US 8,026,433 B2Granted

Apparatus for using a person's hips to carry the load of marching percussion equipment or other objects which are carried near waist-height and in front of a person

OwnerNed Allen Place, Mikel Rust Sheltoninventors

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Abstract

The MRS NAP apparatus is disclosed for carrying marching percussion or other objects, particularly but not exclusively drums of various sizes and amalgamations and other objects carried at a person's frontal area near waist height. The apparatus is worn about the user's waist and the utility uses the person's hips to bear the instrument's load. Current state of the art places a majority of the load upon the shoulders and spine. The apparatus relieves the shoulder and spine of weight and pressure and also allows more upper body movement. The MRS NAP apparatus consists of an exoskeleton load bearing frame for a solid platform to hold the carried object stably, an endoskeleton padded for comfort, a vertical spinal column brace, and straps from the apex of the spinal column brace for stability of larger objects. The MRS NAP apparatus is adjustable for various consumers of diverse sizes.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A load bearing apparatus worn about the hip for carrying percussion instrument or other objects to support the weight and force vectors near the frontal area of a human body using a front plate member at approximately hip height, comprising:

an external frame and an internal padding element:
the external frame comprising:
a rigid, front plate member worn in a low position on the front of the hip, the plate further comprising fastener holes for carrying a percussion instrument or other carried object;
a rigid, rear plate member worn in a position on the upper, rear of the hip,
side members that interconnect the front and rear plates and press the front and rear plates into engagement about the front and rear of the hips,
wherein a lower edge of the front plate member is on a lower plane than a lower edge of the rear plate member, and
wherein the external frame is placed over the internal padding element, the two cooperating to securely bear a load on the hips.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.