Backpack for carrying weapons

A backpack for carrying a weapon that includes a main body with a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder strap attached thereto. The backpack additionally includes a weapon carrier that has a lower pocket attached to a lower portion of the backpack for receiving an end of the weapon, and a tether having a first end and a second end respectively attached to the first and second shoulder straps of the backpack. When the weapon is positioned in the lower pocket, the tether wraps around the weapon to secure the weapon against an outer periphery of the main body of the backpack.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/261,630, entitled “BACKPACK FOR CARRYING WEAPONS”, filed Dec. 1, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to backpacks, and, more particularly, to backpacks for carrying weapons, such as long guns or archery bows.

2. Description of the Related Art

Backpacks are generally used to carry various articles, such as books, food, etc. In the case of backpacks used for hunting or military applications, they can carry optics, food, water, survival gear, bedding, etc. They can also be used to carry weapons, such as long guns or archery bows.

Backpacks used to carry weapons, especially long guns or archery bows, can broadly be categorized on the basis of whether the backpack houses the weapon internally in a built-in scabbard or externally by fixing the weapon adjacent to an outer surface of the backpack. Both types of backpacks share advantages in that they lesson the encumbrance of carrying a weapon, better protect the weapon during transport, and increase the overall safety of the activity being performed.

The assignee of the present invention, Eberlestock USA, LLC, is a leader in the industry for the design and manufacture of backpacks for the military and hunting markets. Eberlestock makes and sells backpacks with internal rifle scabbards which allow a soldier or hunter to carry a long gun internally within the pack, out of the way, and close against the body of the user; thereby, allowing use of both hands by the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,987 (Eberle) provides a long pocket or scabbard for the carriage of a long gun. Such scabbards are limited in design as the dimension of the scabbard generally dicta the dimension of the surrounding backpack, and furthermore, albeit effective for stowing and carrying long guns, they are not configured for carrying other types of weapons such as archery bows.

Eberlestock also makes and sells backpacks without an internal scabbard that can be used to carry multiple types of weapons. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,701 (Eberle) discloses a backpack with a lower open pocket for receiving the lower end of the weapon, and an upper tether which loops around the upper portion of the weapon. The tether has one end affixed to one of the shoulder straps, and an opposite end which is detachably coupled to the same shoulder strap. This configuration allows the user to remove the weapon without removing the backpack. The user grasps the upper portion of the weapon above his shoulders with a hand opposite the attachment location of the tether, and then detaches the tether with the hand on the same side as the tether is attached to the shoulder strap. The weapon can then be removed from the lower pocket, without removing the backpack. This type of weapon carrying arrangement is effective but occasionally the weapon can work its way to the same side of the pack that the tether is attached, which then causes a lopsided load on the user, and allows the weapon to fall to one side of the pack. As the weapon is no longer symmetrically displaced, the lopsided configuration may cause discomfort to the user and damage the weapon.

What is needed in the art is a backpack that effectively carries multiple types of weapons on the back of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a backpack with a weapon carrier that evenly secures a weapon such that it maintains a substantially upright position.

The invention in one form is directed to a backpack for carrying a weapon that includes a main body with a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder strap attached thereto. The backpack additionally includes a weapon carrier that has a lower pocket attached to a lower portion of the backpack for receiving an end of the weapon, and a tether having a first end and a second end respectively attached to the first and second shoulder straps of the backpack. When the weapon is positioned in the lower pocket, the tether wraps around the weapon to secure the weapon against an outer periphery of the main body of the backpack.

An advantage of the present invention is that it prevents a weapon from leaning to a side of a backpack and thereby prevents an uneven load.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a user can easily secure and remove the weapon from the backpack while the user is wearing the backpack.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now toFIG. 1, there is shown a backpack10, which has a main body26and a pair of shoulder straps28A and28B, with an embodiment of a weapon carrier12of the present invention. The weapon carrier12generally includes a lower pocket14and a tether16.

The lower pocket14is attached to a lower portion of the backpack and can be of a known design, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,701.

The tether16has a first end18which is affixed to the shoulder strap28A, and an opposite, second end20which is affixed to the opposite shoulder strap28B. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end18is non-detachably affixed to the shoulder strap28A (such as by sewing), and the second end20of the tether16is detachably affixed to the shoulder strap28B (such as with a buckle). However, for other applications it is possible for both ends18,20of the tether16to be detachably coupled with a respective shoulder strap28A,28B, thereby allowing the detachment of the tether16with either hand by the user. The tether16is designed to be long enough in order to attach to the shoulder straps28A,28B and wrap around an outer periphery of the main body26of the backpack10. The tether16can be configured as a strap, rope, cord, etc. The tether16may be made from nylon, Kevlar®, or other suitable synthetic composite fiber materials.

The weapon carrier12also can include a securement22which is attached to the main body26of the backpack10, and helps to maintain the tether16in a position out of the way and secure, when the weapon30is not in place. The securement22can also be used with the weapon30in place. Thereby, the securement22connects an intermediate portion of the tether16to the backpack10for guiding the tether16. In the illustrated embodiment, the securement22is shown as a loop allowing the tether16to pass therethrough. The securement22can also function as a top handle allowing a user to carry the backpack10. The securement22can be in the form of a D ring, strap, etc. which allows passage of the tether16.

The tether16may also include a detachable coupler24on one or both of its ends18,20. In the present embodiment, the second end20of the tether16includes the detachable coupler24for easily fastening and unfastening the end20to the shoulder strap28B. When configured with detachable couplers24at both ends18,20, the weapon carrier12accommodates for right or left-handed users. The coupler24can be in the form of a buckle, a hook, Velcro®, a loop, etc.

Referring now toFIG. 2, there is shown a user wearing the backpack10according to the present invention with a weapon30positioned in the weapon carrier12. The weapon30may be in the form of a long gun, such as a hunting rifle, or an archery bow, such as a crossbow. To secure the weapon30, a user places the end of the weapon30within the lower pocket14, and then secures the weapon30by wrapping the tether16around the weapon30. In this regard, the second end20of the tether16is first unfastened, moved around the weapon30, and is then reattached to the shoulder strap28B. Since the first and second ends18,20of the tether16are affixed to a respective shoulder strap28A,28B, the forces acting on the weapon30are more evenly balanced. The tether16wraps around the weapon30to simultaneously apply a first securement force that secures the weapon30toward one shoulder of the user and a second securement force that secures the weapon30toward the other shoulder of the user so that the weapon is evenly secured against the outer periphery of the main body26of the backpack10. Thereby, the weapon30is substantially upright and remains centered throughout the duration of an activity because the tether16inhibits the weapon30from leaning to a side of the backpack10and thus it prevents an unwelcomed and uneven distribution of weight. In other words, the weapon30is inhibited from working to one side of the backpack10. To remove the weapon30, a user unfastens the second end20of the tether16, grasps the weapon, and then pulls the weapon30upwardly out of the weapon carrier12and over the user's shoulder. Both actions of securing and removing the weapon30in and out of the weapon carrier12can easily be accomplished while the user is wearing the backpack10.