Backpack

Abstract

The invention relates to a backpack or case, which, in the closed state, is formed or shaped from substantially an underside, upper side, lateral surfaces, a surface to be carried on the back and a front surface, wherein an opening region is formed on or along a surface (3) which is formed with at least one fold-down flap (13), whereby a substantially complete opening (2) of the substantially tub-shaped backpack body is made on the elongated surface to be carried on the back and on the at least one fold-down flap, by means of at least one zip closure (5), and wherein the surface to be carried on the back is provided with backpack straps.

Claims

1. A backpack, which in the closed state, comprises: an under side, an upper side, a plurality of lateral surfaces, an elongate surface to be carried on the back and a front surface; and said backpack, including: a tub-shaped backpack body; an opening region formed on a surface which is formed with at least one fold-down flap; whereby a complete opening of said opening region of the tub-shaped backpack body is made on the elongated surface to be carried on the back and on the at least one fold-down flap by means of a zip closure having opposed zipper closure ends, and wherein the surface to be carried on the back is provided with a backpack carrying system with respective pairs of backpack straps hip belts with pairs of hip belt padding and pairs of back paddings spacing respective backpack straps and respective hip belts; respective ones of said pair of backpack straps, said pair of hip belts, said pair of hip belt paddings, and said pair of back paddings fixed on separate opposed sides of said elongate surface to be carried on the back and formed on opposing sides of said opening region of said tub-shaped backpack body and forming said backpack carrying system in said closed state; said at least one fold-down flap having at one of said opposed zipper closure ends of said zip closure and covering a portion of one of said plurality of lateral surfaces in said closed state; the elongate surface to be carried on the back in said closed state has a concave shape in the closed state; wherein said zip closure is one of a waterproof zip closure or a pressure-sealed zip closure; wherein each opposed upper region of the tub-shaped base body is directed toward the opening region and further comprises: opposed pairs of rigid reinforcing means fixed on an inner side of said tub-shaped backpack body proximate said zipper closure; opposed pairs of engaging reinforcing elements are arranged on respective rigid reinforcing means and engage into each other in a positive locking way when said backpack is in said closed state; opposed pairs of rod-shaped elements join and space respective pairs of said rigid reinforcing means, and each rod-shaped element extends parallel to the zip closure on either inner side of said opening region; and an inner tension device spaced on opposed inner sides of said opening region proximate said zip closure and engaging in tension when said backpack is in said closed state; and each said hip belt is fixed to said respective reinforcing means.

2. The backpack, according to claim 1, wherein: wherein the ends of the zip closure substantially extend along said opening region and form said at least one fold-down flap and an opposed-side fold-down flap wherein the fold-down flaps project past the base body in said closed state.

3. The backpack, according to claim 1, wherein: the zip closure ends are at projecting ends of respective fold-down flaps and are releasably affixed to respective pairs of fixing elements on said base body.

4. The backpack, according to claim 3, wherein: the corresponding fastening means on the zip closure ends and the retaining elements on the base body are designed as at least one of a group of closures consisting of adjustable ratchet closures, hook and loop connections, magnetic connections, and cord connections.

5. The backpack, according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one of a plurality of inner pockets arranged in an inner region of the backpack next to the zip closure.

6. The backpack, according to claim 5, wherein: a fastening seam of the inner pockets is sealed by welded zipper tapes.

7. The backpack, according to claim 5, wherein: the inner pockets are arranged proximate at least one of said zip closure ends and said flap ends.

8. The backpack, according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one partition is formed in the interior of the backpack.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a completely open backpack.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a completely open backpack with a subregion.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a closed backpack with zip closure ends that still project.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a closed backpack with zip closure ends fastened on the base body.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a tub-shaped base body or welded body.

(6) FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D show an overview of different physical states of the backpack according to the invention.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a closed backpack with fold-down flaps tensioned on the backpack body which are manipulable from one side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. The word couple and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through intermediate elements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It will also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elements may be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appended claims without requirements of the written description being required thereto.

(9) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a backpack 1 according to the invention in the open state, wherein the embodiment shown here is equipped on surface 3 to be carried on the back with a backpack strap system 4, comprising backpack straps 4.1, hip belt 4.4, and padding 4.2, 4.3, as is clear in FIG. 3. Surface 3 to be carried on the back is formed by means of folding projecting length 7 onto base body 6 during the closing of the backpack. In this embodiment, zip closure 5 extends in the center of elongated surface 3 to be carried on the back in the closed state of the backpack, as is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

(10) Backpack strap system 4, which comprises backpack straps 4.1, back padding 4.2, and also additional padding 4.3 and hip belt elements 4.4 is designed in this form in two parts and the corresponding halves are arranged to the right and left of zip closure 5.

(11) As surface 3 to be carried on the back is formed from projecting length 7 extending tub-shaped base body 6, by corresponding folding or folding down of the projecting length or of at least one fold-down flap 13, surface 3 to be carried on the back is produced with substantially triangular fold-down flaps 13 with zip closure ends 8, projecting in each case upward and downward past the base body. Zip closure ends 8 are thereby equipped with retaining means, by means of which these are releasably fixed to corresponding fixing elements 9 on base body 6.

(12) In one preferred embodiment, this connecting device is adjustable, e.g., by means of a ratchet strap, whereby the projecting triangular element may be well tensioned at the respective zip closure end. The fastening of the zip closure ends may likewise be solved with correspondingly placed Velcro strips, Velcro surfaces, magnetic elements or magnetic regions, or snap fasteners or simple cords.

(13) A preferred embodiment of a backpack is shown in FIG. 7, in which the manipulation or the loosening and tensioning of fold-down flaps 13 may be carried out from one side of the backpack. The at least one fold-down flap is thereby provided with a retaining, guiding, or connecting element 21 for a strip-like tensioning means 23. As shown here, a central lashing, clamping, or releasing means 22, which corresponds to the fold-down flaps via, for example, bands, belts, cords 23, 24 and via which the fold-down flaps are tensioned and applied to the front surface of the backpack, is arranged approximately in the center of front surface 25 of the backpack. Lashing, clamping, or releasing means 22 is locked on a stop 26 and retaining, guiding, or connecting element 21 is thereby formed on upper fold-down flap 13 as a clamping and releasing means.

(14) By this means, the upper fold-down flap may be separately released and the backpack may be quickly opened in the upper region without having to lay out the backpack flat like a suitcase, as the lower fold-down flap remains tensioned. By this means, the backpack may be quickly packed and unloaded in the upper region.

(15) Lashing, clamping, or releasing means 22, centrally arranged in the center of front surface 25, may be varied in its position; however, it is positioned in such a way that it is arranged in the center or closer to the upper side of the backpack, thus closer to fold-down flap 13 shown in FIG. 7.

(16) The backpack may thus be selectively completely opened or only opened from the top while standing or hanging from its upper side, without having to reach around to the underside; if the backpack is to be completely opened, the backpack only needs to be folded over or unfolded after releasing the straps.

(17) The two fold-down flaps are tensioned and applied to the backpack body at said central lashing, clamping, or releasing means 22 by means of tensioning elements, like belt straps 23, 24 shown. Due to the possibility for releasing the two fold-down flaps simultaneously at central lashing, clamping, or releasing means 22, the two fold-down flaps may be released when the backpack stands on its lower side, and the backpack may then be laid on front surface 25, whereby the large opening region on the surface to be carried on the back is accessible. This embodiment prevents having to lay the backpack on the surface to be carried on the back in order to operate the opening elements and to open the backpack, and thus also soiling this surface by laying it on the ground or another object. Thus, the soiling of the clothing of the wearer, who carriers the backpack on their back, is also effectively prevented.

(18) Lashing device 22 made from lashing, clamping, or releasing means, is, as described, arranged in the upper region of the front surface of the backpack, when removed from the back and set up, and is connected to the ends of fold-down flaps 13 by means of, for example, belt straps 23, 24 as shown and at least two connecting elements 21. The connecting elements may be equipped with click closures for quick release, and the belt straps are guided around the front surface of the backpack. In a variant that is not depicted, guides or guide pockets for the belt straps are arranged on the front surface, which improves the visual effect and supports a positioning of the belts. The lashing device also has a stop for at least one belt strap at least one fold-down flap, so that said strap is not accidentally unthreaded.

(19) In another preferred embodiment, the zip closure ends or the projecting triangular elements and a region on the base body are equipped with magnetic elements, whereby the projecting triangular projecting end may be simply brushed across the base body after folding to close the backpack, and where the projecting end is fastened on the same by the corresponding magnetic region.

(20) Zip closure 5 is preferably equipped with two sliders, whereby the potential is created to only open a smaller region of the backpack. The inner region is hereby, as is clear in FIG. 2, equipped with one or more partitions 10, to which very easy and fast access is obtained by opening the zip closure using the upper slider. Partitions 10 are thereby preferably designed as adjustable and/or removable and insertable at different points, and may be applied by means of Velcro connections, push-buttons or a correspondingly provided zip closure.

(21) In another variant, one or more partitions may also be arranged longitudinally in the inner region, whereby a longer or larger separated pocket is created in the interior.

(22) For simple and better compression and securing the contents in the backpack interior, at least one tensioning device 11, as shown in FIG. 1, is provided in the interior, by means of which the contents are fixed and compressed. By this means, the contents are secured against falling out too easily and they are compressed, which contributes to significant ease when closing the backpack and the zip closure.

(23) As is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the backpack is equipped in one preferred embodiment with at least one, inner reinforcing means, designed as reinforcing plate 12, which, in the combination shown of longitudinally arranged rod-shaped element 15 extending substantially parallel to the zip closure belt and reinforcing plate 12, contributes to a support of the open position of the backpack.

(24) Additional reinforcing elements 16, 17 (as seen in FIG. 1) or latching lugs 18 (as seen in FIG. 2), which extend transversely across closed zip closure 5 and engage into each other in a positive locking way during closing, stabilize the backpack and in particular the position at the hips. The two portions of the hip belt 4.4 are thereby fixed on respective reinforcing plates 12, 12, on which intermeshing respective reinforcing elements 16, 17 18 are arranged, whereby the backpack may deform less and offers good wearing comfort.

(25) In the upper left in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6A, a base body 20 of the backpack or backpack body is shown, which forms a tub-shaped body by its closed surfaces. In this open state, the tub-shaped body is equipped on its outer periphery with a zip closure 5, as is depicted in the upper right in FIG. 6B, wherein ends 8 of the zip closure each lie in the center of the short side. By bending upper region 7 of base body 6 and closing zip closure 5, the closed backpack is obtained according to FIG. 3 and the lower left of FIG. 6C, with a surface 3 to be carried on the back and fold-down flaps 13. Fold-down flaps 13 projecting upward and downward past base body 6 are bent against the base body by folding, whereby a planar, slightly concave flat configuration showing a concave distance C relative to a respective flat line L, as in FIGS. 5 and 6D for carrying on the back is created.

(26) The fold-down flaps are releasably fixed in this position with the fastening elements, preferably, for example, an adjustable ratchet or clamping strap closure.

(27) After the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to the accompanying figures, it is maintained that the invention is not limited to these exact embodiments, and that different changes and modifications may be carried out by a person skilled in the art without deviating from the scope of the invention, as it is defined in the accompanying claims.

(28) Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skills that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations can be made in the presently disclosed system without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.