Carrying plate for breathing apparatus.

(54) Title: TRANSPORTATION PLATE FOR RESPIRATOR APPARATUS.

(54) Title: CARRYING PLATE FOR BREATHING APPARATUS.

(57) Summary

A mounting assembly for a self-contained breathing apparatus comprising a rear plate (1) having a plurality of openings (6) formed therein arranged in two columns extending below the opposite side edges of the plate (1) . The openings (6) are sized and spaced apart to receive and engage the mounting straps (2) that can interface with the mounting strap of a carrier sleeve so as to secure, in use, the plate (1) with the shirt. A tank latch strap with a quick release mechanism is attached to the plate (1) and can be attached to a supply tank to releasably and securely hold the tank with the rear plate (1). A bayonet valve retention assembly (11) is also provided on the plate (1) to releasably secure a valve for an air supply means with the rear plate (1) for engagement with the supply tank.

(57) Abstract

A mounting assembly for self-contained breathing apparatus comprises a back píate (1) having a plurality of openings (6) formed therein arrange in two columns extending down opposing side edges of the píate (1). The apertures (6) are sized and spaced to receive and engage mounting straps (2) which can be interfaced with mounting straps of a carrying jacket so as to fasten, in use, the píate (1) to the jacket. A tank securing strap with a quick release mechanism is fastened to the píate (1) and is engageable with a supply tank to securely and releasable fasten the tank to the back piafe (1). A bayonet valve retaining mount (11) is also provided on the piafe (1) for releasably securing a valve of an air supply means to the back piafe (1) for engagement with a supply tank.

TRANSPORTATION PLATE FOR RESPIRATORY DEVICE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements in relation to harness plates for transporting a respirator, in particular, air tanks and associated equipment for a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

Background of the Invention

SCBA is used in a variety of situations, where a person requires a safe supply of breathable air, such as firefighters entering a smoke-filled environment. The equipment comprises an air tank that stores breathable air under pressure and a regulating valve that supplies air in the user's mouth at a pressure adequate for the user to breathe.

Typically, the tank is large to allow enough air for the user to complete the required task and is therefore normally carried on the user's back. For this purpose, a mounting assembly is well known in the art, which comprises a plate having a restraint strap, which is wrapped around the air tank in order to secure it with the plate, typically with the tank in down one exit position. The plate also has openings formed therein through which thread is threaded to form the shoulder and waist harness straps through which the user can carry the plate on their back. The harness plate and / or straps typically include appropriate features to allow the tubes associated with the SOBA to be driven around and to be retained in place in the mounting assembly.

Although the known mounting assembly works well in certain circumstances, it can be time consuming to remove and remove, which in some situations can be a major problem. In addition, the requirement that the shoulder and waist straps extend tightly around the user and be restrictive for the user's movement and also for access to other equipment, which they can carry on their person.

Additionally, in the military and defense market, certain specialized users require the use of SOBA, while wearing body armor / bulletproof vest type jackets. Most SCBAs today are designed for the fire department market and do not integrate well with other types of equipment used in the body.

Brief description of the invention

Accordingly, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a harness mounting system for SCBA, which can best be applied for use in a specialized application.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting assembly that can be directly integrated with the interwoven body and armature used in such specialized applications.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, as set forth below.

In accordance with the present invention, a mounting assembly is provided for a self-contained breathing apparatus, which comprises a back plate having: a plurality of openings formed therein arranged in two columns extending down to opposite side edges of the plate, the openings are sized and spaced apart to receive and engage mounting straps, which in use interface with the mounting straps of a carrier jacket, so as to hold the plate with the jacket during use, tank securing means fixed with the plate and that during use, can be coupled with a supply tank to securely and releasably hold the tank with the back plate and a valve retention means for in-use releasably secure the valve of an air supply means with the back plate to coupling with supply tank.

A mounting assembly in accordance with the invention offers the advantage that the back plate can be directly secured with a jacket worn by the user, such as a body-reinforcing jacket or the like, thereby avoiding movement restrictions and the ability to access equipment associated with known designs. In addition, due to the releasable capacity of the tank securing medium and valve retention means, when convenient, SCBA (tank and valve assembly) equipment can be easily and quickly detached from the user without having to remove or discard the jacket.

Preferably, the openings in the back plate are configured to interface with the user's clothing with the use of the MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load Bearing Equipment) attachment method, the MOLLE uses a vertical and horizontal weft interlocking fabric , which secures one item with another.

Preferably, each column of openings has a woven attachment strap through the openings in that column and is secured by the top and bottom of the plate, each strap in use, can be attached via horizontal MOLLE straps of the frame, in order to hang the plate from the frame.

In a particularly convenient configuration of the invention, at least one of the upper part and the lower part of each strap, preferably, at least the lower part thereof is coupled with the plate by a quick release system, by example, by means of press posts. In this way, the user can easily remove the plate and any apparatus mounted on it without the help of a third party simply by releasing the coupling of the straps from the plate and allowing the weight of the plate and the apparatus mounted on the It causes the straps to unravel from the MOLLE straps.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, each of the tank securing means and the tank holding means have a quick release operation associated with them, so that when not required, the user can simply remove the valve and the lines of associated supply, as well as the back plate tank, which leaves the back plate in place attached to the user's clothing.

In one embodiment, the valve retaining means provides a bayonet-type coupling for attaching the air supply valve to the plate, in particular a system that requires relative rotation between the air supply valve and the plate of essentially 90 degrees in order to secure the valve with the plate and release it from it.

Preferably, the plate is made of a lightweight material and has a low profile. In particular, a carbon fiber material or a polymeric material is preferred. Attached to the rear plate are special mounts that allow tires to be quickly mounted to the rear plate, including multiple tank sizes.

Tube retaining means can also be provided on the back plate to hold hoses associated with the valve assembly in place, to drive the hoses from the valve to the appropriate location for access by the user during operation .

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a side view of a bulletproof jacket with a mounting assembly, in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention carried therein.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the jacket of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the back plate, which is part of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a rear view of a mounting assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 5 is a rear view of the back plate that is part of the mounting assembly of Figure 4.

Detailed description of the invention

Referring first to Figure 1, a rear plate 1 in accordance with the invention is shown mounted by MOLLE straps 2 with body reinforcement jacket 3. The jacket has 4 interwoven straps that extend around the jacket, the interwoven straps are attached to the jacket at aligned intervals, for the aligned points formed, at which 2 MOLLE belts can be supplied vertically through the straps interwoven between each strap and jacket 3. As best shown in Figure 1, the MOLLE belts 2 are coupled to the plate 1 from the top and from the bottom by means of press posts 5. This allows the user to detach the top and / or bottom of each MOLLE strap from the plate to release the plate and any equipment mounted on it from the jacket while the jacket is worn. Of course, it should be understood that other releasable attachment means can be used to attach the MOLLE straps to the plate.

The rear plate 1 has openings 6 formed in it, through which the MOLLE straps can be woven in order to fasten the rear plate 1 with the jacket 3, as shown in figure 2. Each MOLLE strap is secured by means of a buckle 7 to provide quick coupling and removal of the jacket back plate when required.

The rear plate 1 also has a tank strap 10 mounted towards the top thereof and an air supply valve assembly 11 provided towards the bottom thereof. Each tank strap and valve mount 11 have a quick release operation, which may be of the type that is well known in the art. However, in a preferred embodiment, the valve assembly 11 interfaces with the air supply valve 12, so that it engages the plate 1 via a bayonet-type coupling, and in particular one that requires a 90 turn. degrees of air supply valve 12 relative to plate 1, in the direction to secure it and in the opposite direction to release it from plate 1. The details of such a mechanism are within the knowledge of those skilled in the art and will not be further described here.

The valve assembly 11 is located and can operate to secure the air supply valve 12 with the rear plate 1 in place, so that it automatically locates with the air valve formed on top of an air tank when the tank (not shown) is mounted on plate 1 and secured in place with tank strap 10. The air supply valve 12 then includes a fastening means for sealing the supply valve 12 with the tank air valve.

Tube retainers 15 are also provided on the rear plate 1 to drive the supply tubes from valve 12 to their appropriate operating positions.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, a mounting assembly is shown in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, where the identical features are identified with the use of the same reference number as in the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the rear plate 20 is configured in a similar fashion to that of the first embodiment, except that the shape has changed to provide a more comfortable fit for the user. The plate 20 again has openings 6 arranged in two columns, one extending down each side edge of the plate 20, through which the straps 2 can be woven in order to secure the plate with the interwoven straps of the carrier jacket.

Each MOLLE strap is similarly secured with the plate at each end by means of the press posts 5, to allow rapid release of the MOLLE straps, when it is required to detach the plate and any apparatus mounted thereon.

During use, the rear plate 1, 20 in accordance with any modality is used in conjunction with a jacket having horizontally extending interwoven straps, vertically distributed down the jacket, each interwoven strap having portions which are not connected to the jacket, to allow vertical straps to be stitched between the interwoven straps and the jacket.

Therefore, the rear plate 1, 20 is connected to the jacket by sewing a connection of a MOLLE belt to the upper press post 5 on the plate 1, 20, when the belt passes through a column opening. of openings in the plate 1, 20, which feeds it between one of the interwoven belts and the jacket, feeding it through the next opening 6 in the column and below another subsequent one, back through the next MOLLE strap and continue until the MOLLE strap has been supplied through the last opening 6, at which point the end is clamped with the lower press post 5. The process is repeated with a second MOLLE belt which is fed through the openings 6 of the second column. Plate 1, 20 thus, is secured with the jacket.

An air supply valve 12 is then secured with valve assembly 11 by engaging the coupling parts and rotating supply valve 12 90 degrees to lock it into assembly 11. Supply tubes are fed through the retainers. 15 tube to hold them in place. Finally, a tank is inserted through the tank strap 10 and its air outlet is coupled to the supply valve 12 before the tank strap 10 is tightened to lock the tank with plate 1, 20. The Each of these steps may be performed by the user prior to donning the jacket, or may be performed by an assistant, while the user is wearing the jacket.

The user then has three options to remove the equipment during use. First, the tank can be removed by disconnecting the air outlet from the supply valve 12 and then releasing the strap 10 from the tank. The tank can then be lifted off the plate 1, 20, which leaves the latter 1, 20 with the supply valve 12 in place coupled with the jacket. This option requires the user to remove the jacket or ask for help from someone else.

The second option is to remove both the tank and supply valve 12 together, by rotating supply valve 12 90 degrees relative to valve assembly 11 to disconnect it from assembly 11 and then releasing strap 10 from the tank. The tank with the supply valve 12 still attached to the jacket. Again, this can be done by the user by first removing the jacket or with assistance while the jacket is still on. This second option not only relieves weight, it is faster.

Finally, in an emergency situation, the user can detach the plate 1, 20 from the jacket with the tank and the supply valve 12 still coupled with the jacket, to completely remove all the equipment from the jacket. Furthermore, this can be done by the user without removing the jacket and without the help of third parties, simply by reaching to the rear and releasing the press posts at either the top or bottom of each MOLLE strap. Once released, the weight of the tank will cause the MOLLE straps to come out of the openings 6 and the interwoven straps and the plate falls out of the jacket.

Four. The mounting assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plate also includes quick release fastening means associated with each column of openings to secure at least one of the top and bottom of the mounting strap extended through the associated column of openings with the plate in a rapid release manner.

5. The mounting assembly according to claim 4, wherein the quick release fastening means for the ends of the straps comprises press posts.

6. The mounting assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the tank securing means and the valve retaining means include quick release mechanisms.

7. The mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein the valve check comprises a bayonet-type coupling for clamping an air supply valve with the plate.

8. The mounting assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rear plate also includes mounts to allow the tires to be quickly mounted to the rear plate, including tanks of multiple sizes.

9. The mounting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, which also includes tube retaining means provided on the back plate to hold the hoses associated with the valve assembly in place to drive the hoses from the valve to the appropriate location so that the user has access to