Patent Application
20250098841
This application is based upon French Patent Application No. FR 2310127, filed Sep. 25, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119.
The present invention relates to a hiking backpack. In the context of the invention, a backpack is a load carrying article provided with a main back pocket demarcated by a dorsal wall opposite the back of the user when the backpack is carried and two shoulder straps fixed to the dorsal wall.
To improve carrying and ventilation of the back, certain backpacks incorporate a frame for shaping the dorsal wall of the main back pocket. Thus, the Patent Documents EP 2 275 000 and DE 19932498 propose a frame partially fixed to the dorsal wall, designed to shape the dorsal wall in order to create a ventilation space between an intermediate wall intended to cover the back of the user and the dorsal wall, on the one hand, and to enable load transfer in the area of the pelvic bones, and more particularly in the area of the hips via the iliac bones.
The invention proposes a backpack for which carrying is improved.
The invention also proposes a backpack enabling good load transfer.
Further, the invention proposes a backpack ensuring good ventilation of the back when carried.
To this end, the invention relates to a backpack comprising:
The frame of the backpack includes an extension, connected to the structural portion, extending towards the back of the user from the structural portion, the extension being designed and arranged so as to define a support section located in the area of the lumbar zone of the user when the backpack is carried. In addition, the structural portion of the frame forms a camber so that the median portion of the structural portion is further away from the back of the user than the upper and lower ends of the structural portion, in projection onto a sagittal plane
Thus, the frame makes it possible to create a ventilation space between the back of the user and the back pocket, on the one hand, and to enable a load transfer in the area of the lumbar zone, a support zone favored to improve carrying comfort and reduce fatigue pain resulting from prolonged carrying. This construction makes it possible to exert pressure in this lumbar zone via the extension. The extension also provides a certain elasticity to the frame in order to enable dampening of the movements of the backpack, in particular along a direction the back pocket is spaced apart and brought closer. This results in better carrying comfort.
Optionally, the invention may have any of the following optional features taken alone or in combination:
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the detailed description that follows, with reference to the annexed drawings illustrating, by way of non-limiting embodiments, how the invention can be carried out, and in which:
In the following of the description, a reference will be used, whose direction from the outer wall of the backpack toward the wall interfacing with the back of the user corresponds to the X axis, the transverse or right-to-left direction corresponds to the Y axis, and the vertical or bottom-to-top direction corresponds to the Z axis. This reference must be considered in relation to a backpack positioned upright, in front of the user, the back of the backpack facing the user, seen from the outer wall of the backpack. The sagittal plane XZ is the plane comprising the X and Z axes. The frontal plane YZ is the plane comprising the Y and Z axes. The transverse plane XY is the plane comprising the X and Y axes.
The invention relates to a construction of a backpack 1 comprising:
The invention relates more specifically to a specific construction of the frame 4 and, more particularly, to an extension 42 connected to the structural portion 41, extending towards the back of the user from the structural portion 41, the extension being designed and arranged so as to create a support 421 located in the area of the lumbar zone ZL of the user when the backpack is carried. Reference is made to a bearing, support or pressure zone to indicate a contact located in the area of the lower back of the user when the backpack is carried. This corresponds to the load transfer or recovery between the backpack carried load and the user.
In this example, the frame 4 is interposed between the dorsal wall 21 and the intermediate wall 5. The structural portion 41 of the frame 4 makes it possible to shape the dorsal wall 21. It includes a curved shape so as to space a central portion of the dorsal wall 21 apart from the back. In other words, the projection of the structural portion 41 on a sagittal plane XZ forms a concave curve with respect to the back. Furthermore, the intermediate panel 5 is stretched between the lower 21D and upper 21U portions of the dorsal wall 21. Consequently, this construction makes it possible to create a ventilation space, behind the back of the user, between the intermediate panel 5 and the dorsal wall 21 curved by the structural portion 41 of the frame 4. The ventilated central zone 51 of the intermediate panel 5 makes it possible to evacuate the perspiration generated in the back and/or to allow air to pass therethrough to dry this perspiration.
In this first embodiment, the frame 4 comprises an upper portion 43, a lower portion 44, and a connecting portion 41 connecting the lower portion to the upper portion. Here, the connecting portion 41 of the frame defines the structural portion enabling the shaping of the dorsal wall 21. This structural portion 41 forms a camber such that the median portion of this connecting portion is further away from the back of the user than the upper and lower ends of this structural portion 41, in projection on a sagittal plane XZ.
In this example, the frame 4, in its lower part 44, forms two open lower loops 441a, 441b, arranged vertically in the same area and transversely away from one another. The two lower loops 441a, 441b are connected by a lower median portion 442 defining the extension 42. This extension 42 is arranged so that it is closer to the back of the user than the structural portion 41 of the frame 4, in projection onto a sagittal plane XZ. In other words, regardless of the transverse plane XY, the extension 42 is always closer to the back of the user than the structural portion 41 of the frame 4 along the height of the backpack.
Here, the extension 42 rises towards the upper portion of the backpack and comprises a support section 421 demarcating an upper portion of the extension. This support section 421 extends along a transverse direction Y, over a width Y421 between 10 and 90 millimeters. The width Y421 is preferably at least three centimeters. The support section is sized and arranged to be located in the area of the lumbar zone ZL of the user when the backpack is carried as illustrated in
According to one embodiment, the extension 42 is designed so that the projection of the extension 42 onto a sagittal plane XZ forms an angle A42 between 0° and 20° with the projection of the lower portion of the structural portion 41 on the same sagittal plane XZ; the angle A42 is preferably greater than 5°.
As we have seen above, the frame 4 is advantageously interposed between the dorsal wall 21 and the intermediate wall 5, and therefore the belt 6. In this example, the extension 6 is designed so that a portion, namely the support section 421, is in contact with the outer wall 62 of the belt 6 in the area of the lumbar zone ZL of the user when the backpack is carried.
The frame 4 thus creates support in the area of the lumbar zone ZL of the user when the backpack is carried, at least due to the support section 421. Other portions of the extension 42 of the frame 4 can also exert support in the area of the lower back of the user. For example, portions of the lower median portion 442, outside the support section 421, can also be in contact with the outer wall 62 of the belt 6 and thus create additional support on the lower back of the user when the backpack is carried.
In this example, the frame 4 is a shaped cylindrical bar. The cross-section of the bar can be a circle, a square, or another geometric pattern. The frame can be a tubular structure in order to lighten the structure to improve carrying comfort. Advantageously, the frame is metallic in order to obtain good rigidity for shaping the dorsal wall but also in order to obtain good elasticity to provide pressure in the area of the lumbar zone and good cushioning. However, other types of materials may be considered to make the frame, such as plastic, for example.
In this example, the frame 4 is partially fixed to the dorsal wall 21 due to four open pockets 215Ua, 215Ub, 215 Da, 215 Db formed by the dorsal wall 21 and the intermediate wall 5 connected to one another in the area of the four corners, top right 215Ua, top left 215Ub, bottom right 215 Da, and bottom left 215 Db of the dorsal wall 21. These four pockets 215Ua, 215Ub, 215 Da, 215 Db are configured to receive a corresponding portion of the frame which, once positioned, will shape the dorsal wall 21 and stretch the intermediate wall 5. In addition, the frame 4 is fixed to the dorsal wall 21 by central hooks 211 connected to the connecting portion 41 of the frame 4.
Other constructions of frames 4 may be envisioned, provided that they comprise an extension 42 connected to the structural portion 41, extending towards the back of the user from the structural portion, the extension being designed and arranged so as to create a support 421 located in the area of the lumbar zone ZL of the user when the backpack is carried.
In the embodiments described above, the frame 4 is removably mounted on the dorsal wall 21. This enables the frame to be replaced if it is damaged. In addition, this makes it possible to compress the backpack for storage once the frame is removed.
The invention is not limited to the few embodiments described above by way of examples but aims to protect any equivalent configuration. It is thus possible to combine these embodiments.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to all the embodiments covered by the appended claims.
Further, at least because the various configurations and details of the invention are disclosed herein in a manner that enables one to make and use the invention as described and shown, such as for simplicity or efficiency, for example, the invention can be practiced in the absence of any additional element or additional structure that is not specifically disclosed herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR2310127 | Sep 2023 | FR | national |
