Shoulder strap for supporting back loads, device for carrying back loads, and in particular buoyancy compensator, or the like

Abstract

A shoulder strap for devices adapted to carry loads, particularly on the back of a user, has a side widening toward the sternal area of the user and an arched shape, the dimensions and shapes being designed so that in worn condition the side widening can rest on the thorax area, below the cervicothoracic imaginary line and above the breast, while the section extending downward beyond the side widening overlaps the side area of the thorax, the breast being positioned in the area next to a concave side edge that bypasses the breast. A buoyancy compensator for diving comprising equipped may be equipped with one or more shoulder straps as described.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoulder strap having a strip-shaped element, comprising:
 a part configured to overlap at least one portion of a shoulder area and one portion of a front side of a torso,   wherein said part has an arched profile with a first concave edge, which is curved in a single direction of curvature defined by at least one first center and at least one first radius of curvature, and further has an opposite convex side which includes, in an intermediate area between two opposite ends of said strip-shaped element, a side widening transverse with respect to a longitudinal extent of said strip-shaped element, the side widening being connected to each of said two opposite ends of said strip-shaped element with a first and a second section of second concave edge curved in a direction of curvature opposite to the direction of curvature of the first concave edge, the second curved edge has at least one second center of curvature and at least one second radius of curvature, and   wherein dimensions of the side widening, a shape of the first and the second concave sections connecting the side widening to the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element, and a position of the side widening with reference to the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element are all selected so that the side widening is configured to rest on a thorax area below a cervicothoracic imaginary line and above a breast, and   wherein a first section between said widening and a first one of the two opposite ends overlaps both a part above the cervicothoracic imaginary line and at least part of a shoulder, and a second section of the strip-shaped element between the side widening and a second one of the two opposite ends overlaps a side area of the thorax, the breast being positioned in an area next to the second concave edge connecting the side widening to a corresponding one of the two opposite ends, the side widening being provided at a side of the strip-shaped element facing a sternal area or a mid-sagittal plane of a user's body.   
     
     
         2 . The shoulder strap according to  claim 1 , wherein the side widening has a third curved edge with a direction of curvature corresponding to the single direction of curvature of the first concave edge and with at least one radius of curvature or with more radii of curvature that are shorter than a radius or radii of curvature of the first concave edge. 
     
     
         3 . The shoulder strap according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two opposite ends of the strip-shaped element is provided with removable-attachment extremities, which are directly attached to the at least one of the two opposite ends or to strip-shaped extensions of the at least one of the two opposite ends. 
     
     
         4 . The shoulder strap according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one removable-attachment element provided at the side widening or on the side widening, directly attached to the side widening or attached at an end of a strip-shaped extension. 
     
     
         5 . A carrying device comprising:
 a combination of at least one shoulder strap, at least one supporting structure, and at least one load,   wherein the at least one shoulder strap includes a strip-shaped element comprising:   a part configured to overlap at least one portion of a shoulder area and one portion of a front side of a torso,   wherein said part has an arched profile with a first concave edge, which is curved in a single direction of curvature defined by at least one first center and at least one first radius of curvature, and further has an opposite convex side which includes, in an intermediate area between two opposite ends of the strip-shaped element, a side widening transverse with respect to a longitudinal extent of the strip-shaped element, the side widening being connected to each of said two opposite ends of the strip-shaped element with a first and a second section of second concave edge curved in a direction of curvature opposite to the direction of curvature of the first concave edge, the second curved edge has at least one second center of curvature and at least one second radius of curvature, and   wherein dimensions of the side widening, a shape of the first and the second concave sections connecting the side widening to the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element, and a position of the side widening with reference to the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element are all selected so that the side widening is configured to rest on a thorax area below a cervicothoracic imaginary line and above a breast, and   wherein a first section between said widening and a first one of the two opposite ends overlaps both a part above the cervicothoracic imaginary line and at least part of a shoulder, and a second section of the strip-shaped element between the side widening and a second one of the two opposite ends overlaps a side area of the thorax, the breast being positioned in an area next to the second concave edge connecting the side widening to a corresponding one of the two opposite ends, the side widening being provided at a side of the strip-shaped element facing a sternal area or a mid-sagittal plane of a user's body, and   wherein the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element are attached at points distant from each other of the supporting structure.   
     
     
         6 . The carrying device according to  claim 5 , wherein an attachment of at least one end of the strip-shaped element is made in a removable manner. 
     
     
         7 . The carrying device according to  claim 5 , further comprising an attaching member configured to attach the strip-shaped element and allowing an adjustment of a distance of at least one of the two opposite ends of the strip-shaped element from a point of attachment to the supporting structure of the load. 
     
     
         8 . The carrying device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a combination of a supporting structure with two shoulder straps, each including the strip-shaped element, and wherein each strip-shaped element is configured symmetrically with respect to a mid-sagittal plane of the user's body wearing the carrying device. 
     
     
         9 . The carrying device according to  claim 8 , wherein the supporting structure comprises a back support element adapted to lean against a back of a user wearing the carrying device and connected to an end of the at least one shoulder strap, and having an upper end at an upper point of the supporting structure and a lower end at a lower point of the supporting structure. 
     
     
         10 . The carrying device according to  claim 9 , wherein a connection of each strip-shaped element is made either directly with a corresponding lower point of the supporting structure or with an extension optionally of adjustable length. 
     
     
         11 . The carrying device according to  claim 9 , wherein there are two strip-shaped elements, and wherein lower ends of the two strip-shaped elements forming the shoulder straps are connected to a ventral section of an end of a ventral strap or belt provided on a corresponding side, ends of the ventral strap or belt being provided with attachment members that are removable and adjust a length of the ventral strap or belt. 
     
     
         12 . The carrying device according to  claim 11 , wherein the ventral strap or belt is either a continuous element extending also over an entire extent of the supporting structure, or the ventral strap or belt has two segments branching off sideways from a side edge of the supporting structure. 
     
     
         13 . The carrying device according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one load comprises at least one respirable-gas cylinder, the supporting structure being a backrest element comprising at least one fixing device adapted to removably fix the at least one respirable-gas cylinder to the backrest element. 
     
     
         14 . The carrying device according to  claim 13 , further comprising a flotation element attached to the supporting structure and having, along at least part of its extent, one or more sealed chambers alternatively inflatable and deflatable and a control system that controls inflation and deflation. 
     
     
         15 . The carrying device according to  claim 14 , wherein the flotation element is configured as a jacket element shaped as a bodice or waistcoat. 
     
     
         16 . The carrying device according to  claim 15 , wherein the jacket element is attached to the supporting structure, the at least one shoulder straps, and/or the belt or ventral strap. 
     
     
         17 . The carrying device according to  claim 14 , wherein the flotation element comprises a waistcoat-shaped garment and is configured as a wearable harness to which a back portion the load supporting structure is attached, and wherein each of the two shoulder straps is made either as an integral extension or as an extension permanently attached thereto, at least to an upper side of a back portion of the waistcoat-shaped garment. 
     
     
         18 . The carrying device according to  claim 17 , wherein an end of each shoulder strap on a front or pectoral side of the torso is made in one piece with a corresponding ventral part of the waistcoat-shaped garment, or is permanently attached to the corresponding ventral part or is removable therefrom, adjusting members to adjust a length of the shoulder straps being optionally provided. 
     
     
         19 . A buoyancy compensator or stabilizer comprising:
 a watertight envelope or bag provided with a connecting system adapted to connect to a user's body;   an inflating system adapted to inflate the watertight envelope or bag and to be actuated by control and supplied with gas from a gas cylinder;   a discharging system adapted to discharge the gas and comprising one or more control-operated outlet valves and optionally one or more automatic gas-release valves; and   a frame adapted to secure one or more air cylinders containing air or other mixture of respirable gases,   further comprising a carrying device that includes:   a combination of at least one shoulder strap, at least one supporting structure, and at least one load,   wherein the at least one shoulder strap includes a strip-shaped element comprising:   a part configured to overlap at least one portion of a shoulder area and one portion of a front side of a torso,   wherein said part has an arched profile with a first concave edge, which is curved in a single direction of curvature defined by at least one first center and at least one first radius of curvature, and further has an opposite convex side which includes, in an intermediate area between two opposite ends of the strip-shaped element, a side widening transverse with respect to a longitudinal extent of the strip-shaped element, the side widening being connected to each of said two opposite ends of the strip-shaped element with a first and a second section of second concave edge curved in a direction of curvature opposite to the direction of curvature of the first concave edge, the second curved edge has at least one second center of curvature and at least one second radius of curvature, and   wherein dimensions of the side widening, a shape of the first and the second concave sections connecting the side widening to the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element, and a position of the side widening with reference to the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element are all selected so that the side widening is configured to rest on a thorax area below a cervicothoracic imaginary line and above a breast, and   wherein a first section between said widening and a first one of the two opposite ends overlaps both a part above the cervicothoracic imaginary line and at least part of a shoulder, and a second section of the strip-shaped element between the side widening and a second one of the two opposite ends overlaps a side area of the thorax, the breast being positioned in an area next to the second concave edge connecting the side widening to a corresponding one of the two opposite ends, the side widening being provided at a side of the strip-shaped element facing a sternal area or a mid-sagittal plane of the user's body, and   wherein the opposite ends of the strip-shaped element are attached at points distant from each other of the supporting structure.