Patent Publication Number: US-2018029676-A1

Title: Harness for wind sports

Description:
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an article worn by a user to aid in the control of a wind powered device, such as a kite, wing, sail or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a harness worn by the user having one or more points of attachment to be releasably secured to the wind powered device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Recreational pursuits and other applications involving the utilization of energy from the wind to propel the user typically involve a kite or sail that is operated by the user to interact with the wind and generate propulsive force. Although the hands and arms are often used to control aspects of kite or sail operation including trim, attitude and positioning, the generated forces can be significant and the user may quickly tire if there is no provision for distributing those forces to other body parts. Thus, it may be desirable to provide a point of attachment associated with the core of the user&#39;s body to offload a portion of these forces to larger muscle groups such as the legs and abdomen as well as allowing the user&#39;s body to be used as a counterweight. As will be appreciated, one technique for achieving these goals is to use a harness that may be secured to the user&#39;s body and which may provide at least one point of attachment to the kite or sail. 
     There are a number of characteristics that are considered beneficial for a harness to be used for wind sports. In particular, the harness should offer a robust connection to the user that is stable and remains at the intended location on the user while being able to withstand the forces generated by the kite or sail and the varying directions with which those forces may be imparted to the user. Similarly, it is desirable to distribute the forces transferred from the kite or sail to the user&#39;s body over a relatively large area and to reduce concentration of such forces. Further, even though a secure connection to the user is advantageous, it is also beneficial to make the harness as comfortable as possible to allow the user to wear it for extended periods of time. Still further, the harness may be used to support portions of the user&#39;s body that are in contact with it to extend the period of time the user is able to engage in the wind sport activity. In yet another aspect, it may be desirable to allow a point of attachment to the kite or sail to be dynamically adjustable to accommodate varying postures of the user, such as may result from different headings of movement with respect to the wind direction. As will be described in the following materials, the harness designs of this disclosure satisfy these and other needs. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure includes a harness for wind sports, comprising a rigid, external composite frame configured to contour to a region of a user&#39;s back, attachments connected to opposing latitudinal sides of the composite frame, wherein the attachments are configured to connect with a spreader bar, and padding secured to the composite frame. 
     In one aspect, the composite frame may be reinforcing members embedded in a binder matrix. 
     In one aspect, the composite frame may have a flange around at least a portion of a perimeter of the composite frame. The flange may have a reduced thickness relative to a remainder of the composite frame. Padding may be secured to the composite frame by sewing through the flange. 
     In one aspect, the composite frame is configured to encircle a volume in the range of approximately 150-180°, wherein the volume corresponds to a user&#39;s torso. 
     In one aspect, the attachments may be webbing loops, at least one of which may be adjustable. The webbing loops may be connected to the composite frame by passing through apertures formed in the composite frame. 
     In one aspect, the composite frame may have a convex surface that is configured to partially encircle a user&#39;s torso with a central concave region configured to engage a lumbar region of the user when the harness is worn. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  schematically depicts a three quarters rear view of a harness having a composite frame according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  schematically depicts a side view of a harness having a composite frame according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  schematically depicts a front view of a harness having a composite frame according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  schematically depicts a composite frame according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  schematically depicts a spreader bar according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  schematically depicts a slider according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  schematically depicts a thimble according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  schematically depicts connection of a composite frame to a harness according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particularly exemplified materials, methods or structures as such may, of course, vary. Thus, although a number of materials and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and methods are described herein. 
     It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only and is not intended to be limiting. 
     Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. 
     Further, all publications, patents and patent applications cited herein, whether supra or infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     Finally, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. 
     Aspects of this disclosure may be appreciated in the context of the exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . Beginning with  FIG. 1 , harness  100  is shown from a three quarters rear view and is generally configured to be worn around the waist of the user. As will be appreciated, the techniques of this disclosure may be applied to other known harness designs, such as chest or seat harnesses with suitable modifications. The back of harness  100  is formed by a rigid external composite frame  102 . Harness  100  tapers from the back to relatively narrower belt portion  104  that encircles the user&#39;s waist. In some embodiments, the opposing ends of belt portion  104  may be formed in part from elastic materials and/or may be releasably secured together by buckles, clips, hook and loop fasteners or other suitable mechanisms to provide a relatively snug fit around the user&#39;s waist. Surrounding the edges of composite frame  102  is a padded region  106  to cushion the engagement with the user. For example, a fabric covered foam or the equivalent may be used. Padded region  106  may also extend to the belt portion and may be substantially continuous to provide a uniform surface for contact with the user to avoid pressure points. Composite frame  102  is used to distribute the forces transferred from harness  100  to the user to the lumbar region of the back and hips in this configuration. Accordingly, composite frame  102  may be contoured to conform closely to the anatomy of the user. For example, composite frame  102  may be shaped to a mold representative of a user&#39;s body. Different molds may be provided to accommodate different anatomies. This results in an effective and even distribution of the transferred forces as well as serving to keep harness  100  in a specific orientation and position on the user. 
     Next, in the side view shown in  FIG. 2 , the primary closure of harness  100  around the user&#39;s waist is through spreader bar  108 . As shown, a releasable attachment to spreader bar  108  may be provided by loop  110  that engages a J-shaped end  112  of spreader bar  108 . Loop  110  may be formed from rope or any other relatively inelastic material and may be covered with tubing to improve wear and help maintain a shape that facilitates engagement with J-shaped end  112 . Further, one or both of loops  110  may have an adjustable length, such as through the use of a ladderlock buckle or the like, to allow spreader bar  108  to be secured to the user with a desired degree of tension. Spreader bar  108  also includes an attachment point for connecting to a kite or sail, such as hook  114 . Any known means of attachment to a kite or sail may be employed, including a chicken loop of a kite control bar, harness lines from a sail boom, and their equivalents. Spreader bar  108  may be formed from a wire frame of stainless steel, aluminum or other suitable materials. Additional details of this embodiment of spreader bar  108  are shown in the front view of  FIG. 3 . As illustrated, loop  110  releasably engages J-shaped end  112  of spreader bar, which may be attached by a similar connection at the opposite end or may be threaded through closed end  116  of spreader bar  108  in the embodiment shown. Hook  114  may be located on trolley  118  that slides over webbing  120 . Pad  122  may cushion the user from spreader bar  108 . As is known in the art, depending upon the user&#39;s riding posture and heading, the direction of the force imparted to harness  100  by a kite or sail may vary. Prior art harness designs have a tendency to undesirably shift around the user due to these varying directions. By allowing trolley  118  to slide along webbing  120 , forces that are not centered to the user may be accommodated without causing harness  100  to rotate relative to the user or, given the improved stability and positioning of harness  100  due to composite frame  102 , without imparting a twisting force to the user&#39;s torso. Padded region  106  may also extend in front of composite frame as shown to provide cushioning for the user&#39;s torso. 
     Details regarding composite frame  102  are schematically shown in the elevation view of  FIG. 4 . As illustrated, composite frame  102  has a three-dimensional shape as indicated by the contour lines that is adapted to conform closely to the shape of the user&#39;s back. For example, concave region  124  may be surrounded by the generally convex remainder of composite frame  102  and be configured to support the lumbar region of the user&#39;s back. Composite frame  102  may extend partially around the waist of the user, such as in the range of approximately 150-180° around the torso or more. Correspondingly, the opposing sides may be tapered to match the belt portion of harness  100  as shown. 
     Such configurations help distribute forces to the hips and core of the user, while enhancing the position and orientation stability. Apertures  126  or other suitable connection points may be provided in composite frame  102  to allow loops  110  to be attached to the frame, further improving transfer of force from spreader bar  108 . Either the material used to form loops  110  may be directly attached to composite frame  102  or the two elements may be connected through another substantially non-compliant member such as webbing or the like. Webbing or similar material may also be extended between opposing apertures on the inside of composite frame  102  to maintain integrity of the harness in case the composite frame fails to ensure that a complete band of material is still attached to the kite or sail. In one aspect, apertures  126  may be offset from each other as shown to spread the forces being applied to composite frame  102  over a broader area. Composite frame  102  may include flange  128  around its entire perimeter or a portion of the perimeter to facilitate connection to the more resilient materials forming the remainder of harness  100 , such as webbing, fabric and/or foam. By transitioning from the relatively hard material of composite frame  102  to the noted softer materials, the edges of composite frame  102  may be cushioned to provide a more comfortable fit and do not need to directly engage the user. In one aspect, flange  128  may have a reduced thickness such that composite frame  102  may be attached to the rest of harness  100  by stitching. In other embodiments, adhesives, thermoplastic welding, or any other suitable means of attachment may be employed. 
     Apart from flange  128 , the remainder of the surface of composite frame  102  that faces away from the user may remain exposed. As will be appreciated, this may reduce the overall amount of material required for the harness as compared to conventional designs with internal structural members. Further, composite frame  102  may be essentially non-absorbent, reducing weight while in use and exposed to water as well as reducing drying time. 
     In one aspect, composite frame  102  may be formed from a suitable composite material that includes reinforcing members embedded in a binder matrix. For example, the reinforcing members may be formed from fibers, fabrics or the like of any suitable material, including carbon, glass, boron, basalt, Nylon, Kevlar and the like. The binder matrix may be formed from suitable polymeric materials, including polyester and epoxy. The reinforcing members may be “wet out” or saturated with the polymer prior to curing to achieve desired structural characteristics. In some embodiments, the reinforcing member may have a three-dimensional structure such as a honeycomb configuration or the like. By employing such materials, composite frame  102  may feature superior characteristics for receiving and distributing forces transferred from a kite or sail. Further, it achieves these results with less bulk and weight but greater strength than conventional designs that utilize only foam, fabric or webbing. Other conventional designs that feature internal stiffening elements do not provide direct connection to the spreader bar and, since they are covered by fabric and padding, are substantially bulkier. 
     Another embodiment is depicted in  FIG. 5 , showing an alternate spreader bar  130  that is formed from a composite material, such as carbon fiber and epoxy, although other any of the other composites described above may also be used. Spreader bar  130  has a J-shaped end  132  for releasable attachment with loop  110  and a closed end  134  as described above. Rope  136  or other similar material may extend between the ends of spreader bar  130 , such as through apertures. Sliding hook  138  may travel along rope  136  and serve as a point of attachment for a kite or sail, as described above. In some embodiments, a direct attachment may be formed with the rope  136  alone. For example, the chicken loop of a kite control bar may be closed around the loop to secure the kite to harness  100 , while allowing the chicken loop to slide side to side along the rope to accommodate changes in rider posture. In another aspect, slider  138  may be substituted with slider  140 , shown in  FIG. 6 . Rope  136  may extend through aperture  142  which may be sized to allow free travel or may have an inner diameter sized to create desired amount of friction in relation to the outer diameter of rope  136 , causing slider  140  to remain in a stable position when not being subjected to significant force and allowing the user to more easily attach or release the kite or sail. Aperture  144  may form the attachment point to the kite or sail, such as by a shackle or otherwise as known to those of skill in the art. In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7 , thimble  145  may utilize a single aperture to travel along rope  136  as well as provide an attachment point. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a region adjacent the edge of composite frame  102  showing details regarding one suitable technique for securing and transitioning the rigid composite frame  102  to the more resilient materials of harness  100 . Sew strip  146  may be formed from a resilient material, such as rubber, plastic or other polymers, and may have a recess along one edge to receive composite frame  102 , which may be attached by adhesives, stitching  148 , both, or any other suitable means. As noted above, flange  128  may have a reduced thickness with respect to the remainder of composite frame  102 . Padded region  106 , shown here to include foam padding  150  and neoprene cover  152 , may be secured to the opposing edge of sew strip  146  by stitching  154 . Piping strip  156  may also be secured by stitching  154  as shown. The external surface  158  of composite frame  102  may be substantially exposed, save for any overlap necessary for connection to sew strip  146  or other components around its perimeter, while padded region  106 , including foam padding  150  and neoprene cover  152  and/or other suitable materials may extend across the internal surface  160  to provide a more comfortable interface with the user&#39;s torso. In one embodiment, the difference in thickness of flange  128  may match the thickness of sew strip  146 , providing a smooth transition from the neoprene cover  152  of foam padding  150  across sew strip  146  to composite frame  102  as shown in  FIG. 8 .