Abstract:
The disclosure herein relates, inter alia, to an apparatus for aiding in manual support or lifting of an object, comprising first strap connector means connected to first means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of one of the user&#39;s arms; second strap connector means connected to a second means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the other of the user&#39;s arms; and strap means extending between said first strap connector means and said second strap connector means, with an intermediate portion thereof resting on the shoulder of the user.

Description:
[0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to devices used to manually lift and carry objects.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Prior Art  
         [0004]     Since time immemorial, man has had to lift and carry loads. This is usually done with the hands and arms, though heavier loads, in a pack, are sometimes supported by the back, which is stronger than the hands or arms. Absent the pack, however, man has usually had to use his hands and arms to lift and carry loads.  
         [0005]     There have been attempts to help man use straps to carry loads (see, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,988 to Potts, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,727,873). However, none known to the inventor have the advantages of the present invention, e.g. to optimally: divide between two hands the weight of an article being carried; cause each hand to act like a counterweight to the other; enable sharing loads between the hands, shoulders and especially the back of the user; enable the shifting of loads to the back, and by accomplishing the objects listed below.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to assist in manually lifting and carrying objects.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to assist in manually lifting and carrying objects which reduces the load and strain on the tendons and muscles of the arms of the user.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus to assist in manually lifting and carrying objects which transfers to the shoulders and back some of the load of an object being manually lifted or carried.  
         [0009]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for aiding in lifting, carrying, and transporting stretchers or gurneys bearing medical patients.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, it is an object of the present invention to provide a “hands-free” capability for manually (e.g. without powered machines) lifting and carrying a load.  
         [0011]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive lightweight, portable, easily stored apparatus to accomplish the foregoing and other objects.  
         [0012]     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, to accomplish the foregoing and other objects, which consists of a limited number of conventional elements which interact reliably and provide an apparatus having a long useful life.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The above objects are achieved by the present invention.  
         [0014]     More specifically, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, apparatus is provided for aiding a person in the manual support or lifting of an object. The apparatus includes, but is not limited to, first strap connector means, connected to first means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of one of the user&#39;s arms; and second strap connector means connected to second means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the other of the user&#39;s arms. Strap means extend between the first strap connector means to the second strap connector means. An intermediate portion of the strap means is adapted to rest on the shoulder of the user.  
         [0015]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, apparatus for aiding in manual support or lifting of an object is provided; the apparatus includes, but is not limited to, first strap connector means connected to first means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of one of the user&#39;s arms and second strap connector means connected to second means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the other of the user&#39;s arms. First strap means extend between the first strap connector means to the second strap connector means, with an intermediate portion of the straps being adapted to rest on one of the shoulders of the user. Second strap means extend between the said first strap connector means and the second strap connector means, with an intermediate portion thereof adapted to rest on the other shoulder of the user.  
         [0016]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, apparatus for aiding in manual support or lifting of an object is provided. The apparatus includes, but is not limited to, first strap connector means connected to first means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the one of user&#39;s arms and second strap connector means connected to second means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the other of user&#39;s arm. Strap means having a first and a second section are provided. The first strap means section extends between the first strap connector means and the second strap connector means, and from said second strap connector means over the other shoulder of the user to said first strap connector means.  
         [0017]     Still yet another embodiment of the apparatus for aiding in manual support or lifting of an object includes, but is not limited to: strap means having first, second, third, and fourth sections. The first section extends from a first strap connector means, located proximate to one hand, to a second strap section extending from a first shoulder to a second strap connector means, located proximate to the other hand. A third strap section extends from the second strap connector means to the other shoulder of the user. A fourth strap section extends from the other shoulder of the user to the first strap connector means.  
         [0018]     Still yet another aspect of the invention includes having first means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the arm of a user. This first means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the arm of a user may take the form of a hand loop, finger loop, full glove, partial glove, finger ring, thumb loop, forearm cuff, or wrist cuff, to name a few possibilities. Some preferred embodiments have a second means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the arm of a user. Like the first means, the second means adapted to be engaged by at least a portion of the arm of a user may take the form of a hand loop, finger loop, full glove, partial glove, finger ring, thumb loop, forearm cuff, or wrist cuff, to name a few possibilities.  
         [0019]     Still yet another aspect of the invention includes having a load engaging means in the form of a hook, or otherwise adapted to attach to an item selected from the following group: (shovel, toolbox, wheelbarrow, fire hose, axe, prybar, debris-lifting instrument, stretcher, gurney, rowboat oar, rowboat oars, canoe paddle). 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0020]     To these and to such other objects that may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to an apparatus for an assisting in lifting and manually carrying objects, as set forth in detail in the following specification and recited in the annexed claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, and in which:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of the apparatus according to the present invention, as it would appear mounted on a user;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a close-up view of a portion of the apparatus of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  shows in close-up detail a portion of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of  FIG. 4 , with the alternative strap connector means in the form of a D-ring.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  depicts alternative embodiments of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , with the alternative load engaging means of a hook, being used to carry heavy equipment cases.  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  depicts the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in use to aid in lifting a packing box.  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  depicts the apparatus according to  FIG. 1  being used to carry a medical stretcher.  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  depicts the apparatus of  FIG. 1  being used to hold a shovel.  
         [0030]      FIG. 10  depicts additional views of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]      FIG. 1 . illustrates the apparatus of the present invention (generally designated “A”) according to the present invention, as it would appear mounted on the user&#39;s body as viewed from the anterior (front) side. The apparatus comprises a first strap  10  and a second strap  12 . Straps  10  and  12  are made of a substantially non-stretchable material such as KEVLAR® which is a product available from Dupont, of Wilmington, Del. As an alternative to straps, belts, chains, monofilament fishing lines, etc. or the like could be used.  
         [0032]     Strap  10  has a first end  11  and a second end  13 ; the first end  11  is connected to first strap connector means  18 . The second end  13  is connected to second strap connector means  28 . Strap  10  has an anterior section  10 A and a posterior section  10 P.  
         [0033]     Strap  12  has a first end  15  and a second end  17 ; the first end  15  is connected to second strap connector means  28 ; the second end  17  is connected to first strap connector means  18 . Strap  12  has an anterior section  12 A and a posterior section  12 P. Straps  10  and  12  may be integral, continuous, sectional, or separate and interconnected.  
         [0034]     As seen in  FIGS. 1-2 ,  6 - 7  straps  10  and  12  are generally parallel as they traverse the anterior portion of the user&#39;s body, and cross each other as they traverse the posterior portion of the user&#39;s body. As seen in  FIG. 2 , straps  10  and  12  extend across the posterior of the user&#39;s body, each passing over a different one of the user&#39;s shoulders, preferably supported in part by shoulder pads  24 , which are provided to cushion each shoulder. Straps  10  and  12  diagonally traverse the user&#39;s back, crossing at a crossover point  22  approximately along the user&#39;s spine. In one embodiment, the straps  10  and  12  are retained at crossover point  22  by one or more slots cut lengthwise in one of the straps, with the other strap being threaded through the one or more slots, as shown in  FIGS. 2-3 .  
         [0035]     The first end  15  of strap  12  and the second end  13  of strap  10  are connected at first strap connector means  18 . The first strap connector means  18  facilitates the connection of straps. It may take the form of a simple bracket through-bolted through two strap ends (as depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 ) or, alternatively, of structure like a buckle or D-ring or other suitable structure, including, but not limited to, structures disclosed elsewhere herein and/or depicted in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0036]     Likewise, the first end  11  of strap  10  and the second end  17  of strap  12  are connected at second strap connector means  28 , The second strap connector means  28  facilitates the connection of straps. It may take the form of a simple bracket through-bolted through two strap ends (as depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 ) or, alternatively, of structure like a buckle or D-ring or other suitable structure, including, but not limited to, structures disclosed elsewhere herein and/or depicted in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0037]     Aside from the straps, strap connectors  18 ,  28  are each connected to a different one of two load engaging means  20 ,  30 , respectively, as is best seen in  FIGS. 3-4 . The first load engaging means  20  may take the form of a patch of non-slip rubber-like material. This form, which also permits use of the palms and fingers (aided by the apparatus of the present invention) is useful when the object to be lifted or carried is of a nature such that it usually gripped in the palms and/or fingers. An example of such an object is a box full of books (such as seen in  FIG. 7 ) or the handle of an ordinary medical stretcher (such as seen in  FIG. 8 ), or a shovel (such as seen in  FIG. 9 ). Alternative embodiments may use alternative load engaging means, e.g. a clip or hook  20 ′ or  30 ′ (such as seen in  FIG. 6 ) to attach to the handle of a heavy equipment suitcase (such as seen in  FIG. 6 ), or to any object having an opening or recess or suitable fitting for the clip or hook to engage to. Indeed, many mating connectors may be used, with one half serving as the load engaging means, and the other half attached to the object to be acted upon.  
         [0038]     In one preferred embodiment, first load engaging means  20  is operably connected to strap connection means  16 , and second load engaging means  30  is operably connected to apparatus strap connection means  26  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 6 ).  
         [0039]     In one preferred embodiment, preferably located at or near strap connection means  18  is first means adapted to be engaged by at least one of a portion of one of the user&#39;s arms  16 , e.g., the hand; preferably located at or near strap connection means  28  are second means adapted to be engaged by at least one of a portion of one of the user&#39;s arms  26 , e.g., the hand.  
         [0040]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , the first means adapted to be engaged by a portion of one of the user&#39;s arms  16  is a loop into which the four fingers of the hand are placed, with the thumb outside the loop. This permits the hands, fingers, palms, wrists, arms etc. to all be employed in the usual way to pick up the exemplary box, with the important difference that now the forces needed to lift and or hold the box are not just along the muscles and tendons of the arm, but also across the shoulders and back of the user (Of course, other structures than a hand loop could be used, e.g. a full or partial glove, a ring, a thumb loop, a forearm or wrist cuff, etc.)  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  depicts an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1-4  in which a D-Ring is the strap connector means  18 , which may support the load engaging means  20  (or, in some cases, itself serve as the load engaging means  20 ).  
         [0042]      FIG. 6  depicts the device according to  FIG. 1  in which the load engaging means takes the form of a hook  20 ′ and a hook  30 ′, and is used to carry a heavy suitcase by the handle.  
         [0043]      FIG. 7  depicts the device according to  FIG. 1  in which a non-slip material is used as load engaging means  20 , and is used (in conjunction with the user&#39;s supporting hand underneath) to help carry a heavy box.  
         [0044]      FIG. 8  depicts the apparatus according to  FIG. 1  being used to carry a medical stretcher. While only one stretcher bearer is using the apparatus according to the present invention, both stretcher bearers could use the it.  
         [0045]      FIG. 9  depicts the apparatus of  FIG. 1  being used to hold a shovel.  
         [0046]      FIG. 10  depicts additional views of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0047]     While only a limited number of preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that many variations and modifications could be made therein. It is intended to cover all of these variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.