Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Convertible or combined
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-14
2001-04-17
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Convertible or combined
C224S148200, C224S148700, C224S580000, C224S583000, C224S645000, C224S655000, C482S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216926
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to backpacks, and more particularly to backpacks suitable for hiking and for training.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Backpacks are widely used by hikers such as travelers or campers to carry various items such as food, water, cook stoves, tents, sleeping bags, first-aid kits, flashlights, rain gear, maps, etc. In order to enjoyably reach out-of-the-way locations, a hiker needs to be physically fit to carrying a backpack which typically weighs about twenty-five to forty pounds when fully loaded with such items.
Various attempts have been made for building strength and endurance for hiking. For example, a hiker can train locally outdoors or in a gym with a fully loaded conventional backpack. However, a fully loaded convention backpack with its large size often calls attention to the hiker when training. In addition, particularly at a gym, a fully loaded conventional backpack limits movement of the hiker to avoid bumping into others or bumping into exercise equipment. In addition, it is often not practical to train with a fully loaded backpack which includes food items, thus requiring a hiker to find and use substitute items, such as metal, disk-shaped, free weights which can easily shift position in a conventional backpack when training.
Other attempts for building strength and endurance for hiking include specially designed exercise backpacks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,379 to Bannister discloses a collapsible exercise backpack having a single compartment with an opening at the bottom for receiving a flexible weight carrying member, U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,509 to Snider discloses a weight lifting backpack which accepts standard sized, disk-shaped weights, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,999 to Brine discloses a rigid weight pack which receives rectangular-shaped planar weights.
A drawback of such prior art specially designed exercise backpacks is that they fail to provide a similar “feel”, e.g., weight positioning and weight distribution compared to a conventional backpack for hiking, thereby limiting a hiker's ability to fully build strength and endurance. Furthermore, a hiker requires, in addition to the specially designed exercise backpacks for training, a separate conventional backpack for carrying items when hiking.
Therefore, there is a need for a low-cost, workout backpack suitable for optimizing training, as well as attachable to a detachable backpack bag suitable for carrying various items when hiking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-mentioned drawbacks are overcome by the present invention which provides a combination workout backpack and detachable backpack bag which includes a workout backpack having at least one shoulder strap and at least one weight storage compartment in which is receivable at least one standard weighted weight therein, and a detachable backpack bag releasably attachable to the workout backpack. The workout backpack and the at least one standard weight is operable for training, and the workout backpack attached to the detachable backpack bag without the at least one standard weight is operable for hiking.
In one aspect of the present invention, the at least one weight storage compartment is sized so that the at least one standard weighted weight fits within and is restrained from horizontal movement in the at least one weight storage compartment. Desirably, the at least one weight storage compartment is adjustably conformable to a portion of the at least one standard weighed weight.
In another aspect of the present invention, the workout backpack releasably attaches to a central back portion, front lateral side portions, and a top portion of the detachable backpack bag.
In another aspect of the present invention, a plurality to standard weighted weights are provided and comprise a plurality of standard weighted flexible weight bags.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the at least one weight storage compartment comprises a plurality of elongated, vertically-extending, side-by-side weight storage compartments having a vertically-extending opening, and a plurality of releasably attachable safety straps extendable across the openings. The safety straps are also releasably attachable to a central back portion and lateral front side portions of the workout backpack.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a rigid liquid container is receivable in the at least one weight storage compartment, and a drinking tube having an end is attachable to the liquid container. Desirably, the combination workout backpack and detachable backpack bag further includes a liquid storage compartment attached to the at least one weight storage compartment, a liquid container receivable in the liquid storage compartment, and a drinking tube having an end attachable to the liquid container.
Advantageously, by providing a workout backpack for training and a detachable backpack bag with attaches to the workout backpack for carrying items when hiking, a hiker is provided the same “feel” whether training or hiking, thereby aiding a hiker to optimize building strength and endurance when training. In addition, by providing weight storage compartments and standard weighted weights which are correspondingly sized, the weights are restrained and inhibited from shifting when training.
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patent: 4332379 (1982-06-01), Bannister
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patent: 5120288 (1992-06-01), Sinaki
patent: 5299999 (1994-04-01), Brine
patent: 5417635 (1995-05-01), Sell
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patent: 5634576 (1997-06-01), Arbel
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patent: 5819999 (1998-10-01), Tennant
Heslin & Rothenberg, P.C.
Vidovich Gregory M.
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