Molded rubber base for luggage

An integral, molded rubber base for a backpack. This base is connected to the fabric body portion of the backpack. A tread or lug sole pattern is provided on the bottom and sides of the molded rubber base. The back surface of the base is contoured to curve around the user's back, thus providing more comfort than a traditional straight back.

This invention relates to luggage, such as daypacks, backpacks, utility 
packs and the like. Specifically, this invention relates to a durable, 
waterproof, molded rubber base for backpacks. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Multi-purpose bags for daily use, sports or travel, have long been known in 
the art. Users of luggage such as backpacks, utility packs and the like, 
are very concerned about durability of the bag with prolonged use over a 
period of time. In order to increase durability, daypacks or backpacks are 
often provided with leather bases, and such bags are widely available and 
are quite popular. 
Consumers using such bags are also quite concerned with protecting the 
contents of these bags from the elements, particularly water. However, 
daypacks or backpacks with leather bases are usually not waterproof 
because most leather is not waterproof. In addition, the leather bases or 
fabric bases are generally sewn somewhere along the bottom of the 
backpack, and these seams permit entry of water into the luggage. In 
addition, if the backpack is placed in a puddle or in snow or slush, there 
is no protection that prevents moisture from entering the bag. 
Most backpacks are also soft on the bottom and do not stand up on the 
ground unless supported by the contents on the inside. In addition, dirt 
that settles on the bottom of the bag with a leather base does not come 
off easily and may rub onto the user's clothing. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention addresses the problems outlined above by capitalizing 
on the technology of molded rubber to increase the functionality of 
luggage, such as backpacks and the like. As a result, the bottom of the 
backpack which undergoes the greatest wear and tear is made considerably 
durable. The molded rubber, single piece construction ensures the contents 
of the backpack are maintained waterproof. In addition, the rubber base 
wraps around all four sides without any sewing seams on the bottom and 
prevents the entry of water into the backpack from the bottom. By using a 
molded rubber base which is flat and stiff, these backpacks can stand up 
on the ground making packing and unpacking much easier. Also, dirt that 
settles on the bottom of the pack can be cleanly wiped off before it rubs 
onto the user's clothing. 
A tread or lug sole pattern is provided on the bottom and sides of the 
molded rubber base and a number of benefits accrue from providing this 
tread pattern. They allow for a larger area of the base to touch the 
ground without making the entire bottom thick and heavy. These large area 
lugs increase durability and extend the useful life of the luggage. The 
lug sole or tread pattern also evokes the style and durability of hiking 
boots in the eyes of the consumer and adds to its appeal. 
The present invention also provides for laterally and vertically contouring 
the back surface of the molded rubber base in order to curve the base of 
the bag around the user's back, thus providing more comfort than a 
traditional straight back. The invention also provides pads located on the 
contoured back surface of the rubber base separated by vertical spacings. 
Air passes through these vertical spacings or channels and thus keeps the 
backpack cooler than a solid back when carried by the user on his back. 
Additionally, the pads on the contoured back surface have a smooth texture 
providing comfort to the user while carrying the luggage. 
The inside of the molded rubber base has a cross-hatched pattern of braces. 
These braces are raised a few millimeters above the bottom surface and 
thus, keep the contents of the bag away from the bottom surface of the 
luggage. This ensures that should any dirt, water, or moisture enter the 
luggage and settle at the bottom, the contents are still maintained dry 
since they are kept away from the very bottom surface of the bag. In 
addition, the cross braces provide a significant degree of stiffness to 
the bottom with relatively little increase in weight. 
The present invention also provides for a sewing area at the top of the 
molded rubber base to attach the base to the body portion of the luggage. 
This sewing area is textured inside to allow it to flow more smoothly 
through the sewing machines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1-5 show one embodiment of 
the molded rubber base 1 of this invention. The base is a single, 
integrally molded piece without any sewing seams along the sides or the 
bottom. The base comprises a bottom 2 and four opposed sidewalls 3 with 
the bottom 2 connecting up to the sidewalls 3 to form a monolithic, molded 
structure. The base has a tread or lug sole pattern along the sidewalls 3 
and the bottom 2. The tread pattern comprises triangular pads 4 and 
diamond-shaped pads 5 being separated by a cross-hatch pattern of channels 
6. The channels 6 are depressed a few millimeters below the outside 
surface and thus form the tread pattern shown in FIG. 1. 
The top portion 7 of the sidewalls 3 is unpatterned and is a circular strip 
extending all around on the from and the sides. At the very top of the 
base, a sewing area 8 is created to attach the base to the upper body of 
the backpack and to allow the base to flow through the sewing machines 
smoothly. If required, this sewing area 8 can be made thinner than the 
thickness of the base in other areas to facilitate ease in sewing. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the tread pattern is modified to provide large pads 9 
on the contoured back surface of the rubber base separated by vertical 
spacings or channels 10. Air passes through these vertical spacings or 
channels 10 and thus keeps the backpack cooler than a solid back design 
when carried by the user on his back. Additionally, the pads on the 
contoured back surface have a smooth texture providing comfort to the user 
while carrying the backpack. The tread pattern 5 seen in FIG. 1 wraps 
around the back and is seen to a limited extent in FIG. 2. The top portion 
of the sidewalls 7 is interrupted by the vertical pads 9 which extend all 
the way to the sewing area 8 at the top. 
The tread pattern seen in FIG. 1 continues to the bottom side of the base 
(see FIG. 3). The variously shaped rubber pads 11, 12, 13 and 14 created 
by the tread pattern on the bottom allow for a larger area of the base to 
touch the ground without making the entire bottom thick and heavy. These 
large area lugs increase durability and extend the useful life of the 
backpack. A circular area 15 is created in the bottom to carry the 
backpack manufacturer's identification or trademark. Further, as seen in 
FIG. 3, the back surface 16 of the base is laterally and vertically 
contoured in order to shape the base of the bag around the user's back and 
thus provide more comfort than a traditional straight back. 
The same tread pattern on the front side of the base in FIG. 1 is continued 
along the sides of the backpack (see FIG. 4) with the triangular 4 and 
diamond shaped pads 5 being separated by a cross-hatch pattern of 
channels/spacings. The circular sewing area 7 extends all around at the 
very top of the base and is used to connect the base to the body portion 
of the luggage. 
As seen in FIG. 5, the inside of the molded rubber base has a cross-hatched 
pattern of braces 17. These braces 17 are raised a few millimeters above 
the bottom surface 18 and thus keep the contents of the bag away from the 
bottom surface 18 of the backpack. This ensures that should any dirt, 
water, or moisture enter the luggage and settle at the bottom, the 
contents, which rest on the braces 17, are still maintained dry since they 
are kept away from the very bottom surface 18 of the bag. In addition, the 
braces 17 provide a significant degree of stiffness to the bottom with 
relatively little increase in weight. 
FIG. 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of the base for the backpack 
of this invention. The differences between the first and second embodiment 
lie in the pattern of the tread on the bottom and sides of the base. The 
tread pattern comprises rectangular pads 19 separated by vertical 
spacings/channels 20. The back side of the second embodiment is shown in 
FIG. 7 and is substantially similar to the back side of the first 
embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and provides the same large pads 9 separated by 
vertical channels 10 for air flow and ventilation. The back side of the 
base is contoured to fit the back side of a user's back and to provide 
comfort. 
FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the second embodiment of this invention as 
being somewhat different from that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 
3. The tread pattern on the side, as seen in FIG. 9, is the same as on the 
front side (see FIG. 6). 
Finally, the inside of the molded rubber base in the second embodiment has 
a cross-hatched pattern of braces 17 that is the same as in the first 
embodiment (see FIG. 5). These braces 17 are raised a few millimeters 
above the bottom surface 18 of the luggage and thus keep the contents of 
the luggage away from the bottom surface 18. 
FIG. 10 is a front view of a third embodiment of the base for the backpack 
of this invention. The top portion 7 of the sidewalls 3 has a cross-hatch 
pattern, whereas in the previous two embodiments this top portion 7 was 
unpatterned. The tread pattern comprises diamond-shaped pads 5 and 
triangular pads 4 separated by a cross-hatch pattern of channels 6. The 
back side of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. But for the patterned 
top portion 7 of the sidewalls 3, the back side is substantially similar 
to the back side of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The back side of 
this embodiment also provides the same large pads 9 separated by vertical 
channels 10 for air flow and ventilation. In addition, the back side of 
the base is contoured to fit the back side of a user's back and to provide 
comfort. 
FIG. 12 shows a bottom view of the third embodiment of this invention and 
is similar to the bottom view of the second embodiment seen in FIG. 8. The 
tread pattern on the side, as seen in FIG. 13, is the same as on the front 
side (see FIG. 10). 
The inside of the molded rubber base in the third embodiment has a 
cross-hatched pattern of braces 17 that is the same as in the first and 
second embodiments (see FIG. 5). These braces 17 are raised a few 
millimeters above the bottom surface 18 of the luggage and thus keep the 
contents of the luggage away from the bottom surface 18. 
The molded rubber base of this invention can be attached to various kinds 
of luggage, such as daypacks, backpacks, travel bags and the like. The 
integral, single piece construction of the base substantially increases 
the durability of the luggage and adds to its appeal as well. For example, 
FIGS. 14-16 show a backpack with the molded rubber base as of the second 
embodiment of this invention. The upper body portion of the backpack is 
sewn to the top sewing area 8 of the base. The molded rubber base 
increases the durability of the backpack by separating the body of the 
backpack from the bottom which undergoes the greatest wear and tear. The 
air channels 10 for ventilation, as shown in FIG. 11, keep the backpack 
cooler than a solid back when carded by the user on his back. The tread 
pattern on the bottom (FIG. 12) allows for a large area of the rubber base 
of the backpack to touch the ground. The tread pattern also evokes the 
style and durability of hiking boots in the eyes of the consumer and adds 
to the appeal of the backpack. FIGS. 17-19 show a backpack with the molded 
rubber base of the third embodiment of this invention. As seen from the 
three embodiments of this invention, the design of the tread pattern on 
the four sidewalls and the bottom can be easily modified to change the 
look, appeal and utility of the backpack.