AU2007200516B2 - A safety vest - Google Patents

Description

7- 2-07; 1:10PM;PETER MAXWELL ;612 92479945 5/ 13 Regulation 3.2 Revised 2/98

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act, 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT NAME OF APPLICANT: ACTUAL INVENTOR: ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO(S): Global Safety Solutions Management Pty Ltd (ACN) 109336227 Dennis Mahony Peter Maxwell and Associates Level 6 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 A SAFETY VEST 2006 900 586 7 February 2006 Australia The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:m:\docs\20071001\114025.doc COMS ID No: SBMI-06168648 Received by IP Australia: Time 13:16 Date 2007-02-07 2 o00

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The present invention relates to safety garments and more particularly to 0 high visibility, detachable safety garments.

High visibility articles of clothing typically incorporate combinations of IDluminescent and retro-reflective surfaces. It is necessary to minimise the S 5 likelihood that a wearer may become caught up or injured when clothing such Sas a safety vest is caught accidentally or grasped deliberately. Such garments are designed for use in situations such as terrorism and crowd control and may cbe used by persons such as police, fire, security, safety, hospital and other public services.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a high visibility safety garment, which is designed to prevent entanglement.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a safety garment which comprises front and back panels connected together by separable and elasticised side panels, the arrangement being such that the garment may be easily separated from the wearer's body if part of the garment is caught accidentally or grasped deliberately.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1. is a front view of the safety garment according to one embodiment of the present invention; and, Fig 2. is a rear view of the safety garment shown in Fig 1.

As shown in Fig 1, a safety vest 10 according to one embodiment of the invention includes a front panel 12 and a back panel 14 that extend from the wearer's shoulders to the hips. The sides of the front panel 12 and the back panel 14 are joined by two elasticised side panels 16a and 16b. One or more 09/10/08 00

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fastening means 18a and 18b are provided along the left and right elasticised C )side panels 16a and 16b. The tops of the front panel 12 and back panel 14 are also joined by separable fastening means 18c and 18d so that the garment can D be easily freed from the wearer's body.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fastening means 18a and 18b run from 0under each arm opening to the waist on both the left and right side of the vest.

Each fastening means comprises first and second mating strips, with one strip c of each fastening means being on the front panel 12 and the other strip being located on the respective side panel.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening means are hook and loop fasteners such as those sold under the trade mark VELCROTM or touch tape, so that when the vest is grabbed and pulled, the fastening means can be separated, allowing the front panel 12 and back panel 14 to be disconnected and pulled off the wearer.

Preferably, the elasticised side panels 16a, 16b extend from the opening under the arm to the waist of the vest, allowing a certain amount of pull when the vest gets caught or deliberately pulled whilst worn.

A pattern of reflective, fluorescent or photoluminescent material may be applied to the vest. Each portion of the pattern may be formed from strips of retro- reflective material. Upper and lower reflective strips may span the front and back panels. As illustrated in Figs 1 and 2, the retro-reflective strips 20 run horizontally across the front and back panels of the vest, and retro-reflective strips 21 run vertically from the first horizontal strip over a shoulder portion of the vest.

Preferably, the body of the vest includes four encircling or circumferential retro-reflective strips, and a pair of longitudinal retro-reflective strips, each of which extend from the upper most circumferential strip of the 09/10/08 00

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front panel 12 over the shoulder portion to the upper most circumferential strip 0 on the back panel 14.

A zipper 22 is provided which extends from the neck opening to the D waistband 24 of the safety garment so that the garment may be easily put on or S 5 removed.

SThe safety vest may also include an elasticised waistband 24.

SThe high visibility safety vest is intended to be worn over clothing.

C It is preferred that all fabric components used in the manufacture of the above mentioned garments shall conform to the Australian Standard for High Visibility Safety Garments (AS/NZS 4602:1999) or the European Standard for High Visibility, EN471.

The safety vest may be used during the day or at night and preferably incorporates fluorescent orange and lime yellow colours for enhanced daytime visibility. Preferably the vests are made from retro-reflective fabrics and films that exceed the highest brightness category level of AS/NZS 1906.4:1997. In a preferred embodiment, 3MTM ScotchliteTM Retroreflective films and fabrics are used to ensure visibility at night or in conditions of poor light. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that other suitable fabrics and films are within the scope of the invention.

Various other modifications may be made in details of the shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation of the reflective material, and in the construction of the safety garments without departing from the scope or ambit of the invention.

09/10/08

Claims (14)

1. A high visibility safety vest comprising a front panel and a back panel connected together by separable and elasticised side panels, the arrangement being such that the garment may be easily separated from a wearer's body.

2. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 further comprising one or more fastening means provided on each of the side panels.

3. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 wherein the front and back panels are joined at a shoulder portion of the vest by separable fastening means.

4. The high visibility safety vest of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the fastening means extend along the length of the panels.

The high visibility safety vest of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the fastening means comprises a first and second mating strip, each strip located on opposing panels.

6. The high visibility safety vest of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the fastening means comprises hook and loop fasteners.

7. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 wherein the vest is made of retro-reflective material.

8. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 further comprising an opening for a neck of the wearer and a waistband. 09/10/08 00

9. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 further comprising a zipper that 0 extends from a neck opening of the vest to a waistband of the vest.

The high visibility safety vest of claim 8 wherein the waistband is n elasticised.

11. The high visibility safety vest of claim 1 further comprising a pattern of C retro-reflective material.

12. The high visibility safety vest of claim 11 wherein the pattern of retro- reflective material includes circumferential strips on the front and back panels.

13. The high visibility safety vest of claim 11 wherein the pattern of retro- reflective material includes longitudinal strips which extend over a shoulder portion of the vest.

14. The high visibility safety vest of claim 11 wherein the pattern of retro- reflective material includes longitudinal strips which extend from the upper most circumferential strip on the front panel over the shoulder portion to the upper most circumferential strip on the back panel. A high visibility safety vest substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 9 day of October 2008 Global Safety Solutions Management Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant PETER MAXWELL AND ASSOCIATES 09/10/08