NL2025159B1 - Carrying harness and crate support system - Google Patents

Abstract

A carrying harness is provided for hands-free transportation of a crate, comprising a body support frame, comprising an upper body support, a hip support, in use connected to the upper body support, a crate support system, comprising a crate carrying member, a crate locking mechanism, comprising at least one crate connection member at a distal end, wherein the crate carrying member is connected to body support frame, and wherein the locking mechanism is connected to the body support frame at a proximal end, wherein the crate locking mechanism is connected at a first distance from the upper body support, and the crate carrying member is connected at a second distance from the upper body support and wherein the first distance smaller than the second distance.

Description

P126545NL00 Title: Carrying harness and crate support system The invention relates to a carrying harness for hands-free transportation of a crate.

EP3267953B1 discloses a wearable support structure for at least partly relieving a human body during leaning or bending over. Although this wearable support structure may support the body of the user while picking up a crate, no support is given when the user is standing upright, or walking when transporting the crate.

Other known wearable support structures support the arms of the user to at least partially transfer weight carried by the user from the arms to other parts of the body to relieve the arms and/or hands of the user at least partially.

The aspects and embodiments thereof aim to provide a carrying harness which allows hands-free transportation of a crate by a user.

A first aspect of the invention provides a carrying harness for hands-free transportation of a crate, comprising a body support frame, comprising an upper body support, a hip support, in use connected to the upper body support. The carrying harness further comprises a crate support system, comprising a crate carrying member, a crate locking mechanism, comprising at least one crate connection member at a distal end. The crate carrying member is, in use, connected to body support frame, and wherein the locking mechanism is connected to the body support frame at a proximal end, and the locking mechanism is connected to the body support frame at a first distance from an in use highest point of the upper body support, and the crate carrying member is connected at a second distance from the in use highest point of the upper body support. The first distance is smaller than the second distance.

In use, the carrying harness is carried by the body of a user and/or worn on the body of the user. The upper body support is carried by an upper body part of the user, such as a shoulder, chest, head and/or neck. The hip support is connected at or near the waist, hips and/or upper leg parts of the user. The hip support being in use connected to the upper body support means that there is a connection element present between the hip support and the upper body support and/or the hip support is connected to the upper body support via the body of the user.

Two components being connected implies that a force can be transmitted between these two components in at least one direction.

In use, a bottom of the crate may be supported on the crate carrying member, hence restricting a vertical movement of the crate relative to the body of the user and/or the carrying harness at least at the point of the crate which is in contact with the crate carrying member. By virtue of the crate locking mechanism, further movement of the crate, for example in horizontal direction and/or a rotation over an axis perpendicular to the gravity vector may be substantially restricted.

A crate may be defined as a container for transporting goods therein, which may for example comprise four interconnected side walls which are in turn also connected to a bottom. A crate may for example be filled with groceries. The side walls may be substantially closed, or comprise one or more openings, holes, and/or through holes which may for example be used as handles. A crate may furthermore comprise any number or protrusions and/or indentations arranged to couple to the carrying harness.

When the at least one crate connection member is connected to the crate, and the crate is supported on the crate carrying member, hands-free support of the crate may be achieved and the entire weight of the crate may be supported by body parts of the user other than the hands and arms. Hence, hands-free transportation of the crate becomes possible. With the free hands, other actions may be performed such as ringing a doorbell, opening doors, operating elevator buttons, carrying other items, and/or any other actions requiring one or both hands of the user to be free and which for example would with the known wearable support structure not be possible.

With the known carrying harnesses, although at least some of the weight of the crate was redistributed over the body of the user, still the hands of the user were required for carrying the crate and hands-free transportation was hence not possible.

By virtue of the first distance between the crate locking mechanism and the upper body support being smaller than the second distance between the crate carrying member and the upper body support, in use, the crate carrying member will be situated below the crate locking mechanism. This allows the crate locking mechanism to prevent the crate from tumbling of the crate carrying member.

The first distance and the second distance may be determined relative to an in use highest point of the upper body support, which may for example correspond to a chest or top of the shoulder of the user wearing the carrying harness.

In an embodiment, the locking mechanism may be a releasable locking mechanism, arranged to release under a pre-determined load, for example a pre-determined tension. The load on the locking mechanism may shift when the user of the carrying harness is in different body positions. Leaning forward may increase the load on the locking mechanism, up to the point that the pre-determined load is exceeded. With the load increased on the locking mechanism, the load on the crate carrying member may decrease.

Such a locking mechanism may be particularly advantageous for safety and/or hands-free release of the crate. Regarding safety, when the user of the carrying harness somehow falls over, the crate is automatically disconnected due to the weight of the crate shifting from the crate carrying member to the crate locking mechanism when the user leans forward.

Regarding hands-free release of the crate, when the user wants to release the crate, he may simply lean forward to disconnect the crate. Hence, no hands may be required for operating the releasable locking mechanism.

The pre-determined load may for example be based on the maximum weight which is a user is allowed to carry by virtue of labour laws.

When the crate carrying member is connected at the same side of the body support frame as the crate locking mechanism, which same side is in use a front facing side of the body support frame, the back of the user's body may be substantially free of rigid components when wearing the carrying harness. Such rigid components may hamper movement of the user, and/or may be uncomfortable when the user sits down and leans his back against the back of a chair. In particular, when the user is driving a vehicle, this embodiment of the carrying harness particularly allows for the user to keep wearing the carrying harness while driving.

The crate carrying member may be hingedly connected to the body support frame, such that the crate carrying member can be hinged between a folded state and an unfolded state, wherein in the folded state, a distal end of the crate carrying member is closer to the body support frame than in the unfolded state.

The folded state of the crate carrying member may correspond to a state in which the user is not carrying a crate, and may for example be driving in a vehicle. In such a situation, it is not preferred to have the crate carrying member sticking out of the carrying harness. Hence, in the folded state, preferably, the crate carrying member lies substantially flush with the body of the user.

In a further embodiment, the crate carrying member has only one degree of freedom relative to the support frame, which is a rotation around a hinging axis. A stop may be present to prevent hinging beyond the unfolded state. Hence, in use, weight of the crate may be supported on this stop which prevents the crate carrying member for folding beyond the unfolded state under influence of the weight of the crate.

The crate locking mechanism may comprise a locking mechanism body with the at least one crate connection member provided at a distal end 5 of the locking mechanism body, and wherein the locking mechanism body is at a proximal end hingedly connected to the body support frame. In embodiments, for each crate connection member, a separate locking mechanism may be provided.

With the locking mechanism body hingedly connected to the body support frame at its proximal end, the locking mechanism body can be hinged between a receiving position in which the crate can be connected to the locking mechanism body and a locked position wherein the crate is actually connected to the locking mechanism body and hence also to the crate locking mechanism.

The crate locking mechanism may comprise a biasing element for biasing the locking mechanism towards the crate carrying member. By virtue of a biasing force exerted by the biasing element, the locking mechanism may be pressed, pulled, and/or rotated towards the crate carrying member dependent on the type of biasing element and where the biasing element is connected to the locking mechanism. In particular, in use, when the locking mechanism is biased towards the crate carrying member, the locking mechanism may be biased against the crate for pressing the crate against the crate carrying member.

In other embodiments, the locking mechanism body may be hingeable relative to the body support frame around a rotation axis which is, In use, substantially parallel to body axis of a user of the harness, and the locking mechanism is hingeable between a folded state and an unfolded state, wherein in the unfolded state, the locking mechanism body extends away from the body support frame. Embodiments of the harness are envisioned comprising two locking mechanism bodies.

In particular, in the unfolded state, the locking mechanism body extends away from the body of the user, in an extension direction which may be substantially perpendicular to the coronal plane of the user. To transition from the unfolded state to the folded state, the locking mechanism body may be folded towards the body of the user. Hence, in the folded state, the locking mechanism body may extend away less far from the body of the user, which may make other actions of the user, such as driving a vehicle, more practical and/or comfortable.

At least part of the locking mechanism body may be flexible.

Flexible here implies that that the shape of the locking mechanism body can be manipulated, for example by the user, or even by virtue of the own weight of the locking mechanism body. Hence, in embodiments, a locking mechanism body may be a strap, belt, rope, any other flexible part, or any combination thereof. Flexibility may also be obtained by using flexible materials, such as rubbers and/or flexible polymers.

When the carrying harness is arranged to be used with a crate which comprises at least one hole, which may be a blind hole or a through hole, the at least one crate connection member may be a compressible connection member arranged to be inserted into said hole of the crate. For inserting the compressible connection member, the connection member may be compressed by the user, and while keeping the connection member compressed, the connection member is inserted at least partially into the hole. When releasing the connection member, the connection member 1s decompressed and clamps itself in the hole of the crate.

A second aspect provides a crate support system for a carrying harness for hands-free transportation of a crate, the crate support system, comprising a crate carrying member, a crate locking mechanism, comprising at least one crate connection member at a distal end wherein the crate carrying member is arranged to be connected to a body support frame of a carrying harness, and wherein the locking mechanism is arranged to be connected to the body support frame at a proximal end such that the crate locking mechanism is connected to the body support at a first distance from the upper body support, and the crate carrying member is connected at a second distance from the upper body support, and wherein the first distance smaller than the second distance.

The crate support system according to the second aspect may thus be used and suitable to be used with existing carrying harnesses, exoskeletons, and/or wearable support structures such as the wearable support structure of EP3267953B1.

Features of the crate support system discussed in conjunction with the harness of the first aspect may be readily implemented for embodiments of the crate support system of the second aspect.

A third aspect provides a method of hands-free carrying a delivery crate supported on a load carrying harness delivery, comprising placing a crate on a crate carrying member, in particular a crate carrying member of a carrying harness according to the first aspect, and connecting the crate to a crate connection member of a crate locking mechanism, in particular a crate connection member of a crate locking mechanism of a carrying harness according to the first aspect, such that the full weight of the crate is supported by the carrying harness.

The full weight of the crate being supported by the carrying harness means that in turn the full weight of the crate is in use support by the body of the user wearing the carrying harness, the body not including the arms or hands of the user. Hence, a method of hands-free carrying of the delivery crate is achieved. The aspects and embodiments will be elucidated in conjunction with figures. In the figures: Fig. 1A shows an assembly of a crate and part of a carrying harness; Fig. 1B shows a user wearing the carrying harness with a crate attached;

Fig. 2A shows an another assembly of a crate and part of a carrying harness; Fig. 2B shows a user wearing another embodiment of the carrying harness with a crate attached; and Fig. 3 shows the wearable support structure of EP3267953B1.

Fig. 1A schematically shows a crate 200 connected to a carrying harness 100, of which a crate support system 102 is shown comprising a crate carrying member 104 and a crate locking mechanism 106. The crate 200 1s supported on the crate carrying member 104, and the crate locking mechanism 106 locks the crate 200 in place on the crate carrying member

104.

In the particular embodiment of Fig. 1A, the crate locking mechanism 106 comprises two locking mechanism bodies 108 which engage the crate 200 from two sides, in particular two opposing lateral sides. At distal ends of the locking mechanism bodies 108 the crate connection member 110 substantially prevents horizontal movement of the crate 200 such that the crate 200 can not slide off the crate carrying member. Horizontal movement of the crate 200 may in embodiments be restricted in one or two directions, which two directions are perpendicular.

Fig. 1B schematically shows a user 300 with their nose 302 pointing in a forward direction. The user 300 is wearing the carrying harness 100. The carrying harness 100 comprises an upper body support 112 and a hip support 114, which is here as an option connected to the upper body support 112 via the body of the user 300.

Connected to the hip support 114 is the crate carrying member 104, and connected to the upper body support 112 is the crate locking mechanism 106 with the crate connection member 110 at the distal end thereof.

A first distance between the upper body support 112 and the crate locking mechanism is indicated with arrow I, and a second distance between the upper body support 112 and the crate carrying member 104 is indicated with arrow 77. In practice, a user hearing the carrying harness 100 may, using one or both their hands, position a crate on the crate support 104. To pick up the crate, the user may sink through their knees. After positioning the crate on the crate support 104, for example by using one hand to hold the crate, and the other hand may be used to connect the crate locking mechanism 106 to the crate. Alternatively, by for example pushing the crate 200 against the crate locking mechanism 106, the crate may connect to the crate locking mechanism 106 without the user using one or both hands.

To release the crate, for example, the user may lean forward to transfer weight of the crate from the crate support 104 to the crate locking mechanism 106, which may be arranged to release automatically when sufficient load is placed on the crate locking mechanism 106. Alternatively, the user may hold the crate with one hand while releasing the crate locking mechanism 106 with the other hand.

Fig. 2A schematically shows another embodiment of a crate 200 connected to an embodiment of a carrying harness 100, of which the crate carrying members 104 and the crate locking mechanism 106 are shown. In this particular embodiment, the carrying harness 100 comprises two crate carrying members 104 provided at a distance from one another. This may prevent rotation of the crate 200 around the crate carrying members 104.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2A, the crate locking mechanism 106 clamps the crate 200 at a side of the crate 200 which is adjacent to the body of the user.

Fig. 2B shows the user 300 with their nose 302 pointing in a forward direction wearing an embodiment of the carrying harness 100. The carrying harness 100 comprises the upper body support 112 and the hip support 114. The hip support 114 is connected to the upper body support 112 via a flexible connection member 113.

As visible in Fig. 2B, the crate locking mechanism 106 protrudes into the crate 200. The crate 200 is supported on the crate carrying members 104, and hence the weight of the crate 200, indicated with arrow F, is supported on the crate carrying member 104. The crate locking mechanism 106 prevents a rotation of the crate 200 indicated with arrow RE.

In the figures 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, the crate carrying member 104 is shown in the unfolded state.

Fig. 3 shows the wearable support structure 400 of EP3267953B1, which document is hereby incorporated herein by reference. A carrying harness 100 is envisioned which is particularly suitable to be connected to this wearable support structure 400. The wearable support structure 400 provides the body support frame with the upper body support 112 and the hip support 114. The crate locking mechanism can be connected to the body support frame for example at a first location 106’ or a second location 106”.

The crate carrying member can be connected to the body support frame at a third location 104’.

In the description above, it will be understood that when an element such as layer, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” or “onto” another element, the element is either directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Also, it will be understood that the values given in the description above, are given by way of example and that other values may be possible and/or may be strived for.

Furthermore, the invention may also be embodied with less components than provided in the examples described here, wherein one component carries out multiple functions. Just as well may the invention be embodied using more elements than depicted in the Figures, wherein functions carried out by one component in the example provided are distributed over multiple components.

It is to be noted that the figures are only schematic representations of examples of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting examples.

For the purpose of clarity and a concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate examples, however, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention may include examples having combinations of all or some of the features described.

The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps than those listed in a claim.

Furthermore, the words 'a' and 'an' shall not be construed as limited to 'only one’, but instead are used to mean 'at least one’, and do not exclude a plurality.

A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters and values thereof disclosed in the description may be modified and that various examples disclosed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention.

It is stipulated that the reference signs in the claims do not limit the scope of the claims, but are merely inserted to enhance the legibility of the claims.

The various aspects may be summarised, in a non-limitative way, by means of the following numbered embodiments.

Claims (11)

Conclusions Carrying harness for transporting a crate without hands, comprising: - a carrying frame for the body, comprising: - an upper body support; - a hip support, in use connected to the upper body support; - a crate support system, comprising: - a crate carrier; - a crate locking mechanism comprising at least one crate connecting element at a distal end; wherein the crate carrier, in use, is connected to the carrier frame for the body, and wherein the crate locking mechanism, in use, is connected to the carrier frame at a proximal end, such that the crate locking mechanism is connected to the carrier frame a first distance from an in-use highest point of the upper body support, and the crate support is connected to the support frame at a second distance from the highest point of the upper body support in use; and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance. The harness of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is a releasable locking mechanism adapted to be released under a predetermined load. The carrier harness of claim 2, wherein the crate carrier is attached to the same side of the body carrier frame as the crate locking mechanism, which same side in use is a forward facing side of the body carrier frame. A harness according to any one of the preceding claims 1-3, wherein the crate support is pivotally connected to the support frame such that the crate support can be pivoted between a folded state and an unfolded state, wherein in the folded state, a distal end of the crate carrier is closer to the carrier frame than in the unfolded condition. A harness according to any preceding claim, wherein the crate locking mechanism comprises a locking mechanism body having at least one crate connecting member provided at a distal end of the locking mechanism body, and wherein the locking mechanism body is pivotally connected to the support frame at a proximal end. The carrier harness of claim 5, wherein the crate locking mechanism comprises a biasing element for biasing the locking mechanism body toward the crate carrier. The harness of claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism is pivotable relative to the cradle about an axis of rotation which, in use, is substantially parallel to a body axis of a user of the harness, and the locking mechanism is pivotable between a folded condition and an expanded state, wherein in the expanded state, the locking mechanism body extends away from the support frame. Carrying harness according to one of the preceding claims 5-7, wherein] at least a part of the locking mechanism body is flexible. A carrying harness according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one crate connecting element is a compressible connecting element adapted to be inserted into a hole of the crate. A crate support system for a carrying harness for hands-free transportation of a crate, the crate support system comprising: - a crate support; - a crate locking mechanism comprising at least one crate connecting element at a distal end; wherein the crate carrier is adapted to be connected to a support frame of a carrying harness, and wherein the locking mechanism is adapted to be connected to the support frame at a proximal end such that the crate locking mechanism is connected to the body support at a first distance from the upper body support, and the crate carrier is connected a second distance from the upper body support; and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance. Method for carrying a delivery crate without hands, comprising: - placing a crate on a crate carrier, in particular a crate carrier of a carrying harness according to any one of claims 1-9; and - connecting the crate to a crate connecting element of a crate locking mechanism, in particular a crate connecting element of a crate locking mechanism of a carrying harness according to any one of claims 1-9; such that the full weight of the crate is supported by the carrying harness.