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US 6,253,874 B1Granted
Methods and apparatus for interconnecting harness straps
AssigneeD B Industries, Inc.
InventorsScott C. Casebolt, J. Thomas Wolner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector is provided to connect criss-crossing shoulder straps on a body-engaging harness. The connector joins overlapping portions of the shoulder straps while maintaining discrete portions thereof spaced apart. A preferred embodiment of the connector is a unitary piece of rigid plastic having slots formed therein to receive portions of the shoulder straps.
Claims44
A method of making a body-engaging harness having criss-crossing straps, comprising the steps of:
- forming a rigid member having at least three connection regions which are disposed in triangular fashion relative to one another;
- connecting a first strap to two of the connection regions in such a manner that the first strap extends linearly through a first individual slot in the rigid member, then through a common slot in the rigid member, and then through a second individual slot in the rigid member;
- and
- connecting a second strap to two of the connection regions in such a manner that the second strap extends linearly through a third individual slot in the rigid member, then through the common slot, and then through a fourth individual slot in the rigid member, and each of the connection regions supports at least one said strap.
1 more element
A method of making a body-engaging harness having criss-crossing straps, comprising the steps of:
- forming a rigid member with a plurality of slots sized and configured to support first and second straps in overlapping and divergent relationship to one another;
- routing the first of the straps linearly in a first direction through six of the slots;
- and
- routing the second of the straps linearly in a second direction through six of the slots, wherein the second direction is skewed relative to the first direction, and wherein each of the straps is routed linearly through a least two common slots.
1 more element
A method of making a fall-arresting, full-body harness having criss-crossing straps, comprising the steps of:
- forming a triangular member having three sides, an upper corner region, a left side corner region, and a right side corner region, wherein each said side corner region is spaced approximately eleven inches apart from the upper corner region;
- connecting a first criss-crossing strap to both the upper corner region and the left side corner region in such a manner that the first strap is encouraged to extend approximately eleven inches along one of the sides;
- and
- connecting a second criss-crossing strap to both the upper corner region and the right side corner region in such a manner that the second strap is encouraged to extend approximately eleven inches along another of the sides, whereby the first strap and the second strap extend downward in divergent fashion from the upper corner region to respective side corner regions.
1 more element
A method of making a fall-arresting, full-body harness having criss-crossing straps, comprising the steps of:
- forming a triangular member having three elongate strips arranged to form an acute triangle with three corner regions;
- connecting a first of the straps to two of the corner regions so that the first of the straps extends along and parallel to a first one of the strips, from a common, upper one of the corner regions to a second of the corner regions;
- and
- connecting a second of the straps to two of the corner regions so that the second of the straps extends along and parallel to a second one of the strips, from the common, upper one of the corner regions to a third of the corner regions, and respective portions of the straps overlap at the common, upper one of the corner regions, and respective portions of the straps are held apart by the second of the corner regions and the third of the corner regions.
1 more element
A method of making a fall-arresting, full-body harness having criss-crossing straps, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plastic member having a first elongate strip and a second elongate strip which are integrally connected to one another at a vertex, and which extend in divergent fashion from the vertex to respective distal ends, thereby defining an acute angle and an opening therebetween;
- connecting a first criss-crossing strap to opposite ends of the first strip so that the first strap extends linearly along the first strip and to one side of the opening;
- and
- connecting a second criss-crossing strap to opposite ends of the second strip so that the second strap extends linearly along the second strip and to an opposite side of the opening, and so that the second strap overlaps the first strap at the vertex.
1 more element
A method of making a fall-arresting, full-body harness having criss-crossing straps, comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting overlapping portions of a first strap and a second strap in such a manner that the first strap and the second strap extend in divergent fashion from a juncture defined therebetween;
- connecting a first end of a plastic member to a distal portion of the first strap at a distance apart from the juncture, such that an intermediate portion of the first strap is defined between the first end and the juncture;
- and
- connecting a second end of the plastic member to a distal portion of the second strap at the same distance apart from the juncture, such that an intermediate portion of the second strap is defined between the second end and the juncture, wherein the plastic member maintains the distal portion of the first strap at a desired distance from the distal portion of the second strap, and the plastic member and each said intermediate portion cooperate to define a triangular opening therebetween.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.