US20150366271A1

US20150366271A1 - Anti-Slip Slip-On Slip-Over Roof Safety Shorts

Info

Publication number: US20150366271A1
Application number: US14/839,878
Authority: US
Inventors: Damon Howard Hawkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-05-18
Filing date: 2015-08-28
Publication date: 2015-12-24
Also published as: US20140283289A1

Abstract

Anti-slip clothing with a homogeneous gripping surface for use by anyone with a need to be on steep sloped surface such as a roof which effectuates a reduced coefficient of sliding friction between the wearer and the steep sloped surface. The anti-slip clothing can be an article of clothing such as a shirt, vest, jacket, pancho, coveralls, overalls, pair of shorts, pair of pants, waist-sashes or partial leg coverings, calf and forearm coverings, slip-over clothing such as slip-over shirts and fastenable slip-over shorts worn on the body or over other conventional articles of clothing and which includes a gripping surface applied to an exterior or optionally to the interior surface of the article of clothing so that when the inside non-slip surface contacts with the existing wearers conventional existing clothing it prevents slippage between the anti-slip clothing and the wearers conventional existing clothing.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of art to which the invention relates, comprises improvements in protective wear clothing affording enhanced safety and surface grip when worn by anyone traversing upon a pitched roof or sloped surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Homeowners, construction workers, seasonal Christmas lights installers, repairmen, roofers, inspectors, house appraisers, or anyone with a need to be on a roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface will benefit from the invention. Year after year, falls remain the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for almost one in every three construction worker deaths. This invention can add an extra factor in injury reduction. Even though those traversing upon the roof may already be using existing safety devices such as cabling or safety roofing shoes, sometimes this is not enough in the face of accidental trips due to miss-steps, unseen obstacles on the roof, or unexpected wind shears, etc.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide novel slip preventive protective wear for anyone with a need to be on a roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface to mitigate or protect against fall injuries or deaths.
It is further an object of the invention to effect the previous object with forms of protective over-clothing that enhances the grip of one that traverses upon a roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface.
It is still further an object of the invention to effect the previous objects with protective wear that is available from more than one article of protective wear clothing selected from at least one of the following group: shirt, coat, jacket, overalls, coveralls, jumpsuit, shorts, slip-on slip-over shorts, slip-on slip-over shirts, slip-on slip-over pants, slip-on slip-over clothing, forearm coverings in which the articles of clothing have a substantial gripping surface.
It is still further an object of the invention to effect the previous objects with protective wear in which an article of gripping clothing is a variety which is convenient and quickly fastenable so as to dissuade someone in a rush from not accepting the risk of injury because the safety gear or clothing is bulky and time consuming to put on. As part of this object of the invention, to provide a variety of the safety clothing that is the non-bulky slip-on slip-over all around gripping surface pants, shirts, and shorts is targeted to satisfy this objective need.
It is still further an object of the invention to effect the previous objects with protective wear in which an article of gripping clothing is variety that is lightweight, breathable, and rip-resistant which could also be used for roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface including typical steep hiking paths and mountain inclines.
It is still further an object of the invention to effect the previous objects with protective wear in which an article of gripping clothing to be available in attachable sections and combinations for needs of those traversing upon a roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface. Examples are shirts attaching to the pants, forearm coverings attaching to the shirts, legging extensions attaching to the shorts.
It is still even further an object of the invention to effect the previous objects with protective wear in which an article of gripping clothing is to be available in all weather situations.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

There is other roofing safety wear designed for use on roofs. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,957 issued to Glenn P. Williford & James H. Oliver Aug. 5, 1997. The current invention is distinguished and novel from the former in that the current invention has a non-bulky and is as thin as regular conventional clothing variety. The current invention is also distinguished as it has a gripping surface material this is on a substantial portion of the clothing meaning, it is on seventy five to one hundred percent of the article of safety clothing. With a gripping surface area on a substantial proportion of the clothing, slip resistance is increased whether one falls backwards, forwards, or sideways. Moreover, in the current invention an article of gripping safety clothing such as pants can be put in place of regular conventional wear or can be of the slip-on slip-over variety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to novel safety wear to be worn by anyone with a need to be on a roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface. This anti-slip clothing can provide an extra factor of protection upon an unexpected slips and falls upon a roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface. The improved gripping clothing could prevent injuries or deaths. Within this invention the gripping surface material will be upon the clothes themselves and therefore there is a better chance to prevent the fast slide down the roof or sloped surface or a steep sloped surface in a fall. With the gripping surface material available on all surface areas of the safety clothing this provides for an extra factor of anti-slip protection. It could very well be that someone traversing upon the roof falls backwards or frontwards or sideways and due to the all around gripping surface a slide off the roof can be prevented. The gripping surface can be homogeneous such as but not limited to a sheet of rubber, or can be made of one or more than one type of elastomer, or a homogeneous gripping surface material can employ a homogeneous texture or textures, patterned or un-patterned, or the a homogeneous gripping surface can be a gripping surface that is currently employed in gloves with gripping surfaces, or the homogeneous gripping surface can consist of protruding members that semi-penetrate the roof for added slip resistance. The protruding members can be fastened and made out of commercial available material such as is found on climbing boots, sports cleats, or slip-on ice shoes.
The gripping surface material or commercially available releasable adhesive can be applied to the finished conventional clothing or during assembly by a very simple means such as by brushing, painting, or spraying. Moreover, commercially available gripping surface material can be cut into various gripping pattern shapes and sewn or glued directly upon convention clothing. The greater the percentage or gripping surface means upon the clothing the greater the slip resistance created. This invention's focus is on having a substantial proportion of the safety clothing, seventy five to one hundred percent or more containing the gripping surface material on the front, the back, and the sides. However, even a lesser amount under twenty five percent could offer protection as well. The coverage area of gripping surface material can be any commercially available releasable adhesive, may be substantially uniform or uniform externally applied adhesive coating or impregnation of gripping surface material within the clothing itself. The arrangement of the pattern or the shape of the gripping surface material or applied adhesive can be in any form that provides sufficient anti-slip property to the clothing which for better results should be seventy five to one hundred percent the surface area of the clothing article. The pattern can be stripes that are in an angled diagonal orientation, arranged parallel, or non-parallel, horizontally, vertically, used as chevrons, or herringbone. The stripes can be continuous or on-continuous lines, like dashes, dots can be asymmetrical, non-circular or polygon in shape and uniformly or non-uniformly arranged. The patterns can also be in a spider web pattern, or in the pattern of Bengal tiger stripes.
The adhesive used can be selected from commercially available releasable or contact pressure sensitive releasable adhesive that will adhere to the articles of safety clothing and the steep sloped surface to prevent slipping between the wearer of the clothing and a roof, sloped surface or a steep sloped surface
A variety of the safety clothing is convenient and quickly fastenable so as to dissuade someone in a rush from accepting the risk of injury rather than taking the time to put on the safety clothing. A plurality of straps, a piece of fabric of small hooks that sticks to a corresponding fabric of small loops hook and loop fasteners, and/or VELCRO fasteners, enables the slip-on slip-over shorts to be quickly secured on or over the conventional clothing. Draw strings may also be employed or other commercially available clothing fasteners used to date.
An important article of the safety clothing will be the convenient slip-on slip-over all over gripping shorts which will be quickly and securely fastenable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES AND THE REFERENCED NUMBERS

The advantages described herein will be more fully understood by reading an example of an embodiment in which the invention is used to advantage, referred to herein as the Detailed Description with reference to the drawings wherein:

Referring to FIG. 1 is an illustrative front view of an article of safety slip-on slip-over shorts showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material upon the safety slip-on slip-over shorts; FIG. 1

item

1 the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to; FIG. 1

item

2 shows the dot gripping pattern option; FIG. 1 item 3 shows VELCRO straps or a piece of fabric of small hooks that sticks to a corresponding fabric of small loops hook and loop fasteners used to fasten the slip-on slip-over sorts over the existing conventional clothing;

Referring to FIG. 2 is an illustrative rear view of an article of safety slip-on slip-over shorts showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material upon the safety slip-on slip-over shorts; FIG. 2

item

1 the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to; FIG. 2

item

2 shows the dot gripping pattern option; FIG. 2 item 3 shows VELCRO straps, or a piece of fabric of small hooks that sticks to a corresponding fabric of small loops hook and loop fasteners used to fasten the slip-on slip-over sorts over the existing conventional clothing; FIG. 2 item 4 shows the optionally applied non-slip surface on the inside of the slip-on slip-over shorts;

Referring to FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing the potential patterns of the applied gripping surface material as in FIG. 3

item

1 which is a dot that could be used in a pattern of dots, as in FIG. 3

item

2 which is a strip which could be used in a pattern of a series of stripes or parallel lines or perpendicular lines, as in FIG. 3 item 3 which is a chevron pattern, as in FIG. 3 item 4 which is a random shape or blob, as in FIG. 3 item 5 which is a spider web pattern; as in FIG. 3 item 6 which is Bengal Tiger Strip pattern;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view of an article of shirt clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a substantial amount of gripping surface material applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 4

item

1 shows the dot gripping pattern; FIG. 4 item 6 shows the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of an article of shirt clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 5

item

1 shows the dot gripping pattern; FIG. 5 item 6 shows the article of clothing the gripping material was applied to;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of an article of shirt clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material upon the safety clothing using a tight diagonal line pattern of gripping surface material very substantially applied;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative view of an article of overall clothing showing a gripping surface material that has been applied to a less than a substantial amount of gripping surface material applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 7

item

1 shows the dot gripping pattern; FIG. 7 item 7 shows the article of clothing the gripping material was applied to;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view of an article of overall clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a substantial amount of gripping surface material that has been applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 8

item

1 shows the dot gripping pattern; FIG. 8 item 7 shows the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view of an article of overall clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 9

item

1 shows the dot gripping pattern; FIG. 9 item 7 shows the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view of an article of overall clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 10

item

1 shows a tight diagonal line pattern; FIG. 10 item 7 shows the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view of an article of overall clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material applied upon the safety clothing; FIG. 11

item

1 shows a dot gripping pattern; FIG. 11 item 7 shows the article of clothing that the gripping material was applied to; FIG. 11 item 8 shows the optionally applied non-slip surface on the inside of the article of clothing;

FIG. 12 is an illustrative view of an article of short-sleeve shirt clothing showing a gripping surface material that has a greatly substantial amount of gripping surface material upon the safety clothing; FIG. 12

item

1 shows a chevron pattern; FIG. 12 item 9 shows the article of clothing the gripping material was applied to; FIG. 12 item 8 shows the optionally applied non-slip surface on the inside of the article of clothing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and in certain views, parts may have been exaggerated for purposes of clarity. The best embodiment of the gripping safety clothing is for use on a roof, or a sloped surface or a steep sloped surface to prevent or mitigate the injuries or death of a fall.

Definitions

- 1. Gripping Surface Material—the gripping surface material can be made of one kind of material such as but not limited to a sheet of rubber, or can be made of one or more than one type of elastomer, or the homogeneous gripping surface material can employ a homogeneous texture or textures, homogeneous or non-homogeneous patterned or un-patterned, or homogeneous gripping surface can be a gripping surface that is currently employed in gloves with gripping surfaces, or the homogeneous gripping surface can consist of protruding members that semi-penetrate the roof for added slip resistance.
- 2. Substantial Gripping Surface Area—seventy five percent to one hundred percent of gripping surface.
- 3. Slip-on Slip-over Shorts—shorts that slip on and slip over existing conventional clothing with our without fasteners.
- 4. Slip resistant region—the region or area in which the gripping material has been applied to.
- 5. Slip-on Slip-over shorts—shorts that are easily slipped on or off with or without fasteners and that can slip on and slip over existing conventional clothing.
- 6. Slip-on Slip-over clothing—an article of clothing that is easily slipped on or off with or without fasteners, and that can slip on and slip over existing conventional clothing.
- 7. Anti-slip slip-on slip-over shorts—slip-on slip-over shorts having a gripping surface material applied to a substantial gripping surface area of the shorts clothing area and are easily slipped on or slipped off with or without fasteners and that can slip on and slip over existing conventional clothing.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of traversing a roof, comprising the steps of:

1) providing an article of clothing selected from at least one of the following: shorts, pants, jumpsuit; the article of clothing having an exterior surface, wherein the article of clothing is configured to slip-on and slip-off existing clothing, and wherein the exterior surface is substantially covered with a pattern of slip resistant gripping material; and, wherein the article of clothing has a cinching means to prevent the end of the leg holes and arm holes of the article of clothing from rolling upward after being worn over the existing clothing;

2) donning the article of clothing while on a roof, or, prior to traversing a roof;

3) traversing a roof;

4) dismounting from the roof;

5) removing the article of clothing.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein two to eight inches of the interior surface area of the leg and arm holes of the article of clothing is substantially covered with a pattern of clothing-to-clothing slip resistant gripping material.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein all of the interior surface area of the article of clothing is substantially covered with a pattern of clothing-to-clothing slip resistant gripping material.