Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 FIELD OF THE INVENTION.
The present invention provides a body harness f`or use
by athletes, and the like, for reducing the likelihood or
nursing sports injuries, while allowing the athlete to continue
to compe-te in his or her particular sport.
BACKGROUND OF T~IE INV~NTlON:
There are often times when an athlete sustains an
injury which is not severe enough to justit'y discontinuing the
sport until the injury is healed but which is extremely painf'ul
and which is susceptible, if' continuing to play the sport, to
more serious injury.
According to conventional practice, athle-tes are taped
against further injury, and although taping is the best answer
to date to guard against further serious injury, this taping
still has very substantial drawbacks. Firstly, there is quite0
an art to taping and only experienced trainers, doctors, etc.
are generally capable of applying a good tape job. Xn cases
where an injury is sustained in an area inaccessible to the
athle-te, such as the shoulder region, it is difficult, if not
impossible, for the athlete to provide a self'-taping job.
Further drawbacks relating to conventional taping
practice include the -fact that of'ten large amoun-ts oF tape are
required which is not reuseable and therefore very costly. In
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l addition, the removal ot the tape which is generally applied to
the skin's surface, is extremely paintul.
In addition to all of the above problems, probably -the
most objectionable drawback, with respect to taping is that
ini-tially it is extremely restrictive in terms of amount of
movement allowed by the taping job; however, over time, i.e.
the time during which the athlete is competing, the taping job
tends to stretch and not being of` an elasticized nature, loses
its efFectiveness, which resul-ts in the requirement of further
taping, as we often see while wa-tching a football game, where
the football player is being retaped at the sidelines, while
the game is being played.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION:
The present invention provides a body harness, or
harness arrangement, which is particularly designed to overcome0
all of the objections raised above with respect to conventional
taping practice. More specifically, the harness arrangement of
the present invention comprises a fFirst torso fitting portion
and a second appendage Fitting portion, having a secured end at
the first portion and a free end allowing mobility oF the
appendage to which -the second portion is fitted. Further
provided with the arrangement is at least one elasticized strap
for extending across from the first to the second portion to
1 control such mobility and releasable securing means for
securing the elasticized strap to both the first and the second
portions.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
harness arrangement is particularly designed for use in
reducing the likelihood or the healing of shoulder injuries,
with the first torso Fitting portion being Fitted around the
chest area and providing a support base for the second
appendage fitting portion, which is fitted around the upper arm
with the elasticized strap extending from the chest region to
the upper arm region. The elasticized strap extending across
from the first to the second harness portion allows movement of
the upper arm and shoulder region, but, due to i-ts elasticity,
tends to -Fight against and therefore control such movement. In
a further preferred embodiment, a number of elasticized straps0
are provided extending From the first harness portion to
different locations on the second harness portion for adding
further control to the movement of the appendage.
8RIEF DISCUSSION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The above, as well as other advantages and features of
the present invention will be described in greater detail
according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention
in which:
l Figure l is a front perspective view showing the
fitting of a harness arrangement according to a pre~erred
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a rear perspec-tive view ot the harness
arrangement of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a further enlaryed perspective view ot` the
harness arrangement of Figures l and 2;
Figure 4 is a front plan view of the harness
arrangement of Figure 3 in a relaxed position; and
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the
controlling action of the elasticized s-trap From the firs-t to
the second harness portion.
DETAILED DES_RIPTI N _ C_RDING TO THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION.
Figures l and 2 show a shoulder harness arrangemen-t,
generally indicated at l and including a first torso or chest
fitting portion 3, and a second appendage or arm fitting
portion 5, which is integrally secured at its upper end to the
torso Fitting portion. The lower end oF the appendage, or arm
fitting portion, is free to enable movement ot the arm relative
to the chest or torso.
Referring to Figure 3, each of -the first and second
harness portions is constructed From an elasticized material,
1 with the first torso fitting portion including a VELCROTM
closure 31, and the second, or appendage fitting portion
including a VELCROTM closure 33. This combination of a
VELCROTM closure with expandable material, enables -the
harness to be quickly and easily secured in position as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, with the capability of accommodating many
different body shapes and sizes.
Provided on the first torso fitting portion are a
plurality of stabilizer bars, or strips shown at 35A, 35B, 37A
and 37B. These stabilizer strips ensure that the torso portion
of the harness, once fitted in position provides an extremely
effective stabilizing base for controlling movement ot the
appendage, or arm fitting portion, as will be described later
in detail. It is to be noted that the torso fitting portion of
the harness is shaped such that the VELCR0 closure side
runs down beneath the leFt arm, or -the arm on the opposite side
from the appendage fitting portion, leaving complete mobility
of the left arm. At the right arm side, or the side of the
appendage fitting portion, the harness includes a cut out
region 27, extending -From the front to the back ot the harness,
as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, so that there is no chafing
at the armpit region, as the Fitted arm is moved up and down
with the harness in position.
l It is to be appreciated from the description thus far
that not only is the individual able to self-fit the harness,
but is also able to self-release the harness which is reuseable
for future occasions. In addition, the elasticized material of
the first and second harness portions in itself provides both
stabilizing and heating effects, which are particularly
desireable, in the case of mending or healing an injury.
As mentioned above, the appendage portion, other than
at its secured end to the torso portion, allows mobility of the
arm and shoulder. However, as a mobility control feature, i.e.
to control against excessive degrees of elevation and abduction
of the shoulder region, a plurality of elasticized straps are
provided which, once fitted in position, extend across from the
support torso portion to the moveable appendage portion. It is
to be appreciated that the elasticized straps still allow
movement of the arm and shoulder, but act in a restricting or
restraining manner, which is particularly helpful in the case
of sudden and abrupt movemen-ts of the arm and shoulder, where
the straps immediately provide a pulling resistance against
excessive movements. Due to the elasticity of the straps, they
can be stretched an infinite number of times while still
maintaining their elastic properties.
1 The particular arrangement shown in Figures 1 and ~
includes straps 7 and 9 at the front of the harness, and strap
17 at the rear of the harness. Each of these straps, as
mentioned above, includes an elasticized body portion, and is
additionally provided with VELCROTM end regions. In
cooperation with the VELCROTM end regions on the straps, each
of the torso and appendage fitting portions of the harness
includes VELCROTM securing regions for securing of the straps
between the two harness portions.
As will be clearly seen in Figures 1 and 2, the
elasticized straps are of varying lengths, with strap 7
extending from the lower portion of the torso fitting portion
to about the mid-region of the appendage fitting portion. Here
it will be seen that the torso fitting portion includes a
VELCROTM strip 11, for receiving end portion 7A of strap 7,
while the appendage fitting portion includes a VELCRûTM strip
13, for receiving the end portion 7B, of elasticized strip 7.
The other strap at the front of` the harness, i.e. strap 9, is
also secured at its one end 9A from VELCR0 strip 11, which
is of an extended length for receiving more than one
elasticized strap, with the other end 9B of strap 9 being
secured to a further VELCROTM securing region 15. This
~ latter strap extends from khe top to the bot-tom of the harness
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1 and therefore is of an increased length, relative to strap 7.
Strap 17 at the back of the harness is of even greater length
for extending from its one VELCROTM end 17A, secured to
VELCROTM strip l9, at the back of the torso portion of the
harness, to the appendage portion of the harness where
VELCROTM end 17B, of strap 17 is secured to a further
VELCROTM securing strip 21, provided directly on the
appendage portion of the harness.
With each of the straps fitted in position, as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, the individual is still capable oF moving
the arm and shoulder region, but the suddenness and the amount
of the movement is restricted to a point where there is a
substantial reduction in the likelihood of incurring an injury
or aggravating any existing injury. Accordingly, athletes such
as hockey players, and the like, when wearing the harness
arrangement, according to -the present invention, are capable of
playing with injuries, where in the past such injuries might
well have sidelined them, without the use ot the harness.
Figures 4 and 5, clearly demonstrate the principal of
the present invention. Here it will be seen tha-t in the
relatively relaxed position of Figure 4, there is essentially
complete mobility ot the arm and shoulder region, whereas in
Figure 5, although the arm is able to move to a more elevated
1 position, strap 7 has a tendency to restrict such movement.
Furthermore, the greater the movemen-t the more -the res-triction
provided by strap 7, which increases in its pulling action back
to the Figure 4 relaxed position, with greater elevation of` the
arm. Strap 7 would also have -the effect of restricting any
rearward abduction of -the shoulder, while strap 17 would limit
the forward rnovement of the shoulder.
The harness, as shown in the drawings, includes
further VELCROTM securing regions, such as VELCROTM strip
23, running around the outside of the shoulder joint. The
provision of these numerous VELCROTM securing regions enables
the straps to be secured at many different positions from the
torso to the appendage fitting portion, according to the
direction and degree of control required through the
elasticized straps.
One particularly desireable feature regarding the
stabilizing bars, or strips, is that each ot these bars or
strips is bendable, to ensure proper fitting of the harness and
is resistant to compression and expansion, further adding to
the support or stabilizing influence of the torso fitting
portion of the harness.
The drawings and the description above relate to a
shoulder fitting harness; however, it is to be apprecia-ted that
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1 the same principals would apply to a harness for supporting
other regions of the body, such as a hip area, to guard against
hip and upper leg injuries. Again, the harness would include a
torso fitting portion, which in this instance, would fit around
the waist region, and an appendage fitting por-tion9 which would
fit around the upper leg area, for supporting the upper leg and
the hip region.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described herein in detail, it will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art, tha-t variations may be
made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention
or the scope of the appended claims.
