GB2566474A - Safety garment and its method of use - Google Patents

Abstract

A garment (100, fig. 3) for use with an electrical appliance (for example a hedge trimmer or circular saw) comprising a flexible support (108, 110, fig. 3) which abuts the torso of the user and a cable guide 154 being provided with an opening (160, fig. 3) capable of receiving the cable and sized to allow free movement of the cable through the opening; and where the cable guide is configured to be released from the garment in the case of the snagging (as shown in figure 11C). In use this prevents the tool from being yanked towards the user and reduces the risk of the cable being cut and electrocuting the user. Preferably the support is in the form of a harness. Preferably the cable guides are formed of a clip ring 158 and Velcro ® / hook and loop fasteners 154 which attach to panels (150, 152, fig. 3) on the harness but can be pulled off when the cable snags and pulls away from the user’s body. Also claimed is a method of using the same.

Description

SAFETY GARMENT AND ITS METHOD OF USE

Technical Field Of The Invention

This invention relates to a safety garment or harness for use with mains-powered electrical appliances and its method of use. In particular, this invention relates to a safety garment that in use reduces the risk of the power cord or cable supplying the electrical appliance becoming entangled with, or otherwise caught in, the moving parts of the electrical appliance. This invention ensures that the power cord is safely kept out of the user’s way whilst the appliance is in use, and also minimises the risk of a tripping and electrocution hazards. In use, this invention enables the power cord supplying the electrical appliance to be releasably secured over the user’s shoulder and back in cable guides which permit the user to walk, bend and/or stretch with a natural and unrestricted movement, whilst preventing the undesirable gathering of excess cable in front of the user’s body. The cable guides on the safety garment are configured to be efficiently selfsacrificing in the event of any snagging of the power cord. Use of the present invention enabling the safe, convenient and efficient operation of mains-powered electrical appliances and tools.

Background

Using mains-powered electrical appliances in the home and garden, and in industrial and commercial applications, can often present problems with the power cord becoming entangled with the electrical appliance and/or posing a tripping hazard. With some appliances, such as leaf blowers or the like, it is merely time-consuming and inconvenient to stop the work and untangle the power cord from appliance before continuing the task. However, with many appliances, particularly those with cutting teeth and blades, such as hedge trimmers or chainsaws, there is a real risk of the power cord being damaged and/or completely severed whilst the user moves around whilst completing the task. If this occurs, there is a very real risk of electrocution to the user.

In the United Kingdom alone, research suggests that 300,000 people are hurt seriously enough in their gardens to require hospital treatment, and a third of all gardeners have reported having had an electrical accident in the garden. Cutting through the power cord of a lawn mower or hedge trimmer tops the list of gardening related electrical accidents.

This is a common and easily made mistake and something that can put lives at risk as contact with exposed electrical conductors can cause severe electric shocks or even fatalities by electrocution.

It is possible to mitigate the risk by using a plug-in residual current device (RCD) with all mains voltage electrical equipment, such as lawn mowers and hedge trimmers. The RCD device disconnects the electrical supply automatically and instantaneously in the event of a fault, such as the user or operator cutting through the power cord. However, research has also shown that two thirds of gardeners who regularly mow their lawn or cut hedges have never heard of the benefits of using an RCD device, or simply do not want the additional cost of purchasing one.

Therefore, the problems associated with the danger of electrocution if the power cord is caught in the blades or teeth of an electrical appliance has led to the development of a number of safety garments or harnesses for use with electrical appliances. Figure 1 is illustrative of such a garment known in the art, and described and published in US 7,945,969. Very generally, these prior art garments are configured as an apron 10, which is worn by a user 12. The power cord or cable 14 of the electrical appliance (not shown) is kept out of the user’s 12 way whilst he or she works, by the use of releasable securing means 16, 18 positioned at the user’s 12 neck and waist area, respectively.

The releasable securing means 16, 18 are fabric strips, one end of which is sewn to the apron 10, and complementary hook and loop fasteners are provided in the mating faces of the fabric strips. The releasable securing means 16, 18 are designed to be opened from their fixed positions at the neck and waist of the apron 10 and the cable 14 fed into the free ends of the strips, which are then folded over and secured by the hook and loop fasteners. What Figure 1 illustrates are some of the disadvantages of using such an apron 10, as detailed below.

The apron 10 is non-adjustable for different body sizes. This non-adjustable nature of the garment could result in the securing means 16, 18 being positioned towards the front of the shoulder and to the front of the user’s 12 body and thus restricting the movement of the cable 14 in and out of the folded securing means 16, 18. Clearly, if the electrical cable 14 becomes snagged or trapped whilst the user 12 walks or moves with the appliance, the appliance could be jerked towards the user 12. Should the cable safety element 20 disengage as shown in Figure 1, the cable safety element 20 would not be able to freely pass through the securing means 16, 18 and the user 12 could be jerked backwards and easily suffer an injury from a fall and/or the appliance itself. The impact of the cable safety element 20 would be to the side of the securing means 16, 18 in the most resistant direction for separation of the interlocking surfaces of the hook and loop fasteners. As such, the cable safety element 20 would not be able to pass through the securing means 16, 18, and therefore the user 12 could be jerked backwards pulling the electrical appliance with them should the cable safety element not disengage, as described above.

As the securing means 16, 18 are provided as a fabric strip with hook and loop fasteners which wrap securely around the cable 14, this would create friction and impede the movement of the cable 14 forwards and backwards through the securing means 16, 18 which in use may lead to the undesirable gathering of excess, or loops of, cable 14 in front of the user’s 12 body. Figure 1 also shows that the waist height securing means 18 could result in excess cable 14 being situated at the waist height of the user 12 causing potential tripping, entanglement, cutting and/or electrocution hazards.

The use of a loose-fitting apron 10 tied around the back of the user’s 12 body means that the ties could loosen, or otherwise become untied, causing uncontrolled movement of the cable 14. In addition, such a loose-fitting nature increases the risk of snagging and/or dragging of the apron 10 itself during use, potentially causing the electrical appliance (not shown) to be pulled or jerked towards the user 12.

Irrespective of whether the securing means 16, 18 are positioned vertically or horizontally on the apron 10, any snagging of the cable 14 from behind or the side would result in the cable safety element 20 being pulled upwards towards the user 12 and abut against the securing means 18, as shown in Figure 1, and leading to the disadvantages outlined above.

Various other attempts have been made to provide a garment that keeps the cable 14 of an electrical appliance away from the user 12, and to alleviate some of the problems outlined above. Figure 2 is illustrative of another technique that is known in the art, and described and published in WO 2010/097208 Al. This invention is configured as a sling 22 that is worn draping over one shoulder of the user 12 to the opposing hip, and closed by a buckle 24. The sling 22 also includes a tubular containment means 26 forming an elongate receptacle that accommodates and retains a portion of the electrical cable 14 when in use. The sling 22 also includes a Velcro® fastener 28, which allows the sling 22 and cable 14 to become disengaged from the user 12 in the event of the cable 14 being snagged or trapped, as shown in Figure 2.

This sling 22 however still suffers from a number of disadvantages. The loose-fitting nature of the sling 22 could cause snagging and/or dragging of the cable 14, sling 22 or the material forming the tubular containment means 26 when the user 12 stretches or moves around. This would prevent unobstructed or free movement of the cable 14 forwards and backwards through the tube 26, and potentially causing excess cable 14 to gather in front of the user’s 12 body.

The tubular structure 26 also needs to be completely opened in order to insert the electrical cable 14, hence the sling 22 must be fully opened, flattened and straightened and the cable 14 positioned along its length to fasten and secure before it is worn on the user’s 12 body, which is both inconvenient and time-consuming.

Should any snagging of the cable 14 occur from behind the user’s 12 body, the safety release Velcro® fastener 28 would need to be positioned behind the user’s 12 body in order for it to break. Should the tubular structure 26 have rotated around the user’s 12 body during use, and the safety release fastener 28 positioned itself towards the front of the user’s 12 body, it has been found during testing not to release during snagging from behind. If however the safety fastener 28 remains to the back of the user’s 12 body and does successfully break, the whole structure (including the sling 22, electrical cable 14, cable safety element 20 and the tubular structure 26) breaks free from the front of the user’s 12 body, and being pulled backwards in the direction of the snagged cable 14. On testing, this was found to pose a safety hazard due to it being released with some force towards the user’s 12 face and head. Such a release scenario is shown in Figure 2.

Therefore, a strong need exists for a safety garment that is safe, convenient and effective and which will reliably keep a power cord or cable away from a user when using a mains-powered electrical appliance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety garment for use with mainspowered electrical appliances and its method of use which overcomes or reduces the drawbacks associated with known products of this type. The present invention provides a safety garment that can be worn by a user which ensures that the power cord or cable supplying the electrical appliance is safely kept out of the user’s way whilst the appliance is in use, and also minimises the risk of a tripping or electrocution hazard. It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety garment that fits securely and snuggly around the waist and over the shoulders of the user with the power cord being secured over either shoulder for both left- and right-handed operation of the electrical appliance and to ensure the cable is kept away from the appliance at shoulder height whilst allowing the user to have free and unrestricted movement in all directions. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety garment which maintains the safety of the user in the event of any snagging of the power cord or cable due to the cable guides on the safety garment being configured to be self-sacrificing. Should the power cord become caught or trapped, this self-sacrificing operation allows the appliance’s cable safety element to separate away from the user’s body in a safe manner, preventing the appliance from being pulled or jerked towards the user. Use of the present invention would enable the safe, convenient and efficient operation of mains-powered electrical appliances and tools by users.

Summary Of The Invention

The present invention is described herein and in the claims.

According to the present invention there is provided a garment for use with an electrical appliance, comprising:

a flexible support which abuts the torso of a user; and cable guide means being releasably securable to the garment, the cable guide means being provided with an opening capable of receiving the cable supplying the electrical appliance, the opening being sized so as to enable the cable to slide freely within the opening, and wherein the cable guide means being configured to be released from the garment in the event of snagging of the cable.

An advantage of the present invention is that the safety garment allows unimpeded movement of the cable towards and away from the user, which reduces the danger of the cable becoming entangled with, or otherwise caught in, the moving parts of the electrical appliance. Also, in the event of any potential snagging of the cable, the cable guide means completely release from the garment backwards and away from the user in an efficient and safe manner preventing the electrical appliance from being pulled or jerked towards the user.

Preferably, the flexible support comprises a rear panel and a pair of shoulder straps.

Further preferably, the rear panel and the pair of shoulder straps are formed from separate pieces of fabric material and joined at, or near, the shoulder.

In use, the rear panel and the pair of shoulder straps may be formed from a continuous piece of fabric material.

Preferably, the fabric material is breathable.

Further preferably, the fabric material includes a yarn selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: fibres of cotton, cotton/polyester blends, microdenier polyester/cotton blends, and polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

In use, the rear panel and the pair of shoulder straps may be configured as a harness.

Preferably, each of the pair of shoulder straps define a closed loop through which the user’s arm and shoulder are inserted to support and retain the garment when in use.

Further preferably, the pair of shoulder straps further comprises an upper strap and a lower strap.

In use, the upper strap and the lower strap may be adjustably secured together using an adjustment member.

Preferably, the adjustment member is selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: D-ring loop, clip, fastener, extender, slidable strap adjuster.

Further preferably, the flexible support is padded or includes a wadding layer for support and/or comfort.

In use, the garment may further comprise a waist strap having fixed ends which are secured to the lateral edges of the rear panel, and having free ends which are releasably coupled together.

Preferably, the waist strap further comprises a slidable adjustment and a quick-release mechanism.

Further preferably, the waist strap further comprises an elastically deformable section.

In use, the garment may further comprise a sternum strap having fixed ends which are secured to the pair of shoulder straps, and having free ends which are releasably coupled, the sternum strap drawing the shoulder straps together when in use.

Preferably, the sternum strap further comprises a slidable adjustment and a quick-release mechanism.

Further preferably, the upper strap, lower strap, waist strap and sternum strap being formed from a resilient webbing material.

In use, the garment may be closely fitted to the torso of the user by adjusting the upper strap, lower strap, waist strap and optionally the sternum strap when in use.

Preferably, the garment further comprising securing means being fixedly attached to the garment, the securing means being adapted to receive the cable guide means.

Further preferably, the securing means further comprises:

a pair of lower securing means each having an attachment surface, the attachment surface extending outwardly from each lower lateral edge of the rear panel; and a pair of upper securing means each having an attachment surface, the attachment surface extending outwardly from the uppermost portion of each of the pair of shoulder straps.

In use, the pair of upper securing means may be positioned above the user’s shoulders on, or near, the coronal plane dividing the torso into front and back halves when in use.

Preferably, the attachment surface of the securing means further comprises hook and loop fastener material to permit securement to interlocking hook and loop fastener material on an inside surface of the cable guide means.

Further preferably, the loop fastener material is located on the attachment surface of the securing means, and the hook fastener material is located on the inside surface of the cable guide means, or vice versa.

In use, the securing means may be generally the same size and shape as the cable guide means.

Preferably, the cable guide means is sized and shaped so as to overlie the securing means.

Further preferably, the cable guide means being provided as a generally planar elongate fabric strip having hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface thereof, and the opening capable of receiving the cable being secured to the opposite outer surface thereof.

In use, the number of cable guide means so as to enable the cable to slide freely with minimal resistance over the shoulder and substantially vertically down the back of the user may be two.

Preferably, the first cable guide means being positioned at either the left or right shoulder and corresponding to the attachment surface of one of the pair of upper securing means, and the second cable guide means being positioned at the corresponding left or right lower lateral edge of the rear panel and corresponding to the attachment surface of one of the pair of lower securing means.

Further preferably, the two cable guide means are aligned in a vertical, or near vertical, configuration on the user’s left or right shoulder and the same left or right side of the user’s lower back when in use.

In use, the opening capable of receiving the cable may be positioned orthogonally to the long axis of the elongate cable guide means.

Preferably, the opening is formed as a clip ring which comprises a fixed C-shaped part and a spring-biased arm which in use is urged open to slide the cable into the clip ring.

Further preferably, the clip ring is positioned equidistantly from each end of the elongate cable guide means.

In use, the clip ring may be permanently attached to the other surface of the cable guide means by a line of stitching.

Preferably, the clip ring is formed from a welded construction and/or machined and/or pressed and/or cast and/or forged from a suitable metal material. The suitable metal material forming the clip ring can also include a corrosion resistant outer coating, or be formed in whole, or in part, from stainless steel or the like.

Further preferably, the internal diameter of the clip ring is at least twice the outer diameter of the cable.

In use, the clip ring may be dimensioned so as to provide a clearance fit around the outer diameter of the cable.

Preferably, a first clip ring being permanently attached to the first cable guide means is positioned above the user’s shoulders on, or near, the coronal plane dividing the torso into front and back halves when in use, and a second clip ring being permanently attached to the second cable guide means is positioned at the corresponding left or right lower lateral edge of the rear panel when in use.

Further preferably, the clip ring is urged open to slide the cable into the clip ring with one hand when in use.

In use, the clip ring may be held by the line of stitching such that it extends upwardly and outwardly in a generally orthogonal direction from the outer surface of the cable guide means when secured on the garment.

Preferably, the attachment surface of the securing means is selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: stud fasteners, permanent magnetic strips or materials, repositionable adhesive layers.

Further preferably, in the event of the cable being snagged or caught, the cable guide means are configured to release entirely from the securing means.

In use, the hook and loop fastener material on the attachment surface of the securing means may be adapted to separate from the hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface of the cable guide means when a release force is applied.

Preferably, the release force is applied in a generally perpendicular direction so as to pull the hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface of the cable guide means to release it from the hook and loop fastener material on the attachment surface of the securing means.

Further preferably, the release force being applied in a preferential direction for separation of the interlocking surfaces of the hook and loop fasteners.

In use, in the event of the cable being snagged or caught, the cable, the cable guide means and one part of a cable safety element may break free entirely from the garment in a direction away from the body of the user.

Preferably, the electrical appliance is selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: an angle grinder, bandsaw, belt sander, ceramic tile cutter, chainsaw, circular saw, concrete saw, crusher, diamond tool, disc cutter, disc sander, drill, floor sander, floor cleaner, grinding machine, heat gun, hedge trimmer, impact driver, impact wrench, iron, jackhammer, jigsaw, lawn mower, leaf blower, miter saw, nail gun, orbital sander, power-actuated tools, power wrench, pressure washer, radial arm saw, rotavator, sander, snow blower, strimmer, table saw, vacuum cleaner, wall chaser, wood router and the like.

Also according to the present invention there is provided a method of safely supporting a cable of an electrical appliance, comprising:

providing a safety garment in the form of flexible support which abuts the torso of a user, and cable guide means being releasably securable to the garment;

positioning the cable guide means on the left- or right-hand shoulder and the corresponding left- or right-hand lateral edge of a rear panel of the garment; and passing the cable backwards over the shoulder of the user securing the cable in the cable guide means with the electrical appliance being located to the front of the user so as to prevent the gathering of excess cable in front of the user.

Preferably, in the event of the cable being snagged or caught, the method further comprising the step of:

releasing the cable, the cable guide means and one part of a cable safety element entirely from the garment in a direction away from the body of the user.

It is believed that a safety garment for use with mains-powered electrical appliances and its method of use in accordance with the present invention at least addresses the problems outlined above.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations of the present invention are possible and it is intended that the present invention may be used other than as specifically described herein.

Brief Description Of The Dra wings

The present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an illustrative view of a prior art safety garment and depicts the situation where the live electrical cable remains attached to the garment when the cable has become snagged or trapped whilst the user walks or moves with an electrical appliance, even in the event that the cable safety element has become disengaged;

Figure 2 shows an alternative prior art sling for supporting the cable of an electrical appliance and shows how the sling, electrical cable and cable safety element could break from the front of the user’s body (should the sling be positioned correctly) in the event of the cable snagging, and which could pose a safety hazard due to them being released with some force towards the user’s face and head;

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of the safety garment in accordance with the present invention as worn by a user;

Figure 4 is a perspective view from the side and rear of the safety garment of Figure 3 as worn by the user;

Figure 5 shows a plan view from the rear of the safety garment of Figure 3 and shows how the removable cable guide means can be positioned to the left or right shoulder and to the left or right rear panel of the safety garment;

Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view from the side and front of the shoulder strap adjustment for use with the safety garment in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the waist attachment for use with the safety garment in accordance with the present invention;

Figures 8a and 8b show further detail of how the cable guide means is attachable to the shoulder strap of the safety garment in accordance with the present invention;

Figures 9a and 9b illustrate how the electrical cable is releasably secured to the cable guide means when in use.

Figures 10a and 10b show how the safety garment in accordance with the present invention can be used and the freely flowing cable can be slackened and tightened by the user to provide a safe and efficient operation of the electrical appliance and which permits the user to walk, bend and/or stretch with a natural and unrestricted movement; and

Figures 11a to Ilf are a sequence of views that show how the cable guide means, electrical cable and cable safety element are able to safely self-sacrifice in a direction ‘A’ away from the user in the event of the cable snagging. Figure 11c also shows an exploded view of how the lower cable guide means would self-sacrifice away from the lower securing means of the garment in direction ‘A’, and Figure lie shows an exploded view of how the upper cable guide means would self-sacrifice away from the upper securing means of the garment in direction ‘A’.

Detailed Description Of The Preferred Embodiments

The present invention has adopted the approach of utilising a safety garment that can be worn by a user which ensures that the power cord or cable supplying the electrical appliance is safely kept out of the user’s way whilst the appliance is in use, and also minimises the risk of a tripping or electrocution hazard. Advantageously, the present invention provides a safety garment that fits securely and snuggly around the waist and over the shoulders of the user with the power cord being secured over either shoulder for both left- and right-handed operation of the electrical appliance and to ensure the cable is kept away from the appliance at shoulder height whilst allowing the user to have free and unrestricted movement in all directions. Further advantageously, the present invention provides a safety garment which maintains the safety of the user in the event of any snagging of the power cord or cable due to the cable guides on the safety garment being configured to be self-sacrificing. Should the power cord become caught or trapped, this self-sacrificing operation advantageously allows the appliance’s cable safety element to separate away from the user’s body in a safe and efficient manner and prevents the appliance from being pulled or jerked towards the user. Further advantageously, use of the present invention enables the safe, convenient and efficient operation of mainspowered electrical appliances and tools by users.

Referring now to the drawings, a safety garment 100 according to the present invention is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. Specifically, the safety garment 100 is to be worn by a user 102 to keep the electrical cable 104 of an electrical appliance 106 safely out of the user’s 102 way whilst the appliance 106 is in use, as best shown in Figures 10a and 10b.

The safety garment 100 is formed generally as a harness which is closely fitted to the user’s 102 body using adjustable straps and attachments, as will be described below. The garment 100 includes a back panel 108 and a pair of shoulder straps 110 that extend around a portion of the user’s 102 shoulders to support the safety garment 100 thereupon.

When used to secure the garment 100 to a user’s 102 body, the shoulder straps 110 are configured to define a closed loop around a portion of a user’s 102 body, with the closed loop defined either entirely by the strap 110, or by the strap 110 in combination with other features of the garment 100, as described below. For example, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, the garment 100 includes a pair of shoulder straps 110 that define a closed loop through which the user’s 102 arm and shoulder can be inserted, and that the shoulder straps 110 retain the garment 100 on the user’s 102 body when in use.

The garment 100 includes a rear or back panel 108 that defines an inward 112 and outward surfaces 114, with the inward surface 112 referring generally to the surface, or portion, of the rear panel 108 that contacts the user’s 102 body when the garment 100 is worn on the user’s 102 body. Outward surface 114 refers generally to the surface, or portion, of the garment 100 that faces generally away from the user’s 102 body, when the garment 100 is worn on the user’s 102 body.

The back panel 108 and shoulder straps 110 of the garment 100 are formed from a flexible material which can also include, or be formed from, a padding material to cushion the garment 100 against the user’s 102 shoulders, back or other body portion. Alternatively, a wadding material may be placed between the inward 112 and outward surfaces 114. The skilled person will also appreciate that the back panel 108 and shoulder straps 110, or portion thereof, can be formed from a breathable fabric material.

The fabric material forming the garment 100 includes a yam selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: fibres of cotton, silk, cotton/polyester blends, microdenier polyester/cotton blends, and polypropylene, and combinations thereof. The above list is no way intended to be limiting and exhaustive.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 3 to 5, each shoulder strap 110 includes an upper 116 and lower strap 118, respectively. One end of the straps 116, 118 are each fixed, or connected, to the garment 100. The free ends of the straps 116 and 118 are connected via an adjustment member 120 to allow the straps 116, 118 to be adjustably secured together, so as to allow the size of the closed loop defined by the shoulder straps 110 and the garment 100 to be adjusted.

The skilled person will understand that resizing the closed loop can allow the garment 100 to be sized for different sized users and/or to adjust the position of the garment 100 relative to a particular user’s 102 body, such as by adjusting the vertical placement of the garment 100 on the user’s 102 body. As seen in Figure 3 and 4, the free ends of the straps 116, 118 are connected to the adjustment member 120 that adjustably connects the straps 116, 118 to define a closed loop with the rear panel 108. As shown, the lower strap 118 is adjustably threaded through the adjustment member 120, and includes a free end 122 that extends from the adjustment member 120 that does not form part of the closed loop. In a preferred embodiment, the adjustment member 120 is provided as a D-ring loop, clip, fastener, extender or other slidable strap adjuster. Further detail of the adjustment member 120 being shown in Figure 6.

The garment 100 also includes a waist strap 124 which is fixedly connected to, or adjacent, the lowermost lateral edges of the rear panel 108. As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the waist strap 124 includes straps 126, 128 which are adjustably and releasably coupled together by a quick-release mechanism 130. As best shown in Figure 7, the straps 126, 128 can be quickly and easily connected and disconnected by engaging and disengaging the male 132 and female 134 parts of the quick-release mechanism 130. The waist strap 124 can also include an optional elasticated length or section 136 to allow flex and comfort when the garment 100 is in use.

Also shown in Figure 3 is a breast or sternum strap 138 which draws the shoulder straps 110 together. The sternum strap 138 includes straps 140, 142 which are adjustably and releasably coupled by a quick-release mechanism 144, and which again is formed from mating male 146 and female parts 148 and very much like waist quick-release mechanism 130. The sternum strap 138 is to be used to provide the requisite security and a close fitting of the harness 100 against the user’s 102 body.

On the outward surface 114 of the back panel 108, positioned generally at the lower side edges of the panel 108, are lower mating sections or panels 150 which extend outwardly from the panel 108, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. On each of the shoulder straps 110, positioned above the user’s 102 shoulders and anatomically in the coronal plane, are upper mating sections or panels 152. These panels 150, 152 are fixedly secured or stitched in place to the garment, and due to extending outwardly from the surface 114 of the back panel 108, form regions in which complementary sacrificial cable guides 154 can be releasably affixed, as described in more detail below.

In use, the panels 150 (to the lower back panel 108) and 152 (to the upper shoulders 110) are provided as hook and loop Velcro® fasteners strips strategically and permanently positioned outwardly on the garment 100. These panels 150, 152 are releasably securable to complementary-shaped hook and loop Velcro® strips which are attached inwardly from the mating face of the cable guides 154. The Velcro® fastener strips are configured for use as a mating pair i.e. the “hooks” fastener strips are located on the cable guide 154 and the “loops” fastener strips are located on panels 150, 152, or vice versa, as perhaps best shown in Figures 8a and 8b.

As best shown in Figure 4 and Figure 10a, the cable guides 154 are the means by which the electrical cable 104 of the appliance 106 is secured and mounted over either shoulder for both left- and right-handed operation of the appliance 106 to ensure the cable 104 is kept away from the appliance 106 at shoulder height and whilst allowing the user 102 to have free and unrestricted movement in all directions. In use, a pair of cable guides 154 are attachable. One cable guide 154 being positioned at either the left or right shoulder of the user 102 and the other cable guide 154 to the corresponding left or right lower back portion of the garment 100, as shown in Figure 4 to allow for least restricted movement of the cable 104 backwards and forwards across the body of the user 102. The pair of cable guides 154 are to be attached at one of the pair of lower mating sections or panels 150 and one of the pair of upper mating sections or panels 152, and are therefore identical in size and shape for use with either panels 150, 152.

As shown in Figure 10a, the cable 104 of the electrical appliance 106 in use passes through a self-opening clip ring 158 which is permanently attached to the outward surface of the cable guide 154 by a line of stitching 164 (as shown in Figures 8a and 8b) to the outward surface of the cable guide 154. The opening formed by the clip ring 158 is generally annular in shape. The clip ring 158 is positioned equidistantly from each end of the elongate cable guide 154. The clip ring 158 includes a fixed C-shaped part 160 and a spring-biased arm 162 which can be depressed to quickly slide the cable 104 into the clip ring 158, as best shown in Figures 9a and 9b. The clip ring 158 is positioned by the line of stitching 164 such that it extends upwardly and outwardly from the fabric strip forming the cable guide 154 when secured on the garment 100. In use, this upward projection (generally perpendicular to the outward surface 114 of the back panel 108 and shoulder straps 110) and orthogonal alignment with the cable 104, as perhaps best shown in Figure 10a, ensures that any friction caused by the cable 104 passing through the clip ring 158 is minimised, and allows the appliance 106 to be used safely by eliminating any excess or loose cable in front of the user 102 due to both the natural gravitational pull on the cable downwards to the back of the user 102 and further by the user 102 simply pulling the excess cable 104 downwards from behind in the direction of the arrows shown in Figure 10b.

The clip ring 158 is formed from a welded construction and/or machined and/or pressed and/or cast and/or forged from a suitable metal material. The skilled person will appreciate that the metal material forming the clip ring 158 can also include a corrosion resistant outer coating, or be formed in whole, or in part, from stainless steel or the like.

As shown perhaps best in Figure 4, one of the two cable guides 154 is positioned and secured to either the left or right shoulder and the other one of the cable guides 154 secured to the corresponding left or right lower back part of the garment 100 via the complementary hook and loop fasteners provided in the mating faces of the guides 154 and the panels 150, 152. This ensures both of the cable guides 154 are to the right, or both are to the left, of the body of the user 102. This permits both right- and left-handed use of the electrical appliance 106, and ensures that the cable 104 falls vertically downwards in the direction of the electrical source (plug) (not shown) and which provides unrestricted movement of the cable 104, which can be easily tightened or slackened through the clip rings 158 as shown in Figures 10a and 10b. As described, such a configuration also produces the crucial safe and least restricted self-sacrificing function of the garment 100 should any snagging of the electrical cable 104 occur.

Whilst in the preferred embodiment shown and described in relation to Figures 3 to 5, Velcro® fasteners are used to releasably attach the cable guides 154 to the panels 150, 152 positioned at the left or right shoulder straps 110 and the corresponding left or right lower back parts of the garment 100 when in use. The skilled person will appreciate that other ways of releasably fastening the cable guides 154 are possible, including stud fasteners, permanent magnetic strips or materials, repositionable adhesive layers etc. The above list is in no way intended to be limiting and exhaustive.

The use of the safety garment 100 of the present invention will now be described. The process starts by fitting and securing the pair of cable guides 154 (as shown in Figure 5) to the left or right hand lower and upper mating sections 150, 152 at the shoulder and corresponding lower back of the garment 100. If the user 102 is right-handed, the pair of cable guides 154 would be positioned on the right hand side of the garment 100, as illustrated in Figures 10a and 10b. The user 102 then dons the garment 100 and adjusts the various straps to ensure that the garment 100 is closely or snugly-fitted to the user’s 102 body. The spring-biased arm 162, as shown in Figure 9a, is then urged open and the cable 104 is slid into the pair of clip rings 158. Before switching on the electrical appliance 106, the user 102 gathers any excess or loose cable 104 back through the rings 158, as shown by the direction of the arrows in Figure 10b. The electrical appliance 106 is then safe to use.

As shown in Figures 10a and 10b, the use of the safety garment 100 safely keeps the cable 104 supplying the electrical appliance 106 out of the user’s 102 way whilst the appliance 106 is in use. These drawings along with Figure 9a illustrate that the electrical cable 104 can be easily released from the clip rings 158 whilst the garment 100 is on or off the user’s 102 body by depressing the spring-biased arm 162 and releasing the cable 104 or by manual separation of the cable guide means 154 containing the cable 104 from the panels 150, 152. It can also be seen from Figure 10a that the cable 104 is safely kept out of the way of the cutting parts of the electrical appliance 106 whilst the appliance 106 is in use, and also minimises the risk of a tripping or electrocution hazard. The invention enables the cable 104 supplying the electrical appliance 106 to be releasably secured over the user’s 102 shoulder and back in the cable guides 154 and which permits the user 102 to walk, bend and/or stretch with a natural and unrestricted movement, whilst the cable 104 can be slackened or tightened, as required by the user 102.

The present invention therefore provides a safety garment 100 for protecting the user 102 by enabling the cable 104 supplying the electrical appliance 106 to be releasably secured over the user’s 102 shoulder and back in the clip rings 158. Friction between the cable 104 and the clip rings 158 is minimised by the use of metallic clip rings 158, and their position and configuration is crucial as they extend outwardly from the cable guides 154 when secured on the garment 100 to allow the cable 104 to move unhindered. Whilst the electrical appliance 104 is in use, the cable 104 can be slackened (the direction of the arrows in Figure 10a), for example, if the user 102 stretches their arms forward with the electrical appliance 106. Subsequently, any excess cable 104 at the front of the user 102 can then be retracted or tightened quickly and simply by pulling down on the cable 104 positioned at the user’s 102 lower back area (as shown by the direction of the arrows in Figure 10b). As the clip rings 158 are positioned generally vertically on the top of the right (or left) shoulder and vertically down the same right-hand side (or left) of the user’s 102 lower back, the cable 104 is additionally assisted by the effect of gravity, in addition to the user 102 manually pulling the cable 104.

As described, the user 102 can walk, bend and/or or stretch in any direction with the electrical appliance 106 and the electrical cable 104 will remain out of their way behind the user’s 102 body due to the cable 104 being safely secured to the garment 100.

With the garment 100 of the present invention, the clip ring 158 mounted at the upper mating section 152 as shown in Figure 5, is positioned generally orthogonally to the direction of the cable 104, i.e. along the coronal anatomical plane when in use. The clip ring 158 mounted at the lower mating section 150 as shown in Figure 5, is also positioned generally orthogonally to the direction of the cable 104, i.e. from the user’s 102 spine outwards to their flank when in use. This configuration presents the least mechanical and frictional obstructions for the moving cable 104 as shown in Figure 10a.

Figures 11a to Ilf illustrate the self-sacrificing mode or sequence of operation of the garment 100 in the event of the electrical cable 104 being snagged or caught when in use and pulled backwards from the user 102 in the direction of arrow ‘A’, with the cable 104, cable guides 154 and one of the two parts 166, 168 of the cable safety element 170 being designed to break free entirely from the garment 100. Without these sacrificial components being present, the skilled person will appreciate that the appliance 106 could be jerked towards user’s 102 face and torso if the cable 104 is snagged.

On snagging, the electrical cable 104 would be pulled from the user’s 102 back generally in direction ‘A’, initially putting force on the clip ring 158 to the lower back (as shown in Figure 11a). As shown in Figure lib, the complementary hook and loop fasteners provided in the mating faces of the cable guide 154 and lower mating panel 150 would be separated with the force being directly backwards from the lower back in the preferred direction for separation of the interlocking surfaces of the hook and loop fasteners. Figure 11c is an exploded view of the lower back panel 108 shown in Figure lib illustrating the force the cable 104 would put on the cable guide means 154 during separation from mating panel 150 attached to the lower back panel 108 should the cable 104 become snagged in direction ‘A’.

As shown in Figures lid, following the release of the cable guide 154 from the panel 150 located at the right lower back portion of the garment 100, the cable 104 pulling force would then be transferred to the clip ring 158 mounted at the shoulder of the user 102 and pulling the separated part 168 of the cable safety element 170 backwards towards the clip ring 158. Again, the complementary hook and loop fasteners provided in the mating faces of the cable guide 154 and upper mating panel 152 would be separated with the force being generally upwards and backwards from the shoulder in the preferential direction for separation of the interlocking surfaces of the hook and loop fasteners. Figure lie is an exploded view of the shoulder straps 110 shown on Figure lid illustrating the force one part 168 of the safety element 170 would put on the cable guide means 154 during separation from the securing means 152 attached the shoulder straps 110 should the cable 104 become snagged in direction ‘A’.

As shown in Figure Ilf, the two clip rings 158 (and the cable guides 154 permanently attached to them) would then completely pull away from the garment 100 with little resistance since the garment 100 is securely attached to the user’s 102 body. This results in the cable 104, cable guides 154 and one part 168 of the cable safety element 170 breaking free entirely from the garment 100 backwards and safely away from the body of the user 102.

The skilled person will understand that Velcro® hook and loop fasteners can be easily be unfastened by peeling one mating surface away from the other. As shown in Figure 11c (for the lower back panel release) and Figure lie (for the upper shoulder panel release), the two mating surfaces provided in the mating faces of the cable guides 154 and panels 150, 152 can be easily pulled apart by pulling back one directly away from the other (in the event of snagging of the cable 104), with the force of the electrical cable 104 and portion 168 of the safety element 170 pulling the clip ring 158 away from the user’s 102 body, which in turn will separate the mating faces of cable guides 154 and panels 150, 152, and lastly releasing the whole cable guide 154, clip ring 158 and electrical cable 104 away from the panels 150, 152 and away from the body of the user 102 in a safe and efficient manner, as shown in Figure 1 If. Hook and loop fasteners generally resist being pulled apart sideways. This structural difference, with the direction of separation of the panels 150, 152 and cable guide means 154 being generally perpendicular to each other leads to some of the significant improvements seen over the prior art garments described in relation to Figures 1 and 2.

The present invention therefore provides a safety garment 100 for protecting a user 102 from cutting through the cable 104 of an electrical appliance 106, such as a hedge trimmer, lawn mower or chainsaw. As described herein, making use of such a garment 100 provides for the following benefits:

Firstly, and predominately, safety by preventing electrical accidents and/or shock from a damaged and/or exposed electrical conductor and to allow the cable safety element 168 to completely self-detach away from the user’s 102 body should the cable 104 become snagged or caught.

Secondly, cost savings in terms of purchasing a new electrical appliance 106 or paying an electrician to repair it.

Thirdly, to save time on searching for a solution to repairing a cut or damaged cable 104 or to find a professional to repair it.

Fourthly, to avoid the inconvenience and frustration (in addition to cost if commercial use) of having to stop the task whilst finding a solution.

Fifthly, the garment 100 would be quick, simple and easy to don and to secure the electrical cable 104.

Sixthly, the garment 100 is adjustable to fit all body types and ages.

The invention is not intended to be limited to the details of the embodiments described herein, which are described by way of example only. Various additions and alternations may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although particular embodiments refer to implementing the present invention with hedge trimmers or the like this is in no way intended to be limiting as, in use, the present invention can be used with any type of home, domestic or industrial electrical appliance and can include an angle grinder, bandsaw, belt sander, ceramic tile cutter, chainsaw, circular saw, concrete saw, crusher, diamond tool, disc cutter, disc sander, drill, floor sander, floor cleaner, grinding machine, heat gun, hedge trimmer, impact driver, impact wrench, iron, jackhammer, jigsaw, lawn mower, leaf blower, miter saw, nail gun, orbital sander, power-actuated tools, power wrench, pressure washer, radial arm saw, rotavator, sander, snow blower, strimmer, table saw, vacuum cleaner, wall chaser, wood router, etc. The above list is in no way intended to be limiting and exhaustive. It will be understood that features described in relation to any particular embodiment can be featured in combination with other embodiments.

Claims (51)

1. A garment for use with an electrical appliance, comprising:

a flexible support which abuts the torso of a user; and cable guide means being releasably securable to the garment, the cable guide means being provided with an opening capable of receiving the cable supplying the electrical appliance, the opening being sized so as to enable the cable to slide freely within the opening, and wherein the cable guide means being configured to be released from the garment in the event of snagging of the cable.

2. The garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible support comprises a rear panel and a pair of shoulder straps.

3. The garment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rear panel and the pair of shoulder straps are formed from separate pieces of fabric material and joined at, or near, the shoulder.

4. The garment as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein the rear panel and the pair of shoulder straps are formed from a continuous piece of fabric material.

5. The garment as claimed in claims 3 or 4, wherein the fabric material is breathable.

6. The garment as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the fabric material includes a yarn selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: fibres of cotton, cotton/polyester blends, microdenier polyester/cotton blends, and polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

7. The garment as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the rear panel and the pair of shoulder straps are configured as a harness.

8. The garment as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 and 7, wherein each of the pair of shoulder straps define a closed loop through which the user’s arm and shoulder are inserted to support and retain the garment when in use.

9. The garment as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, 7 and 8, wherein the pair of shoulder straps further comprises an upper strap and a lower strap.

10. The garment as claimed in claim 9, wherein the upper strap and the lower strap are adjustably secured together using an adjustment member.

11. The garment as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjustment member is selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: D-ring loop, clip, fastener, extender, slidable strap adjuster.

12. The garment as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible support is padded or includes a wadding layer for support and/or comfort.

13. The garment as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 and 7, further comprising a waist strap having fixed ends which are secured to the lateral edges of the rear panel, and having free ends which are releasably coupled together.

14. The garment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the waist strap further comprises a slidable adjustment and a quick-release mechanism.

15. The garment as claimed in claims 13 or 14, wherein the waist strap further comprises an elastically deformable section.

16. The garment as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 and 7 to 9, further comprising a sternum strap having fixed ends which are secured to the pair of shoulder straps, and having free ends which are releasably coupled, the sternum strap drawing the shoulder straps together when in use.

17. The garment as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sternum strap further comprises a slidable adjustment and a quick-release mechanism.

18. The garment as claimed in any of claims 9 to 17, wherein the upper strap, lower strap, waist strap and sternum strap being formed from a resilient webbing material.

19. The garment as claimed in any of claims 9 to 18, wherein the garment is closely fitted to the torso of the user by adjusting the upper strap, lower strap, waist strap and optionally the sternum strap when in use.

20. The garment as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising securing means being fixedly attached to the garment, the securing means being adapted to receive the cable guide means.

21. The garment as claimed in claim 20, wherein the securing means further comprises:

a pair of lower securing means each having an attachment surface, the attachment surface extending outwardly from each lower lateral edge of the rear panel; and a pair of upper securing means each having an attachment surface, the attachment surface extending outwardly from the uppermost portion of each of the pair of shoulder straps.

22. The garment as claimed in claim 21, wherein the pair of upper securing means are positioned above the user’s shoulders on, or near, the coronal plane dividing the torso into front and back halves when in use.

23. The garment as claimed in claims 20 or 21, wherein the attachment surface of the securing means further comprises hook and loop fastener material to permit securement to interlocking hook and loop fastener material on an inside surface of the cable guide means.

24. The garment as claimed in claim 23, wherein the loop fastener material is located on the attachment surface of the securing means, and the hook fastener material is located on the inside surface of the cable guide means, or vice versa.

25. The garment as claimed in any of claims 20 to 24, wherein the securing means is generally the same size and shape as the cable guide means.

26. The garment as claimed in any of claims 20 to 25, wherein the cable guide means is sized and shaped so as to overlie the securing means.

27. The garment as claimed in any of claims 20 to 26, wherein the cable guide means being provided as a generally planar elongate fabric strip having hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface thereof, and the opening capable of receiving the cable being secured to the opposite outer surface thereof.

28. The garment as claimed in any of claims 20 to 27, wherein the number of cable guide means so as to enable the cable to slide freely with minimal resistance over the shoulder and substantially vertically down the back of the user is two.

29. The garment as claimed in claim 28, wherein the first cable guide means being positioned at either the left or right shoulder and corresponding to the attachment surface of one of the pair of upper securing means, and the second cable guide means being positioned at the corresponding left or right lower lateral edge of the rear panel and corresponding to the attachment surface of one of the pair of lower securing means.

30. The garment as claimed in claims 28 or 29, wherein the two cable guide means are aligned in a vertical, or near vertical, configuration on the user’s left or right shoulder and the same left or right side of the user’s lower back when in use.

31. The garment as claimed in claim 28, wherein the opening capable of receiving the cable is positioned orthogonally to the long axis of the elongate cable guide means.

32. The garment as claimed in any of claims 28 to 31, wherein the opening is formed as a clip ring which comprises a fixed C-shaped part and a spring-biased arm which in use is urged open to slide the cable into the clip ring.

33. The garment as claimed in claim 32, wherein the clip ring is positioned equidistantly from each end of the elongate cable guide means.

34. The garment as claimed in claims 32 or 33, wherein the clip ring is permanently attached to the other surface of the cable guide means by a line of stitching.

35. The garment as claimed in any of claims 32 to 34, wherein the clip ring is formed from a welded construction and/or machined and/or pressed and/or cast and/or forged from a suitable metal material, the suitable metal material forming the clip ring also including a corrosion resistant outer coating, or be formed in whole, or in part, from stainless steel or the like.

36. The garment as claimed in any of claims 32 to 35, wherein the internal diameter of the clip ring is at least twice the outer diameter of the cable.

37. The garment as claimed in any of claims 32 to 36, wherein the clip ring is dimensioned so as to provide a clearance fit around the outer diameter of the cable.

38. The garment as claimed in claim 29, wherein a first clip ring being permanently attached to the first cable guide means is positioned above the user’s shoulders on, or near, the coronal plane dividing the torso into front and back halves when in use, and a second clip ring being permanently attached to the second cable guide means is positioned at the corresponding left or right lower lateral edge of the rear panel when in use.

39. The garment as claimed in any of claims 32 to 38, wherein the clip ring is urged open to slide the cable into the clip ring with one hand when in use.

40. The garment as claimed in claim 34, wherein the clip ring is held by the line of stitching such that it extends upwardly and outwardly from the outer surface of the cable guide means when secured on the garment.

41. The garment as claimed in claim 21, wherein the attachment surface of the securing means is selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: stud fasteners, permanent magnetic strips or materials, repositionable adhesive layers.

42. The garment as claimed in any of claims 20 to 41, wherein in the event of the cable being snagged or caught, the cable guide means are configured to release entirely from the securing means backwards from the shoulder of the user and away from the user’s body.

43. The garment as claimed in claim 23, wherein the hook and loop fastener material on the attachment surface of the securing means is adapted to separate from the hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface of the cable guide means when a release force is applied.

44. The garment as claimed in claim 43, wherein the release force is applied in a generally perpendicular direction so as to pull the hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface of the cable guide means to release it from the hook and loop fastener material on the attachment surface of the securing means.

45. The garment as claimed in claims 43 or 44, wherein the release force being applied in a preferential direction for separation of the interlocking surfaces of the hook and loop fasteners.

46. The garment as claimed in any of claims 43 to 46, wherein in the event of the cable being snagged or caught, the cable, the cable guide means and one part of a cable safety element break free entirely from the garment in a direction away from the body of the user.

47. The garment as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical appliance is selected from the group consisting, but not limited to, any one of the following: an angle grinder, bandsaw, belt sander, ceramic tile cutter, chainsaw, circular saw, concrete saw, crusher, diamond tool, disc cutter, disc sander, drill, floor sander, floor cleaner, grinding machine, heat gun, hedge trimmer, impact driver, impact wrench, iron, jackhammer, jigsaw, lawn mower, leaf blower, miter saw, nail gun, orbital sander, power-actuated tools, power wrench, pressure washer, radial arm saw, rotavator, sander, snow blower, strimmer, table saw, vacuum cleaner, wall chaser, wood router and the like.

48. A method of safely supporting a cable of an electrical appliance, comprising: providing a safety garment in the form of flexible support which abuts the torso of a user, and cable guide means being releasably securable to the garment;

positioning the cable guide means on the left- or right-hand shoulder and the corresponding left- or right-hand lateral edge of a rear panel of the garment; and passing the cable backwards over the shoulder of the user securing the cable in the cable guide means with the electrical appliance being located to the front of the user so as to prevent the gathering of excess cable in front of the user.

49. The method as claimed in claim 48, wherein in the event of the cable being snagged or caught, the method further comprising the step of:

releasing the cable, the cable guide means and one part of a cable safety element entirely from the garment in a direction away from the body of the user.

50. A garment for use with an electrical appliance as described herein with reference to Figures 3 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

51. A method of safely supporting a cable of an electrical appliance as hereinbefore described.