Abstract:
A bear-proof backpack and latching system. The bear-proof backpack and latching system has a hard shelled main body portion having perimeter sidewalls that define a main body portion cavity, a first open mouth at a first end of the main body portion, the first open mouth having a first rim. It further includes a first hard shelled lid that detachably attaches over the first open mouth, the first lid having a perimeter lip with a leading edge that fits over the first rim. The first lid is attached to the first open mouth by a primary latch system that has a first latch mechanism located on the main body portion and a second latch mechanism located on the first lid, which first and second latch mechanisms detachably lock the first lid to cover the first open mouth of the main body portion.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/740,321, filed on Dec. 20, 2012 entitled “BEAR-PROOF BACKPACK AND LATCH SYSTEM.” 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a hard shell backpack, and more specifically to a bear-proof backpack and latching system. 
         [0003]    Bears have an acute sense of smell and aggressively seek food when hungry. Bears have been known to tear open car doors to get at food left instead parted vehicles. In the last several years, hikers and backpackers traveling through and staying overnight in U.S. Federal and State parks have been required to store food items in super strong containers that will thwart the efforts of bears to get at the food. However, such bear-proof containers, which are hard shelled and take up considerable space in backpacks can be heavy and inconvenient to use, particularly when carry a lot of food. 
         [0004]    It would therefore be useful to have a hard-shelled backpack that can be opened easily and secured to prevent a bear from accessing the contents of the backpack. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of a bear-proof backpack and latching system of the invention with an upper lid removed and a lower lid attached to a main body portion. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view thereof, with an optional support harness attached thereto. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the upper open mouth of the body portion, and showing part of the divider wall and a female portion of the latching system. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a top view showing the upper open mouth of the body portion, and showing part of the divider wall and the female portion of the latching system. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view showing the female portion of the latching system that resides in the body portion of the backpack. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a detail view showing one latch and cable that operate the latch. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7A  is an underside view of a lid of the bear-proof backpack showing a male portion of the latching system. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7B  is a detail showing an edge of the lid of the bear-proof backpack. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a top view of a lid of the bear-proof backpack of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is another top view showing the upper open mouth of the body portion, and showing part of the divider wall and the female portion of the latching system. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a front view of an outer handle portion of a lock of the latching system, in its lock position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a front view of an outer handle portion of a lock of the latching system, in its unlock position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the lock mounted on a wall of the body portion of the bear-proof backpack. 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is a side view showing the optional support harness attached to a side of the body portion of the bear-proof backpack. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  is an inside of an engagement end of the optional support harness with connector, and a complementary connector on the side of the body portion of the bear-proof backpack. 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the male portion of the latching system. 
           [0021]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing the male portion of the latching system and an exploded view showing the female portion of the latching system. 
           [0022]      FIG. 17  is a side view showing the male portion and the female portion of the latching system before they are engaged together. 
           [0023]      FIG. 18  is a side view showing the male portion and the female portion of the latching system after engaged, but not locked together. 
           [0024]      FIG. 19  is a side view showing the male portion and the female portion of the latching system after engaged and locked together by moving the cable and its connected blocking cylinder. 
           [0025]      FIG. 20  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the female portion of the latching system with its locking cylinder in the unlocked position. 
           [0026]      FIG. 21  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the female portion of the latching system with its locking cylinder in the locked position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  is a rear view and  FIG. 2  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a bear-proof backpack and latching system  10  of the invention with an upper lid  18 B (see  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 8 ) removed and a lower lid  18 A attached to a main body portion  12 . An upper open mouth  14  has a rim  26 . A bead  16  is provided around an outer perimeter of the body portion  12 . A lower rim  22  if formed around a lower end of the main body portion  12 . An optional support harness  24  is shown attached to the side of body portion  22 . The main body portion is formed of high strength material, such as laminated layers of carbon fiber material, and/or aramid, para-aramid synethetic fibers. For extra strength and a lightweight construction, materials such as Kevlar® can used. For ease of manufacture, a front section  13 A and rear section  13 B of the body portion can be riveted together. Although the main body portion  12  is shown has having a generally kidney-shaped cross-section, it can be made with an oval, obround, rectangular, or other shapes as desired. 
         [0028]    Turning to  FIGS. 3-6  and  9 , there are shown various view of the upper open end of the main body portion  12 .  FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the upper open mouth  14  of the main body portion  12 , and showing part of the divider wall  30  and a female portion latch  40  of a latch assembly (the full assembly  180  being shown in  FIGS. 16-19 ).  FIG. 4  is a top view showing the upper open mouth  14  of the main body portion  12 , and showing the divider wall  30  and the female portion latch  40  of the latching assembly.  FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 5  is another perspective view showing the female portion latch  40  of the latching assembly that resides in the main body portion  12  of the backpack, and  FIG. 6  is a detail view showing one female portion latch  40  and the cable  42  that operate the female portion latch  40 . In this exemplary embodiment, there are three spaced apart female portion latch  40  and a lock assembly  50  which lock and unlock the female portion latches  40  via a cable  42  that goes around an inner perimeter of the open mouth  16 . The main body portion  12  has an inner wall  26  and for longer body portions, an optional inner divider support  30  is positioned in the main body portion  12  and can be permanently attached thereto, e.g., by a rim  34  which is riveted to the side walls  26  of the main body portion  12 . So that relative long items (e.g., fishing rods, tent poles, etc.) can be passed through the inner divider support  30 , openings  32  are preferably formed therethrough. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 9 , the female portion latch  40  have a top surface  44  and a hole  46  formed therein. The female portion latch  40  and the male latch portion  63  will be described below with respect to  FIGS. 15-21 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 7A  is an underside view and  FIG. 8  is a top view of a lid  18 B of the bear-proof backpack  12  showing a male latch portions  63  of the latching system. It has an upper face  64  and a protruding prong  66 . The male latch portions  63  are aligned with the female latch portions  40  so that the protruding prong  66  of the male latch portions  63  will insert into the holes  46  of the female portion latches  40 . In  FIG. 7A , two of the three male latch portions  63  are shown attached to the lid  18 B. The lid is preferably made of high strength material, such as such as laminated layers of carbon fiber material and Kevlar®. For lower strength or higher strength requirements, the thicknesses and types of materials can be varied as needed. 
         [0030]      FIG. 7B  is a detail showing an edge  68  of the lid  18 B of the bear-proof backpack. So that a good seal can be established between the upper rim  26  of the main body portion  12 , a groove  70  is preferably located between outer and inner sidewalls  72  and  74 , respectively. When the lid  18 B is placed on the upper open mouth  14  of the body portion, the male latch portion  63  of the latch assemble will engage with the female latch portion  40 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  is a front view of an outer handle portion  80  of the lock  50  of the latching system, in its lock position, and  FIG. 11  is a front view of an outer knob portion  80  of the lock assembly  50  of the latching system in its unlock position. The outer knob portion  80  has a hole  84  through which can pass a spring-loaded keeper  82 . The interaction of the spring-loaded keeper  82  in the hole  84  of the knob  80  will prevent the knob from being rotated unless the spring-loaded keeper  82  is depressed while simultaneously turning the knob  80 . Bears, while being very strong, do not possess the intellect or dexterity to figure out how to operate the knob  80 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the lock  50  mounted on a wall  36  of the main body portion  12  of the bear-proof backpack  10 . The lock  50  has the knob  50  on the outside, which is operated as described above. The lock  50  includes a cable pulley  88  connected and turned by the knob  50 . The cable pulley has two cable grooves  90 A and  90 B. Depending on which direction the knob is turned, the cable  42  (shown in  FIGS. 3-6 ,  9 , and  17 - 21 ) will be pulled to move either clockwise or counterclockwise around the inner perimeter of the mouth opening of the body portion and operate the female portions  40  of the latch assemblies  180 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 13  is a side view showing the optional support harness  24  attached to a side of the main body portion  12  of the bear-proof backpack  10 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 14  is an inside of an engagement end of the optional support harness  24  with a slide connector  100  with countered capture groove  102 , and a complementary slide connector  104  with on the side of the body portion of the bear-proof backpack. The slide connector  100  on the optional support harness  24  is adapted to slidably engage with the complementary slide connector  104 , and they are held together with a pin  110 . The optional support harness  24  supports the backpack  10  away from the back of a user wearing the backpack, and the size and shape of the optional support harness  24  can be varied as needed. 
         [0035]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the male portion latch  63  of the latching system. It has an upper face  64  and a protruding prong  66 . A semi-circular groove  242  is formed perpendicular to the axis of the protruding prong  66 . 
         [0036]    Lastly referring to  FIGS. 16-21 , there are shown various views of the latching assembly  180 .  FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing the male portion latch  63  and an exploded view showing the female portion latch  40  of the latching system  180 .  FIG. 17  is a side view showing the male portion latch  40  and the female portion latch  63  of the latching system  180  before they are engaged together.  FIG. 18  is a side view showing the male portion latch  40  and the female portion latch  63  of the latching system  180  after engaged, but not locked together.  FIG. 19  is a side view showing the male portion latch  40  and the female portion latch  63  of the latching system  180  after engaged and locked together by moving the cable and its connected locking cylinder.  FIG. 19  is a partial cross-sectional view showing the female portion latch  63  of the latching system with its blocking cylinder  202  in the unlocked position, and  FIG. 20  shows the locking cylinder  202  in the locked position. The male portion latch  40  has a through hole  200 , which is adapted to slidably receive a lock cylinder  202 . The lock cylinder  202  has a cable hole  204  formed axially there through, and a screw hole with screw  206  to immobilize the lock cylinder  202  on the cable  42  when positioned in place, as best shown in  FIGS. 20 and 21 . A pinhole  220  formed through a top of the female portion latch  40  allows access to tighten the screw  206 . Threaded mounting holes  222  are located on the female portion latch  40  to allow the female portion latch  40  to be mounted in place to the inside wall of the main body portion  12 . Push pins  210  with front ends  214  and through holes  204  are pressure fit into the through hole  200  in the female portion latch  40  to slidably retain the lock cylinder  202  in the through hole. A prong hole  46  is formed through the front face  44  of the female portion latch  40 . As best shown in  FIGS. 20 and 21 , the prong hole  46  is partially aligned with the through hole  200  so that when the lock cylinder  200  is slide to intersection the prong hole  46 , when the prong is inserted in the prong hole as shown in  FIG. 18 , and the cable  42  is shifted to the left, the lock cylinder  200  will pass into the semi-circular groove  242  and thereby positively prevent the male portion and female portions from being separated. 
         [0037]    With this system, a simply turn of the knob  50  of the latch will move a cable  42 , which simultaneously locks or unlocks the latches of the system, allowing the lids  18 A and  18 B to be removed. Although the exemplary embodiment shows a bear-proof with an two lids and a center divider, form shorter backpacks, it is possible to make the bottom lid be permanently attached, and just have the top lid be removable. In addition, it is possible to design the bear-proof backpack with a removable divider wall  30  to obviate the need for two removable lids. 
         [0038]    In addition, while particular latching mechanisms have been shown, other latches can be used. Indeed, it is possible to make the lid hinged to the body portion. 
         [0039]    The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.