Backpack and Method of Producing the Same

Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.

The invention relates to a backpack. More specifically to a backpack with a compartment heated by body heat from a user of the backpack.

Today, when using a backpack in colder environments there is a risk of accessories in the backpack, such as mobile phones or for the backpack, such as hydration tubes with a mouth piece, to freeze and stop working. This can be due to the temperature itself being below 0 degrees Celsius or the wind pushing the temperature below 0 degrees Celsius when e.g. running or driving a motor cross bike.

To deal with the low temperatures there are different solutions to further insulate the accessories such as the hydration tube or the mouth piece by adding covers made from an insulating material around them. For instance, you can get different types of covers for your hydration tube that completely covers the hydration tube depending on a desired temperature use.

This means that you need to buy a specific cover depending on the type of backpack you have or accessory you have and the desired temperature use. Thus, today there is a need for a plurality of specific covers or insulation.

Hence, improvements to backpacks for dealing with colder weather is desirable.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to at least overcome or alleviate some of the above described problems.

According to a first aspect, a backpack comprising a wind and heat insulating material. The wind and heat insulating material forms a body heated compartment, and a seal, the seal is connected to the body heated compartment and the seal is configured to contact a user of the backpack such that at least partly sealing the body heated compartment against the user.

According to a second aspect, a method for producing a backpack comprising a body heated compartment. The method comprised forming the body heated compartment by use of a wind and heat insulating material, and arranging a seal at the body heated compartment, the seal is arranged and configured to contact a user of the backpack such that at least partly sealing the body heated compartment against the user.

Further examples of the disclosure are defined in the dependent claims, wherein features for the third and subsequent aspects of the disclosure are as for the first to second aspects mutatis mutandis.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a seal being an oblique end or oblique ends.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a seal configured to be flexible.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a seal that will flex towards a user when a body heated compartment is stretched.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a heat transfer material that allows body heat to pass through.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a heat transfer material being arranged closer than a wind and heat insulating material to a user, when worn.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a wind and heat insulating material is connected with a heat transfer material for forming a body heated compartment.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a wind and heat insulating material being connected with a heat transfer material by being sewn together.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for at least one shoulder strap of a backpack comprising a body heated compartment.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a body heated compartment comprising an opening.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for an opening is re-closable.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for an opening being arranged at an end of a shoulder strap.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for an opening being arranged at a side of a shoulder strap.

Some examples of the disclosure provide for a backpack further comprising at least two waist straps.

A backpack as discussed throughout this disclosure general fall into one of four categories: frameless, external frame, internal frame, and bodypack. All these backpacks have some common and well-known features such as shoulder straps connected to a bag or sack. Most backpacks are capable of being closed with for example a buckle mechanism or a zipper.

is a front view of an example of a backpackcomprising a wind and heat insulating materialforming a body heated compartment. The backpackfurther comprises a seal. The sealis configured to contact a user of the backpack such that at least partly sealing the body heated compartmentagainst the user.

The sealis illustrated into partly be arranged along vertical edges of the body heated compartment. In some examples the sealwill be arranged along horizontal edges of the body heated compartment. In some examples the sealwill be arranged to completely enclose the body heated compartment. At least partly may in this application mean that the sealis at least partly arranged along a circumference of the body heated compartment, as discussed above, and/or that the sealis at least partly air tight.

The sealis illustrated in some of the accompanying figures, e.g., to be directly connected to the wind and heat insulating material, however in some examples there are additional materials or other elements arranged between the sealand the wind and heat insulating material, e.g.having a zipper arranged between the sealand the wind and heat insulating material. In some examples, the sealmay also comprise several materials, such as a soft and tough outer fabric and internal padding.

The wind and heat insulating materialcombined with the sealwill allow for body heat from the user of the backpackto heat the body heated compartment. Since the sealis configured to contact or maybe even press against the user of the backpackand acting as an interface between the body heated compartmentand the user of the backpack, a substantially body heated leakage free body heated compartmentis formed. Thus, the body heated compartmentis an open compartment or pocket that is open against the user such that the heat from the user can easily enter into the body heated compartmentand heat any items in the compartment or pocket.

The wind and heat insulating materialcan also protect an inside of the body heated compartmentfrom being cooled by air or wind blowing on the body heated compartment. The sealcan also prevent any wind or air from entering into the body heated compartmentbetween the user and the body heated compartment.

By allowing body heat to warm up the body heated compartmentany items in the body heated compartmentcan e.g. be kept above at least a freezing point. Preferably the temperature in the body heated compartmentcan reach at least 10, 15 or 20 degrees Celsius.

The wind and heat insulating materialmay comprise any one of and/or a combination of at least a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate, a metalized biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate, an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, a stretched polytetrafluoroethylene, a neoprene, tarpaulin, a chlorosulfonated polyethylene synthetic rubber, a nylon and/or a polyester.

In an example illustrated in e.g., the sealis an oblique end. In some examples, the sealis made of a plurality of oblique ends. In the illustrated example, the sealis formed by a soft material that is wrapped around an end of the wind and heat insulating materialand sewn together. The sealmay a part of an integral and continuing end of the backpack, as illustrated in e.g.. The sealmay therefore also be a connection between two sections of the backpackas for example illustrated in, wherein the sealconnects a distal section comprising a buckle to a proximal section comprising the bag of the backpack.

The sealmay also be a separate part from the backpackor a section of the backpack. In an example, the sealhas an enlarged contact surface that further improves the contact between the user and the body heated compartment. In an example, the sealmay be connected or attached to the body heated compartmentby gluing, velcro, a zipper or other fastening or temporary fastening mechanisms.

In an example, the sealis flexible and is configured to flex towards the user. In an example, the sealis flexible and will flex towards the user when the body heated compartmentis stretched in a direction of extension of the body heated compartment. This allows for the sealto be pressed with a force against the user for an even better fit to the user and thus directing even more body heat into the body heated compartment.

Thus, if the user is e.g. running, the backpackwill move around and the sealwill be more or less pressed against the body of the user since the body heated compartmentwill be stretched to various degrees based on the movement of the backpack. In an example, the stretching of the body heated compartmentis in a vertical or horizontal direction relative to an extension of the body heated compartment.

In some examples, the backpackfurther comprises a heat transfer material, illustrated in e.g.. The heat transfer materialis arranged closer to the user than the wind and heat insulating material, when the backpackis worn. The heat transfer materialcan be any one of and/or a combination of a polyester, cotton, nylon, natural textiles or materials, textiles or materials that will let heat through.

In an example the heat transfer materialallows more heat to pass into the body heated compartmentthan the wind and heat insulating materiallets body heated air out or protects wind from cooling down the body heated compartment. In some examples, at least 50%, or at least 70% or at least 80%, or at least 90% of the body heat pass through the heat transfer material. In some examples, the wind and heat insulating materialinsulates at least 50%, or at least 70% or at least 80%, or at least 90% of the body heat inside the body heated compartment.

The heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating materialcan be a textile or comprise a majority of textile. The heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating materialmay be made as a mesh. The heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating materialcan also be made up by a plurality of textiles.

In some examples the heat transfer materialis a same material as an outer piece of clothes of a user so that a good heat transfer of the body heat from the user to the body heated compartmentis achieved. In an example, the heat transfer materialis of a different material than the outer piece of clothes of the user and the heat transfer material has a better heat transfer, i.e. allows more heat to pass through, than the outer piece of clothes of the user.

Textiles and/or materials may be layered on top of each other for creating the heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating material. For example, the heat transfer materialmay be made from two different layers wherein a first layer is a thin coherent textile and a second layer is a mesh textile. The thin coherent layer will prevent dust or other particles from entering the body heated compartmentand the mesh textile will provide strength to the heat transfer materialand/or the body heated compartment, as well as allowing body heat to pass through the two layer heat transfer material.

The heat transfer materialmay be made as a piece that covers a similar surface as the wind and heat insulating material. In some examples, the heat transfer materialis made as discussed above, as a mesh, thus covering less surface than the wind and heat insulating material.

In some examples, the heat transfer materialis made as a bar(s) or strip(s) that extend between the sealfor maintaining an open body heat channel into the body heated compartment. Hence, the shape of the heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating materialcan be made in a variety of ways and some may depend on e.g. maintaining a structure of the backpack, the design of the backpackand so on.

The heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating materialmay be a same material as other materials of the backpack. The heat transfer materialand/or wind and heat insulating materialmay in some examples be different.

The heat transfer materialand wind and heat insulating materialmay be connected to each other forming the body heated compartment. The heat transfer materialand wind and heat insulating materialmay be connected to each other by e.g. being glued together, connected by a zipper, connected by an adhesive, velcro tape, sewn together or a combination of the above.

The connection between the heat transfer materialand wind and heat insulating materialmay also comprise further materials arranged between and/or around ends of the heat transfer materialand/or the wind and heat insulating material, as discussed above. Thus, the body heated compartmentmay be formed by a majority of the heat transfer materialand wind and heat insulating materialbut also comprise further materials. In some examples, the body heated compartmentcomprises only the heat transfer material, the wind and heat insulating materialand the seal.

The body heated compartmentcan be of any size such as a size for holding a mobile phone and/or a hydration bladder. The body heated compartmentmay also be a complete sack of the backpack. Waist straps of the backpackmay comprise the body heated compartment. In some examples the size and/or location of the body heated compartmentis selected based on the anatomy of a user, a prominent heat zone of a user's body or a comfort of the user.

In an example, illustrated in e.g., the body heated compartmentcomprises an opening. The openingmay be of any size. In an example, the openingis large enough to receive a mobile phone. In another example, illustrated in, the openingis large enough to eject a hydration tubeand a mouth pieceout from the body heated compartmentso that the user can drink when de-hydrated.

In an example, the openingis arranged at an end of the shoulder strap. This may be at the top of the shoulder strap and the openingcan then be configured to receive the hydration tubeat the top of the shoulder strap from e.g. the sack of the backpack. Thus, the hydration tubemay exit the sack of the backpack, enter into the openingat the top of the shoulder strap and be placed inside the body heated compartmentto be heated and/or be kept from freezing. The user may then pull out the hydration tubeand mouth piecefrom the top of the shoulder when drinking.

In another example, the hydration tubemay also be completely protected from an outside of the backpackwhen it is routed from e.g. the sack of the backpackto the body heated compartmentarranged at the shoulder strap. In this way there may be a first openingor channel extending internally in the backpackand a second openingarranged at the side of the body heated compartment, as illustrated in e.g., for the user to drink from when de-hydrated. Hence, the openingmay also be arranged at a side of the shoulder strap and in some examples the backpackcomprises a plurality of openings.

In some examples, the openingis re-closable. The openingmay be re-closable by use of a zipper mechanism, illustrated e.g. in, Hook-and-loop fasteners or other commonly known re-closable mechanisms. In some examples, the openingor re-closable openingis arranged facing away from the user, when worn, on the wind and heat insulating materialand/or facing inward towards the user, when worn, on the heat transfer material.