Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6607107
-
Patent Number
6,607,107
-
Date Filed
Friday, February 2, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 19, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 224 602
- 224 603
- 224 604
- 224 605
- 224 630
- 224 637
- 224 640
- 224 641
- 224 642
- 224 643
- 224 644
- 224 645
- 224 259
- 224 262
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A load-carrying system for a backpack, and a backpack including such load-carrying system. The load-carrying system includes an improved structure, particularly for use during the practice of various sports, more particularly for gliding sports, such as snowboarding, skiing, and in-line skating. The invention includes an improved backpack and load-carrying system adapted to be held in place in order to prevent any interference with the user's ride.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to backpacks and to the load carrying system or harness thereof.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Backpacks fall into two main categories, these being soft or formless packs, and those having a frame.
One important criterion with either type of pack is that the pack is comfortable to carry, especially when the pack is fully laden, and it is therefore important that the pack adapts itself to the shape of the back of the user.
Another important aspect is that the backpack does not prevent freedom of movements of the shoulders and/or hips of the user. This aspect is particularly important for backpacks used during the practice of a gliding sport, such as snowboarding, in-line skating, skiing, etc., especially during riding.
For example during the practice of snowboarding, extreme body motions such as bending, contorting, and twisting of the upper body occur during riding downhill.
It is therefore important that the backpack does not prevent or hinder these motions in order not to impede the ride.
Some solutions have already been proposed to solve the problem of free movement, particularly for the shoulders.
For example the document GB 2130481 describes a load-carrying system, wherein the shoulder straps have their lower ends interconnected by a strap which is slidingly coupled to either the frame of the pack or to the body of the pack.
Other documents describe a similar construction with a sliding strap. However, in all these embodiments the strap must stay flat during sliding, which is difficult especially when extreme motions of the body of the user occur. Therefore, these systems do not function very properly due to the limited ability of the strap to slide in all positions.
Others documents, especially relating to frame packs, disclose a pivotal interconnection between the shoulder straps and the frame and/or between the belt or hip strap and the frame.
However such frame packs are heavy, cumbersome and not at all adapted to a ride with extreme body motions such as in snowboarding.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved backpack structure.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved backpack, especially adapted to the practice of a gliding sport such as snowboarding, wherein extreme body motions like bending, contorting, and twisting of the upper body occur.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved backpack and load-carrying system adapted to hold the package in place in order to prevent any interference of loads with the ride.
With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent to one skilled in the art as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination, arrangement of parts and method substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included within the scope of the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the description that follows, with reference to the annexed drawings showing, by way of non-limiting examples, how the invention can be embodied, and in which:
FIG. 1
is a rear perspective view of a backpack incorporating a load-carrying system according to the invention;
FIG. 2
is a rear elevation view of the backpack, showing the load-carrying system of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a rear elevation view of a backpack showing a load-carrying system according to a second embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 4
is front elevation view a load carrying system according to a third embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With initial reference to
FIG. 1
, the backpack
10
generally comprises a pack body
20
for receiving the loads and a load-carrying system
30
attached to the pack body and arranged to be positioned on the user's torso.
The load-carrying system
30
comprises a back panel
40
which is secured to the pack body
20
, in a manner known per se, a shoulder harness assembly
50
and a hip or waist harness assembly
60
.
The hip harness assembly
60
comprises two belt elements
61
, which can be secured around the hip/waist of the user via adjustable fastening mechanism
62
.
Each belt element
61
is attached to the back panel
40
via a first connecting device.
The insert
70
of the first connecting device includes an elastic insert stitched between each of the belt elements
61
and the back panel
40
.
The insert
70
of the first connecting device is preferably made of an elastic material, such as a neoprene fabric, stitched via seams
71
to the back panel
40
and to the belt element
61
. In the preferred embodiment, the neoprene fabric used is a closed cell neoprene of at least 2 millimeters thickness such as used in wet suits.
Preferably, each insert
70
has a triangular or semi-circular shape, in order to define at its apex
72
a rotation point in relation to which the insert
70
can stretch elastically in a generally longitudinal direction, corresponding to the edge
73
opposite to its apex
72
, in relation to the respective belt element
61
, in order to enable a rotational movement (see arrow R in
FIG. 2
) of the respective belt elements
61
in relation to the back panel
40
.
Thus, a pivotal connection is produced between each belt element
61
and the back panel
40
.
The same construction also applies to the connection between the shoulder harness assembly
50
and the back panel
40
.
The shoulder harness assembly
50
comprises two shoulder straps
51
which are fixed at their upper end
52
, to the top extremity
41
of the back panel
40
via a second connecting device, and are fixed at their lower end
53
to the bottom extremity of the back panel
40
.
As with the first connecting device, which included an insert
70
, the second connecting device includes an elastic insert
80
stitched between each of the shoulder straps
51
and the back panel
40
. Each elastic insert
80
is preferably made of an elastic material, such as a neoprene fabric stitched via seams
81
to the backpack
40
and to the shoulder straps
51
.
Preferably, each insert
80
of the second connecting device has a triangular or semi-circular shape in order to define at its apex
82
a rotation point, in relation to which the insert
80
can stretch elastically in a generally longitudinal direction corresponding to its edge
83
opposite to the apex
82
. Thus, a pivotal or rotational connection (see arrow R in
FIG. 2
) of each shoulder strap
51
in relation to the back panel is produced.
The pivotal connection of each shoulder and hip harness system to the back panel allows a particularly good adaptation of the back pack to the movements of the body and torso during the practice of gliding sports, such as snowboarding, wherein extreme body motions like bending, contorting, and twisting of the upper body occur.
Additional structural arrangements are provided to further increase the ability of the backpack to follow the body motions.
First, each insert
70
,
80
can be part of a single elastic panel
90
. See
FIGS. 3 and 4
, for example.
The elastic panel
90
extends from the top extremity
41
of the back panel to the bottom extremity
42
thereof.
It is stitched to the extremities by seams
91
,
92
.
The elastic panel
90
is further slidably mounted within a vertical channel
43
of back panel
40
defined by a vertical stitching
44
, thus the elastic panel
90
can further stretch to follow bending movements of the torso and provide a “free floating” effect.
As will be easily understood, the rotational movement by stretching of neoprene inserts
70
,
80
is limited by the elongation limit of the material constituting such inserts. However other structural arrangements can be used to further limit the rotational or the floating effect and/or adapt it to the user's preference,
Such arrangements are provided, for example, by load lift straps
55
,
65
(see
FIG. 1
) which connect the top and bottom of the pack body
20
, respectively, to the harness assembly
50
and the hip harness assembly
60
. Such lift straps
55
,
65
are known per se and are conventionally used to distribute and adjust the load of the pack body
20
to the load carrying system and are therefore not described in detail hereafter.
The load lift straps
55
,
65
can be used to define a rotational center different from the ones of apex
72
,
82
; they can also be used to limit the pivotal movement generated by the elastic inserts
70
,
80
.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a gripper material
100
such as rubber is provided on the internal face at the extremity of each shoulder strap
51
and belt element
61
, in order to reduce shifting or slipping of the shoulder strap
51
and belt element
61
in relation to the user and thus allow an optimum adaptation of the backpack to the movements of the user.
With reference now to
FIGS. 3 and 4
, other embodiments of the invention are shown, wherein similar elements are designated by the same numeral references.
The main difference between the backpack
10
of FIG.
3
and the backpack
10
of
FIGS. 1 and 2
lies in the emplacement of each elastic insert
70
,
80
. Whereas in the embodiment of
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the edge
73
,
83
of each insert
70
,
80
is situated toward the lateral side of each connection back panel
40
/shoulder strap
51
or belt element
61
, in the embodiment of
FIG. 3
the edges
73
,
83
are placed, on the contrary, on a medial side of each connection of the back panel
40
shoulder strap
51
or belt element
61
. Consequently, the apex
72
,
82
of each insert is placed opposite in the vertical direction, although the rotational movement R is substantially the same.
In the embodiment of
FIG. 4
, elastic inserts
70
are only provided at the interconnection zone between the hip harness assembly
60
and the back panel
40
.
These inserts
70
have a semi-circular shape and are further limited on one side by a strip of material
63
extending from the belt element
61
which defines the apex
72
. As the strip of material
63
is substantially non-extensible, it defines the rotation center for the elastic insert
70
.
Furthermore, two internal sheet stiffeners
45
are provided laterally on each side of the back panel
40
to provide transverse rigidity, while allowing flexibility in the longitudinal directions.
Such stiffeners are made of a supple, non-extensible material, such as a sheet of PE (polyethylene) in order to provide the aforementioned transverse rigidity. This last embodiment is more particularly adapted to snowboard riding, as hip movements in this type of sport are particularly important.
However, all combinations of the above described embodiments can be considered in order to provide for a better adaptation of the backpack to the type of ride.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the present invention provides for a load-carrying system and associated backpack which allows a maximum range of hip and shoulder motion, and comfort to a user while maintaining and/or enhancing stability of the pack body while in use.
The invention is not limited to the use in snowboarding, but can be applied to all sports requiring motions of the body.
Claims
- 1. A load-carrying system for a backpack comprising aa back panel; a shoulder harness assembly; a hip harness assembly; a first connecting device connecting said hip harness assembly to said back panel; a second connecting device connecting said shoulder harness assembly to said back panel; at least one of said first connecting device and said second connecting device comprising an insert, said insert being made of an elastic material enabling a pivotal connection of said hip or shoulder harness assembly to said back panel.
- 2. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:said elastic material is a multi-directional stretchable material.
- 3. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:said insert has a shape including an apex, and said hip or shoulder harness is pivotal about said apex.
- 4. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:said elastic insert comprises an elastomeric material.
- 5. A load-carrying system according to claim 4, wherein:said elastomeric material is neoprene.
- 6. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:said back panel comprises lateral sheet stiffeners.
- 7. A load-carrying system according to claim 6, wherein:each said sheet stiffener is flexible in a transverse direction.
- 8. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:at least one of said hip harness assembly and said shoulder harness assembly comprises a gripping means.
- 9. A load-carrying system according to claim 8, wherein:each said harness assembly comprises gripping zones for cooperation with the body of a wearer.
- 10. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:a non-extensible fabric is associated laterally to each said insert.
- 11. A load-carrying system according to claim 10, wherein:said elastic insert comprises an elastomeric material.
- 12. A load-carrying system according to claim 11, wherein:said elastomeric material is neoprene.
- 13. A load-carrying system according to claim 1, wherein:each of said first and second connecting devices comprises an elastic insert.
- 14. A load-carrying system according to claim 13, wherein:each of said first and second connecting devices are integral with a back elastic panel extending from said first connecting device to said second connecting device.
- 15. A load-carrying system according to claim 14, wherein:said back elastic panel is mounted for movement within a vertical channel of said back panel.
- 16. A load-carrying system according to claim 14, wherein:said back elastic panel is positioned within a vertical channel of said back panel, said back elastic panel being attached to said back panel only at top and bottom extremities of said back panel.
- 17. A load-carrying system according to claim 14, wherein:said back elastic panel is slidably mounted within said back panel.
- 18. A load-carrying system according to claim 17, wherein:said back elastic panel is affixed to said back panel at a bottom and at a top thereof.
- 19. A backpack comprising a load-carrying system, said backpack comprising:a pack body; and a load-carrying system attached to said pack body, said load-carrying system comprising: a back panel; a shoulder harness assembly; a hip harness assembly; a first connecting device connecting said hip harness assembly to said back panel; a second connecting device connecting said shoulder harness assembly to said back panel; at least one of said first connecting device and said second connecting device comprising a pivotal connection between back panel and one of said hip or shoulder harness, said pivotal connection comprising an elastic insert.
- 20. A backpack according to claim 19, wherein:said elastic material is a multi-directional stretchable material.
- 21. A backpack according to claim 19, wherein:said insert has a shape including an apex, and said hip or shoulder harness is pivotal about said apex.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2130481 |
Jun 1984 |
GB |