Drag Harness Arm Loops Handle Rescuer Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drag harnesses for firefighters and emergency workers do not provide an optimal grip for rescuers during a rescue attempt, as they lack effective design features to enhance the grip and stability of the wearer in a supine position.
Innovation Solution
A drag harness design featuring two arm loops made of flexible material and an elongate handle with a hollow interior, where the arm loops pass through the handle, providing a secure and stable mechanism for the rescuer to grasp and drag the wearer, with options for construction using tubing, folded fabric, or webbing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional drag harness designs are used, then the structure is simple, but the rescuer cannot obtain an optimal grip and the wearer stability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The arm loops are threaded through the hollow interior of the handle, creating a nested configuration where one component (arm loops) passes through another (handle). This nesting provides multiple contact points between the rescuer's hand and the harness components, significantly improving grip security and control during rescue operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The drag harness is divided into separate functional components: a handle portion and two arm loops. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the handle provides the gripping surface while the arm loops secure the wearer's arms, creating a more effective overall system than a unified traditional design.
2Reliability
If arm loops are threaded through the handle, then the wearer stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is constructed with a pre-formed hollow interior (through tubing, folded fabric with seam, or webbing configuration) before the arm loops are attached. This preliminary preparation of the handle structure allows the arm loops to be simply threaded through during assembly, maintaining manufacturing ease while achieving secure wearer stability through the nested configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A drag harness (20) is provided and includes two arm loops (40), each of which is adapted to receive a separate arm (42) of a wearer (24), and an elongate handle (44) having a length (L) extending from a first end (46) to a second end (48) spaced from the first end (46) by the length (L). One of the arm loops (42) extends from the first end (46), and the other of the arm loops (42) extends from the second end (48). The handle (44) is a separate component that is attached to the arm loops (42) whereby a rescuer (26) grasping the handle (44) can drag the wearer (24) with the wearer (24) in a supine position.