Clip for Use with Breathing Apparatus

p-0002The present invention relates to a clip for attaching to a strap so that a flexible conduit can be held on the strap. Such a clip can be used with an adjustable harness for use with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) in order to reduce the rick of snagging, because the flexible conduit is held tightly against the strap.

p-0003SCBA harnesses generally comprise structural support member in the form of a back plate, a pair of shoulder straps and a belt. The back plate is provided with a valve towards the lower end and a retaining strap. In use, the cylinder of breathable gas is attached to the valve and is secured to the back plate by means of the retaining strap. One or more flexible conduits in the form of hoses extend from the valve along the back plate to the shoulder straps so that breathing apparatus and other equipment worn by the user may be conveniently connected thereto. Some SCBA harnesses are adjustable in length, so as to allow them to be comfortably worn by users of different heights.

p-0004U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,670 shows a clip for attaching water hose nozzle assembly to a chest plate. In contrast, breathing hoses are usually attached by a small clip to a strap used for holding the harness. Such a clip is usually fitted to or around the strap, when worn, and has an open recess for retaining the hose, which clips into it. The hose can become detached, and also it is difficult to fit more than one hose because they would tend to interfere.

p-0005According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a clip for attaching to a strap in order to hold a flexible conduit, the clip having a retaining part, for retaining the flexible conduit, and side parts, disposed either side of the retaining part, for engaging the strap, in which the retaining part is arranged to hold the flexible conduit facing the strap when the clip is fitted to the strap.

p-0006This arrangement holds the flexible conduit more securely, because the flexible conduit cannot be detached unless the clip itself is detached from the strap. Of course, the design means that the flexible conduit has to be placed in the clip before the clip is attached to the strap, which is less convenient but is entirely manageable.

p-0007In another aspect the invention concerns a clip for attaching to a strap in order to hold a flexible conduit, the clip having a retaining part, for retaining or engaging the flexible conduit, and side parts, one each side of the retaining part, for engaging the strap, in which the retaining part is offset, with respect to the width of the strap, so as to provide more space over the side part of the clip on one side than on the other.

p-0008This layout makes it easier to fit two flexible conduits to the strap, because one can be fixed with a clip having the retaining part offset to one side, and the other with a clip with the offset to the other side. The flexible conduits then do not interfere with each other, or at any rate less than with the conventional centrally located retaining part.

p-0009The two ideas can be, and preferably are, combined. In all cases the side parts preferably engage with the strap by way of flanges engaging underneath the strap around the edges of the strap, on the face opposite the hose-engaging portion. These flanges can be of the same length (i.e. in the side direction of the strap), or can be of different lengths, e.g. corresponding to the lateral extent of the side parts; in the latter case the gap between them corresponds to the opening in the hose-engaging portion.

p-0010The clips are preferably generally symmetrical about a plane perpendicular to the length of the strap. a pair of the clips can be applied to the strap opposite ways round (but on the same face of the strap) so that one of them can enclose a hose running along one side of the strap and the other a hose on the other side; thus the two hoses do not interfere with each other. Of course, the clips can be provided in distinct left- and right-handed versions, but this is usually less convenient. Typically hoses in breathing equipment have a diameter, say 12 mm, less than half the width of the straps, typically 50 mm, so even accounting for the thickness of the clip, perhaps 3 mm, there is room for two hoses.

p-0011Finally, the invention is concerned with harnesses, in the first place with a harness for breathing equipment, having a strap, in particular a shoulder strap, on which is located a clip, such as a clip as defined above, the clip engaging round the rear side of the strap and completely enclosing, or being capable of enclosing, a hose so as to retain the hose against the strap. In the second harness aspect there is provided a harness for breathing equipment, having a strap, in particular a shoulder strap, on which is located a clip, preferably a clip as defined above, the clip being adapted to retain the hose on the strap in a manner offset from the centre line of the strap. Preferably the assembly has two such clips, with offsets to different sides so that the retained hoses do not interfere with each other.

p-0012The invention may comprise any combination of the features and/or limitations referred to herein, except combinations of such features as are mutually exclusive.

p-0013Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

p-0014<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows a view of part of the rear of a harness for a breathing apparatus using the clips of the invention;

p-0015<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows a clip in accordance with the invention;

p-0016<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> shows the clip applied to a strap and retaining a hose;

p-0017<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> shows two clips applied to a strap, with hoses side by side;

p-0018<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> shows a section through a clip; and

p-0019<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> shows the clip, again in section, in place on the strap.

p-0020<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> shows two shoulder straps <b>10</b> attached to a back plate (or frame) <b>102</b> of a harness <b>100</b> for breathing apparatus. The two shoulder straps <b>10</b> are identical except that they are mirror-images of one another. The straps have first and second portions <b>20</b>, <b>30</b>, with the second strap portions <b>30</b> inclined to the first strap portions <b>20</b> in opposite directions. The back plate <b>102</b> carries a cylinder of compressed gas, not shown, from which hoses <b>60</b> lead to a face mask, again not shown. At the other end of the straps are buckles <b>50</b> for attaching to length-adjusting strap portions.

p-0021It is desirable to hold the hose <b>10</b> firmly against the body of the wearer to reduce the likelihood of its catching on any protruding objects as the wearer moves. To this end each hose <b>60</b> is clipped to the strap <b>10</b> at a suitable point along its length. For instance, on the left-hand side in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> a clip <b>70</b> is shown located about half-way along the strap, where it is free to slide up and down. However, it is advantageous to secure the clip at a suitable point along the strap. In the present embodiment the first and second strap portions <b>20</b>, <b>30</b> are formed by folding and stitching a continuous piece of material, so that even if the stitching fails the first and second strap portions do not become detached. This fold can be used to locate the clip, is shown on the right-hand strap and as will be explained blow.

p-0022One feature of the invention can be seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, which is that the clip is asymmetric and holds the hose so that it runs more or less along the left-hand or right-hand half of the strap. It can also be seen that the clip holds the hose underneath it, against the strap, and so, provided the clip does not detach from the strap, the hose is held perfectly securely.

p-0023The shape of the clip can be seen from <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. The clip <b>70</b> is made of a formed strip of plastics material, or a section of an extruded length, and has roughly cylindrical hose-retaining portions <b>72</b> with side portions <b>73</b>, <b>75</b> at each side of the cylinder axis (i.e. the strap length direction). The cylindrical parts <b>72</b> are slightly over half a cylinder in circumferential extent. The outer edges of each the side portions are bent underneath with a spacing to form inwardly directed flanges <b>74</b>, <b>76</b> that in use engage underneath the strap. The hose-retaining portion <b>72</b> is open towards the strap so that it retains the hose securely. One of the side portions <b>75</b> is much wider than the other <b>73</b>, so that the hose-retaining portion is located essentially entirely in one half of the clip.

p-0024<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> shows the hose and clip in place on a strap <b>10</b>. It can be seen how the flanges <b>74</b>, <b>76</b> hold the clip on to the strap in the usual way, but here the hose-retaining portion <b>72</b> passes over and fits round the hose to hold it securely in place, facing the strap.

p-0025It can also be seen how the hose-retaining portion <b>72</b> is on one side of the clip, i.e. on one side of the centre line of the strap when fitted. This enables a configuration such as is shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>. Here two identical clips <b>70</b>, <b>70</b><i>a </i>are shown, fitted to the same strap, each holding a hose. The clips are fitted opposite ways round, so that the upper clip in the picture holds the hose on the left-hand side of the strap, while the other clip <b>70</b> holds its hose on the right. In this way two hoses can be fitted to the same strap (in contrast to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>) without getting in each other's way.

p-0026For completeness <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 5 and 6</figref> show sections through the clip and, in the case of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref>, the strap, though not the hose. It can be seen that the clip can be thought of as a moulded or formed piece of strip material extending from one flange, say the short flange <b>74</b>, to the other <b>76</b>, taking in the hose-retaining part <b>72</b> which is slightly over-semi-cylindrical. The flange lengths (in the width direction of the strap) roughly match the lateral extent of the corresponding side portions, so that the gap between the flanges allows the hose to pass straight into the retaining portion <b>72</b>, which eases assembly.

p-0027It is advantageous if the clip is prevented from sliding along the strap once in place. To this end the strap could have an additional fitting, but if the strap is of the type shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, which is folded over and sewn together, then the seams can be arranged to give pockets into which the flanges <b>74</b>, <b>76</b>, or at least one of them, can engage.

p-0028<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> shows a section through the right-hand strap of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, taking in the clip and the folded part. The folds <b>62</b>, <b>64</b> between the first strap portion <b>20</b>, the intermediate strap portion <b>60</b> and the second strap portion <b>30</b>, and the stitching <b>66</b> that secures the folds, provide convenient pockets (or openings) in which the hose clip <b>70</b> can be located. The retention clip <b>70</b> comprising the hose-retaining portion <b>72</b> and first and second inwardly protruding flanges <b>74</b>, <b>76</b> can be attached to the strap by locating the flanges <b>74</b>, <b>76</b> in the openings <b>61</b> either side of the strap. The stitching <b>66</b> in the region of the folds <b>62</b>, <b>64</b> prevents the hose clip <b>70</b> from sliding up and down the strap. The fold <b>64</b> between the second and intermediate strap portions <b>30</b>, <b>40</b> also provides openings <b>63</b> either side of the strap.

p-0029In use the hose will be passed through the gap between the flanges and fitted within the hose-retaining portion, which preferably is a tight fit, preferably a slight spring fit. The clip is then fitted on the strap, preferably within the pickets as described. A certain amount of deformation of the strap is necessary for this. The hose is then held securely, though it can still be adjusted for length by sliding it through the clip.

p-0030The invention can be used for a kind of breathing apparatus, though it is particularly suitable for fire-fighting equipment. The clip can be designed to suit corresponding hoses, such as breathing hoses or gauge hoses.