Swiveling Shoulder Strap Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Armor-enhanced clothing often fails to fit well, causing discomfort, restricting movement, and hindering the operation of firearms due to rigid designs and poorly distributed shoulder strap loads, leading to poor performance and potential misuse.
Innovation Solution
A shoulder strap apparatus with movable and swiveling attachment arrangements, utilizing strap ring components with a D-shaped construction to distribute load evenly and allow for comfortable movement, featuring a base portion and a curvilinear retention portion that securely attaches to a body garment and allows straps to move along the retention portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If shoulder straps are sewn in a fixed and generic angle, then manufacturing is simplified, but the straps do not lay properly on the wearer's shoulders and load is not distributed evenly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fixed-angle sewn straps with dynamic swiveling strap attachments that can rotate and adjust to different positions. The swivel mechanism allows the strap to adapt to the wearer's shoulder contours and movement, enabling proper load distribution without requiring complex pre-positioning during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The shoulder strap system is divided into separate modular components: the strap itself, the swivel attachment mechanism, and the connection points. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the swivel mechanism handles adjustment while the strap handles load bearing, simplifying manufacturing while improving fit.
2Strength
If rigid upper torso outerwear is used, then structural integrity is maintained, but the clothing becomes inflexible and restricts body movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates flexible elements within the outerwear structure, particularly in the shoulder strap and torso connection areas. These flexible components allow the rigid armor plates to maintain structural integrity while permitting necessary body movements through controlled flexibility zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The outerwear design transitions from a completely rigid structure to a dynamic system where certain components can move relative to each other. The swiveling strap attachments and flexible connection elements enable the armor to adapt to body movements while maintaining protective coverage.
3Device complexity
If fixed-angle shoulder straps are used, then device complexity is reduced, but load is concentrated on the leading edge causing pain and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The swivel attachment mechanism serves as an intermediary between the strap and the outerwear body. This intermediate component distributes the load from the strap across a broader area of the shoulder by allowing the strap to conform to the shoulder contour, preventing concentration of force on the leading edge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds rotational freedom in a new dimension to the strap attachment system. Instead of fixed two-dimensional positioning, the swivel mechanism introduces three-dimensional adjustment capability, allowing the strap to orient itself optimally for load distribution across the shoulder surface.
Data Source
AI summary
A shoulder strap device and method provides a movable and/or swiveling attachment arrangement which spreads the load to the wearer's specific shape. Embodiments of the device include a set of strap ring components, each strap ring component having a substantially linearly extending base portion and a substantially curvilinearly extending retention portion, first and second connector items or straps secured to respective subsets of the strap ring components, and a body garment secured to the strap ring components.