Compound curvature waist strap

Abstract

A waist strap with layers of variable material to provide cushioning in layers on the side of the waist strap contacting the wearer and structural strength in layers opposite the side contacting the wearer; the waist strap having a first strap portion and a second strap portion, and each strap portion having a lengthwise curvature to curve about a waist of a wearer and a crosswise curvature along the height of the waist strap to create a compound curvature contour around a wearer, and each strap portion having an upper padded region, a central padded region and a lower padded region with the central padded region generally recessed relative to the upper and lower padded regions to further define a crosswise curvature of the waist strap by the recessed central padded region and resulting upper and lower padded region protrusions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A waist strap, comprising:
 a strap anchor point;   a first strap portion having a first end and a second strap portion having a second end, each strap portion having an inner side and an outer side, wherein each strap portion is coupled to the strap anchor point and comprises:
 a lengthwise curvature such that the inner side is a concave side of the lengthwise curvature and the outer side is a convex side of the lengthwise curvature; and 
 a crosswise curvature such that the inner side is a concave side of the crosswise curvature and the outer side is a convex side of the crosswise curvature; and 
   a belt fastener coupled to each of the first end and second end.   
     
     
         2 . The waist strap according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner side of the first strap portion and second strap portion each further comprises:
 an upper padded region having an upper edge and a lower edge;   a central padded region coupled to the upper padded region having an upper edge and a lower edge; and   a lower padded region coupled to the central padded region having an upper edge and a lower edge.   
     
     
         3 . The waist strap according to  claim 2 , wherein the upper edge of the upper padded region is a first endpoint and the lower edge of the lower padded region is a second endpoint of the convex side of the crosswise curvature. 
     
     
         4 . The waist strap according to  claim 3 , wherein the lower edge of the upper padded region couples to the upper edge of the central padded region at a first intersection line, and the upper edge of the lower padded region couples to the lower edge of the central padded region at a second intersection line. 
     
     
         5 . The waist strap according to  claim 4 , wherein the first intersection is a first endpoint and the section intersection is a second endpoint of the concave side of the crosswise curvature. 
     
     
         6 . The waist strap according to  claim 5 , wherein a radius of curvature of the convex side of the crosswise curvature is greater than a radius of curvature of the concave side of the crosswise curvature. 
     
     
         7 . The waist strap according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the upper padded region, central padded region, and lower padded region have an outer surface coinciding with the outer side of the strap portion and an inner surface coinciding with the inner side of the strap portion. 
     
     
         8 . The waist strap according to  claim 7 , wherein the outer side of the strap portion is a shell layer constructively compressing the upper edge of the upper padded region towards the inner side and constructively compressing the lower edge of the lower padded region towards the inner side. 
     
     
         9 . The waist strap according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the upper padded region, central padded region, and lower padded region has a maximum thickness defined by the maximum distance between the inner surface and the outer surface. 
     
     
         10 . The waist strap according to  claim 9 , wherein the maximum thickness of the central padded region is less than the maximum thickness of the upper padded region and lower padded region. 
     
     
         11 . The waist strap according to  claim 1 , wherein the lengthwise curvature is a curvature measured from the strap anchor point to a first or second end or a respective first or second strap portion. 
     
     
         12 . The waist strap according to  claim 11 , wherein the lengthwise curvature extends the strap portion away from the strap anchor point relative to a tangent line intersecting the strap anchor point. 
     
     
         13 . The waist strap according to  claim 12 , wherein the lengthwise curvature extends the strap portion away from the tangent line at such a curvature that a first end and second end point in a direction back towards the strap anchor point. 
     
     
         14 . The waist strap according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross section of each strap portion comprises at least a first layer on the inner side and a second layer. 
     
     
         15 . The waist strap according to  claim 13 , wherein a rigidity of the first layer is less than a rigidity of the second layer. 
     
     
         16 . The waist strap according to  claim 14 , wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of ventilation openings. 
     
     
         17 . The waist strap according to  claim 14 , wherein the second layer is a shell layer constructively compressing an upper edge of the first layer towards the inner side of a strap portion and constructively compressing a lower edge of the first layer towards the inner side of a strap portion. 
     
     
         18 . The waist strap according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt fastener is a buckle. 
     
     
         19 . The waist strap according to  claim 1 , wherein the strap anchor point is an attaching portion. 
     
     
         20 . The waist strap according to  claim 19 , wherein the attaching portion couples to a cargo enclosure.