Backpack having a suspended inner pouch

Abstract

A backpack for carrying a load comprises a shoulder strap assembly, an exterior shell and a pouch for storing the load. The exterior shell has an opening and is attached to the shoulder strap. The pouch is located inside the shell and attached to it and comprises a stretchable portion. This stretchable portion is made of a material having an elastic modulus allowing it to stretch and retract when the load is placed inside the pouch so that the pouch moves down and up relative to the shell with a gait of a wearer of the backpack.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention generally relates to the field of backpacks. More specifically, the invention relates to a backpack that is designed to ease the walking of a wearer while carrying a load in the backpack.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Backpack carrying starts at a very young age for students. As children get older, the frequency of backpack carrying and size of load carried increases, often exceeding a maximum recommended load. The cumulative effects of many years of load carriage can cause many orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries. People commonly complain about back pain, shoulder pain, and discomfort while wearing a backpack and these negative effects have prompted research on the physical demands of load carriage in attempts to create a physically less demanding product.[0003]Countless adaptations have been made in an attempt to alter attributes such as load placement and size, compression, strap placement, and energy expenditure. A large po...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]It is an object of the present invention to provide a backpack that overcomes or mitigates one or more disadvantages of known backpacks, or at least provides a useful alternative.

[0008]The invention provides the advantage of at least partially alleviating the burden of carrying a loaded backpack while walking by suspending the load inside the backpack and allowing it to move up and down in a movement that is out of phase with a gait of a wearer of the backpack.

Problems solved by technology

As children get older, the frequency of backpack carrying and size of load carried increases, often exceeding a maximum recommended load.

The cumulative effects of many years of load carriage can cause many orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries.

A large portion of previous research focused on the load size as the main problem when it comes to the kinematics adjustments of a human body and negative physical effects of load carriage.

During investigations, it was found that increased weight in a backpack resulted in significant compressive forces causing the spine, and therefore posture, to be altered.

A study conducted in 2006 actually focused on a group of significantly affected college students, found that carrying a load heavier than 15% of their body weight could cause various musculoskeletal injuries.

Carrying a loaded backpack results in the center of mass being farther back than it would be when carrying no load.

When the weight is positioned closer to the center of mass, allowing the body to remain in a more upright position, it not only reduces the energy required to carry the load but also reduces the torques acting on the body.

The vertical placement of the load on the back is also important because in very tall individuals, high placement may further destabilize their posture by causing sway due to rotational inertia.

This would require more muscle activity to maintain an upright posture and cause discomfort and an increased energy cost.

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