CN113891667A

CN113891667A - Shoulder-carrying strap with shaped ribs

Info

Publication number: CN113891667A
Application number: CN202080038648.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·埃拉菲
Original assignee: Graviba Co
Current assignee: Graviba Co
Priority date: 2019-06-03
Filing date: 2020-06-01
Publication date: 2022-01-04
Also published as: US20220232953A1; FR3096561A1; AU2020288345A1; FR3096561B1; CA3147214A1; CN112021765A; EP3975793A1; WO2020245530A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoulder strap for carrying on back, suitable for putting on the shoulder of the bearer while using, wherein: -the shoulder harness comprises shaped ribs (3) having an inner surface (Si) and an outer surface (Se), -the ribs (3) comprise: -a rib upper portion (30) located, in use, at a shoulder supporting the shoulder harness, -a rib front portion (31) protruding from the rib upper portion (30), -the rib front portion (31) comprising a support portion (32), characterized in that along the rib upper portion (30) and the rib front portion (31) an inner surface (Si) of the rib (3) has the shape of a partial mobius strip, wherein the inner surface faces, in use, the shoulder of the wearer.

Description

Shoulder-carrying strap with shaped ribs

Technical Field

The invention relates to a shoulder strap with shaping ribs. It also aims to include a backpack and a load carrying device comprising such shoulder straps. Another object of the invention is a method of manufacturing such shoulder straps. The present invention relates to the general technical field of shoulder straps for backpacks or body bags.

Background

The load carried in the backpack is transferred to the back of the wearer by shoulder straps that pass over the shoulders of the wearer. If the load is heavy, the weight of the backpack is transmitted primarily to the hips (in the case of a backpack equipped with a belt) and shoulders of the wearer, which may cause excessive pressure and discomfort to this part of the body. In addition, the piggyback load causes posture compensation and maintains the same posture for a long time, and frequent adoption of bad posture causes musculoskeletal imbalance and pain. Various solutions have been proposed to reduce the uncomfortable distribution of the load on the shoulder of the wearer.

EP2371232(ADIDAS) or FR2781135 (rossignalol) describe in the examples a backpack comprising a pair of shoulder straps. A portion of the upper portion of each shoulder strap is composed of an elastic portion that can be elongated within a certain limit. The resilient portion is intended to separate the backpack from the wearer, so that when the wearer moves or walks, the effect of the movement on the shoulder of the wearer, particularly sudden movements, can be reduced, thereby improving comfort to some extent.

Patent document EP0570193(KARRIMOR) describes a shoulder pad for a shoulder strap of a backpack, comprising an elongate member of synthetic foam material comprising one or more relatively rigid plastic sheets disposed on the side remote from the body of the wearer. The shoulder pads comprise a plurality of elongate strips of relatively rigid plastics material arranged side by side and spaced apart along the length of the foam member. When such shoulder pads are used in backpacks, the force-bearing area is increased, which improves the comfort and/or load-bearing capacity of the wearer. With such a strip, the load is distributed and the shoulder pad becomes soft.

Patent document EP2606763(WOOHYUNG) describes a backpack shoulder strap comprising an inflatable part. The air cushion not only can reduce the pressure on the shoulder of the wearer, but also can be in close contact with the shoulder, thereby preventing the backpack from sliding or moving laterally.

Patent document US5961019(GLEASON) describes a shoulder strap of a backpack, provided with padding, able to cushion and distribute the weight of the backpack over the user's shoulders.

Patent document EP1499212 (compannia DEL viggio) describes a shoulder strap of a backpack, provided with accessories that better distribute the weight of the backpack over the user's shoulders. The attachment is comprised of hinged segments.

In all of the above solutions, the shoulder straps are mainly supported by the shoulder and the collarbone of the wearer, so that the shoulder and the collarbone are stressed all the time.

Patent document US2011/108595(HOAG LANCE) describes an exoskeleton structure for backpacks. This arrangement can transfer all or part of the load to the wearer's waist. However, their design is particularly complex, cumbersome and relatively expensive.

Patent document FR3052650(ERRAFI) describes a backpack comprising a right shoulder strap and a left shoulder strap, which can be placed on the right and left shoulders of the wearer, respectively, in use. Each shoulder harness is provided with a reinforcing rib having a hook-shaped bent upper portion extending downward through the longitudinal portion. The reinforcing ribs are made of an elastic material, so that the reinforcing ribs can be elastically deformed under the action of elasticity when the backpack is placed on the shoulders of a wearer. The hook-shaped curved upper part is located at the shoulder when in use, and the shoulder strap provided with the reinforcement rib is placed on the shoulder. The longitudinal part has a section which is twisted about the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal part, so that, in use, the shoulder strap of the backpack, which is provided with reinforcing ribs, rests against other parts of the body of the wearer in addition to the shoulder which supports the shoulder strap, wherein the shoulder strap rests against the upper body side, i.e. the rib area, in the region of the upper abdomen and/or the side ribs of the wearer, so that all or part of the load of the backpack is distributed at this support point. The stiffeners described in this patent document constitute load distributing attachments that allow all or part of the backpack weight to be taken up by the shoulder and collarbone of the wearer. In this way, at least part of the weight of the backpack is transferred to the support area, which can advantageously bear more stress than the shoulder, for the proper comfort of the wearer. The backpack therefore appears to be perceived as lighter to the wearer. However, such ribs, while effective, may cause some inconvenience to the wearer due to the shaping of the longitudinal portion.

Japanese patent document JP3215380U describes a shoulder strap that twists around itself. The twisting is such that the inner surface of the shoulder strap that comes into contact with the shoulder of the user becomes the outer surface after twisting. Conversely, the outer surface of the shoulder strap becomes the inner surface that contacts the wearer after twisting. The shoulder straps therefore do not have the same inner surface and the same outer surface. This configuration is intended to change the direction of tension in the shoulder straps. However, this twisting is localized on the user's chest and can cause significant discomfort to the wearer, among other things.

The present invention aims to overcome this situation.

It is another object of the invention to improve the wearer comfort effectively and at low cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoulder harness which allows a better distribution of the load weight on the body of the wearer.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a solution that aims to transfer all or part of the backpack weight of a wearer's shoulders simply, compactly and inexpensively.

It is also an object of the invention to propose a solution aimed at reducing the musculoskeletal disorders associated with load carrying.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a shoulder strap for bearing, which can be placed on the shoulder of a bearer when in use, wherein:

the shoulder straps comprise shaped ribs having the same inner and outer surfaces,

-the ribs comprise:

-upper rib portions, in use, at the shoulders supporting the shoulder straps,

-a tendon front portion extending from a tendon upper portion, wherein the tendon front portion extends downwards,

the front part of the rib comprises a shaped support part which, in use, brings the shoulder strap of the backpack to bear against a support surface of the wearer,

along the upper and front rib portions, the inner rib surface has the shape of a partial mobius strip, wherein the inner surface faces the shoulder of the wearer in use.

The inventors have found that by using a special shaping of the ribs, similar to the partial mobius strips, the comfort of the load on the back can be improved and the load can be transferred better to the bearer support surface than in conventional backpacks which are not equipped with shoulder carrying straps according to the invention. The inventors have found that the load has actually shifted towards the centre of gravity of the dorsiflexor. Therefore, the backpack is more comfortable and effective. The inventors have also found that with a backpack equipped with such shoulder straps, the wearer is able to walk longer distances while reducing the feeling of fatigue. The change of posture and movement of the wearer while walking is significantly reduced compared to the conventional shoulder straps, and thus the shoulder straps have substantial added value in terms of ergonomics and reduction of musculoskeletal diseases. The shaping ribs, which are shaped to provide these advantages for the shoulder straps, are easy to manufacture, thus making the proposed solution inexpensive to implement.

Other advantageous features of the invention are listed below. Each of these features can be utilized alone or in combination with the other advantageous features described above to solve particular technical challenges, and if necessary as one or more divisional patent applications:

-according to an embodiment: the upper part of the rib is provided with a first free end; the front part of the rib is provided with a second free end; the inner surface of the rib, from the first free end to the second free end, has the shape of a partial mobius strip, so that said inner surface is twisted not only along the whole front portion of the rib, but also along the whole upper portion of the rib.

According to one embodiment, the geometry of the rib inner surface shape is determined by the following features: -the inner surface is formed by a continuous rotation of a segment around its center, the length of the segment corresponding to the width of the inner surface; the central locus forms a curve; the rotation is not invalid and in the same direction along the trajectory.

According to one embodiment, the outer surface of the ribs is shaped the same as the inner surface of the ribs.

According to one embodiment, the trajectory forms a smooth curve. The trajectory may thus form a part of a circle, or a part of an ellipse, or a part of a logarithmic curve, or a part of a hyperbola, or an arch part of a cycloid.

According to one embodiment, the trajectory forms a left curve. The trajectory may thus form a part of a spiral, or a part of a rational sextant, or a part of an irrational sextant.

According to one embodiment, the following features geometrically determine the shape of the inner surface of the rib: when the center of the segment moves along the track, the rotational angular velocity of the segment is uniform in the track direction and is not ineffective.

According to one embodiment, the angular speed of rotation of the segments is varied and not invalidated in the direction of the trajectory when the segment centers move along the trajectory.

According to one embodiment, the length of the segment is constant along the track direction.

According to one embodiment, the length of the segments varies along the track direction.

According to one embodiment, the front portion of the rib has a flared free end.

According to one embodiment, the upper rib part has an upwardly bent free end.

-according to an embodiment: -a rib rear portion also extending from the rib upper portion, wherein the rib rear portion extends from said carrier's back to below the torso in use;

the rear part of the rib comprises a shaped support part which, in use, holds the shoulder harness against a rear support surface of the wearer, said rear support surface being located in the region of the back of the wearer or at the side ribs of said wearer.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a load carrying apparatus for placement on a person, comprising a left shoulder strap and a right shoulder strap, wherein each of said shoulder straps conforms to one of the above-described characteristics.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a load carrying apparatus for placement on a person's body, comprising only one shoulder carrying strap, said strap conforming to one of the above-mentioned characteristics.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a shoulder strap according to one of the above features, comprising the steps of: -shaping the shaping rib so that a rib front portion extends from a carrier's abdomen to the lower part of the carrier's body and so that a support portion is located on the front or side of the carrier's chest or abdomen; -fitting the forming rib to the backpack shoulder strap.

Drawings

Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will be elucidated by means of a preferred embodiment, given as a non-limiting example, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a front view of a backpack according to the present invention, wherein the backpack is carried by a wearer's back,

figure 2a is a right side view of a shoulder strap carrying strap rib according to the invention,

figure 2b is a left side view of the tendon of figure 2a,

figure 2c is a front view of the tendon of figures 2a and 2b,

fig. 3 shows a cross section of a shoulder strap carrying rib according to the invention in a different embodiment variant,

fig. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of a shoulder harness according to an embodiment of the present invention,

fig. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of a shoulder harness according to another embodiment of the present invention,

fig. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of a shoulder harness according to another embodiment of the present invention,

fig. 7 shows a side view of a backpack to be carried by a wearer, including shoulder straps according to the present invention,

figure 8 shows the manner in which the inner surface of the ribs is formed,

fig. 9 shows a different embodiment, in which the section centre track of the inner surface of the rib is formed,

fig. 10 shows, in a different embodiment variant, a further central trajectory of the section forming the inner surface of the rib,

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of a shoulder strap carrying rib according to the present invention in an embodiment modification,

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a shoulder strap carrying tendon according to the present invention in another embodiment modification.

Detailed Description

The invention relates to a shoulder strap for carrying on back, which is mainly used for being equipped on a human body load carrying device. "load carrying device" means any type of accessory that is equipped with one or more shoulder straps and is worn by the person. It can be a travel bag, a sports backpack, a golf bag, a hiking bag, a military or firefighter bag, a schoolbag, a baby harness, a protective vest (bulletproof vest, mine suit), etc. This type of backpack is commonly used to carry loads: clothing, notebooks, equipment including military equipment, oxygen cylinders, fire hoses, books, sports accessories, infant products, and the like.

Fig. 1 shows a backpack-like device 1. This backpack 1 is of conventional design. It mainly comprises an inner cavity for accommodating a load to be carried. It has a rear surface which, in use (i.e. when the backpack 1 is being carried), is in contact with the back of the wearer 2.

In order to improve the comfort of the user during carrying and to reduce the weight of the user during carrying, the lower end of the rear surface of the backpack 1 can be extended from both sides by means of a belly band or a waist band to form two parts 6, 7, which can be fastened around the waist of the user at the lower part of the backpack 1. The two parts 6, 7 of the belt can be fixed by means of connecting buckles. The latter are well known to those skilled in the art.

In fig. 1, the backpack 1 includes a pair of backpack shoulder straps, a right shoulder strap 8a and a left shoulder strap 8b, which are similar, respectively. However, the backpack 1 may also comprise only one shoulder strap, in which case the backpack is referred to as a single shoulder strap. In use, and as shown in figure 1, the right shoulder strap 8a passes over the right shoulder 12 of the wearer 2, and the left shoulder strap 8b passes over the left shoulder 15 thereof. The right and left shoulder straps 8a, 8b respectively run along the front of the chest 13 (and possibly the abdomen 14 depending on the length of the shoulder straps) of the wearer 2 from top to bottom and then respectively run over the right and left

sides

16, 17 of the chest 13 (or alternatively over the abdomen 14) until respectively reaching the lower back end left of the backpack 1. The shoulder straps 8a, 8b are generally flat. The width of which is for example between 10mm and 100 mm.

Here, each shoulder strap 8a, 8b comprises an adjustment strap for adjusting the length of the shoulder strap 8. The backpack 1 in fig. 1 further comprises a chest strap comprising a right strap portion 9 extending from the right shoulder carrying strap 8a and a left strap portion 10 extending from the left shoulder carrying strap 8 b. The chest strap can adjust the position of the backpack 1 and the positions of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b better according to the body shape and the form of the wearer 2. The upper end of each shoulder carrying strap 8a, 8b is secured (e.g. by stitching) to the upper part of the back face of the backpack 1. The adjustment straps are also secured (e.g., by stitching) to the lower portion of the back face of backpack 1.

Without the shaping ribs described above, the shoulder straps 8a and 8b are flexible, i.e. can be easily deformed manually. These ribs can shape and reinforce the shoulder straps. Moreover, the shoulder straps 11a and 11b are stiffer-or less flexible-with the ribs than without these ribs and/or the ribs impress their shape on the shoulder straps.

The ribs 3 are shown in fig. 2a and 2 b. For simplicity of design, the ribs provided on the right shoulder strap 8a are identical to the ribs provided on the left shoulder strap 8 b. However, the left and right ribs may vary depending on the shoulder straps they are equipped with and/or the type of backpack they are required to be equipped with and/or depending on the size and/or shape of the wearer 2.

According to one embodiment, the ribs 3 are thin, i.e. their cross-section has a width "l" greater than their thickness "e" (fig. 3). For example, the width "l" is between 5mm and 80mm and the thickness "e" is between 0.5mm and 20 mm. The thin nature of the ribs 3 makes them light, flexible and resilient. The developed length of the ribs 2 (the length between the ends 300 and 310) is for example between 100mm and 1 m. The length depends on the size and/or shape of the bearer, which may be a pupil, adolescent, adult, male or female. Of course, the length also depends on the size of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b, which in turn are adapted to the size of the backpack 1, but also on the configuration of the wearer 2.

In fig. 2a and 2b, the ribs 3 are flat and plate-like and have a rectangular cross-section 23. However, with reference to fig. 3, the cross-section of the ribs 3 may be of other shapes, in particular a plane-convex cross-section 26, the flat surface of which extends from the inside of the backpack 1, i.e. the backpack 2 is closer to the front of its chest 13 and/or abdomen 14 when carrying it, the convex surface protruding from the outside of the backpack; a concave or curved-in cross-section 27 which is slightly curved so as to conform more closely to the configuration of the wearer 2; an elliptical or convex-convex cross section 29; a cross section 43 with longitudinal ribs, so that the cross section is provided with teeth 45 for reinforcing the ribs. A square cross-section can also be used, wherein the ribs 3 are not thin in this case.

The ribs 3 have an elasticity which enables them to undergo recoverable elastic deformation. This elasticity enables the rib 3 to better follow the curves of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b and of the carrier 2 under the action of the spring, as explained in detail above in the description.

The ribs 3 may be obtained by moulding or machining. They can be made, for example, from the following materials: plastics, such as PVC or urethane polymers (polyurethanes); metallic materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, brass alloys; composite materials, such as glass or carbon fibres in admixture with thermoplastic or thermosetting resins; logs, laminated wood, plywood; -and so on. Any other material known to those skilled in the art may be used. The ribs 3 can also be made of a variety of materials, including for example an inner core made of a metal material, which is wrapped with silicone or other flexible plastic material, which ensures electrical insulation in addition to increased comfort.

In fig. 2a, 2b, 2c, the ribs 3 have an inner surface or wall Si and an outer surface or wall Se. The inner surface Si is the surface of the rib 3, which faces the body of the wearer 2 when in use. The outer surface Se is the other surface of the ribs 3, opposite the inner surface Si in use. In contrast to the aforementioned japanese patent JP3215380U, the same inner surface Si is directed towards the torso of the wearer 2 along the entire rib 3. In fact, in this japanese patent JP3215380U, the inner surface becomes the outer surface and the outer surface becomes the inner surface after the shoulder strap is twisted.

The rib 3 comprises an upper part 30 which, in use, is located at the

shoulder

12, 15 of the wearer, on which shoulder straps 8a, 8b provided with the rib 3, respectively, rest. The upper part 30 is preferably curved in an arch or hook shape and its curvature is adapted to the form of the

shoulders

12, 15 of the wearer 2. Thus, when the wearer 2 wears the backpack 1, the shoulder straps 8a, 8b extend from their

shoulders

12, 15. The upper portion 30 has a free end 300 (or upper free end).

The upper portion 30 projects downwardly through the web front portion 31. Here, the two

portions

30, 31 form the same single part, without discontinuities. The entire rib front 31 or a part thereof is arranged in the shoulder straps 8a, 8 b. Regardless of the size and/or shape of the wearer, it extends in use from the abdomen of the wearer 2 to below the torso of the wearer. In fig. 1, the rib front 21 extends in the longitudinal direction of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b as far as the shoulder strap lower ends 80a, 80 b. In one embodiment, the lower end 310 of the rib front portion 31 (i.e. the free lower end thereof) does not reach the lower end 80a, 80b of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b, wherein the length of the rib 3 is shorter than the length of said shoulder straps. In another embodiment, the lower ends 310 of the rib front portions 31 are not located within the shoulder straps 8a, 8b, but rather are located outside thereof. In the latter case, an opening is provided in the shoulder straps 8a, 8b, enabling the rib front 31 to be moved away from the shoulder straps.

The shape of the ribs 3 is the same as the shape of the ribs when they are connected to the shoulder straps 8a, 8 b. The rib 3 can thus shape the shoulder straps 8a, 8 b. In the present invention, this feature is utilized to form a new support point or area of the shoulder strap in an area of the body of the wearer 2 other than the

shoulders

12, 15.

In fig. 2a and 2b, the rib front part 31 comprises a shaped support part 32, which in use brings the shoulder straps 8a, 8b against the support surface 24 of the wearer 2 (as shown in fig. 1). The support 32 is located on the inner surface Si of the rib 3 and rests directly or via a protective layer of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b on the support surface 24 during the unrolling process. The ribs 3 are shaped such that the support surface 24 is located in front of the chest 13 or the abdomen 14 of the wearer 2. The shaping of the ribs 3 can thus be adjusted during their manufacture to take account of the body shape and/or form of the wearer 2. In fig. 1, the support surface 24 is located on the chest of the wearer 2, which position achieves excellent results in terms of comfort for the wearer 2 and reduction of the sense of weight of the load carried. The ribs 3 can also be shaped such that the support 32 acts in the support region 24 on the

sides

16, 17 of the thorax 13 or abdomen 14.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 2a and 2b, the geometry of the inner surface Si of the ribs 3 is produced by non-null rotation of the segment in the same direction about its center (which is the center of rotation of the segment), the center locus forming a curve. Thus, the inner surface Si may be in the shape of a partial mobius strip.

Fig. 8 shows how the inner surface Si is formed from a geometric perspective. The length of the section AB corresponds to the width of the inner surface Si (and ribs 3). The midpoint of segment AB is labeled M. The locus of the center M is marked T and forms a curve. The trajectory T defines the longitudinal axis of the rib 3. The end points of the trajectory T are T0 (which corresponds to the free upper end 300 of the rib 3) and point T1 (which corresponds to the free lower end 310 of the rib 3). The section AB is a straight section, but can also be a curved section, in particular for obtaining a non-planar inner surface Si (concave, convex), as shown in the modification in fig. 3.

The trajectory T in fig. 8 forms a two-dimensional curve-2D curve or plane curve-contained in the plane xOy of orthogonal coordinates (O, Ox, Oy, Oz). Referring to fig. 9, the trajectory may form a portion Ta of a circle, a portion Tb of an ellipse, a portion Tc of a logarithmic curve, a portion Td of a hyperbola, an arcuate portion Te of a cycloid curve, or any other similar curve that does not strictly follow its mathematical equation. Such curves can be used to great effect in comfort and reducing the weight of the load carried.

However, the trajectory T may be a curve formed in a three-dimensional space-a 3D curve or a left curve-contained within the space (O, x, y, z). Referring to fig. 10, the trajectory may form a portion Tf of a spiral, a portion Tg of a rational sextant, or a portion Th of an irrational sextant, or any other similar curve that does not strictly follow its mathematical equation. Such curves may also provide good results in terms of comfort and reduction of the sense of weight of the load carried.

In fig. 8, the center M moves along the trajectory T between the point T0 and the point T1. Between the two points T0 and T1, segment AB rotates continuously about its center M. The rotation is not invalid and in the same direction along the trajectory. The inner surface Si is thus twisted or subjected to a twisting movement not only along the entire rib front part 31 but also along the entire rib upper part 30. Thus, the ribs 3 have no straight portions. In fig. 8, an angle formed by the section AB and the horizontal direction (plane xOy) is denoted by "α i". For example, at point T0 of trajectory T, α 0 is 90 °, and at point T1 α 1 is 45 °. Between the points T0 and T1, the angle α i may form a 90 ° sector, advantageously 45 °, preferably 60 °.

Moving between points T0 and T1, the rotation speed of section AB is not zero in terms of geometrical dimensions and may be constant (uniform or equal rotation angular velocity along trajectory T) or non-constant (variable or unequal rotation angular velocity along trajectory T). By selecting this rotational speed, the position of the bearing 32 can be adjusted better to the shape of the wearer 2 and/or very precisely. For the same reason, the length of the section AB (corresponding to the width of the rib 3) may be constant or vary along the trajectory T between the points T0 and T1. For example, as shown in fig. 11, the lower free ends 310 of the tendons 3 may be flared, bird claw-shaped or duck bill-shaped. This flare maximizes, or even increases, the area of the support portion 32 at the support region 24. The free upper end 300 may also assume the same flared shape.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 11, the free upper ends 300 of the upper rib portions 30 are bent upwards. In this setting, the upper ends of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b are lifted upwards, which prevents them from pressing against the trapezius muscle of the wearer 2. The comfort of the wearer 2 is thus improved.

In fig. 2a and 2b, the shape of the outer surface Se of the ribs 3 is the same as the shape of the inner surface Si, which can simplify the design of the ribs. Since the outer surface Se cannot be in direct contact with the body of the wearer 2, the outer surface can be shaped differently from the inner surface Si. For example, the outer surface Se may be formed by the movement of the segment AB along the trajectory T without rotation about the midpoint M.

The shape of the ribs 3 makes it possible to orient the bearing section 32 very precisely parallel to the bearing region 24 of the carrier 2. The ribs 3 impress a twisting movement on the shoulder straps 8a, 8b, so that the latter optimally follows the curvature of the body of the wearer 2, while the bearing section 32 contacts the target bearing area 24. The support area 24 may vary depending on the type of backpack or load carrying device and/or depending on the shape, height, type and/or gender of the wearer 2. In addition, the particular shape of the inner surface Si of the ribs 3 (more broadly, the particular shape of the ribs) enables the shoulder straps 8a, 8b to be offset forward of and/or above the collarbone and/or

shoulders

12, 15 of the dorsiflexor 2. As shown in fig. 7, it is advantageously provided that the curvature of the upper tendon portions 30 is greater than the curvature of the

shoulders

12, 15, so that said portions do not or hardly abut against said shoulders and/or the clavicle and/or the trapezius. The elimination of these supports reduces the compensation of the posture of the wearer when static and therefore reduces the muscular activity required to maintain the posture. In addition, by relaxing the shoulders, the arms can be made to swing more naturally during walking. This allows a better stability (in particular: limiting the forward leaning of the carrier's body, limiting the curling of the shoulders, limiting the bending and forward protrusion of the head). This small amplitude postural change is accompanied by reduced somatic muscle activity of the wearer, greater pelvic rotation, reduced hip and ankle flexion/extension amplitude, increased knee flexion/extension amplitude, reduced stride frequency and increased stride length.

In a conventional backpack, the shoulder straps 8a, 8b pass over the

shoulders

12, 15 and the collarbone of the wearer 2, hang down to the chest, and then pass under the armpits. The

shoulders

12, 15 are thus the main support areas of the shoulder straps 8a, 8b, by which the majority of the weight of the load is taken. The shape of the ribs 3 makes it possible to orient the bearing 32 very precisely towards and parallel to the relevant bearing region 24. When the support region 24 is located on the chest of the wearer 2, preferably on the upper or side of said chest, optimum results are obtained in terms of comfort and reduction of the feeling of weight of the load carried.

By forcing the shoulder straps 8a, 8b against the support area 24, they are not placed directly on the

shoulders

12, 15, nor against the clavicle or trapezius of the wearer 2. Instead, each shoulder strap 8a, 8b abuts against a support surface 24 of the wearer 2, so that said support surface abuts against at least a part (or even all) of the load of the backpack 1 or the items carried in the bag. Thus, the load is transferred to the bearing surface 24, which can be subjected to more stress than the

shoulders

12, 15 without discomfort. The backpack 1 seems to be lighter. It can be seen that if a backpack 1 comprising shoulder straps 8a, 8b according to the invention is used, the load to be carried can be increased by 10% to 80% without the wearer 2 feeling noticeably. In other words, the backpack 1 appears to be much lighter for the bearer for the same load.

More precisely, and as shown in fig. 7, the shoulder straps 8 provided with the ribs 3 can constrain the body of the wearer 2 at two support area zones: the first support region is located in front of or on the side (support surface 24) of the chest 13 or abdomen 14 of the wearer, and the second support region 25 is located on the back of the wearer 2 (contact region between the backpack 1 and the back). When the user 2 places the backpack 1 on his

shoulders

12, 15, the ribs 3 are elastically deformed by the spring force and thus restrain the body of the user 2 like clips without causing injury. The entire or partial weight of the load is then transferred and distributed over the two

support regions

24, 25, so that the

shoulders

12, 15 and/or the clavicle and/or the trapezius of the wearer 2 are freed from the entire or partial weight which they originally bear, without the use of shoulder straps 8 which are provided with ribs 3. When the wearer 2 carries the backpack 1, the backpack weight causes the ribs 3 to deform. In other words, when the wearer 2 carries the backpack 1, mainly the ribs 3 are deformed so as to be placed on and abut against the support area 24.

In this description, the shoulder straps 8a, 8b extend or "lie" against the body 2 (support surface 24) of the wearer, and of course, refer to clothing that lies against or outside the body. Likewise, the shoulder straps 8a, 8b are not placed on the

shoulders

12, 15, meaning that the shoulder straps may come into contact with the shoulders through the clothing of the wearer 2.

Various techniques intended to fix the tendons 3 to the shoulder straps 8a, 8b will be described in detail below with reference to fig. 4 to 6.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, the shoulder strap 8 includes a protective layer 80 comprising a quilted or padded layer 81, such as an elastomeric foam layer, covered by an outer layer 82 made of, for example, fabric, plastic, leather, or the like. The shoulder straps 8 are here of a substantially rectangular cross section.

The protective layer 80 defines a cavity 83 therein that extends along the length of the shoulder strap 8. The cavity 83 is generally rectangular in cross-section (and thus serves to accommodate the ribs 3 which are rectangular in cross-section). The cavity 83 and the protective layer 80 form a sheath with an opening, located near the upper or lower end of the shoulder strap 8. The ribs 3 are removably inserted into openings (or slots) in the sheath to be positioned within the shoulder straps 8 and are exposed partially at the protective layer 80 and partially within the cavity 83. The rib 3 can thus be inserted into the shoulder strap 8 or removed therefrom. When the rib 3 is removed, the shoulder straps 8 become conventional shoulder straps again, and if the rib 3 is removed from the two shoulder straps 8a, 8b, the backpack 1 becomes conventional backpack again. The dimensions of the rectangular cross-section of the cavity 33 are preferably slightly larger than the dimensions of the rectangular cross-section of the rib 3 to facilitate insertion or removal.

Referring to fig. 5, ribs 3 are not disposed inside protective layer 80, but on the protective layer. The ribs 3 are secured to the protective layer 80 by means of eye-clasps 87, which are distributed along the length of the shoulder straps 8 and which can be sewn or welded, for example, on both sides of the ribs 3. The shoulder straps 8 are provided with stop members 88 to receive and hold the ends of the ribs 3. Note that the ribs 3 can be fixed by different fixing means: a penetrating piece, a buckle belt,

Shaped hooks, etc. The ribs 3 herein overlap the shoulder straps 8. More specifically, it covers the outer layer 82 and is disposed on the outer surface of the shoulder strap 8, i.e., the side that does not come into contact with the body of the wearer 2. It is conceivable, however, to place the ribs 3 on the inner surface of the shoulder straps 8, i.e. on the side which comes into contact with the body of the wearer 2.

In fig. 6, the shoulder strap 8 has a plane-convex cross section. The shoulder strap 8 comprises a protective layer 80, the outer shape of which also has a plano-convex cross section. The protective layer 81 forms a cavity with a rectangular cross section inside, which extends along the length of the shoulder strap 8. The cavity and the protective layer 80 in turn constitute a sheath with an opening located near the upper or lower end of the shoulder strap 8. While the ribs 3 have a rectangular cross-section. The ribs 3 are fixed in the sheath either detachably or non-detachably. The ribs 3 may be bonded to the protective layer 80. Protective layer 80 may also be molded onto rib 3 when shoulder strap 8 is manufactured, wherein said rib forms the inner core of said shoulder strap. The thickness of the protective layer between the flat surface of the protective layer 80 and the ribs 3 is very thin.

In one embodiment, the rib upper part 30 can be extended by a rib rear part which extends from the back of the carrier 2 to below the body of the carrier when in use. The ribs 3 are in this case arcuate or horseshoe-shaped and comprise a front branch (rib front 31), a rear branch (rib rear) and an upper portion 30. The upper portion 30 includes a front branch upper portion and a rear branch upper portion. The lengths of the front and rear branches may be the same or different.

Like the rib front part 31, this rib rear part also comprises a shaped rear support part, which, in use, presses the shoulder straps 8a, 8b (or directly the rib rear part) against the rear support surface of the carrier 2, which rear support surface is located in the region of the carrier's back or in the side ribs of the carrier. Thus, the rib 3 has two distinct bearing portions.

Along the rear of the rib, the inner surface Si of the rib 3 (and optionally its outer surface Se) may also be formed by a continuous rotation of the segment around its center, the center trajectory T forming a curve. The rib rear portion is twisted. Preferably, the rib front and rear portions are not twisted in the same direction to optimize support of the front and rear support surfaces. The rear of the ribs may also be untwisted.

Such a rib 3 with two branches can constrain the body of the bearer 2 at two support areas: a first abdominal region in front of the support ribs and a second dorsal region behind the support ribs. These two support regions are located on the same side of the body (either right or left of the sagittal plane of the wearer 2). When the wearer 2 places the backpack 1 on his shoulder, the rib front part and the rib rear part of each rib are separated at the body of the wearer 2, and the body of the wearer is restrained like a clip without causing injury by elastic deformation under the effect of elasticity.

When each shoulder strap 8a, 8b is equipped with a rib plus 3 with two branches, a double clamping effect is obtained: the rib 3 cooperating with the right shoulder strap 8a acts like a clip on the right part of the torso, and the rib 3 cooperating with the left shoulder strap 8b acts like a clip on the left part of the torso. All or part of the weight of the load is then transferred and distributed in these two new bearing areas.

It is also possible to obtain a clamping effect (right, left or diagonal of the body) with only one rib 3 with two branches, which can be fitted on a rucksack of the single shoulder strap type.

In the above embodiments, the arrangement of the respective elements and/or devices and/or steps in the present invention should not be construed as requiring such arrangement in all implementations. In any event, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made to these elements and/or devices and/or steps without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Specifically, the method comprises the following steps:

the cross-section of the upper rib part 30 may be different from the cross-section of the front rib part 31. In particular, the cross-section of the rib front part 31 may be wider than the cross-section of the rib upper part 30, so that the surface of the bearing part 32 is increased.

The ribs 3 may optionally have straight portions, the length of which is negligible compared to the total length of the ribs (≦ 5% of the total length).

In addition, one or more features recited in only one embodiment may be combined with one or more other features recited in only another embodiment. Likewise, one or more features described in only one embodiment may be inferred from other embodiments even if the feature or features are only described in combination with other features.

Claims

1. Shoulder straps (8a, 8b) adapted to be placed on the shoulders (12, 15) of a wearer (2) in use, wherein:

-the shoulder straps (8a, 8b) comprise shaped ribs (3) having the same inner (Si) and outer (Se) surfaces,

-said ribs (3) comprising:

-a rib upper portion (30) located, in use, at a shoulder (12, 15) supporting said shoulder straps (8a, 8b),

-a tendon front portion (31) protruding from said tendon upper portion (30), wherein said tendon front portion (31) extends downwards,

-the rib front part (31) comprises a support part (32) for bringing the shoulder straps (8a, 8b) against a support surface (24) of the wearer (2) in use,

characterized in that along said upper rib portion (30) and front rib portion (31) the inner surface (Si) of said rib (3) has the shape of a partial Mobius band, wherein said inner surface is directed towards the shoulder of the wearer in use.

2. The backpack shoulder strap of claim 1, wherein:

-the upper rib part (30) has a first free end (300),

-said fillet front portion (31) having a second free end (300);

-from said first free end (300) to said second free end (310), the inner surface (Si) of said bead inner surface bead (3) has the shape of a partial mobius strip, so that said inner surface twists not only along the entire bead front portion (31) but also along the entire bead upper portion (30).

3. Shoulder harness according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the geometry of the inner surface (Si) shape of the ribs (3) is determined by the following features:

-said inner surface (Si) is formed by a continuous rotation of a segment (AB) around its centre (M), the length of said segment corresponding to the width of said inner surface, and

-said central (M) trajectory (T) forms a curve, and

-the rotation is not invalid and in the same direction along said trajectory (T).

4. Shoulder harness according to claim 3, wherein the trajectory (T) forms a smooth curve or a left curve.

5. Shoulder harness according to claim 4, wherein the trajectory (T) forms a part of a circle (Ta), or a part of an ellipse (Tb), or a part of a logarithmic curve (Tc), or a part of a hyperbola (Td), or an arched part of a cycloid (Te).

6. Shoulder harness according to claim 4, wherein the trajectory (T) forms a part of a spiral (Tf), or a part of a rational sixth-order curve (Tg), or a part of an irrational sixth-order curve (Th).

7. Shoulder harness according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the geometry of the inner surface (Si) shape of the ribs (3) is determined by the following features:

-the angular speed of rotation of the segments (AB) is uniform and not null in the direction of the trajectory, or

-the angular speed of rotation of said segments (AB) is variable and not null along said trajectory direction (T).

8. Shoulder harness according to one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the length of the segments (AB) is constant in the direction of the trajectory (T).

9. Shoulder harness according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rib front (31) has a flared free end (310).

10. Shoulder harness according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper rib part (30) has an upwardly bent free end (300).

11. The backpack shoulder strap of any one of the preceding claims, wherein:

-said rib rear portion also extending from said rib upper portion (30), wherein said rib rear portion is adapted to extend from said wearer's back to under the torso in use;

-the rib rear portion comprises a shaped support portion for bringing the shoulder harness (8a, 8b) in use against a rear support face of the wearer (2), the rear support face being located in the region of the wearer's back or at the side ribs of the wearer.

12. Shoulder harness according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface (Se) of the rib (3) has the same shape as the inner surface (Si) of the rib.

13. A load carrying device for placing on a person, comprising a left shoulder strap (8b) and a right shoulder strap (8a), wherein each of said shoulder straps is according to claim 1.

14. A load carrying device for placement on the human body, comprising only one shoulder carrying strap, wherein said straps are in accordance with claim 12.

15. A method of manufacturing a shoulder harness according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

-shaping the shaping rib (3) such that the rib front portion (31) extends from the wearer's (2) abdomen to the lower part of the wearer's torso and the support portion (32) is located on the front or side of the wearer's chest (13) or abdomen (14);

-fitting the shaped rib to the shoulder carrying strap (8a, 8 b).