RUCKSACK WHICH MAY BE SWITCHED TO A FRONT POSITION

Abstract

A rucksack including a bag and a shoulder straps/belt assembly laid out in the back of the bag. The bag is laid out in order to switch from a standard wearing position into a front position. The shoulder straps/belt assembly has two straps each having an upper portion, attached to the top of the back of the bag, an intermediate portion, and a lower portion. The ends common to the intermediate portions and to the lower portions are attached to the bottom of the back of the bag, the distal ends of the lower portions are provided with a fastening system. A sliding system is laid out on the bag in order to slidably mount one of the common ends between the intermediate portion and the lower portion of one of the straps. The strap has a fastening system laid out the common end between the upper portion and the intermediate portion.

Description

The present invention relates to a rucksack interchangeable from a standard wearing position to a front position, notably in order to allow access to products contained in the bag, or for facilitating the movements of the user in the sitting position while retaining the bag attached onto the body. The rucksack, object of the present invention, will notably find its application in the field of sports, such as skiing, trekking or bicycling.

The bag will be implemented at manufacturers of textile articles, in particular manufacturers of bags or manufacturers of sports articles.

In a known way, the rucksack consists of a bag, strictly speaking, forming an envelope capable of containing a load, i.e. articles notably related to the activity practiced by the user of the bag. The bag generally comprises a pair of shoulder straps and a belt, laid out in the back of the bag, said components allowing the bag or the envelope to be worn on the shoulders while maintaining it applied against the back. When the user wishes to access articles contained in this bag, he/she should be able to easily handle the system for opening or closing the envelope, and then view the articles positioned inside the latter in order to be able to grab the desired product. Traditional rucksacks require complete freeing of the rucksack in order to position it in the front, and to thus easily handle the system for opening the envelope and properly view the articles contained inside it.

Further, certain activities require that the bag be released from the back in order to facilitate displacement of the user. For example, this is the case in the field of skiing when the skier takes a chairlift, and should then be able to properly sit down on the seat during the ascent. The skier then has to remove the bag before sitting down, which has the drawback of his/her having to grasp both the bag and the ski poles during the ascent of the ski run.

Rucksacks are known which allow a remedy to be found to these drawbacks, said bags being equipped with means laid out for switching the bag from a standard wearing position on the back to a front position of the bag. This is the case in documents WO 94/15496, WO 2006/025011, U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,519 and WO 03/056975 for example.

According to document WO 94/15496, the bag comprises two shoulder straps positioned as a cross, the upper and lower ends of the shoulder straps being attached by anchoring means onto the back of the bag. Further, the lower ends of the shoulder straps may be detached by means of connectors. The first shoulder strap comprises a section forming a loop which may be opened by means of a connection system, in order to enlarge the length of the strap. This looped section has a connector laid out in order to receive as a connection the lower end of the second shoulder strap when it is detached. Moreover, the bag also comprises a belt provided with a buckling system, the belt being attached at its side ends by anchoring means on the lateral sides of the bag. Pivoting of the bag from the rear to the front is performed by detaching the connector at the lower end of the second shoulder strap, this connector being then attached onto the member for connecting the looped section onto the first shoulder strap; the connector of the looped section is then opened in order to release the latter and enlarge the length of the first shoulder strap, the rucksack may then pass under the arm of the user and swing over to the front position.

According to document WO 2006/025011, the rucksack comprises a first shoulder strap consisting of an upper portion and a lower portion connected together by means of a connection system. A second shoulder strap consists of two straps; the first strap has its upper end attached to the upper portion of the bag and the lower end attached to the lower portion of the bag; the second strap is attached to the first strap by forming a loop inside which the user may pass his/her arm. Further, the bag comprises a third strap with which the chest may be belted, this strap having its ends connected to the second shoulder strap, one of the ends being connected to the primary strap and the other end to the secondary strap. Switching of the bag is performed by opening the connection system on the first shoulder strap in order to detach the latter into two portions, the bag then switching above the shoulder of the user on the side of the second shoulder strap, and then pivoting around the body in order to be positioned towards the front.

According to document U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,519, the bag comprises a pair of shoulder straps, the upper ends of which are attached at the upper portion of the back of the bag. The bag comprises a belting member, the side ends of which are attached to the side lower ends of the back of the bag by connecting means. The lower ends of the shoulder straps are attached on the lateral sides of the belt by connecting means. Rotation of the bag on the front may be facilitated by opening the connectors.

According to document WO 03/056975, the bag comprises an envelope and at least one shoulder strap, the upper end of which is attached to the upper portion of the back of the bag, and the lower end is attached to the lower portion of the bag by means of a connector. The bag comprises a waist belt slidably mounted facing the back of the envelope by means of a slide buckle system. Further, the belt comprises a connector so that the latter may be separated into two for attachment around the waist. The bag comprises a connecting member laid out between the lower portion of the shoulder strap and the belt; this connecting member may be detached into two by means of a connector. Further, the bag may comprise a second shoulder strap. Rotation of the bag requires the opening of one of the shoulder straps at its lower portion. The user then has to loosen the belt while maintaining it closed, which facilitates rotation of the bag and of the belt.

The rucksacks applied in documents WO 94/15496, WO 2006/025011 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,519 have the drawback of maintaining the belt tightened around the waist or around the chest during the switching of the bag. The user then has to loosen the belt, or even open the latter in order to facilitate the switching of the envelope from the rear to the front, the belt remaining in the closed position on the body of the user. The design of the bag according to WO 03/056975 also requires loosening of the belt in order to pivot the bag, and then tightening the latter once the bag is repositioned on the back of the user. Such designs further require that several handling steps be performed in order to pivot the bag from the rear position to the front position, and notably to detach at least one of the shoulder straps, and to loosen, or even open the belt in order to pivot said bag easily without the belt rubbing or catching on the waist or the chest of the user.

The rucksack object of the present invention has the purpose of overcoming the drawbacks existing on the bags from the prior art equipped with a system for switching from a standard wearing position to a front position.

As such, the invention relates to a rucksack consisting of a bag, strictly speaking, forming an envelope, said bag or envelope being able to contain a load such as products or articles relating to the practiced activity. Further, the rucksack comprises an assembly consisting of a pair of shoulder straps and a belt, said members being laid out in the back of the bag and allowing the latter to be worn on the shoulders while maintaining it applied against the back of the user. The rucksack according to the invention is laid out so as to switch from a standard wearing position of the bag in the back of the user, to a front position where the bag is positioned on the chest of the user, notably with the purpose of accessing the products positioned in the bag, or even for allowing the user to free the bag from his/her back, notably with the purpose of his/her sitting down.

The rucksack according to the invention is remarkable in that the shoulder straps/belt assembly comprises two straps each consisting of an upper portion, of an intermediate portion, and of a lower portion. The upper portions are attached to the upper end of the back of the bag and are able to be positioned around the shoulders of the user. The intermediate portions are able to be positioned underneath the arms of the user. The upper portions and the intermediate portions form the shoulder straps of the shoulder straps/belt assembly. The lower portions are able to be positioned around the waist. The ends common to the intermediate portions and to the lower portions are attached to the bottom of the back of the bag, and the distal ends of the lower portions are provided with a fastening system, the latter being laid out so as to maintain said distal ends attached. Thus, the upper portions and the intermediate portions form said shoulder straps and the lower portions attached together form at least the front portion of the waist belt.

Further, at least one sliding system is laid out on the bag so as to maintain one of the common ends between the intermediate portion and the lower portion of one of the straps, attached facing the back of the bag, while allowing it to be slidably mounted facing the bottom of the back of the bag. Moreover, this strap comprises a fastening system laid out at the common end between the upper portion and the lower portion, this fastening system being laid out in order to detach said intermediate portion from said upper portion, which allows the shoulder straps to be opened, and the intermediate portion to be then slid on the sliding system and thus slacken the waist belt in order to switch the bag to the front position while avoiding tightening of the belt around the waist.

Preferentially, the bag comprises two sliding systems laid out so as to be slidably mounted facing the bottom of the back of the bag, both common ends between both intermediate portions and both lower portions remaining attached to the back of the bag. With this slidable mounting, the shoulder straps may be slackened when the distal ends of the lower portions forming the waist belt are detached, which facilitates removal of the bag. Conversely, with this design, it is possible to adjust the shoulder straps on the body in the wearing position, once the distal ends of the lower portions forming the belt are fastened.

In a preferential and non-limiting way, the bag comprises two fastening systems laid out at the common ends between the upper portions and the lower portions of both straps forming the shoulder straps. Such a design has the advantage of allowing the bag to be used, for both a left-handed user and a right-handed user, the latter being able to choose at his/her discretion to either open the fastening system located on the left strap or the fastening system located on the right strap, in order to detach the lower portion from the upper portion, forming the shoulder strap, and to slacken at the belt in order to pivot the bag onto the front portion.

Preferentially, the bag comprises at least one adjustment system laid out on at least one of the straps, so as to adjust the length of the latter, said adjustment of the length allowing the shoulder straps and the belt to be systematically adjusted on the body when the distal ends of both lower portions are fastened together.

Further, the rucksack comprises a holding strap, laid out between both shoulder straps, at least located at the height of the common ends between the upper portions and the intermediate portions, or even preferably between both upper portions, said holding strap being able to prevent separation between said upper portions of the shoulder straps when the bag is in the wearing position. Further, this holding strap has the advantage of also preventing separation between the upper portions of the shoulder straps during the pivoting of the bag into the front position on the one hand, and of ensuring that the bag is held against the individual when the bag is in the front position on the other hand.

Other features of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of a preferential embodiment of the rucksack according to the invention, this description being supported by figures, among which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the rucksack according to the invention in the wearing position on the back of the user;

FIG. 2 illustrates the rucksack according to FIG. 1 during pivoting from a wearing position to a front position on the body of a user;

FIG. 3 illustrates the rucksack in the front position after pivoting.

As this is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the rucksack 1 according to the invention is laid out so as to be switched from a standard wearing position on the back, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to a front position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, according to which the user may access articles or products positioned in the bag, or even free the bag from his/her back with the purpose of being able to sit down properly. The bag 1 comprises a bag 3, strictly speaking, formed with an envelope capable of containing products forming the load to be carried. This envelope for example comprises padding in the back of the bag so as to improve comfort of the user when wearing the bag.

Further, the back of the bag 3 comprises an assembly consisting of a pair of shoulder straps 41, 42 and a belt 31, this assembly allows the bag to be worn on the shoulders and held applied against the back during movement. This shoulder straps/belt assembly comprises two straps 5, 7. Each strap 5, 7 consists of an upper portion 9, 11, of an intermediate portion 13, 15 and of a lower portion 17, 19, the shoulder straps 41, 42 being formed by the upper portions 9, 11 and the intermediate portions 13, 15, whereas the belt 31 is formed by the assembly of both lower portions 17, 19. For this, the upper portions 9, 11 are attached to the top of the back of the bag, i.e. at the upper side ends of the bag 3. Thus, the upper portions 9, 11 are able to be positioned around the shoulders in a wearing position on the back, or in a front position. Moreover, the intermediate portions 13, 15 positioned in the continuity of the upper portions 9, 11 are able to be positioned underneath the arms of the user in the standard wearing position on the back. As for the lower portions 17, 19, positioned in the continuity of the intermediate portions 13, 15, the latter are able to be positioned around the waist and form the front portion of the waist belt 31. For this, the back of the bag 3 may provide a back padding 6, as illustrated in FIG. 1, said padding 6 forming the rear portion of the waist belt 31.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the distal ends 25, 27 of the lower portions 17, 19 are provided with a fastening system 29, said fastening system 29 being laid out in order to maintain the distal ends 25, 27 fastened together, upon placing the belt 31.

In a preferential and non-limiting way, the upper portions 9, 11 of the straps 5, 7 also provide a padding 81, 82 capable of damping the impacts and improving the comfort of the bag positioned on the back and shoulders of the user.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the rucksack 1 comprises a sliding system 33 laid out on the back of the bag 3, notably at the back padding 4, said sliding system 33 allowing the common end 2 to be slidably mounted between the intermediate portion 15 and the lower portion 19, while maintaining the latter attached to the bag 3.

Preferentially, the bag comprises two sliding systems 33, 43 laid out at the side ends of the back padding 6 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, these sliding systems 32, 43 allowing both common ends 21, 23 to be slidably mounted between the intermediate portions 13, 15 and the lower portions 17, 19 of both straps 5, 7 facing the bottom of the back of the bag 3.

Further, the strap 7 equipped with the sliding system 33, and preferably both straps 5, 7 each equipped with a sliding system 33, 43, each comprising a fastening system 35, 39, these fastening systems 35, 39 being laid out at the common ends 37, 41 between the upper portions 9, 11 and the intermediate portions 13, 15. These fastening systems 35, 39 are laid out so as to detach one of the intermediate portions 13, 15 depending on the choice of the user, from the upper portion 9, 11, which allows the shoulder strap 41, 42 to be opened and the intermediate portion 13, 15 to slide on the sliding system 33, 43 while maintaining both lower portions 17, 19 fastened together, said sliding allowing the belt 31 to be slackened, said open shoulder strap 41 or 42 and said slack on the belt 31 allowing the bag 1 to be switched into the front position, the loosening of the belt 31 being naturally accomplished upon opening of the shoulder strap 41 or 42.

Moreover, both sliding systems 33, 43 laid out so as to slidably mount both common ends 21, 23 between the intermediate portions 13, 15 and the lower portions 17, 19 facing the bottom of the back of the bag 3, are able to slacken the shoulder straps 41 and 42 when the fastening system 29 is opened and the distal ends 25, 27 of the lower portions 17, 19 are detached. The slackening of the shoulder straps 41, 42 thus facilitates removal of the bag 1 when the user wishes to take it off. Further, with the design, the shoulder straps 41, 42 may also be adjusted on the body, upon placement on the back of the user and upon closing the fastening system 29.

In a preferential and non-limiting way, the lower portions 17, 19 each comprise a blocking member, these blocking members being laid out so as to limit the slackening of the shoulder straps 41, 42 when the lower portions 17, 19 are detached. These blocking members are described in more detail hereafter.

Moreover, placement of two fastening systems 35, 39 laid out at the common ends 37, 41 between the upper portions 9, 11 and the intermediate portions 13, 15 of both straps 5, 7, in combination with the sliding systems laid out on the left and right sides in the bottom of the back of the bag, has the function of allowing the bag 1 to be used by both a left-handed user and a right-handed user, the latter being free to choose to detach at his/her discretion, the left shoulder strap 41 or the right shoulder strap 42, in order to switch the bag 1 into the front position by pivoting it from the left side or the right side depending on which shoulder strap is opened.

Preferentially, at least one of the straps 5, 7 and preferably both straps 5, 7 comprise at least one system 45, 47 for adjusting the length of the strap. This adjustment of the length, in combination with both sliding systems 33, 43 laid out on the bag 1, allows the shoulder straps 41 and 42 and the belt 31 to be systematically adjusted on the body of the user upon placing said belt 31, i.e. when the distal ends 25, 27 of both lower portions 17, 19 are fastened together.

In a preferential and non-limiting way, an adjustment system 45 is laid out at the distal ends 25, 27 notably on one of the portions of the fastening system 29 attached to the distal ends 25, 27 of one of the lower portions 17, 19. As such, the fastening system 29 consists of a male portion 57 laid out on one of the distal ends 25 and a female portion 59 laid out on the other of the distal ends 27, the male portion 57 being able to snap onto the female portion 59 for closing the fastening system 29.

According to an alternative design, provision may be made for an adjustment system independent of the fastening system 29, said adjustment system being in this case directly laid out on one of the lower portions 17, 19, notably on the one of the lower portions 17, 19 slidably mounted facing the bottom of the back of the bag 3. It is also possible to provide such an adjustment system on each lower portion 17, 19. Further, according to this design, said adjustment system has the advantage of forming said blocking member defined above.

Further, provision may also be made for an adjustment system 47 laid out at the common end 37, 41 between the upper portion 9, 11 and the intermediate portion 13, 15 for one or even two shoulder straps. This adjustment system will preferably be laid out on the fastening system 35, 39.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the sliding systems 33, 43 laid out on the lateral sides, in the bottom of the back of the bag 3, are implemented by means of rings 51, 53, the dimensions of which are adjusted to those of the intermediate portions 13, 15 so as to allow sliding of the latter notably at the common ends 21, 23 of the latter, through said rings 51, 53. As such, by common ends 21, 23 between the intermediate portion 13, 15 and the lower portion 17, 19, is meant the sliding point at the ring 51, 53. These common ends 21, 23 are therefore variable and depend on the position of the sliding point on the strap 5, 7. The position of the common end 21, 23 is therefore variable and located on the interval limited by the distal end 25, 27 of the lower portion 17, 19 and the upper end 73, 75 of the intermediate portion 13, 15.

In a preferential but non-limiting way, the lower portions 17, 19 comprise an overthickness 55 having dimensions larger than the passage section of the rings 51, 53, said overthicknesses 55 forming the blocking member as defined above. This overthickness 55 limits the positioning interval of the common ends 21, 23 between the intermediate portions 13, 15 and said overthicknesses 55. This overthickness 55 therefore forms the blocking member able to limit the sliding of the lower portion 17, 19 through the rings 51, 53. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the fastening systems 35, 39 between the upper portions 9, 11 and the intermediate portions 13, 15, forming the shoulder straps 41 and 42 consist of a male portion 61, 63 and of a female portion 65, 67, one of the male or female portions being laid out at the lower end 69, 71 of the upper portions 9, 11, the other of the female or male portions 61, 63 being laid out at the upper end 73, 75 of the intermediate portions 13, 15. The male portion 61, 63 is able to snap onto the female portion 65, 67. Moreover, the male or female portion of the fastening system 35, 39 laid out at the upper end 73, 75 of the intermediate portion 13, 15, is of dimensions larger than the passage section of the ring 51, 53. Thus, when the fastening system is open for releasing the shoulder strap 41, 42, said portion of the fastening system 35, 39 is blocked on the ring 51, 53 when the intermediate portion 13, 15 has completely slid through said ring 51, 53. Maintaining the upper end 73, 75 of the intermediate portion 13, 15 and the loosened belt 31 is thereby ensured during the switching of the bag 1.

According to an alternative design, it is possible to provide an overthickness similar to the one defined on the lower portion 17, 19 of the strap 5, 7 so as to limit sliding of the intermediate portion 13, 15 through the ring when the fastening system 35, 39 is open and the belt 31 is loosened.

Preferentially, the bag comprises a holding strap 77, laid out between both shoulder straps 41, 42. This holding strap 77 is positioned at least at the height of the common ends 37, 41 between the upper portions 9, 11 and the intermediate portions 13, 15. This holding strap 77 prevents separation between the upper portions 9, 11 of the shoulder straps 41, 42 when the bag 1 is in the wearing position. Further, it also prevents separation between the upper portions during the pivoting of the bag. Positioning of the holding strap 77 at half-height on the upper portions 9, 11 will preferably be provided. This holding strap 77 preferably consists of two strap portions 79, 81 attached to the upper portions 9, 11, said strap portions 79, 81 being capable of being attached together by means of a fastening system 83, laid out at their distal ends.

Moreover, these strap portions 79, 81 comprise an adjustment system 85, 87, which is preferably laid out at their proximal ends attached to the upper portions 9, 11 of the shoulder straps 41, 42. This adjustment system 85, 87 allows the length of the holding strap 77 to be adjusted and thus the maximum separation position to be adjusted between the upper portions 9, 11 of the shoulder straps during the wearing of the bag 1 and during its pivoting.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the bag preferably comprises at least one handle 89 laid out at the side end 91 of the back reinforcement 6, preferably in proximity to the sliding system 43, said handle 89 allowing the bag 1 to be grasped when the fastening system 35, 39 positioned on the strap opposite to the position of said handle 89, is detached, and thus facilitating the pivoting of the bag in order to switch it into the front position. Preferably a handle 89 will be provided on each side end 91, 93 of the back reinforcement 6.

Preferentially, the handles 89 are laid out on each side, at the side ends of the back reinforcement 6. However, it is possible to contemplate their being directly laid out on each lateral side of the envelope of the bag.

Claims

1. A rucksack comprising a bag and a shoulder strap/belt assembly laid out in a back of the bag, said bag being laid out in order to switch from a standard wearing position to a front position, the shoulder straps/belt assembly comprises two straps each having an upper portion attached to the top of the bag, an intermediate portion and of a lower portion, ends common to the intermediate portions and to the lower portions being attached to a bottom of the back of the bag, distal ends of the lower portions being provided with a fastening system laid out for maintaining said distal ends fastened, so that the upper portions and the intermediate portions form said shoulder straps, and that the lower portions fastened together form at least a waist belt front portion, and at least one sliding system is laid out on the bag so as to slidably mount one of the ends common between the intermediate portion and the lower portion of one of the straps facing the bottom of the back of the bag, said strap comprising a fastening system laid out at the end common between the upper portion and the intermediate portion said fastening system being laid out in order to detach said intermediate portion from said upper portion so as to open the shoulder strap and to slide the intermediate portion on the sliding system, in order to slacken the belt and thus switch the bag into the front position.

2. The bag according to claim 1, further comprising two sliding systems laid out on the bag for slidably mounting both ends common between the intermediate portions and the lower portions, facing the bottom of the back of the bag, said sliding systems allowing the shoulder straps to be slackened when the distal ends of the lower portions are detached, facilitating removal of the bag, and for adjusting the shoulder straps on the body in the wearing position.

3. The bag according to claim 2, wherein at least one lower portion comprises a blocking member, said blocking member being laid out so as to limit the slackening of the shoulder straps when the lower portions are detached.

4. The bag according to claim 2, wherein two fastening systems are laid out at the ends common between the upper portions and the intermediate portions of both straps.

5. The bag according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the straps comprises at least one system for adjusting the length of said strap, the adjustment of the length allowing the shoulder straps and the belt to be systematically adjusted when the distal ends of both lower portions are fastened together.

6. The bag according to claim 5, wherein an adjustment system is laid out at the distal end of one of the lower portions.

7. The bag according to claim 5, wherein an adjustment system is laid out on at least one of the lower portions, said adjustment system forming a blocking member laid out to limit the slackening of the shoulder straps when the lower portions are detached.

8. The bag according to claim 5, wherein an adjustment system is laid out at the end common between the upper portion and the intermediate portion of at least one of the shoulder straps.

9. The bag according to claim 2, wherein the sliding systems are formed by rings laid out on lateral sides at the bottom of the back of the bag.

10. The bag according to claim 9, wherein the lower portions comprise an overthickness of a size larger than the passage section of the ring, said overthickness forming a blocking member, capable of allowing the intermediate portion to slide through the rings and said overthickness to be blocked in order to prevent sliding of the lower portions through said rings, said blocking member being laid out so at to limit the slackening of the shoulder straps when the lower portions are detached.

11. The bag according to claim 1, wherein in that the fastening system between the lower portions of the straps have a male portion laid out on one of the distal ends and a female portion laid out on the other of the distal ends, the male portion being capable of snapping onto the female portion.

12. The bag according to claim 9, wherein the fastening system between the upper portion and the intermediate portion forming the shoulder strap, has a male portion and a female portion, one of the male and female portions being laid out at the lower end of the upper portion and the other portions being laid out at the upper end of the intermediate portion, the male portion being capable of snapping onto the female portion.

13. The bag according to claim 12, wherein the male or female portion of the fastening system, laid out at the upper end of the intermediate portion of the shoulder strap, is of dimensions larger than the passage section of the ring so as to block said portion on the ring when the intermediate portion has completely slid through said ring, and to ensure holding of said intermediate portion and of the loosened belt during the switching of the bag.

14. The bag according to claim 1, further comprising a holding strap laid out between both shoulder straps, at least at the common ends between the upper portions and the intermediate portions, in order to prevent separation between said upper portions of the shoulder straps when the bag is in the wearing position.

15. The bag according to claim 14, wherein the holding strap has two strap portions attached to the upper portions, the ends of said strap portions being able to be attached by means of a fastening system.

16. The bag according to claim 15, wherein the strap portions comprise a length adjustment system for adjusting the maximum separation position between the upper portions of the shoulder straps.

17. The bag according to claim 1, further comprising at least one handling handle laid out on a side opposite to the fastening system, said handle being able to facilitate the switching of the bag into the front position.