JPS6127046B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a frame for carrying luggage on one's back (hereinafter referred to as backpack luggage, the same applies in the claims), and a shoulder support. The present invention relates to a frame for backpacks, comprising a hip support and a flexible connector between the frame and the hip support.
Although heavy luggage can be carried using a backpack frame and its support, the user does not have much freedom of movement. Accordingly, the present invention allows relative movement between the wearer's shoulders and the upper back and between the upper back and the hips of the person wearing the backpack frame.

The backpack frame of the present invention is secured to the wearer's shoulders by a shoulder strap and connected to a waist belt by a connector. The connector allows bending movement about two axes (rather than three) that correspond to the position of least bending of the spine when the wearer bends or twists the torso. Thus, although freedom of movement is allowed, the frame nevertheless does not move in the longitudinal direction and the connector does not flex about a horizontal transverse axis passing through said position.

The fact that the invention allows relative movement between the wearer's shoulders, upper back, and hips reduces fatigue when carrying heavy loads.

Another feature of the present invention is that part of the weight of the backpack is borne by the shoulders and part by the waist, thereby reducing fatigue of the user.

The frame of the present invention is relatively rigid and consists of tubes bent into a generally hourglass shape (viewed in plan) with a crossbar at or slightly above shoulder height. Because of this hourglass shape, you can swing your elbows freely without hitting the frame, and you can also reduce the number of crossbars used in conventional backpack frames.
This reduces the weight of the frame.

Another feature of the invention is that the frame is adjustable. That is, the connector between the frame and the waist belt can move vertically up and down. Similarly, the crossbar that attaches the upper end of the shoulder girdle can move vertically up and down. Furthermore, the attachment portion at the upper end of the shoulder girdle is designed to be movable horizontally to the left and right. Such an adjustable feature allows adjustment of the frame to the dimensions of the user, particularly the distance between the person's shoulders and hips. Furthermore, the present invention also allows adjustment of the center of gravity position of the luggage with respect to the user's center of gravity. This adjustment is important when the terrain over which the load is being transported is changing. Therefore, the position of the load on the back can be varied up and down the back to obtain the desired carrying comfort and stability.

Another feature of the invention is the structure of the connector between the metal part of the frame and the waist belt. At its narrowest point, the connector has inwardly curved substantially vertical front and back side walls, the wall thickness of these side walls being significantly less than the front and rear dimensions, and preferably having a vertically medial side wall. There is a gap between it and the straight wall (inner wall). Between the gap between the side wall and the inner wall is a soft, elastic core or filler, which is divided into several sections, which may be flexible. At the middle position of the longitudinal dimension (thickness) of the narrowest part of the connector, the X axis, which is the horizontal horizontal axis, and the Y axis, which is the vertical axis,
The axis intersects with the Z axis, which is a horizontal and vertical axis. As mentioned above, when the backpack is mounted on the frame and the frame is attached to the wearer's body, the axial intersection of the connector is located at the spine that does not bend despite the bending and twisting movements of the shoulder relative to the wearer's waist. located closely adjacent to the point. The connector allows bending (deflection) about the Y and Z axes, and the soft elastic filler resists overall contraction of the thin-walled web of the connector and maintains the same connector geometry as in the resting state. Relative movement of the thin web is allowed while maintaining its shape.
Additionally, the connector has the ability to withstand significant compressive loads without buckling. Soft elastic fillers are
It acts as a support or resistance force that serves to maintain the original geometry of the thin-walled web of the connector even when loads are applied eccentrically. Another feature of the connector's construction is its ability to resist rotation about the X-axis. This resistance ability results from the combination of the thinness of the connector ribs and their longitudinal dimensions, and the effect of the soft elastic filler material, which acts to maintain the original geometry of the thin-walled web. It will be done.

Another feature of the invention is a belt member structure that is integral with or coupled to the connector.
The belt member has a concave shape and is flexible enough to provide continuous tension to the waist belt when tightened, but to conform to the shape of the wearer's back. The waist belt is attached to the outer end of the belt member and is worn around the waist of the wearer.
The waist belt is lined with padding to make it more comfortable to tighten. The belt member does not engage the wearer's back.

The present invention utilizes a rigid frame 21 preferably formed of metal tubes with only one joint 25 and exhibiting an hourglass shape when viewed in front or rear elevation. Luggage 22 of any suitable shape may be attached to frame 21 in any suitable manner among a variety of known methods. The tubes forming the frame 21 have a top horizontal member 23 which is preferably located behind the wearer's head when the frame is worn by the user, as shown in FIG. It bends rearwardly from the upper vertical side 26 through a relatively large radius 90° bend 24 .
The upper vertical sides 26 extend downwardly to the wearer's shoulder blades. The upper vertical side portion 26 connects to an inwardly and rearwardly sloped upper slope portion 27;
These upper slopes connect to substantially vertical lower vertical sides 28 . The lower ends of the lower vertical sides 28 connect to outwardly and rearwardly inclined lower ramps 29, which are connected via lower bends 31 to a bottom horizontal member 32, the middle of which The above-mentioned coupling portion 25 is present in . Referring to FIG. 1, the top horizontal member 23 is rearwardly offset with respect to the upper vertical side 26 and the lower vertical side 28 is also rearwardly offset with respect to the upper vertical side 26. The lower flexure 31 and the bottom horizontal member 32 are similarly offset rearwardly with respect to the lower vertical sides 28. As best seen in FIG. 5, a configuration such as that described above allows the lower portion of the frame 21 to be offset rearwardly enough to accommodate the wearer's hips and allow the wearer to walk. The presence of hourglass-shaped narrow lower vertical sides (located around the waist of the wearer) allows the wearer to swing his elbows freely without hitting the frame.

To stiffen the frame and also to provide means for attaching the shoulder girdle and web to the frame (described below), a horizontal lateral upper crossbar 36 is provided which extends from the upper vertical sides 26.
It is attached by a fixture 38 to one of a series of holes 37 along the vertical direction. The crossbar 36 (and the upper attachment to the shoulder girdle) can thus be adjusted vertically depending on the height of the wearer.
A lower crossbar 39 extends between the lower vertical sides 28 and is preferably fixed in place.

The upper shoulder strap 41 is attached to the upper crossbar 36, but for this attachment, the crossbar 3
6 has a plurality of horizontally spaced holes 44 to which the upper shoulder girdle is attached via fittings 46. The lower shoulder strap 42 is connected to the upper shoulder strap 41 by a suitable buckle 43, so that the length of the shoulder straps 41, 42 can be adjusted to suit the wearer's measurements. The lower shoulder girdle 42 has a lower sloped portion 29
It is attached to the vicinity of the outer end with a fitting 47. As shown in FIG. 5, the shoulder girdle extends from the crossbar 36 to the top of the wearer's shoulder, around the shoulder, and under the arm to the mount 47. A portion of the weight of the backpack 22 is therefore carried by the shoulders of the wearer.

The horizontal lateral web 51 is connected to the upper vertical side 26
The belt extends between the lower ends of the bag and encircles it, allowing part of the weight of the luggage to be carried on the wearer's rear shoulders and upper back. The web 51 is held in place by fittings 52 that are threaded or tied into the upper vertical sides 26 of the frame. Upper crossbar 36 and lower crossbar 3
A vertical web 53 extending vertically between the frame 21 and the frame 21 holds the load 22 behind the frame 21.

An important feature of the present invention is the construction of the connector 56 which shifts the point of support downward so that a portion of the weight of the load carried by the frame 21 is carried by the wearer's hips. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-6, the connector 56 has an upper cross member 57 that extends between the lower vertical sides 28 and helps keep the sides 28 apart. Member 57
The horizontal dimension in the front-rear direction will be referred to as "thickness" to distinguish it from its wall thickness. Connector 5 to be described later
The same applies to the other members of 6. Upper member 5
7 are formed with side members or clamp members 58 of cylindrical cross-section that engage with the lower vertical sides 28, and concave side members 59 present below these clamp members 58 form vertical downward extensions. 61, the extension being connected to a bottom belt member 62 (described below). A head 64 at one end of the horizontal transverse pin 63 is on the outside of an outer clamping member 67 which is of cylindrical cross-section and engages the outer surface of the lower vertical side 28 opposite the inner clamping member 58.
In the portion of the connector 56 on the opposite side of the head 64, the pin 63 passes through the inner clamp member 58 and the lower vertical side 28, and the pin 63 passes through the inner clamp member 58 and the lower vertical side 28.
At 7, a nut 66 is tightened to clamp the lower vertical side 28 from the outside. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, such a clamping structure ensures that the upper end of the connector 56 is secured to the frame member 28. The pin 63 has a plurality of holes 68 provided in the lower vertical side portion 28 at intervals along the vertical direction thereof.
can penetrate any one of the Therefore, depending on the wearer's dimensions and the desired distribution of luggage weight, the connector 5
The vertical height of the top of 6 can be adjusted.

Next, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the concave side member 5
9 has a thin wall thickness compared to its overall thickness, and a central vertical rib 71 is located in the middle thereof, which also has a thin wall thickness. Upper horizontal rib 72 and lower horizontal rib 7 that limit the narrow waist portion of connector 56
The space existing between 3 and 3 is filled with a filler material 74, such as soft rubber or elastomeric plastic. This rubber filler 74 allows bending of the connector 56 about the Y and Z axes as defined in FIG. The intersection of these axes is located approximately midway through the thickness of rib 71 and at the narrow waist of the connector. Since bending around the Y axis is possible,
One end of the belt member 62 can move forward and the other end can move backward. Since the belt member 62 can be bent around the Z-axis, it can move from the solid line position in FIG. The combination simultaneously allows twisting and bending of the narrow waist of the connector 56 about the intersection point 76 of the axes. The rubber filler 74 allows the narrow ribs and side members to bend without folding and allows the walls to return to their original positions when the bending stress is released. When bending around the X axis, the connector 56 has a thin wall thickness but significantly increases the overall thickness in the front and back direction to prevent bending.
This can be prevented by using the following configuration.

Belt member 62 in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-9 is substantially isosceles trapezoidal with outer rounded corner wings 83. Therefore, member 62
The width shown in FIG. 2 at the upper end is narrow and widens therefrom downwardly and outwardly to the lower edge of the substantially horizontal member 62. Belt member 62 has a central vertical rib 78
, and is further reinforced by peripheral ribs 79 . The back surface of the belt member 62 is inclined forward and downward. Attachment holes 82 are provided near the outer ends of outer wings 83 of the belt member.

The waist belt consists of a substantially rectangular padded back section 86 which is attached to the hole 82 by a fastener 84. The ribs 78, 79 reinforce the belt member 62, while the belt members or plates serve to maintain the belt taut and keep the belt member 62 away from the wearer's back (see especially FIG. 12). 86 can be bent to apply tension.
A waist belt 87 attached to each end of the back section 86 goes around the wearer's torso and is preferably connected together by a front buckle 88. Accordingly, a portion of the weight of the backpack is transferred by the connector 56 to the belt and hips.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in an embodiment of the present invention, an upper portion of connector 56 and a belt member 62
and is preferably molded from a plastic material such as nylon.

Isosceles trapezoidal belt member 6 as shown in FIG.
2, a rectangular belt member 62b as shown in FIG. 10 may be used. Knobs 91 are provided at the corners of belt member 62b to assist in positioning the back of the belt with respect to this belt member. Although not shown in FIG. 10, the belt member 62
b may be thicker as long as it can bend enough to allow the belt to adapt to the curvature of the wearer's back.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the upper portion of the connector 56a is made of metal and is formed separately from the belt member 62, but is fixed to the belt member. Two upper windows 96 are formed in connector 56a by bending the metal straps that make up connector 56a several times. Thus, each window 96 has a top 57a, a vertical central portion 97, and an outwardly bent portion 98 at the tip of which is complementary to a bent portion 99 of the inner clamp member 58a depending from the top 57a. A bend 99 is present. The upper end of the center rib 71a is a vertical center portion 97
The upper end of the outer rib 59a is the bent part 9
It is held between 9.

The outer ribs or concave sides 59, which are gripped or clamped between the bends 99 of the upper window 96, are concave and curved inwardly and outwardly, with their narrowest point at the axial intersection point 7.
It is located on the Z axis of 6a. Between the outer ribs or concave sides 59a is a central rib 71a, which space between the outer ribs 59a is filled with a filler material 74a of rubber or plastic material as in the previous embodiment.
The bent portion 98 is the upper limit for the filler 74a,
The upper portion or top portion 102 of the lower window 101 is the lower limit for the filler material 74a.

Below the central part of the connector 56a are the aforementioned lower windows 101, each lower window having the aforementioned top 102 forming a limit for the lower end of the filler 74a. The top portion 102 has an outer bent portion 103 (becomes the outer edge of the window 101) bent downward on the outside, and an inner bent portion 104 (becomes the inner edge of the window 101) bent downward inward. Window 1 below the bend 104
01 has outwardly and downwardly sloping portions 106. The lower edge of concave side 59 is gripped between outer bend 103 and vertical outer brace 107 . The lower end of the central rib 71a is held between the opposing inner bent portions 104 of the two windows 101.

As shown in FIG. 8, the belt member 62a has an elongated diamond shape. However, the shape of this belt member is different from the shape of the member 62 shown in FIG.
It should be understood that the shape of member 62b may be similar to that shown in the figures. Belt member 62
The upper edge of member 62a is reinforced by a peripheral rib 116 that projects rearward from the upper edge of member 62a.

A U-shaped bracket 111 is attached to the center back surface of the belt member by means such as rivets 112. The lower end of outer brace 107 overlaps and is attached to parallel flange 114 of bracket 111 by rivets 113.

The connector 56a of FIGS. 8 and 9 is similar in function to the previous embodiments, but is fabricated from metal and/or plastic rather than being molded from plastic as in the previous embodiments. ing. In other respects, the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 is substantially the same as the previously described embodiment, and like parts have been designated by the same reference numerals followed by the suffix a.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a frame according to the invention. Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the frame. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the relationship between three axes passing through the joint points of the connector. FIG. 5 is a scale side elevational view showing the frame and the baggage mounted thereon in a used or worn state. FIG. 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of the connector and its belt member. FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 7--7 of FIG. FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of another embodiment of the connector. Figure 9 shows the substantial state 9 of Figure 8.
A sectional view taken along line -9. FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of a belt member that may be used with the connector of FIG. 6 or 8; Figure 11 is substantially 11 of Figure 2.
A schematic sectional view taken along the line -11. FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view showing the belt member and the belt. 21... Frame, 22... Back luggage, 26...
Upper vertical side part, 28...Lower vertical side part, 29...
Lower slope part, 36...Cross bar, 41, 42...
... Shoulder band, 46, 47 ... Mounting tool, 56 ... Connector, 58, 67 ... Clamp member, 59 ... Concave side member, 62 ... Belt member, 63 ... Pin, 66 ... Nut, 74...Rubber filler, 87
...Waist belt.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A back luggage frame that includes an upper part, an intermediate part below the upper part and located between the shoulder flaps and hips of the frame wearer, and a lower part below the intermediate part. a pair of shoulder straps each having an upper end and a lower end, upper end attachment means for attaching the upper end of each shoulder strap to the upper portion, and a lower end of each shoulder strap to the lower portion. a waist belt tightened around the waist of the wearer; a vertically elongated connector; first means for rigidly connecting the upper end of the connector to the intermediate portion; a second means for attaching to a waist belt, said connector having third means at its upper end adapted to cooperatively engage said first means, and a narrow a horizontal elongate belt member positioned below the narrowed portion and behind the waist of the wearer and adapted to cooperatively engage the second means;
the belt member being rigid relative to the narrow portion but capable of deflecting about a vertical axis, the narrow portion having at least two substantially vertically extending ribs; A back luggage frame characterized by ribs that are thinner in the horizontal and lateral directions and wider in the horizontal and vertical directions.