Backpack support apparatus

Abstract

The present invention comprises a user-friendly, soft and resilient, biomimetic (mimicking biological entities) back pack weight support and mobility enhancement system that can function like a caddie and can be worn externally by people carrying a back pack to improve and enhance shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles performance in all dynamic activities while carrying a back pack. The present invention can comprise an outfit, allowing a portion of the back pack's weight to be excluded from being transmitted to the shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles; instead directly transmitting the weight to the footwear and / or the ground, through soft elastic columnar quasi-legs equipped with smart biomimetic materials such as shape memory materials and artificial muscles such as synthetic and / or ionic polymeric muscles and provide support function by buckling and bending in accordance with the dynamic maneuvering of the user. The outfit can be encapsulated by user-friendly fabric means for easy wear. The upper portion of the outfit can be in the form of a pouch equipped with fastening portions to be attached to the bottom of the back pack worn by the user while the lower portion of the outfit can be attached to the footwear while transmitting the weight of the back pack to the ground or attached to a ball and socket wheel on the ground right behind the user.

Description

CROSSREFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. utility application Ser. No. 11 / 115,731, “Human lower limb performance enhancement outfit,” filed Apr. 26, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference, and is related to U.S. utility application entitled “Human Lower Limb Performance Enhancement Outfit Systems,” filed concurrently, which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND [0002] The present invention relates to back pack weight or load support and mobility enhancement system, and can function like a caddie and can be worn and carried externally by people carrying a heavy back pack, more particularly, of a type useful to long hikers, soldiers and mountaineers. [0003] Soldiers, hikers, mountaineers, and others experience shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles strain and fatigue, which of course limits their mobility and maneuvering capabilities. A...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] The present invention comprises a back pack weight / load support and mobility enhancement system that serves like a caddie that can be worn externally by people carrying a back pack to improve and enhance shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles performance in all dynamic activities while carrying a back pack. More specifically, the present invention relates to an outfit, which allows a portion of the back pack's weight to be excluded from being transmitted to the shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles by directly transmitting them to the footwear and / or the ground, through soft elastic columnar quasi-legs that are equipped with smart biomimetic materials such as shape memory materials and artificial muscles such as synthetic and / or ionic polymeric muscles and provide support function by buckling and bending in accordance with the dynamic maneuvering of the user.

[0015] The present invention can provide an outfit, which allows a portion of the weight and load of a back pack to be excluded from being transmitted to the shoulders, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles while carrying the back pack. The weight and load can instead be directly transmitted them to the ankles, footwear and / or the ground, through soft elastic columnar quasi-legs that are equipped with soft resilient elastic biomimetic smart materials such as shape memory materials and artificial muscles such as synthetic and ionic polymeric muscles as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,852 to Shahinpoor, et al., entitled “Soft Actuators and Artificial Muscles”, issued Aug. 29, 2000 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,639 to Shahinpoor, et al., entitled “Ionic Polymer Sensors and Actuators”, issued Nov. 5, 2002, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and provide support function by buckling and bending in accordance with the maneuvering of the user. The performance-enhancing outfit can be encapsulated by user-friendly fabric means for easy wear. The upper portion of the outfit can comprise a pouch equipped with attachable portions (e.g., fitted with material like Velcro®) to be securely attached to the bottom of a back pack worn by the user while the lower portion of the outfit can be attached securely to the footwear of the user while transmitting the weight of the back pack to the ground or attached to a ball and socket wheel on the ground behind the user.

Problems solved by technology

Soldiers, hikers, mountaineers, and others experience shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles strain and fatigue, which of course limits their mobility and maneuvering capabilities.

However, there has been little improvement in connection with effective reduction of the load and weight a back pack imparts on the human torso, shoulder, back, upper body, abdomen, waist, hips, lower limb, legs, knees, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles.

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