# US 2012/0074191 A1 · Ergonomic Backpack With Enhanced Fit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0074191 A1 - Document ID: US20120074191A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/047,365 - Filed: 2011-03-14 - Published: 2012-03-29 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-24 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Sam Fisher; Scott C. Holt; Tory M. Cross - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120074191A1 ## CPC - A45C 13/30: Straps; Bands - A45F 3/04: Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders - A45C: PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS - A45F: TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY ## Abstract An ergonomic backpack with an enhanced fit is provided. The backpack comprises a storage portion, primary left and right shoulder straps, and secondary left and right shoulder straps. The primary shoulder straps connect to the secondary shoulder straps to allow a user to wear the backpack over her shoulders. The dimensions and arrangement of the storage portion and primary and secondary shoulder straps are selected to optimize fit and comfort. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ergonomic backpack, comprising: a storage portion having one or more compartments, the storage portion having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side such that when the backpack is worn by a user, the top side is nearer to the user's head than the bottom side, the bottom side is nearer to the user's legs than the top side, the left side is nearer to the user's left shoulder than the right side, and the right side is nearer to the user's right shoulder than the left side; a secondary left shoulder strap attached at a first end to the bottom and left side of the storage portion; a secondary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the bottom and right side of the storage portion, the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap each attaching to the storage portion such that when the strap is extended toward the top side, the strap forms an angle of approximately between zero and 45 degrees, measured down from vertical; a primary left shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and left side of the storage portion along a first connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary left shoulder strap; and a primary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and right side of the storage portion along a second connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary right shoulder strap, the first and second connection areas each spaced approximately the same distance from a substantially vertical bisecting line extending through the backpack from top to bottom, and the first and second connection areas substantially collinear with a substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, the primary left and right shoulder straps connected to the first and second connection areas at substantially equal angles relative to the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack such that when the primary left and right straps are not connected to the secondary left and right straps and are raised such that the primary left and right straps extend upward and away from the body of the user and are substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through the user's body: the primary left strap, primary right strap, and the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack are all tangential to a first circle having a radius of approximately between 8 and 12 centimeters, the first circle being substantially parallel to the vertical plane extending through the user's body, and the primary left strap and primary right strap curve away from the substantially vertical bisecting line at between approximately one-third to two-thirds of the length of each strap, the curve being substantially equal to the curve of an arc of a second circle having a radius of approximately between 7 and 11 centimeters, the arc measuring approximately between 25 and 45 degrees. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the radius of the first circle is approximately 10 centimeters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the radius of the second circle is approximately 9.5 centimeters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the primary shoulder straps are detachably connected to the secondary shoulder straps. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap are connected to each other and to the storage portion adjacent to the first and second connection areas with one or more pieces of material such that the one or more pieces of material form a curve between the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap substantially the same as the curve of the first circle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the first ends of the secondary shoulder straps attach to the storage portion at a minimum desired vertical distance of approximately 35 centimeters from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein each of the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap form an angle of approximately between 5 and 20 degrees, measured down from vertical. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein each of the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap form an angle of approximately between 10 and 15 degrees, measured down from vertical. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the extent of the bottom side of the storage portion is approximately 55 centimeters from in the vertical direction from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the vertical distance between the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack and both the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately between 20 and 35 centimeters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ergonomic backpack of claim 10, wherein the vertical distance is approximately 28 centimeters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ergonomic backpack of claim 1, wherein the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately between 65 and 85 centimeters. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ergonomic backpack of claim 12, wherein the horizontal distance is approximately 75 centimeters. ### Claim 14 An ergonomic backpack, comprising: a storage portion having one or more compartments, the storage portion having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side such that when the backpack is worn by a user, the top side is nearer to the user's head than the bottom side, the bottom side is nearer to the user's legs than the top side, the left side is nearer to the user's left shoulder than the right side, and the right side is nearer to the user's right shoulder than the left side; a secondary left shoulder strap attached at a first end to the bottom and left side of the storage portion; a secondary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the bottom and right side of the storage portion, the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap each attaching to the storage portion such that when the strap is extended toward the top side, the strap forms an angle of approximately between zero and 45 degrees, measured down from vertical; a primary left shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and left side of the storage portion along a first connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary left shoulder strap; and a primary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and right side of the storage portion along a second connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary right shoulder strap, the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap connected to each other and to the storage portion adjacent to the first and second connection areas with one or more pieces of material such that the one or more pieces of material form a curve between the primary left shoulder strap and the primary right shoulder strap substantially the same as the curve of the first circle, the first and second connection areas each spaced approximately the same distance from a substantially vertical bisecting line extending through the backpack from top to bottom, and the first and second connection areas substantially collinear with a substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, and the primary left and right shoulder straps connected to the first and second connection areas at substantially equal angles relative to the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack such that when the primary left and right straps are not connected to the secondary left and right straps and are raised such that the primary left and right straps extend upward and away from the body of the user and are substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through the user's body: the primary left strap, primary right strap, and the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack are all tangential to a first circle having a radius of approximately between 5 and 10 centimeters, the first circle being substantially parallel to the vertical plane extending through the user's body, and the primary left strap and primary right strap curve away from the substantially vertical bisecting line at between approximately one-third to two-thirds of the length of each strap, the curve being substantially equal to the curve of an arc of a second circle having a radius of approximately between 7 and 11 centimeters, the arc measuring approximately between 35 and 55 degrees. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The ergonomic backpack of claim 14, wherein the radius of the first circle is approximately 7.5 centimeters, and wherein the radius of the second circle is approximately 9.5 centimeters. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The ergonomic backpack of claim 14, wherein the first ends of the secondary shoulder straps attach to the storage portion at a minimum desired vertical distance of approximately 35 centimeters from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, and wherein the extent of the bottom side of the storage portion is approximately 55 centimeters from in the vertical direction from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The ergonomic backpack of claim 14, wherein the vertical distance between the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack and both the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 28 centimeters, and wherein the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 75 centimeters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The ergonomic backpack of claim 14, wherein each of the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap form an angle of approximately between 5 and 20 degrees, measured down from vertical. ### Claim 19 An ergonomic backpack, comprising: a storage portion having one or more compartments, the storage portion having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side such that when the backpack is worn by a user, the top side is nearer to the user's head than the bottom side, the bottom side is nearer to the user's legs than the top side, the left side is nearer to the user's left shoulder than the right side, and the right side is nearer to the user's right shoulder than the left side; a secondary left shoulder strap attached at a first end to the bottom and left side of the storage portion; a secondary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the bottom and right side of the storage portion, the secondary left shoulder strap and the secondary right shoulder strap each attaching to the storage portion such that when the strap is extended toward the top side, the strap forms an angle of approximately between 5 and 20 degrees, measured down from vertical; a primary left shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and left side of the storage portion along a first connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary left shoulder strap; and a primary right shoulder strap connected at a first end to the top and right side of the storage portion along a second connection area and connected at a second end to the secondary right shoulder strap, the first and second connection areas each spaced approximately the same distance from a substantially vertical bisecting line extending through the backpack from top to bottom, and the first and second connection areas substantially collinear with a substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, the primary left and right shoulder straps connected to the first and second connection areas at substantially equal angles relative to the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack such that when the primary left and right straps are not connected to the secondary left and right straps and are raised such that the primary left and right straps extend upward and away from the body of the user and are substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through the user's body: the primary left strap, primary right strap, and the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack are all tangential to a first circle having a radius of approximately 10 centimeters, the first circle being substantially parallel to the vertical plane extending through the user's body, and the primary left strap and primary right strap curve away from the substantially vertical bisecting line at between approximately one-third to two-thirds of the length of each strap, the curve being substantially equal to the curve of an arc of a second circle having a radius of approximately 9.5 centimeters, the arc measuring approximately 36 degrees. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The ergonomic backpack of claim 19, wherein the first ends of the secondary shoulder straps attach to the storage portion at a minimum desired vertical distance of approximately 39 centimeters from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, wherein the extent of the bottom side of the storage portion is approximately 50 centimeters from in the vertical direction from the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack, wherein the vertical distance between the substantially horizontal line extending across the top side of the backpack and both the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 28 centimeters, and wherein the horizontal distance between the midpoint of the second end of the primary left strap and the midpoint of the second end of the primary right strap is approximately 75 centimeters.