Patent ID: 7404506

Claim:
A method of preventing back injury to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) determining a weight of a predetermined user; (b) equipping a backpack with a weight assessment system; (c) having at least one of the user and a guardian of said user select a predetermined threshold by adjusting controls on said weight assessment system, said predetermined threshold defining a safe condition and an unsafe condition based on said weight of said user; (d) assessing via said weight assessment system a backpack weight while loaded but before use; (e) comparing via said weight assessment system said backpack weight to said predetermined threshold selected in step (c); and (f) alerting via said weight assessment system at least one of said user and said guardian if said backpack weight assessed in step (d) results in said safe condition or unsafe condition based on said comparison of said backpack weight to said predetermined threshold in step (e).