WO2006012686A1

WO2006012686A1 - Carry bag

Info

Publication number: WO2006012686A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/001150
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward C. Jarvis; Susana Jenifer Fish
Original assignee: Freestyle Trading Company Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-08-04
Filing date: 2005-08-02
Publication date: 2006-02-09

Abstract

A backpack (1) comprising a carry bag (2) adapted to be positioned on a user’s back, strap means (3) attached to the carry bag to support the carry bag in position, the strap means including at least one shoulder strap, at least one loudspeaker (4) supported on the at least one shoulder strap, the at least one loudspeaker being adapted for connection to audio apparatus positioned in the carry bag, and a headphone interface (5) on the strap means and adapted for connection to the audio apparatus, the operation of the headphone interface being arranged to disable operation of the at least one loudspeaker.

Description

TITLE:CARRY BAG

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to carry bags that can be slung across a user' s back, such as rucksacks and the like backpacks as well as casual bags with a single strap which can be positioned across the user's chest. BACKGROUND ART

It is known to provide backpacks with built-in loudspeakers which can be operated via audio apparatus, e.g. a portable CD player, positioned in the backpack, see for example U.S. patent application US2002/0148871A1. It is also known for backpacks to be provided with a hole or port for the headphone jack to be passed through the fabric of the bag. This has taken the form of a moulded rubber or the like iris-shaped grommet or an overlapping flap, both to prevent the ingress of >water. A problem connected with this system is that to allow a connection to be made with the audio apparatus, the pack has to taken off and the pocket for the audio apparatus accessed. The headphone cable then has to be passed through the port and plugged in. The pocket has then to be closed and the pack put back on. To disconnect, the process has to be repeated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an audio-enabled backpack with increased functionality.

DISCLOSURE OF INVERTION

According to the invention there is provided a backpack comprising a carry bag adapted to be worn by a user, e.g. positioned on the user's back, strap means attached to the carry bag to support the carry bag in position, the strap means including at least one shoulder strap, at least one loudspeaker supported on the at least one shoulder strap, the at least one loudspeaker being adapted for connection to audio apparatus positioned in the carry bag, and a headphone interface on the strap means and adapted for connection to the audio apparatus, the use of the headphone interface being arranged to disable operation of the at least one loudspeaker.

The backpack may comprise an external control panel for controlling the functions of the audio apparatus, e.g. on, off, volume etc. The control panel may be of soft construction, e.g. of ELEKSEN (trade name) fabric.

The backpack may used for any desired purpose, e.g. to contain personal articles and may for example carry a water bladder.

The backpack may comprise a solar panel adapted to convert solar power into electrical energy and arranged to charge a battery supplying power to the audio apparatus and/or to the control panel. The solar panel may be mounted on a shoulder strap or on the carry bag.

From another aspect the invention is a personal portable audio support device comprising a carry bag adapted to contain personal audio apparatus, a loudspeaker, and flexible support means- for the loudspeaker, the support means being integral with, or adapted to be secured to, the carry bag. The support means may comprise means supporting remote control means for the audio apparatus. The supporting means may be the said flexible support means. The carry bag for containing the personal audio apparatus may be in the form of a pocket adapted snugly to receive the audio apparatus. The pocket may have a compartment adapted to receive audio software, e.g. compact discs or the like. The pocket may be made of textiles fabric or may, for example, be a plastics moulding.

The flexible support means may be strap-like and may contain or support wiring between the audio apparatus and the speaker and the control means. The support means may also support or house a headphone interface.

From yet another aspect the invention is an accessory for converting a backpack having carry bag adapted to be positioned on a user' s back and strap means attached to the carry bag to support the carry bag in position, comprising a personal portable audio support device as described above. The strap-like support means and the pocket-like carry bag may be adapted to be secured to the strap(s) of the backpack. The attachment may be by means of Velcro (trademark) or the like loop and hook releasable fasteners.

The headphone interface may be a jack socket. The jack socket may be positioned to open downwardly, to prevent or to mitigate against water ingress. Signal wires connecting the headphone interface and/or the loudspeaker(s) to the audio apparatus, may be positioned inside the strap means. This allows the user to have direct connection to the headphone interface. Disconnection may readily and easily be attended-to in a similar manner. This arrangement enhances the functionality of backpacks with built-in loudspeakers energised by audio apparatus, by enabling users to continue to listen when, for instance, they enter public buildings, and transport, and wish to respect other people's personal space. The action of plugging in the headphones is arranged to switch off the main speakers and to transfer the control functions to the external control panel.

In the above embodiments of the invention, speakers are preferably positioned in a pair of shoulder straps and are positioned so that the speakers are located close to the user's ears. The speakers may be conventional, i.e. with conical pistonic transducers or may be flat panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a front view of a backpack; Figure 2 is a partial front perspective view of the backpack of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front perspective view of a^' second embodiment in the form of a personal portable audio support device;

Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a modified form of the embodiment of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention and which is in the form of a backpack.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Figure_, 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of backpack (1) having a carry bag (2) to which is attached a pair of shoulder straps (3) by which the carry bag is supported on a user's back, not shown. A pair of loudspeakers (4) is mounted one on each of the shoulder straps and the loudspeakers are arranged to be disposed near to the user' s shoulders so that the loudspeakers are close to the user's ears. A headphone socket means (5) is arranged at an upper position on the shoulder straps and a control panel (6) for audio apparatus, not shown, that may be carried in the backpack is carried on one of the shoulder straps at a lower position. The control panel may be of generally conventional rigid construction or may be of flexible fabric construction, e.g. of Eleksen (trade mark) construction. Figure 2 is a part-view of the backpack (1) of Figure 1 showing details of the headphone socket means (5) . As can be seen from the attitude of a headphone jack plug (7) which is positioned for insertion into the headphone socket, the headphone , socket opens downwardly to prevent moisture ingress in inclement weather.

Figure 3 is a front view of a personal portable audio support device (8) comprising a small carry bag or box (22) sized snugly to contain personal audio apparatus, e.g. a compact disc player and discs and spare batteries, the bag or box (22) being adapted to be secured to a backpack (1) e.g. by means of releasable fasteners (9) such as hook and loop fasteners of the Velcro (trademark) kind, the bag or box being connected to a strap-like carrier (10) by means of an umbilical cord (11) . The strap-like carrier is adapted to be releasably secured to a strap (3) of the backpack, using releasable fasteners, not shown, e.g. of the kind described above, and carries a loudspeaker (4), a headphone socket means (5^') and control panel means (6) for controlling the audio apparatus, similar to that of the embodiment of Figure 1. The electrical connections between the audio apparatus and the speaker, headphone socket and control means are made via the umbilical cord (11) . Figure 4 is a front view of a personal audio support device (8) of the kind described in Figure 3, and in which the control panel means (6) is formed using soft or fabric controls, e.g. of the Eleksen (trademark) kind. Figure 5 is a front view of a third embodiment of the present invention and which is a backpack (1) generally similar to that of Figure 1 and comprising a carry bag

(2) . In this case the carry bag is mounted to the user's back with the aid of a single strap (3) normally worn across the user' s chest or alternatively slung over the shoulder.

In this embodiment, the carry bag (2) is formed with small compartments (12,13) intended to house audio equipment and associated accessories such as spare CDs, batteries and headphones. The carry bag is also formed with a larger compartment (14) intended to carry personal property of the user.

In any of the embodiments described above, the controls (6), where they require power, and/or the speaker(s) (4), where they require a small amplifier, may be powered by a solar panel (15), as shown in Figures 1 and 2. This may be disc-shaped or may comprise an array of photo-sensitive devices and may be connected to a power supply, eg a rechargeable battery (not shown) to enable the audio system to be used in the absence of sunlight. The solar panel may be disposed on any suitable generally upwards facing outer surface of the carry bag or straps. Preferably a site is chosen to minimise accidental damage to the solar cell while the bag is being used. The rechargeable battery is preferably located in the carry bag.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention thus provides means for enhancing the utility of backpacks.

Claims

1. A backpack comprising a carry bag adapted to be positioned on a user's back, strap means attached to the carry bag to support the carry bag in position, the strap means including at least one shoulder strap, at least one loudspeaker supported on the at least one shoulder strap, the at least one loudspeaker being adapted for connection to audio apparatus positioned in the carry bag, and a headphone interface on the strap means and adapted for connection to the audio apparatus, the operation of the headphone interface being arranged to disable operation of the at least one loudspeaker.

2. A backpack according to claim 1, comprising an external control panel for controlling the functions of the audio apparatus.

3. A backpack according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control panel is of flexible construction.

4. A backpack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a solar panel adapted to convert solar power into electrical energy and arranged to charge a battery supplying power to the audio apparatus and/or to the control panel.

5. A backpack according to any preceding claim, wherein the solar panel is mounted on a shoulder strap.

6. A backpack according to any preceding claim, wherein the loudspeaker comprises a flat panel acoustic radiator.

7. A backpack according to any preceding claim, wherein the headphone interface is a jack socket.

8. A backpack according to any preceding claim, wherein loudspeakers are supported on a pair of shoulder straps so that they are located close to the user' s ears.

9. A personal portable audio support device comprising a carry bag adapted to contain personal audio apparatus, a loudspeaker, and flexible support means for the loudspeaker, the support means being integral with, or adapted to be secured to, the carry bag.

10. A personal portable audio support device according to claim 7, comprising means supporting remote control means for the audio apparatus.

11. A personal portable audio support device according to claim 8, wherein the means supporting the remote control means is the said flexible support means.

12. A personal portable audio support device according to any one of claim 7 to claim 9, wherein the carry bag for containing the personal audio apparatus is in the form of a pocket adapted snugly to receive the audio apparatus.

13. A personal portable audio support device according to claim 10, wherein the pocket has a compartment adapted to receive audio software, e.g. CD discs or the like.

14. A personal portable audio support device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the flexible support means is strap-like and contains or supports wiring between the audio apparatus and the speaker and the control means.

15. A personal portable audio support device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the support means supports or houses a headphone interface. ^'

16. A personal portable audio support device according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the support means supports or houses a solar panel connected to a battery supplying power to the audio apparatus.

17. An accessory for converting a backpack of the kind having carry bag adapted to be positioned on a user' s back and strap means attached to the carry bag to support the carry bag in position, comprising a personal portable audio support device as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14.

18. An accessory according to claim 15, wherein the strap-like support means and the pocket-like carry bag are adapted to be secured to the strap(s) of the backpack.

19. An accessory according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the attachment is by means of hook and loop releasable fasteners.