_
`
`Unlted States Patent [191
`Gregory
`'
`
`llllllllllllllIllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`[11] Patent Number:
`5,240,159
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Aug. 31, 1993
`
`US005240159A
`
`[54] SHOULDER HARNESS FOR BACKPACK
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`-
`I
`[75] Inventor. Wayne B. Gregory, Temecula, Calif.
`
`1991 Gregory Dealer's Workbook, p. 21 only Issued
`Aug. 1991; Gregory Mountain Products.
`
`[73] Asslgnee' 213;?“ International’ Temecula’
`
`.
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`_
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`.
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`.
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`.
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`[21] Appl. No.: 961,431
`
`[22] Film?
`
`Oct 15 1992
`
`[51] Int. Cl.5 .............................................. .. A45F 3/04
`[52] US. Cl. ........................... .a ..... .. 224/209; 224/211;
`224/264; 224/901
`[58] Field of Search ............. .. 224/209, 215, 210, 211,
`224/259, 261, 262, 264, 153, 901
`‘
`
`[56]
`
`-
`References cued
`U-S- PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,420,103 12/1983 Douglass ........................... .. 224/209
`5,181,638 1/1993 McHale ............................. .. 224/209
`
`'
`17 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`Primary Examiner-Linda J. Shell
`
`Attorney, Agent, or Finn-Wagner & Middlebrook
`
`ABSTRACT
`7
`[57]
`A shoulder harness for a backpack having a back panel,
`a carry bag attached to the back panel, and a pair of
`S-shaped elongated shoulder pads formed of a polyfoam
`pad molded to a cover of stretch material and backed
`with a fabric cover of Velcro loop material. A load
`control panel is sewed to one end of each shoulder pad
`and includes one surface of Velcro hook material which
`engages the loop material on the shoulder pads. A pair
`of load stabilizing straps are secured at several places to
`the load control panels and attached to stress members
`at the lower end of said back panel and to buckles at the
`top end of the back panel. A sternum strap is fastened to
`each of the stabilizing straps and may be adjusted to one
`of several levels as chosen by the wearer.
`
`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 1
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`

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`US. Patent
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`Aug. 31, 1993
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`Sheet 1 of3
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`5,240,159
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`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 2
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`US. Patent
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`Aug. 31, 1993
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`5,240,159
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`F/GZ
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`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 3
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`

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`us. Patent
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`Aug. 31, 1993
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`sheet 3 of 3
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`5,240,159
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`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 4
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`

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`1
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`SHOULDER HARNESS FOR BACKPACK
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`5,240,159
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`severely without producing any wrinkling or bunching
`on its surface. Adjustable stabilizing straps of webbing
`material are sewed to the ends of the shoulder pads and
`to the ends of the load control panels. A plurality of
`spaced lateral seams extending along the load control
`panels for somewhat over half their length further at
`tach the stabilizing straps to the load control panels and
`provide attachment means for a sternum strap. The
`stabilizing straps are attached'to generally triangular‘
`members of strong fabric overlying the waistband at the
`lower end of the backpack and to fasteners on the upper
`part of the backpack.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a back
`pack with the shoulder harness of the invention at
`tached;
`FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the shoulder
`harness; .
`FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a shoulder strap of FIG. 2;
`and
`.
`FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of a shoulder pad part
`of the harness with the parts shown separated.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`Referring to FIG. 1, a typical large backpack of cur
`rent design is shown at numeral 10 including a back
`section including a back panel 12, a carry bag 14 fas
`tened to back panel 12 and waistband members 16 and
`18 which may or may not be formed as part of the back
`panel but are normally attached thereto. Various pock~
`ets and auxiliary carrying bags may be attached at vari
`ous places to the backpack, none of which are involved
`in the present invention.
`The waistband members 16 and 18 are pulled around
`the Wearer by webbing belt members 13 and 15 and are
`fastened at the front of the wearer by means of mating
`quick release buckle members 20 and 22, respectively.
`The shoulder harness of the invention includes a pair of
`shoulder pad members 24 and 26 which are fastened in
`slots 28 and 30 in the back panel 12 and to which are
`fastened a pair of load control panels 32 and 34 (not
`shown in this view) and stabilizing straps 36 and 38
`which are connected to straps 37 and 39 from generally
`triangular stress members 17 and 19 of strong fabric
`which are attached to the lower end at back panel 12
`and to buckles 43 and 45 attached to the upper end of
`back panel 12. A sternum strap 40 is normally con
`nected between straps 36 and 38.
`FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of my backpack
`harness on an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1. In
`this view will be seen shoulder pads 24 and 26 having
`bindings 41 and 42, respectively, sewed around their
`edges. Sewed with a double row of stitches at the tops
`of shoulder pads 24 and 26 are load control panels 32
`and 34 which are also secured to shoulder pads 24 and ‘
`26 over their entire area by means of Velcro fastening
`means described below. Secured at the top of shoulder
`pad 24 and load control panel 32 by means of stitching
`27 and 29 is a loop of webbing 31 carrying a large ?g
`ure-8 fastener 33 which passes through slot 28 in back
`panel 12 and thereby secures shoulder pad 24 and load
`control panel 32 to back panel 12. Unlike the shoulder
`pads which are capable of being stretched, the load
`control panels 32 and 34 do not stretch and therefore
`carry any tensile loads which might otherwise be trans
`
`0
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Applicant has, for many years, been in the business of
`designing and manufacturing backpacks of many types
`including those designed for the heaviest loads. In con
`nection with design and development of such large
`backpacks, there is a need to deal with means for carry
`ing and distributing the load for maximum comfort of
`the wearer. While much of the weight is normally car
`ried on the hips on padded waistband members, a cer
`tain amount is also carried on the shoulders. It has also
`been found desirable to provide means for shifting the
`proportion of weight from the hips to the shoulders and
`vice versa. In response to such requirements, applicant
`has designed backpacks incorporating a' shoulder har
`ness with padded shoulder pads and with stabilizing
`straps attached to the shoulder pads which are fastened
`to the waistband member and to the backpack above the
`attachment points for the shoulder straps.
`The shoulder pads presently in use basically consti
`tute sleeves of strong synthetic fabric which are ?lled
`with foam padding material. Means for attachment to
`the backpack including buckles, etc. are stitched to the
`fabric sleeve. A strip of Velcro hook type fastening
`material is stitched to one side of the pad and is stitched
`through the foam pad to the opposite side. Also sewed
`to the ends of the sleeves are load control panels of
`strong fabric having Velcro loop material on one side.
`30
`These panels which engage the Velcro hook material
`carry most of the tension load which would otherwise
`be carried by the shoulder pad itself which would tend
`to stretch the pads and unduly compress the foam pad
`ding.
`Securely stitched to one end of each of the sleeves
`and to the load control panels are stabilizing straps of
`webbing material. These straps are fastened at intervals
`along the length of the load control panels by means of
`spaced lateral seams which de?ne anchoring points for
`a sternum strap'which prevents the shoulder straps from
`slipping to the outside.
`In use it has been found that the shoulder pad struc
`ture described above tends to bunch up and wrinkle the
`sleeve material creating pressure points against the
`45
`wearer’s shoulders. Over time this becomes somewhat
`uncomfortable and the wearer tends to try to move the
`pad around to shift the concentrated pressure points
`resulting from the wrinkles, etc. to different locations.
`
`35
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`In an effort to improve the comfort of the above
`described structure, applicant has designed a new shoul
`der harness incorporating an improved shoulder pad in
`which polyfoam pad material is thermally molded to a
`stretch fabric cover and the assembly stitched to a back
`having a surface of Velcro loop material. Both the
`molded parts and the backing are of an elongated S
`shape which provides a desirable contour over the
`wearer’s shoulder and avoids lateral pressure and /or
`abrasion against the wearer’s neck. A new load control
`panel is also generally S-shaped and includes Velcro
`hook material extending for essentially its entire area
`which engages the Velcro loop material on the back of
`the shoulder pad. The load control panel is thereby
`65
`securely anchored to the shoulder pad and carries the
`tension load without requiring any stitching through
`the foam pad. The foam pad itself can be bent over
`
`60
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`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 5
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`5,240,159
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`ferred to the shoulder pads and tend to deform or
`stretch them.
`Secured to the load control panels 32 and 34 are the
`stabilizing straps 36 and 38, including D-buckle fasten
`ers 44 and 46 respectively, at their lower ends for fasten
`ing to straps on triangular stress members 17 and 19, and
`FIG. 8 slide members 48 and 50 respectively, for adjust
`ing the length of straps 36 and 38 to control relative
`loading of the backpack between the hips and the shoul
`ders. Because of the S-shape of the load control panels
`32 and 34, it has proved desirable to form straps 36 and
`38 in two sections sewn to the load control panels at a
`slight angle to each other. The lower part of stabilizing
`strap 36 is secured with one row of stitching 52 to the
`lower end of load control panel 32 and with a second
`row of stitching 54 to the lower end of shoulder pad
`member 24 below the foam padding material. Addi
`tional rows of lateral stitching 56 and 58 secure the
`lower end of strap 36 to the load control panel 32.
`Stitching 58 also secures the lower end of the upper part
`20
`of strap 36 to the panel 32. An addition lateral row of
`stitching 60 is spaced about 2" (5 cm) above row 58. A
`stub strap 62 is sewed to the load control panel 32 at
`stitching 64 and 65 and carries the FIG. 8 slide member
`48 which provides means for adjusting strap 36.
`25
`The top end of strap 36 connects to buckle 43 (FIG.
`1) attached to the back panel 12. Shoulder pad 26, load
`control panel 34 and stabilizing strap 38 are essentially
`as described, this assembly being essentially a mirror
`image of that described in connection with shoulder pad
`24. The spaces between stitching rows 52, 56, 58 and 60
`as well as the space between rows 60 and 64 may all be
`used for locating the sternum strap 40. As shown the
`sternum strap 40 is attached to stabilizing strap 36 be
`tween stitching rows 56 and 58 and between corre
`sponding stitching rows 56’ and 58’ on stabilizing strap
`38. The sternum strap itself includes a quick release
`buckle 66 and each end thereof is looped over one of
`straps 36 and 38 and fastened to itself by means of heavy
`snap fasteners 68 and 70.
`FIG. 3 is a view of shoulder pad 24 from the bottom
`or opposite side from that shown in FIG. 2. The foam
`member consists of an S-shaped strip of polyfoam mate
`rial 72 to which is attached, by thermal molding, a layer
`of synthetic stretch fabric 73, so that these parts are one‘
`45
`unitary pad. The polyfoam padding material itself ex
`tends to essentially the entire area of the shoulder pad
`24 itself except for a short section 74 at the top end to
`which the load control panel 36 and webbing member
`31 are stitched, and a similar short section 76 at the
`50
`bottom end to which the lower part of stabilizing strap
`36 is stitched. In this view, one sees the opposite side of
`stitching seams 54, 27 and 29.
`FIG. 4 is an exploded side view, mostly in section, of
`the shoulder pad 24 showing the individual parts sepa
`rated and with the stitching shown as construction lines
`through the respective parts. Beginning at the bottom
`lay ®r which is the molded pad 72 covered with stretch
`fabric 73 and moving generally to the right, the back
`side or upper side of pad 24 is a fabric layer 78 of Velcro
`loop or pile fabric. Layers 78 and 72 are bound together
`by means of a binding 41. Fastened at the top of strap 24
`is the short piece of webbing material 31 which is folded
`back on itself to capture the FIG. 8 fastener 33 and the
`top edge of the load control panel 32 by means of stitch
`ing seams 27 and 29. Panel 32 has, on its surface facing
`the loop or pile material 78, a layer of Velcro hook
`material 80. Since load control panel 32 has most of its
`
`4
`entire area in hook material in contact with the loop or
`pile material 78 and is otherwise secured by stitching at
`numerals 27 and 29, and since the normal force on panel
`32 is in a direction to stretch panel 32 rather than to peel
`it away from the loop or pile material 78, there is no
`tendency for members 24 and 32 to separate in use,
`rather, the load control panel is held tightly against pad
`24 and carries the forces in tension which might other
`wise tend to stretch and deform the shoulder pad 24.
`Another short section of webbing 62 captures the
`FIG. 8 slide member 48 and is stitched to the load con
`trol panel 32 at numerals 64 and 65, and, along with
`stabilizing strap 36 at stitch line 60. The upper part of
`strap 36 is also fastened to the lower part thereof and to
`load control panel 32 at stitch line 58. The lower part of
`strap 36 is also stitched to panel 32 at stitch lines 56 and
`52. The end of this lower strap is folded over, capturing
`the D-buckle fastener 44 and is stitched to the end of
`pad 24 at stitch line 54 and to both of pad 24 and load
`control panel 32 at stitch line 52.
`The above described embodiments of the present
`invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are
`not to be considered limiting. The scope of the present
`invention instead shall be determined from the scope of
`the following claims including their equivalents.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A shoulder harness for a backpack including a back
`section including a back panel, a carry bag attached to
`said back panel and stress members attached to said
`back panel;
`said shoulder harness comprising a pair of generally
`S-shaped elongated polyfoam shoulder pads and a
`cover of stretch fabric molded to each said poly
`foam pad, and a cover including one of hook and
`loop fastening material fastened to the opposite side
`of each said polyfoam pad from said stretch fabric;
`an elongated S-shaped load control panel having the
`other of said hook and loop fastening material fas
`tened to one side thereof engaging said fastening
`material on each of said shoulder pads, said load
`control panels being stitched to said shoulder pads
`on one end thereof: and
`stabilizing straps of webbing material sewed to said
`load control panels and said shoulder pads, includ
`ing a plurality of spaced lateral seams and means
`for attaching said- stabilizing straps to said stress
`members and to the upper end of said back panel.
`2. A shoulder harness as claimed in claim 1 wherein
`said harness includes a sternum strap and said sternum
`strap is attached to said stabilizing straps between pairs
`of said spaced lateral seams.
`3. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 1
`wherein said load control panels are stitched to the
`upper ends of said shoulder pads.
`4. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 1
`wherein said back panel includes a plurality of spaced
`anchoring slots, a flattened ?gure eight fastener is at
`tached at the upper end of each of said shoulder pads;
`said FIG. eight fasteners being adapted to be inserted
`into selected ones of said anchoring slots and
`turned to fasten said shoulder pads to said back
`panel.
`_
`5. A shoulder harness as claimed in claim 1 wherein
`an additional short length of ebbing is stitched to each
`said load control panel, a figure eight slide buckle is
`captured in each said short length of webbing a said
`stabilizing straps are fed through said FIG. 8 slide mem
`ber.
`
`65
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`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 6
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`6. A shoulder harness as claimed in claim 1 wherein
`said spaced lateral seams extend from the lower end of
`said shoulder pad to a point more than half the distance
`to the upper end of said load control panel.
`7. For use with a backpack including a back panel, a
`carrying bag attached to said back panel, generally
`triangular stress members attached to the lower part of
`said back panel, and a shoulder harness attached to said
`back panel:
`said shoulder harness comprising a pair of generally
`S-shaped elongated polyfoam pads, a cover of syn
`thetic stretch fabric molded to each said polyfoam
`pad, a cover of Velcro loop fastening material
`fastened to the opposite side of each said polyfoam
`pad, said cover of stretch fabric and said cover of
`Velcro loop material extending on their ends
`slightly beyond said polyfoam pads, and binding
`means stitched around the periphery of said shoul
`der pads;
`generally S-shaped load control panels each having
`Velcro hook fastening materials over substantially
`its area on one side engaging said Velcro loop
`fastening material on each of said shoulder pads,
`said load control panels being stitched to said
`shoulder pads on one and thereof;
`stabilizing straps of webbing material sewed to said
`load control panels including a plurality of spaced
`lateral seams, said spaced lateral seams extending
`from the lower end of said shoulder pads and said
`load control panels to somewhat over half the
`length of said load control panels from their lower
`end, attachment means at the lower end of said
`stabilizing straps for attachment to said generally
`triangular stress members, the upper end of said
`stabilizing straps being adapted for attachment to
`the upper end of said back panel.
`8. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 7
`wherein said load control panels are stitched to the
`upper ends of said shoulder pads.
`9. A shoulder harness as claimed in claim 7 wherein
`said harness includes a sternum strap and said sternum
`strap is attached to said stabilizing straps between pairs
`of said spaced lateral seams.
`10. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 7
`wherein said back panel includes a plurality of spaced
`anchoring slots, a ?attened FIG. 8 fastener is attached
`at the upper end of each of said shoulder pads;
`said FIG. 8 fasteners being adapted to be inserted into
`selected ones of said anchoring slots and turned to
`fasten said shoulder pads to said back panel.
`11. A shoulder harness as claimed in claim 7 wherein
`said spaced lateral seams extend from the lower end of
`said shoulder pad to a point more than half the distance
`to the upper end of said load control panel.
`
`6
`12. A shoulder harness for a backpack including a
`back panel having upper and lower parts, a carry bag
`attached to said back panel, and means attaching said
`shoulder harness to said back panel:
`said shoulder harness comprising a pair of elongated
`polyfoam shoulder pads each having a cover of
`stretch fabric molded thereto and a cover including
`one of loop and hook fastening material fastened to
`the opposite side of each said polyfoam pad from
`said stretch fabric cover,
`an elongated load control panel having the other of
`said hook and loop fastening material fastened to
`one side thereof engaging said fastening material on
`each of said shoulder pads, said load control panels
`being stitched to said shoulder pads on one end
`thereof; and
`a
`stabilizing straps sewed to said load control panels
`and to said shoulder pads and means for attaching
`said stabilizing straps to said backpack.
`13. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 12
`wherein stress members are attached to the lower part
`of said back panel and said stabilizing straps are at
`tached to said stress members and to the upper part of
`said back panel.
`14. A shoulder harness as claimed in claim 12 wherein
`an additional short length of webbing is stitched to each
`said load control panel, a ?gure eight slide buckle is
`captured in each said short length of webbing and said
`stabilizing straps are fed through said FIG. 8 slide mem
`ber.
`15. A shoulder harness for a backpack including a
`back panel having upper and lower parts, a carry bag
`attached to said back panel, means for attaching said
`shoulder harness to said back panel and a pair of shoul
`der pads forming part of said shoulder harness:
`each said shoulder pad comprising an elongated poly
`foam pad having a cover of synthetic stretch fabric
`molded thereto and a cover of loop fastening mate
`rial fastened to the opposite side of said polyfoam
`pad from said stretch fabric cover, and
`an elongated load control panel having hook fasten
`ing material fastened to one side thereof engaging
`said loop fastening material on each of said shoul
`der pads, said load control panels being stitched to
`said shoulder pads on one end thereof.
`16. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 15
`wherein each said shoulder pad is generally S-shaped,
`and each said load control panel engaging one of said
`shoulder pads is correspondingly S-shaped.
`17. A shoulder harness in accordance with claim 15
`wherein stabilizing straps are provided which are con
`nected between said upper and lower parts of said back
`panel and said stabilizing straps are fastened to said back
`control panels.
`
`45
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`65
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`# l t i t
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`Petitioner Ex. 1051 Page 7