Torso Harness With Self-Adjusting Cummerbund for Load Redistribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable load carriage systems, such as those used by military and law enforcement personnel, often cause significant burden, fatigue, and mobility limitations due to uneven weight distribution, particularly on the shoulders, and existing solutions either restrict mobility or add unnecessary bulk and weight.
Innovation Solution
A torso harness system featuring a self-adjusting cummerbund with a tensioning mechanism that allows extension and retraction, combined with chest and back panels made of durable materials like HDPE and PVC, which can accommodate ballistic plates and distribute load more evenly across the torso, incorporating quick-release buckles and elastic properties for improved mobility and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional protective gear and equipment are carried on the shoulders, then protection and equipment carrying capacity are improved, but fatigue and exhaustion increase rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The load carrying system is segmented into multiple distribution points: shoulder straps for upper body protection, a cummerbund for waist-level load distribution, and hip straps for lower body support. This segmentation allows the weight to be distributed across multiple body regions rather than concentrated on the shoulders, reducing fatigue while maintaining equipment carrying capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension to load distribution by adding a cummerbund that extends from the waist down to the hips. This adds a new spatial dimension for load bearing (waist/hip region) beyond the traditional horizontal shoulder distribution, creating a three-dimensional load distribution architecture that reduces shoulder burden.
2Reliability
If traditional protective gear is designed for maximum protection, then safety is improved, but range of motion is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The harness system applies local quality by providing rigid support where needed (ballistic plate areas) and flexible movement where required (limbs and torso). The modular design allows the ballistic plates to be positioned strategically on the torso while keeping the limbs free-moving, and the cummerbund can be adjusted to provide waist support without restricting arm or leg motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The cummerbund incorporates a dynamic adjustment mechanism with sliding components and elastic elements that allow the waistband to expand and contract with body movement. This dynamic design maintains protective pressure on the torso while accommodating the full range of motion required for combat or athletic activities.
3Duration of action of moving object
If load redistribution from shoulders to hips is attempted, then fatigue is reduced, but mobility is unduly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The load redistribution system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the cummerbund handles waist-level load distribution, while separate hip straps manage lower body support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the cummerbund provides fatigue relief without over-constraining movement, while the hip straps offer support without limiting mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cummerbund incorporates a dynamic adjustment mechanism with sliding components that allow the waistband to expand and contract with body movement. The elastic elements provide flexible support that adapts to various positions and movements, maintaining fatigue relief while preserving the mobility needed for combat or athletic activities.
4Stress or pressure
If complex mechanical structures are used for load redistribution, then weight distribution is improved, but bulk and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex mechanical adjustment mechanism from a centralized location and distributes it across multiple simple, independent components. Each sliding component and elastic element is a simple, lightweight part that works independently, eliminating the need for a single complex mechanical structure while achieving effective load redistribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses parameter changes through elastic elements and sliding components that can be adjusted to different positions and tensions. These simple parameter adjustments (sliding distance, elastic compression) provide effective load distribution without requiring complex mechanical structures, achieving weight distribution through straightforward mechanical means.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively redistributes load from the shoulders to the torso, enhancing mobility and reducing fatigue by providing a customizable and comfortable fit, while maintaining constrictive pressure and accommodating different plate sizes and shapes.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member that is attached to the sliding portion and the length of material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Load carriage systems are described including one or more of a first chest panel, a first back panel, and a self-adjusting cummerbund connecting the first chest panel and the first back panel. The self-adjusting cummerbund may include a tensioning mechanism configured to allow the cummerbund to extend and retract, and may be configured to provide varying resistive force. The tensioning mechanism may include one or more of a sliding portion, a continuous patterned length of material that is folded over itself, and an elastic member that is attached to the sliding member and the length of material. Body armor plates may be held between outer and inner chest panels and/or between outer and inner back panels. A strip of webbing may be used to secure the body armor plate between the outer and inner panels.