Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: BACKPACK
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a backpack, and more particularly to a
backpack with a laptop storage compartment for use in carrying a laptop
computer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As laptop computers have become increasingly popular, there is
a need for a more convenient carrying case design. Some known backpacks
are provided with a laptop storage compartment that is generally defined by,
or contained within, the main storage compartment of the backpack and can
be reached only through an access opening provided in a top panel of the
main storage compartment. Other known backpack designs may provide a
laptop storage compartment with a unique access opening therefor, but such
unique access openings are generally also positioned at an upper, top panel
thereof.
[0003] Prior art carrying cases and backpacks with laptop storage
compartments are also known to be lined with padded walls. However, the
padded walls may not provide adequate protection from some types of
external impact, such as straight vertical drops.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides a backpack that can provide
improved accessibility for loading and unloading a laptop computer in and
from the backpack. The backpack can also provide improved impact
protection for a laptop stored therein, particularly against vertical drops.
The
backpack of the present invention can also provide improved comfort for a
person wearing the backpack, for example, by relieving back-stress and neck
tension.
[0005] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a
backpack that has a backpack body defining at least one laptop storage
compartment. The laptop storage compartment includes padded walls
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extending along each side and across the top, front, and back. The laptop
storage compartment has at least one access opening located on the side
face of said backpack. The backpack includes a pair of adjustable shoulder
straps connected to the backpack body for supporting the backpack on a
wearer's back. The laptop storage compartment may further include a
removable padded bottom block extending along the bottom of said laptop
storage compartment.
[0006] Further aspects and advantages of the invention will appear
from the following description taken together with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show
more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by
way of example, to the accompanying drawings which show some examples
of the present invention, and in which:
[0008] Figure 1 is a front perspective view showing one embodiment of
a backpack of the present invention;
[0009] Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the backpack of Figure 1;
[0010] Figure 3 is a left side view of the backpack of Figure 1;
[0011] Figure 4 is a back view of the backpack of Figure 1 with the
shoulder straps removed for clarity;
[0012] Figure 5a is a partially exploded perspective view of the
backpack of Figure 1 showing additional features in greater detail;
[0013] Figure 5b is a cross-sectional view of the backpack of 5a taken
along the lines 5b - 5b; and
[0014] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a laptop computer being
loaded into the backpack of Figure 1.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a backpack 10 in accordance with the
present invention for use in carrying a laptop computer. The backpack 10 has
a body 12 that is generally defined by six faces: a back-facing (or "back")
face
40, away-facing (or "front") face 42, top face 44, bottom face 46, and two
side
faces 48 and 50. The back-facing face 40 and the away-facing face 42 are
generally in spaced-apart opposing relation, as are the top face 44 and
bottom face 46, and the side faces 48, 50. The side faces 48 and 50 extend
between opposing left and right edges of the back and front faces 40, 42,
respectively, and the top and bottom faces 44, 46 extend between opposing
top and bottom edges of the back and front faces 40, 42, respectively to
thereby define a generally rectangular-paralleopiped shape having an
enclosed interior volume or space 13.
[0016] Each of the faces 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, and 50 can be of a dual-
layer construction, having respective outer shells 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a, 48a,
and 50a (also generally referred to herein as outer shell 15) and inner lining
40b, 42b, 44b, 46b, 48b, and 50b, (also generally referred to herein as inner
lining 17). The outer shell 15 and inner lining 17 of the faces 40, 42, 44,
46,
48, and 50 comprising the backpack 10 can be made from a fabric material,
and can include a combination of PVC, polyester, and nylon. Further, in
between the outer shell 15 and inner lining 17 of the faces 40, 42, 44, 46,
48,
and 50 comprising the backpack 10, an inner layer of foam or other padded
material can be provided to provide the contents contained within the
backpack body 12 some protection from external impact.
[0017] The backpack body 12 is, in the embodiment illustrated,
provided with multiple separate storage compartments 19, some of which are
within the interior space 13 and some of which are exterior of the interior
space 13. In the embodiment illustrated, the storage compartments 19 include
a main storage compartment 20 and a laptop storage compartment 22.
Auxiliary storage compartments 24 may also be attached or contained within
the away-facing face 42 and two side faces 48 and 50 of the backpack 10.
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[0018] Within the backpack body 12, the various compartments 19 can
be separated from each other, for example by walls of padded material such
as foam. It is possible that the backpack body 12 does not contain a separate
main storage compartment 20 and a separate laptop storage compartment
22, and instead, the two compartments are integrated into one.
[0019] The bottom face 46 of the backpack 10 can include a lower
brace panel in the form of a thin protective padding made from a semi-rigid
material, thereby providing structural support for the backpack 10 and for the
load carried within the backpack 10. The lower brace panel can facilitate
enabling the backpack 10 to sit upright on a flat surface, such as on a table,
a
chair, or the floor. The lower brace panel can also help to allow items,
especially those with a flat surface, to sit upright or lay flat against the
inner
surface of the bottom face 46 of the backpack 10.
[0020] The top face 44 of the backpack 10 is, in the illustrated
embodiment, provided with a carrier handle 18 attached thereto, providing an
alternate means for a user to carry the backpack 10, or alternatively, for
hanging the backpack 10 on a hook or the like. The carrier handle 18 can be
secured to the top face 44 of the backpack 10 by means such as stitching
rivets or buckles, and can be oriented generally laterally across the top face
44 of the backpack 10, extending in a direction running from one side face 48
to the other side face 50. The carrier handle 18 is preferably made of a
padded material shaped to be comfortably grasped by the hand of a user.
[0021] In the embodiment illustrated, the top face 44 of the backpack
10 has an access opening 30, which can be releasably closed by closure
means such as a zipper. The access opening 30 generally extends across
the top face 44 and partially down the side faces 48 and 50 of the backpack
10, and provides access to the main storage compartment 20. The main
storage compartment 20 is adapted to provide storage space for larger
generally impact-resistant or unbreakable items, such as books and binders.
Additional storage pockets for smaller items may be provided on the inside
wall of the main storage compartment 20.
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[0022] The away-facing face 42 of the backpack 10 may have attached
thereto a series of auxiliary storage compartments 24. The auxiliary storage
compartments 24 can be accessed through access openings 34, which can
be secured by closure means such as a zipper. One of the auxiliary
compartments 24 may be a portable media compartment, which may feature
a rubber ear-phone portal (not shown) for easy access to headphones from
the away-facing face 42 of the backpack 10, as well as a means to keep the
wires of the headphones of the portable media player untangled. Another one
of the auxiliary compartments 24 can be an organizational compartment, to
provide a number of smaller storage pockets for the storage of various school,
business, and computer accessories, including items such as keys, pens,
pencils, cell-phones, PDAs, etc.
[0023] The top face 44 and away-facing face 42 of the backpack 10
can be formed of a single piece of fabric material, which extends upwardly
from the front edge of the bottom face 46 and connects with the upper edge of
the back-facing face 40.
[0024] The back-facing face 40 of the backpack 10 can include a back
brace panel in the form of an inner layer of thin protective padding made from
a semi-rigid material. The back brace panel can provide structural support
and prevent sagging of the body 12 during usage. The back brace can
facilitate holding the back-facing face 40 of the backpack 10 generally
vertical
and parallel against the back of a wearer.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 4, the back-facing face 40 of the backpack 10
can further include a back support structure for enhancing comfort to a wearer
of the backpack 10. The back support structure can include an upper back
support pad 54 and a lumbar support pad 52. The upper back support pad 54
can include contoured concave cushions 70 positioned to engage the upper
back of a wearer. In the embodiment illustrated, the upper back support pad
54 includes six cushions 70 configured in three rows, thereby defining three
channels 72 - one vertical and two horizontal - to facilitate the flow of air
between the backpack 10 and the back of a wearer. The cushions 70 can
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alternatively be arranged in any other suitable configuration. The upper back
support pad 54 can help reduce discomfort of the wearer for the weight they
may be carrying, by distributing the force of the load throughout the mid-to-
upper back region.
[0026] The lumbar support pad 52 can include contoured concave
cushions 70 positioned to engage the lumbar region of the wearer. In the
illustrated embodiment, the lumbar support pad 52 includes three cushions 70
configured in one row, thereby defining two vertical channels 72 to facilitate
the flow of air between the backpack 10 and the back of a wearer.
Alternatively, the cushions 70 can be arranged in any other suitable
configuration. The lumbar support pad 52 can help de-stress the lower back
of the wearer by distributing the force of the load over a much larger surface
area of the entire lumbar back region. The backpack 10 can further be
provided with additional back support padding comprised of additional
cushions 70, located an either sides of the upper back support pad 54,
thereby providing extra support for the side of the upper back of the wearer.
[0027] The back support structure, including the upper back support
pad 54 and lumbar support pad 52, can be made of polyethylene foam
material with ribbed mesh padding, and covered with a synthetic velvet
material or other material to match the material of the backpack 10. The
spacing between the cushions 70 of the lumbar and back support pads 52, 54
provide the channels 72, so that a reduced portion of the entire back-facing
face 40 of the backpack 10 is in contact directly with the back of the wearer.
The upper support pad 54 and the lumbar support pad 52 may be the only
portions of the back-facing face 40 of the backpack 10 that engage the back
of the wearer. By reducing the contact between the back-facing face 40 of the
backpack 10 and the back of the wearer. The backpack 10 can be more
comfortable to carry, and any point stress exerted by the contact of the two
surfaces can be reduced.
[0028] The side faces 48 and 50 of the backpack 10 can be provided
with a series of auxiliary storage compartments 24. The auxiliary storage
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compartments 24 are, in the embodiment illustrated, accessible through
access openings 34, which are secured by closure means such as a zipper.
One of these auxiliary compartments 24 may be a mesh pocket, which can be
secured by closure means such as an elastic strip. The elasticity of the
closure means can facilitate ready storage and removal of items to be
frequently accessed such as pens or water bottles, for example.
[0029] Referring to Figures 5a and 5b, in the embodiment illustrated,
the laptop storage compartment 22 is generally bounded front-to-back by a
back wall 65 that is generally parallel and adjacent to the back face 40, and
a
front wall 67 that is spaced apart from, and generally parallel to, the back
wall
65. The back and front walls 65, 67 generally oppose each other and can be
generally coterminous, presenting opposing top, bottom, left, and right side
edges, respectively. The laptop storage compartment 22 is bounded along
the side edges by a top side edge wall 68, a bottom side edge wall 60, a left
side edge wall 64 and a right side edge wall 66.
[0030] In accordance with the present invention, the laptop storage
compartment 22 has at least one laptop access opening 32 for inserting a
laptop into the compartment 22 and removing a laptop therefrom. The laptop
access opening 32 of the laptop storage compartment 22 is advantageously
provided in one of the left or right side edge walls 64, 66, and has a
vertical
and widthwise extent sufficient to accommodate passing a laptop edgewise
into and out of the laptop storage compartment 22. The linear extent (e.g.
height) of the laptop access opening 32 is at least as long as a corresponding
length or width dimension of the laptop computer to be inserted in the
compartment 22, to facilitate inserting and removing the laptop into and from
the compartment 22 by horizontal displacement. This side access or
horizontal displacement capability can reduce (or eliminate) lifting of the
laptop to dangerous heights above a table or desk on which the backpack 10
may be resting. Accordingly, risk of damage to the laptop during packing or
unpacking can be reduced.
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(0031] The walls 60, 64, 65, 66, 67, and 68 bounding the laptop storage
compartment 22 can each be padded with an impact absorbing material to
provide a protective casing or womb for a laptop stored therein. In the
embodiment illustrated, each of the walls 60, 64, 65, 66, 67, and 68 includes
a
layer of foam padding. The back wall 65 is further protected by the back
brace panel, and the pads 52, 54 and cushions 70 of the back support
structure. The front wall 67 is further protected by the space and padding
associated with the main storage compartment 20.
(0032] The bottom side edge wall 60 can be further protected by a
shock-absorbing block 60a. In the embodiment illustrated, a shock-absorbing
block 60a is provided interiorly of, and along the length of, the bottom side
edge wall 60. The block 60a can be in the form of an elongate brick of
polyurethane foam material, having a front-to-back extent generally equal to
the thickness of a laptop computer, a left-to-right extent generally equal to
that
of the laptop storage compartment 22, and a vertical extent (thickness)
sufficient to protect the laptop from impact associated with dropping the
backpack 10 vertically downwards from a height of about 0.5 to 1.5 meters.
[0033] In the embodiment illustrated, the shock-absorbing block 60a
has a thickness of about 2 to 3 cm. The block 60a is encased in a fabric
material similar to that of the inner lining of the backpack 10. The block 60a
is
removably secured to the bottom side edge wall 60 by, for example, hook and
loop fastener elements. The block 60a can thus be easily replaced with a
thinner or thicker shock-absorbing block to accommodate a larger or smaller
laptop within the compartment 22, as desired.
[0034] The laptop access opening 32 of the illustrated embodiment is
generally provided by the left side edge wall 64. The left side edge wall 64
can be released from the body 12 along three sides and pivoted open along
the remaining side connecting the wall 64 to the body 12. The front-to-back
extent (or width) of the left side edge wall 64, and thus of the laptop access
opening 32, is about equal to the thickness of a laptop computer to be stored
in the compartment 22.
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[0035] Referring to Figure 6, a laptop computer 80 is shown being
loaded into the laptop storage compartment 22 through the access opening
32 located on the side face 48 or 50 of the backpack 10. The side location of
the access opening 32 to the laptop storage compartment 22 facilitates easier
access to the laptop computer 80 than that provided by conventional means.
For example, the laptop computer 80, may be loaded and unloaded without
the wearer having to completely dismount the backpack 10, by the wearer
simply reaching back with one arm into the access opening 32 to the laptop
storage compartment 22 located on one or both of the side faces 48 or 50 of
the backpack 10. Alternatively, the laptop computer 80 can be loaded and
unloaded easily by another person while the backpack 10 is mounted on the
back of the wearer, as the access opening 32 to the laptop storage
compartment 22, is at arm's reach.
[0036] The backpack 10 of the present invention, is mounted on the
wearer by way of adjustable shoulder straps 14. In a preferred embodiment,
the shoulder straps 14 are attached to the backpack 10 by stitching along the
edge joining the back-facing face 40 and the top face 44 and further attached
by means of length adjustment buckles 16 to the shoulder strap attachment
flap 15 located along the edge joining the side faces 48 and 50 and the back-
facing face 40 of the lower portion of the backpack 10. The shoulder straps
14 are heavily padded, particularly where they contact the shoulder of the
wearer, and are ideally jelly-foam straps, thereby creating a cushioning
effect
and softening the weight of a heavy load.
[0037] The shoulder straps 14 can be anatomically-designed to be s-
shaped, thereby also reducing neck tension on the wearer. The length
adjustment buckles 16 provide length adjustment means for the shoulder
straps 14. In the preferred embodiment, the length adjustment buckles 16 are
positioned at a slight angle directed upwards. It is alternatively possible
for
the shoulder strap attachment flaps 62 to be omitted, and the shoulder straps
14 attached directly to the edge joining the back-facing face 40 and side
faces
48 and 50 of the backpack.
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[0038] The backpack 10 has been described as having two shoulder
straps 14, but it is possible for to include only a single shoulder strap,
which
could for example, pass diagonally from the upper edge of the back-facing
face 40 of the backpack 10, across the chest of the wearer, and adjoining to
the bottom edge of the back-facing face 40 of the backpack 10 at the opposite
side.
[0039] While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and
described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents
will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be
understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such
modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
