US3881644A

US3881644A - Convertible and collapsible backpack

Info

Publication number: US3881644A
Application number: US442759A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald R Demaline
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-02-14
Filing date: 1974-02-14
Publication date: 1975-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 1992-05-06

Abstract

A convertible and collapsible backpack adapted for shoulder support for persons to carry various types of loads on their backs while walking, said backpack being comprised of a pair of elongated J-shaped members of hollow tubular construction, said J-shaped members being conjoined by two mutually parallel collapsible bars extending in a perpendicular fashion from the middle portion of said J-shaped bars; said J-shaped members having on their respective axial lengths a plurality of holes extending therethrough which are capable of receiving therethrough a series of pins which lock onto corresponding positions on the respective J-bars the fastening ends of various carrying members such as a baby pouch, or a knapsack support, or alternately, a tray member for eating meals when at rest.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Demaline [451 May 6,1975

[ CONVERTIBLE AND COLLAPSIBLE BACKPACK [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 442,759

[52] US. Cl 224/25 A; 224/5 R; 224/6 [51] Int. Cl. A45f 3/10 [58] Field of Search 224/25 A, 8 R, 6, 26 G,

Primary Examiner-Robert J. Spar Assistant ExaminerJ'erold M. Forsberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmGeorge R. Royer [5 7 ABSTRACT A convertible and collapsible backpack adapted for shoulder support for persons to carry various types of loads on their backs while walking, said backpack being comprised of a pair of elongated J-shaped members of hollow tubular construction, said J-shaped members being conjoined by two mutually parallel collapsible bars extending in a perpendicular fashion from the middle portion of said J-shaped bars; said J- shaped members having on their respective axial lengths a plurality of holes extending therethrough which are capable of receiving'therethrough a series of pins which lock onto corresponding positions on the respective J-bars the fastening ends of various carrying members such as a baby pouch, or a knapsack support, or alternately, a tray member for eating meals when at rest.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SHEET 10F 2 CONVERTIBLE AND COLLAPSIBLE BACKPACK KNOWN PRIOR ART None known.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Backpacks carried by hikers over their shoulders are a common phenomena particularly in view of the trend of both youths and adults using hiking as a recreation. Now with the crunch of the energy crisis hiking will become an even more popular recreational diversion. By far the most common type of backpack used in former times. as well as today. is the simple arrangement of a bundle. called a knapsack, being attached to looped shoulder harnesses. There are evolutions of this arrangement which have become more complex adapted for more variable and heavy duty hiking purposes. However, it appears that one of the shortcomings and disadvantages of the array of backpack types known in the art is the lack of a backpack which is collapsible and also convertible from one functional use to another. Versatility and need for convertibility dictate a need for such a backpack inventionv In view of the foregoing. it is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved backpack;

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a versatile backpack;

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable and convertible backpack;

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the description taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the basic framework of the backpack invention comprising a pair of parallel J-bar members conjoined together as shown;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the basic framework of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 showing the baby pouch addition as one of the several convertible features of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the basic backpack framework member showing one of the alternate convertible attachments as a tray member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the backpack frame member with the addition of a belt to be worn about the waist of the user as an aid for holding the backpack on the wearer or as a means of securement of articles to the frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is both a portable and convertible packpack carrier which can be converted into multiple carrrying usages such as a child carrier, or a normal knapsack carrier. or a tray table for outdoor usage. The basic frame member of the backpack is comprised of two conjoined. parallel disposed .I-shaped members which are constructed so that the curved, hooked portions of these two members are adapted to fit over the left and right shoulders of the bearer. Joining the two .I-shaped members together are two mutually parallel cross brace members which are connected to corresponding areas on the straight portion of the two .I- shaped members. The two cross brace members are hinged in the middle portions thereof so as to render the frame member collapsible. Located in the .I-shaped bar member are holes adapted to receive pin members for locking semipermanently unto the J-shaped bars the fastening portions of the various convertible attachments such as the baby carrying pouch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment is shown, a backpack frame is shown in FIG. 1. This backpack frame 10 is comprised of two parallel and identically shaped conjoined J-shaped members 12A and 128 respectively. The

curved portions

14A and 14B of the respective J-

shaped members

12A and 12B are adapted to be worn over the left and right shoulders of the wearer respectively. These J- shaped members serve as the main support members of the backpack frame 10 and are conjoined to one another in parallel alignment by two mutually parallel cross brace members 16A and 168.

Cross brace members

16A and 16B are connected to the J-shaped bar members on the straight portions thereof as shown in FIG. 1. The preferable method of attaching the

cross brace members

16A and 16B is by means of looped

members

18A, 18B, 18C and 18D as shown. These looped members can be permanently welded onto the J-shaped bar member or alternately can be attached by temporary pin means so that the brace members 16A and 168 can slide on or off the J-shaped members when desired.

Cross brace members

16A and 16B are hinged in the respective middle portions thereof with integral hinges 20A and 208. Because of this hinging relationship the two support members can be folded together in a collapsible manner for storage purposes when not in use. In this collapsed condition the backpack frame is rendered portable and can be easily transported around or stored in a compact condition.

On the under surfaces of the curved portions of the J-shaped members are a pair of pads 22A and 228 for resting on the shoulder of the carrier so that the metal surface of J-shaped members 12A and 128 does not rub on the shoulder. These

shoulder surface pads

22A and 22B are made to snap on and off of the metallic main support members with

snap members

24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, as shown.

Interspersed at fixed intervals along the straight portion of .I-shaped bar member 12A are a plurality of

openings

28A, 30A, 32A, 34A, 36A. These latter openings extend through the diametrical extent of J-shaped bar 12A. Similarly, Lshaped bar 12B has a plurality of

such openings

28B, 30B, 32B, 34B, 368. These openings are adapted to receive

temporary bolt members

40A and 40B which extend through .I-shaped bar members 12A and 128 respectively. These

bolt pins

42A and 42B are adapted with hinged

locks

44A and 44B as shown in order that the bolts 42A and 423 can be temporarily locked.

The backpack frame 10 is adapted by the foregoing structural arrangement to carry various carrier members. The first type of carrier which can be fitted onto frame 10 is a baby pouch as shown in FIG. 2. This baby pouch is as shown, a pouch-like member having two openings 52A and 528 at the bottom through which the legs will protrude. The upper open portion of the pouch 50 is rimmed by a circumferentially extending metal rim 54 of solid construction.

Integrally attached to the respective corners of the semicircular rim 54 are semicircular loops 56A and 568, which are at least a 200 degree span and which are adapted to either slide up upon the straight portion of respective .l-shaped bar members 12A and 128 or alternately be clipped upon the .l-shaped bar member through the open portion of the loop member. Located on diametrically opposite positions of the respective looped members 56A are openings 58A and 58B and openings 60A and 608, not shown, on looped member 56B.

Openings

58A, 58B, 60A and 60B are of the same size as the plurality of openings in the J-shaped bars and are aligned diametrically with the openings on the respective J-shaped bar members. By virtue of the foregoing constructional arrangement, the pouch 50 can be lifted on and off the frame member 10. Once the pouch is lifted onto the frame it can be locked unto frame by inserting a bolt 42A into openings 58A of loop 56A and thence through opening 58B on the opposite side of loop 56A. Once inserted completely through the appropriate openings 58A and 588, the bolt is locked by drawing upwardly about a pivotal axis pin 44A on the one end of the bolt 42A. By similar construction and methodology the bolt for loop 56B is used to lock this latter loop so as to complete the process of affixing the pouch 50 to the frame 10. The relative height position of the pouch 50 on frame 10 can be adjusted by inserting bolt members 42A and 428 in one of the lower or higher openings on the .l-shaped bar 12A, as compared to the position used in FIG. 2.

Another conversion arrangement that can be used with the subject device is a portable tray arrangement as shown in FIG. 3. In this adaptation a semicircular metallic tray 70 is used as a portable table which can be stabilized on the ground by inserting the bottom portions of .l-shaped bars 12A and 128 into the ground. In this arrangement. a set of

slidable loops

62A and 62B are used to affix the tray to the .l-shaped bars. These

loops

62A and 62B are of similar construction to loops 56A and 56B and are locked by a similar methodology as described above.

in similar fashion any other attachment such as a knapsack can be attached to the frame member 10 as described for the foregoing adaptation. ln one embodiment of the invention the ends of a belt 80 are linked to the respective J-shaped bar members as shown in FIG. 4. This belt 80 can be used for dual purposes, one of which further secures the frame to the wearer by strapping and locking the belt around the middle girth of the user. For this latter purpose the belt is drawn around to the front of the frame 10 so that the belt buckle 82 and its mating end 84 are situated beneath the curved portions of J-shaped bar members 12A and 128. On the other hand, belt 80 can be used on the rear portion of frame 10 so as to secure to frame 10 a knapsack or other similar bundle for carriage by the bearer. The various other possible carriage uses of the frame 10 are myriad and depend to a large extent on the ingenuity of the user. Many adaptions can be utilized as the needs dictate, such as using telescopic legs as seen in F IG. 4.

The foregoing description is by way of elaboration of a preferred embodiment and is not to be construed as a limitation thereof on the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable knapsack frame supporting interchangeably various carriers comprising:

a. a pair of .l-shaped bar members disposed in mutually parallel fashion, a collapsible and hinged bar member having sleeves at the ends thereof, each of said .l-shaped bar members being received in a corresponding sleeve, means for attaching said J- shaped bar members in said sleeves, said hinged bar member joining said .l-shaped bars so that the .l-shaped bar members can be moved towards one another by folding of the hinged bar members, said .l-shaped bar members having therein a plurality of apertures for receiving bolt members;

b. a carrier having projecting sleeve members for attachment to the .I-shaped members;

c. said sleeve members being slidably received on said J-shaped bars and adapted to be fixed relative to said carrier by a bolt being locked through each sleeve member and a corresponding aligned aperture in said J-shaped bar members.

2. A portable knapsack frame as described in claim 1 in which carrier including a depending pouch having leg apertures for carrying children.

3. A portable knapsack frame as described in claim 1 in which the carrier includes a semi-circular shaped tray.

* a: s s

Claims

1. A portable knapsack frame supporting interchangeably various carriers comprising: a. a pair of J-shaped bar members disposed in mutually parallel fashion, a collapsible and hinged bar member having sleeves at the ends thereof, each of said J-shaped bar members being received in a corresponding sleeve, means for attaching said Jshaped bar members in said sleeves, said hinged bar member joining said J-shaped bars so that the J-shaped bar members can be moved towards one another by folding of the hinged bar members, said J-shaped bar members having therein a plurality of apertures for receiving bolt members; b. a carrier having projecting sleeve members for attachment to the J-shaped members; c. said sleeve members being slidably received on said J-shaped bars and adapted to be fixed relative to said carrier by a bolt being locked through each sleeve member and a corresponding aligned aperture in said J-shaped bar members.