Reversible backpack

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a backpack (1) provided with walls finished on both faces so that it can be turned inside out and used in either configuration. For said purpose the back-piece (5) of the backpack (1) comprises a first, outer, face (5a) and a second, inner, face (5b), a pair of first shoulder straps (7a) being fixed at one end to said first, outer, face (5a) of said back-piece (5) and a pair of second shoulder straps (7b) being fixed at one end to said second, inner, face (5b) of said back-piece (5). The walls of said backpack (1) can present different colours or patterns on the opposite faces so as to obtain a different aesthetic effect according to the configuration assumed by the reversible backpack; in addition, the opposite faces of said walls can present a different structure, in particular with reference to the presence, number, and arrangement of pockets, straps and the like, so as to be able to perform different functions.

Description

Technical Sector

[0001] The present invention relates to a reversible backpack.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a backpack finished on the inside as on the outside so that it can be turned inside out and used as backpack in either configuration.

Known art

[0003] There are known backpacks of a reversible type, which can be turned inside out and used in either configuration.

[0004] A reversible backpack of a known type is described, for example, in the document No. US 5,361,951.

[0005] However, the backpack described in the aforesaid document comprises a system for positioning the shoulder straps in the passage from one configuration to the other that is complex to produce and complicated to use.

[0006] There are moreover known reversible backpacks that can be used as backpacks in a first configuration, whilst in the second configuration (i.e., once turned inside out) they can be used with some other function, such as for example waterproof jacket, bag with handles, and so forth.

[0007] We cite by way of example the documents Nos. WO 95/02345 and US 5,123,117.

[0008] However, the attempt to reunite different functions in a single object leads, in general, to poor-quality products that are complicated to use.

[0009] The main object of the present invention is to provide a reversible backpack, which can be used as backpack in either configuration, is of good quality, simple, as well as being economically advantageous to make and convenient to use.

[0010] The above and other objects are achieved by means of the reversible backpack as claimed in the annexed claims.

Description of the Invention

[0011] Thanks to the presence of a pair of first shoulder straps on a first, outer, face of the back-piece and a pair of second shoulder straps on a second, inner, face of the back-piece, the reversible backpack according to the invention is simple and economically advantageous to make and easy to use.

[0012] By turning the body of the backpack inside out it is in fact possible to expose on the outside either the first, outer, face or the second, inner, face of the back-piece and accordingly use, either the first shoulder straps or the second shoulder straps, for carrying the backpack.

[0013] Advantageously, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each face of the back-piece is provided with a pocket, inside which the pair of shoulder straps that are not in use can be put.

Brief Description of the Figures

[0014] The above and other characteristics of the present invention will emerge clearly from the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment, which is provided by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the annexed drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a front view of a backpack according to the present invention, with the body closed;
• Figure 2 is a front view of a backpack according to the present invention, with the body open;
• Figure 3 is a rear view of the backpack of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a side view, partially see-through, of the backpack of Figures 1 and 2; and
• Figure 5 is a view of a backpack according to the invention equivalent to that of Figure 2, in a variant embodiment.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

[0015] With reference to Figures 1 - 4, the reversible backpack 1 according to the present invention comprises a body 3 designed to contain the objects that are to be carried.

[0016] The body 3 of the backpack has reversible walls, finished on both faces, and is designed to assume a first configuration, in which the body has a first face of said walls in view, and a second configuration, in which the body is turned inside out and has a second face of said walls in view.

[0017] The walls of the body 3 preferably have different colours or patterns on the opposite faces so as to bestow upon the backpack 1 in each configuration a distinct and different aesthetic appearance.

[0018] Furthermore, the opposite faces of the walls of the body 3 preferably have a different structure so as to be able to perform different functions. For example, the opposite faces of said walls can present pockets of different dimensions and/or located in different positions; in addition, the opposite faces of said walls can be provided or not with straps for fixing of objects on the outside of the body 3.

[0019] In both configurations, the body 3 is designed to provide a compartment in which to insert objects to be carried, which is accessible, for example, by means of an opening provided with a zip for access 4 of dimensions sufficient to enable access to said compartment and to enable the backpack 1 to pass from the first configuration to the second configuration.

[0020] As in known backpacks, one of the walls of the body 3 constitutes a back-piece 5, which during use remains in contact with the back of the user.

[0021] According to the invention, the back-piece 5 comprises a first, outer, face 5a and a second, inner, face 5b, and the backpack 1 comprises a pair of first shoulder straps 7a fixed at one end to said first, outer, face 5a of the back-piece 5 and a pair of second shoulder straps 7b (just one of which is illustrated in Figure 2), fixed at one end to said second, inner, face 5b of the back-piece 5.

[0022] Preferably, as illustrated, the first shoulder straps 7a are fixed at one first end to the outer face 5a of the back-piece 5 in an area corresponding to its top portion; at the opposite end, the first shoulder straps 7a envisage engagement means 9a that co-operate with corresponding engagement elements 11a provided on the outer face 5a of the back-piece 5 in an area corresponding to its bottom portion.

[0023] Likewise, the second shoulder straps 7b are fixed at one first end to the inner face 5b of the back-piece 5 in an area corresponding to its top portion; at the opposite end, the second shoulder straps 7b envisage engagement means 9b that co-operate with corresponding engagement elements 11b provided on the outer face 5b of the back-piece 5 in an area corresponding to its bottom portion.

[0024] The engagement means 9a, 9b and the corresponding engagement elements 11a, 11b can be chosen without restrictions from among known devices. For instance, as represented in Figures 1 - 4, the engagement means 9a, 9b may be buckles, and the engagement elements 11a, 11b may accordingly be rings.

[0025] In the preferred embodiment, the first and second shoulder straps are fixed at one end to the respective faces of the back-piece in an unremovable manner, for example by means of stitching. However, it is also possible to consider fixing said shoulder straps to said back-piece in a removable manner by means of purposely provided connection means, such as zips, Velcro^™ strips, and the like.

[0026] Likewise, in the preferred embodiment, the first and second shoulder straps envisage at the opposite end engagement means that co-operate with corresponding engagement elements provided on the back-piece of the backpack. However, it is also possible to consider fixing said shoulder straps to said back-piece in a permanent manner, for example by means of stitching, at both ends.

[0027] In any case, the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 - 4 affords the advantage of preventing the shoulder straps from getting lost (in so far as they are fixed in an unremovable way at the first end), albeit guaranteeing a certain degree of freedom in displacing them (in so far as they are releasable from the back-piece at the second end).

[0028] Operation of the reversible backpack 1 so far described is explained in what follows.

[0029] Starting from the first configuration represented in Figures 1 - 4, in which the first, outer, face 5a of the back-piece 5 and the first shoulder straps 7a are exposed on the outside, in the case where the user wishes to turn the backpack inside out and get it to pass to the second configuration, he can perform the following operations:

• releasing, if connected, the engagement means 9a of the first shoulder straps 7a from the corresponding engagement elements 11a;
• opening the access to the inside of the body 3 by acting on the zip 4;
• turning the body 3 of the backpack 1 inside out through the opening in the body 3, thus exposing on the outside the second, inner, face 5b of the back-piece 5 and the second shoulder straps 7b fixed thereto; and
• connecting the engagement means 9b of the second shoulder straps 7b to the corresponding engagement elements 11b.

[0030] At the end of said operations, the backpack 1 will be in a configuration in which the second, inner, face 5b and the second shoulder straps 7b are exposed on the outside, whilst the first shoulder straps 7a are inside the compartment defined by the body 3 of the backpack.

[0031] According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 - 4, the first, outer, face 5a and the second, inner, face 5b are provided with respective pockets 13a, 13b, in which the shoulder straps 7a, 7b can be put when they are not in use, i.e., when they are inside the body 3 of the backpack 1. Advantageously, thanks to this arrangement, the pair of shoulder straps that is inside the body 3 does not hamper the user in gaining access to the contents of the body 3 itself.

[0032] The pockets 13a, 13b are preferably closed, for example at the top, by known means, such as a zip fastener 15a, 15b, in such a way as to prevent the objects introduced into the body 3 of the backpack from ending up inadvertently inside said pockets.

[0033] Passing now to Figure 5, a variant embodiment is illustrated that is distinguished from the embodiment previously illustrated precisely on account of the structure of the aforementioned pockets.

[0034] In the embodiment of Figures 1 - 4, the pockets 13a, 13b provided on the faces 5a, 5b of the back-piece 5 envisage a rectilinear top side and a corresponding rectilinear zip 15, 15b; in this way, the pockets 13a, 13b define with the respective face 5a, 5b of the back-piece 5 a straight narrow slit, through which the shoulder straps 7a, 7b are introduced or extracted according to the needs.

[0035] In order to facilitate the operations of extraction and introduction of the shoulder straps from/into the corresponding pockets, in the variant of Figure 5 there are provided curvilinear zips 15a', 15b' for closing the respective pockets. Said curvilinear zips 15a', 15b' each define on the respective face of the back-piece a flap 17a', 17b' that can be lifted to ensure access to the respective pocket on a wider portion and hence in a more convenient way and to enable introduction or extraction of the shoulder straps more easily. It is evident from what has been described above that the present invention achieves the pre-set purposes in so far as it enables a reversible backpack to be obtained with a structure that is simple and economically advantageous to make and moreover enables the user to pass from one configuration to the other with extreme ease.

[0036] It is also evident that the present invention is suited to being incorporated in backpacks of different shapes and dimensions.

[0037] It is moreover evident that numerous modifications and variations are possible, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the annexed claims.

Claims

1. Reversible backpack (1), comprising a body (3) provided with reversible walls and suitable for taking a first configuration wherein a first face of said walls is visible from the outside, and a second configuration wherein a second face of said walls is visible from the outside, one of said walls of said body defining a back piece (5) suitable for being in contact with the user's back in use, characterized in that said back piece (5) comprises a first external face (5a) and a second internal face (5b), a pair of first shoulder straps (7a) being fastened at one end to said first external face (5a) of said back piece (5) and a pair of second shoulder straps (7b) being fastened at one end to said second internal face (5b) of said back piece (5).

2. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first shoulder straps (7a) are fastened at one end to said first external face (5a) of said back piece (5) at the upper portion thereof and are provided at the opposite end with hooking means (9a) co-operating with corresponding hooking elements (11a) provided on said first external face (5a) of said back piece (5) at the lower portion thereof and wherein said second shoulder straps (7b) are fastened at one end to said second internal face (5b) of said back piece (5) at the upper portion thereof and are provided at the opposite end with hooking means (9b) co-operating with corresponding hooking elements (11b) provided on said second internal face (5b) of said back piece (5) at the lower portion thereof.

3. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 2, wherein said hooking means (9a,9b) are snap-hooks or the like and correspondingly the hooking elements are rings or the like.

4. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first external face (5a) and said second internal face (5b) are provided with respective pockets (13a,13b) in which said first and second shoulder straps (7a,7b), respectively, can be stored.

5. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 4, wherein said pockets (13a,13b) are closed at the top by means of corresponding zippers (15a,15b;15a',15b').

6. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 5, wherein said zippers (15a',15b') follow a curved path, so as to define a corresponding flap (17a',17b').

7. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first and second shoulder straps (7a,7b) are fastened to respective faces (5a,5b) of said back piece (5) irremovably, for instance by means of stitching.

8. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first and second shoulder straps (7a,7b) are fastened to respective faces (5a,5b) of said back piece (5) removably, for instance by means of zippers or Velcro^™ strips.

9. Reversible backpack (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first shoulder straps (7a) are irremovably fastened, for instance by means of stitching, to said first external face (5a) of said back piece (5) at the upper portion thereof at one end and to said first external face (5a) of said back piece (5) at the lower portion thereof at the opposite end and wherein said second shoulder straps (7b) are irremovably fastened, for instance by means of stitching, to said second internal face (5b) of said back piece (5) at the upper portion thereof at one end and to said second internal face (5b) of said back piece (5) at the lower portion thereof at the opposite end.

10. Reversible backpack (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the faces of said walls of said body (3) have different aesthetic and/or functional features.

Drawing