Abstract:
Apparatus having a harness including a first piece of a detachable connector. The first piece is configured to be attachable to and detachable from a second piece of the detachable connector. The harness is configured to be worn on the upper part of a body in a manner that enables it to support a garment worn on a lower part of the body.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 60/269,451 filed on Feb. 16, 2001, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    This invention relates to suspenders.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    Suspenders that hold a wearer&#39;s pants at waist level typically have a pair of straps that hang over the wearer&#39;s shoulders and connect to the pants at three or four points using fasteners.  
           [0004]    Suspenders or straps are often used with outer pants that are worn over trousers, such as ski pants, fireman&#39;s pants, waders, and rain pants. Suspenders are useful to hold up the outer pants because the overgarments extend well above the waist of the wearer, making a belt uncomfortable or even useless. Over pants are often worn under heavy jackets or coats that must be removed before the undergarment (e.g., the pants) can be taken down. When suspenders are used to suspend pants under one or more outer garments (e.g., jackets, coats, parkas, raincoats), those outer garments often are removed before the pants can be lowered or removed because the suspenders usually attach to the pants in three or four places, one or more of which is typically at the rear of the wearer and hard to reach. For a wearer to lower the pants, the wearer removes the outer garments, passes his or her arms back through the suspenders, allowing the pants and suspenders to drop. If the floor is not clean, such as in a public restroom the suspenders may be soiled if they touch the floor.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    In one aspect, the invention features an apparatus having a harness including a first piece of a detachable connector. The first piece is configured to be attachable to and detachable from a second piece of the detachable connector. The harness is configured to be worn on the upper part of a body in a manner that enables it to support a garment worn on a lower part of the body.  
           [0006]    In another aspect, the invention features an apparatus having a connector including a second piece of a detachable connector. The second piece is configured to be attachable and detachable from a first piece of the detachable connector. The connector also has a clothing fixture configured to attach to an item of clothing.  
           [0007]    In another aspect, the invention features a method. The method includes wearing a pair of pants and wearing a pair of suspenders including a harness. An upper end of a connector is removably attached to the harness and a lower end of the connector is removably attached to the pants. A layer of clothing is worn over the harness and the upper end of the connector is released from the harness without removing the layer of clothing.  
           [0008]    In yet another aspect, the invention features apparatus having a harness. The harness includes a first piece of a first detachable connector, the first piece being configured to be attachable to and detachable from a second piece of the first detachable connector. The harness also includes a first piece of a second detachable connector, the second piece being configured to be attachable to and detachable from a second piece of the second detachable connector. The harness further includes a first strap and a second strap. Each of the first and second straps have a front end, a rear end and an intermediate portion between the front end and rear end. The front end of the first strap is adjustably connected to the first piece of the first detachable connector. The rear end of the first strap is attached to the first piece of the second detachable connector. The front end of the second strap is adjustably connected to the first piece of the second detachable connector. The rear end of the second strap is attached to the first piece of the first detachable connector. The intermediate portions of the first and second strap are slidably connected. The apparatus also has a first connector including a second piece of the first detachable connector. The second piece is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the first piece of the first detachable connector. The first connector also includes a first clothing fixture configured to attach to and detach from an item of clothing. The apparatus also has a second connector including a second piece of the second detachable connector. The second piece is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the first piece of the second detachable connector. The second connector also includes a second clothing fixture configured to attach to and detach from the item of clothing. The harness is configured to be worn on the upper part of a body in a manner that enables it to support a garment worn on a lower part of the body.  
           [0009]    One or more of the following features may also be included. The clothing fixture is a jaw clamp, overall clip and button, strips of hook and loop tape, a button hole, or piece of fabric having a lower edge configured to be sewn to the item of clothing. The rear end of the first strap is connected to the front end of the second strap. The rear end of the second strap is connected to the front end of the first strap. The intermediate portions of the first and second straps are configured to cross behind a user. The intermediate portions of the first and second straps are slidably connected. The intermediate portions of the first and second straps are permanently connected. The apparatus has a clothing fixture disposed on the harness and configured to attach to and detach from a second item of clothing. The second item of clothing comprises a pair of outer pants. The straps comprise an elastic material. The outer pants are supported by removably connecting the outer pants to the harness at a position higher on the user than the upper end of the connector. The pair of pants or outer pants are lowered and the connector strip is reattached to the harness without removing the layer of clothing.  
           [0010]    Embodiments of the invention may have one or more of the following advantages. A pair of pants or outer pants may be lowered without having to remove an upper garment that is worn over suspenders. The suspenders remain on the wearer and will not come in contact with the ground when the pants or outer pants are lowered. Multiple pairs of pants may be supported by one pair of suspenders. The suspenders remain on the user&#39;s shoulders whether or not they are supporting a pair of pants. The suspenders are comfortable and, when worn, do not bind up when the wearer bends forward.  
           [0011]    Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and from the claims. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 1, 7,  8 , and  9  are front views of pairs of suspenders.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 2, 3, and  3 A are front views of a user wearing a pair of suspenders.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 4, 5, and  6  are front views of connecting elements. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    In the examples below, the words “trousers” or “pants” are meant to include any lower garment worn by males or females that could be held in place with suspenders. “Outer pants” is meant to include a second lower garment worn over trousers or long underwear, such as rain pants, fireman&#39;s pants, ski pants, farmer or construction worker overalls or wet suit pants, for example.  
         [0016]    The pair of suspenders  10  shown in FIG. 1, for example, may remain on a wearer when the pants are lowered even though the wearer has one or more layers of clothing being worn over suspenders  10 . Suspenders  10  include a harness  12  worn on the wearer&#39;s upper body and a pair of lower members (pants holders)  20  and  22  that connect the harness to the pants. In other examples, the harness could connect to more or less than two lower members, such as one, three, or four.  
         [0017]    Harness  12  includes female portions  24  and  26  of quick-release buckles  28  and  30 , which permit a user to quickly and easily disconnect harness  12  from mated lower (male) members  20  and  22  when he wishes to lower his pants. In other examples, other devices that permit quick and easy connection and disconnection could be substituted for buckles  28  and  30 , such as jaw clamps, overall clips, or strips of hook and loop tape.  
         [0018]    Harness  12  also includes a first strap  13  having a front end  15  and a back end  17  and a second strap  14  having a front end  16  and a back end  18 . Straps  13  and  14  could be an elastic material, a non-elastic material, or some combination of both. Front end  15  of first strap  13  is attached to female portion  24  and lies near the front or side of the wearer. Front end  16  of second strap  14  is attached to female portion  26  and also lies near the front of the wearer. Straps  13  and  14  may be permanently connected to female portions  24  and  26 , or they may be adjustably connected to permit adjustment of the size of the harness.  
         [0019]    As worn, strap  13  extends up the wearer&#39;s chest and over one of his shoulders, and crosses to the wearer&#39;s back. Strap  13  continues around the wearer&#39;s torso and under the arm opposite the first shoulder, and back end  17  attaches to female portion  26 . Similarly, front end  16  of strap  14  attaches to the side of female portion  26 , extends up the wearer&#39;s chest and over his other shoulder, and crosses strap  13  as it crosses the wearer&#39;s back. Strap  14  continues around the wearer&#39;s torso and under the arm opposite the second shoulder, and back end  18  attaches to the side of female portion  24 .  
         [0020]    In one example, straps  13  and  14  are held together by a sliding connector  35  that prevents the straps from separating but allowing the crossover point to adjust to the wearer. Sliding connector  35  has a pair of slits  36  through which front end  15  of strap  13  passes. Front end  16  is then passed in between strap  13  and connector  35  to capture strap  14 . In other examples, straps  13  and  14  could be permanently connected using stitching or could remain unattached.  
         [0021]    Lower member  20  includes a male portion  32  of buckle  28  and a jaw clamp  37  attached to male portion  32 . Lower member  22  includes a male portion  34  of buckle  30  and a jaw clamp  38  attached to male portion  34 . Male portions  32  and  34  mate with female portions  24  and  26  to removably connect lower members  20  and  22  to harness  12 . Jaw clamps  37  and  38  are used to removably attach lower members  20  and  22  to a pair of pants. In one example, each lower member attaches to a pair of pants at only one position on the pants. In other examples, a lower member could attach to a pair of pants at more than one position.  
         [0022]    Referring to FIG. 2, suspenders  10  can be worn by a user  40  to support pants  42  while the user wears a garment  44  (shown in dashed line) over suspenders  10 . Lower members  20  and  22  are attached to waist  43  of pants  42 . In this example, user  40  may choose any number of positions on waist  43  to attach lower members  20  and  22  to pants  42 . When choosing positions to which lower members  20  and  22  may be attached, a user could take into account his or her size and shape, comfort, the weight of pants  42 , and weight of items to be directly or indirectly supported by suspenders  10 . These items could include, for example, additional pants, other garments, items to be carried on or in pants  42 , or toolbelts. The lower members  20  and  22  could also be attached to portions of the pants below the waist, for example to flaps of cloth placed on the pants for other purposes of for the purpose of providing a place to attach the lower members.  
         [0023]    When user  40  wishes to lower pants  42  without removing garment  44 , the user raises garment  44  in direction  46  to expose buckles  28  and  30 . User  40  could then unbuckle harness  12  from lower members  20  and  22 , leaving harness  12  in place on user  40  and allow user  40  to lower pants  42  in direction  48 . When pants  42  are pulled up again to their original position and lower members  20  and  22  are re-attached to harness  12 , garment  44  is returned to its original position. A unique feature of this concept is that it will work with virtually all types of pants or trousers, without modification, and with most garments worn on the upper body, such as jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts.  
         [0024]    In some examples, suspenders  10  could support a belt worn in a pair of pants when the belt requires additional support, such as when it carries items such as construction tools, police, or military equipment. In other examples, suspenders  10  could be used to support a belt for carrying items that is not worn in a pair of pants, such as a utility belt or a work belt.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 3, one example of suspenders  50  can support a user&#39;s  51  inner pair of pants  52  and an outer pair of pants  54  (shown in dashed line) at the same time. Suspenders  50  support inner pants  52  in a similar way as suspenders  10  support pants  42  as described above. Outer pants  54  are worn over pants  52  and attach to straps  56  and  58  at positions higher on the front of the wearer&#39;s body than buckles  60  and  62 . In one example, a female portion  64  of buckle  72  is attached to strap  56  and a female portion  66  of buckle  74  is attached to strap  58  so that female portions  64  and  66  lie at the front of user  51  and above buckles  60  and  62 . Male portions  68  and  70  of buckles  72  and  74  are attached to outer pants  54  and positioned so that user  51  may engage buckles  72  and  74  to support outer pants  54  and release buckles  72  and  74  to lower outer pants  54 . In another example, strips of hook and loop tape could be attached to the straps and rings could be attached to outer pants  54  for user  51  to support outer pants  54 . In this example, the height of the outer pants may be adjusted by passing more or less of the outer pants strap through the harness rings before securing the hook and loop tape. In yet another example, one or more removable clips could be mounted on suspenders  50  to provide an adjustable attachment point for outer pants  54 .  
         [0026]    Referring to FIG. 3A, suspenders  50  could support pants  75  that extend above the waistline, such as overalls, bibs, or high waders for example. Lower members  76  and  77  attach to pants  75  near the wearer&#39;s waistline and support pants  75  as described above. Male portions  68  and  70  of buckles  72  and  74  are attached to bib  78  of pants  75  so that user  51  may further support pants  75  by engaging buckles  72  and  74 .  
         [0027]    Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. For example, male portion  32  of buckle  28  could be mounted on harness  12  and female portion  24  of buckle  28  could be attached to lower member  20 .  
         [0028]    Referring to FIG. 4, for example, the lower member  80  could include straps  82  and  84  having upper ends  86  and  88  attached to male portion  90 . Lower ends  92  and  94  of straps  82  and  84  define slit openings  96  and  98 , which fit suspender buttons typically used on pants. Openings  96  and  98  could also be sized to fit rivets, studs, or other common devices for attaching suspenders to pants. Thus, suspenders  10  could attach to pants  42  at four points, as conventional suspenders do, using only two lower members  80 .  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 5, lower member  100  could include straps  102  and  104  having jaw clamps  106  and  108  disposed at ends  110  and  112 , combining the four point support described above with the flexibility of permitting a user to change the attachment point of lower member  100  to a pair of pants. Multiple attachment points, such as the four points described above, for example, could distribute the weight of the pants when heavy items are carried in the pants&#39; pockets or on a belt worn in the pants.  
         [0030]    Referring to FIG. 6, lower member  120  could include a fabric  122  attached to a male portion  124  of a quick release buckle (not shown). Lower edge  126  of fabric  122  could be permanently attached to pants  42 , such as by stitching, for example. Length L of lower edge  126  could be chosen to distribute the weight of the pants along length L. In one example, L is at least about 3 inches. In another example, L is at least about 4 inches. In yet another example, L is about 5 inches.  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 7, suspenders  130  could include harness  132  having back end  138  of strap  134  attached to front end  136  of strap  134 . Strap  134  would pass up the front of a user, over the user&#39;s shoulder on one side, down the user&#39;s back, and under the user&#39;s arm on the same side. Similarly, harness also includes strap  142  having a back end  146  attached to front end  144 . Strap  140  could be connected to both straps  134  and  142  and, when worn by a user, prevent harness  132  from falling off the user&#39;s shoulders.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIG. 8, suspenders  150  could include harness  152  having strap  154  with a first end  156  attached to female portion  160  of quick release buckle  164  and a second end  158  attached to a female portion  162  of quick release buckle  166 . When suspenders  150  are worn by a user, intermediate portion  167  of strap  154  passes behind the user&#39;s neck. Harness  152  includes strap  168  having a front end  170  attached to first end  156  and a rear end  172  attached to intermediate portion  167 . Harness  152  also includes strap  174  having a front end  176  attached to second end  158  and a rear end  178  attached to intermediate portion  167 . Straps  168  and  174  pass behind a user and under the user&#39;s arm to create harness  152 .  
         [0033]    Referring to FIG. 9, back end  17  of first strap  13  could attach to front end  16  of second strap  14  above female portion  26 . Similarly, back end  18  of second strap  14  could attach to front end  15  of first strap  13  above female portion  24 .  
         [0034]    In some cases, the harness could be, or be made part of, an upper garment such as a sweater or shirt.  
         [0035]    Although the examples have discussed the use of suspenders with pants and pants, the suspenders could also be used with skirts and other kinds of garments.