Backpack

Abstract

A backpack has a system for anchoring the upper ends of shoulder straps that can be changed from a lower anchoring point to a higher anchoring point and vice-versa. The system comprises a fixed cross-bar attached to the backpack and a moveable cross-bar to which the upper ends of the shoulder straps are attached and that rotates with respect to the fixed cross-bar.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A backpack having right and left shoulder straps and a body-contacting wall and comprising an anchoring system for an upper end of the right shoulder strap and an upper end of the left shoulder strap, the anchoring system comprising:
 a moveable cross-bar, the upper ends of the right and left shoulder straps being connected to the moveable cross-bar,   a fixed cross-bar having an exterior side and an interior side, an upper edge and a lower edge, and right and left ends, the right and left ends of the fixed cross-bar being connected to the body-contacting wall,   the movable cross-bar being detachably connected to the fixed cross-bar,   wherein the moveable cross-bar may be rotated between an upper configuration and a lower configuration, the upper ends of the shoulder straps being higher in the upper configuration and lower in the lower configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The backpack according to  claim 1  wherein the upper ends of the right and left shoulder straps are connected to an edge of the moveable cross-bar. 
     
     
         3 . The backpack according to  claim 1  wherein the moveable cross-bar may be rotated between an upper configuration in which the upper ends of the shoulder straps are adjacent the upper edge of the fixed cross-bar and a lower configuration in which the upper ends of the shoulder straps are adjacent the lower edge of the fixed cross-bar. 
     
     
         4 . The backpack according to  claim 1  further comprising mating hook and loop strips attached to surfaces of the fixed cross-bar and the moveable cross-bar for detachable connection of the fixed cross-bar to the moveable cross-bar. 
     
     
         5 . The backpack according to  claim 1  in which the moveable cross-bar comprises first and second cross-bar members joined by a hinge, the upper ends of the shoulder straps being attached to an edge of the first cross-bar member opposed to and spaced from the hinge, and the fixed cross-bar not connected to the body-contacting wall between the right and left ends of the fixed cross-bar, wherein the first and second cross-bar members may be folded along the hinge and disposed on the exterior and interior sides of the fixed cross-bar whereby when the hinge is below the fixed cross-bar the upper ends of the shoulder straps are positioned at the upper edge of the fixed cross-bar and when the hinge is above the fixed cross-bar the upper ends of the shoulder straps are positioned at the lower edge of the fixed cross-bar. 
     
     
         6 . The backpack according to  claim 5  further comprising mating hook or loop strips attached to the sides of the fixed cross-bar and loop or hook strips to the exterior and interior sides of the first and second cross-bar members for detachable connection of the fixed cross-bar to the moveable cross-bar. 
     
     
         7 . The backpack according to  claim 6  further comprising a first tab connected to the body-contacting wall at one of a location above or below the fixed cross-bar wherein the first tab comprises loop or hook strips disposed to detachably connect the tab to the moveable cross-bar when the moveable cross-bar is attached to the fixed cross-bar. 
     
     
         8 . The backpack according to  claim 7  further comprising a second tab connected to the body-contacting wall at one of below or above the fixed cross-bar and on an opposite side of the fixed cross-bar wherein the first and second tabs comprise loop or hook strips disposed to detachably connect the tabs to each other over the moveable cross-bar and the fixed cross-bar when the moveable cross-bar is connected to the fixed cross-bar. 
     
     
         9 . The backpack according to  claim 1  wherein an opening is defined in the body-contacting wall for access to a compartment in the backpack and a door with a zipper that connects the door to the body-contacting wall is provided for covering the opening in the body-contacting wall when the zipper is closed and exposing the opening in the body-contacting wall when the zipper is opened and wherein the fixed cross-bar is connected to the body-contacting wall above the opening in the body-contacting wall. 
     
     
         10 . The backpack according to  claim 9  wherein the door is hingeably attached at an edge of the door to the body-contacting wall and the door is connected at other edges by the zipper to the body-contacting wall. 
     
     
         11 . The backpack according to  claim 10  wherein the edge of the door that is hingeably connected to the body-contacting wall is a bottom edge of the door whereby the door rotates downwardly when the zipper is opened and the other edges of the door are not connected to the body-contacting wall. 
     
     
         12 . A method of anchoring the upper ends of shoulder straps attached to a backpack, comprising:
 providing a backpack having right and left shoulder straps and a body-contacting wall and an anchoring system for an upper end of the right shoulder strap and an upper end of the left shoulder strap, the anchoring system comprising a moveable cross-bar, the upper ends of the right and left shoulder straps being connected to the moveable cross-bar, a fixed cross-bar having an exterior side and an interior side and right and left ends, the right and left ends of the fixed cross-bar being connected to the body-contacting wall,   connecting the movable cross-bar to the fixed cross-bar in one of an upper configuration and a lower configuration, the upper ends of the shoulder straps being higher in the upper configuration and lower in a lower configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 detaching the moveable cross-bar from the fixed cross-bar, 
 rotating the moveable cross-bar from the upper configuration to the lower configuration, and 
 attaching the moveable cross-bar to the fixed cross-bar. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 detaching the moveable cross-bar from the fixed cross-bar, 
 rotating the moveable cross-bar from the lower configuration to the upper configuration, and 
 attaching the moveable cross-bar to the fixed cross-bar. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 providing a first tab attached to the body-contacting wall adjacent to the fixed cross-bar, and 
 attaching the tab to the moveable cross-bar when the moveable cross-bar is connected to the fixed cross-bar. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the tab is attached to the body-contacting wall adjacent and above the fixed cross-bar and further comprising:
 providing a second tab attached to the body-contacting wall adjacent and below the fixed cross-bar, and 
 attaching the second tab to the movable cross-bar. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method of anchoring the upper ends of shoulder straps attached to a backpack, comprising:
 providing a backpack having right and left shoulder straps and a body-contacting wall and an anchoring system for an upper end of the right shoulder strap and an upper end of the left shoulder strap, the anchoring system comprising
 a moveable cross-bar, the moveable cross-bar having a lengthwise hinge line defined therein and separating the moveable cross-bar into a first moveable cross-bar member and a second moveable cross-bar member, the upper ends of the right and left shoulder straps being connected to an edge of the first moveable cross-bar member opposed to the hinge line, 
 a fixed cross-bar having an interior side, an exterior side, an upper edge, a lower edge, and right and left ends, the fixed cross-bar being attached at the right and left ends to the body-contacting wall and not connected to the body-contacting wall between the right and left ends of the fixed cross-bar, wherein the first and second cross-bar members may be folded along the hinge and disposed on either side of the fixed cross-bar, 
 mating hook or loop strips attached to the sides of the fixed cross-bar and loop or hook strips to the sides of the first and second cross-bar members for detachable connection of the fixed cross-bar to the moveable cross-bar, 
   inserting the moveable cross-bar between the fixed cross-bar and the body-contacting wall until the first moveable cross-bar member is adjacent the interior side of the fixed cross-bar and detachably attached to the interior side of the fixed cross-bar member by the hook or loop strips attached to the fixed cross-bar and the loop or hook strips attached to the first moveable cross-bar member, and   folding the second moveable cross-bar member along the hinge line and around the fixed cross-bar member whereby the second moveable cross-bar member is detachably attached to the exterior side of the fixed cross-bar member by the hook or loop strips attached to the fixed cross-bar and the loop or hook strips attached to the second moveable cross-bar member.   
     
     
         18 . The method of anchoring the upper ends of shoulder straps attached to a backpack according to  claim 17  wherein the moveable cross-bar member is inserted between the fixed cross-bar and the body-contacting wall from below whereby the hinge line is above the fixed cross-bar and the upper ends of the shoulder straps are positioned at the lower edge of the fixed cross-bar. 
     
     
         19 . The method of anchoring the upper ends of shoulder straps attached to a backpack according to  claim 17  wherein the moveable cross-bar member is inserted between the fixed cross-bar and the body-contacting wall from above whereby the hinge line is below the fixed cross-bar and the upper ends of the shoulder straps are positioned at the upper edge of the fixed cross-bar. 
     
     
         20 . The method of anchoring the upper ends of shoulder straps attached to a backpack according to  claim 17  further comprising:
 providing a tab attached to the body-contacting wall adjacent the fixed cross-bar, the tab having a hook or loop strip attached to one side of the tab, 
 folding the tab over the moveable cross-bar, and 
 contacting the hook or loop strip attached to one side of the tab to the loop or hook strips attached to the moveable cross-bar.