Military clothing having built-in tourniquets
OwnerJohn Harris, Jason Q. Scuttinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of clothing, body armor or garment having at least one limb-receiving sleeve includes a housing secured in encircling relation to the sleeve. A self-sustaining tourniquet is disposed within the housing. An opening is formed in the housing and a cover is provided to close the opening. The tourniquet is positioned fully within the housing when the cover is closed. The tourniquet is oriented in the housing so that a free end of the tourniquet is in registration with the opening. A handle is secured to the free end and is adapted to be grasped by a user when the cover is open. The diameter of the tourniquet is reduced when the handle is pulled upon. A ratchet and pawl structure prevents the tourniquet from loosening after the handle has been pulled.
Claims8
A method for applying a tourniquet, comprising the steps of:
- providing an article of clothing including at least one limb-receiving sleeve;
- mounting a tourniquet housing having a first end and a second end to said at least one limb-receiving sleeve in encircling relation thereto;
- forming an opening in said first end of said tourniquet housing;
- providing a releasably attached cover means for covering and uncovering said opening;
- positioning a tourniquet having opposite ends in said tourniquet housing;
- orienting said tourniquet in said tourniquet housing so that a first end of said opposite ends is in registration with said opening and so that a second end of said opposite ends is disposed in underlying relation to said tourniquet housing;
- providing a hollow tourniquet-engaging housing at said first end of said tourniquet housing;
- said first end of said tourniquet extending through a hollow interior of said tourniquet-engaging housing;
- adapting said first end of said tourniquet to be grasped and pulled by a user when said cover means is open, said pulling reducing a diameter of said tourniquet;
- adapting said tourniquet-engaging housing to allow said first end of said tourniquet to slide within said hollow interior of said tourniquet-engaging housing when said first end of said tourniquet is pulled;
- adapting said tourniquet-engaging housing to prevent sliding of said tourniquet within said hollow interior of said tourniquet-engaging housing when said first end of said tourniquet is released after having been pulled;
- whereby said tourniquet is positioned fully within said tourniquet housing when said cover means is closed;
- and
- whereby said pulling is performed by said user when said cover means is open so that third party medical assistance is not needed to tighten said tourniquet.
A method for applying a tourniquet, comprising the steps of:
- providing an article of clothing including at least one limb-receiving sleeve;
- forming a tourniquet housing by securing together two elongate strips of material at their respective upper and lower edges, said two elongate strips being a top wall and a bottom wall of said tourniquet housing;
- mounting said tourniquet housing to said at least one limb-receiving sleeve in encircling relation thereto;
- forming an opening in a first end of said top wall of said tourniquet housing;
- providing a releasably attached cover means for covering and uncovering said opening;
- positioning a tourniquet having opposite ends in said tourniquet housing;
- orienting said tourniquet in said tourniquet housing so that a first end of said opposite ends is in registration with said opening and so that a second end of said opposite ends is disposed in underlying relation to said tourniquet housing;
- providing a hollow tourniquet-engaging housing at said first end of said tourniquet housing;
- said first end of said tourniquet extending through a hollow interior of said tourniquet-engaging housing;
- adapting said first end of said tourniquet to be grasped and pulled by a user when said cover means is open, said pulling reducing a diameter of said tourniquet;
- adapting said tourniquet-engaging housing to allow said first end of said tourniquet to slide within said hollow interior of said tourniquet-engaging housing when said first end of said tourniquet is pulled;
- adapting said tourniquet-engaging housing to prevent sliding of said tourniquet within said hollow interior of said tourniquet-engaging housing when said first end of said tourniquet is released after having been pulled;
- whereby said tourniquet is positioned fully within said tourniquet housing when said cover means is closed;
- and
- whereby said pulling is performed by said user when said cover means is open so that third party medical assistance is not needed to tighten said tourniquet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.