WO2013008001A1

WO2013008001A1 - Load carriage frame for armour vests and method of fabrication thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2013008001A1
Application number: PCT/GB2012/051619
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthew John Searle; Christopher Mark Lewis
Original assignee: Bcb Internaional Limited
Priority date: 2011-07-11
Filing date: 2012-07-09
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Also published as: GB201111834D0

Abstract

A load carriage frame includes a shoulder yoke (1, 10, 20) and a belt (4, 12) separated from the yoke by a connecting brace (2, 3, 11). The brace which has a generally rigid construction therefore acts as a force path between a load (such as a rucksack or armour vest) mounted on or otherwise attached to the shoulder yoke (1, 10) and the belt that, in use, is secured on or about the pelvic girdle of a person wearing the load frame. The brace therefore acts to effect a significant weight re-distribution onto the pelvic girdle of the wearer to ease fatigue by reducing stress on the shoulders. Additionally, the loading of the pelvic girdle frees-up arm and shoulder movement that would otherwise be restricted when carrying heavy shoulder-borne loads.

Description

LOAD CARRIAGE FRAME FOR ARMOUR VESTS

AND METHOD OF FABRICATION THEREOF

Background to the Invention

The present invention relates to a load carriage frame and specifically, but not exclusively, to a load carriage frame used when wearing armour vests or otherwise in generally supporting carriage of a user-worn load, such as a rucksack.

Summary of the Prior Art

Current body armour vests are heavy. Additionally a person who is wearing a vest incorporating body armour may have to carry a rucksack or other load. This load can to attached directly to the vest or be a separate item. The weight of the vest and the weight of the additional load is presently carried on the shoulders of the wearer. It is well known by physiologists and those skilled in the art that it is preferable to support at least some of the load on the pelvic girdle rather than solely on the shoulders. Some rucksacks are fitted with belts to transfer some of the weight to the pelvic girdle. However, the wearing of body armour vests prevents the use of belts as the armour covers the waist.

High pressure on the shoulders is uncomfortable, puts stress on the spine and in particularly extreme cases blood flow can be occluded from muscle at applied pressures of typically 14kPa (Holloway et al., 1976). Most military systems and even newer commercial systems can create shoulder pressures in excess of 20kPa when loaded with 35kg loads (Stevenson et al., 1997). A known armoured vest incorporating load distribution is KDH Coreload plate carrier. This vest, as disclosed in WO 2010/059951, consists of a flexible yet rigid back brace, a waist belt wherein the waist belt is connected through a housing to back brace, and a vertical and circumferential tensioning mechanism. The KDH system does not transfer any external load, such as a rucksack, from the shoulders to the waist.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to transferring some of the weight of the vest and/or any external load to the wearer's pelvic girdle. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a load carriage frame in accordance with claim 1.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide devices and systems for transferring weight from the shoulders of the wearer to the pelvic girdle of the wearer.

A weight distribution device for an armour vest is provided with the present invention. The weight distribution device comprises an adjustable padded belt secured to a load bearing back brace that in turn is attached to a shoulder yoke. The yoke supports the weight of the vest via the shoulders of the armour and any other load such as a rucksack and transfers the weight via the back brace to the belt and the wearer's pelvic girdle.

In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a weight distribution device that comprises a belt around the waist that transfers the weight of the armour vest and any additional load onto the wearer's pelvic girdle. Two or more braces attached to a yoke transfer the weight from a yoke to the belt. The yoke covers the shoulders (of the wearer) and is mounted either above the armour and attached to it by tension members or the yoke is mounted below the armour and holds the armour up.

In another embodiment of the present invention the upright brace or braces is/are adjustable in height. This allows the vest to be fitted to different size wearers. In vests with a front brace the front brace can be released or otherwise unloaded to allow the wearer to bend forwards without the brace acting against them.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the yoke consists of an articulated whippletree type harness as described in WO2010007343.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the soft armour pack of the armour vest can either be located inside or outside of the weight distribution device. In cases where the armour pack is located inside of the weight distribution device, the weight distribution device has a U shaped section to transfer load under the bottom edge of the armour pack to the load-bearing belt.

In a particular embodiment of the present invention the braces are pivoted top and/or bottom where they connect to the belt and/or yoke allowing the shoulders and/or the torso some independent movement. The amount of pivoting movement about the point of rotation is preferably limited to a range of about +/-20 degrees from a central (neutral) position, with the restricted movement realised typically by a pin or lug (as will be understood).

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the shoulders of the yoke rest on foam shoulder pads. The angle of these pads can be adjusted to allow the armour to fit wearers with different shape shoulders. The pads provide a degree of cushioning, especially since the re-distribution of weight through the brace to the pelvic girdle may not be total.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the yoke and braces are constructed from either composites or other materials, such as aluminium, that can withstand heavy loads and high-speed impacts without shattering or splintering.

In further preferred embodiments of the invention the inner surface of the armour vest is lined with a moulded, fluted element to help keep the wearer cool. The inner liner therefore provides a degree of cushioning against the back of the wearer, with the fluting permitting air to circulate through the fluted channelling in the moulding.

The invention relates especially to a load transfer frame that can be integrated into an armour vest and can transfer weight from the shoulder straps of a rucksack or other secondary load to the waist belt that in turn transfers the load to the wearer's pelvic girdle. The belt can be used to support traditional belt-kit and have other loads such as pouches attached directly to it. Advantageously, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a low-cost, low part-count, portable, lightweight and comfortable load transfer system that helps reduce load carriage injuries and stress, thereby improving the overall operational performance or efficiency of the wearer. Beneficially, the simplicity of construction and the flexible nature of the materials used to produce the device allow the wearer to move freely without impinging on any dexterity. Furthermore, the self-contained nature of the system means that the load carriage system is without tethers or restrictive ties.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a load transfer device.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a load transfer device shown in

FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a load transfer device with adjustable shoulder pads and belt.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a load transfer device with adjustable yoke.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with a height adjustable brace.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment with articulated shoulders.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

In FIGs. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a device that transfers weight from the shoulders of a wearer of body armour to the wearer's pelvic girdle by means of a yoke 1, load bearing braces 2, 3 and a belt 4. The yoke 1 is attached to the braces 2, 3 by pivots 6, 7.

Referring to FIGs. 3 and 4, a yoke 10 is attached to a back brace 11 that transfers compression load to belt 12, The back brace 11, as seen in the accompanying drawing figures, is rigid and resilient since it may be made from aluminium or a composite (as described above) and therefore operates to separate (and maintain separation) of the yoke from the belt such that a load (such as shoulder strapping of a rucksack) mounted on or supported across the yoke forces (under action of gravity) the brace downwards in a compressive sense. The back brace 11 therefore acts as a force path for load acting on the yoke and for commuting that load into the pelvic girdle.

In a particular embodiment, the back brace may actually be hollow or contain a groove in its surface, with the resulting cavity used for trunking, i.e. a cable run. Furthermore, whilst the back brace acts as a force path, the back brace may take on a multi-element construction and, in this respect, may include some limited spring that acts to dampen/cushion the vertical movement of the brace into its connection point on the belt. The spring, which may be entirely mechanical in nature or based on an air-piston or the like, may be positioned towards the top, bottom or middle sections of the back brace. For example, the brace may comprise an upstanding outer barrel connected to the belt and an inner piston that attaches to the yoke and which to abuts against a spring seated inside the outer barrel (towards its base). The inner piston therefore rides up and down within the outer barrel, with the combination of the outer barrel, inner piston and spring functioning as a generally rigid but slightly dampened force path. Moreover, it is contemplated that movement of the piston could be tapped as a source of energy, where the kinetic energy associated with relatively small (but high resistance) movements within the back brace is converted by a dynamo and stored in a battery for future use.

The belt 12 is secured by one or more buckles 13 and is adjustable in length by pull straps 14. The belt 12 can include adjustable pads 15 to spread the weight onto the pelvic girdle without causing trauma to the wearer. The brace 11 can be shaped to fit the natural curvature of the wearer's spine.

Turning to FIG. 5, yoke 20 can be made to conform more to the wearer's shape by means of adjustable shoulder pads 21. FIG. 6 shows an adjustable yoke 25 with means 26 to change length and angle of the two wings of the yoke. Means of adjusting length of load bearing members is well known in the art and many different solutions may be used to achieve the same function. Referring to FIG. 7 the front brace 30 can be adjusted in length by pulling loop 32 to release lock 31, such as a snagging clasp. This allows the wearer to bend forwards without restriction. When loop 32 is released, the front brace 30 can re-lock again to transfer load from shoulders to pelvic girdle.

Figure 8 shows a weight distribution device with an additional element of a bridge 41 joining articulated shoulders 42. The shoulders 42 are connected by a pivoting bridge 41 to the brace 40. Load is transferred via brace or braces 40 to belt 44.

The load transfer frame can be provided as a separate unit that itself includes an inner (body-facing) surface having a cushioned liner or padding that, optionally, includes fluted cooling channels. As will be readily appreciated, the liner may be moulded or formed from strategically placed pads made from high-density foam or molded in suitable plastics material or other made from other materials, including natural fibres. In providing an independent load frame, such as shown in FIGs. 3 and 4, the load frame can be deployed for use with any armour vest or to support suspended loads slung across or carried on the shoulders of a person. Of course, as indicated above, the load frame can also be directly integrated into a conventional armour vest, with the integration producing either: i) a sandwich of the load transfer frame between the aforedescribed fluted liner and the actual vest that carriers soft or hard armour plate; or ii) an inner, body-facing surface that rests against the back of the wearer. In the latter respect, the load frame is therefore immediately inward of the fluted moulding or immediately inward of the actual armour vest.

The yoke, back brace and at least an arc-shaped portion of the belt may be unitarily moulded as a single piece. Alternatively, the yoke and back brace may be unitarily moulded together and then a base of the back brace secure into a lumbar belt which, preferably, also includes at least one of internal cushioning, MOLLE and an adjustable buckle that permits dimensions of the waist to be altered to fit the user. The constituent pieces of the load frame may, of course, all be manufactured separately and then assembled. It will be further understood that unless features in the particular preferred embodiments are expressly identified as incompatible with one another or the surrounding context implies that they are mutually exclusive and not readily combinable in a complementary and/or supportive sense, the totality of this disclosure contemplates and envisions that specific features of those complementary embodiments can be selectively combined to provide one or more comprehensive, but slightly different, technical solutions.

It will, of course, be appreciated that the above description has been given by way of example only and that modifications in details may be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, while a preferred embodiment describes a device that is suitable for use with body armour, the present invention finds wider application in the general load carriage field. Specifically, the present invention may be integrated into any jacket or vest to enable it to transfer weight effectively from the shoulders to the pelvic girdle. Moreover, while the preferred embodiment is deployed under (or integrated into) body armour, the frame of the present invention may form the basis of a garment designed to be worn by firemen, emergency workers, labourers or other people who need to carry loads. All of these can make use of the garment/apparel of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A load carriage frame comprising:

a shoulder yoke (1, 10, 20);

a belt (4, 12) for securing about a pelvic girdle; and

at least one connecting brace (2, 3, 11) separating the shoulder yoke from the belt and acting as a force path, said at least one brace centrally coupled to the yoke and the belt and configured to transfer weight that is loaded onto or through the yoke into the belt, thereby effecting a weight re-distribution onto the pelvic girdle of a wearer about which the belt, in use, is secured.

2. The load frame according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder yoke (1, 10) includes shoulder pads (21) that permit shape-fitting of the shoulder yoke.

3. The load frame according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one brace is a back brace shaped to fit the natural curvature of a human spine.

4. The load frame according to claim 1, 2 or 3, including a plurality of connecting braces, the plurality of connecting braces including at least a back brace centrally attached to the yoke and belt.

5. The load frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the connecting brace (2, 3, 11) is pivoted at its point of connection to at least one of the shoulder yoke (1, 10) and the belt (4, 12), thereby allowing the shoulders and/or the torso limited independent movement.

6. The load frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the connecting brace includes a dampening mechanism.

7. The load frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the belt (12) includes adjustable pads (15) to spread the weight onto the pelvic girdle.

8. The load frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the connecting brace is of unitary construction.

9. The load frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the load frame includes an inner liner acting to cushion, in use, at least one of the shoulder yoke and connecting brace from wearer of the load frame.

10. The load frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the connecting brace (2, 3, 11) is height adjustable.

11. A load carriage system including a vest attached to the shoulder yoke of the load carriage frame of any preceding claim.

12. The load carriage system of claim 11, wherein the yoke (1, 10, 20) is mounted below an armour vest and holds up body armour within the vest.

13. The load carriage system of claim 11, wherein load carriage frame is integrated into the vest.