Adjustable hip belt

Abstract

An adjustable hip belt usable with a backpack or a backpack with an adjustable hip belt. The hip belt includes a rear belt portion having a first side and a second side. The first side includes a first part of a first fastener and the second side includes a first part of a second fastener. A first side portion has a first pad and a second side portion has a second pad. Each of the first side portion and the second side portion is connectable to and adjustable relative to a respective one of the first side and the second side of the rear belt portion within an adjustment range. The first side portion includes a second part of the first fastener and the second side portion comprises a second part of the second fastener.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable hip belt usable with a backpack, comprising:
 a rear belt portion configured to support a portion of a backpack, the rear belt portion having a first side and a second side, wherein the first side includes a first part of a first fastener and the second side includes a first part of a second fastener;   a first side portion having a first pad, wherein the first side portion is connectable and infinitely adjustable relative to the first side of the rear belt portion within a first adjustment range, wherein the first side portion comprises a second part of the first fastener; and   a second side portion having a second pad, wherein the second side portion is connectable and infinitely adjustable relative to the second side of the rear belt portion within a second adjustment range, wherein the second side portion comprises a second part of the second fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first side portion and the second side portion comprises a pocket configured to receive a respective one of the first side and the second side of the rear belt portion. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first fastener and the second fastener is a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein the rear belt portion comprises a pocket configured to receive a frame of the backpack. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , further comprising a first strap and a second strap, wherein the first strap has a first end coupled to the rear belt portion and a second end coupled to the first side portion, wherein the second strap has a first end coupled to the rear belt portion and a second end coupled to the second side portion. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 5 , wherein the first strap comprises a first buckle between the first end and the second end, wherein the second strap comprises a second buckle between the first end and the second end, and wherein the first buckle is configured to connect to the second buckle. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 5 , wherein the second end of the first strap is adjustable relative to the first side portion and the second end of the second strap is adjustable relative to the second side portion. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 7 , wherein the first strap passes through a first opening of the first side portion and the second strap passes through a second opening of the second side portion. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 8 , wherein the first opening and a location at which the second end of the first strap is coupled to the first side portion are located on a free end of the first side portion, and wherein the second opening and a location at which the second end of the second strap is coupled to the second side portion are located on a free end of the second side portion. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein the first part of the first fastener and the first part of the second fastener are located on an exterior surface of the rear belt portion, wherein the second part of the first fastener and the second part of the second fastener are located on an interior surface of a respective one of the first side portion and the second side portion. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein the first part of the first fastener and the first part of the second fastener are located on an interior surface of the rear belt portion, wherein the second part of the first fastener and the second part of the second fastener are located on an exterior surface of a respective one of the first side portion and the second side portion. 
     
     
         12 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein the first part of the first fastener and the first part of the second fastener are located on both of an exterior surface and an interior surface of the rear belt portion, wherein the second part of the first fastener and the second part of the second fastener are located on both of an interior surface and an exterior surface of a respective one of the first side portion and the second side portion. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein each the first part of the first fastener and the first part of the second fastener includes a plurality of position indicators to facilitate a user's positioning of the first side portion and the second side portion relative to the rear belt portion. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of position indicators is a stitch line. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable hip belt is provided in two sizes, each size varying in a circumferential length of one or more of the rear belt portion, the first side portion, and the second side portion. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 15 , wherein the two sizes of the adjustable hip belt are configured to cover a range of a tip to tip distance of between about 23 inches to about 41 inches, wherein the tip to tip distance is measured between a tip of the first side portion and a tip of the second side portion when the first side portion and the second side portion are assembled to the rear belt portion. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first side portion and the second side portion includes a location indicator for a location of a respective one of the first side portion and the second side portion configured to be placed over a wearer's iliac crest. 
     
     
         18 . A backpack, comprising:
 a pack portion comprising one or more shoulder straps; and   an adjustable hip belt of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         19 . The backpack of  claim 18 , wherein the pack portion comprises a frame, the frame having a portion that is engaged with a pocket of the rear belt portion. 
     
     
         20 . The backpack of  claim 19 , wherein the pocket of the rear belt portion is located between the first part of the first fastener and the first part of the second fastener.