BACKPACK FOR BOOTS AND SKI EQUIPMENT

Abstract

A backpack for stowing boots and carrying skis or snowboards, including a body having a generally trapezoidal rear wall, a rectangular top wall, a rectangular bottom wall, a front wall having a rubberized outer surface, and quadrilateral side walls; a pair of internal flexible boot pockets associated with the quadrilateral side walls and having an internal vertical side wall, internal front and rear walls, the internal walls being interconnected at first edges and sewn along their peripheral outer edges to the side edges of the top, bottom, rear, and front walls, whereby a selectively openable and closeable boot compartment is formed by each of the quadrilateral side walls and the pockets.

Description

The present invention relates to backpack constructions especially configured to carry ski or snowboard boots and snowboards or snow skis by a skier/snowboarder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The state of the backpack art is well-developed and includes teachings of various sizes, shapes, and carrying strap configurations to accommodate specific loading situations and particular equipment to be transported including sporting goods and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,708 is directed to an arrangement for carrying bulky, heavy footwear such as ski boots along with a snowboard. U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,051 discloses a backpack for carrying a snowboard, skateboard or skis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,364 discloses another arrangement for carrying a snowboard with backpack straps.

Despite the many developments in backpacks, there remains a need for an efficient carrier of bulky boots and other ski equipment, a snowboard or snow skis, which backpack is compact, easy to pack and unpack, and comfortable to use.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A new and improved backpack is provided which essentially includes a basic backpack shell construction, one having a stiff back panel supporting a major storage compartment projecting outwardly therefrom and carried on the user's back by a pair of padded shoulder straps into which basic shell a pair of tandem collapsible boot pockets are integrated at opposite sides. The front face of the basic backpack shell, is rubberized or otherwise provided with a frictional surface against which skis or a snowboard may be secured by adjustable straps extending across the upper and lower regions of the front face.

Access to the backpack interior is provided by a hinged top panel secured by zippers. Full access to the boot pockets is provided by zipper openings extending along the front vertical edges of the backpack and along the top panel.

The new backpack is compact, yet efficiently provides stowage room for boots, gear, and skis or a snowboard.

For a more complete appreciation of the present invention and understanding of its advantages, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the new backpack;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the new backpack with one of the boot pockets open; and

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the backpack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The new and improved backpack is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a closed, generally cubic body 10 formed by six walls, including a flat, horizontal, rectangular bottom wall 11; parallel quadrilateral side walls 12, 13; a front wall 14; a rear wall 15; and a top wall 16 extending between the front and rear walls.

In accordance with the invention, identical separate boot pockets 17 are formed from waterproof fabric at the opposite sides of the backpack by boot bags 18 sewn along the inner peripheral edges of the body 10. Each of the pockets 17 is three-dimensional, having top, bottom, inner and side planar portions suitably sized to contain a ski boot B. The pockets 17, 18 are accessed by and closed off by the side walls 12, 13, respectively, which are connected to the front and top walls 14, 16 by elongated zippers 19, 20 extending for full depth and full height of the body as shown in FIG. 1. Opening and closing of the zippers 19, 20 provides ready access to the pockets 17 for storage and removal of boots as shown in FIG. 2.

The side walls 12, 13 have separate liners 21 sewn or otherwise fastened to their inner surfaces to form closed utility storage compartments 22 accessible through the opening of horizontal full depth zippers 23.

The inside of the body 10 forms a main storage compartment which is accessed through a U-shaped panel 24 articulated to the top wall 16 along the upper edge of rear wall 15 and connected to the top wall by U-shaped zipper 25. The panel 24 itself may be lined to form another small utility compartment (not shown) if desired.

In accordance with the invention, the face of the front wall 14 is treated or otherwise covered with an elastomeric material to provide a rubberized high friction, anti-slip surface 15 for engaging and helping to secure skis or a snowboard. Adjustable clamping straps 30, 31 are anchored to tabs 32, 33 articulated to the edges of the wall 14. The straps are comprised of opposed inner hooked and outer looped Velcro® fastener portions 34, 35. The straps 30, 31 pass through buckles 36, 37 mounted on tabs 38, 39 articulated to the opposite edges of the wall 14. The effective lengths of the straps 30, 31 may be adjusted by varying the length of face-to-face engagement and locking contact of the hooked and looped portions, as will be understood.

In addition to the clamping straps, a U-shaped securing band 40 of nylon webbing is sewn to the bottom edge of the front panel 14 and an auxiliary adjustable holding strap 50 is mounted by a buckle 51 articulated to the top edge of the wall 14 by webbing 52 sewn to the top of the wall 14. The strap 50 passes through the buckle 51 and has a buckle 53 at one end and facing, selectively engaged hooked and looped Velcro® portions 54, 55 at the other end. The strap 50 may form a closed, selectively adjustable band by passing the hooked portion 55 through the buckle 53 and engaging the looped portion 54 of the straps.

The backpack body 10 includes a pair of padded, wide shoulder straps 68, 69 secured to the rear wall 15 through webbing straps 60, 61 at lower portions by D-rings 62, 63 attached by tabs 64, 65 sewn to the edges of the rear wall 15 and snap-fasteners 78 connected to the lower ends of the straps 68, 69. The upper ends of the shoulder straps are sewn beneath the upper edges of the back and reinforced by a web panel 80. Buckles 66, 67 articulated to the upper edges of the back wall 15 support auxiliary straps 81, 82 sewn to straps 68, 69.

The shoulder straps 68, 69 are selectively interconnected by adjustable harness straps 70, 71 having a blade fastener hardware 72, 73.

An upper utility pouch (not shown) may be sewn at the top of the body 10 and accessed by zipper 75. A carrying handle 76 is attached to the panel 24 by rivets 77 as shown.

In use by a skier or snowboarder, the new backpack may be easily loaded by placing boots in the side boot pockets 17, 18 by opening and closing the zippers 19, 20 which extend for the full height and depth of the pockets.

Smaller articles such as eyeglasses, goggles, cell phones and the like may be packed in the smaller compartments 22. Clothing may be stowed in the body 10 itself through opening the panel 24 by zipper 25.

In accordance with the invention, a snowboard on skis may be secured firmly to the backpack body 10 for transport by clamping the skis or board against the rubberized surface 15 of the front wall by tightening the straps 30, 31 against the skis/board. In addition, the straps 50 may be used to hold the skis/board against the wall 14.

It should be understood, of course, that the specific form of the invention herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards, comprising:

(a) a body having a generally trapezoidal rear wall, a rectangular top wall, a rectangular bottom wall, a front wall having a rubberized outer surface, and quadrilateral side walls;

(b) the top wall being articulated to the rear wall upper edge and the front wall upper edge;

(c) the bottom wall being articulated to the rear wall lower edge and the front wall lower edge;

(d) the side walls being articulated to the vertical end edges of the rear wall and horizontal end edges of the bottom wall;

(e) zipper means selectively connecting the top and front edges of the side walls to the side edges of the top and front panels;

(f) a pair of internal flexible boot pockets associated with side walls and having an internal vertical side wall, internal front and rear walls, said internal walls being interconnected at first edges and sewn along their peripheral outer edges to the side edges of the top, bottom, rear, and front walls, whereby a selectively openable and closeable boot compartment is formed by each of said side walls and said pockets.

2. A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which

(a) an access panel is formed in said top panel and is selectively fastened thereto by a U-shaped zipper means whereby access is provided to the interior of the body between the boot pockets when the zipper means is opened.

3. A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which

(a) adjustable straps extending across the width of the front wall are secured in spaced relation at the upper and lower portions thereof.

4. A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which

(a) a ski strap loop fastening means is secured at a juncture of the top and front walls.

5. A backpack for boots and skis or snowboards of claim 1, in which

(a) a carrying handle is secured to the top wall; and

(b) shoulder straps are secured to the rear wall.