Ergonomic Backpack With Enhanced Fit

Abstract

An ergonomic backpack with an enhanced fit is provided. The backpack comprises a storage portion, primary left and right shoulder straps, and secondary left and right shoulder straps. The primary shoulder straps connect to the secondary shoulder straps to allow a user to wear the backpack over her shoulders. The dimensions and arrangement of the storage portion and primary and secondary shoulder straps are selected to optimize fit and comfort.

1 . An ergonomic backpack, comprising:
 a storage portion having one or more compartments, the storage portion having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side such that when the backpack is worn by a user, the top side is nearer to the user's head than the bottom side, the bottom side is nearer to the user's legs than the top side, the left side is nearer to the user's left shoulder than the right side, and the right side is nearer to the user's right shoulder than the left side;   a secondary left shoulder strap attached at a first end to the bottom and left side of the storage portion;   a secondary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the bottom and right side of the storage portion, the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap each attaching to the storage portion such that when the strap is extended toward the top side, the strap forms an angle of approximately between zero and 45 degrees, measured down from vertical;   a primary left shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and left side of the storage portion along a first connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary left shoulder strap; and   a primary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and right side of the storage portion along a second connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary right shoulder strap,   the first and second connection areas each spaced approximately the same distance from a substantially vertical bisecting line extending through the backpack from top to bottom, and the first and second connection areas substantially collinear with a substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack,   the primary left and right shoulder straps connected to the first and second connection areas at substantially equal angles relative to the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack such that when the primary left and right straps are not connected to the secondary left and right straps and are raised such that the primary left and right straps extend upward and away from the body of the user and are substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through the user's body:
 the primary left strap, primary right strap, and the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack are all tangential to a first circle having a radius of approximately between 8 and 12 centimeters, the first circle being substantially parallel to the vertical plane extending through the user's body, and 
 the primary left strap and primary right strap curve away from the substantially vertical bisecting line at between approximately one-third to two-thirds of the length of each strap, the curve being substantially equal to the curve of an arc of a second circle having a radius of approximately between 7 and 11 centimeters, the arc measuring approximately between 25 and 45 degrees. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the radius of the first circle is approximately 10 centimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the radius of the second circle is approximately 9.5 centimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the primary shoulder straps are detachably connected to the secondary shoulder straps. 
     
     
         5 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap are connected to each other and to the storage portion adjacent to the first and second connection areas with one or more pieces of material such that the one or more pieces of material form a curve between the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap substantially the same as the curve of the first circle. 
     
     
         6 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the secondary shoulder straps attach to the storage portion at a minimum desired vertical distance of approximately 35 centimeters from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack. 
     
     
         7 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein each of the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap form an angle of approximately between 5 and 20 degrees, measured down from vertical. 
     
     
         8 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein each of the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap form an angle of approximately between 10 and 15 degrees, measured down from vertical. 
     
     
         9 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the extent of the bottom side of the storage portion is approximately 55 centimeters from in the vertical direction from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack. 
     
     
         10 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical distance between the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack and both the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately between 20 and 35 centimeters. 
     
     
         11 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 10 , wherein the vertical distance is approximately 28 centimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately between 65 and 85 centimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 12 , wherein the horizontal distance is approximately 75 centimeters. 
     
     
         14 . An ergonomic backpack, comprising:
 a storage portion having one or more compartments, the storage portion having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side such that when the backpack is worn by a user, the top side is nearer to the user's head than the bottom side, the bottom side is nearer to the user's legs than the top side, the left side is nearer to the user's left shoulder than the right side, and the right side is nearer to the user's right shoulder than the left side;   a secondary left shoulder strap attached at a first end to the bottom and left side of the storage portion;   a secondary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the bottom and right side of the storage portion, the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap each attaching to the storage portion such that when the strap is extended toward the top side, the strap forms an angle of approximately between zero and 45 degrees, measured down from vertical;   a primary left shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and left side of the storage portion along a first connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary left shoulder strap; and   a primary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and right side of the storage portion along a second connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary right shoulder strap,   the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap connected to each other and to the storage portion adjacent to the first and second connection areas with one or more pieces of material such that the one or more pieces of material form a curve between the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap substantially the same as the curve of the first circle,   the first and second connection areas each spaced approximately the same distance from a substantially vertical bisecting line extending through the backpack from top to bottom, and the first and second connection areas substantially collinear with a substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, and   the primary left and right shoulder straps connected to the first and second connection areas at substantially equal angles relative to the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack such that when the primary left and right straps are not connected to the secondary left and right straps and are raised such that the primary left and right straps extend upward and away from the body of the user and are substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through the user's body:
 the primary left strap, primary right strap, and the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack are all tangential to a first circle having a radius of approximately between 5 and 10 centimeters, the first circle being substantially parallel to the vertical plane extending through the user's body, and 
 the primary left strap and primary right strap curve away from the substantially vertical bisecting line at between approximately one-third to two-thirds of the length of each strap, the curve being substantially equal to the curve of an arc of a second circle having a radius of approximately between 7 and 11 centimeters, the arc measuring approximately between 35 and 55 degrees. 
   
     
     
         15 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 14 , wherein the radius of the first circle is approximately 7.5 centimeters, and wherein the radius of the second circle is approximately 9.5 centimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 14 , wherein the first ends of the secondary shoulder straps attach to the storage portion at a minimum desired vertical distance of approximately 35 centimeters from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, and wherein the extent of the bottom side of the storage portion is approximately 55 centimeters from in the vertical direction from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack. 
     
     
         17 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 14 , wherein the vertical distance between the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack and both the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 28 centimeters, and wherein the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 75 centimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 14 , wherein each of the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap form an angle of approximately between  5  and 20 degrees, measured down from vertical. 
     
     
         19 . An ergonomic backpack, comprising:
 a storage portion having one or more compartments, the storage portion having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side such that when the backpack is worn by a user, the top side is nearer to the user's head than the bottom side, the bottom side is nearer to the user's legs than the top side, the left side is nearer to the user's left shoulder than the right side, and the right side is nearer to the user's right shoulder than the left side;   a secondary left shoulder strap attached at a first end to the bottom and left side of the storage portion;   a secondary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the bottom and right side of the storage portion, the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap each attaching to the storage portion such that when the strap is extended toward the top side, the strap forms an angle of approximately between 5 and 20 degrees, measured down from vertical;   a primary left shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and left side of the storage portion along a first connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary left shoulder strap; and   a primary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and right side of the storage portion along a second connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary right shoulder strap,   the first and second connection areas each spaced approximately the same distance from a substantially vertical bisecting line extending through the backpack from top to bottom, and the first and second connection areas substantially collinear with a substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack,   the primary left and right shoulder straps connected to the first and second connection areas at substantially equal angles relative to the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack such that when the primary left and right straps are not connected to the secondary left and right straps and are raised such that the primary left and right straps extend upward and away from the body of the user and are substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through the user's body:
 the primary left strap, primary right strap, and the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack are all tangential to a first circle having a radius of approximately 10 centimeters, the first circle being substantially parallel to the vertical plane extending through the user's body, and 
 the primary left strap and primary right strap curve away from the substantially vertical bisecting line at between approximately one-third to two-thirds of the length of each strap, the curve being substantially equal to the curve of an arc of a second circle having a radius of approximately 9.5 centimeters, the arc measuring approximately 36 degrees. 
   
     
     
         20 . The ergonomic backpack of  claim 19 , wherein the first ends of the secondary shoulder straps attach to the storage portion at a minimum desired vertical distance of approximately 39 centimeters from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, wherein the extent of the bottom side of the storage portion is approximately 50 centimeters from in the vertical direction from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, wherein the vertical distance between the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack and both the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 28 centimeters, and wherein the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 75 centimeters.