Packs such as backpacks used to store and transport camera equipment typically have cover that is zipped onto to a housing. Known covers have to be completely unzipped to provide access to the equipment, making use of the backpack more time consuming when retrieving or storing an object in the backpack.
Aspects of the disclosure enable objects stored in a pack to be accessed easily and efficiently. In one aspect, a pack is provided. The pack includes a rear portion including one or more first sidewalls, and a front portion including one or more second sidewalls. Each first sidewall has a generally convex configuration, and each second sidewall has a generally concave configuration that complements the generally convex configuration of the first sidewalls. The second sidewalls are extendable generally along the first sidewalls to couple the front portion to the rear portion.
In another aspect, a panel is provided for use in fabricating a pack. The panel includes a first portion including a first body and a pair of first side sections extending laterally from the first body, and a second portion including a second body and a pair of second side sections extending from the second body. Each first side section has a generally convex configuration, and each second side section has a generally concave configuration that complements the generally convex configuration of the first side sections. The second portion is hingably coupled to the first portion.
In yet another aspect, a method of manufacturing a pack is provided for use in storing camera equipment. The method includes providing a rear portion including a pair of first sidewalls, and providing a front portion including a pair of second sidewalls. Each first sidewalls has a generally convex configuration, and each second sidewall has a generally concave configuration that complements the generally convex configuration of the first sidewalls. The front portion is hingably coupled to the front portion such that the pack is moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The second sidewalls extend generally along the first sidewalls when the pack is in the closed configuration.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
The subject matter described herein relates generally to packs and, more specifically, to a clamshell pack. Examples of the disclosure may be used, for example, to provide access to an interior of a pack without completely unzipping a cover. In some examples, the pack includes a base or rear portion including one or more first side sections, and a cover or front portion including one or more second side sections. The rear portion has an edge with a first S-shaped configuration, and the front portion has an edge with a second S-shaped configuration that complements the first S-shaped configuration.
In some examples, a cover or front portion 120 is coupled to the rear portion 110 such that the pack 100 is moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The front portion 120 may include a lower section 122, an upper wall 124, and/or a pair of sidewalls 126 extending between the lower section 122 and upper wall 124. As shown in
In some examples, the pack 100 includes a coupling mechanism 130 coupling at least a section of the front portion 120 to a section of the rear portion 110. A curved, continuous zipper on three sides of the pack 100 may allow the pack 100 to be opened. For example, the upper wall 124 and/or sidewalls 126 of the front portion 120 may be aligned with the upper wall 114 and/or sidewalls 116 of the rear portion 110 and coupled thereto, as shown in
The first portion 210 may be used to fabricate the rear portion 110 of the pack 100. For example, the end section 214 and side sections 216 may be turned or rotated to extend generally perpendicular to the body 212 such that the end section 214 and side sections 216 form the upper wall 114 and sidewalls 116 of the rear portion 110. The end section 214 and side sections 216 may be coupled to each other to form a seam at each interface 238 therebetween. As shown in
Referring back to
The second portion 240 may be used to fabricate the front portion 120 of the pack 100. For example, the end section 244 and side sections 246 may be turned or rotated to extend generally perpendicular to the body 242 such that the end section 244 and side sections 246 form the upper wall 124 and sidewalls 126 of the front portion 120. The end section 244 and side sections 246 may be coupled to each other to form a seam at each interface 268 therebetween. As shown in
In some examples, the first portion 210 and second portion 240 are integrally formed from a single piece of cloth or other flexible and/or pliable material. Alternatively, the first portion 210 and second portion 240 may be formed from separate pieces of cloth and/or other material that are coupled together. The body 242 of the second portion 240 is hingably coupled to the body 212 of the first portion 210 at an interface 270 therebetween such that the front portion 120 of the pack 100 (e.g., fabricated from the second portion 240) may be moved relative to the rear portion 110 of the pack 100 (e.g., fabricated from the first portion 210) between an open position and a closed position. For example, the second portion 240 may be turned and rotated such that an inner surface of the body 242 generally faces an inner surface of the body 212 of the first portion 210 and the end section 244 and/or side sections 246 are generally aligned with the end section 214 and/or side sections 216 of the first portion 210.
In some examples, the end section 244 and/or side sections 246 are selectively coupleable to the end section 214 and/or side sections 216 using a coupling mechanism 130. The coupling mechanism 130 may include, for example, first zipper teeth 282 extending along an edge of the end section 214 and/or side sections 216, second zipper teeth 284 extending along an edge of the end section 244 and/or side sections 246, and one or more zipper sliders 286 (shown in
The control mechanism 310 may be used to maintain a distance or spacing between at least a section of the front portion 120 and a section of the rear portion 110. A distance between the connectors 316 and the rear portion 110 and/or front portion 120 (e.g., a length of the first strap 312 and/or second strap 314, respectively) may be selectively adjusted to control how tightly the rear portion 110 and front portion 120 would be coupled to each other by the control mechanism 310. For example, the first strap 312 and/or second strap 314 may be adjusted to restrict a movement of the front portion 120 relative to the rear portion 110 while still allowing a section of the front portion 120 to separate from the rear portion 110 to provide access to an interior or cavity 402 of the pack 100 (e.g., when the coupling mechanism 130 is at least partially undone or unzipped), as shown in
As shown in
In some examples, the pack 100 includes a securing mechanism 520 that selectively secures the shoulder straps 510.
The securing mechanism 520 may be used to maintain a distance or spacing between the shoulder straps 510. A distance between the connectors 526 and the shoulder straps 510 (e.g., a length of the first strap 522 and/or second strap 524) may be selectively adjusted to control how tightly the shoulder straps 510 would be coupled to each other by the control mechanism 310. For example, the first strap 522 and/or second strap 524 may be adjusted to restrict a movement of the shoulder straps 510 relative to each other. In some examples, the first strap 522 and/or second strap is extended through a loop 528 at the lower section 112 of the rear portion 110 and/or lower section 122 of the front portion 120 to facilitate restricting a movement of the shoulder straps 510 relative to the rear portion 110 and/or front portion 120.
In some examples, the pack 100 includes a panel 530 extending generally parallel to the rear portion 110. The panel 530 may be connected to the lower section 112 and/or upper wall 114 of the rear portion 110, for example, to define a channel therebetween through which a handle 540 may be extended, as shown in
A front portion 120 is provided at operation 620. The front portion 120 includes one or more second sidewalls 126. Each second sidewall 126 has a generally concave edge or configuration that complements the generally convex edge of the first sidewalls 116. In some examples, the front portion 120 includes an upper wall 124 extending between a pair of second sidewalls 126. The upper wall 124 may have a generally convex edge or configuration that complements the generally concave edge of the upper wall 114 such that the front portion 120 has a second S-shaped edge or configuration that complements the first S-shaped edge of the rear portion 110.
In this manner, the first sidewalls 116 may occupy a majority of the depth of the pack 100 (e.g., at least approximately 60%, at least approximately 70%, or at least approximately 80%, at least approximately 90%) at one or more first locations, including at or proximate to a longitudinal midsection (e.g., between the lower section 112 and upper wall 114 of the rear portion 110 and/or between the lower section 122 and upper wall 124 of the front portion 120), and the second sidewalls 126 may occupy a majority of the depth of the pack 100 (e.g., at least approximately 60%, at least approximately 70%, or at least approximately 80%, at least approximately 90%) at one or more second locations, including at or proximate to the longitudinal ends (e.g., proximate lower section 112, upper wall 114, lower section 122, and/or upper wall 124).
The front portion 120 is hingably coupled to the rear portion 110 at operation 630. The front portion 120 and rear portion 110 may be coupled such that the pack 100 is moveable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. When the pack 100 is in the closed configuration, the concave edge of the second sidewalls 126 are aligned with or extend generally along the convex edge of the first sidewalls 116.
A control mechanism 310 may be used to selectively control a portion of the front portion 120 and/or rear portion 110 independent of the coupling mechanism 130. For example, when the coupling mechanism 130 is completely undone or unzipped and the front portion 120 is moved from the rear portion 110 to access the cavity 402, the control mechanism 310 may restrict at least a section of the front portion 120 from moving relative to the rear portion 110. In some examples, one section of the front portion 120 may be moved away from the rear portion 110 and/or rotated about the first strap 312 and/or second strap 314 while a distance between another section of the front portion 120 and the rear portion 110 is generally maintained by the first strap 312 and/or second strap 314. Additionally, the concave configuration of the upper wall 124 allow for relatively easy access to the cavity 402, while the concave configuration of the first sidewalls 116 ensure one or more objects are maintained in the cavity 402.
The order of execution or performance of the operations in examples of the disclosure illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, the operations may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and examples of the disclosure may include additional or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular operation before, contemporaneously with, or after another operation is within the scope of aspects of the disclosure.
Examples described herein include a pack that allows for partial opening of the pack to provide useful access to the interior of the pack. For example, the concave configuration of the front upper wall allows for relatively easy access while the concave configuration of the rear sidewalls ensure one or more objects are maintained in the interior of the pack. Some examples include a control mechanism that may be used to selectively control movement of a portion of the front portion and/or rear portion.
When introducing elements of aspects of the disclosure or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. Furthermore, references to an “embodiment” or “example” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments or examples that also incorporate the recited features. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. The phrase “one or more of the following: A, B, and C” means “at least one of A and/or at least one of B and/or at least one of C.”
Having described aspects of the disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions, systems, and methods without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
While the aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of various examples with their associated operations, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that a combination of operations from any number of different examples is also within the scope of the aspects of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/729,802, filed Sep. 11, 2018.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62729802 | Sep 2018 | US |