Backpack with segmented construction body protecting features

Abstract

Backpacks, even those for outdoors sports, generally comprise an envelope of relatively flaccid textile material attached to a structured back-engaging frame, board or pad. Extreme sports such as skiing, motorbike racing, snow boarding, heli-skiing and such would benefit from greater protection to the person's back, as well as to the contents of the backpack. The disclosed backpack 2 includes a segmented and shaped back board 40 which permits limited flexing in certain directions to help protect the user's back from overextension. The container or packing portion 24 of the backpack 2 has corresponding rigid segments 16 interconnected by flexible textile portions 20. The segmented packing portion 24 and the segmented safety board 40 work together to protect both the contents of the backpack 2 and the back of the user.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 60 / 636,224 entitled “Backpack with Segmented Construction Body Protecting Features”, filed Dec. 15, 2004.BACKGROUND [0002] This invention relates to shoulder carried luggage cases called backpacks specifically designed for outdoor sports like skiing, snowboarding, trekking and the like. The preferred embodiment of this backpack is especially designed for such sports where hyperextension (bending backward) of the wearer's back is a real possibility. Motor sports have embraced the use of polymer body armor to protect vulnerable portions of the participant's body from injury. However, no one has combined the features of controlled flexibility body protection, in particular back protection, with a fully functional backpack. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0003] This invention comprises a backpack system that includes a harness to intimately hold the backpack construction against the back of the wearer....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004] The main content packing portion of the backpack consists of two or more, preferably four, molded segments interconnected, or at least overlapping, at adjacent edges with extensible or ordinary textile membrane or membranes. The resulting jointed shell and the limited flexibility support board connect to one another at a peripheral seam, which preferably includes zipper access to the main packing compartment. The segmented shells, in combination with the limited flexibility support board, serve to help dissipate and redirect impact forces away from the wearer's back if and when the wearer should fall off a snowboard, fall while skiing, participating in motor-cross sports, etc. Also, the support board, in combination with the rest of the backpack construction, helps prevent hyperextending the user's back and helps reduce or eliminate the resulting injury to the musculature, the spine, and the nerves that could have resulted from such hyperextension.

Problems solved by technology

The backpack construction includes a foam covered support board that has limited flexibility both laterally as well as in the bilateral plane of symmetry of the wearer.

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