Patent ID: 7819831

Claim:
A device for relieving back strain for a user who is supporting a substantial weight which is off the user's vertical body axis at his or her front side, comprising: a waist encirclement means securable about the waist of the user; a monolithic rigid plate contoured to mirror and engage with the shape of the thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis, said plate being positioned at the back of the user, and restrained in its degree of possible upward displacement by said waist encirclement means; flexible strapping means connected directly or indirectly to said plate at the rear of the user, the plate thereby being effectively secured between the strapping means and the said waist encirclement means, whereby an upward and forward force is exerted at the said plate when the said strapping means is tensioned; said strapping means extending over the shoulders from the rear side of the user; and weight support means being secured to the strapping means at the front of the user for supporting the off-axis weight, said flexible strapping means bearing a substantial part of the weight imposed upon the weight support means and therefore being tensioned by the weight; whereby the resulting forces generated by the tensioned strapping means act to press the contoured plate toward the user's back, to thereby exert beneficial pressure against the thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis to relieve the back strain.