Patent ID: 7537143

Claim:
A backpack comprising, in combination: a bag having a body side adjacent a user's back when the backpack is in an in use condition on the shoulders of a user, and an outer side positioned away from the user's body in the in use condition; a frame having a body side, an outer side opposite the body side, an upper side, and an underside opposite the upper side, the body side and the outer side defining a bottom edge of the frame, the frame extending over and over secured to an exterior surface of the outer side of the bag such that the body side of the frame faces the outer side of the bag and comprising an elastomeric central hub; and a plurality of frame members, each frame member secured to the central hub and extending across a portion of the outer side and formed of a material different than that of the central hub; a pair of shoulder straps, an upper end of each shoulder strap secured to an upper portion of the body side of the bag and a lower end of each shoulder strap secured to a lower portion of the bag; a hip strap connected at opposite ends of the frame; and a resilient support member secured to and extending along substantially the entire bottom edge of the frame.