POLYMERIC BACKPACK FRAME

Abstract

A backpack mounting frame system has a front side and a back side, side rails being arranged on opposite sides, a center rail that extends from a bottom to a top of the frame, and two interconnecting stabilizing segments extending transversely across the center rail. The frame material is lightweight, strong, sturdy, and selectively flexible to suspend a backpack load and decouple it from movements of the wearer. The frame actively stabilizes loads attached to the system. The system has a contoured, slightly curved structure that brings the load from a load transfer point, following the curvature of the wearer's back. The frame provides the wearer a superior fit and range of motion with varying equipment weight while maintaining a low cost of manufacture.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 63/450,851, filed Mar. 8, 2023, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to backpack frame systems and, more particularly, to a polymeric, all-purpose, lightweight, individual, carrying equipment (PALICE) backpack frame.

All-purpose, lightweight, individual, carrying equipment (Alice) Backpacks are used for carrying weapons, radios, clothing, food, medical supplies, ammunition, and batteries. The load weight is primarily ammunition which is very dense. Even a relatively small load presents challenges to the wearer's comfort and balance. Some attempts have been made to mount Alice backpacks to a lightweight, better structured, and sturdy frame but cannot meet the needs of the industry since most of the frames are of steel or aluminum. Fabrication techniques used to manufacture these frames mostly include cutting, bending, welding, and riveting together the component parts. The frame supports the load of the pack and distributes the load across the user's hips, shoulders, and back.

As can be seen, there is a need for a lightweight, contoured device that allows the user to efficiently mount heavy packs and be able to carry a heavy load on his/her back and offers strength, stability, and fluidity through the proper distribution of the weight points of a load between attachment points without sagging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a monolithic polymeric backpack frame, sometimes referred to herein as the PALIC FRAME, comprises an outer frame border with rounded corners, having parallel lengthwise members joined by parallel widthwise members; and a pair of parallel mounting extensions protruding normal to the outer frame border.

The PALICE FRAME is a contoured device made of lightweight polymer that matches the curves of the user's back and distributes the weight points between the wearer's shoulders, hips, and back. THE PALICE FRAME allows the desired loaded Alice packs to be mounted to its frame carcass and provides a stationary status of the mounted pack. Besides THE PALICE FRAME containing OPENINGS, the contoured feature of THE PALICE FRAME network is also designed to provide comfort and balance for the wearer's back, distributing the concentrating pressure evenly across the wearer's back, shoulders, and hips.

The disclosed device is unique when compared with other known devices and solutions because it provides: (1) The option for users to create connection points with one continuous strand of material or to create multiple connection points with many strands of materials; (2) Speedy, efficient, and user-friendly attachment, adjustment, and removal process of THE PALICE FRAME on/from Alice Backpack; and (3) OPENINGS and the material of the frame reduce the overall weight of THE PALICE FRAME, thus creating a unique lightweight device. Similarly, the associated method is unique in that it: (1) Reduces the cost of materials and labor. Hence, THE PALICE FRAME does not require additional assembly or screwing, the user would need to mount the FRAME to the backpack using the attachments straps by weaving them through the OPENINGS in the frame; (3) Secure a heavy backpack to the frame, eliminating any sagging and shifting.

The device disclosed herein has (1) a Lightweight, stable, and sturdy polymer material that does not add any significant weight to the heavy Alice backpack; (2) The comfortable contoured curvature of the frame matching the curves of the wearer's back; and (3) OPENINGS are created for better mounting strategies, providing balance and stability of the load in the backpack.

A desired weight/load may be mounted to the backpack frame while balancing, stabilizing, distributing, and creating comfort for the wearer's back by a process of mounting according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thus suspended, the front panel can flex inwardly and outwardly, as needed, to create space for the wearer's back-borne equipment. Front panel flexure thus optimizes load centering and stability on the ever-changing convex surface of the wearer's back.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a backpack frame according to an embodiment of the present inventions, shown in use with an Alice Backpack mounted thereto;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof, shown with shoulder straps and a kidney pad mounted thereto;

FIG. 3 is a bottom rear perspective view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a left side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a right side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view thereof;

FIG. 10 is a lower detail view thereof;

FIG. 11 is an upper detail view thereof;

FIG. 12 is another lower detail view thereof; and

FIG. 13 is another upper detail view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a sturdy backpack frame formed of a polymer.

THE PALICE FRAME includes a forwardly facing front side and the back side, side rails being arranged on opposite sides, the center flat bar that extends from the bottom to the top of the frame, and two interconnecting stabilizing bars extend transversely across the center line, this way creating six rectangular spaced sections. The angles of the upper part of the frame are rounded. The top rail has two openings that allow independently positionable shoulder strap assemblies to be attached. The lower portion of THE PALICE FRAME has two rectangular-shaped arms on both parallel sides of the frame. Both arms have spherical openings in the center and vertical extended oval openings on the sides of the arms. All the above-mentioned openings are designed to serve as attachment/connection points for the straps of the kidney pad, shoulder straps, which are part of Alice Backpack, and the straps of the Alice Backpack. The openings may have various shapes, holes, marks, cuts, and/or letters, provided they can withstand the stress of weaving material through a single OPENING. The OPENINGS are not limited to the following or any mixture thereof: asymmetrical/symmetrical/geometric/non-geometric shapes, holes, marks, cuts, and/or letters (capitalized/non-capitalized). The PORTALS extend to Snowflake shapes with multiple slits, creating multiple edges, Slits, and Quadrilaterals: Square, Rectangle, Parallelogram, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Trapezium, Kite, Irregular Quadrilateral. Triangles: Scalene Triangle, Right Triangle, Equilateral Triangle, Acute Triangle, Obtuse Triangle. Polygons: Pentagon, Hexagon, Heptagon, Octagon, Nonagon, Decagon, Dodecagon, Irregular Polygon. Curved Shapes: Circle, Oval/Ellipse, Lens, Crescent, Arches, Annulus, Circular Segment, Circular Sector. 3D Shapes: Cube/Hexahedron, Rectangular Prism/Cuboid, Cylinder, Sphere, Hemisphere, Triangular Prism, Cone, Hexagonal Prism, Pentagonal Prism, Square Pyramid, Triangular Pyramid, Hexagonal Pyramid, Parallelepiped, Tetrahedron, Octahedron, Dodecahedron, Icosahedron, Rhombic Dodecahedron, Frustum, Cyclic Quadrilateral, Lozenge, Tangential Quadrilateral, Trapezes, Isosceles Trapezoid, Convex, Concave, Saucer, Square Pyramid, Torus, Octahedron, Hexagonal Pyramid, Icosahedron, Pentagrammic Prism, Pentagonal Prism, Triangular Prism, Hexagonal Prism, etc.

THE PALICE FRAME is not limited to any color/hue, pattern (camouflage patterns), or prints (camouflage prints).

THE PALICE FRAME may have any suitable dimensions, including but not limited to a specific range, placement, size, distance, spacing, area, perimeter, radius, diameter, etc. (the dimensions are translatable through but limited to Metric and/or Imperial Measuring Systems.) In an exemplary embodiment, THE PALICE FRAME may be 20.45 inches (51.94 cm) in height with strategically spaced sections 4.50 inches (11.43 cm) to about 10 inches (25.4 cm) horizontally, and 7 inches (17.78 cm) from the middle bar to the first bottom bar, in the area from the first bottom bar to the end panel of the frame. The width of the frame may be about 12.5 inches (31.75 cm) from the right rail to the left side measured horizontally.

The polymeric material is not particularly limited, provided that it is sufficiently strong to withstand the heavy loads that are associated with Alice backpacks and is resilient to avoid breakage. For example, the material may be polycarbonate or polyamide, with or without reinforcement material, such as fiberglass.

A method of mounting components to the frame may include but is not limited to a step of weaving straps through, in-between, over and under, adjacent to, etc. frame elements, or any mixture thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 13, FIG. 1 depicts a PALICE FRAME 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a backpack 100 attached thereto. The backpack 100 includes a load-carrying section 102 having a forwardly facing flexible front panel. A pair of spaced apart shoulder straps 104 are joined to and border the sides of the panel. A foam-cushioned kidney pad 106 is positioned adjacent a base of the backpack 100. A top padded section of the backpack covers a top handle panel.

As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the shoulder straps 104 are attached to the top handle 12 of the frame 10 through two openings 14 (see FIG. 3), with webbing straps woven through circular openings 34 in parallel arms 30 on both sides of the frame 10. Reinforcement fins 36 join the arms 30 to the side rails 16, 18. Additional reinforcements are shown in the FIGS.

FIGS.3-4 depict the back side and the front side of THE PALICE FRAME 10, respectively, with side rails 16, 18 being arranged on opposite sides thereof and a center flattened bar 24 that extends from the bottom 20 to the top 12 of the frame 10. Two interconnecting stabilizing bars 26, 28 extend transversely across the center line 24, defining six rectangular spaces. The bottom 20 of the frame 10 has openings 22 formed therein through which straps may be fastened.

As can best be seen in FIGS. 5-6, each arm has two openings 32, 34 having different shapes. The circular opening 34 is for webbing straps coming from the shoulder straps 104 and for the attachment of the webbing straps of the bottom part of the backpack 100. The elongated oval-shaped opening 32 is designed for attachment of the kidney pad 106 to THE PALICE FRAME 10. The two side rails 16, 18 each have a bend 19 formed therein near the top 12. The central rail 24 is curved to match the curve of a human spine. A cross bar 26 joined to the central rail 24 is correspondingly curved.

FIGS. 7-9 provide additional views from the top and bottom of the frame 10, while FIGS. 10-13 depict detailed regions of the frame 10.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A monolithic polymeric backpack frame, comprising: an outer frame border with rounded corners, having parallel lengthwise members joined by parallel widthwise members; anda pair of parallel mounting extensions protruding normal to the outer frame border.

2. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 1, further comprising reinforcement ridges extending along one or more of the parallel lengthwise members, the parallel widthwise members, and/or the pair of parallel mounting extensions.

3. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 1, wherein at least one of the parallel widthwise members is a cross bar, contoured to align with a human back, that extends between the parallel lengthwise members.

4. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 1, wherein the parallel widthwise members include a top member and a bottom member; wherein top strap mounting apertures are formed through the top member; and wherein bottom strap mounting apertures are formed through the bottom member.

5. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 1, wherein the pair of parallel mounting extensions have strap mounting apertures formed therethrough.

6. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 5, wherein the strap mounting apertures include first apertures having a first shape and second apertures having a second shape.

7. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 6, wherein the first shape is substantially spherical and the second shape is a substantially vertical extended oval.

8. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 1, wherein the parallel lengthwise members include two outer members with a central member therebetween.

9. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 8, wherein the central member is contoured to align with a human spine.

10. The monolithic polymeric backpack frame of claim 8, wherein the two outer members exhibit a bend distal from the mounting extensions.