Backpack with abdominal support system
AssigneeOutdoor Medical Research LLC
InventorsDavid P. Gilmour, Scott D. Cummings, William Edward Kois
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A backpack or back borne load carrier system with abdominal support, providing both internal and external modes of back borne load support to increase an individual's load bearing capacity. An abdominal support pad and pelvic belt system is attached to a conventional backpack or equivalent load carrier system equipped with shoulder straps, to cause a portion of the load weight that would otherwise be supported directly by the shoulders and spinal column to be transferred to the pelvic region for additional external support, and to the abdominal trunk region for additional internal support through enhancement of the natural hydraulic muscle action of the abdomen in support of the loaded spinal column.
Claims20
An abdominal support pad for use with a backpack with a pelvic belt, said pad comprising:
- a rigid, primary pad member having an inner surface and an outer surface, the length of said pad member being at least one half and less than the full distance between bony landmarks created by the Anterior/Superior Iliac Spines (ASIS) of a user's pelvis, the width of said pad member being at least one half the distance between said user's lower costal margin and mid inguinal ligament, said inner surface of said pad member being engageable with user's abdomen for distributing a backpack load over a relatively wide area of said user's abdomen when said belt is secured about said user's pelvic region,
- means for securing a first surface of said pad member to the pelvic belt opposite said backpack.
A pelvic belt with abdominal support for use in combination with a backpack, comprising:
- a belt of sufficient length to encircle the pelvic region of a backpack user,
- means for securing said belt about said pelvic region of said user,
- means for backside attachment of said belt to said backpack, and
- an abdominal support element positionable for broad area contact with the abdomen of said user and held in said contact under pressure when said means for securing is operated, said abdominal support element being a primary pad member having an inner surface and an outer surface, the length of said pad member being at least one half and less than the full distance between bony landmarks created by the Anterior/Superior Iliac Spines (ASIS) of a user's pelvis, the width of said pad member being at least one half the distance between said user's lower costal margin and mid inguinal ligament, said inner surface of said pad member being engageable with user's abdomen for distributing a backpack load over a relatively wide area of said user's abdomen when said belt is secured about said user's pelvic region.
A weight bearing abdominal support system for back borne load carrying comprising:
- a back borne load carrier equipped with at least one shoulder strap,
- a belt of sufficient length to encircle the pelvic region of a user, said belt being attached to said load carrier and having fastening means for securing about the pelvic region of said user, said belt further configured with an abdominal support element positionable for broad area contact with the abdomen of said user and held in said contact under pressure when said fastening means is operated, said abdominal support element being a primary pad member having an inner surface and an outer surface, the length of said pad member being at least one half and less than the full distance between bony landmarks created by the Anterior/Superior Iliac Spines (ASIS) of a user's pelvis, the width of said pad member being at least one half the distance between said user's lower costal margin and mid inguinal ligament, said inner surface of said pad member being engageable with user's abdomen for distributing a backpack load over a relatively wide area of said user's abdomen when said belt is secured about said user's pelvic region.
An abdominal support pad for use with a backpack with a pelvic belt, said pad comprising a substantially rigid, primary pad member having an inner surface and an outer surface, the length of said pad member being at least one half and less than the full distance between bony landmarks created by the Anterior/Superior Iliac Spines (ASIS) of a user's pelvis, the width of said pad member being at least one half the distance between said user's lower costal margin and mid inguinal ligament, said inner surface of said pad member being engageable with user's abdomen for distributing a backpack load over a relatively wide area of said user's abdomen when said belt is secured about said user's pelvic region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.