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US 7,243,376 B2Granted
Cut away vest
AssigneeEagle Industries Unlimited, Inc.
InventorMatthew A. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vest is provided that may be quickly and easily removed from a wearer of the vest. The vest includes a waist belt, an optional cummerbund, and shoulder straps which may be easily released from the vest by the use of a flexible retainer in cooperation with a connector device which secures the waist belt, optional cummerbund and shoulder straps to the vest in a releasable manner. A cable portion of the retainer moves in a generally straight line except for accommodating curved portions of the body of the wearer. An accessory pouch may also be provided which uses a strap and loop arrangement on the vest and pouch to attach the accessory pouch to the vest.
Claims17
A cut away vest comprising:
- a first vest portion with a first torso panel;
- a second vest portion with a second torso panel;
- shoulder straps connected to the first torso panel extending to the second torso panel, at least one said shoulder strap having a free end and at least one first connector element;
- a waist belt having at least one side portion with a free end connecting a lower portion of one of the first torso panel and second torso panel to the other of the first torso panel and second torso panel, said at least one belt side portion having at least one second connector element;
- at least one connector device connected to the second torso panel and selectively operably associated with a respective at least one of the first and second connector elements;
- and
- a flexible single retainer element carried by at least one of the first and second torso panels engageable with the at least one connector device to releasably retain the first and second connector elements associated each with a respective said connector device whereby a portion of the retainer element is movable from engagement with the at least one connector device to release the first and second connector elements from their respective connector device.
4 more elements
A cut away vest comprising:
- a front torso panel;
- a rear torso panel;
- shoulder straps connected to the front torso panel extending therefrom to the rear torso panel, said shoulder straps each having a respective free end and at least one respective first connector element;
- a waist belt having at least one side portion with a free end, said waist belt connecting a lower portion of one of the front torso panel and rear torso panel to the other of the front torso panel and rear torso panel, said at least one belt side portion having at least one second connector element;
- at least one connector device connected to the rear torso panel and selectively operably associated with a respective at least one of the first and second connector elements;
- and
- a flexible retainer element at least partially carried by the rear torso panel to releasably retain the first connector elements to a common said connector device and the second connector element associated with a said connector device whereby a portion of the retainer element is movable to release the first and second connector elements from their respective said connector device.
4 more elements
A cut away vest comprising:
- a front torso panel;
- a rear torso panel;
- shoulder straps connected to the front torso panel and to the rear torso panel, said shoulder straps each having a respective free end and at least one respective first connector element;
- a waist belt having at least one side portion with a free end, said waist belt connecting a lower portion of one of the front torso panel to the rear torso panel, said at least one belt side portion having at least one second connector element;
- at least one connector device connected to the front torso panel and selectively operably associated with a respective at least one of the first and second connector elements;
- and
- a flexible retainer element at least partially carried by the front torso panel to releasably retain the first connector elements associated with a common said connector device and the at least one second connector element associated with a said connector device whereby a portion of the retainer element is movable to release the first and second connector elements from their association with a respective said connector device.
4 more elements
A cut away vest comprising:
- a front torso panel;
- a rear torso panel;
- shoulder straps connected to the front torso panel extending therefrom to the rear torso panel, each said shoulder strap having a free end and at least one first connector element;
- a waist belt having at least two side portions each with a free end and connecting a lower portion of the front torso panel to the rear torso panel, said belt side portions each having at least one second connector element;
- at least one multi-orientation connector device connected to the rear torso panel and selectively operably associated with at least one of the first and second connector elements;
- and
- a flexible retainer element at least partially carried by the rear torso panel operable to releasably retain at least one of the first and second connector elements engaged with a respective said connector device whereby at least a portion of the retainer element being movable to release at least one of the first and second connector elements from a respective said connector device.
4 more elements
A cut away vest comprising:
- a first vest portion with a first torso panel;
- a second vest portion with a second torso panel;
- shoulder straps connected to the first torso panel extending to the second torso panel, at least one said shoulder strap having a free end and at least one first connector element;
- a waist belt having at least one side portion with a free end connecting a lower portion of one of the first torso panel and second torso panel to the other of the first torso panel and second torso panel, said at least one belt side portion having at least one second connector element;
- at least one connector device connected to the second torso panel and selectively operably associated with the first and second connector elements;
- and
- a flexible retainer element carried by at least one of the first and second torso panels and engageable with the at least one connector device to releasably retain the first and second connector elements associated with said at least one connector device whereby a portion of the retainer element is movable from engagement with the at least one connector device to selectively release the first and second connector elements from association with the at least one connector device.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.