Adjustable positioning mechanism and a bag or pack, such as a backpack or other article, having such mechanism

摘要

An adjustable positioning mechanism, such as for positioning ends of straps or handles of bag or packs, such as for backpacks, but also, more generally, for removably connecting an item to an article to be carried to provide a range of attachment locations for the item relative to the article, to achieve an optimum ergonomic position of the item at one of the attachment locations. One element of the adjustment mechanism can be either adhesively bonded to the article or made in one piece with a frame of the article, the item to be attached bearing a second element of the mechanism. Embodied as part of a bag or pack, the invention can include a carrying system directly or indirectly connected to the pack portion and include at least one carrying element, and an adjustment mechanism to provide a range of attachment locations on the pack portion for a carrying member of the carrying system, such as one or more shoulder straps, such adjustment mechanism including at least one element that is bonded to the backpack. In a particular embodiment, the backpack includes a frame connected to the back side of the pack portion, the frame including at least a rigid or semi-rigid sheet frame which is affixed to the back side of the pack portion by adhesive bonding. The element(s) of the adjustment mechanism are bonded to the backpack against the area at which the frame is mounted.

主权项

1. An article to be carried comprising:
a wall having a height and a width, the wall having an internal side and an external side; a rigidifying frame connected to the internal side of the wall of the article by an adhesive bond to create a layered subassembly, the wall extending widthwise beyond the layered subassembly at at least a portion of the height of the wall; the rigidifying frame includes a sheet of elastic foam and a rigid or semi-rigid sheet; an adjustable positioning mechanism for removably connecting a carrying strap to the layered subassembly on the external side of the wall, the mechanism providing a range of attachment locations for the carrying strap in relation to the layered subassembly, to achieve an optimum ergonomic position of the carrying strap at one of the attachment locations, said adjustable positioning mechanism comprising:
a first element affixed by an adhesive bond to the layered subassembly of the article to be carried;the first element comprising an array of first connector sites, such array comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns providing adjustability along said layered subassembly in both a first direction and a second direction, the second direction being transverse to the first direction;the adhesive bond affixing the first element to the layered subassembly being at least at a location, in relation to the layered subassembly, an equal distance from a reference point as a location of the adhesive bond between the rigidifying frame and the wall, such that a laminate structure is created that includes the first element, the rigidifying frame, the wall, and the adhesive bonds;a second element structured and arranged to be connected to the carrying strap to be connected to the article, the second element including at least two second connector sites for selective releasable fixed engagement with respective ones of at least two of said array of first connector sites of the first element, so that the first and second elements are connected together by way of a plurality of first connector sites and a plurality of second connector sites; the array of first connector sites comprising an array of key-hole shaped receptacles and said second connector sites comprise a plurality of projections, each of said projections being structured and arranged to be receivable within a respective one of the receptacles of said array; the array of key-hole shaped receptacles comprising a plurality of distinct openings, each opening of the plurality of openings having a closed periphery.