Patent Publication Number: US-10775142-B1

Title: Paintball pod harness

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS 
     Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field 
     The present invention is directed to paintball pod harness, and more particularly to a modular paintball pod harness with removable pod holders and double lumbar straps. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Paintball is a popular team sport in which competitors shoot paintballs at each other using a paintball marker or gun, while players move over a field of play (e.g., a wooded or natural environment). Paintballs are loaded into a hopper attached to the marker, such that the hopper feeds paintballs into the marker during use. It is often necessary to reload the hopper with paintballs during a competition, and players usually carry a harness around their waist with pods housing paintballs, allowing them to refill the hopper with paintballs by removing a pod from the harness and engaging it with the hopper to transfer the paintballs from the pod to the hopper. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with on aspect of the invention, an improved paintball pod harness is provided that allows for adjustment in tension of a belt of the harness, providing improved lumbar support during use and inhibiting (e.g., preventing) shifting, bouncing or movement of the harness on the player&#39;s back during use. Such inhibiting (e.g., preventing) of shifting, bouncing or movement of the harness on the player&#39;s body during use can reduce noise generated by such movement of the harness, and therefore facilitating the player&#39;s ability to move through a field of play without being heard (e.g., move surreptitiously). 
     In one implementation, the paintball pod harness has a main belt with a pair of primary straps attached to a backplate of the harness, the primary straps coupleable to each other to couple the harness about the player&#39;s waist. The harness also has a secondary belt with a pair of secondary straps attached to the backplate of the harness, the secondary straps configured to extend through openings in the harness (e.g., the backplate of the harness) and to removably couple to an outer surface of the primary straps. The secondary straps are elastic and configured to be stretched relative to the primary straps to tighten the backplate onto the player&#39;s back. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an improved paintball pod harness is provided with removable paintball pod holders, each holder removably coupleable to a backplate of the harness, and adjustable to adjust a tension provided by the pod holder to the pod that is inserted in it. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a paintball pod harness is provided. The harness comprises a support plate having a rear surface configured to face a user&#39;s lower back when the harness is worn by the user. The harness also comprises a pair of primary straps extending from opposite ends of the back plate and configured to extend about the user&#39;s waist and removably couple to each other when the harness is worn by the user. The harness also comprises a pair of secondary straps attached to the rear surface of the support plate and configured to extend through a pair of openings in the support plate. At least a portion of the pair of secondary straps are elastic, the pair of secondary straps configured to releasably couple to a front surface of the pair of primary straps. A plurality of holsters is attached to the support plate, the holsters defining a channel extending from an opening configured to resiliently receive at least a portion of a pod of paintballs therein. The pair of secondary straps are configured to be stretched while detached from the pair of primary straps to adjust a tension of the harness on the user and configured to be coupled pair of primary straps in the stretched position. Increasing the stretching of the secondary straps is configured to further pull the support plate against the user&#39;s back when the harness is worn by the user. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a paintball pod harness is provided. The harness comprises a support plate having a rear surface configured to face a user&#39;s lower back when the harness is worn by the user. The harness also comprises a pair of primary straps extending from opposite ends of the back plate and configured to extend about the user&#39;s waist and removably couple to each other when the harness is worn by the user. The harness also comprises a pair of secondary straps attached to the rear surface of the support plate and configured to extend through a pair of openings in the support plate. At least a portion of the pair of secondary straps is elastic, the pair of secondary straps configured to releasably couple to a front surface of the pair of primary straps. The harness also comprises a plurality of holsters removably attached to the support plate, the holsters defining a channel configured to resiliently receive at least a portion of a pod of paintballs therein. The pair of secondary straps are configured to be stretched while detached from the pair of primary straps to adjust a tension of the harness on the user and configured to be coupled pair of primary straps in the stretched position. Increasing the stretching of the secondary straps is configured to further pull the support plate against the user&#39;s back when the harness is worn by the user. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a paintball pod harness is provided. The harness comprises a support plate having a rear surface configured to face a user&#39;s lower back when the harness is worn by the user. The harness also comprises a pair of straps extending from opposite ends of the back plate and configured to extend about the user&#39;s waist and removably couple to each other when the harness is worn by the user. The harness also comprises a plurality of holsters removably attached to the support plate, the holsters defining a channel configured to resiliently receive at least a portion of a pod of paintballs therein. A tension provided by each of the plurality of holsters is adjustable by detaching the first and second elastic material portions from each other and reattaching the first and second material portions to each other so that their fasteners overlap relative to each other by a different amount. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a paintball pod harness. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partial view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  in an assembled state. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  in a partially unassembled state. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  in a partially unassembled state. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial side view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of a pod holder for use with the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 9  is rear view of the pod holder of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pod holder attached to the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pod holder partially attached to the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is a partial rear view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  in an assembled state. 
         FIG. 13  is a partial rear view of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  in a partially disassembled state. 
         FIG. 14  is a partial view of a pod holder partially attached to the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 15  is a partial view of the pod holder attached to the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 16  is a partial front view of the paintball pod harness during use. 
         FIG. 17  is a partial view of main straps of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  attached to each other. 
         FIG. 18  is a partial view of the main straps of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  attached to each other, and secondary straps of the paintball pod harness in an extended state. 
         FIG. 19  is a partial view of the main straps of the paintball pod harness of  FIG. 1  attached to each other, and the secondary straps attached to the main straps. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-7  show a harness (e.g., a paintball pod harness)  100  that can be work by a user about their waist, as further discussed below.  FIGS. 8-11  show a holster  20  that can be used with the harness  100  and can removably receive at least a portion of a pod of paintballs.  FIGS. 12-19  show the harness  100  during use. As used herein, the “front” side is intended to mean the side facing away from the user&#39;s body when the harness is wrapped around the user&#39;s waist. Similarly, the “rear” side is intended to mean the side facing toward the user&#39;s body when the harness is wrapped around the user&#39;s waist. 
     The harness  100  has a support plate (e.g., a back plate)  30  with one or more (e.g., a plurality, multiple) holsters  20 , each sized to at least partially receive pod of paintballs. In one implementation, as further discussed below, the one or more holsters  20  are removable and adjustable relative to the back plate  30 . 
     A pair of primary straps  12 A,  12 B attach (e.g., are sewn) to opposite ends (e.g., left portion, right portion) of the back plate  30  (e.g., via a seam  13 ). The pair of primary straps  12 A,  12 B define a main belt portion of the harness  100  that can be wrapped around the user&#39;s waist to attach the harness  100  to the user by attaching the primary straps  12 A,  12 B to each other so that a rear surface of the primary straps  12 A,  12 B face the user&#39;s body. In one implementation, the primary straps  12 A,  12 B releasably attach to each other with hoop-and-loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®. However, other coupling mechanisms (e.g., belt and belt-buckle) can be used to releasably attach the primary straps  12 A,  12 B together. In one implementation, at least a portion of each of the primary straps  12 A,  12 B is elastic (e.g., can resiliently stretch). For example, the primary straps  12 A,  12 B have a portion made of a stretchable material (e.g. a 2-way stretch material), such as elastane, Spandex or Lycra. Other suitable stretchable materials can be used. 
     The harness  100  has a pair of secondary straps  14 A,  14 B attached (e.g., sewn) to a rear surface of the back plate  30  (e.g., via a seam  36 ). In one implementation, the pair of secondary straps  14 A,  14 B are attached (e.g., sewn) approximately along a center axis of the back plate  30 . The secondary straps  14 A,  14 B, can extend (e.g., movably or slidably pass) through openings  32  in the back plate  30  onto a front side of the primary straps  12 A,  12 B. The secondary straps  14 A,  14 B can releasably attach (e.g., with hoop-and-loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®) to a front surface of the primary straps  12 A,  12 B. 
     In one implementation, at least a portion of each of the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B is elastic (e.g., can resiliently stretch). In one implementation, the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B are more elastic (e.g., can stretch more) than the primary straps  12 A,  12 B. In another implementation, the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B are less elastic than the primary straps  12 A,  12 B. In another implementation, the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B are approximately as elastic as the primary straps  12 A,  12 B. For example, the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B have a portion made of a stretchable material (e.g. a 2-way stretch material), such as elastane, Spandex or Lycra. Other suitable stretchable materials can be used. The secondary straps  14 A,  14 B advantageously allow a user to adjust the tension of the harness  100  on the user&#39;s body. For example, the user can pull on the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B, as further discussed below, and attach the stretched secondary straps  14 A,  14 B to the primary straps  12 A,  12 B to thereby bring the back plate  30  (e.g. a rear surface of the back plate  30 ) closer to the user&#39;s body. The user can adjust the level of tension via the amount the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B are stretched before they are attached to the primary straps  12 A,  12 B. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4-7 , the back plate  30  has a movable flap  34  releasably coupleable to a rear surface of the back plate  30  via fasteners  34 A,  34 B,  34 C (e.g., hoop-and-loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®) on the flap  34  and corresponding fasteners  35  (e.g., hoop-and-loop fasteners  35 A,  35 B,  35 C, such as VELCRO®). However, other suitable fasteners (e.g., snaps) can be used to couple the flap  34  to the back plate  30 . The flap  34  can be padded and, once coupled to the rear surface of the back plate  30 , can provide a padded lumbar support for the user&#39;s lower back when the harness  100  is wrapped around the user&#39;s waist. The flap  34 , when attached to the rear surface of the back plate  30 , can cover the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B. 
     Detaching the flap  34  from the rear surface of the back plate  30  allows access to the location of the back plate  30  that each holster  20  attaches to, as further discussed below. As shown in  FIG. 7 , sides of the holster  20  can extend through openings or slots  38  formed on a wall  33  of the back plate  30 . The slots or openings  38  extend through the wall  33  of the back plate  30  and can be accessed from the rear surface of the back plate  30  (e.g., by detaching the flap  34  from the rear surface of the back plate  30 ). As shown in  FIG. 7 , the holster  20 , once attached to the back plate  30 , defines a channel that extends to an opening (e.g., facing upward) via which at least a portion of the pod of paintballs can be inserted into the holster  20 . 
       FIGS. 8-11  show one implementation of the holster  20 . The holster  20  has a stabilizing plate  26  on a front side of the holster  20  and elastic material portions  25  are attached (e.g., sewn) to left and right sides of the stabilizing plate  26 . In one implementation, the elastic material does not extend behind the stabilizing plate  26  and only attaches to the left and right sides of the stabilizing plate  26 . A backing (e.g. a padded backing)  27  is attached (e.g., sewn) to a rear surface of the stabilizing plate  26  and can engage a surface of the pod of paintballs when inserted in the holster  20 . The backing  27  can in one implementation be smooth. In another implementation, the backing  27  can details (e.g., embossed details, printed details) that inhibit (e.g. prevent) slipping of the pod of paintballs in the holster  20 . Accordingly, the backing  27  can facilitate the pod of paintballs to be securely held or retained in the holster  20 . 
       FIGS. 8-9  show the holster  20  in the unfolded or extended position. Ends (e.g., a left end and a right end)  22 ,  24  of the holster  20  can couple to each other to define a channel into which at least a portion of a pod of paintballs can be inserted. The ends  22 ,  24  of the holster  20  can attach to each other via one or more fasteners  21  (see  FIGS. 10, 11 ), such as hoop-and-loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®. A pouch  28  is attached to an end of the holster  20 . The pouch  28  can receive at least a portion (e.g., an end portion) of the pod of paintballs when the holster  20  is in the enclosed position that defines the channel that receives the pod. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 10-11 , the ends  22 ,  24  of the holster  20  can be inserted through the openings or slots  38  in the wall  33  of the back plate  30  and attached to each other via the fasteners  21  (e.g., hoop-and-loop fasteners, or VELCRO®). The holster  20  defines a chamber that at least partially receives a pod P of paintballs therein. Advantageously, the connection between the ends  22 ,  24  of the holster  20  can be adjusted (e.g., by detaching the flap  34  from the rear surface of the back plate  30  and) by detaching the ends  22 ,  24  from each other and reattaching them at a different location of each other (e.g., reattached with different overlap between the hoop-and-loop fasteners), to thereby adjust a tension of the holster  20  on the pod P. Advantageously, the user can therefore adjust the force applied by the holster  20  on the pod P (e.g., to provide a relatively looser or snug fit of the holster  20  on the pod P) and adjust the ease with which the pod P can be removed from the holster  20 . Therefore, the holster  20  can advantageously be adjusted in tension to securely hold the pod P of paintballs. As there can be multiple holsters  20  attached to the back plate  30 , this feature advantageously allows the user to individually adjust the tension of each holster  20  on the harness  100 . 
       FIGS. 12-19  show the harness  100  in use.  FIG. 12  shows a rear side of the back plate  30  with the flap  34  attached to the rear surface of the back plate  30 .  FIG. 13  shows the flap  34  detached from the rear surface of the back plate  30  to allow adjustments to the holsters  20  (e.g. to adjust a tension of the holsters  20  on the pods P of paintballs).  FIGS. 14-15  show an adjustment of a holster  20  on the harness  100 .  FIG. 14  shows the rear surface of the wall  33  with the ends  22 ,  24  of the holster  20  extending through the slots  38  in the wall  33  and detached from each other, and  FIG. 15  shows the ends  22 ,  24  reattached to each other on the rear surface of the wall  33 . 
       FIGS. 16-19  show the coupling of the harness  100  on the user&#39;s body.  FIG. 16  shows the user holding onto the primary straps  12 A,  12 B with the wall  33  back plate  30  placed generally against the user&#39;s waist or lower back. The secondary straps  14 A,  14 B can optionally be detached from the primary straps  12 A,  12 B.  FIG. 17  shows the primary straps  12 A,  12 B attached to each other on a front side of the user&#39;s waist, the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B optionally detached from the primary straps  12 A,  12 B.  FIG. 18  shows the user holding the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B. Optionally, the user can stretch (e.g., pull on) the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B to bring the back plate  30  closer to the user&#39;s lower back.  FIG. 19  shows the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B attached to the primary straps  12 A,  12 B (optionally in the stretched position). In one implementation, the secondary straps  14 A,  14 B can additionally or alternatively attach to each other (e.g., with fasteners, such as hoop-and-loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®). 
     While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present inventions is defined only by reference to the appended claims. 
     Features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The protection is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed. 
     Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination. 
     Moreover, while operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Other operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Further, the operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated and/or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described above may be removed, others may be added. Furthermore, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. 
     Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. 
     Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z. 
     Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately”, “about”, “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree. 
     The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.