Patent Publication Number: US-2006000856-A1

Title: Hydration pack

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to the field of backpacks and, in particular, to hydration packs suitable for use while engaged in a vigorous activity.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      It is important for athletes to replenish lost fluids and/or nutrients when engaging in strenuous activities over an extended period of time. Athletes engaging in outdoor activities often carry water or other beverages in handheld containers such as canteens or water bottles. The containers may be carried by the user in a conventional backpack, fanny pack, belt attachment, or the like. Such handheld containers have certain disadvantages. For example, the quantity of fluid that can be conveniently carried is limited. It may also be inconvenient or impossible to use such containers without stopping the user&#39;s primary activity, such as biking. For example, the user may have to remove a backpack or other carrier to access the container. Also, such hand-carried containers may be dropped and damaged or set down and inadvertently left behind.  
      To overcome many of these problems, backpacks, commonly referred to as hydration packs, have been specially adapted to hold and dispense a fluid-typically, water. Hydration packs have become popular with sports enthusiasts such as bicyclists, hikers, runners, skiers, orienteers, and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,833, to Edison et al., discloses a “camel back” hydration system for bicyclists, the system including a flexible bladder for containing a fluid, an elongate tube that extends from the bladder to the user&#39;s mouth, and a valve disposed at the distal end of the tube. The bladder fits within a pliable backpack, and allows the user to selectively draw fluid from the bladder through the valve without stopping the user&#39;s general activity. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,290, which discloses a water pouch backpack including a bladder pack adapted to fit within the body of a pack having shoulder straps and a hip strap, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,439, which discloses a combination backpack and hydration pack wherein a hydration pack is provided that releasably engages a backpack portion such that a user may use the hydration pack alone or as the combination.  
      While conventional hydration pack systems overcome many of the disadvantages of hand-carried water containers, they can be difficult to carry and/or interfere with the user&#39;s performance and enjoyment of the sport. In particular, when a user is engaged in relatively vigorous activity while carrying a consumable fluid, it is desirable that the fluid reservoir be maintained closer to the user&#39;s body and be relatively stable with respect to the user to avoid or mitigate undesirable stresses on the user. However, stabilizing the apparatus may be particularly difficult for hydration packs because the water is contained in a pliable bladder, typically disposed in a flexible carrier, and the momentum of the water generated during activities tends to cause the apparatus to shift about. Even when stationary, the weight of the water tends to cause the bladder to sag outwardly, away from the user. Moreover, as the fluid is consumed, the fluid level changes—which may enhance the tendency of the water to slosh around within the bladder and the bladder to shift within the backpack. Especially during vigorous activities, the bladder and/or backpack may shift about on the back of the user.  
      It would therefore be beneficial to provide a hydration pack wherein the hydration pack and, in particular, the bladder carrying the fluid are stable and comfortably disposed in the backpack portion of the apparatus.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A backpack adapted for carrying and dispensing a fluid (or hydration pack) is described herein that is particularly suited to use while engaged in a relatively vigorous activity. The hydration pack is adapted to hold the contained fluid securely and close to the user&#39;s back to prevent the generation of undesirable stressors on the user. The backpack includes a bladder assembly including a bladder and an elongate tube with a valve. The bladder assembly is removably insertable into a backpack having a front panel, back panel, and first and second side panels defining a volume for receiving the bladder. Left and right shoulder straps are attached to the front panel of the backpack and a split belt adapted to be fastened about the user&#39;s waist is provided. The split belt includes a first strap attached to the front panel of the backpack and a second strap that extends over the back panel of the backpack to hold the backpack and bladder close to the user.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, the shoulder straps and the lower strap of the split belt are an integral portion of the backpack front panel.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, the split belt upper strap includes an elastic portion that is slidably retained in a keeper on the backpack back panel.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, the volume for receiving the bladder is open at the top and a cover panel is fixedly attached to a top edge of the front panel and is releasably attachable to the back panel of the backpack to substantially cover the open top of the volume.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, the back panel of the backpack includes a pair of elongate straps that are slidably retained in keepers on the shoulder straps.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, a releasable chest strap is provided that releasably joins the left and right shoulder straps.  
      In an embodiment of the invention, the upper strap of the split belt applies a pressure to the bladder when the split belt is fastened about the waist of the user and holds the bladder adjacent the user&#39;s back. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a three-quarter front perspective view of an embodiment of a hydration pack in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a three-quarter rear perspective view of the hydration pack shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the hydration pack shown in  FIG. 1  with the hydration pack laid flat;  
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary view of a portion of the hydration pack of  FIG. 1  showing the attachment at the lower portion of the shoulder strap;  
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a fragmentary view of the rear of the hydration pack shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the attachment and stretching of the upper portion of the split belt in this embodiment— FIG. 5A  showing the unstretched belt and  FIG. 5B  showing the stretched belt;  
       FIG. 6  is a partially cut-away perspective view of the hydration pack shown in  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 7  is a three-quarter rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a hydration pack in accordance with the present invention, utilizing a simplified belt structure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A currently preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, wherein like numbers indicate like parts.  
       FIG. 1  shows a three-quarter front perspective view of an embodiment of a hydration pack  100  in accordance with the present invention, and  FIG. 2  shows a three-quarter rear perspective view of the hydration pack  100 . A front view of the hydration pack  100 , laid out generally flat to more clearly show various aspects of the hydration pack  100 , is shown in  FIG. 3 . The hydration pack  100  includes a front panel  102  that is generally adapted to be disposed adjacent the user&#39;s back (not shown) during use, and a back panel  112  that is attached to, and generally overlies, the front panel  102 . The front panel  102  and back panel  112 , partially defining a volume, are open at the top for receiving a bladder assembly  150  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 2 ). The front panel  102  is preferably made, at least in part, from a relatively soft and porous or breathable material to enable some airflow between the user and the hydration pack  100  and may include, for example, a plurality of small holes and/or elongate channels to promote air circulation between the user and the hydration pack  100 . The front panel  102  may also include padding (not shown) to enhance user comfort.  
      The back panel  112  may be made from a pliable and sturdy material, either natural or manmade, such as nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene (such as Gortex™), denim, or other suitable material. The back panel  112  and front panel  102  are preferably connected with stitching, although other attachment methods alternatively may be used as are well known in the art. In addition, although the volume between the front panel  102  and back panel  112  is preferably open at the top, alternative or additional access apertures may be provided. For example, one or more releasable fasteners, such as zipper assemblies  113 , may allow access to at least a portion of the volume between the front panel  102  and the back panel  112 .  
      The bladder assembly  150  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 2 ) preferably includes a pliant bladder  151  fluidly connected to an elongate tube  152  having a distal valve  154 , such as a bite valve. The particular details of the bladder assembly  150  are not important to the present invention, and various general aspects of bladder assemblies are well known. The bladder assembly  150  may be any conventional design as is well known in the art. Representative bladder assemblies are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,640 and/or U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,533, the disclosure of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
      As seen most clearly in  FIG. 2 , a generally triangular cover panel  120  attaches along a back edge  122  to the top of the front panel  102  and extends rearwardly over the back panel  112 . A buckle assembly  125  allows the user to releasably attach the distal end  121  of the cover panel  120  to the back panel  112 . The buckle assembly  125  of the disclosed embodiment includes a lower buckle member  124  fixedly attached to the back panel  112  and an upper buckle member  126  attached to a short strap  128  on the distal end of the cover panel  120 . It is contemplated that other releasable fastening mechanisms may alternatively be used—such as lacing, snaps, hook-and-loop materials, and the like. In the disclosed embodiment, the cover panel  120  connects the back panel  112  to the upper edge of the front panel  102 , thereby aiding in supporting the back panel  112  against the outward force resulting from the weight of the bladder  151 .  
      A pair of shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R extends from the front panel  102 , are adapted to aid the user in carrying the hydration pack  100  on the user&#39;s shoulders. As seen most clearly in  FIG. 3 , the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R may be formed integrally with the front panel  102 , simplifying construction and providing a rugged product. The shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R extend generally from the top of the front panel  102  to near the bottom of the hydration pack  100 . Each of the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R includes a plurality of keepers  106  (two shown) spaced along the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R.  
      The back panel  112  includes a corresponding pair of elongate straps  114 L,  114 R, that extend over the top of the front panel  102  and are slidably retained by the keepers  106  attached to the front panel shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R. In the disclosed embodiment, the elongate straps  114 L,  114 R are formed integrally with the back panel  112 . The distal ends of each associated pair of straps  104 L,  114 L and  104 R,  114 R are connected with a relatively short connecting strap  108  that slidably engages an adjuster buckle  110 .  
       FIG. 4  shows a fragmentary side view of the distal end of the shoulder strap  104 L and related structure, with the adjuster buckle  110  shown in cross-section to illustrate a particular aspect of this embodiment of the present invention. The relative position of the distal end of the shoulder strap  104 L and the distal end of the back panel strap  114 L may vary as the connecting strap  108  slides in the adjuster buckle  110 . It will now be appreciated from  FIGS. 1 and 2  that the slideable strap structure permits the back panel  112  to adjust to accommodate the varying volume of fluid in the bladder  151  as the fluid is used or replenished. For example, when the bladder  151  is substantially full, the back panel  112  will accommodate the bladder  151  as the elongate straps  114 L,  114 R slide rearwardly in the keepers  106  along the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R. As the fluid level decreases, the elongate straps  114 L,  114 R can slide along the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R such that the bladder  151  is maintained desirably close to the user&#39;s body.  
      As seen most clearly in  FIG. 2 , the adjuster buckle  110  is adjustably connected to a lower portion of the hydration pack  100  with a lower strap  109 , such that the effective length of the lower strap  109  may be increased or decreased to achieve a comfortable fit for the user. An optional releasably-engageable chest strap having a left portion  111 L and a right portion  111 R may also be provided, extending between the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R, to maintain the shoulder straps at a desired spacing.  
      A split belt assembly  130  extends from a lower portion of the hydration assembly  100 . The split belt assembly  130  includes left and right lower belt portions  132 L,  132 R. As seen most clearly in  FIG. 3 , the lower belt portions  132 L,  132 R may conveniently be formed as integral extensions of the front panel  102 . Alternatively, the lower belt portions may be formed separately and attached to the hydration pack  100 .  
      The split belt assembly  130  also includes an upper belt  134  having left and right upper belt portions  134 L,  134 R. The distal ends of the corresponding upper and lower belt portions—that is,  132 L,  134 L and  132 R,  134 R—are connected, for example, by stitching, as seen most clearly in  FIG. 3 . The distal ends also include an adjustable buckle assembly having releasably-engageable left and right portions  136 L,  136 R that allow the user to adjustably secure the split belt assembly  130  generally about the user&#39;s waist, as is well known in the art.  
      Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the upper belt  134  extends around and overlies a portion of the back panel  112  and the bladder assembly  150 , such that the upper belt  134  holds the lower portion of the bladder assembly  150  in close proximity to the user. The split belt  130 , therefore, prevents the lower portion of the hydration assembly  100  from excessive motion while the user is engaged in the desired activity. In particular, the upper belt  134  prevents the bladder assembly  150  from sagging outwardly from the weight of the fluid therein or from excessive motion within the volume defined by the hydration pack  100 . The upper belt  134  may also apply a pressure to the bladder assembly  150 , pressurizing the bladder to facilitate drawing fluid from the bladder assembly  150 . In the disclosed embodiment, the portion of the upper belt  134  disposed directly behind the bladder assembly  150  is relatively wide, thereby distributing the pressurizing force over a larger area.  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the left and right upper belt portions  134 L,  134 R are interconnected with an elastic section  138  that is slidably retained by a keeper  139  attached to the back panel  112 . The elastic section  138  allows the user to adjust the split belt assembly  130  such that the upper belt  134  maintains a desired pressure on the bladder assembly  150  even as the fluid in the bladder assembly  150  is reduced over a range of fluid levels. It will be appreciated that larger or smaller elastic sections may be used to achieve a desired overall result, although user comfort considerations make it preferable that the elastic section not extend beyond the edges of the back panel  112 .  FIG. 5B  shows the elastic section  138  generally stretched out for maximum effect, as indicated by the arrows, with the unstretched elastic section  138  shown in phantom.  
       FIG. 6  shows a three-quarter rear perspective view of the hydration pack  100  with most of the back panel  112  removed to illustrate another aspect of the present invention. In the disclosed embodiment of the hydration pack  100 , a pair of generally upright baffle panels  140  connects the front panel  102  with the back panel  112  along at least a substantial portion of the length of the hydration pack  100 . The baffle panels  140 , cooperatively with the front panel  102  and back panel  112 , define the volume that receives the baffle assembly  150  (shown in phantom). The baffle panels  140  constrain the relative motion between the front panel  102  and back panel  112 , thereby limiting the bladder assembly&#39;s  150  tendency to shift and/or sag during use of the hydration pack  100 .  
      In the disclosed embodiment, one or both of the baffle panels  140  include an aperture  142  therethrough to accommodate the elongate tube  152  of the baffle assembly  150 . The upper edge  144  of the baffle panels  140  extends to the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R and is not stitched across at least a portion of the top, whereby the elongate tube  152  may be slidably disposed between one of the baffle panels  140  and the shoulder strap  104 L, providing convenient access to the user.  
      To use the hydration pack  100 , the user fills the bladder  151  of the bladder assembly  150  with the desired fluid, such as water, and inserts the bladder into the volume defined by the front panel  102 , back panel  112 , and baffle panels  140  with the elongate tube  152  extending through the aperture  142  in one of the baffle panels  140 . The elongate tube  152  extends upwardly, generally along the baffle panel  140 , and over the shoulder strap  104 L where it may be retained in a convenient location for the user. The cover  120  is closed over the bladder  151  and fastened with the buckle assembly  125 . The user then dons the hydration pack  100  by inserting the user&#39;s arms through the shoulder straps  104 L,  104 R, fastening the chest strap  111  and split belt assembly  130 , as desired. The lengths of the various straps may be adjusted to accommodate the user&#39;s comfort and preferences. It will be appreciated that the bladder  151  will be held close to the user with very little shifting, even during strenuous activities, allowing the user to hydrate as necessary with only limited encumbrance from the hydration pack  100 .  
      An alternative embodiment of a hydration pack  200  according to the present invention, is shown in  FIG. 7 . The hydration pack  200  includes a front panel  202  adapted to lay next to the user&#39;s back and a back panel  212  attached to and generally overlying the front panel  202 , the front and back panels at least partially defining a volume for receiving the bladder assembly  150 . The hydration pack  200  is in general similar to the hydration pack  100  described above, and a description of the similar portions will not be repeated here. However, the construction of this embodiment is simpler in that the hydration pack  200  does not utilize a split belt assembly, but rather includes a simpler adjustable waist strap  230 L,  230 R that is attached directly to the back panel  212 .  
      In particular, the back panel  212  is formed with oppositely disposed tab portions  213  that are attached to the front panel  202  with intermediate straps  215 . The left portion of the waist strap  230 L slidably engages the one intermediate strap  215  and the right portion of the waist strap  230 R slidably engages the other intermediate strap  215  through semirigid buckle loops  217  (one shown). Therefore, when the waist strap  230 L,  230 R is secured and tensioned about the waist of the user, the waist strap  230 L,  230 R will pull on the tab portions  213  and urge the back panel  212  toward the front panel  202 , thereby holding the bladder assembly in desirably close proximity to the user. This alternative embodiment is somewhat simpler in construction than the hydration pack  100  described above and may be less restrictive to the user for some applications.  
      While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.