Body gripping harness and single point connector for electrical rubber insulating sleeves

Abstract

A C-shaped connector is provided for establishing a movable connection between a harness and one or more electrically insulating sleeves that are retained during use on the shoulders of a worker. The harness is configured to grip a portion of the worker and thereby provide better anchoring of the electrical rubber insulating sleeves to the worker. The C-shaped connector is configured to attach the electrical rubber insulating sleeves to a single point on the harness, which allows for an increased range of motion of the sleeves. The C-shaped connector can comprise a band of durable material that is longer than it is wide, and being bent in a first direction along its length and being bent along the same first direction along its width. Fasteners can be formed from or coupled to the band of durable material at each end lengthwise and at or about a midpoint.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A connector configured to connect an electrically insulating sleeve to a harness worn by a worker, the connector comprising:
 a first fastener configured to releasably couple the connector to the harness; and   a pair of second fasteners configured to releasably couple the connector to an electrically insulating sleeve,   wherein the first fastener is located substantially centrally on the connector, one of the pair of second fasteners is located at or near a first end of the connector, and another of the pair of second fasteners is located at a second end of the connector.   
     
     
         2 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first fastener and the pair of second fasteners comprise at least one of a button or a button hole. 
     
     
         3 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastener is a button hole, and each of the pair of second fasteners are buttons. 
     
     
         4 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first fastener and the pair of second fasteners comprise an array of button holes. 
     
     
         5 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is dimensioned and configured to substantially abut and at least partially cover a portion of a shoulder of the worker. 
     
     
         6 . The connector of  claim 5 , wherein the connector is substantially C-shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The connector of  claim 6 , wherein the connector comprises a band of material, a length of the band of material being greater than a width of the band of material. 
     
     
         8 . The connector of  claim 7 , wherein the band of material is curved in a same direction along a longitudinal axis and curved along the same direction along a crosswise axis, wherein the longitudinal axis extends along the length of the band of material and the crosswise axis extends along the width of the band of material. 
     
     
         9 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating sleeve is configured to extend over at least a shoulder and upper arm of a worker, the sleeve configured to grip at least a portion of the upper arm of the worker. 
     
     
         10 . The connector of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve comprises an elastic band configured to extend around an upper arm of the worker when the harness is worn by the worker. 
     
     
         11 . A C-shaped connector configured to connect an electrically insulating sleeve to a harness worn by a worker, the C-shaped connector comprising:
 a first fastener configured to removably couple the C-shaped connector to the harness; and   a pair of second fasteners configured to removably couple the C-shaped connector to the electrically insulating sleeve,   wherein the first fastener is located substantially centrally on the C-shaped connector, and each second fastener of the pair of second fasteners is located on an opposite end of the C-shaped connector from the other second fastener of the pair of second fasteners.   
     
     
         12 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 11 , wherein the C-shaped connector comprises a band of material, a length of the band of material being greater than a width of the band of material. 
     
     
         13 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 12 , wherein the band of material is curved in a same direction along a longitudinal axis and curved along the same direction along a crosswise axis, wherein the longitudinal axis extends along the length of the band of material and the crosswise axis extends along the width of the band of material. 
     
     
         14 . A C-shaped connector for connecting an electrically insulating sleeve to a harness worn by a worker, the C-shaped connector comprising:
 a band of durable material, a length of the band of durable material being greater than a width of the band of durable material, the band of durable material being curved in a same direction along a longitudinal axis and curved along the same direction along a crosswise axis, wherein the longitudinal axis extends along the length of the band of durable material and the crosswise axis extends along the width of the band of durable material;   a first fastener formed from or coupled to the band of durable material at substantially a midpoint along the longitudinal axis, the first fastener being dimensioned and configured to releasably couple the C-shaped connector to the harness;   a second fastener formed from or coupled to the band of durable material at substantially a first end of the band of durable material along the longitudinal axis;   a third fastener formed from or coupled to the band of durable material at substantially a second end of the band of durable material along the longitudinal axis, the second and third fasteners being dimensioned and configured to releasably couple the C-shaped connector to an electrically insulating sleeve.   
     
     
         15 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first fastener and the pair of second fasteners comprise at least one of a button or a button hole. 
     
     
         16 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 14 , wherein the first fastener is a button hole, and each of the pair of second fasteners are buttons. 
     
     
         17 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first fastener and the pair of second fasteners comprise an array of button holes. 
     
     
         18 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 14 , wherein the C-shaped connector is dimensioned and configured to substantially abut and at least partially cover a portion of a shoulder of the worker. 
     
     
         19 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 14 , wherein the electrically insulating sleeve is configured to extend over a shoulder and an upper arm of a worker, the sleeve further configured to grip at least a portion of the upper arm of the worker. 
     
     
         20 . The C-shaped connector of  claim 19 , wherein the sleeve comprises an elastic band configured to extend around the upper arm of the worker when the C-shaped connector is releasably coupled to the harness and the electrically insulating sleeve and further when the harness is worn by the worker.