On-the-fly compression and carry system

Abstract

Embodiments herein relate to a backpack with a system of one or more locks and cinch lines to provide compression and/or expansion functions, gear stowage, and/or gear access without having to take the backpack off. The compression system allows the user to perform side-to-side and/or front-to-back compression of the backpack by adjusting a tension provided by the cinch lines. The cinch lines and their associated locks, such as friction-type locks, may be accessible at an external location of the backpack, such as near the top or bottom of the backpack, on a hip belt or shoulder strap, to allow for adjustments without interrupting the user's activity. The adjustments can improve comfort and safety by adjusting the center of gravity, reducing movement of the backpack, and stowing objects more securely.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A backpack, comprising:
 a body including opposing front and back faces, and opposing first and second side faces;   a plurality of guides coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the front and back faces;   a cinch line extending through the plurality of guides in a back-and-forth pattern, wherein the cinch line has first and second ends;   a first adjustable lock coupled to the first end of the cinch line, external to the body;   a first anchor to hold the first adjustable lock; and   a second anchor to hold the second end of the cinch line, wherein front-to-back compression of the body is provided when the cinch line is tightened via the first adjustable lock.   
     
     
         2 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of guides comprise first and second guides coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the front face, and a third guide coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the back face, between the first and second guides. 
     
     
         3 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the first anchor is below the first guide, closer than the second anchor to a bottom of the body, and the second anchor is above the second guide, closer than the first anchor to a top of the body. 
     
     
         4 . The backpack of  claim 1 , further comprising a second adjustable lock coupled to the second end of the cinch line, external to the body, wherein the second anchor is to hold the second adjustable lock, and the front-to-back compression is provided when the cinch line is tightened via the second adjustable lock. 
     
     
         5 . The backpack of  claim 4 , further comprising a shoulder strap coupled to the body, wherein the second adjustable lock and the second anchor are coupled to the shoulder strap. 
     
     
         6 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the cinch line extends external to the first side face to allow stowage and cinching of an object between the cinch line and the first side face. 
     
     
         7 . The backpack of  claim 1 , further comprising a hip belt coupled to the body, wherein the first adjustable lock and the first anchor are coupled to the hip belt. 
     
     
         8 . The backpack of  claim 1 , further comprising a hip belt coupled to the body, and a guide coupled to the hip belt, wherein the cinch line extends through the guide coupled to the hip belt and the first adjustable lock and the first anchor are coupled to the body, adjacent to the first side face and the front face. 
     
     
         9 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the second adjustable lock and the second anchor are coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the back face. 
     
     
         10 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second anchors comprise at least one of a hook, a loop or a grommet. 
     
     
         11 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the cinch line comprises at least one of a cord or a strap. 
     
     
         12 . The backpack of  claim 1 , wherein the first adjustable lock comprises a friction lock. 
     
     
         13 . A backpack, comprising:
 a body including opposing front and back faces, and opposing first and second side faces;   a first cinch line having first and second ends;   a second cinch line having first and second ends;   first and second anchors to hold the first and second ends, respectively, of the first cinch line;   third and fourth anchors to hold the first and second ends, respectively, of the second cinch line;   a first coupler adjacent to the front face to guide the first and second cinch lines, wherein the first coupler is between the first and second anchors in a path of the first cinch line, and between the third and fourth second anchors in a path of the second cinch line; and   a first adjustable lock coupled to the first end of the first cinch line, external to the body, wherein:
 the first adjustable lock is held by the first anchor; and 
 side-to-side compression of the body is provided when the first cinch line is tightened via the first adjustable lock. 
   
     
     
         14 . The backpack of  claim 13 , further comprising a second adjustable lock coupled to the first end of the second cinch line, external to the body, wherein the second adjustable lock is held by the third anchor, and the side-to-side compression is provided when the second cinch line is tightened via the second adjustable lock. 
     
     
         15 . The backpack of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second coupler adjacent to the front face to guide the first and second cinch lines;   a first guide coupled to the body, between the first and second couplers in a path of the first cinch line, to guide the first cinch line in a back and forth pattern across the front face; and   a second guide coupled to the body, between the first and second couplers in a path of the second cinch line, to guide the second cinch line in a back and forth pattern across the front face.   
     
     
         16 . The backpack of  claim 13 , further comprising a hip belt coupled to the body, wherein at least one of the first or third anchors is coupled to the hip belt. 
     
     
         17 . The backpack of  claim 13 , further comprising a shoulder strap coupled to the body, wherein at least one of the second or fourth anchors is coupled to the shoulder strap. 
     
     
         18 . A backpack, comprising:
 a body including opposing front and back faces, and opposing first and second side faces;   a first guide adjacent to the first side face and the front face;   a second guide adjacent to the second side face and the front face;   a first cinch line extending through the first and second guides, wherein the first cinch line has first and second ends;   a first adjustable lock coupled to the first end of the first cinch line, external to the body; and   a first anchor to hold the first adjustable lock; wherein:
 the first anchor is coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the back face or to a hip belt coupled to the body; and 
 front-to-back compression and side-to-side compression of the body are provided when the first cinch line is tightened via the first adjustable lock. 
   
     
     
         19 . The backpack of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a third guide coupled to the body adjacent to the second side face and the front face;   a fourth guide coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the front face;   a second cinch line extending through the third and fourth guides, wherein the second cinch line has first and second ends;   a second adjustable lock coupled to the first end of the second cinch line, external to the body; and   a second anchor to hold the second adjustable lock;   wherein the front-to-back compression and side-to-side compression are provided when the second cinch line is tightened via the second adjustable lock.   
     
     
         20 . The backpack of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a second adjustable lock coupled to the second end of the first cinch line, external to the body; and   a second anchor to hold the second adjustable lock; wherein:
 the second anchor is coupled to the body adjacent to the first side face and the back face or to a shoulder strap coupled to the body; and 
 the front-to-back compression and side-to-side compression are provided when the second cinch line is tightened via the second adjustable lock.