Waist pad bumper system for self-contained breathing apparatus

A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) comprising:

• a cylinder operable to hold breathable air;
• a backplate operable to attach to the cylinder to hold the cylinder in place on a user's back;
• a waist pad operable to attach to the backplate and operable to fit around a user's waist to hold the backplate, and therefore the cylinder, in place on the user's back;
• a facepiece operable to fit on the user's face to provide breathable air from the cylinder to the user;
• one or more shoulder pads operable to attach to the backplate and the waist pad to further stabilize the cylinder on the back of the user,
• wherein:
• the waist pad further comprises:
• a soft rubber gasket located between the waist pad and the backplate operable to compress to cushion the movement of the backplate with respect to the waist pad;
• a hard rubber gasket located between the waist pad and the backplate operable to compress to cushion the movement of the backplate with respect to the waist pad;
• and
• one or more magnets located on the waist pad;
• the backplate further comprises one or more magnets located on the backplate operable to interact with the one or more magnets located on the waist pad;
• and
• the magnets of the waist pad have the same polarization as the magnets of the backplate and therefore repel each other.

A method for preventing stress on a user's back and waist when wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), the method comprising:

• providing a soft rubber gasket located between a waist pad and a backplate of the SCBA;
• compressing the soft rubber gasket between the waist pad and the backplate to cushion the movement of the backplate with respect to the waist pad;
• providing a hard rubber gasket located between the waist pad and the backplate;
• compressing the hard rubber gasket between the waist pad and the backplate to cushion the movement of the backplate with respect to the waist pad;
• providing at least one magnet located on the waist pad;
• providing at least one magnet located on the backplate, wherein the magnet of the waist pad and the magnet of the backplate are the same polarization and therefore repel each other;
• and
• cushioning the movement of the backplate with respect to the waist pad when the magnets of the waist pad repel the magnets of the backplate.