Backpack and components therefor

Abstract

A backpack having a shoulder harness (14) and a hip harness (20). The shoulder harness preferably consists of a pair of padded shoulder strap assemblies (14a and 14b) that have elongate pockets (27) sewn into their outer linings into which contour plates (26) are fitted to control the lateral curvature of the straps. The plates are selected to have the stiffness and shape to suit the chest and shoulder shape of the individual user. The hip harness (20) is preferably divided into independent left and right halves (20a and 20b) that are each pivotally attached to a frame element within the front lower portion of the pack. While the hip harness may be unitary, or the two halves may be more or less tightly coupled together, pivotal attachment of the back of the harness to the pack is highly desirable.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority from Australian provisional patent application serial number 2003906034, filed Nov. 3, 2003. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This invention relates to backpacks and to backpack shoulder harnesses and hip harnesses. [0003] As a matter of convention, the terms ‘front’ and ‘back’, ‘left’ and ‘right’ and ‘lumbar portion’ when used with a backpack have reference to a standing person wearing the pack. Thus, the front of a backpack is the face that lies adjacent the back of the person and the back of the backpack is the part that is most remote from the person when the pack is worn. Similarly, the right and left sides of the pack are those which lie to the right and left of the person wearing the pack, and the lumbar portion of the pack is the lower portion opposed to the lumbar spine of the user at about the level of the hip harness of the backpack. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0004] The backpacks with which this invent...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] Preferably, the hip-plate of each segment is encased in a tightly fitting cover or pocket of textile fabric having good tensile strength. This helps to reinforce the plate against tearing along stitch-lines, cracking from the periphery and buckling or crumpling under stress. The hip harness buckle means can be attached directly to the hip-plates or to their pockets, allowing the hip harness to be tightened as much as desired without stretch or creep. Resistance to stretch and creep is further enhanced by the pivotal mounting of the hip-plates on the frame element.

[0010] The use of independently pivoting side segments allows each side of the hip harness to automatically assume the contour of the wearer's hip region and to move more freely and independently as the pelvis of the walker rocks cyclically during walking or tilts during climbing. It also allows the hip harness to be stowed during storage or transport of the backpack by swinging the side segments upwards against the front of the pack. A zip-around cover flap may be attached to the bottom of the pack, or accommodated within a pocket in the bottom of the load bag, so that it can be pulled out over the stowed hip and shoulder harnesses and zipped in place for transport. This is especially valuable when backpacks are entrusted to the baggage handling systems of airports.

[0014] From another aspect, the invention comprises a backpack having a shoulder harness including left and right shoulder straps that extend over the shoulders of the user and characterized in that a pocket is formed in the top face of each shoulder strap in the shoulder region and a removable flexible contour plate is fitted into each pocket to shape the respective strap in the lateral (generally horizontal direction). Each shoulder strap is formed with inner or lower padding and with an outer or upper lining and the pocket is formed on or in the upper lining. A series of alternative contour plates of different shapes can be fitted into the pocket to force the strap into different lateral configurations, depending upon the slope and contour of the user's neck and shoulders. The contour plate additionally serves to mitigate bunching or edge-curling of the shoulder strap padding over the shoulder.

[0015] The plates of the hip and shoulder harnesses are preferably cut from sheet plastic material—such a polypropylene—that is at least one millimeter thick and is substantially inextensible under the loads encountered in backpacks. Such plates are easily flexed in directions orthogonal to their planes but strongly resist coplanar flexing forces. As already indicated, the plates may be confined within a closely fitting textile cover that extends over the edges of the plate and / or edge bound with textile material to reduce chafing of an by their edges.

Problems solved by technology

Because of the wide variety of human body shapes and sizes and the wide variety of body movements during walking, climbing, skiing etc, it is difficult to design a back pack—especially one intended to carry substantial loads—to suit a wide variety of people, despite providing adjustable shoulder and hip harnesses.

Tailor-making a pack, hip harness, shoulder harness and frame elements to suit an individual is generally impractical for cost reasons.

Images