FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to backpacks and more particularly to accessories for enhancing the functionality of backpacks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is convenient in many wilderness activities to sit and rest. Backpackers often sit while hiking or at a campsite. Hunters will often sit for hours in cold or wet conditions waiting for prey. Often there is no natural formation where one can sit comfortably without getting dirty. Some attempts have been made to make lightweight portable seats. However, the undersides of such seats are inevitably dirtied. The seat thereafter cannot be conveniently handled or stored without spreading dirt to the user, a storage bag, and the seating surface of the seat.
In one prior system, a retractable seat is positioned within a vest against a user's back. The user pulls the seat down to sit on it and pulls a single strap near the shoulder to pull the seat into the vest. In such systems, after the seat has been used once and retracted, dirt and debris adhering to the seat is transferred to the inside of the vest. When the seat is extended again, the dirt and debris is pressed against the user's clothing. Such systems have the further disadvantage that when retracting the seat, the seat must be dragged across the user's back, which may tug at the user's clothing and require a great deal of force if the user is not wearing low friction materials.
In view of the foregoing, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a portable seat providing a clean comfortable seating surface while reducing the potential for dirt to be transferred from the seat to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a backpack having a retractable seat. The backpack includes a pouch for storing articles. A sleeve secures to the pouch and receives a seat. The seat includes extension straps secured to a lower portion thereof that are gripped by a user to withdraw the seat from the sleeve. Retraction straps secured to an upper portion of the seat and are gripped by a user to retract the seat into the sleeve. The retraction straps may pass through channels secured to carrying straps, such as shoulder straps, in order to position the ends thereof in an accessible position.
The seat may have a widened lower portion suitable for sitting on. In use the seat is bent such that the lower portion is positioned directly below the user. Inasmuch as the upper portion is not directly sat upon it may be made narrower and therefore lighter in weight.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side cutaway away view of a backpack having a retractable seat, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of a backpack having a retractable seat, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a side cutaway view of the backpack of FIGS. 1 and 2 having the retractable seat in a deployed position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a front view of the backpack of FIGS. 1 and 2 having the retractable seat in a deployed position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram of a method for using a backpack having a retractable seat, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a side cutaway view of an alternative embodiment of a backpack having a retractable seat, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a backpack having a retractable seat, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a side cutaway view of the backpack of FIGS. 6 and 7 having the seat in an extended position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is front view of the backpack of FIGS. 6 and 7 having the seat in a retracted position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 10 is a front view of a backpack having a multi-panel seat, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a backpack 10 includes a pouch 12 and one or more carrying straps 14. A sleeve 16 secures to the pouch 12 and contains a seat 18. The carrying straps 14 secure at their ends 20a, 20b to the pouch 12 or the sleeve 16. The seat 18 typically includes a cushion or pad, which may be covered with a wear resistant material. The cushion or pad may have insulative as well as cushioning properties. The sleeve 16 may be embodied as a cover 22 secured at its lateral edges to the pouch 12 such that the seat 18 is positionable between the cover 22 and the pouch 12.
One or more extension straps 24 secure to a lower portion 26 of the seat 18 and one or more retraction straps 28 secure to an upper portion 30 of the seat 18. In practice a user pulls on the extension straps 24 to withdraw the seat 18 from the sleeve 16 in order to sit on the seat 18. In the illustrated embodiments, the extension straps 24 include loops of material secured to a lower edge of the seat 18.
The user pulls on the retraction straps 28 to retract the seat 18 into the sleeve 16. The retraction straps 28 may extend through retraction channels 32 secured to the carrying straps 14. The retraction channels 32 may serve to retain a loop 34, or handle 34, in a position readily accessible by the user. In the illustrated embodiment, the retraction channels 32 are embodied as sheets 36 of material secured along their edges to the carrying straps 14 to form a channel containing the retraction straps 28.
Retracting the seat 18 into the sleeve 16 ensures that any dirt or debris adhering to the seat 18 will be deposited on an area that is not in contact with the user. Thus, when the seat 18 is withdrawn for a second use, dirt and debris from a first use will not be deposited on the user of the seat 18.
Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the cover 22 may be formed as a pad 38 or have a pad 38 secured thereto to enhance user comfort. The sleeve 16 may further include extensions 40 extending outwardly from the pad to receive a seat 18 having a wide lower portion 26. The extensions 40 may secure to a hip belt 42 secured to the pad 38 or the pouch 12.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in the extended position, the seat 18 is available for sitting on by a user. In some embodiments the seat 18 bends to conform to a seated user, such that the lower portion 26 is located directly beneath the user. Alternatively, the seat 18 may be substantially straight when in use. Flexible stays 44 made of flexible plastic or the like may be positioned within the seat 18 to give shape to the seat 18 while still permitting bending thereof. Inasmuch as the lower portion 26 is the only portion actually sat upon in some embodiments, the lower portion 26 may be made wide enough for comfortable sitting whereas the upper portion 30 is made narrower. In this manner, the overall weight of the seat 18 is reduced.
Referring to FIG. 5, a method 46 for using a backpack 10 with a retractable seat 18 may include withdrawing 48 the seat 18 from the sleeve 16, such as by pulling on the extension straps 24. The lower portion 26 may then be bent 50 relative to the upper portion 30 to conform to a seated user. The user may then sit 52 on the lower portion 26. The seat 18 may then be retracted 54 into the sleeve by pulling on the retraction straps 28.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in an alternative embodiment, an end 56 of the retraction strap 28 secures to the seat 18 or to the strap 28. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, as the seat 18 is extended, the strap 28 is drawn into the sleeve 16 such that the length of the exposed strap 28 is substantially the same in both extended and retracted positions.
Referring to FIG. 10, in another alternative embodiment, the seat 18 is wider than the sleeve 16 such that it must be rolled, compressed, folded, or otherwise deformed, in order to be retracted into the sleeve 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the seat 10 has multiple panels 18a-18c. The panels 18a and 18c are folded over the central panel 18b when the seat 18 is in a retracted position. The multi-panel seat 18 may serve as a sleeping pad, diaper-changing pad, and the like. In this and other previously described embodiments, the seat 18 may secure to the retraction straps 28 by means of quick-release buckles 58 or the like such that the seat 18 can be readily removed from the pack 10.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
Patent Application
20070210125
