, as an alternative to the structure shown in FIGS. 8 A and 8B, the base portion could be integrally formed with the receiving pocket 320. Thus, in such an example, the base portion could be injection molded with the back plate 110. The pivot lock portion 510 may then be added onto such a base portion to operate otherwise the same as the cam buckle lock of FIGS. 8 A and 8B.

[0051] The cam buckle lock may be transitioned between the locked state (shown in FIG. 8 A) and the unlocked state by pivoting the pivot lock portion 510 away from the base portion 500 in the direction of arrow 530. When the sliding member 300 fits between the base portion 500 and the pivot lock portion 510 while in the unlocked state (i.e., with the pivot lock portion 510 pivoted in the direction of arrow 530), the sliding member 300 may freely slide between the base portion 500 and the pivot lock portion 510. However, when the pivot lock portion 510 is pivoted opposite the direction of arrow 530 to the locked state (shown in FIG. 8A), a locking protrusion 520 of the pivot lock portion 510 may be pivoted to pinch the sliding member 300between the locking protrusion 520 and the base portion 500 thereby rigidly affixing the sliding member 300 within the locking member 310.

[0052] In summary, some example embodiments may provide an outdoor power tool harness which comprises a back plate; a chest buckle; a leg plate operatively coupled to the back plate and the chest buckle to support the power tool; and a shoulder strap assembly operably coupled to the back plate via a shoulder strap adjustment assembly. The shoulder strap adjustment assembly comprises an elongate sliding member affixed to the shoulder strap assembly and configured to slide in relation to the back plate, thereby defining a continuous adjustment range along the length of the sliding member, and a locking member operable to lock the position of the sliding member to the back plate at any position along the adjustment range, such that adjusting the position of the sliding member in relation to the back plate adjusts the effective length of at least one shoulder strap between the back plate and the chest buckle.

[0053] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and / or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. In cases where advantages, benefits or solutions to problems are described herein, it should be appreciated that such advantages, benefits and / or solutions may be applicable to some example embodiments, but not necessarily all example embodiments. Thus, any advantages, benefits or solutions described herein should not be thought of as being critical, required or essential to all embodiments or to that which is claimed herein.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) comprising a back plate (110 / 210) configured to interface with a back portion of an operator wearing the harness (100 / 200); a chest buckle (170 / 270); a leg plate (160 / 260) operably coupled to the back plate (110 / 210) and the chest buckle to support a power tool responsive to attachment of the power tool at the leg plate (160 / 260); and a shoulder strap assembly (130 / 230) configured to support weight of the power tool at least in part on shoulders of an operator when wearing the harness (100 / 200), the shoulder strap assembly (130 / 230) comprising a first shoulder strap (132) configured to be carried by a first shoulder of the operator and a second shoulder strap (134) configured to be carried by a second shoulder of the operator, each of the first and second shoulder straps being operably coupled to the back plate (110 / 210) and to the chest buckle (170 / 270), wherein the shoulder strap assembly is operably coupled to the back plate via a shoulder strap adjustment assembly (120 / 220) comprising an elongate sliding member (300) affixed to the shoulder strap assembly (130 / 230) and configured to slide in relation to the back plate (110 / 210), thereby defining a continuous adjustment range along the length of the sliding member, and a locking member (310) operable to lock the position of the sliding member (300) to the back plate (110 / 210) at any position along the adjustment range, such that adjusting the position of the sliding member (300) in relation to the back plate (110 / 210) adjusts the effective length of at least one of the first and second shoulder straps (132, 134) between the back plate (110 / 210) and the chest buckle (170 / 270).

2. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder strap assembly (130 / 230) comprises a cushion pad arrangement (133, 135) comprising a first cushion pad (133) configured to rest against the first shoulder of the operator and a second cushion pad (133) configured to rest against the second shoulder of the operator, wherein each of the first and second shoulder straps comprises a respective chest buckle adjustment strap (137, 139), which adjustably connects a respective cushion pad (133, 135) to the chest buckle so as toallow the position of the chest buckle (170) to be adjusted in relation to the first and second cushion pads (133, 135).

3. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding member (300) is attached to the shoulder strap assembly (130 / 230) at a first attachment position (601) and at a second attachment position (602), and the locking member (310) is configured to lock to the sliding member (300) at a selectable position between the first and second attachment positions (601, 602).

4. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a receiving pocket (320) formed at the back plate (110 / 210), the receiving pocket being configured to receive the locking member (310).

5. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to claim 4, wherein the receiving pocket (320) is recessed into a surface of the back plate (110 / 210).

6. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of claims 4-5, wherein the receiving pocket (320) is formed from sidewalls raised from a surface of the back plate (110 / 210).

7. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the locking member comprises a cam buckle lock (310).

8. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to claim 7 in combination with any of claims 4-6, wherein the cam buckle lock (310) includes a base portion (500) that fits in the receiving pocket (320) and a pivot lock portion (510) that rotates relative to the base portion (500) to transition the locking member (310) between a locked state and an unlocked state.

9. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of claims 7-8 in combination with any of claims 4-6, wherein the cam buckle lock includes a base portion (500)that is formed integrally into the receiving pocket (320) and a pivot lock portion (510) that rotates relative to the base portion (500) to transition the locking member (310) between a locked state and an unlocked state.

10. The outdoor power tool harness (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an instance of the sliding member (300) is provided at each of the first shoulder strap (132) and the second shoulder strap (134) such that the effective lengths of the first and second shoulder straps (132 / 134) may be adjusted independently of one another.

11. The outdoor power tool harness (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the shoulder strap assembly further comprises a shoulder strap base element (222), wherein said first and second shoulder straps (132 / 134) are operably coupled to the back plate (210) via the shoulder strap base element (222), and wherein an instance of the sliding member (300) is affixed to the shoulder strap base element (222) such that the effective length of the first and second shoulder straps (132 / 134) is adjusted simultaneously.

12. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a waist belt (140 / 240) operably coupled to the back plate (110 / 210) to support the weight of the power tool at least in part on a waist of the operator when wearing the harness (100 / 200).

13. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding member (300) is permanently attached to the back plate (110 / 210).

14. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said sliding member (300) extends through at least one, and preferably two, through- apertures (350, 351) of the back plate (110 / 210).

15. The outdoor power tool harness (100 / 200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said shoulder strap assembly (130 / 230) comprises a cushion pad arrangement (133, 135), wherein said shoulder strap adjustment assembly is attached at a free end (603) of thecushion pad arrangement (133, 135), wherein said free end (603) is movable in relation to the back plate (110 / 210) responsive to adjustment of the shoulder strap adjustment assembly (130 / 230).

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