Safety harnesses, connective ring attachments for use in safety harnesses and back pads for use in safety harnesses

1. A back pad system for use in connection with a safety harness having at least two spaced back straps, comprising:

a back pad having passages through which the two back straps can be passed to be crossed over one another adjacent a harness wearer's back, said back pad defining an opening between lateral sides;

a connector adapted to be connected to a line or lanyard, said connector being pivotable within a range around an axis relative to said back pad said connector having

opposite side members with lateral sides substantially adjacent to the back pad opening lateral sides at the pivot axis, and

a bar extending between from said opposite side members, said bar being pivotally secured in said back pad opening along said axis; and

a detent connection between said back pad and said connector capturing said connector in a selected upright position when said connector is manually moved to said selected upright position, wherein

said connection has at least one detent member secured to said back pad in said back pad opening, said detent member being adjacent to one of the back pad opening lateral sides, and

spaced a selected lateral distance from said one back pad opening lateral side when said connector is pivotably positioned at either end of its range,

wherein said selected lateral distance is less than the lateral thickness of the connector side member adjacent said back pad opening one lateral side, and

said detent member is laterally flexible away from said back pad opening one lateral side when a selected pivoting force is applied to said connector,

whereby said detent member blocks said connector side member adjacent said back panel opening one lateral side from pivoting to thereby secure said connector when in said selected upright position at one end of said range of pivoting unless said selected force is applied to pivot said connector away from said selected upright position.

2. The back pad system of claim 1 wherein the back pad includes a seating adapted to pivotably secure said bar of the connector so that the connector is pivotably about the axis relative to the connector attachment.

3. The back pad system of claim 2 wherein the detent connection further comprises a second detent member on the other lateral side of the back pad seating, the second detent member being

adjacent to the other of the back pad opening lateral sides, and

spaced said selected lateral distance from the other back pad opening lateral side when said connector is pivotably positioned at either end of its range, wherein said selected lateral distance is less than the lateral thickness of the connector side member adjacent said back pad opening other lateral side, and

laterally flexible away from said back pad opening other lateral side when a selected pivoting force is applied to said connector, whereby said first and second detent members block said connector side members from pivoting to thereby secure said connector when in said selected upright position at one end of said range of pivoting unless said selected force is applied to pivot said connector away from said selected upright position.

4. The back pad system of claim 1 wherein the back pad comprises at least one load indicator comprising an area of reduced strength so that the area visibly distends or breaks upon the safety harness being subjected to a substantial load.

5. A connector for a safety harness comprising:

a back pad securable to the safety harness in a position having one side substantially facing the back of a wearer, said back pad defining an opening between lateral sides;

a connector adapted to be connected to a line or lanyard, said connector being pivotable within a range around an axis relative to the side opposite said one side of said back pad, said connector having

opposite side members with lateral sides substantially adjacent to the back pad opening lateral sides at the pivot axis, and

a bar extending between from said opposite side members, said bar being pivotally secured in said back pad opening along said axis; and

a detent connection between said back pad and said connector capturing said connector in a predetermined upright position when said connector is manually moved to said selected upright position, wherein

said connection has at least one detent member secured to said back pad in said back pad opening, said detent member being adjacent to one of the back pad opening lateral sides, and

spaced a selected lateral distance from said one back pad opening lateral side when said connector is pivotably positioned at either end of its range,

wherein said selected lateral distance is less than the lateral thickness of the connector side member adjacent said back pad opening one lateral side, and

said detent member is laterally flexible away from said back pad opening one lateral side when a selected pivoting force is applied to said connector,

whereby said detent member blocks said connector side member adjacent said back panel opening one lateral side from pivoting to thereby secure said connector when in said selected upright position at one end of said range of pivoting unless said selected force is applied to pivot said connector away from said selected upright position.

6. The connector of claim 5 wherein the back pad includes a seating adapted to pivotably secure said bar of the connector so that the connector bar is pivotable about the axis relative to the connector attachment.

7. The connector of claim 6 wherein the detent connection further comprises a second detent member on the other lateral side of the back pad seating, the second detent member being

adjacent to the other of the back pad opening lateral sides, and

spaced said selected lateral distance from the other back pad opening lateral side when said connector is pivotably positioned at either end of its range, wherein said selected lateral distance is less than the lateral thickness of the connector side member adjacent said back pad opening other lateral side, and

laterally flexible away from said back pad opening other lateral side when a selected pivoting force is applied to said connector, whereby said first and second detent members block said connector side members from pivoting to thereby secure said connector when in said selected upright position at one end of said range of pivoting unless said selected force is applied to pivot said connector away from said selected upright position.

8. The connector of claim 5 wherein the back pad comprises at least one load indicator comprising an area of reduced strength so that the area visibly distends or breaks upon the safety harness being subjected to a substantial load.

9. The back pad system of claim 1 , wherein said bar is a longitudinal unitary bar.

10. The back pad system of claim 5 , wherein said bar is a longitudinal unitary bar.

11. A connector for a safety harness, comprising:

a D-ring connector having a longitudinal bar extending between lateral sides of said connector;

a back pad having a first side capable of substantially facing the back of a wearer, said back pad having

an opening therethrough having a front and a rear extending between lateral sides,

a pivot support between said lateral sides, said pivot support extending partially from said back pad opening front to said back pad opening rear,

a first detent member extending laterally outwardly from said pivot support toward one of said back pad opening lateral sides, said first detent member being laterally flexible away from said back opening one lateral side;

wherein

said connector bar is secured to said pivot support for pivoting relative to said back pad about a pivot axis and secured against motion along the pivot axis and

said pivot support is substantially as long as the connector longitudinal bar.

12. The connector of claim 11 , wherein said pivot support includes a first expansion slot adjacent said first detent member allowing said first detent member to move away from said back pad opening one lateral side.

13. The connector of claim 11 , wherein said back pad opening lateral sides are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the connector at the longitudinal bar.

14. The connector of claim 11 , wherein said pivot support is spaced from said back pad opening rear a distance sufficient to allow the connector to pass therethrough and has a groove defining the pivot axis, said groove being open toward said back pad first side, wherein said connector is secured to said back pad by passing all but said connector longitudinal bar through the spacing between the pivot support and the back pad opening rear and then inserting the connector longitudinal bar in the pivot support groove.

15. The connector of claim 14 , wherein said longitudinal bar is snap fit in said pivot support groove.

16. The connector of claim 11 , wherein said connector pivots relative to said back pad within a range, and said first detent member releasably maintains said connector in a selected position away from said back pad at one end of said range.

17. The connector of claim 11 , further comprising a second detent member extending laterally outwardly from said pivot support toward the other of said back pad opening lateral sides, said second detent member being laterally flexible away from said back pad opening other lateral side.

18. The connector of claim 17 , further comprising:

a first expansion slot adjacent said first detent member allowing said first detent member to move away from said back pad opening one lateral side; and

a second expansion slot in said pivot support adjacent said second detent member allowing said second detent member to move away from said back pad opening other lateral side.