Ergonomic rotatable apparatus and method for use thereof to carry and store equipment and accessories

Abstract

An ergonomic rotatable apparatus for carrying, storing and accessing accessories and field gear comprising a layered belt rail system and field gear pockets supported thereon.

1 . An ergonomic rotatable apparatus for carrying, storing and accessing accessories and field gear comprising a layered belt rail system having outer, inner and intermediate layers for slidably securing at least one field gear container, and having
 at least one outer layer securing rail, said at least one securing rail comprising an elongated flexible semirigid rail strip; said at least one semirigid rail strip having attachment means for attaching to and removing said system from a portion of the user's body in a belt-like manner; wherein   said at least one semirigid rail strip further comprising o a thin, elongated strip of flexible semirigid material having an outer surface and an opposite inner surface, having a width of from about 3 mm to about 6 mm (preferably about 4 mm) and a thickness of from about 0.05 mm to about 0.40 mm (preferably about 0.15 mm); wherein further,   said at least one semirigid rail strip has a top edge and a corresponding opposite bottom edge, said edges being coextensive with said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said at least one semirigid rail strip has a tongue end and an opposite clasp end, said clasp end having a clasp for grasping said tongue end of said at least one semirigid rail strip, said clasp comprising a plate having an insertion slot for accepting insertion of said tongue end of said at least one semirigid rail strip; wherein said clasp plate comprises a width about the same as that of said at least one semirigid rail strip and a thickness of from about 1.01 to about 1.15 times the thickness of said at least one semirigid rail strip and wherein said plate and extends longitudinally from said clasp end of said at least one semirigid rail strip;   said clasp further having user-operable quick release means for releasably securing said semirigid rail strip within said clasp to form a circumferential belt about a selected portion of a user's body for securing accessories and field gear; and wherein   said system having a second intermediate layer comprising a padded elongated spacer layer comprised of a suitable resilient material, said second resilient padded spacer layer having, respectively, opposite outer and inner surfaces, a width and a thickness, said outer surface of said second spacer layer being in contact with and substantially coextensive with and in center-alignment with said inner surface of said at least one semirigid rail strip outer layer, and wherein   said thickness of said second resilient padded spacer layer being from about 3 times to about 10 times the thickness of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said width of said second resilient padded spacer layer being from about 0.5 times to about 0.9 times the width of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said system having a third intermediate layer comprising a flexible elongated belt layer comprised of a suitable strong and flexible belting material, said third belt layer having, respectively, opposite outer and inner surfaces, a width and a thickness, said outer surface of said third belt layer being in contact with and substantially coextensive with and in center-alignment with said inner surface of said second resilient padded spacer layer, and wherein   said thickness of said third belt layer is suitable to impart sufficient tensile strength integrity to said system to securely grasp a selected body part of a user; and wherein   said third intermediate belt layer comprises a respective pair of opposite ends, said ends having quick release fastening means for fastening said ends together to form a belt; and wherein   said width of said third intermediate layer belt layer is from 1.0 times to about 1.5 times the width of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said system having a fourth elongated inner padding layer comprised of a suitable resilient padding material, said fourth inner padding layer having, respectively, opposite outer and inner surfaces, a width and a thickness, said outer surface of said fourth inner padding layer being in contact with and substantially coextensive with and in center-alignment with said inner surface of said third intermediate layer belt layer, and wherein said inner surface of said fourth elongated inner padding layer is for contact with the body of a user upon deployment of said system claimed herein; and wherein   said thickness of said fourth inner padding layer being sufficient to pad the system in contact with the body of a user and to vector distribute about the user's body the downward force of the weight of field gear containers that are secured to said system, and wherein   said width of said fourth inner padding layer being from about 1.5 times to about 3.0 times the width of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said outer, intermediate and inner layers are fastened together by a plurality of fastening means affixed spaced-apart upon said system, said fastening means disposed substantially at or near the centerline of said system, said fastening means extending laterally through suitably aligned apertures in all layers to comprise a means for fastening together and fixing in place said layers of said system; and wherein   said system has at least one quick release slidable rigid securing cleat having an outer side and an inner side, said inner side having a central groove for engaging said respective upper and lower edges of said at least one semirigid rail strip,   said at least one quick release cleat further having locking means, said locking means being user-movable between an open un-locked position and a closed, locked position, said locking means comprising a convenient user-openable and user-closable means for attaching and alternately detaching said cleat from said at least one semirigid rail strip, said groove on said inner surface of said at least one cleat for slidably grasping said at least one semirigid rail strip; said groove securely but slidably fixing said cleat to said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said outer surface of said cleat has means for releasably securing a field gear pocket thereto.   
     
     
         2 . An ergonomic rotatable apparatus for carrying, storing and accessing accessories and field gear comprising layered belt rail system having outer, inner and intermediate layers for slidably securing at least one field gear container, having:
 at least one outer layer securing rail, said at least one securing rail comprising an elongated flexible semirigid rail strip; said at least one semirigid rail strip having attachment means for attaching to and removing said system from a portion of the user's body in a belt-like manner; wherein   said at least one semirigid rail strip being further comprised of a thin, elongated strip of flexible semirigid material having an outer surface and an opposite inner surface, having a width of about 4 mm and a thickness of about 0.15 mm; wherein further   said at least one semirigid rail strip has a top edge and a corresponding opposite bottom edge, said edges being coextensive with said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said at least one semirigid rail strip has a tongue end and an opposite clasp end, said clasp end having a clasp for grasping said tongue end of said at least one semirigid rail strip, said clasp comprising a plate having an insertion slot for accepting insertion of said tongue end of said at least one semirigid rail strip; wherein said clasp plate comprises a width about the same as that of said at least one semirigid rail strip and a thickness of about 1.15 times the thickness of said at least one semirigid rail strip and wherein said plate and extends longitudinally from said clasp end of said at least one semirigid rail strip;   said clasp further having user-operable quick release means for releasably securing said semirigid rail strip within said clasp to form a circumferential belt about a selected portion of a user's body for securing field gear; and wherein   said system having a second intermediate layer comprising a padded elongated spacer layer comprised of a suitable resilient material, said second resilient padded spacer layer having, respectively, opposite outer and inner surfaces, a width and a thickness, said outer surface of said second spacer layer being in contact with and substantially coextensive with and in center-alignment with said inner surface of said at least one semirigid rail strip outer layer, and wherein   said thickness of said second resilient padded spacer layer being from about 3 times to about 10 times the thickness of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said width of said second resilient padded spacer layer being from about 0.5 times to about 0.9 times the width of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said system having a third intermediate layer comprising a flexible elongated belt layer comprised of a suitable strong and flexible belting material, said third belt layer having, respectively, opposite outer and inner surfaces, a width and a thickness, said outer surface of said third belt layer being in contact with and substantially coextensive with and in center-alignment with said inner surface of said second resilient padded spacer layer, and wherein   said thickness of said third belt layer is suitable to impart sufficient tensile strength integrity to said system to securely grasp a selected body part of a user; and wherein   said third intermediate belt layer comprises a respective pair of opposite ends, said ends having quick release fastening means for fastening said ends together to form a belt; and wherein   said width of said third intermediate layer belt layer is from 1.0 times to about 1.5 times the width of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said system having a fourth elongated inner padding layer comprised of a suitable resilient padding material, said fourth inner padding layer having, respectively, opposite outer and inner surfaces, a width and a thickness, said outer surface of said fourth inner padding layer being in contact with and substantially coextensive with and in center-alignment with said inner surface of said third intermediate layer belt layer, and wherein said inner surface of said fourth elongated inner padding layer is for contact with the body of a user upon deployment of said system claimed herein; and wherein   said thickness of said fourth inner padding layer being sufficient to pad the system in contact with the body of a user and to vector distribute about the user's body the downward force of the weight of field gear containers that are secured to said system, and wherein   said width of said fourth inner padding layer being about 2 times the width of said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said outer, intermediate and inner layers are fastened together by a plurality of fastening means affixed spaced-apart upon said system, said fastening means disposed substantially at or near the centerline of said system, said fastening means extending laterally through suitably aligned apertures in all layers to comprise a means for fastening together and fixing in place said layers of said system; and wherein   said system has at least one quick release slidable rigid securing cleat having an outer side and an inner side, said inner side having a central groove for engaging said respective upper and lower edges of said at least one semirigid rail strip,   said at least one quick release cleat further having locking means, said locking means being user-movable between an open un-locked position and a closed, locked position, said locking means comprising a convenient user-openable and user-closable means for attaching and alternately detaching said cleat from said at least one semirigid rail strip, said groove on said inner surface of said at least one cleat for slidably grasping said at least one semirigid rail strip; said groove securely but slidably fixing said cleat to said at least one semirigid rail strip; and wherein   said outer surface of said cleat has means for releasably securing a field gear pocket thereto.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further having at least four spaced apart upwardly extending short suspension straps comprised of a suitably strong and flexible belting material, said at least four suspension straps being secured to said system between said third and said fourth layer by means of said layer fastening means, wherein further
 said suspension straps respectively having an upper end having fastening means affixed thereto for receiving a complementary fastening means. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further having at least four spaced apart upwardly extending short suspension straps comprised of a suitably strong and flexible belting material, said at least four suspension straps being secured to said system between said third and said fourth layer by means of said layer fastening means, wherein further
 said suspension straps respectively having an upper end having fastening means affixed thereto for receiving a complementary fastening means. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further having a four-point suspension harness comprised of a pair of crossed suspension straps, comprising a pair of rear straps and a pair of front straps, said harness having a pair of respective shoulder pads disposed respectively on said pair of straps, said pair of straps having a total of four downwardly extending ends, said ends respectively having fastening means affixed thereto for receiving a complementary fastening means from said short suspension straps of said multilayered field gear securing system; said harness for distributively hanging a portion of the weight of said field gear securing system from the shoulders of a user, said suspension harness being configured in the manner of a pair of conventional apparel suspenders; and wherein said pair of front straps have user adjustment means for adjusting the length thereof for a comfortable and effective weight bearing fit. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said selected portion of a user's body is the waist. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said selected portion of a user's body is the chest. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said selected portion of a user's body is a combination of the waist and the chest. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said cleat means for releasably securing a field gear pocket thereto comprises a slot for accepting a belt therethrough, said belt having attachment means for attaching securely to a field gear container. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said at least one semirigid rail strip is comprised of a suitable plastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said clasp disposed on said clasp end of said at least one semirigid rail strip is comprised of a suitable plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said clasp disposed on said clasp end of said at least one semirigid rail strip is comprised of a suitable metallic material. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said quick release fastening means of said third intermediate belt layer comprises a snap buckle. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said fourth inner layer comprises a plurality of contiguous pad segments, said segments comprising a continuum that in turn comprises said fourth inner layer; wherein further
 said segments respectively have a pari of opposite vertically extending sides, said vertical sides having fastening means thereon for fastening to the respective adjacent contiguous respective pad segment. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said fastening means for fastening fourth inner layer pad segments to the respective adjacent contiguous respective pad segment comprises hook and loop fastener means. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said means for fastening said multiple layers together comprises a plurality of spaced apart rivets, said rivets respectively extending perpendicularly to the plane of said system from said outer surface of said first later through respective corresponding apertures in each layer to a termination upon the inner surface of said fourth layer, said rivets holding said layers securely together into a unified system.