Patent Application
20250143440
This disclosure relates to a backpack. In particular, the backpack has features that are easy to adjust for users with different body types. More in particular, the backpack has two waist belt portions that are each independently releasably and pivotally connectable to a plurality of connections of the body of the backpack to allow an adjustable position for swiveling of the waist belts. Also, the backpack has a plurality of connections on the body of the backpack to allow adjustable positioning of the shoulder straps.
The exemplary backpack 10 includes a pack body 12. The pack body 12 has a front 14, lateral sides 16,18, and a back 20, and an interior 22 defining at least one compartment of the backpack. The pack body 12 may include a bottom wall 24, and/or a top wall 26, and may have multiple compartments in the interior 22 of the pack body. The front wall 14 and/or side wall 16,18 may include one or more pockets, and/or clips and elastic cords for securing articles against the front and/or side walls, as the case may be. As used herein, the term “walls” includes discrete panels secured along their respective edges to form a side wall, front wall and back wall, as the case may be; and also surfaces of a tubular shaped pack body generally corresponding to the side, front and back faces of the pack body when the pack body is full and in use.
In one aspect, the backpack 10 includes a panel that is attached to the back wall in a manner to form an opening between the panel and the back wall. The panel may arranged in a manner to form a transverse belt slot 28 disposed across a lower portion of the back wall. The panel may form a pocket. Two panels may be provided to provide two pockets. In the embodiment of the transverse belt slot, the transverse belt slot 28 may be formed from one or more pliant members 30 extending across and affixed to the back wall. The one or more pliant members 30 may be stitched or otherwise secured (permanently or releasably) to the back wall 28 along opposite horizontal edges of the pliant member(s) (horizontal meaning relative to the orientation of the backpack when in normal use) with the generally vertically oriented edges free or open to form the transverse belt slot 28. In another aspect, the belt slot 28 may comprise spaced apart openings on the opposite side walls, or laterally opposite sides of the back wall, that communicate with each other. For instance, the belt slot may be formed as a sleeve or tube disposed within the interior 22 of the pack body 12 (e.g., a compartment within the pack body) with openings on the opposite side walls, or laterally opposite sides of the back wall. In another aspect, the pliant member disposed on the lower portion of the back wall may comprise a pad, for instance, for providing padding adjacent the lumbar area of a user. In another aspect, the transverse belt slot may comprise a pocket or a flap.
The back pack may be provided with a first waist belt portion 40 having a distal end 42 and an opposite proximal end 44, and a second waist belt portion 46 having a distal end 48 and an opposite proximal end 50. The first and second waist belt portions 40,46 may be provided as separate members. In using the backpack 10, the proximal end 44 of the first waist belt portion 40 may be directed through one opening of the pocket or transverse belt slot 28 and the proximal end 50 of the second waist belt portion 46 may be directed through the other pocket or opposite end of the transverse belt slot 28. The proximal end 44 of the first waist belt portion 40 may be releasably and pivotally connectable to the pack body 12 within the transverse belt slot 28, and the proximal end 50 of the second waist belt portion 46 may be releasably and pivotally connectable to the pack body within the transverse belt slot. The distal end 42 of the first waist belt portion 40 and the distal end 48 of the second waist belt portion 46 may be releasably connectable together. For instance, the distal end 42 of the first waist belt portion 40 and the distal end 48 of the second waist belt portion 50 may include cooperating portions of a releasable connectable 52 (e.g., a buckle, snap, hook and loop material). Each waist belt portion 40,46 may include a padded region 54 and a strap 56 extending between the padded region and the distal end. A length of the strap 56 extending between the distal end 42,48 and the padded region 54 of each waist belt portion 40,46 may be adjustable at the releasable connector 52.
A plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms 60 may be arranged within the transverse belt slot 28. The proximal end 42 of the first waist belt portion 40 may be releasably and pivotally connectable with any one of the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms 60 arranged within the transverse belt slot 28. In addition to or in the alternative, the proximal end 50 of the second waist belt portion 46 may be releasably and pivotally connectable with any of the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms 60 arranged within the transverse belt slot 28. In one aspect, the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms project from the back wall 20 of the pack body within the belt slot 28. In an alternate construction, the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms 60 extend from the material forming the transverse belt slot, projecting toward the back wall of the pack body within the belt slot. In one aspect, the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms 60 comprise male snap button connectors. In accordance with such a construction, the proximal end 44 of the first waist belt portion 40 and/or the proximal end 50 of the second waist belt portion 46 each comprise female clasps that releasably and pivotally connect with the male snap button connectors. By way of example and not in any limiting sense, the male snap button connectors and female releasable clasps may be a swivel pouch buckle provided commercially by Duraflex Hong Kong Limited under the tradename SIMPLX™. Generally speaking, the female clasp may have a reduced diameter region sufficient to engage around a head of the male snap button connector and deflectable tabs to maintain engagement and allow disengagement from the head of the male snap button connector. In one aspect, the male snap button connectors extend through the back wall 20 and are affixed to the back wall with a cooperating plate 62 abutting the back wall. For instance, the plate 62 abutting the back wall may be provided on a reinforcement fabric member 64 that forms the back wall in the area of the transverse belt slot 28. The plate 64 may interlock with the male snap button connector in a manner such that the back wall 20 and any reinforcing ply 64 are sandwiched between the plate and an anchor surface of the male snap button connector. In another aspect, at least two of the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms 60 are adapted and configured for releasably pivotal connection with the proximal end 44 of the first waist belt portion 40 and at least two of the plurality of spaced apart connection mechanisms are adapted and configured for releasably pivotal connection with the proximal end 50 of the second waist belt portion 46. For instance, as shown in the drawings, two male snap button connectors are provided for the first waist belt portion and two male snap button connectors are provided for the second waist belt portion. In this way, the user may choose the distance between the proximal ends of the first and second waist belt portions, selectively engage each waist belt portion to a connection mechanism as may be desired to set the overall belt size, and fine tune the belt size with the strap adjustments located between the padded region and distal end of each waist belt portion. In
Additionally, or in the alternative, the back pack 10 may include first and second adjustable shoulder straps 70,72. In one aspect, the pack body 12 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart loops 74 extending transversely across an upper portion of the back wall 20. The plurality of spaced apart loops 74 may be disposed within a pocket 76 formed on the back wall 20 of the pack body 12. An outer surface of the pocket 76 may be padded to provide comfort to the user. By way of example and not in any limiting sense, as shown in the drawings, three loops 74 are provided for the first shoulder strap 70, and three loops 74 are provided for the second shoulder strap 72. In this way, the user may selectively engage each shoulder strap 70,72 to a loop 74 as may be desired to set the distance between the shoulder straps. As shown in the drawings, the first and second shoulder straps each have a distal end 78 that is connectable with the lower portion of the pack body 12. The first and second shoulder straps 70,72 may each have a buckle 80 for adjustably setting the length of the respective shoulder strap. The proximal end 82 of each of the first and second shoulder strap may have a hook adapted and configured to releasably engage any one of the plurality of spaced apart loops 72. The hook may be a tension locking type of hook, for instance, as provided commercially by Duraflex Hong Kong Limited under the tradename ALULA™ TENSIONLOCK™. A sternum strap 84 and buckle 86 may also be provided to connect the shoulder straps 70,72.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, various modes of carrying out the principles disclosed herein are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims. Therefore, it is understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited except as otherwise set forth in the claims.
