Daypack with improved comfort shoulder straps

Abstract

A daypack has a body portion having a pouch and a pair of straps attached to the body portion. Each of the straps has a first, outer side and a second, inner side. Between the first and second sides are a comfort strip and a pad. The comfort strip is positioned between the first and second sides and has a plurality of protuberances formed thereon. The protuberances extend outwardly from the comfort strip in the direction of the first side. The pad is located between the comfort strip and the second, inner side such that the protuberances extend into the pad.

1 . A daypack comprising: 
 a body portion having a pouch; and    a pair of straps attached to the body portion, each of the straps comprising: 
 a first, outer side;  
 a second, inner side;  
 a comfort strip positioned between the first and second sides having a plurality of protuberances formed thereon, the protuberances extending outwardly from the comfort strip in a direction of the second side; and  
 a pad located between the comfort strip and the second, inner side such that the protuberances extend into the pad when the comfort strip and the pad are assembled against one another.  
   
   
   
       2 . The daypack of  claim 1  wherein the pad has a plurality of holes therein located in generally the same positions as the protuberances of the comfort strip and wherein the protuberances extend into the holes of the pad when the comfort strip and the pad are assembled against one another.  
   
   
       3 . The daypack of  claim 1  wherein the second, inner side comprises a mesh panel located over at least some of the protuberances of the comfort strip.  
   
   
       4 . The daypack of  claim 3  wherein the second inner side further comprises an upper inner panel attached to the mesh panel and a lower inner panel attached to the mesh panel.  
   
   
       5 . The daypack of  claim 1  wherein the comfort strip comprises three rows of protuberances distributed evenly across a width of the strap.  
   
   
       6 . The daypack of  claim 5  wherein a center row of protuberances has a height greater than other rows of protuberances.  
   
   
       7 . The daypack of  claim 1  wherein a ratio of a distance between adjacent protuberances to a height of the protuberances is between about 0.6:1 to about 3:1.  
   
   
       8 . The daypack of  claim 7  wherein the ratio of the distance between adjacent protuberances and the height of the protuberances is between about 1.25:1.  
   
   
       9 . The daypack of  claim 1  wherein the protuberances have a tapered profile such that the protuberances have a greater diameter at their base than at their peak.  
   
   
       10 . A daypack comprising: 
 a body portion having a pouch; and    a pair of straps attached to the body portion, each of the straps comprising: 
 a first, outer side;  
 a second, inner side;  
 a comfort strip positioned between the first and second sides having a plurality of protuberances formed thereon, the protuberances extending outwardly from the comfort strip in a direction of the second side, wherein a ratio of a distance between adjacent protuberances and a height of the protuberances is between about 0.6:1 to about 3:1.; and  
 a pad located between the comfort strip and the second, inner side such that the protuberances extend into the pad when the comfort strip and the pad are assembled against one another and wherein the pad has a plurality of holes located therein in generally the same positions as the protuberances of the comfort strip and wherein the protuberances extend into the holes of the pad.  
   
   
   
       11 . The daypack of  claim 10  wherein the second, inner side comprises a mesh panel located over at least some of the protuberances of the comfort strip.  
   
   
       12 . The daypack of  claim 11  wherein the second inner side further comprises an upper inner panel attached to the mesh panel and a lower inner panel attached to the mesh panel.  
   
   
       13 . The daypack of  claim 10  wherein the comfort strip comprises three rows of protuberances distributed evenly across the width of the strap.  
   
   
       14 . The daypack of  claim 13  wherein a center row of protuberances has a height greater than the other rows of protuberances.  
   
   
       15 . The daypack of  claim 10  wherein the ratio of the distance between adjacent protuberances and the height of the protuberances is between about 1.25:1.  
   
   
       16 . The daypack of  claim 10  wherein the protuberances have a tapered profile such that the protuberances have a greater diameter at their base than at their peak.  
   
   
       17 . A daypack comprising: 
 a body portion having a pouch; and    a pair of straps attached to the body portion, each of the straps comprising: 
 a first, outer side;  
 a second, inner side;  
 a comfort strip positioned between the first and second sides having a plurality of protuberances formed thereon, the protuberances extending outwardly from the comfort strip in a direction of the second side, the protuberances arranged in at least three rows across the width of the strap, wherein a center row of protuberances has a height greater than the outer rows of protuberances, wherein a ratio of a distance between adjacent protuberances to a height of the protuberances is between about 0.6:1 to about 3:1; and  
 a pad located between the comfort strip and the second, inner side such that the protuberances extend into the pad when the comfort strip and the pad are assembled against one another, wherein the pad has a plurality of holes therein located in generally the same positions as the protuberances of the comfort strip and wherein the protuberances extend into the holes of the pad.  
   
   
   
       18 . The daypack of  claim 17  wherein the second, inner side comprises a mesh panel located over at least some of the protuberances of the comfort strip.  
   
   
       19 . The daypack of  claim 18  wherein the second inner side further comprises an upper inner panel attached to the mesh panel and a lower inner panel attached to the mesh panel.  
   
   
       20 . The daypack of  claim 17  wherein the comfort strip comprises three rows of protuberances distributed evenly across the width of the strap.  
   
   
       21 . The daypack of  claim 17  wherein the ratio of the height of the protuberances to the distance between adjacent protuberances is about 1.25:1.  
   
   
       22 . The daypack of  claim 17  wherein the protuberances have a tapered profile such that the protuberances have a greater diameter at their base than at their peak.