Contoured Bag Strap

Abstract

A shoulder strap for carrying a bag such as a golf bag consists of a central portion formed into a substantially V-shaped shoulder pad with end portions formed into substantially inverted V-shaped panels. The ergonomic shape of the multiple V-shaped shoulder pad moves the line of action of the shoulder strap closer to the center line of a person's body. The shoulder pad may also include a plurality of elongate bearing pads that vary in height to accommodate the slope of a person's shoulder for greater comfort.

1 . A shoulder strap for carrying a bag comprising:
 a shoulder pad including a flexible backing member having a first end portion, a second end portion and a central portion disposed between said first and second end portions, said central portion being adapted to conform to a person's shoulders, said central portion having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness;   a first elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said first elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing member along a longitudinal direction, said first elongate bearing pad standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member; and   a second elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said second elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing member substantially parallel to said first elongate bearing pad, said second elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member, the length dimension of said first elongate bearing pad being greater than the length dimension of said second elongate bearing pad and the thickness dimension of said first elongate bearing pad also being greater than the thickness dimension of said second elongate bearing pad.   
   
   
       2 . The shoulder strap of  claim 1 , wherein said shoulder pad further comprises a plurality of longitudinal slots formed in the central portion of said flexible backing member proximal said first and second elongate bearing pads. 
   
   
       3 . The shoulder strap of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of longitudinal slots are disposed between said first and second elongate bearing pads. 
   
   
       4 . The shoulder strap of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second elongate bearing pads are attached to said flexible backing member so that said first elongate bearing pad is in tension and said second elongate bearing pad is in compression. 
   
   
       5 . The shoulder strap of  claim 1 , further comprising a third elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said third elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing between and being arranged substantially parallel to said first and second elongate bearing pads, said third elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member, the length dimension of said third elongate bearing pad being intermediate the length dimensions of said first and second elongate bearing pads and the thickness dimension of said third elongate bearing pad being intermediate the thickness dimensions of said first and second elongate bearing pads. 
   
   
       6 . The shoulder strap of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a chest pad attached to the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member proximal the first end portion of said flexible backing member; and   a back pad attached to the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member proximal the second end portion of said flexible backing member.   
   
   
       7 . The shoulder strap of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second elongate bearing pads are arcuate in shape with the proximal edges of said first and second elongate bearing pads being convex facing toward each other and the distal edges of said first and second elongate bearing pads being concave facing away from each other. 
   
   
       8 . The shoulder strap of  claim 1 , wherein the central portion of said flexible backing member comprises a substantially V-shaped panel having first and second arms each having a longitudinal axis with the longitudinal axes of said first and second arms diverging from a central apex at an obtuse angle. 
   
   
       9 . The shoulder strap of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second arms have inner edges that form a substantially continuous concave inner edge. 
   
   
       10 . The shoulder strap of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second arms each have an outer edge that includes an apex, the apex of said first arm being separated from the apex of said second arm by a substantially concave outer edge. 
   
   
       11 . The shoulder strap of  claim 8 , wherein said first end portion and said first arm comprise a substantially V-shaped panel wherein said first end portion diverges from said first arm portion at an obtuse angle. 
   
   
       12 . The shoulder strap of  claim 11 , wherein said second end portion and said second arm comprise a substantially V-shaped panel wherein said second end portion diverges from said second arm portion at an obtuse angle. 
   
   
       13 . A shoulder strap for carrying a bag comprising:
 a shoulder pad including a flexible backing member having a first end portion, a second end portion and a central portion disposed between said first and second end portions, said central portion having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness, said central portion further including a substantially V-shaped panel having first and second arms having longitudinal axes diverging from a central apex at an obtuse angle, said first and second arms having inner edges that form a substantially continuous concave inner edge, said first and second arms further having outer edges each including an apex, the apex of said first arm being separated from the apex of said second arm by a substantially concave outer edge forming a shoulder bone cutout;   said first end portion and said first arm also comprising a substantially V-shaped panel wherein a longitudinal axis of said first end portion diverges from the longitudinal axis of said first arm at an obtuse angle, said first end portion having an inner edge that meets the inner edge of said first arm at an apex adjacent a first end of said substantially continuous concave inner edge; and   said second end portion and second arm also comprising a substantially V-shaped panel wherein said a longitudinal axis of said second end portion diverges from the longitudinal axis of said second arm at an obtuse angle, said second end portion having an inner edge that meets the inner edge of said second arm at an apex adjacent a second end of said substantially continuous concave inner edge.   
   
   
       14 . The shoulder strap of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said first elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing member along a longitudinal direction, said first elongate bearing pad standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member; and   a second elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said second elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing member substantially parallel to said first elongate bearing pad, said second elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member, the length dimension of said first elongate bearing pad being greater than the length dimension of said second elongate bearing pad, the thickness dimension of said first elongate bearing pad also being greater than the thickness dimension of said second elongate bearing pad.   
   
   
       15 . The shoulder strap of  claim 14 , wherein said shoulder pad further comprises a plurality of longitudinal slots formed in the central portion of said flexible backing member proximal said first and second elongate bearing pads. 
   
   
       16 . The shoulder strap of  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of longitudinal slots are disposed between said first and second elongate bearing pads. 
   
   
       17 . The shoulder strap of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second elongate bearing pads are attached to said flexible backing member so that said first elongate bearing pad is in tension and said second elongate bearing pad is in compression. 
   
   
       18 . The shoulder strap of  claim 15 , wherein said first and second elongate bearing pads are attached to said flexible backing member so that said first elongate bearing pad member is in tension and said second elongate bearing pad member is in compression. 
   
   
       19 . The shoulder strap of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a chest pad attached to the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member proximal the first end portion of said flexible backing member; and   a back pad attached to the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member proximal the second end portion of said flexible backing member.   
   
   
       20 . A shoulder strap for carrying a bag comprising:
 a shoulder pad including a flexible backing member having a first end portion, a second end portion and a central portion disposed between said first and second end portions, said central portion being adapted to conform to a person's shoulders, said central portion having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness, said central portion comprising a substantially V-shaped panel having first and second arms diverging from a central point at an obtuse angle, said first and second arms having inner edges that form a substantially continuous concave inner edge and said first and second arms further having outer edges each including an apex, the apex of said first arm being separated from the apex of said second arm by a substantially concave outer edge;   a first elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said first elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing member along a longitudinal direction, said first elongate bearing pad standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member;   a second elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of the central portion of said flexible backing member, said second elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing member substantially parallel to said first elongate bearing pad, said second elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member, the length dimension of said first elongate bearing pad being greater than the length dimension of said second elongate bearing pad, the thickness dimension of said first elongate bearing pad also being greater than the thickness dimension of said second elongate bearing pad; and   a third elongate bearing pad having a length dimension and a thickness greater than the thickness of said flexible backing member, said third elongate bearing pad being attached to the central portion of said flexible backing between and substantially parallel to said first and second elongate bearing pads, said third elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the top surface and the bottom surface of the central portion of said flexible backing member, the length dimension of said third elongate bearing pad being intermediate the length dimensions of said first and second elongate bearing pads and the thickness dimension of said third elongate bearing pad being intermediate the thickness dimensions of said first and second elongate bearing pads.   
   
   
       21 . A shoulder strap for carrying a bag comprising:
 a shoulder pad adapted to conform to a person's shoulders;   a first elongate bearing pad attached to said shoulder pad along a longitudinal direction, said first elongate bearing pad standing proud of a bottom surface of said shoulder pad; and   a second elongate bearing pad attached to said shoulder pad and arranged substantially parallel to said first elongate bearing pad, said second elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the bottom surface of said shoulder pad, said first elongate bearing pad being longer and thicker than said second elongate bearing pad so that said shoulder pad conforms to a person's shoulders without sliding off.   
   
   
       22 . The shoulder strap of  claim 21 , wherein said shoulder pad includes a plurality of slots disposed between said first and second elongate bearing pads in order to allow said shoulder pad to flex. 
   
   
       23 . The shoulder strap of  claim 22 , further comprising a third elongate bearing pad attached to said shoulder pad intermediate said first and second elongate bearing pads and arranged substantially parallel to said first and second elongate bearing pads, said third elongate bearing pad also standing proud of the bottom surface of said shoulder pad, said third elongate bearing pad being longer and thicker than said second elongate bearing pad but shorter and thinner than said first elongate bearing pad. 
   
   
       24 . A shoulder strap for carrying a bag comprising:
 a shoulder pad having first and second arms with longitudinal axes diverging from a central apex at an obtuse angle, said first and second arms having inner edges that form a substantially concave inner edge, said first and second arms further having outer edges each including an apex with the apex of said first arm being separated from the apex of said second arm by a substantially concave outer edge forming a shoulder bone cutout;   a first end portion of said shoulder strap having a longitudinal axis that diverges from the longitudinal axis of said first arm at an obtuse angle, said first end portion having an inner edge that meets the inner edge of said first arm at an apex adjacent a first end of said substantially concave inner edge; and   a second end portion of said shoulder strap having a longitudinal axis that diverges from the longitudinal axis of said second arm at an obtuse angle, said second end portion having an inner edge that meets the inner edge of said second arm at an apex adjacent a second end of said substantially concave inner edge.   
   
   
       25 . The shoulder strap of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a chest pad attached to a bottom surface of said shoulder pad proximal the first end portion of said shoulder pad; and   a back pad attached to the bottom surface of said shoulder pad proximal the second end portion of said shoulder pad.   
   
   
       26 . The shoulder strap of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of elongate bearing pads attached to said shoulder pad along a longitudinal direction and arranged substantially parallel to each other. 
   
   
       27 . The shoulder strap of  claim 26 , wherein said elongate bearing pads vary in length and thickness. 
   
   
       28 . The shoulder strap of  claim 27 , wherein said elongate bearing pads stand proud of a bottom surface of said shoulder pad. 
   
   
       29 . The shoulder strap of  claim 28 , wherein said plurality of elongate bearing pads comprises first, second and third elongate bearing pads. 
   
   
       30 . The shoulder strap of  claim 29 , wherein said first elongate bearing pad is longer and thicker than said second elongate bearing pad and wherein said third elongate bearing pad is longer and thicker than said second elongate bearing pad but shorter and thinner than said first elongate bearing pad so that said shoulder pad conforms to a person's shoulders.