Patent Description:
The invention relates to a backpack, in particular of the kind used for school or spare time, to which explicit reference will be made in the description below without, because of this, losing generality.

Backpacks of the type indicated above are known, which basically comprise a flexible material case, defining an inner containing space for transporting a load, and a pair of shoulder straps for carrying the backpack on a user's shoulder.

In particular, the case is usually delimited by a fixed backrest, which, in use, can be placed in contact with the user's back, by a front, which is opposite the fixed backrest, and by two sides.

The case can simply be closed by a zip or it can be open at the top and be capable of being closed both with a string and with a closing element, for example a sort of lid or a simple flap, fastened, on one side, to the upper area of the fixed backrest, so that it can rotate from and to the front. In the position in which is partly covers the front, the closing element can be fixed to the front in a releasable manner by means of one or more snapping coupling devices.

Each shoulder strap usually has a first end portion, which is fixed to an upper area of the fixed backrest, and an opposite second end portion, which is fastened to a lower area of the fixed backrest or to a respective side of the case, usually by means of a respective length adjustment belt.

Backpacks of the type described above are also known, in which it is possible to adjust the height of the shoulder straps in a vertical direction relative to the fixed backrest.

In these solutions, the backpack usually also comprises a movable backrest carrying the shoulder straps and fixed to the adjustment belt, which can vertically slide relative to the fixed backrest.

The movement of the movable backrest is guided by guide elements, for example rigid rods or bars, which are parallel to one another and are arranged on opposite sides of the adjustment belt.

This solution, despite allowing the movable backrest to be effectively guided, is extremely complicated and, above all, fails to be user-friendly, since the rigid guide bars or rods can bother or inconvenience the back, which, as it is known, is provided with a natural bending that hardly adjusts to the straight shape of the guide bars or rods.

Document <CIT> discloses an example of a known backpack.

Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a backpack, which allows the height of the shoulder straps to be effectively and simply adjusted without bothering or disturbing users.

According to the invention, this object is reached by a backpack as claimed in claim <NUM>.

The invention will be best understood upon perusal of the following description of a preferred non-limiting embodiment, which is provided by mere way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, number <NUM> indicates, as a whole, a backpack according to the invention, in particular a backpack for school and spare time.

The backpack <NUM> basically comprises a case <NUM>, preferably made of a flexible material, which defines an inner containing space <NUM> (<FIG>) for transporting a load and is delimited by a fixed backrest <NUM>, which can be placed, in use, in contact with a user's back (and is known and not shown), by a front <NUM> opposite the fixed backrest <NUM> and by two sides <NUM>.

The backpack <NUM> further comprises a movable backrest <NUM>, which can be moved along the fixed backrest <NUM>, two shoulder straps <NUM> for carrying the backpack <NUM> on the shoulders, which are joined to opposite side portions 7a, 7b of the movable backrest <NUM>, an adjustment assembly <NUM> for adjusting the position of the movable backrest <NUM> and of the shoulder straps <NUM> along a vertical axis A of the fixed backrest <NUM>, and releasable locking means <NUM> for fixing the movable backrest <NUM> and the shoulder straps <NUM> in the desired position along the fixed backrest <NUM>.

In the example shown herein, the case <NUM> of the backpack <NUM> comprises a main body <NUM>, which is open at the top and is delimited, besides by the fixed backrest <NUM>, by the front <NUM> and by the sides <NUM>, also by a lower bottom <NUM> and by an upper covering element <NUM>, which is opposite the bottom <NUM> and is fastened, on one side, to an upper area <NUM> of the fixed backrest <NUM> so as to rotate from and to the front <NUM> in order to open or close the main body <NUM>.

The front <NUM> is preferably provided with one or more pockets 5a and with a releasable snapping closing system <NUM> (which is known and not described in detail) of the covering element <NUM> on the front <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, each shoulder strap <NUM> has a first end portion 8a, which is joined or fastened, at the top, to a respective side portion 7a, 7b of the movable backrest <NUM>, and an opposite second end portion 8b, which is fastened, at the bottom, to a side separation edge <NUM> between the fixed backrest <NUM> and a respective side <NUM> of the case <NUM>.

More in detail, the end portions 8b of the shoulder straps <NUM> are fastened to the respective side edges <NUM> of the main body <NUM> by means of respective connection belts <NUM> (which are known and not described in detail), which allow, in a known manner, the overall length of the assembly consisting of the shoulder straps <NUM> and of the connection belts <NUM> to be adjusted.

According to a possible alternative which is not shown herein, the backpack <NUM> could also comprise one single shoulder strap <NUM>, for example of the type that can be worn by a user crosswise, namely from one shoulder to the opposite side.

Advantageously (<FIG>), the fixed backrest <NUM> comprises a pocket <NUM>, which is provided with an upper opening <NUM> that can be closed, for example, by means of a zip <NUM> and is delimited, towards the outside, by a flexible rear wall <NUM>, and a stiffening panel <NUM>, which is preferably obtained from a plastic material by means of a thermoforming process and is housed in the pocket <NUM>.

The stiffening panel <NUM> is shaped and defines, in the use of position of the backpack on the user's back and considering the side facing the user, an upper concavity <NUM> and a lower convexity <NUM> designed to allow the fixed backrest <NUM> to adapt to the natural bends of the user's back.

The stiffening panel <NUM> is further provided with longitudinal ribs <NUM> extending, in use, parallel to the axis A.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, the rear wall <NUM> and the stiffening panel <NUM> comprise respective upper slots <NUM>, <NUM> and respective lower slots <NUM>, <NUM> aligned along the axis A, whose function will be described more in detail below.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, again, the adjustment assembly <NUM> comprises an adjustment belt <NUM> mounted on the fixed backrest <NUM> in a movable manner along the axis A and carrying the movable backrest <NUM>.

Advantageously, the adjustment belt <NUM> is arranged so as to go through the upper slots <NUM>, <NUM> and the lower slots <NUM>, <NUM> and is wound so as to form a loop around the rear wall <NUM> and the stiffening panel <NUM> so that it can annularly slide and allow the position of the movable backrest <NUM> and of the shoulder straps <NUM> along the axis A to be adjusted.

The inner branch 35a of the adjustment belt <NUM> preferably is entirely housed in the pocket <NUM>.

The adjustment belt <NUM> is further fixed on the outside of the movable backrest <NUM>.

More in detail, as shown in <FIG>, the adjustment belt <NUM> comprises opposite end portions 35a, 35b wound like a loop around respective transversal members <NUM> of a connection buckle <NUM> adapted to allow a traction force to be transferred and arranged on the side of the stiffening panel <NUM> opposite the one facing the rear wall <NUM>.

More precisely, the transversal members <NUM> of the connection buckle <NUM> extend, in use, orthogonally to the axis A and parallel to the adjustment belt <NUM>. Furthermore, at least the end portion 35a of the adjustment belt <NUM> wound like a loop around the respective transversal member <NUM> of the connection buckle <NUM> is further fixed, in a releasable manner, to the transversal member <NUM> by means of a hook-and-loop fastener, such as velcro®.

In the example shown herein, the connection buckle <NUM> simply consists of a rectangular frame element formed by the two transversal members <NUM> and by two vertical connection elements <NUM>, which join corresponding vertexes of the transversal members <NUM>.

Therefore, in the use condition, the adjustment belt <NUM> has an outer branch 35c, which is arranged on the outside of the fixed backrest <NUM>, namely on the outside of the rear wall <NUM>, and an inner branch 35d, which is arranged inside the backpack <NUM>; the outer branch 35c is movable, in use, in an opposite direction relative to the inner branch 35d.

Advantageously, the locking means <NUM> comprise at least one control buckle <NUM> for controlling the sliding of the adjustment belt <NUM>, which can selectively be set to a locking condition (<FIG>), in which it prevents the adjustment belt <NUM> from sliding with respect to the fixed backrest <NUM>, and to a release condition (<FIG>), in which it allows the adjustment belt <NUM> to freely slides with respect to the rear wall <NUM> and to the stiffening panel <NUM>.

The control buckle <NUM> comprises a frame <NUM>, which is crossed in a through manner by the adjustment belt <NUM> and is externally fixed, by means of an auxiliary belt <NUM>, to the top of the rear wall <NUM> of the fixed backrest <NUM>, and a lever <NUM>, which is hinged to the frame <NUM> around an axis B, which is orthogonal to the axis A and parallel to the surface of the adjustment belt <NUM>.

The lever <NUM> can rotate relative to the frame <NUM> around the axis B between a first position (<FIG>), in which it presses the adjustment belt <NUM> against the frame <NUM>, thus defining the locking condition, and a second position (<FIG>), in which it is detached from the adjustment belt <NUM> or, despite touching it, allows it to freely slide so as to define the release condition.

In the example shown in the accompanying figures, the locking means <NUM> further comprise two releasable hook-and-loop fasteners <NUM>, for example velcro®, which are obtained on the outer surface of the rear wall <NUM> on opposite sides of the adjustment belt <NUM> and cooperate, in use, with the movable backrest <NUM>.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking means <NUM> can also include further anchoring means <NUM>, in the case shown herein comprising:.

In the example shown herein, the engagement elements <NUM> consist of slots and the engagement elements <NUM> consist of hooks projecting from the opposite side portions 7a, 7b of the movable backrest <NUM>.

The locking means <NUM> could also include the sole control buckle <NUM> or the sole control buckle <NUM> and the hook-and-loop fasteners <NUM>; therefore, the anchoring means <NUM> are a possible, though not necessary option.

In use, in order to change the height of the movable backrest <NUM> and, hence, of the shoulder straps <NUM> along the fixed backrest <NUM>, the following steps have to be carried out:.

In case the anchoring means <NUM> are not present, users only need to act upon the control buckle <NUM> and the hook-and-loop fasteners <NUM>.

The features of the backpack <NUM> disclosed above, which is manufactured according to the invention, clearly reveal the advantages that can be obtained.

In particular, thanks to the fact that the adjustment belt <NUM> is wound not only around the lower wall <NUM> of the main body <NUM> of the backpack <NUM>, but also around a stiffening panel <NUM>, which is housed in a pocket <NUM> of the fixed backrest <NUM> and is shaped so as to adapt to the normal bending of the human back, rigid bars or rods on the outside of the backpack are no longer needed in order to guide the adjustment of the position of the movable backrest <NUM> and of the shoulder straps <NUM>.

Basically, the stiffening panel <NUM>, besides stiffening the fixed backrest <NUM>, defines a support on which to wind the adjustment belt <NUM> and features the characteristic bending of the human back, thus making the backpack <NUM> more ergonomic compared to known backpacks.

Furthermore, the solution disclosed herein allows the adjustment operation to be carried out in a very simple and reliable fashion.

Claim 1:
Backpack (<NUM>) comprising:
- a case (<NUM>) defining a containing space (<NUM>) for carrying a load and bounded at least by a fixed backrest (<NUM>), available in use in contact with the user's back, and by a front (<NUM>), opposite to the fixed backrest (<NUM>);
- a movable backrest (<NUM>) displaceable along said fixed backrest (<NUM>);
- at least one shoulder strap (<NUM>) for carrying the backpack (<NUM>) on the shoulders, having a first end portion (8a) connected to said movable backrest (<NUM>) and a second opposite end portion (8b) fastened to said fixed backrest (<NUM>) or to one side of said case (<NUM>);
- adjustment means (<NUM>) for adjusting the position of said movable backrest (<NUM>) and of said shoulder strap (<NUM>) along a vertical axis (A) of said fixed backrest (<NUM>); and
- releasable locking means (<NUM>) to fix said movable backrest (<NUM>) and said shoulder strap (<NUM>) in the desired position along said fixed backrest (<NUM>);
wherein said adjustment means (<NUM>) comprise an adjustment belt (<NUM>) mounted on said fixed backrest (<NUM>) in a movable way along said axis (A) and carrying said movable backrest (<NUM>);
characterized in that said fixed backrest (<NUM>) comprises a pocket (<NUM>), delimited towards the outside by a flexible rear wall (<NUM>), and a stiffening panel (<NUM>) housed in said pocket (<NUM>) and shaped to adapt to the normal curvature of the human back;
in that said rear wall (<NUM>) and said stiffening panel (<NUM>) comprise respective upper openings (<NUM>, <NUM>) and respective lower openings (<NUM>, <NUM>) aligned along said axis (A); and
in that said adjustment belt (<NUM>) is arranged passing through said upper openings (<NUM>, <NUM>) and said lower openings (<NUM>, <NUM>) and is wound to form a loop around said rear wall (<NUM>) and said stiffening panel (<NUM>) so as to be able to slide annularly and allow the adjustment of the position of said movable backrest (<NUM>) and of said shoulder strap (<NUM>) along said axis (A).