Abstract:
A harness suitable for teaching a sports activity such as skiing or skating, the harness having a body strap which encircles the body of a child, first and second shoulder straps extending between front and rear portions of the body strap, and first and second support handles extending upwardly from the shoulder straps, first and second user handles extending from the harness for grapsing by the child.

Description:
This application claims benefit of Prov. No. 60/109,492 filed Nov. 23, 1998. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a harness and more particularly, relates to a training harness. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Learning some sports becomes somewhat difficult due to the fear of injury. Such sports would include skiing, in-line skating, ice skating, etc. To a degree, one must learn balance and coordination skills which are difficult to initially achieve. As a result, the learner will fall and frequently this will instill a fear in the learner which makes it even more difficult to learn. 
     During the learning process, and particularly in the case of a child, the parent or other instructor will hold on to the child to permit the child to learn to balance while acquiring the required muscle coordination and balance. 
     However, the holding on to the child often causes the learner to modify a natural body alignment which is required for adequate balance and muscle coordination. Furthermore, it is frequently difficult for the parent or instructor to adequately hold on to the learner. 
     These problems have been recognized in the past and, various types of devices have been proposed to aid skaters during their learning process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,860 issued May 8, 1990 discloses a harness having generally orthogonal strap means adapted to fit around and conform to the body of the wearer. Integral handle means extend from the harness and are adapted to be held by a person for supporting the wearer. The strap means preferably includes a combination of two generally vertical straps which criss-cross the wearer and at least one cooperating chest band which supports and circumscribes the wearer&#39;s chest. The support straps each have an extension which serves as a handle means. 
     Although useful in supporting the learning skater without having the latter directly and unergonomically holding on to a supporting structure or person, the harness still suffers from drawbacks. One of the main drawbacks associated with this prior art harness relates to the fact that the wearer is in contact with the strap only through the body-contacting portion of the latter. The wearer thus experiences the sensation of being strapped-in much like a package suspended from handles. This sensation can rapidly become frustrating. Furthermore, contact of the straps with the body limited to the chest and crotch areas fails to provide adequate sensory input to the wearer as to the type of balancing assistance provided by the individual holding on to the handle portion of the harness. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved training harness for skaters different sports. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a harness suitable for teaching a sports activity to a child, the harness comprising, a body engaging portion designed to encircle a child&#39;s body, a first set of support handle means extending from the body engaging portion and designed to be grasped by a supporting individual, and a second set of user handle sections extending from the body engaging portion to be grasped by the child. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a harness suitable for teaching a sports activity to a child a harness suitable for teaching a sports activity to a child, the harness comprising, a body strap designed to encircle the body of the child; first and second shoulder strap means each extending between front and rear portions of the body straps, first and second support handle means each extending from a respective one of the shoulder straps for grasping by a supporting individual, and first and second user handle means each extending from the harness for grasping by the child. 
     Advantages of the present invention include the fact that the proposed training harness is specifically adapted to be used to support and assist a child or disabled individual during training in activities requiring practice and motor coordination such as walking, skating, skiing or the like. Also, the proposed learning harness provides not only a torso engaging section for securing to the wearer and a first support handle means for allowing an individual to support the wearer but also a user handle means for allowing the wearer to hold on to the latter. The user handle means is adapted to allow the wearer to selectively reduce the tension in the torso engaging section of the harness. Also, the user handle means not only provides for a subjective sense of security but also allows the wearer to get a feel of the type of supporting effort provided by the supporting individual since the user handle means are preferably mechanically coupled to the first support handle means. Hence, the wearer obtains a manual feedback on the coordination efforts provided by the supporting individual. This type of feedback, in turn, improves the learning process. 
     Furthermore, the harness has a torso engaging section designed with optimal characteristics so as to improve the comfort of the wearer. Still further, the proposed harness is specifically designed so as to be customized to wearers of various sizes and configurations. Also, the harness is specifically configured so as to be manufacturable using conventional forms of manufacturing thus providing a harness which will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble free in operation. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a training harness according to one embodiment of the present invention, the harness being worn by a child and supported by the hands of an instructor; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating the harness of FIG. 1 being worn by a child; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the harness of FIGS. 1 and 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a further embodiment of a harness according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings in a greater detailed and by reference characters thereto, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a harness generally designated by reference numeral  10  being worn by a child  12 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, harness  10  includes a body strap  14  designed to encircle the torso of a child. Body strap  14  has, at one end thereof, a loop  16  formed by means of a stitching  18 . Loop  16  is engaged about a first fastening component  20 . 
     A second fastening component  22  is designed to cooperatively engage with first fastening component  20  in a known manner. A buckle  24  forms a portion of second fastening component  22  and provides for means of adjusting the length of body strap  14  required for encircling the body torso—i.e. strap end  26  can be pulled on to tighten body strap  14  in a known manner. 
     Harness  10  also includes a first segment  28  of a first shoulder strap. At one end thereof, first segment  28  is secured to body strap  14  by a loop  30  formed by stitching  32 . The attachment is sufficiently loose that first segment  28  can be moved horizontally as indicated by arrow  34 . 
     A second segment  38  of the shoulder strap has a first end engaged about body strap  14  by means of a loop  40  formed with stitching  42 . Again, the arrangement is such that second segment  38  can move along body strap  14  as indicated by arrow  44 . 
     At its other end, second segment  38  is secured to a buckle  46  by means of stitching  45 . 
     As may be seen in FIG. 3, the arrangement is such that distal end  48  of first segment  28  is threaded through buckle  46  in a known matter and thus the length of the shoulder strap may be adjusted. 
     A handle strap  54  has a first end secured to a rear section of first segment  28  by means of stitching  56 . Handle strap  54  passes intermediately through an adjustment buckle  58  which is amounted on front section of first segment  28  and has a user handle segment  60  forming a loop at a distal end thereof by means of stitching  62 . A support handle section  50  is forming a loop between the point of stitching  56  and adjustment buckle  58 . Optionally, handle strap  54  may be removably attached to first segment  28 . 
     There is also provided a second shoulder strap and handle strap which are identical to those already described and thus, will not be described in detail herein. Similar reference numerals with a ′ are utilized for similar components. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a rear cross strap  66  extends between first segments  28 ,  28 ′. 
     In use, harness  10  is snugly fastened about the wearer&#39;s body with shoulder straps  28 ,  38  and  28 ′,  38 ′ tightened suitably against the wearer&#39;s shoulder and the body strap  14  positioned generally horizontally in a snug fashion around the wearer&#39;s waist just above the hips. This position will support the child when the child is held by support handle sections  50 ,  50 ′ in a generally vertical position above the child&#39;s center of gravity and inhibit unbalanced movement. Rear cross strap  66  restrains the shoulder straps  28 ,  38  and  28 ′,  38 ′from slipping off the child&#39;s shoulder. 
     It will also be noted that the support handle section  50  allows the supporting individual or teacher to support the child  12  through the harness  10  while providing a user handle section  60 ,  60 ′ to allow the child to hold on to. Grasping of user handle sections  60 ,  60 ′ provides a feeling of security to the child  12  while allowing movement of the child&#39;s arm and without compromising the child&#39;s coordination and body posture. Furthermore, since user handle sections  60  are mechanically coupled to handle sections  50 , the child  12  is provided with a sensory input of the supporting gestures of the teacher or supporting individual. 
     In an optional arrangement, and one which would be particularly suitable for skiing, there is provided a front transverse strap  70  having adjustable buckle  71 . D rings  72  and  72 ′ are provided at loops  40 ,  40 ′. They may be utilized for receiving a restraining strap  74  which has hooks for attachment to the D rings  72 . 
     The straps may be made of any suitable material and in one preferred embodiment, would include a woven polypropylene webbing. Similarly, the fasteners and buckles may be formed of plastic and/or metal as desired. 
     It will be understood that the above described embodiments are for purposes of illustration only and that changes or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit in scope of the invention.