Backpack

Claim 2

A backpack according to claim 1, and wherein said means for adjusting comprises: track means mounted onto said article carrying means; sliding buckle means attached to said shoulder support means and configured for sliding along said track means, and having a body portion and first and second buckle portions; first elongate, flexible fastening means attached to said article carrying means and extending through said buckle means in association with said first buckle portion; and second elongate, flexible fastening means attached to said article carrying means and extending through said buckle means in association with said second buckle portion, and wherein said body portion and said first and second buckle portions are configured to cooperate so as to selectably lock together said buckle means and at least one of said first and second flexible fastening means, thereby locking together said shoulder support means and said article carrying means.

Claim 3

A backpack according to claim 2, and wherein said body portion is attached to said shoulder support means and defines first and second openings through which said first and second flexible fastening means respectively extend, and wherein said first buckle portion is arranged in association with said first opening such that said first flexible fastening means extends through said first opening tangentially to said first buckle portion and thereabout so as to form a loop between said first buckle portion and said body portion, and back out through said first opening, and said second buckle portion is arranged in association with said second opening such that said second flexible fastening means extends through said second opening tangentially to said first buckle portion and thereabout so as to form a loop between said second buckle portion and said body portion, and back out through said second opening.

Claim 4

A backpack according to claim 3, and also comprising means enabling a predetermined displacement of said first buckle portion relative to said body portion in response to at least a predetermined force applied via said first flexible fastening means, said predetermined displacement causing entrapment of said first loop between said first buckle portion and said body portion, thereby locking said first flexible fastening means to said buckle means, and thereby also locking together said shoulder support means and said article carrying means.

Claim 5

A backpack according to claim 4, and wherein said means enabling a predetermined displacement of said first buckle portion also includes means enabling a predetermined displacement of said second buckle portion relative to said body portion in response to at least a predetermined force applied via said second flexible fastening means, said predetermined displacement causing entrapment of said second loop between said second buckle portion and said body portion, thereby locking said second flexible fastening means to said buckle means, and thereby also locking together said shoulder support means and said article carrying means.

Claim 6

A backpack comprising: article carrying means; shoulder support means arranged for fastening said article carrying means about an upper body portion of the user; and means for attaching said shoulder support means to said article carrying means and including means for adjusting the position of attachment of said shoulder support means to said article carrying means while said backpack is being worn by the user, said means for adjusting comprising: track means mounted onto said article carrying means; sliding buckle means attached to said shoulder support means and configured for sliding along said track means, and having a body portion and first and second buckle portions; first elongate, flexible fastening means attached to said article carrying means and extending through said buckle means in association with said first buckle portion; and second elongate, flexible fastening means attached to said article carrying means and extending through said buckle means in association with said second buckle portion, and wherein said body portion and said first and second buckle portions are configured to cooperate so as to selectably lock together said buckle means and at least one of said first and second flexible fastening means, thereby locking together said shoulder support means and said article carrying means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for adjustably attaching a shoulder support to a backpack comprising: track means mounted onto the backpack; sliding buckle means attached to the shoulder support and configured for sliding along said track means, and having a body portion and first and second buckle portions; first elongate, flexible fastening means attached to the backpack and extending through said buckle means in association with said first buckle portion; and second elongate, flexible fastening means attached to the backpack and extending through said buckle means in association with said second buckle portion, and wherein said body portion and said first and second buckle portions are configured to cooperate so as to selectably lock together said buckle means and at least one of said first and second flexible fastening means, thereby locking together the shoulder support and the backpack.

Claim 8

A backpack comprising: article carrying means; a waist belt attached to said article carrying means and arranged for fastening said article carrying means about the waist of a user; shoulder support means arranged for fastening said article carrying means about an upper body portion of the user; and means for attaching said shoulder support means to said article carrying means and including means for adjusting the position of attachment of said shoulder support means to said article carrying means so as to selectably increase and decrease the distance between a position of attachment of said shoulder support means to said article carrying means relative to the position of attachment of said waist belt to said article carrying means while said backpack is being worn by the user, and wherein said means of adjusting comprise first and second manual engagement elements accessible to the user adjacent the waist belt, whereby pulling on said first manual engagement element raises the position of attachment of said shoulder support means relative to the position of attachment of said waist belt and pulling on said second manual engagement element lowers the position of attachment of said shoulder support means relative to the position of attachment of said waist belt.

Claim 9

A backpack comprising: article carrying means; a waist belt attached to said article carrying means and arranged for fastening said article carrying means about the waist of a user; shoulder support means arranged for fastening said article carrying means about an upper body portion of the user and including a pair of shoulder straps; and a connection strap assembly including a pair of track inclined track elements, a pair of track riding buckle members, which are slidably retained on said track elements and a pair of connection straps joined by the track riding buckle members between the track elements and the shoulder straps.

Claim 10

A backpack comprising: article carrying means; a waist belt attached to said article carrying means and arranged for fastening said article carrying means about the waist of a user; shoulder support means arranged for fastening said article carrying means about an upper body portion of the user; and means for attaching said waist belt to said article carrying means and providing multiple degrees of freedom of motion between said waist belt and said article carrying means.