Patent Publication Number: US-2005114990-A1

Title: Simple restraint harness for walking or other activity

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Not Applicable  
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
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     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Guardians of normal physical ability and dexterity know it can be difficult to restrain the movements of even a cooperative restrainee while walking or other activity. The problem is increased, and the stress on the guardian becomes greater, when attempting to lead or control a restrainee when the restrainee does not wish to be so controlled. The battle that ensues often is not only one between the guardian and the restrainee; but also a three way battle involving the guardian, the restrainee, and the restraint. Often simplicity, ease and speed in being able to secure the restraint and the restrainee is paramount when making one&#39;s way through a dense throng, across a busy street or when attempting to control a restrainee&#39;s movements.  
      One well-known method to restrain activity is to use a harness which has to have been fitted for the restrainee. Intuitively, walking harnesses use buckles or other technology to adjust or secure the restraint. However, placement and removal of such a harness usually involves cumbersome and time consuming adjustments of buckles or other technology added to the straps of the harness.  
      The problem of getting these harnesses onto a restrainee becomes even more cumbersome the more technology is added to the straps to allow for adjustment. Individuals with limited manual dexterity or a restrainee who moves frequently during fitting, may not be able to accommodate quick, easy and painless placement of these harnesses.  
      As the demographics of population age and more individuals of handicapped dexterity gain guardianship rights, a restraint system for walking or other activity that is effective and simple to put into place around a restrainee is necessary.  
      Invention restrains without adjustments by other technology because of its design. This has the advantage of soft restraints that can be threaded without manipulation of difficult buckles or other technology.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention overcomes the above problems by using a novel harness made from a minimal number of straps and loops that may be easily and conveniently threaded and then grasped by a guardian to restrain the movement of the restrainee. Invention adjusts to fit the restrainee because of the design of the harness, without the use of buckles or other technology. This has the advantage of soft restraints that can be threaded without manipulation of difficult buckles.  
      Invention is three straps formed to restrain the restrainee. A primary strap has two secondary straps attached left and right of center to the primary strap, with loops at the free ends of the secondary left and right straps. The primary strap is placed on the front of the restrainee either at shoulder level or at the level of the axillae (plural form for a body part analogous to the armpits.) The two free ends of the secondary left and right straps are each placed over the shoulder to the restrainee&#39;s back and then crossed or not crossed; or the two free ends of the secondary left and right straps are each placed under the respective axilla to the restrainee&#39;s back. The two ends of the primary strap are wrapped around the body to the back of the restrainee and each end is threaded through a respective loop of a secondary strap; or the two ends of the primary-strap are threaded through both loops of the secondary left and right straps. The guardian then holds the ends of the primary strap.  
      These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit-the-scope of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the invention applied to a small child.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the secondary straps if positioned over the shoulders and crossed in the back.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing both ends of the primary strap threaded through both loops of the secondary straps.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the secondary straps if positioned over the shoulders.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment showing the secondary straps if positioned under the axillae. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is three straps formed to restrain the restrainee. The invention restrains without adjustments by other technology because of its design. This has the advantage of soft restraints that can be threaded without manipulation of difficult buckles or other technology.  
      The three straps are formed so that a primary strap has two secondary straps, with these secondary straps attached left and right of center to the primary strap. The two secondary straps are formed so as to have loops at the free ends of the secondary left and right straps.  
      The primary strap  1  is placed across the front of the restrainee, with a first secondary strap  2  and a second secondary strap  3  pointing either down or up, depending on whether the primary strap  1  is placed across the chest at the level of the shoulders or the level of the axillae, respectively. The primary strap  1  is of sufficient length to go from the front around to the back of the restrainee, through the end loop  4  of the first secondary strap  2  and the end loop  5  of the second secondary strap  3  and for the guardian to then hold a first end  6  and a second end  7  of the primary strap  1 . Additionally, these secondary straps are of sufficient length to cross at the back of the restrainee.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , if the primary strap  1  is placed at axilla level across the chest, then it should be placed with the first secondary strap  2  and the second secondary strap  3  pointed up. The first secondary strap  2  and the second secondary strap  3  are brought over the restrainee&#39;s shoulders to the restrainee&#39;s back and then these secondary straps are crossed. Then the first end  6  of the primary strap  1  is threaded through the end loop  5  of the first secondary strap  3 , and the second end  7  of the primary strap  1  is threaded through the end loop  4  of the second secondary strap  2 .  
      For a tighter restraint, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the first end  6  of the primary strap  1  can be threaded through the end loop  4  of the first secondary strap  2  and then through the end loop  5  of the second secondary strap  3 ; and the second end  7  of the primary strap  1  can be threaded through the end loop  5  of the second secondary strap  3  and then through the end loop  4  of the first secondary strap  2 .  
      When arranged as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the crossing of the secondary straps directs any force applied to ends of the primary strap toward the apex points of the secondary straps. This brings the secondary straps toward each other ensuring the secondary straps remain on the shoulders of the restrainee.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , if the primary strap  1  is placed at axilla level across the chest, then the first secondary strap  2  and the second secondary strap  3  will be pointing up. The first secondary strap  2  and the second secondary strap  3  are brought to the restrainee&#39;s back over the restrainee&#39;s shoulders. Then the first end  6  of the primary strap  1  is threaded through the end loop  4  of the first secondary strap  2  and the second end  7  of the primary strap  1  is threaded through the end loop  5  of the second secondary strap  3 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 6 , if the primary strap  1  is placed at shoulder level across the chest, then first secondary strap  2  and the second secondary strap  3  are pointed down. The first secondary strap  2  and the second secondary strap  3  are brought to the back of the restrainee under the axillae. Then the first end  6  of the primary strap  1  is threaded through the end loop  4  of the first secondary strap  2  and the second end  7  of the primary strap  1  is threaded through the end loop  5  of the second secondary strap  3 .  
      While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, the embodiments described are illustrative only and the scope of the invention is defined herein when accorded a full range of equivalence, many variations and modifications naturally occurring to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof. Such variations are intended to be within the scope of the invention.