Abstract:
The survival gear backpack is a backpack having a plurality of internal pockets adapted to contain items that would be needed in crisis situations while maintaining its function as a viable storage vessel for personal items usable in non-crisis situations. The backpack also includes pockets that house ballistic-protective inserts. The pockets and inserts are positioned to protect the front, rear and sides of the upper torso.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/367,764, filed Jul. 26, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to survival and protective gear, and more particularly to a survival gear backpack incorporating ballistic-protective inserts. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Recent disasters perpetuated by man (terrorism, nuclear accidents, oil spills, etc.) along with natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, forest fires, etc.) have demonstrated the need for emergency preparedness. Government agencies have been established in many countries to address the need for emergency preparations in the event of one or more of the above-mentioned disasters. One of the many suggested ideas for preparations includes the acquisition of means to personally transport emergency and protective items. During a crisis such needed items as small tools, small firearms, food packets, medical supplies and other emergency, survival equipment must often be carried on ones person. In certain situations it may also be necessary to utilize some form of personal ballistic protection. Thus, a survival gear backpack solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The survival gear backpack is a structure that includes a plurality of storage sections adapted to contain items that would be needed in crisis and non-crisis situations. Varying arrays of fixed and/or removable pockets are disposed in one or more of the storage sections. The backpack also includes pockets that are specifically designed to house ballistic protection inserts. The ballistic-protective inserts are positioned to protect the front, rear and sides of the upper torso. A strap/harness arrangement built within the backpack structure has structural load strengths equal to or exceeding that of rappel harnesses. 
     Accordingly, the invention presents a backpack designed to efficiently contain food, water, emergency medical supplies, defensive weapons, tools, etc. that might be needed in survival-type situations. The backpack also provides adequate personal storage volume for use during non-emergency situations. The backpack is designed to provide removable inserts that afford ballistic protection for the full upper torso. The invention provides for improved elements thereof in an arrangement for the purposes described that are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a survival gear backpack according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a survival gear backpack according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a survival gear backpack according to the present invention, shown with the front panels unfastened. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a survival gear backpack according to the present invention, showing a removable, side pocket affording ballistic protection. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a survival gear backpack according to the present invention, shown with the internal compartment in an open position. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Attention is first directed to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, wherein the survival gear backpack is generally indicated at  10 . Backpack  10  can be fabricated from any suitable, substantially rugged material (canvas, nylon, etc.) and may be made water-resistant, if desired. The backpack  10  comprises vest-like front panels  12  adapted for positioning at the front torso area of the wearer. A pair of padded, oversized shoulder straps  16  is integral with and extend from front panels  12 . Front securing straps  18 ,  19  having respective quick release fasteners  18   a ,  19   a  are provided to secure panels  12  in a closed position covering the stomach and chest areas of the torso. Securing straps  18 ,  19  and shoulder straps  16  are provided with adjustment buckles or the like  20  ( FIG. 2 ) to permit adjustment of the panels  12  on the torso of the wearer or to secure excess webbing. Securing strap  19  is also provided with an adjustment buckle or the like  20  at each side thereof to further secure excess webbing. 
     One or more pockets  22  are provided on the front panels to house small emergency items and may include a universal plug-in port therein. As illustrated, each pocket  22  is provided with a slanted entrance to enhance access thereto. It should be recognized, however, that the entrance could assume vertical or horizontal orientation, if desired. The pockets may be provided with a conventional closure (zipper, button, hook-and-loop, etc.), if desired. 
     Identical respective harness straps  24  are secured to the outer surface of each front panel  12 . Each strap  24  is provided with a low profile handle portion  24   a  to provide means for grasping the backpack. A main storage compartment  30  is securely attached to the front panel, shoulder straps, and harness strap assembly. As more clearly explained below, main compartment  30  includes therein at least one internal secondary compartment and may include a variety of auxiliary pocket arrangements. A conventional zipper  30   a  or the like provides access to main compartment  30 . Ancillary compartments  32  are attached to the outer surface of compartment  30 . Compartments  32  can be removably attached to the outer surface in any convenient manner, e.g., hook and loop fasteners. Compartments  32  may house emergency items, including a small firearm. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 3 , harness-strap webbing structure  24  is built within the backpack and allows the backpack to have the load strengths of rappel harnesses, as mentioned above. An array of attached hardware  26  (D-rings, ladder locks, buckles, etc.) is attached to the harness-strap webbing structure and other parts of the backpack. The hardware  26  is positioned in configurations as desired, and may be employed to attach other emergency items to the backpack. Respective pockets  28  having entrances at  28   a  are formed on the inner surface of each panel  12 . Each pocket is adapted to house an insert P (shown in phantom lines) therein. The insert P is constructed from a material, such as Kevlar® (Kevlar is the brand name for a para-aramid synthetic fiber developed at DuPont and utilized as body armor) that offers a degree of ballistic protection for the stomach and chest areas of the torso. The inserts P may be removable from the pockets  28  or permanently secured therein.  FIG. 4  discloses the backpack wherein identically configured removable side protective pockets  29  (only one is shown, the other being symmetrical) are utilized to protect the side areas of the torso. Each side pocket  29  is provided with an opening  29   a  for receiving and retaining a protective ballistic insert P therein. Each pocket  29  is attached to the backpack via D-rings or by hook-and-loop fasteners or the like. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , an internal secondary compartment  34  is disposed adjacent main compartment  30  and is isolated therefrom. The secondary compartment  34  is provided with an opening adapted for closure by a conventional closure fastener, such as a zipper or the like. Whereas the main compartment  30  is adapted to house items of ordinary nature, the secondary compartment  34  is adapted to house items  36  that may be specific to emergency/medical/survival scenarios (bandages, water, medicine, etc.). Each of the items  36  includes hook-and-loop fasteners  36 ′. Compartment  34  is configured with an array of fixed and removable pockets and includes hook-and-loop fasteners  38  for securing the items  36 ,  36 ′ therein, including affixable modular containers or any form of structured storage dedicated for, but not limited to, emergency equipment storage. A ballistic insert P is disposed in the secondary compartment behind the hook-and-loop fasteners for protecting the back area of the torso. Alternatively, the ballistic insert may be disposed in the main compartment, if desired. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.