[0001] The present invention refers to a carriage system for carrying a backpack by a person,
hereinafter indicated as backpack system, including a torso module which is arranged
to enclose, at least partly, the person's upper back and chest, as well as including
a support module including a hip module which is arranged to rest on the person's
hips, as well as a fork element, extending from the person's back towards the person's
hips, the fork ends of which being pivotally connected with the hip module such that
the fork element is able to pivot around the imaginary axis through the person's hip
joint, thus enabling the fork element to pivot in the person's forward/backward plane,
i.e. a plane transverse to the imaginary axis through the person's hip joint. Such
carriage system is known from applicant's earlier patent application
WO2007114702.
[0002] As in the known backpack system shows some shortcomings in practice related to stability
and ergonomics, the present invention aims to provide a backpack system which performs
better than the known system.
[0003] According to the invention a mainly rigid interconnection element at the person's
back side is provided, between the torso module and the support element, which is
connected to the torso module by means of a ball joint or a similarly acting flexible
joint, and to the fork element by means of a pivot construction which is arranged
to permit the interconnection element to pivot, around a pivoting axis, mainly in
the person's left/right plane, i.e. a plane parallel to the imaginary axis through
the person's hip joint.
[0004] This configuration, comprising (a) the fork element which can pivot in the person's
forward/backward plane, (b) the ball joint or similarly acting flexible joint which
permits movements in all directions, including rotational movement of the torso module
relative to the hip module, and (c) the pivot construction which permits the interconnection
element to pivot in the person's left/right plane provides, by effective cooperation
of those various pivots, that the backpack will be mainly supported by the person's
hips, however, without affecting the person's freedom of movement.
[0005] It is preferred that the fork element and the backpack frame, moreover, comprise
pivoting coupling means which are arranged for releasable coupling the backpack frame
with the fork element and, at the same time, enabling the backpack frame to pivot
relative to the fork element around about the same axis as the pivoting axis of the
pivot construction by which the interconnection element is pivotal relative to the
fork element. The backpack or the backpack frame is, preferably, detachably attached
to the torso module.
[0006] Due to the fact that the backpack (via its frame) substantially rests on the attachment
point on the fork element, which is pivotal in the person's left/right plane, and
the fork element itself is pivotal forward/backward plane, whereas the upper side
of the backpack is attached to the torso module -in order to keep the backpack in
the (up)right position)- which itself is all-sided movably connected to the rigid
interconnection element which bridges the torso module with the fork element, the
person's shoulders etc. will minimally be loaded with the weight of the backpack,
as the main weight will rest on the person's hips, viz. via the underside of the backpack
frame, the fork element and the hip module which surrounds the person's hips.
[0007] Hereinafter the invention will be described with reference to some figures.
- Figure 1
- shows a person using the backpack according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
- Figure 2
- shows the same embodiment in side view.
[0008] Both figures show an embodiment of the carriage system according to the invention,
which is arranged for carrying a backpack 5, including a backpack frame 5a, by a person
1. The system comprises a torso module 2 which is arranged to enclose, at least partly,
the person's upper back and chest. A support module 3 is provided, including a hip
module 3a which is arranged to rest on the person's hips, as well as a fork element
3b, which extends from the person's back towards the person's hips. Both fork ends
are pivotally connected with the hip module such that the fork element is able to
pivot around the (imaginary) axis 3c through the person's hip joint, thus enabling
the fork element to pivot (see arrow 3d) in the person's forward/backward plane, i.e.
a plane transverse to the imaginary axis through the person's hip joint.
[0009] A mainly rigid interconnection element 4 is provided at the person's back side, between
the torso module 2 and the support element 3. The interconnection element 4 is connected
to the torso module by means of a ball joint or a similarly acting flexible joint,
e.g. formed by a flexible rod 4a made of Teflon
®. The interconnection element 4 is connected to the fork element 3b by means of a
pivot construction 4b which is arranged to permit the interconnection element to pivot,
around a pivoting axis 4c, mainly in the person's left/right plane, i.e. a plane parallel
to the imaginary axis 3d through the person's hip joint.
[0010] The fork element 3b and the backpack frame 5a, moreover, comprise pivoting coupling
means which are arranged for releasable coupling the backpack frame with the fork
element 3a. In the embodiment shown in figure 1 this coupling means are formed by
a keyhole joint formed by a keyhole 5b in a (flat) transverse frame member 5c and
a knob 3e, connected to the fork element 3b and/or the interconnection element 4,
which knob 3e can extend through the keyhole. The keyhole joint 5b/3e enables the
backpack frame 5a to be coupled pivotally relative to the fork element 3b around the
same axis as the pivoting axis 4c of the pivot construction 4b by which the interconnection
element 4 is pivotal relative to the fork element.
[0011] Moreover, the backpack frame 5a is detachably attached to the torso module 2, viz.
by means of connection straps 2a, preventing that the backpack 5 will fall sideward
of backward. The main weight of the backpack, however, rests on the support module
3, via the fork element 3b, thus relieving the person's back and shoulders.
[0012] The configuration according to this invention thus provides, by an effective cooperation
of the various pivots that the backpack is mainly supported by the person's hips,
however, without affecting the person's freedom of movement: back pivot 4b/5b/3e provides
that hip movements are possible without causing the backpack to be lifted substantially,
hip pivots 3c provide that the person will be able to bend forward and backward easily,
and pivot 4a provides that the upper part of the person's body can move in all directions.
1. Carriage system for carrying a backpack (5), including a backpack frame (5a), by a
person (1), comprising
- a torso module (2) which is arranged to enclose, at least partly, the person's upper
back and chest;
- a support module (3) including a hip module (3a) which is arranged to rest on the
person's hips, as well as a fork element (3b), extending from the person's back towards
the person's hips, both fork ends being pivotally (3c) connected with said hip module
such that the fork element is able to pivot around the imaginary axis through the
person's hip joint, thus enabling the fork element to pivot in the person's forward/backward
plane, i.e. a plane transverse to the imaginary axis through the person's hip joint;
- a mainly rigid interconnection element (4) at the person's back side, between the
torso module (2) and the support element (3), connected to the torso module by means
of a ball joint (4a) or a similarly acting flexible joint, and to the fork element
(3b) by means of a pivot construction (4b) which is arranged to permit the interconnection
element to pivot, around a pivoting axis, mainly in the person's left/right plane,
i.e. a plane parallel to the imaginary axis through the person's hip joint;
2. Carriage system according to claim 1, wherein the fork element (3b) and the backpack
frame (5a) comprise pivoting coupling means which are arranged for releasable coupling
the backpack frame with the fork element (3a) and, at the same time, enabling the
backpack frame (5a) to pivot relative to the fork element (3b) around about the same
axis as the pivoting axis of the pivot construction (4b) by which the interconnection
element (4) is pivotal relative to the fork element.
3. Carriage system according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the backpack (5) or the backpack
frame (5a) is detachably attached to the torso module (2).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description