Patent ID: 8857690

Claim:
A frameless, non rigid, shoulder supported, washable diver's trifold compression backpack for the compression of SCUBA equipment, arranged to accommodate the dimensions of airline carry-on luggage comprising: a first flexible, fabric storage panel; a second flexible, fabric storage panel; a third flexible, fabric storage panel; a first flexible fabric side panel; a second flexible fabric side panel; a detachable panel; at least two unitary single strap backpack compression means sewn to said third storage panel; a shoulder harness having a generally vertical longitudinal axis; and a reinforcing piping; wherein said all panels are sized and positioned for optimal compression of said SCUBA equipment, and are stitchedly connected to their adjacent panels to form a flexible linear array of panels such that said first storage panel connects to said first side panel which connects to said second storage panel which connects to said second side panel which connects to said third storage panel, and wherein said shoulder harness is affixed to a first side of said third storage panel, and said unitary compression means are fabric straps stitchedly attached to a back side of said third storage panel, said straps having a first end with a first compression buckle half affixed thereto, a second end affixed to a D ring, said D ring encircling said strap and enabling said strap to be pulled to cinch tight said strap, and a second compression buckle half for mating engagement with said first compression buckle half affixed between said D ring and said second end of said straps, said compression straps having longitudinal axes that lie perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said shoulder harness and encircling said backpack when said backpack is folded such that said first storage panel, said second storage panel and said third storage panel reside in a stacked configuration, and wherein said second side panel has a dimension of width that is larger than a dimension of width of said first side panel, and wherein when said D ring is pulled, said backpack is horizontally constricted by said compression strap without stress to fabric, seams, stitching and piping of said backpack, so as to allow said backpack with said SCUBA equipment therein to comply with the carry-on luggage dimensional restrictions and not to come apart with the high compression forces required to constrain said SCUBA equipment in such a compact form; and wherein said detachable panel has a series of side release half buckles affixed thereon matingly conformed to a series of complementary side release half buckles affixed to said backpack.