Abstract:
A component backpack system is shown, which is a backpack from which can be created multiple backpacks. Such a backpack system can be scalable in different configurations in order to perform different tasks. This can include breaking down from one pack to form two or more independent backpacks, each with their own shoulder straps and waist belt systems. In a reverse form of component assembly, a number of backpacks of the invention can be combined to form a single backpack, thus consolidating or transferring the load from two people onto one person, or from 3 people onto two or one person.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention generally relates to backpacks in general, and more particularly, to backpacks which combined with smaller backpack units to offer a backpack which is scalable for different backpack needs. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There are various times when the user of a backpack needs to carry backpacks of different configurations. These can include backpacks which have a compartment for carrying a gun, as well as backpacks of different volumes for different purposes. Sometimes it is also beneficial for one backpack to be divisible into more than one subunit, so the weight in one backpack can be divided between several people with each of them carrying a portion of the weight in a functional backpack. There are prior art backpacks which include a compartment for storage of a long gun, or for storage of a gun which is no longer than the length of the backpack. There are other backpacks in the prior art which contain compartments which serve different purposes. There are backpacks in the prior art in which the top flap of the backpack can zip off and become an independent fanny pack, and thus can be used for carrying food and equipment for a day hike from a base camp or for a summit attempt from a base camp. The prior art also includes packs which can be taken apart for different uses. For instance, a backpack with an external frame and an attached storage compartment can be used to carry gear to a camp which is distant from the road. The storage compartment can then be removed from the external frame of the backpack, and the external frame can be used to lash parts of an animal to so that bulky animal parts can be hauled out, lashed to the frame of the backpack. Such animal parts can include the hide, the head, the haunches and other body parts which are hauled out for meat. 
         [0003]    However none of these prior art configurations of backpacks provide a backpack system which can be configured in a number of different ways for different purposes and for different weight carrying capacities. The backpack of the present invention addresses this need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The invention is a component backpack system which is scalable to a number of different missions and which can provide a number of different configurations for different load carrying requirements. It can also provide the flexibility of one pack being broken into two or more functional backpacks, so that one person&#39;s heavy load can be divided between two or three users, or so that if one person was no longer able to carry his pack, his pack could be added to another person&#39;s pack to carry his gear for a period of time. 
         [0005]    The component backpack system of the invention includes a first backpack which includes a generally rectangular main panel. The main panel has a top and a bottom, a left and right side edge, a front side and a rear side. A pair of shoulder straps is attached to the rear side of the main panel, and this would be the side which would rest against the user&#39;s back when in use. The front side of the main panel would face away from the user when the backpack system is worn. 
         [0006]    The shoulder straps have a first end and a second end and are symmetrically mounted to the main panel. The first end of the shoulder straps is attached to the top of the main panel, with the second end being attached to the bottom of the rear side of the main panel. 
         [0007]    The component backpack system of the invention includes at least two storage compartments which are removably attached to each other in configurations which will be further explained below. They are also removably attached to the front side of the main panel. 
         [0008]    The storage compartments can be configured with a storage compartment adjacent to the main panel being a scabbard or gun chamber. The gun chamber would have a front side, back side, left side, right side, and bottom side. In this configuration, a second storage compartment would be attachable and detachable to the back side of the gun storage chamber. In this configuration, the second storage compartment would be attachable to the first storage compartment to make one backpack with two storage compartments. The second storage compartment would also be removable, and when removed would form a fully functional backpack with its own set of shoulder straps and, optionally, its own waist belt. When the two storage compartments were combined together, the shoulder straps and waist belt of the second compartment would be folded flat in a region between the two storage compartments. 
         [0009]    In another configuration of the component backpack system, the second storage compartment can be further made up of two separate storage compartments which are detachable from each other. These storage compartments form the third and the fourth storage compartments. In one version of this device the third and fourth storage compartments form generally rectangular storage chambers which, when disconnected from each other, could still be attached along one edge to the first storage compartment. Being attached along one edge which would be the outer edge, the third and fourth storage compartments rotate out to expose a front side of the first storage compartment. This would open up a space between the third and fourth storage compartments into which a fifth storage compartment could be inserted to result in a backpack which is much larger in volume than the original backpack made up of a first and a second storage compartment. The fifth storage compartment could be a separately functional backpack, with a top lid, and with shoulder straps and a waist belt of its own. When the fifth storage compartment was combined with the first, third and fourth storage compartment, the shoulder straps and waist belt of the fifth storage compartment will be folded flat in a the region between the front of the first storage chamber and the back of the fifth storage compartment. In any of these configurations, the first storage compartment is a gun storage chamber, and could be divided into two chambers, one being a gun storage chamber or scabbard, and the other being for storage of other gear. 
         [0010]    The gun storage chamber of the component backpack system is a generally gun shaped space defined within the first storage compartment. In one configuration of the backpack of the invention, the top edge of the gun storage chamber is generally level with the top edge of the main panel, to aid in the ease of withdrawal of a gun from the first storage compartment by the user while wearing the backpack. Each of the storage compartments maybe be covered by a flap which is securable over each of them, and each of the storage compartments may be accessible by lifting the flap, or by opening a zipper in the flap. A zipper in the top flap over the first storage compartment is particularly useful for allowing access to a gun in the gun storage chamber of the first storage compartment. 
         [0011]    The first storage compartment can be divisible into two or more discreet storage compartments, including more than one storage compartments for storing a gun. 
         [0012]    The purpose of the Abstract is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
         [0013]    Still other features and advantages of the claimed invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the backpack system of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one component backpack of the invention, which is combinable with the component shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one component backpack of the invention, which is combinable with the component shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one component backpack of the invention, which is combinable with the component shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one component backpack of the invention, which is combinable with the component shown in  FIG. 4 , and which is the same backpack as  FIG. 1 , shown in the expanded mode. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the one component backpack system of the invention, with this view showing the backpack of  FIGS. 4 and 5  combined. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. 
         [0021]    In the following description and in the figures, like elements are identified with like reference numerals. The use of “e.g.,” “etc,” and “or” indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation, unless otherwise noted. The use of “including” means “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise noted. 
         [0022]    The component backpack system of the invention is shown to advantage in  FIGS. 1-6 . The component backpack system of the invention is designated as  10  in the figures and includes a first storage compartment  5  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), a second storage compartment  6 , a third storage compartment  7 , a fourth storage compartment  8 , and a fifth storage compartment  9  (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). Shown in  FIG. 1  are the first storage compartment  5 , the second storage compartment  6 , the third storage compartment  7 , and the fourth storage compartment  8 . Also shown in  FIG. 1  is the main panel  12  of which the front side is shown in  FIG. 1 . The front panel can be a separate unit, or may form one side of the first storage compartment  5 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  also shows the left waist belt  34 , the right waist belt  36 , and a buckle  38 . Storage compartment  5  is configured to be adaptable to hold a number of items, and when carrying a gun of any type, it is designated as a gun chamber or scabbard. The second storage compartment  6  is attached to a first storage compartment  5 , and this attachment is preferably by the use of an attachment zipper  40 . The pack can have a covering flap  56 , which preferably would include a top access zipper  62  which will allow access to the first storage compartment without removing the covering flap  56 . 
         [0024]    The second storage compartment  6  can extend across the entire width of the backpack and be the same width as the first storage compartment. The second storage compartment can also be divided into a third and fourth storage compartment,  7  and  8 . This division into smaller storage units would allow items at the bottom of the pack to be found more easily without having to unload the entire pack. 
         [0025]    Shown in  FIG. 1  are shoulder straps  42 , and securing straps  58  for the covering flap, and strap buckles  60 . Shown is an attachment zipper  40  by which the second storage compartment  6  may be removed from the first storage compartment. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show one configuration into which the component backpack system of the invention can be converted. In the configuration shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the backpack of  FIG. 1  has been separated into two functional backpacks. The first storage compartment  5  is attached to the shoulder straps  42  and to the main panel  12 , in  FIG. 3 . In this case, the main panel  12  forms the back side of the first storage compartment  5 . The pack of  FIG. 3  could have the first storage compartment  5  subdivided into a left and right container, with one of the containers serving as a gun storage chamber, and the other portion of the first storage compartment  5  serving to hold other equipment. Since it is better to keep the heaviest weight of a backpack closest to the user&#39;s body and as high as possible, something heavy like ammunition could be placed in one half of the storage compartment  5 , while the other half of the storage compartment  5  is used to carry a gun, such as rifle with a folding handle which would fit in the size of a conventional backpack length, or a long gun which could require an extended portion of the first storage compartment to extend substantially below the waist belt of the backpack. 
         [0027]    In the configuration shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , storage compartment  6  is separated from the first storage compartment  5 , and forms a separate functional backpack with its own shoulder straps  42  and waist belt left and right halves  34  and  36 . The backpack comprising the second storage compartment  6  is shown as  FIG. 2 . The shoulder straps that are attached to the second storage compartment  6  can be of a lighter weight than the shoulder straps attached to the first storage compartment, so that they could fold more conveniently between the two compartments, and because less weight would be carried when the second storage compartment  6  is separated from the first storage compartment  5 . The storage compartments  7  and  8  can be closed off by a zippered cover, or by the cinchable coverings and drawstrings  80  shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  show the same backpack as  FIG. 1 , with an additional 5 th  storage compartment  9 .  FIG. 5  shows the same package shown in  FIG. 1 , but the third and fourth storage compartment  7  and  8  have been detached from each other and hinged outwardly from their attachment to the main panel  12  at the attachment zipper  40 . In this configuration, they form a wider backpack with a space in between the third and fourth storage compartment  7  and  8 , in which the front side  20  of the first storage compartment  5  is exposed. Into this exposed portion, a fifth storage compartment  9  can be inserted and secured. A preferred method of securing the fifth storage compartment is by way of attachment zippers which correspond with attachment zippers  40  on the corner of the third and fourth storage compartments  7  and  8 , and the corresponding corners of the fifth storage compartment  9 . The inner corners of the fifth storage compartment  9  can also include attachment zippers  40  which can attach to zipper halves provided on the front surface  20  of the first storage compartment  5 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  shows the fully assembled backpack  10  of the invention. From this fully assembled backpack, the fully functional backpacks of  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 2  can be separated for use when needed. 
         [0030]    The components of the backpacking system can be made of a variety of materials, with heavy duty nylon being a preferred material. A heavy duty material is preferred due to the possibility of the pack experiencing heavy loads at the stress points. A type of material which has been found to be adequate for this task is ______. 
         [0031]    A preferred form of attaching the components of this system together in various configurations is by the use of sturdy zippers. Zippers made by ______ of ______ size have proved to be adequate for this task, although other zippers could be utilized, depending on the required weight load and specific configuration of the pack. Although zippers are noted as a preferred form of attachment, it is to be noted that other forms of attachment are also possible, such as by clevis pins, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, tabs and slots, and by other conventional means of attaching components such as these. 
         [0032]    The exemplary embodiments shown in the figures and described above illustrate but do not limit the invention. It should be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed; rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Hence, the foregoing description should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined in the following claims. 
         [0033]    While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.