GB2534537A

GB2534537A - Neck strap brace

Info

Publication number: GB2534537A
Application number: GB1419895.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Edward Sanger Ian; John Scott Andrew
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-11-07
Filing date: 2014-11-07
Publication date: 2016-08-03
Also published as: GB201419895D0

Abstract

A brace device for a neck strap, the device comprising a rod, each of the distal ends of the rod being provided with a respective fastener arranged to be detachably fixed to a respective portion of the strap, the device thereby being attachable to said portions and when attached to said portions, the device is arranged to maintain the respective strap portions in a spaced-apart relationship.

Description

NECK STRAP BRACE

Technical field

The invention relates to bracing devices, in particular for use with neck straps for holding items such as musical instruments or cameras etc.

Background

Neck straps arc known devices used for holding items, such as musical instruments or cameras by means of placing the strap over the head and the item being held connected to the free end portion of the strap. In use, gravity pulls the item being held and this force is resisted by the neck strap pulling against the user's neck. Course height adjustment of the item being held by the neck strap can be effected by a buckle used to shorten or lengthen the free end portion of the strap. Neck straps apply pressure onto the neck, are uncomfortable to wear and do not allow fine incremental height adjustment of the item being supported when under load is when being used.

We have devised a brace, which, when attached to a neck strap being used to support an item, reduces the pressure to which the neck is subjected, increasing comfort and providing a means of fine incremental height adjustment when under load, also width adjustment to allow for different size of necks.

Summary

According to the invention there is provided a neck strap brace according to claim 1. The invention also provides a neck strap including a brace device according to the invention.

By "strap", we include webbing, which has a substantially flat shape, as well as cordlike material of generally rounded cross-section.

The invention may be viewed as a universal attachable and detachable neck strap brace, comprising a brace body and fastener clasps. When attached to a neck strap being used to support a musical instrument or camera, the brace advantageously reduces the pressure against the neck and thus increases the comfort of the user.

The neck strap brace is preferably attachable and detachable. The brace can be rotated, thereby causing the clasps to move symmetrically and simultaneously towards, or away from each other when the clasps are engaged with a neck strap under tension.

This is a mechanism by which the height of musical instrument or camera being held by the strap, can be fine adjusted up or down without needing to adjust a coarse strap adjusting buckle.

The mechanical advantage of a screw thread may be used to lift or lower a heavy music instrument or camera being carried by the neck strap. Advantageously, only a small turning force need be applied by the fingers to rotate the brace and move the clasps towards or away from each other, lifting or lowering the item being held by the neck strap, and to allow the user to adjust the length to suit individual neck size.

The brace may comprise a pivotable spring action jaw and adjusting jaw to clasp the strap. A pip/detent and groove may be provided which act together to hold the strap or chord in position under the applied force of the compression spring when the button is released.

The brace may comprise any one or more of the features described in the detailed description below and/or shown in the drawings.

Brief Description of the drawings

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings.

Detailed Description

With reference initially Lo Drawing shed 1, Figures 1 and 2 show a neck strap brace that can be fitted to both cord and strap -type music instrument and camera neck straps. This may be termed a universal neck strap brace. The strap is easily attached to the brace device by using the clasps of the brace and is detachable by simply pulling the neck strap off the brace, using the snap action of the clasp.

When the brace is fitted and adjusted, the pressure on the neck (caused by the musical instrument or camera weight pulling on the neck strap) is reduced and so improving comfort. The position of the brace can be moved up or down by the user to find the most comfortable position resting on the chest. Once in position, the brace is held in place by the clasps described below and shown in detail in drawing 2 Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9. In use, the brace device adopts a generally horizontal orientation, thereby holding laterally apart the neck strap and reducing the pressure exerted on the user's neck.

With reference to Figures 3 and 5, in addition to the two clasps "a" and "b", the brace comprises a rod intermediate the clasps, the rod comprising an elongate member, of rigid/semi-rigid construction. As shown in the Figures, when the rod is rotated, this causes clasps "a" and "b" to move symmetrically and simultaneously towards or away from each other, in translational movement, whilst the clasps are engaged with and attached to the neck strap whilst under tension.

This rotational adjustment causes the portions of the neck strap to which the clasps are attached to be moved apart to provide shortening effect to the strap, or closer together to provide a lengthening effect to the strap. It is to be noted that whilst the rod rotates, the clasps do not rotate because they are attached to the portions of the neck strap and thus are held rotationally stationary. However, due to the threaded connections between the clasps and the distal ends of the rod, the clasps are able to translate towards or away from each other on rotation of the rod. The rod is provided with internal threaded regions at the distal ends, arranged to receive the threaded portions of the clasps.

It is by way of this mechanism that when used as shown in Figure 1 (illustrating a cord type strap) and Figure 2 (illustrating a (flat profile) strap type) the height of the musical instrument or camera (or other item) can be fine adjusted up or down without needing to adjust the course strap adjusting buckle.

Figure 4 shows how the mechanical advantage of a screw thread is used to lift or lower a heavy item which is carried by the neck strap being supported by the neck strap, with only a small turning force needing to be applied by the fingers to rotate the brace to move the clasps towards or away from each other as described above.

With reference to Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, a clasp pivot jaw of each clasp is opened and closed by depressing a button which compresses a spring (opening), or releasing the button allowing the spring to act on and push the jaw shut (dosing).

Respective portions of the neck strap are inserted between the open pivotable jaw and adjusting jaw (together making the clasp) when the clasp is open. To release the strap each clasp is simply pulled off without having to depress the button to open the clasp, thereby providing a quick-release mechanism.

With reference to Figures 8 and 9, the cord is gripped by the pivot jaw deforming the cord into the groove and increasing the friction between the cord and jaws. The cord being able to snap out of the clasp without the button needing to be depressed or released.

In Figures 7 and 9, the strap is caused to deform into the groove and held by the pip pressing into the strap and the pivot jaw pressing against it increasing the friction between the pivot and adjusting jaw.

The neck strap being able to snap out of the clasp without the button needing to be depressed or released.

Figures 10 and 11 show a further embodiment in which the length of the brace is fixed and non-adjustable. This version of the brace can similarly be fitted to both cord and strap type music instrument and camera neck straps. it is easily attached by using the claps and is removed by simply pulling the brace off the neck strap, using the snap action of the clasps. in this embodiment, the clasps are fixedly, and immovably, attached to the rod. This embodiment may be provided in a number of fixed lengths, allowing a user to select the most approximate length to suit different size necks. When the fixed universal neck brace is fitted, the pressure on the neck, caused by the musical instrument or camera weight pulling on the neck strap, is reduced and so decreasing the pressure on the neck improving comfort. The position of the brace is free to be moved up or down, to find the most comfortable position resting on the chest. Once in position the brace is held in place by the clasps described below and shown in detail in drawing 3, Figures 10 and 12. This version uses the same clasp features as the adjustable version detailed above.

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a further embodiment wherein the rod includes a display surface. The surface is arranged to face forwardly of the user. The surface can be journalled on the rod to allow relative rotation therebetween.

Alternatively, the surface can be fixed to the rod with the rod being rotatable in 360° increments to ensure the continued forwards orientation of the surface. Further surfaces can be provided on the rod to reduce the rotational increment needed to ensure the surface faces forward. The surface can be used, for example, to display a logo or other marketing information. I0

In summary, the neck strap brace described above provides numerous advantages including: I) Universal attachment. The brace device can be attached onto and detached from different types of Neck Strap.

2) The brace device provides incremental positional height adjustment to an item being supported by a neck strap.

3) The brace device improves the comfort of the user by reducing the pressure applied by a neck strap against the neck.

4) The brace device has adjustable length to allow for adividual user size adj ustment.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A brace device for a neck strap, the device comprising a rod, each of the distal ends of the rod being provided with a respective fastener arranged to be detachably fixed to a respective portion of the strap, the device thereby being attachable to said portions and when attached to said portions, the device is arranged to maintain the respective strap portions in a spaced-apart relationship.
2. A brace device as claimed in claim 1 in which the spacing between the fasteners is adjustable by a user.
3. A brace device as claimed in claim 2 in which the spacing bctwccn the fasteners is adjustable by rotating the rod about its longitudinal axis.
4. A brace device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 in which there is provided a respective threaded connection between each of the fasteners and the rod.
5. A brace device as claimed in which the fasteners arranged to remain substantially rotationally static with respect to the respective strap portion, during rotation of the rod.
6. A brace device as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5 in which the spacing bctwccn the fasteners arranged to be adjusted whilst under load with an item attached to the strap.
7. A brace device as claimed in any of claims I to 6 in which the rod is substantially rigid, or is semi-rigid.
8. A brace as claimed in ally preceding claim in which the spacing between the fasteners is capable of being adjusted with a tension applied to the strap resulting from an item which is attached to the strap and carried thereby.
9. A brace device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the spacing between fasteners is non-adjustable.
10. A brace as claimed in any preceding claim in which the fasteners comprise spring-loaded jaws arranged to grip the respective portions of the strap.
11. A brace as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising one or more display surfaces arranged to face forward from the user.
12. A neck strap comprising a brace device according to any of the preceding claims.
13. A neck strap according to claim 12, comprising a strap region which extends around the user's neck and the brace device is arranged in use in a generally horizontal position thereby bracing apart the strap.
14. A brace device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
15. A neck strap substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.