Chest protector and removable and adjustable straps

Abstract

A fencer chest protector is provided which includes comprising a rigid chest plate, the rigid chest plate having a top side, a bottom side, and a pair of lateral sides, a top left opening and a top right opening formed at the top side, and a lateral opening at each of the lateral sides; and a removable harness includes a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having a distal end which is adjustably connectable to, and removable from, a corresponding one of the top left and top right openings via a top connector, the removable harness further including a back strap having a first distal end which is adjustably connectable to, and selectively removable from, one of the lateral openings via a lateral connector, and having second distal end which is adjustably connectable to, and selectively removable from, the other one of the lateral openings via a lateral connector. One, some, or all of the central connector, lateral connectors, and top connectors may be comprised of fabric hook and loop fasteners.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fencer chest protector comprising
 a rigid chest plate, the rigid chest plate having a top side, a bottom side, and a pair of lateral sides, a top left opening and a top right opening formed at the top side, and a lateral opening at each of the lateral sides;   a removable harness includes a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having a distal end which is adjustably connectable to, and removable from, a corresponding one of the top left and top right openings via a top connector, the removable harness further including a back strap having a first distal end which is adjustably connectable to, and selectively removable from, one of the lateral openings via a lateral connector, and having a second distal end which is adjustably connectable to, and selectively removable from, the other one of the lateral openings via a lateral connector.   
     
     
         2 . The fencer chest protector of  claim 1 , wherein the removable harness comprises
 a first garment piece and a second garment piece, each garment piece including a back panel and one of the shoulder straps, the back panels together forming the back strap, one of the back panels having the first distal end and the other of the back panels having the second distal end, each back panel further including a proximal end which is adjustably connectable to, and selectively removable from, the back panel of the other garment piece via a central connector.   
     
     
         2 . The fencer chest protector according to  claim 2 , wherein each garment piece includes a back panel and a shoulder strap that extends from the back panel such that the removable harness comprises a pair of back panels and a pair of shoulder straps. 
     
     
         3 . The fencer chest protector according to  claim 2 , wherein the pair of shoulder straps are interconnected. 
     
     
         4 . The fencer chest protector according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the central connector, lateral connectors, and top connectors are comprised of fabric hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         5 . The fencer chest protector according to  claim 1 , wherein the central connector, lateral connectors, and top connectors are comprised of fabric hook and loop fasteners.