Abstract:
A dual purpose article carrier includes a backpack with a concealed garment stored under a flap or panel of the backpack. The backpack has a handle for carrying, shoulder straps and a waistbelt for supporting and distributing the weight of the contents of the backpack. The panel is at least partially removable for deployment of the garment and is preferably attached and secured between the garment and the backpack.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     Priority is claimed of the filing date of, and to, applicant&#39;s provisional patent application, U.S. Ser. No. 60/506,344 filed Sep. 26, 2003, entitled “BACKPACK JACKET” and which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to backpacks and to garments such as jackets.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Typically, articles and things are carried in backpacks in a variety of applications. Hunters, campers, tourists, sports fans, outdoorsmen, students, children and the like increasingly use backpacks to carry gear, papers, books, clothing, toys and other articles. While some may carry a variety of garments to shelter the user in certain weather conditions, such as in precipitation, temperature changes or the like, the presence of such a garment is not assured. The backpack owner must select it and remember to pack it if it is to be available.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     As one example, school children will frequently use a backpack to carry books and supplies for school. If the weather is conducive to wearing a jacket as they leave, they may do so. And when the weather warns or dries at the time of returning, the jacket may be forgotten or misplaced. However, if they leave during nice weather and run into precipitation or colder weather at return time, they may not have an appropriate jacket with them. Accordingly, they may be stuck with a backpack but not a jacket if it was not originally packed. Similar problems occur in other applications. Moreover, children, for example, may misplace or forget their jackets so they are not available when needed.  
         [0005]     It is accordingly one objective of the invention to provide a backpack with a jacket which is always available with the backpack.  
         [0006]     It is a further objective of the invention to provide a backpack with a jacket wherein the backpack can be used independently of deployment of the jacket, and yet also be used when the jacket is deployed and worn by a wearer.  
         [0007]     It is a further objective of the invention to provide a backpack with a deployable jacket wherein the backpack is carried on a user via shoulder and/or waist straps irrespective of whether or not the jacket is stored or deployed and worn.  
         [0008]     To these ends, the invention compromises a backpack having at least one storage pocket, shoulder straps, and an optional waist strap. On a forward wall of the backpack facing a wearer, a garment such as a jacket is secured. A flap of the backpack is positioned over the garment and is releasably held there, for example, by a zipper around or on the forward wall, outside of the garment. The flap, when zipped to the forward wall, conceals and stores the garment. When it is desired to wear the garment, the flap is unzipped and the garment is donned by a user with the backpack still attached to it. The garment sleeves are extended between the shoulder straps and the backpack so the weight is carried on the shoulders of the wearer and not primarily by the attachment of the garment to the backpack.  
         [0009]     The flap can be inserted between the attached garment and forward wall for out-of-the-way storage when the garment is deployed. The flap may be releasably secured in the position by a hook and loop or other suitable fastener.  
         [0010]     Optionally, a waist strap can be extended from the backpack for support whether or not the garment is deployed. The garment is preferably permanently attached to the forward wall of the backpack but could be releasably attached. The flap may be zipped to the forward wall around the area in which the garment is stored or may be releasably held there by hook and loop fastening or any other suitable releasable securing means.  
         [0011]     When the garment is stored, it is simply folded against the forward wall and the flap secured around it. If the garment is in stored condition, the backpack has the appearance of a simple backpack with one or more storage compartments, safety reflective strips, smaller outer pockets, lashing, straps, decorations or the like.  
         [0012]     These and other objectives and advantages will become readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective rear view of a backpack according to the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective front view of the backpack of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of the backpack with the garment stored;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  but illustrating opening of the garment covering flap for garment deployment;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the invention from perspectives similar to  FIGS. 2 and 4  but showing the garment in a deployed position;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  but showing the garment in a deployed position before the shoulder straps are mounted over the garment shoulders and before the garment covering flap is stored;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view similar to  FIG. 2  but showing the garment in a deployed position with sleeves inserted through the shoulder straps; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the secured and hidden flap when the garment is deployed. 
     
    
       [0021]     It will be appreciated that  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  and  7  in order illustrate deployment of the garment from a stored to a fully deployed position with respect to the backpack.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]     Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  respective rearward and forward illustrations of a backpack jacket  10  according to the invention. Backpack jacket  10  includes a backpack  12  and a garment or jacket  14 . Garment or jacket  14  can be of any configuration, preferably a sleeved garment having a hood and being of jacket length. The garment  14  can be of any form of garment which might be found suitable for use as described below.  
         [0023]     In particular, one preferred garment, for example, is garment  14  having extending right and left sleeves  16  and  17  respectively, a hood  18  and a closure zipper  19  for closing the garment around a user.  
         [0024]     The backpack  12  itself includes at least one and preferably two respective shoulder straps  21 ,  22 . The shoulder straps are secured at their upper ends to the top of the backpack  12  and are adjustable by means of adjustment straps  21   a ,  22   a  respectively, and extending tabs  21   b  and  22   b  respectively, all as shown, for example, in  FIG. 6  and in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0025]     An optional waistbelt  23  is attached to the sides of the backpack at its lower end and is secured by means of fast release buckle  24 . Belt  23  is adjustable to fit varied users.  
         [0026]     Backpack  12  further includes a major rear compartment  27  (see  FIGS. 3 and 8 , for example), and a zipper  28  for closing and opening compartment  27  for access to the compartment  27 , and an outer pocket, for example,  29 , also opened and closed by a zipper. Any form of compartments  27 ,  29  can be used and any form of closure, such as the zipper  28 , hook and loop fasteners or other closures can be used for these compartments.  
         [0027]     Also, it will be appreciated that the backpack  12  may comprise many other types of pockets, lashings, loops, decorations, logos and/or reflective safety stripes such as stripe  30 , for example ( FIG. 1 ). Backpack  12  also includes a forward wall  32  (see, for example, wall  32  shown in  FIGS. 3, 4  and  8 ). It is the forward wall  32  which comprises and defines the forward wall of the compartment  27 .  
         [0028]     A flap  34  is releasably positioned over the wall  32  on the forward side of the pack. Flap  34  is releasably secured to backpack  12  and is preferably secured by any releasable securing device, such as a zipper  35 , to wall  32  which zipper is configured in a horseshoe-like configuration, such as shown in  FIG. 2 . Zipper  35  is an inverted U-shape and flap  34  is preferably permanently secured to the backpack  12  at the lower portion of the flap as at  36  ( FIG. 2 ). Flap  34  is provided with one component of a hook and loop type fastener  38  or any other releasable securing fastener means.  
         [0029]     Zipper  35  is disposed on the backpack exteriorly of a stored garment  14  as will be described.  
         [0030]     Fastener  38  is configured and positioned on flap  34  to cooperate with another component of the same fastener  38  on an exterior portion of the forward wall  32  at its upper end near the upper end of the backpack  12 .  
         [0031]     The use of the backpack and the deployment of the garment  14  from the backpack  12  is illustrated progressively in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . For example, a user begins with the backpack such as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , where the garment  14  is stored between the forward wall  32  and the flap  34 . In this configuration, the shoulder straps  21 ,  22  are fitted over the shoulders of a user, the optional waistbelt is fastened around the waist of the user, and the backpack is carried as, and looks like, a normal backpack.  
         [0032]     In the event of inclement weather, for example, the garment  14  can be deployed from the backpack  12 . Preferably and in one manner of deployment, the straps  21 ,  22  are rotated around to the rear of the backpack as illustrated by the respective arrows A and B in  FIG. 2 . Once this is accomplished, the zipper  35  is unzipped and the flap  34  is folded away from the garment  14 , such as shown by the arrow C in  FIG. 4 . Once the zipper  35  is unzipped and the flap moved away, the garment  14  can be deployed outwardly, such as, for example, in the direction of arrows D in  FIG. 4 . Once the garment is deployed, the preferred garment  14 , for example, takes on the configuration as shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0033]     The garment  14  is preferably secured to the forward wall  32  by any suitable means, such as by a horseshoe-shaped stitching which extends across the back of the garment and partially downwardly from that stitching on both sides. Such stitching is interior of zipper  35  for flap  34 . In  FIG. 5 , the outer configuration of the backpack  12  is shown in dotted lines when the garment is deployed. It will be appreciated that the garment attachment means, whether it comprises stitching, some form of adhesion, or some other attachment, is located within the zipper  35  and the periphery described by the zipper  35 .  
         [0034]     In this position, the flap  34  depends as shown in  FIG. 5  and from the rear in  FIG. 6 . Since the lower end of the garment  14  is preferably not secured to the forward wall  32 , a space is provided thereby, between the garment  14  and the forward wall  32 . The flap  34  is introduced into this space and pulled or pushed upwardly to a position, such as illustrated in  FIG. 8  where the fastener  38  and the two components thereof are secured together, thus holding the flap  34  up and against the wall  32  so that it does not depend.  
         [0035]     There are several ways for a wearer to don the deployed garment. He can either put it on from the position as shown in  FIG. 6 , with the flap  34 , however, secured upwardly and out of the way, and then rotate the shoulder straps  21 ,  22  over his shoulders.  
         [0036]     Alternatively, he can simply rotate the shoulder straps  21 ,  22  back forwardly of the backpack and pull the sleeves  16 ,  17  between the respective shoulder straps and the backpack  12 . In this position, he can unzip the zipper  19 , don the garment, apply the optional waistbelt  23  around his waist and adjust the shoulder straps so that the weight of the backpack is carried on his shoulders and not by virtue of the interconnection or fastening between the garment  14  and the backpack  12 . In this regard, all he needs to do is pull on the depending, respective tabs  21   b ,  22   b  to tighten the shoulder straps and comfortably position the backpack on his back.  
         [0037]     Since the garment  14  can be made of any suitable materials and can be insulated or non-insulated, it can protect the wearer from inclement weather such as precipitation, and yet still be breathable. Or it can provide more thermal insulation by being insulated or having a lining. Moreover, the garment could be extended or longer, or of other shapes. It could be hoodless or not, and of generally any suitable shape as desired.  
         [0038]     When the use of the garment  14  is no longer desired, it is simply placed back into the backpack as follows. The flap  34  is released from its attachment at the upper end of wall  32  and is pulled downwardly. The garment  14  is then folded against the wall  32  and the flap  34  is placed over the garment, storing and concealing it. The zipper  35  is operated to secure the flap on to the backpack, over the garment  14  wherein the backpack  12  takes on the configuration, for example, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0039]     In this regard, it will be appreciated that when the garment  14  is permanently secured to the forward wall  32 , it makes it very difficult to displace or to misplace the garment  14 , as compared to the backpack  12 . A child is thus, for example, more likely to have the backpack  12  and the garment  14  more readily available than if the backpack  12  and the garment  14  were separable.  
         [0040]     Preferably a handle  25  is secured to the upper end of the backpack so that it can be easily carried and manipulated.  
         [0041]     Accordingly, the invention  10  provides a combined backpack  12  and garment  14  wherein the garment  14  is preferably permanently secured to the backpack  12  and is readily available for use. The garment  14  can be deployed and used while the backpack  12  is carried, once the garment  14  is donned by a user, in an entirely conventional fashion.  
         [0042]     At the same time, when it is not desired to utilize the garment  14 , the backpack  12  appears to be a simple backpack and is used in a normal manner. When the garment  14  is relatively only a shell, for example, of a breathable membrane, and perhaps a liner or cover, it folds relatively flat so that the space it takes up between the flap  34  and the forward wall  32  is minimal. This does not detract from the overall use of the backpack.  
         [0043]     Moreover, it will be appreciated that the storage compartments or pockets  27 ,  29  are not diminished by the particular position of the garment  14 , so that no space in either of these pockets is taken up by the garment  14 , but instead the garment  14  is hidden and out of the way until it is deployed.  
         [0044]     The combination  10  of such a backpack  12  and garment  14 , together with the ability to deploy garment  14  therefrom and still carry the backpack  12  in a traditional manner, whether the garment  14  is worn or stored, is advantageous.  
         [0045]     These and other modifications and alternative embodiments will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of this invention and applicant intends to be bound only by the claims appended hereto.