External frame backpack with flexible harness
First Claim
1. A backpack comprising:
- (a) an external, substantially rigid frame having, an upper frame member and a lower frame member;
(b) a hipbelt attached to said frame adjacent said lower frame member; and
(c) a first flexible elongate stay attached to said upper frame member at an upper end thereof and attached to said hipbelt at a lower end thereof, said stay being flexible to allow movement of said hipbelt as said stay bends while transmitting at least a portion of the weight held on said frame to the lower end of said stay.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An external frame backpack includes a frame (14), a hipbelt (32), two flexible stays (50, 52), a back panel (38), and a lower panel (40). The frame is external and substantially rigid. It includes upper, middle, and lower frame members (22, 24, 26) secured between frame side rails (18, 20). The hipbelt is attached to the frame adjacent the lower frame member. The flexible stays are elongate with upper and lower ends. The upper ends are attached to the upper frame member. The lower ends are attached to the sides of the hipbelt. The stays are flexible to allow movement of the hipbelt as the stays bend while transmitting at least a portion of the weight held on the frame to the lower end of the stays. The back panel is vertically and horizontally tensioned and secured to the frame. The lower panel is secured between the side rails of the frame. The lower panel includes a support sheet (66) to maintain the shape thereof when tensioned between the side rails.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A backpack comprising:
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(a) an external, substantially rigid frame having, an upper frame member and a lower frame member; (b) a hipbelt attached to said frame adjacent said lower frame member; and (c) a first flexible elongate stay attached to said upper frame member at an upper end thereof and attached to said hipbelt at a lower end thereof, said stay being flexible to allow movement of said hipbelt as said stay bends while transmitting at least a portion of the weight held on said frame to the lower end of said stay. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An external frame backpack comprising:
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(a ) an external substantially rigid frame having upper, middle, and lower frame members secured between frame side rails; (b) a hipbelt attached to said frame adjacent said lower frame member; (c) two flexible elongate stays attached to said upper frame member at upper ends of said stays and attached to the sides of said hipbelt at lower ends of said stays, said stays being flexible to allow movement of said hipbelt as said stays bend while transmitting at least a portion of the weight held on said frame to the lower end of said stays; (d) a vertically and horizontally tensioned back panel secured to said frame; and (e) a lower panel secured between said side rails of said frame, said lower panel including a support sheet to maintain the shape thereof when tensioned between said side rails.
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12. A backpack comprising:
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(a) an external frame having generally vertically oriented side rails, an upper frame member, and a lower frame member; (b) a back panel secured horizontally between said side rails and vertically between said upper and lower frame members, said back panel having top and bottom ends; and (c) horizontal and vertical tensioning mechanisms for horizontal and vertical tensioning of said back panel, wherein said vertical tensioning mechanism is attached to the back panel adjacent to the top and bottom ends of said back panel such that when said vertical tensioning mechanism is tensioned, said back panel is vertically tensioned. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A backpack comprising:
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(a) an external, substantially rigid frame having frame side rails and a plurality of crossbars; and (b) a lower panel having horizontal tensioning straps secured to said side rails, said lower panel including a support sheet of a relatively rigid material extending within said lower panel between said side rails, said support sheet extending substantially to the top and bottom of said lower panel for providing vertical support to said lower panel, said support sheet being sufficiently rigid in the vertical direction so as to substantially maintain the shape of said lower panel when said lower panel is tensioned.
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Specification