Abstract:
A carry and deploy bag system according to embodiments of the present invention includes a holster for housing a controlled descent device and an anchor; a rope pouch for receiving a rope that is securable to the controlled descent device and the anchor; and a connecting gooseneck extending between the holster and the lumbar pouch that protects the rope as it runs through the connecting gooseneck from the lumbar pouch to the holster; wherein the holster comprises a tear-away cover flap that can be opened and disconnected from the holster in one motion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/084,312, filed on Apr. 11, 2011, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/372,454, filed on Aug. 10, 2010, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to equipment for individuals who sometimes work at heights, such as construction workers, tower technicians, military and police, firefighters and other rescue professionals. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In some instances, firefighters use safety equipment such as harnesses. In some cases, there is a desire for convenient, easy-to-use harnesses that are comfortable to carry or wear yet can easily be deployed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An embodiment of the invention is a multi-part bag system designed to hold a firefighter&#39;s bailout gear. 
         [0005]    A carry and deploy bag system according to embodiments of the present invention includes a holster for housing a controlled descent device and an anchor; a rope pouch for receiving a rope that is securable to the controlled descent device and the anchor; and a connecting gooseneck extending between the holster and the lumbar pouch that protects the rope as it runs through the connecting gooseneck from the lumbar pouch to the holster; wherein the holster comprises a tear-away cover flap that can be opened and disconnected from the holster in one motion. 
         [0006]    Another carry and deploy bag system according to embodiments of the present invention includes a holster for housing a controlled descent device and an anchor; a rope pouch for receiving a rope that is securable to the controlled descent device and the anchor; and a connecting gooseneck extending between the holster and the lumbar pouch that protects the rope as it runs through the connecting gooseneck from the lumbar pouch to the holster; wherein the holster comprises an anchor hook holding mechanism configured to hold the anchor hook at an angle with respect to vertical. 
         [0007]    While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a multi-part bag system, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates side perspective view of a tear-away cover flap attached to a top of a holster, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of a holster with cover flap raised, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of a holster with cover flap raised, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a gooseneck rope conduit, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates a front perspective view of an inside of a holster, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front view of a holster cover flap, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    A system according to embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following characteristics and/or features:
       A multi-part bag system to carry bailout gear that can be field-stripped and disassembled to clear a rope jam.   A bag system that has substantially all of the parts that contact rope covered with a material such as Teflon fabric to reduce friction, prevent jams and protect rope against high heat.   A holster that holds the controlled descent device that incorporates a tear-away cover flap that can be opened and completely disconnected from the holster in one motion.   A holster that holds the controlled descent device that incorporates one or more retaining straps that attach to the under-side of the cover flap.   A holster that holds an anchor hook at an angle to facilitate grasping the anchor hook and reducing the profile.   A holster that secures the sharp tip of an anchor hook in such a way that the sharp tip does not rip or tear the holster material. The holster incorporates a bottomless pocket to secure the tip of the hook. The bottomless pocket prevents the hook from ripping the pocket.   A holster with a cover flap that incorporates a multiplicity of waves or ridges designed to improve tactile feel and facilitate grasping the flap with wet, cold or burned fingers.   Is a pouch with a cover flap that is easy to grab.       
 
         [0025]    Embodiments of the present invention may by used by firefighters, though some embodiments of the invention may be useful to those who wear gloves or mittens that reduce dexterity. Ribs  702  on one or both sides of the flap make it easy to grab with heavy wet gloves. 
         [0026]    Embodiments of the present invention may provide certain benefits in the context of firefighting, according to embodiments of the present invention. However, anyone who carries a personal vertical escape and rescue system may find similar benefits. 
         [0027]    The multi-part bag system  100  according to embodiments of the present invention can be field stripped and completely disassembled, mid-descent if necessary, to clear any sort of rope jam. The multi-part design also makes it easy to use connecting pieces—for example the rope conduit gooseneck—of different length to accommodate firefighters of different girth, according to embodiments of the present invention. Three such goosenecks  106 ,  108 ,  110  are shown in  FIG. 1 . A multi-part bag system where in the rope bag  102  is essentially a tube sealed on one or both ends with a material such as Velcro® that can be opened and closed by the user makes it much easier to pack rope tightly, quickly and compactly so that it will deploy without twists or kinks, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0028]    According to some embodiments of the present invention, the bag system  100  has rope-contacting parts that contact rope which are made of a low-friction material such as Teflon fabric. This low-friction material facilitates rope deployment. Without it, increased friction in the gooseneck may in some cases cause the rope to get stuck. A low-friction material in the rope bag  102 , for example, allows rope that is “stuffed” to deploy smoothly without twists or kinks because it allows rope to untwist as it is pulled from the bag. 
         [0029]    The holster  104  according to embodiments of the present invention has a tear-away cover flap  302  that can be opened and disconnected in one motion. This makes it faster and easier for a firefighter to access bailout equipment, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0030]    The holster  104  according to embodiments of the present invention includes retaining straps  304 ,  306  that connect to the under-side  308  of the cover flap  302 . Retaining straps  304 ,  306  keep bailout equipment secure inside the holster  104  and prevent premature or accidental deployment of the gear. When these straps  304 ,  306  are fastened to the underside  308  of the cover flap  302 , they are out of the way and less likely to snag as a firefighter goes about his work. Attaching these cover straps  304 ,  306  to the cover flap  302  in the manner indicated allows them to easily disengage when the cover flap is opened. 
         [0031]    A holster  104  according to embodiments of the present invention may hold the anchor hook  310  at an angle. The most advantageous place to grasp an anchor hook  310  is by the portion of the anchor hook  310  that transitions from the curve to the straight shaft. Grasping too far onto the curve or too far onto the straight shaft makes it difficult to position the hook  310  so that it will drive into a wall. If the hook  310  is positioned in the holster  104  so that the straight shaft  312  is vertical, then the portion of the hook  310  that is most naturally grasped is the curved portion of the hook  310 . If the hook  310  is positioned in the holster  104  so that the straight shaft  312  is horizontal, then the portion of the hook  310  that is most naturally grasped is the straight shaft  312 . Positioning the hook  310  so that it is between ten and forty-five degrees from vertical (with vertical being a substantially up-down direction from the nominal orientation of  FIG. 3 ) in a manner that tips the point  314  of the hook down presents the transition area of the hook  310  to be most naturally grasped. 
         [0032]    A holster  104  according to embodiments of the present invention secures the tip  314  of the anchor hook in a bottomless pocket  316 . The tip  314  of a firefighter&#39;s anchor hook  310  is sharp and can easily tear the material of the bag that holds it. The bottomless-pocket  316  secures the tip  314  of the anchor hook  310  so that the tip  314  is not in contact with the holster bag  104  and the holster bag  104  is therefore not in jeopardy of being torn. 
         [0033]    A holster  104  according to embodiments of the present invention includes a cover flap  302  that incorporates a multiplicity of waves or ridges  702 . A firefighter&#39;s hands can be burned or frozen when a bailout emergency occurs. A holster flap  302  with a multiplicity of waves or ridges  702  makes it easier for numb fingers to find the appropriate part of the flap to pull. Also, the three-dimensional waves or ridges  702  reduce the compression necessary by fingers to prevent fingers from slipping against the material of the flap. And, the waves or ridges  702  provide tactile feedback to the user to indicate that fingers are slipping over the surface, which the user can then use to squeeze the flap more vigorously to prevent slipping. 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a three-part bag system according to embodiments of the present invention may include a rope bag  102 , a connecting gooseneck  106 , and holster  104 . In some cases the gooseneck  106  is made so that it can fasten and unfasten, reversibly to the rope bag  102  and holster  104 , but also so the gooseneck  106  can be opened completely.  FIG. 5  illustrates gooseneck  106  being opened partially. The gooseneck  106  may be a tube that is fastened on one of the long seems with a material such as Velcro that allows the gooseneck  106  to be opened completely to clear a rope jam. The rope bag  102  is designed so that it can be opened at either end. This allows the user to open either end to pull out rope to clear a rope jam. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the rope bag may optionally be opened completely by using a material such as Velcro along one of the long seems. The holster  104  is designed with a cover flap  302  that can optionally be removed completely, according to embodiments of the present invention. Once the cover flap  302  is opened, the front of the holster  104  can be ripped down so that the entire bag lays flat or substantially flat; this is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In some embodiments the bag can be opened completely flat. In some embodiments the bag is not closed by more than one inch when opened to maximum. In some embodiments the bag is closed by not more than two inches when opened to maximum. 
         [0035]    Bag system  100  may have parts which contact rope made of a low-friction material such as Teflon fabric. The coefficient of friction of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene may also be suitable, though the melt temperature of UHMWP is less than ideal in some situations. 
         [0036]    A holster  104  according to embodiments of the present invention may include a tear-away cover flap  302  that can be opened and disconnected in one motion. The cover flap  302  of this embodiment is folded over and attached on the “wrong side” to the top of the holster with Velcro as shown in  FIG. 2 . The shear force to pull off the cover flap when it is attached in this manner is less than half of what it would be if the extra fold were not put into the top of the cover flap, according to embodiments of the present invention. The result is that pulling up on the cover flap  302  of the holster  104  makes it easy to open the holster and entirely remove the cover flap. 
         [0037]    The holster  104  has retaining straps  304 ,  306  that connect to the under-side  308  of the cover flap  302 , according to embodiments of the present invention. The retaining straps  304 ,  306  of this embodiment are sewn to the back side of the holster  104  and then wrap around the side of the holster that has the protruding carabiner, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Rather than then attaching to the front side of the holster  104 , the free end of the retaining straps  304 ,  306  of this embodiment fasten with a material such as Velcro to the under-side  308  of the cover flap  302  rather than to the main body of the holster  104 . This method allows the retaining straps  304 ,  306  to be disengaged when the cover flap  302  is opened. 
         [0038]    As described above, the holster  104  may be configured to hold the anchor hook  310  at an angle. Some embodiments feature an anchor hook  310  angle of five to forty-five degrees from vertical with the tip  314  of the hook  310  angled downwardly, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Some embodiments feature an angle of ten to forty degrees. Some embodiments feature an angle of fifteen to twenty-five degrees. 
         [0039]    The holster  104  may secures the tip  314  of the anchor hook  310  in a bottomless pocket  316 , according to embodiments of the present invention. This “bottomless pocket” may be a pocket with a either no bottom or a bottom that is substantially deeper than it is possible for the tip  314  of the hook to penetrate into the pocket. An easy way to make a bottomless pocket is simply to attach a piece of webbing to the holster leaving an un-sewn gap (for example along the top edge) for the tip  314  of the hook  310 . 
         [0040]    The holster  104  may include a cover flap  302  that incorporates a multiplicity of waves or ridges  702 . The portion of the cover flap  302  designed to be grasped to open the holster  104  can contain a single or plurality of parallel, concentric or random ridges or protrusions  702  that facilitate grasping and pulling or lifting of the flap  302 . The ridges  702  can be on either or both sides of the flap  302 , according to embodiments of the present invention. A “negative ridge” or “indent” functions the same as a “positive ridge” because the point is to create contrast for fingers and palm to feel, according to embodiments of the present invention. Ridge or protrusion effectiveness is determined by amplitude, wavelength and shape. Amplitude is defined as the difference between the base material and the height or depth of the ridge or protrusion. Wavelength is defined as the distance between amplitude crests or troughs. Shape is defined by the cross-section of the ridge or protrusion. A singular ridge or protrusion is less effective than a correctly designed plurality of ridges or protrusions  702 . A ridge is most effective when it is substantially perpendicular to the user&#39;s fingers as the user grabs the flap. The effective amplitude for a ridge or protrusion is 0.25 mm to 13 mm in some embodiments, is 2 mm to 10 mm in other embodiments, and is 4 mm to 7 mm in other embodiments. Frequency is a function of amplitude. The effective frequency is 1× to 10× the amplitude in some embodiments, is 2× to 7× in some embodiments, and is 3× to 5× in some embodiments. One effective shape has a profile that has one or more acute angles. Another factor that affects the ability of a user to grab a flap is the flexibility of the part of the flap that is grasped. Stiffer is better when the size of the portion of the flap to be grasped is small relative to the size of the user&#39;s hand, according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0041]    Specific ways to create these ridges  702  include, without limitation: (1) gathering and sewing small flaps of fabric to create ridges or protrusions on either or both sides of the flap, (2) sewing pieces of cord or rope into the flap so that the rope creates a ridge on either or both sides of the flap (the rope diameter used to create ridges can be as large as 12.5 mm or as small as 2 mm), and/or (3) attaching an extruded profile that has ridges or protrusions on either or both sides of the flap. 
         [0042]      FIG. 1  illustrates the Teflon-line rope storage bag  102  at left. This bag  102  is a tube closed at each end with Velcro. The straps  112  protruding from the rope bag  102  are used to attach the rope bag to the user&#39;s harness. The connecting, Teflon-lined gooseneck  106  is in the middle. Two goosenecks  108 ,  110  of other lengths are below. The gooseneck  106  is attached to the rope bag  102  and the holster  104  with Velcro. The holster  104  containing the controlled descent device and anchor hook is at the right. Protruding from the right side of the holster is the carabiner  114  used to attach the controlled descent device to the user&#39;s harness. 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  illustrates how the tear-away cover flap  302  is attached at the top of the holster  104 . The cover flap  302  is the portion with the reflective tape and logo. Note the extra fold in the way it is attached with Velcro to the top of the holster  104 . The back edge of the cover flap  302  has been deliberately torn slightly off of the holster  104  to show how it is attached. 
         [0044]      FIG. 3  shows the inside  308  of the holster  104 . Note the “bottomless pocket”  316  that holds the sharp tip  314  of the anchor hook  310 . Note the angle of the hook  310  in the holster  104 —it is rotated sixteen degrees from vertical with the tip  314  of the anchor hook  310  rotated down. Note the two retaining straps  304 ,  306  on the right edge of the holster  104 . These straps attach with Velcro to the under-side  308  of cover flap  302 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  is another illustration showing the holster  104  with the cover flap  302  raised. Note the angle of the anchor hook  310 , which is set at sixteen degrees with the point  314  of the hook  310  rotated down. 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  illustrates the gooseneck  106 . Note that it opens on three sides to lay flat, which allows it to be completely opened in case of a rope jam. Note the Teflon lining on the inside of the gooseneck  106 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 6  illustrates the inside of the holster  104 . The cover flap  302  is at right. Note how the bag can be field-stripped and opened so the controlled descent device can be pulled out. 
         [0048]      FIG. 7  shows the grab-portion  702  of the cover flap  302  on the holster  104 . Note the waves or ridges  702  on the lower portion that make the cover flap  302  easier to grab. 
         [0049]    Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.