Ergonomic sleeve harness and fasteners

Abstract

A harness ( 10 ) is provided for securing a pair of electrical insulating sleeves ( 12 ) to a user ( 16 ) and includes a pair of shoulder straps ( 18 ), each shoulder strap ( 18 ) having a middle portion ( 20 ) extending between opposite end portions ( 22,24 ), and each middle portion ( 20 ) including an array of fastener receiving openings ( 26 ). Each fastener receiving opening ( 26 ) is configured to receive a fastener ( 28 ) for attaching an insulating sleeve ( 12 ). An adjustable chest strap ( 32 ) is engaged with each of the opposite end portions ( 22,24 ) of the shoulder straps ( 18 ) and is configured to extend around the torso ( 14 ) of a user ( 16 ) to secure the harness ( 10 ) to a user ( 16 ). A shoulder adjustment strap ( 50 ) extends between the shoulder straps ( 18 ) to be located behind the neck of a user ( 16 ) when the harness ( 10 ) is worn by a user ( 16 ) and is configured to provide adjustment of the middle portions ( 20 ) relative to each other.

1 . A harness for securing a pair of electrical insulating sleeves to a user, the harness comprising:
 a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having a middle portion extending between opposite end portions, each middle portion including an array of fastener receiving openings, each fastener receiving opening configured to receive a fastener for attaching an insulating sleeve;   an adjustable chest strap engaged with each of the opposite end portions of the shoulder straps and configured to extend around the torso of a user to secure the harness to a user; and   a shoulder adjustment strap extending between the shoulder straps to be located behind the neck of a user when the harness is worn by a user and configured to provide adjustment of the middle portions relative to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each of the fastener receiving openings is defined by a grommet. 
     
     
         3 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein the fastener receiving openings in each shoulder strap are located to provide at least two different positions for securing an insulating sleeve to the shoulder strap. 
     
     
         4 . The harness of  claim 1  further comprising a releasable buckle fixed to opposite ends of the adjustable chest strap to allow the opposite ends to be selectively connected and disconnected. 
     
     
         5 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein the adjustable chest strap comprises a length of webbing. 
     
     
         6 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each of the opposite end portions includes a loop through which the adjustable chest strap extends. 
     
     
         7 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein the shoulder adjustment strap has a first end fixed to one of the shoulder straps and a second end fixed to the other shoulder strap. 
     
     
         8 . The harness of  claim 7  wherein the shoulder adjustment strap includes third and fourth ends that are engaged with a strap adjuster. 
     
     
         9 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each shoulder strap is multi-layer construction. 
     
     
         10 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each shoulder strap comprises layer of foam sandwiched between two fabric layers. 
     
     
         11 . The harness of  claim 10  wherein the layer of foam comprises a closed cell foam. 
     
     
         12 . The harness of  claim 10  wherein one of the fabric layers comprises a mesh fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each middle portion has a first concave peripheral edge facing the other middle portion and a second concave peripheral edge facing away from the other middle portion when the harness is worn by a user. 
     
     
         14 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each end portion of each shoulder strap has a convex peripheral edge and a concave peripheral edge facing in opposite directions. 
     
     
         15 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each shoulder strap has a convex peripheral edge adjacent the fastener receiving openings. 
     
     
         16 . The harness of  claim 1  further comprising four releasable fasteners, each fastener received in a corresponding one of the fastener receiving openings. 
     
     
         17 . The harness of  claim 1  wherein each releasable fastener comprises a base member and a clip member, each base member having a base portion and a post extending from the base member, and each clip member having a relief that is configured for snap fit engagement with the post. 
     
     
         18 . The harness of  claim 17  wherein each relief of each fastener comprises a concave surface sized for snap fit engagement with a convex surface of the post of the base member of the fastener. 
     
     
         19 . The harness of  claim 18  wherein the convex surface of each post is defined by an annular groove located in an end portion of the post. 
     
     
         20 . The harness of  claim 19  wherein each clip member has a slot that extends from an edge of the clip member to the relief.