US20050173481A1 - Backpack attachment for improved distribution of the backpack weight across a user's shoulders - Google Patents

Backpack attachment for improved distribution of the backpack weight across a user's shoulders Download PDF

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Publication number
US20050173481A1
US20050173481A1 US10/511,524 US51152405A US2005173481A1 US 20050173481 A1 US20050173481 A1 US 20050173481A1 US 51152405 A US51152405 A US 51152405A US 2005173481 A1 US2005173481 A1 US 2005173481A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
attachment
shoulder straps
pieces
backpack
bag
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/511,524
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English (en)
Inventor
Gaetano La Greca
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
DEL VIAGGIO Srl Cia
Original Assignee
DEL VIAGGIO Srl Cia
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by DEL VIAGGIO Srl Cia filed Critical DEL VIAGGIO Srl Cia
Assigned to COMPAGNIA DEL VIAGGIO S.R.L. reassignment COMPAGNIA DEL VIAGGIO S.R.L. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LA GRECA, GAETANO
Publication of US20050173481A1 publication Critical patent/US20050173481A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45F—TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY
    • A45F3/00—Travelling or camp articles; Sacks or packs carried on the body
    • A45F3/12—Shoulder-pads
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45C—PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
    • A45C13/00—Details; Accessories
    • A45C13/30—Straps; Bands
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45F—TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY
    • A45F3/00—Travelling or camp articles; Sacks or packs carried on the body
    • A45F2003/001—Accessories
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45F—TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY
    • A45F3/00—Travelling or camp articles; Sacks or packs carried on the body
    • A45F3/04—Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders
    • A45F3/042—Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders specially adapted for school children

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a backpack specially intended for use by schoolchildren, whereby the combined weight of the backpack and its contents is distributed across the user's shoulders in a rationalized fashion to prevent the assumption of undesirable bodily attitudes apt to cause discomfort, pain, and eventually lead to muscular and skeletal deformities particularly among young users.
  • This invention is directed to remedy the above-outlined situation by providing a backpack attachment, whereby the backpack weight is better distributed across the user's shoulders and the user is relieved of the constraint to lean unnaturally under the backpack weight.
  • this attachment makes a heavily loaded backpack more convenient to carry for a given effort.
  • an attachment for backpacks comprised of a bag-like body and a pair of shoulder straps, in particular school attendant's backpacks, being characterized by two curved members effective to stiffen substantially the shoulder strap sections that lie closest to the top of the bag-like body.
  • the curved members are preferably substantially inflexible parts mounted either in place of the shoulder strap section (T) that lies closest to the top of the bag-like body (CS), or otherwise associated with said section.
  • substantially inflexible curved members have their undersides lined with a soft yielding material for improved user's comfort.
  • the attachment of the invention comprises a pair of substantially inflexible curved members, each a one-piece construction. These members may have a hollow interior for slipping over said shoulder straps, or may have one end hinge-connected to a holder, which can be fixed on the upper region of the bag-like body of the backpack, and the other end connected to the shoulder straps.
  • the attachment of the invention comprises a pair of substantially inflexible curved members which are formed of several pieces jointed together. These members may comprise hollow pieces adapted to be slipped over the shoulder strap, or the leading one of the jointed hollow pieces may be attached to the top of the bag-like body of the backpack and the trailing one to the shoulder strap.
  • leading one of the jointed pieces of each member may be attached to the top of the bag-like body of the backpack, and the shoulder strap may extend from said leading piece through the other pieces.
  • the attachment of the invention comprises members that are each formed of several, preferably shaped pieces adapted to engage releasably with a shoulder strap, at least one of them being affixed to the strap.
  • the former pieces of said members may be engaged with the shoulder straps by means of releasable hoops, whereas the latter pieces are engaged by means of a releasable camlock device.
  • this attachment version includes arrangements for locking the jointed pieces of each member into a set angle to one another. The angular position of the jointed pieces of each member is thus made adjustable.
  • the locking device is mounted on one side of the individual jointed pieces, and comprises a gear wheel and a lockable spring-biased slider having an end jaw for engagement with the teeth of the adjacent piece wheel.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of two attachment members in a first embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a view, similar to FIG. 1 , of one of the two attachment members in a second embodiment of the invention
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 show two modifications of the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively;
  • FIG. 5 is another modification of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 ;
  • FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention, of enhanced practical value
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 are two detail views, taken at 90 degrees from each other, of the attachment shown in FIG. 6 ;
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the way that the attachment of FIG. 1 is applied to an ordinary backpack;
  • FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the way that the attachment of FIGS. 6 and 8 is applied to an ordinary backpack.
  • FIG. 11 shows a backpack, incorporating the attachment of the invention, as carried by a girl on her back.
  • FIG. 11 showing the enhanced set of a backpack according to the invention, and the improved bodily attitude of a girl B carrying on her back a backpack Z which is equipped with the stiff curved members forming the attachment M of this invention.
  • Such curved members can replace or be associated with the sections of shoulder straps T that lie closest to the upper region of the bag-like body CS of the backpack Z.
  • the stiffened upper section of the shoulder strap T adjacent to the bag-like body CS transfers the backpack weight directly onto the user's shoulders S, such that the user has less difficulty to maintain a straight-up attitude—which becomes the most suitable position for carrying the backpack—and is no longer coerced into a forward leaning attitude that is at the root of the aforementioned spine problems.
  • a pair of substantially inflexible curved members 1 are formed of one piece each.
  • the members 1 comprise hollow curved pieces 2 of wood, metal, or plastics, which are adapted to be slipped over each shoulder straps T of a commercially available backpack, as shown in FIG. 8 , to contact the top rear wall of the bag-like body S of the backpack Z.
  • the underside of the hollow pieces 2 is lined with a soft yielding material for more comfortable contact with the user's shoulder.
  • the curved members 1 again comprise curved pieces 2 A of wood, metal, or plastics, but need not be of hollow construction. These pieces are hinge-connected to holders 4 that can be secured in areas where the shoulder straps are usually hung.
  • This design is especially suitable for the manufacture of new backpacks, whereas it is not adapted for modifying according to the invention those backpacks which have already been manufactured. It requires, in fact, that the affected areas of the bag-like body wall be provided, by means of any appropriate mechanical means, with holders 4 , in order for them to get stiffened.
  • the stiffening effect can be obtained in any of several ways, e. g.
  • the shoulder straps T are made fast here to the end of the piece 2 A away from the holder 4 .
  • the angled set of the pieces 2 A relative to the holders 4 can be adjusted and maintained by a device, not shown, in order to tailor the backpack attachment to fit a user's anatomy.
  • a pair of substantially inflexible curved members 1 are used which comprise several pieces jointed to one another. These members 1 may comprise hollow pieces 5 adapted to be slipped over the shoulder straps of the backpack as shown in FIG. 2 .
  • the leading one 7 of the hinge-connected pieces 6 in each member 1 is affixed to a stiffened area at the top of the bag-like body CS of the backpack Z, with the shoulder strap fastened to the trailing one 8 of said pieces 6 .
  • the leading one 9 of said hinge-connected pieces 6 in each member 1 is provided much longer than the others for more secure connection to the wall of the bag-like body CS of the backpack Z, and the shoulder strap 10 extends from the leading piece 9 through all the others 6 , it being connected to such pieces in a suitable manner to produce the curved pattern of the member 1 shown in FIG. 5 .
  • the invention is embodied most effectively by the backpack attachment having (FIGS. 6 to 8 ) two members 1 , each comprised of several stiff shaped pieces 11 of relatively small thickness adapted to be associated with the backpack shoulder straps in a detachable fashion. Some of the pieces 11 are loosely associated with a respective one of the shoulder straps (not shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 ) by releasable hoops formed by a pair of strips 12 which are Velcro tipped at 13 to engage with each other over the shoulder strap. At least one 14 of these pieces should incorporate a releasable locking device.
  • FIG. 6 shows this locking device as comprised of an L-shaped camming lever 15 pivoted about a pin 16 in side retainers 17 of open construction.
  • the camming lever can be operated between a position where the member 1 is allowed to run along the shoulder strap and a position where the member 1 is cammed down against the shoulder strap, a suitable distance away from the bag-like body CS of the backpack Z to fit the user's anatomy.
  • the pieces 11 , 14 of these members 1 have their undersides lined with a soft yielding material 18 for more comfortable contact with the user's body (as basically favored by the shape of the pieces 11 ).
  • a positive engagement means ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) is arranged on the individual hinge-connected pieces for locking them in selected mutually angled positions, thereby to further a close fit of the attachment to a user's anatomy and/or meet a user's preference.
  • locking devices are provided on one side of said pieces, according to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 7 , which devices comprise a small gear wheel 19 and a slider 20 .
  • the gear wheel 19 locates next to one end of the side of the piece, 11 and/or 14 , and the slider 20 is moved along this side.
  • the slider 20 is formed at one end with a jaw 21 for engagement with teeth of the gear wheel 19 on the adjacent piece, 11 or 14 , and is biased away from the latter by a spring 11 mounted on the other end of the slider. After a desired included angle between two pieces 11 and/or 14 is found, the slider 20 of one piece is shifted against the bias of the spring 14 to engage the gear wheel 19 on the other piece, thereby locking both pieces together in their set positions. To maintain an angled relationship between the two pieces 11 and/or 14 , the slider 20 is locked in the engaged position with the wheel 19 by driving a knurled end 25 of a tapered pin 23 through a mating hole in the slider 20 .
  • a retainer 26 has a shank slidable along a slot 27 to hold the slider 20 close against the side of the piece 11 .
  • the advantageous backpack attachment described above with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 can retrofit all types of commercially available backpacks, as well as be applied to backpacks of new manufacture, and is shown in FIG. 10 in the act of being applied to a backpack Z.
  • FIG. 11 A backpack Z incorporating the inventive attachment and being carried by a girl B is shown in FIG. 11 .
  • the invention does achieve its object of better distributing the weight of a backpack across the user's shoulders, thereby correcting a prior tendency to assume a leaning attitude under the backpack weight that can harm young users in their growth period.
  • the inventive backpack attachment makes the backpack easier and more comfortable to use by that it can be carried more efficiently, even when loaded with contents that may be unusually heavy.
  • the attachment according to the present invention can also advantageously be used not only to prevent harm to young users by eliminating the tendency to assume a leaning attitude under the backpack weight, but also to correct already established forms of scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis and other abnormal curvatures of the spine.

Landscapes

  • Portable Outdoor Equipment (AREA)
  • Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
US10/511,524 2002-04-18 2003-04-17 Backpack attachment for improved distribution of the backpack weight across a user's shoulders Abandoned US20050173481A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI02A00082 2002-04-18
IT2002MI000822A ITMI20020822A1 (it) 2002-04-18 2002-04-18 Zainetto specialmente per l'uso scolastico da parte di bambini e ragazzi provvisto di mezzi perfezionati per scaricare razionalmente il peso
PCT/EP2003/004061 WO2003086139A1 (en) 2002-04-18 2003-04-17 A backpack attachment for improved distribution of the backpack weight across a user's shoulders

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050173481A1 true US20050173481A1 (en) 2005-08-11

Family

ID=11449728

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/511,524 Abandoned US20050173481A1 (en) 2002-04-18 2003-04-17 Backpack attachment for improved distribution of the backpack weight across a user's shoulders

Country Status (12)

Country Link
US (1) US20050173481A1 (it)
EP (1) EP1499212B1 (it)
JP (1) JP2005522253A (it)
KR (1) KR20050013102A (it)
CN (1) CN1646040A (it)
AT (1) ATE406820T1 (it)
AU (1) AU2003233988A1 (it)
DE (1) DE60323358D1 (it)
IL (1) IL164579A0 (it)
IT (1) ITMI20020822A1 (it)
RU (1) RU2004133753A (it)
WO (1) WO2003086139A1 (it)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080283562A1 (en) * 2005-12-05 2008-11-20 All Of It Scandinavia Ab Stress-Reducer for Shoulder and the Use Thereof
WO2009035443A1 (en) * 2007-09-15 2009-03-19 Wendi Phillips Flexible cover for the straps of a carrying device such as a backpack or the like
US20110010825A1 (en) * 2009-07-16 2011-01-20 Mueller Kenneth W Ergonomic straps for body armor vests
US11576480B2 (en) * 2019-08-30 2023-02-14 Acushnet Company Golf bag incorporating dual shoulder strap assembly

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013052670A1 (en) * 2011-10-04 2013-04-11 C & P Hiam Associates Llc Backpack running pads
FR3072865B1 (fr) * 2017-10-26 2021-06-18 Salomon Sas Sangle pectorale
FR3090284B1 (fr) 2018-12-20 2022-12-30 Gravibag Sac équipé d’un accessoire de répartition de charge
FR3096561B1 (fr) 2019-06-03 2023-12-15 Gravibag Bretelle de portage équipée d’une armature de conformation

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US978821A (en) * 1910-06-11 1910-12-13 Daniel F Brown Shoulder resistance-pad.
US3547322A (en) * 1968-08-26 1970-12-15 Downor Inc Medical apparatus
US4139132A (en) * 1977-03-31 1979-02-13 Martha S. Fairchild, trustee Backpack levers
US4911346A (en) * 1984-11-23 1990-03-27 Shallman Richard W Flexible, segmental backpack frame
US5507422A (en) * 1994-08-19 1996-04-16 Shields; Peter Contoured pad for a shoulder strap
US5590826A (en) * 1992-09-21 1997-01-07 Sakase Textile Co., Ltd. Protector
US5599286A (en) * 1993-12-22 1997-02-04 Centre De Recherche De L'hopital Ste-Justine Derotating orthotic devices for the correction of scoliotic deformities
US5992176A (en) * 1998-01-22 1999-11-30 Arbogast; Gina M. R. Shoulder clutch
US6863202B2 (en) * 1998-05-14 2005-03-08 Airpacks, Inc. Shoulder carrier with inflatable lumbar support
US6883691B2 (en) * 2002-11-07 2005-04-26 Ogio International, Inc. Carrying device for a cartable item providing single to dual-shoulder support transitioning

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1083992B (de) * 1958-12-12 1960-06-23 Julius Koether Schulterriemen-UEberzughuelse
WO2000041589A2 (de) * 1999-01-14 2000-07-20 Ekkehard Gorski Trage- und haltevorrichtung
US6467661B1 (en) * 1999-12-09 2002-10-22 Kerl, Inc. Adjustable shoulder strap assisting device

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US978821A (en) * 1910-06-11 1910-12-13 Daniel F Brown Shoulder resistance-pad.
US3547322A (en) * 1968-08-26 1970-12-15 Downor Inc Medical apparatus
US4139132A (en) * 1977-03-31 1979-02-13 Martha S. Fairchild, trustee Backpack levers
US4911346A (en) * 1984-11-23 1990-03-27 Shallman Richard W Flexible, segmental backpack frame
US5590826A (en) * 1992-09-21 1997-01-07 Sakase Textile Co., Ltd. Protector
US5599286A (en) * 1993-12-22 1997-02-04 Centre De Recherche De L'hopital Ste-Justine Derotating orthotic devices for the correction of scoliotic deformities
US5507422A (en) * 1994-08-19 1996-04-16 Shields; Peter Contoured pad for a shoulder strap
US5992176A (en) * 1998-01-22 1999-11-30 Arbogast; Gina M. R. Shoulder clutch
US6863202B2 (en) * 1998-05-14 2005-03-08 Airpacks, Inc. Shoulder carrier with inflatable lumbar support
US6883691B2 (en) * 2002-11-07 2005-04-26 Ogio International, Inc. Carrying device for a cartable item providing single to dual-shoulder support transitioning

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080283562A1 (en) * 2005-12-05 2008-11-20 All Of It Scandinavia Ab Stress-Reducer for Shoulder and the Use Thereof
US8800829B2 (en) * 2005-12-05 2014-08-12 All Of It Scandinavia Ab Stress-reducer for shoulder and the use thereof
WO2009035443A1 (en) * 2007-09-15 2009-03-19 Wendi Phillips Flexible cover for the straps of a carrying device such as a backpack or the like
US20110010825A1 (en) * 2009-07-16 2011-01-20 Mueller Kenneth W Ergonomic straps for body armor vests
US11576480B2 (en) * 2019-08-30 2023-02-14 Acushnet Company Golf bag incorporating dual shoulder strap assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1499212B1 (en) 2008-09-03
JP2005522253A (ja) 2005-07-28
ITMI20020822A0 (it) 2002-04-18
EP1499212A1 (en) 2005-01-26
WO2003086139A8 (en) 2004-09-10
CN1646040A (zh) 2005-07-27
AU2003233988A8 (en) 2003-10-27
ITMI20020822A1 (it) 2003-10-20
AU2003233988A1 (en) 2003-10-27
DE60323358D1 (de) 2008-10-16
KR20050013102A (ko) 2005-02-02
WO2003086139A1 (en) 2003-10-23
RU2004133753A (ru) 2005-05-20
IL164579A0 (en) 2005-12-18
ATE406820T1 (de) 2008-09-15

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: COMPAGNIA DEL VIAGGIO S.R.L., ITALY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LA GRECA, GAETANO;REEL/FRAME:015422/0278

Effective date: 20041007

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION