Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Article held by receiver
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-12
2004-10-12
Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Article held by receiver
C224S259000, C224S262000, C224S627000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802442
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to backpacks and, more particularly, to backpacks having lift straps coupled to the shoulder straps.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 1
, most conventional backpacks
10
have a pair of shoulder strap assemblies
28
and a waist strap
42
coupled to a storage compartment
34
for holding objects to be carried upon the back of a user. The shoulder strap assemblies
28
and the waist strap
42
distribute the load of the objects carried within the storage compartment
34
upon the shoulders and waist or hips of the user. Although backpacks arranged as described are effective in assisting a user in carrying objects upon the user's back, they are not without problems. For instance, it was found that the ability to adjust the ratio of weight borne by the shoulders relative to the waist of the user was desirable. To accomplish this function, conventional backpacks have incorporated a pair of lift strap assemblies
12
which interconnect an upper portion
36
of the backpack
10
to the shoulder strap assemblies
28
. By tightening the lift strap assemblies
12
, a higher percentage of the load carried by the backpack
10
is borne by the waist strap
42
. In contrast, by loosening the lift strap assemblies
12
, a higher percentage of the load carried by the backpack
10
is carried by the shoulder strap assemblies
28
.
Focusing now on the left lift strap assembly
12
, a first end
20
of the lift strap
18
is rigidly affixed to the shoulder strap assembly
28
by stitching
24
. The lift strap
18
then engages a buckle
16
attached to the upper portion
36
of the storage compartment
34
by a short anchor strap
14
at attachment location
26
. The lift strap
18
is engaged with the buckle
16
by passing the second free end
22
of the lift strap
18
around at least one friction bar
44
. The friction created by the change of direction of the lift strap
18
as the lift strap
18
encircles the friction bar
44
impedes the movement of the lift strap assembly
12
relative to the buckle until the buckle
16
is manipulated by the user.
To tighten the lift strap assembly
12
, a user must raise his/her hand up above his/her head to grasp the free end
22
of the lift strap
18
. Upon grasping the lift strap
18
, the free end of the lift strap is forcefully pulled outward and away from the buckle
16
. The force required to “shorten” the lift strap assembly
12
is substantial since the force exerted upon the free end
22
of the lift strap
18
must overcome any load on the lift strap
18
and all friction forces created by the engagement of the lift strap
18
with the friction bar
44
of the buckle
16
. The harder one pulls of the lift strap, the greater the load placed upon the friction bar
44
, and thus the greater the friction force that must be overcome to tighten the lift strap
18
.
To “lengthen” the lift strap assembly
12
, a user must reach up and above the user's head and grasp the buckle
16
. The buckle
16
is then rotated to manipulate the angle which the lift strap
18
enters and exits the buckle to partially disengage the lift strap
18
from the friction bar
44
, to permit the lift strap
18
to pass through the buckle
16
, to lengthen the lift strap assembly
12
.
Although conventional backpacks having lift straps may be effective, they are not without problems. For instance, to shorten the lift strap assembly
12
, the user must exert a substantial force upon the free end
22
of the lift strap
18
. This force must be sufficiently high to overcome any load on the lift strap
18
and the friction forces exerted by the friction bar
44
as discussed above, which may result in a strain or injury to the user. Further, the shortening of the lift strap assembly
12
in the manner described above may lead to the over tightening of the lift straps
18
which may result in shoulder and chest pain if tightened to an extreme. Further still, the buckle
16
is placed in a location obscured, or at least partially obscured, from sight; therefore buckle adjustment by the user is awkward, time consuming, and potentially injury causing as the user contorts his/her body to try to view the buckle.
Many of the same disadvantages are realized when a user desires to lengthen the lift strap assembly
12
. More specifically, a user must again reach up and to the side of his/her head to obtain access to the buckle
16
. Further, the act of reaching up and above one's head may cause a loss of the user's balance, resulting in a fall. This is especially true when a user is wearing a large, heavily loaded backpack. Even further, if the buckle
16
cannot be viewed by twisting one's head around, manipulation of the buckle
16
must occur without visual reference, thereby making the proper operation of the buckle
16
difficult. Further still, some user's may find the physical act of reaching up above one's head difficult or impossible, especially for those having reduced mobility.
Therefore, there exists a need for a backpack having lift straps that are easy to operate, require less force to adjust, reduce the potential for over tightening, may be adjusted by a means that is easily viewed and accessed by the user, and satisfies the performance expectations of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a backpack including a storage compartment and a shoulder strap assembly attached at a first end to the storage compartment at a first location and coupled at a second end to the storage compartment at a second location spaced from the first location is provided. The backpack further includes a buckle attached to the shoulder strap assembly and a lift strap having a first end attached to the upper portion of the storage compartment and spanning above the shoulder strap assembly from its location of attachment to the storage compartment to engagement with the buckle. The buckle is operable to selectively adjust the length of the lift strap to vary the proportion of the weight of the backpack supported by the shoulder strap assembly when engaged by the shoulders of a user wearing the backpack.
In accordance with further aspects of one embodiment of the present invention, the lift strap includes a second end extending beyond the buckle, wherein the buckle is operable to selectively adjust the length of the lift strap through manipulation of the second end of the lift strap. In accordance with still further aspects of one embodiment of the present invention, the buckle is actuatable between a first position, wherein the buckle prevents lift strap movement through the buckle in a first direction, and a second position, wherein the buckle permits movement of the lift strap through the buckle in the first direction. In accordance with yet still further aspects of one embodiment of the present invention, the buckle is actuatable between the first and the second positions through manipulation of a second end of the lift strap extending beyond the buckle. For instance, thebuckle may be actuatable from the first position to the second position by increasing the angle of inclination of the second end of the lift strap relative to the buckle. Or, the buckle may be actuatable from the second position to the first position by changing the angle that the second end of the lift strap extends from the buckle.
In accordance with other aspects of one embodiment of the present invention, the buckle is actuatable between a first position, wherein the buckle impedes lift strap movement through the buckle in a first direction for lengthening the lift strap, but permits lift strap movement through the buckle in a second direction opposite the first direction for shortening the lift strap, and a second position, wherein the buckle permits movement of the lift strap through the buckle in the first direction for lengthening the lift strap. In accordance with still other aspects of one embodiment of the present invention, the buckle includes a
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Elkins Gary E.
K-2 Corporation
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