Patent Application
20210112955
The present disclosure generally relates to backpacks including, for example, backpack systems, devices, and methods for supporting, shielding and/or reducing fatigue of a user.
This background description is set forth below for the purpose of providing context only. Therefore, any aspect of this background description, to the extent that it does not otherwise qualify as prior art, is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the instant disclosure.
Some designs do not adequately support, shield, and/or reduce the fatigue of a user.
There is a desire for solutions and options that minimize or eliminate one or more challenges or shortcomings of backpacks. The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate examples of the present field and is not a disavowal of scope.
In embodiments, a convertible backpack system may include a main body, a neck support, a seat support and first and second shoulder straps. The main body may include a plurality of panels forming a cavity. The plurality of panels may include an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, and first and second side panels. The neck support may be connected to an upper portion of the main body. The seat support may be connected to a lower portion of the main body and configured to selectively rotate between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative to the main body. The first and straps may extend between an upper portion of the main body and a lower portion of the main body. Methods of a convertible backpack are contemplated.
Methods of a convertible backpack system may include providing a main body including a plurality of panels forming a cavity. The plurality of panels may include an inward-facing panel, an outward-facing panel, and first and second side panels. The methods may include providing a neck support connected to an upper portion of the main body, providing a seat support connected to a lower portion of the main body, and selectively rotating the seat support between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative to the main body.
The foregoing and other potential aspects, features, details, utilities, and/or advantages of examples/embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent from reading the following description, and from reviewing the accompanying drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with embodiments and/or examples, it will be understood that they do not limit the present disclosure to these embodiments and/or examples. On the contrary, the present disclosure covers alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.
In embodiments, such as generally illustrated in
With examples, a system 100 may include a convertible backpack system. As shown in
In examples, the main body 102 may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured to engage a torso 202 of a user 200. Main body 102 may include one or more panels (e.g., panels 114, 116a, 116b, 118) that may form a cavity 102a therein. The one or more panels may include an inward-facing panel 114, an outward-facing panel 118, a first side panel 116a, and/or a second side panel 116b. The main body 102 and seat support 104 may be convertible between an unfolded condition (e.g.,
With examples, the seating portion 124 may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable, user-specific and/or configured as a seat for the user 200. Seat support 104 may be connected to the main body 102, such as via an attachment portion 110 (e.g., a strap). Seat support 104 may be configured to selectively move, rotate, and/or pivot relative to the main body 102, such as between the unfolded configuration (
In examples, a seat support 104 may include a seating portion 124, first and second side portions 126a, 126b, a distal portion 128, a ground portion 130, and a proximal portion 132. The seating portion 124 may include a tapered surface (e.g., downward from the proximal portion 132 to the distal portion 128). The ground portion 130 may be configured to engage the ground or another surface. The proximal portion 132 may be configured to engage the main body 102 and/or may include a tapered surface (e.g., upward from the ground portion 130 to the seating portion 124.
With embodiments, a main body 102 and seating support 104 may include first and second seat straps 106a, 106b interconnected by first and second connectors 108a, 108b (e.g., upper and lower connectors). Seat straps 106a, 106b may be connected to respective upper and lower connectors 108a, 108b. The upper and lower connectors 108a, 108b may be releasably connected to each other to hold seat support 104 in the folded condition (
In embodiments, connectors 108a, 108b may be configured to connect with each other so as to interconnect seat straps 106a, 106b. Connector 108a, or alternatively connector 108b, may include a female buckle connector with a plurality of parallel channels, e.g., a central channel and first and second side channels. Connector 108b, or alternatively connector 108a, may include a male buckle connector with a plurality of substantially parallel protrusions, e.g., a central protrusion and first and second side protrusions. The plurality of protrusions may include respective leading ends having a hook or prong configured to be positioned and snapped into corresponding ones of the plurality of channels to secure the connectors 108a, 108b relative to each other.
With embodiments, arm supports 112a, 112b may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured to receive respective arms 204a, 204b of a user 200. Arm supports 112a, 112b may be integrally or removably attached to the first and second side panels 116a, 116b, respectively. Arm support 112a may be configured to surround and/or support a portion of a first arm 204a of the user 20, such as a first hand 206a, a first wrist 208a, a first elbow 210a, and/or a combination thereof. Arm support 112b may be configured to surround and/or support a portion of a second arm of the user 200, such as a second hand 206b, a second wrist 208b, a second elbow 210b, and/or a combination thereof.
In examples, lumbar supports 120a, 120b may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable, user-specific and/or configured to engage a back 212 of the user 200. Lumbar supports 120a, 120b may be configured to engage a lumbar portion of the back 212 of the user 200. Lumbar support 120a, 120b may include and/or be configured as protrusions arranged in a matrix pattern having columns and rows corresponding with upper, lower, and/or side regions of a back 212 of the user 200.
With examples, a neck support 122 may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured to conform to a neck 214 of the user 200. The neck support 122 may be integrally or removably attached to the lower portion of the main body 102. The neck support 122 may be extendable and/or adjustable to increase engagement with the neck 214 of the user 200.
Referring to
In examples, hand shields 140a, 140b may be cushioned, inflatable, adjustable, and/or user-specific and include structures configured to cover or shield hands 206a, 206b of a user 200. Hand shields 140a, 140b may be integrally or removably attached to one or both of the first and second shoulder straps 138a, 138b. Hand shields 140a, 140b may be configured to shield the head 216 of the user 200 from one or more environmental elements (e.g., provide shade from the sun to limit sub burn and/or provide cooling, provide heat for cold weather, and/or be waterproof/resistant to provide dryness from rain and/or snow). For example and without limitation, hand shields 140a, 140b may include a generally tapered and/or conical configuration that may open downward. The first and second shoulder straps 138a, 138b may extend through the hand shields 140a, 140b such that when a user 200 inserts hands 206a, 206b into the hand shields 140a, 140b, user 200 may hold onto straps 138a, 138b within hand shields 140a, 140b. The hand shields 140a, 140b may be connected to straps 138, 138b in a fluid sealing manner at or about the top of hand shields 140a, 140b such that fluid may not flow between straps 138a, 138b and hand shields 140a, 140b. The hand shields 140a, 140b may, for example and without limitation, be connected to straps 138a, 138b at a level substantially even with or below a heart of user 200, such as to facilitate blood flow to hands 206a, 206b. The hand shields 140a, 140b may, for example and without limitation, be connected to straps 138a, 138b in an adjustable manner such that hand shields 140a, 140b may be connected to straps 138a, 138b in a plurality of positions, such as via a hook and loop connection, for example.
With examples, such as generally illustrated in
A method of using a backpack system 100 may include providing a main body 102 including a plurality of panels, such as an inward-facing panel 114, second side panels 116a, 116b, and an outward-facing panel 118, that may at least partially define a cavity 102a. The method may include providing a seat support 104 that may be selectively connected to an upper portion of the main body 102 and/or to a lower portion of the main body 102, such as via one or more attachment portions 110. The method may include selectively rotating the seat support 104 between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration relative to the main body 102. The method may include providing first and second shoulder straps 138a, 138b extending between the upper portion of the main body 102 and the lower portion of the main body 102, an arm support 112 integrally or removably attached to at least one of the first and second side panels 116a, 116b, and a hand shield 140 integrally or removably attached to at least one of the first and second shoulder straps 138a, 138b.
Various examples and embodiments are described herein for various apparatuses, systems, and/or methods. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the examples/embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the examples/embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the examples/embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the examples/embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments.
Reference throughout the specification to “examples, “in examples,” “with examples,” “various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the example/embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “examples, “in examples,” “with examples,” “in various embodiments,” “with embodiments,” “in embodiments,” or “an embodiment,” or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more examples/embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment/example may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features, structures, functions, and/or characteristics of one or more other embodiments/examples without limitation given that such combination is not illogical or non-functional. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.
It should be understood that references to a single element are not necessarily so limited and may include one or more of such element. Any directional references (e.g., plus, minus, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of examples/embodiments.
Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected/coupled and in fixed relation to each other. The use of “e.g.” in the specification is to be construed broadly and is used to provide non-limiting examples of embodiments of the disclosure, and the disclosure is not limited to such examples. Uses of “and” and “or” are to be construed broadly (e.g., to be treated as “and/or”). For example and without limitation, uses of “and” do not necessarily require all elements or features listed, and uses of “or” are inclusive unless such a construction would be illogical.
While processes, systems, and methods may be described herein in connection with one or more steps in a particular sequence, it should be understood that such methods may be practiced with the steps in a different order, with certain steps performed simultaneously, with additional steps, and/or with certain described steps omitted.
All matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the present disclosure.
