Abstract:
A hooded backpack and speaker combination device which has a plurality of pockets on its shoulder straps for housing various electronic devices including a switch pocket and switch allowing communication with a selected electric device via speakers housed within a hood attached to the top of the backpack.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to backpacks, and more specifically, to a hooded backpack with speakers located within the hood for use in combination with a plurality of electronic devices. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    With the portability of music and other media on the rise due to technological innovation in the field of electronic media devices, the demand for various devices to be used in connection with the portability of these media has also risen. A recent study indicates that as many as one in five Americans over the age of 12 now own a portable media playing device such as an MP3 Player and one in 20 own more than one portable media playing device. Interest in viewing music videos, photos, TV shows and even full-length movies from these devices is especially strong among younger consumers who have experience downloading music these media. 
         [0003]    Most portable media playing devices require the use of headphones to hear the audio component of the media being played. The concurrent use of headphones with the hood up, for example, a hooded jacket has proven to be awkward and cumbersome due to the fact that both devices will be concurrently placed over the head and ears of a user and may interfere with the comfort or placement of one another. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a need exists to provide a device and method to overcome the above problem. The device and method needs to provide a hooded backpack having speakers located within the hood portion of the backpack capable of use with a plurality of electronic devices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a device for carrying objects is disclosed. The device uses a backpack. A pair of shoulder straps is coupled to the backpack. A hood is coupled to a top section of the backpack and positioned so that a wearer of the backpack is capable of placing the hood over a head of the wearer. At least one speaker is coupled to the hood. 
         [0006]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is another front perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  showing additional details; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1  with the hood stored; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the speakers and microphone located in the hood of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a simplified functional block diagram showing the electronic switch used in the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring to the Figures, a hooded backpack and speaker combination device  10  (hereinafter device  10 ) is shown. The device  10  will be capable of discretely holding an electronic circuit  30  which allows a wearer of the device  10  to switch between a plurality of different electronic devices  32  stored in the device  10 . 
         [0015]    The device  10  has a backpack  12 . The backpack  12  may be any type of backpack  12  having one or more storage compartments. The backpack  12  may be made out of nylon, micro-fiber, canvas, or the like. In general a waterproof material may be used. However, other types of material may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]    The backpack  12  will generally have a pair of shoulder straps  16 . Each shoulder strap  16  is attached to a top and bottom section of the backpack  12 . The shoulder straps  12  allow a user to wear the backpack  12  by placing each of the shoulder straps  16  over a shoulder of a wearer. 
         [0017]    Each shoulder strap  16  may have one or more pockets  20 . The pockets  20  are used to store and hold the electronic devices  32 . The pockets  20  will further hold a switching unit  21  of the electronic circuit  30 . The switching unit  21  allows a user to switch between the different electronic devices  32  as will be discussed below. 
         [0018]    A hood  14  is generally attached to a top section of the backpack  12 . The hood  14  is attached so that the user of the device  10  may wear the hood  14  while having the backpack  12  on the shoulder of the user. The hood  14  may be used for warmth or protection from the rain, sun or the like or alternatively as a fashion statement. As shown more clearly in  FIG. 4 , the hood  14  may be detachably coupled to the backpack  12 . In accordance with one embodiment, a sheath  15  may be used to couple the hood  14  to the backpack  12 . The sheath  15  would be placed over each shoulder strap  16  to secure the sheath  15  to the backpack  12 . A top section of the sheath  15  is removably attached to the hood  14 . As shown in the Figures, the sheath  15  aids in covering the neck of the wearer. The sheath  15  further is used to cover and hide the pockets  20  which hold the electronic devices  32  and the switching unit  21 . This aids in protecting the electronic devices  32  and the switching unit  21  from theft. 
         [0019]    In accordance with one embodiment, as shown more clearly in  FIG. 3 , the hood  14  may be placed in a compartment  12 A of the backpack  12  for storage when not in used. The hood  14  may be placed in the compartment  12 A by detaching the hood  14  from the backpack  12  and placing the detached hood  14  in the compartment  12 A. Alternatively, the user may keep the hood  14  attached to the backpack  12  and simply stuff the hood in the compartment  12 A. 
         [0020]    The backpack  12  will have an electronic circuit  30 . The electronic circuit  30  allows a user to select between the plurality of electronic devices  32  attached to the electronic circuit  30  for use. The electronic circuit  30  generally comprises a pair of speakers  18 . The speakers  18  are attached to a switching unit  21 . A microphone  34  may also be attached to the switch  21 . The plurality of electronic devices  32  are attached to the switch  21 . The electronic devices  32  may be a cell phone, an MP3 player, a tape recorder, and the like. The listing of the above is given as an example and should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention. The switch  21  allows a user to select which electronic device  32  will send signals to the speakers  18  and or receive signals from the microphone  34 . 
         [0021]    The speakers  18  are located in the hood  14 . The speakers  18  are used to allow audible media to be heard from the selected electronic device  32  while wearing the hood  14 . As shown more clearly in  FIG. 5 , a pair of speaker pockets  28  is formed on opposing sides of the hood  14 . Each speaker pocket  28  will house one of the pair of speakers  18 . A mesh covering  30  is placed over the speaker pocket  28  to secure the speaker  18  in the speaker pocket  28  and to allow the audible media to be heard. The mesh covering  30  is generally detachable from the speaker pocket  28  so that the pair of speakers  18  may be removed. In accordance with one embodiment, the mesh covering  30  is attached to each speaker pocket with a hook and loop material  32 . However, other material may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0022]    The microphone  34  may also be located in the hood  14 . The microphone  34  is used to transmit audible signals inputted into the microphone  34  to a selected electronic device  32 . The microphone  34  is placed in a microphone pocket  36  formed on one side of the hood  14 . A mesh covering  38  is placed over the microphone pocket  36  to secure the microphone  34  in the microphone pocket  36  and to allow the audible media to be picked-up by the microphone  34 . The mesh covering  38  is generally detachable from the microphone pocket  36  so that the microphone  24  may be removed. In accordance with one embodiment, the mesh covering  38  is attached to the microphone pocket  24  with a hook and loop material  40 . However, other material may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0023]    In operation, the user may select which electronic device will send signals to the pair of speakers  18  and receive signals from the microphone  34 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the user has an MP3 player and a cellular phone plugged into the switching unit  21 . If the user has the switching unit  21  positioned on the MP3 Player, the MP3 player will send audible signals to the speakers  18 . If a user receives a telephone call on the cellular phone, the switching unit  21  will signal the user that a call is being received by sending a beeping noise to the speakers  18 . The user may then position the switching unit  21  to the cellular phone. Thus, audible signals from the cellular phone will now be heard from the speakers  18 . Also, audible signals spoken into the microphone  34  will now be sent to the cellular phone. Once the call in completed, the user may switch back to the MP3 Player or place the switching unit  21  in an off position. 
         [0024]    While embodiments of the disclosure have been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the disclosure can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims.