Backpack hip belt with split pads and support bridge

A hip belt for transferring a carried load to a user's hips, the hip belt comprising:

• a back portion;
• oppositely disposed left and right portions extending from the back portion, the left and right portions being split longitudinally thereby defining upper and lower legs, the upper and lower legs each having a distal portion;
• a front strap assembly attached to the distal portions of the upper and lower legs, the front strap assembly adapted to adjustably attach the hip belt about a user's waist such that a tension is provided in the upper and lower legs;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse stabilizing members interconnecting the left upper leg with the left lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnecting the right upper leg with the right lower leg;
• wherein a plurality of semi-rigid transverse members are attached to each of the left and right portions.

A hip belt for transferring a carried load to a user's hips, the hip belt comprising:

• a back portion;
• oppositely disposed left and right portions extending from the back portion, the left and right portions being split longitudinally thereby defining upper and lower legs, the upper and lower legs each having a distal portion;
• a front strap assembly attached to the distal portions of the upper and lower legs, the front strap assembly adapt&d to adjustably attach the hip belt about a user's waist such that a tension is provided in the upper and lower legs;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse stabilizing members interconnecting the left upper leg with the left lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnecting the right upper leg with the right lower leg;
• further comprising a hook-and-loop type fastening panel disposed on an inner portion of the back portion for attachment to a backpack.

A hip belt for transferring a carried load to a user's hips, the hip belt comprising:

• a back portion;
• oppositely disposed left and right portions extending from the back portion, the left and right portions being split longitudinally thereby defining upper and lower legs, the upper and lower legs each having a distal portion;
• a front strap assembly attached to the distal portions of the upper and lower legs, the front strap assembly adapted to adjustably attach the hip belt about a user's waist such that a tension is provided in the upper and lower legs;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse stabilizing members interconnecting the left upper leg with the left lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnecting the right upper leg with the right lower leg;
• wherein the strap assembly further comprises left and right hip belt stabilizer straps, each stabilizer strap having a proximal end attached to the hip belt and a distal end adapted to be attached to the carried load.

A hip belt for transferring a carried load to a user's hips, the hip belt comprising:

• a back portion;
• oppositely disposed left and right portions extending from the back portion, the left and right portions being split longitudinally thereby defining upper and lower legs, the upper and lower legs each having a distal portion;
• a front strap assembly attached to the distal portions of the upper and lower legs, the front strap assembly adapted to adjustably attach the hip belt about a user's waist such that a tension is provided in the upper and lower legs;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse stabilizing members interconnecting the left upper leg with the left lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnecting the right upper leg with the right lower leg;
• wherein the left and right portion upper and lower legs comprise a resilient foam material.

A hip belt for transferring a carried load to a user's hips, the hip belt comprising:

• a back portion;
• oppositely disposed left and right portions extending from the back portion, the left and right portions being split longitudinally thereby defining upper and lower legs, the upper and lower legs each having a distal portion;
• a front strap assembly attached to the distal portions of the upper and lower legs, the front strap assembly adapted to adjustably attach the hip belt about a user's waist such that a tension is provided in the upper and lower legs;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse stabilizing members interconnecting the left upper leg with the left lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnecting the right upper leg with the right lower leg;
• wherein the transverse members comprise elongate members having an outward curvature.

A hip belt for transferring a carried load to a user's hips, the hip belt comprising:

• a back portion;
• oppositely disposed left and right portions extending from the back portion, the left and right portions being split longitudinally thereby defining upper and lower legs, the upper and lower legs each having a distal portion;
• a front strap assembly attached to the distal portions of the upper and lower legs, the front strap assembly adapted to adjustably attach the hip belt about a user's waist such that a tension is provided in the upper and lower legs;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse stabilizing members interconnecting the left upper leg with the left lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnecting the right upper leg with the right lower leg;
• wherein upper and lower legs of the left and right portions comprise proximal ends that are fixedly connected to each other and distal ends that are substantially unconnected from each other.

A hip belt of the type suitable for use with a backpack, the hip belt comprising:

• a belt member including a left portion having a distal end, a right portion having a distal end, and a back portion interconnecting the left and right portions, wherein each of the left and right portions is split longitudinally for a substantial portion its length thereby forming an upper leg and a lower leg in each of the left and right portions;
• a strap assembly having a left strap attached to the distal end of the belt member left portion, and a right strap attached to the distal end of the belt member right portion, the strap assembly further including a fastener for releasably connecting the left strap to the right strap;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member left portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member left portion lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member right portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member right portion lower leg;
• wherein the semi-rigid transverse members comprise elongate strips of a flexible material each transverse member having an elongate stiffening groove.

A hip belt of the type suitable for use with a backpack, the hip belt comprising:

• a belt member including a left portion having a distal end, a right portion having a distal end, and a back portion interconnecting the left and right portions, wherein each of the left and right portions is split longitudinally for a substantial portion its length thereby forming an upper leg and a lower leg in each of the left and right portions;
• a strap assembly having a left strap attached to the distal end of the belt member left portion, and a right strap attached to the distal end of the belt member right portion, the strap assembly further including a fastener for releasably connecting the left strap to the right strap;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member left portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member left portion lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member right portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member right portion lower leg;
• wherein a plurality of semi-rigid transverse members is attached to each of the left and right belt member portions.

A hip belt of the type suitable for use with a backpack, the hip belt comprising:

• a belt member including a left portion having a distal end, a right portion having a distal end, and a back portion interconnecting the left and right portions, wherein each of the left and right portions is split longitudinally for a substantial portion its length thereby forming an upper leg and a lower leg in each of the left and right portions;
• a strap assembly having a left strap attached to the distal end of the belt member left portion, and a right strap attached to the distal end of the belt member right portion, the strap assembly further including a fastener for releasably connecting the left strap to the right strap;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member left portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member left portion lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member right portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member right portion lower leg;
• wherein the semi-rigid transverse members are disposed generally perpendicular to the upper and lower legs of the associated left and right portions of the belt member.

A hip belt of the type suitable for use with a backpack, the hip belt comprising:

• a belt member including a left portion having a distal end, a right portion having a distal end, and a back portion interconnecting the left and right portions, wherein each of the left and right portions is split longitudinally for a substantial portion its length thereby forming an upper leg and a lower leg in each of the left and right portions;
• a strap assembly having a left strap attached to the distal end of the belt member left portion, and a right strap attached to the distal end of the belt member right portion, the strap assembly further including a fastener for releasably connecting the left strap to the right strap;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member left Portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member left portion lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member right portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member right portion lower leg;
• wherein the strap assembly further comprises left and right hip belt stabilizer straps, each stabilizer strap having a proximal end attached to the hip belt and a distal end adapted to be attached to the backpack.

A hip belt of the type suitable for use with a backpack, the hip belt comprising:

• a belt member including a left portion having a distal end, a right portion having a distal end, and a back portion interconnecting the left and right portions, wherein each of the left and right portions is split longitudinally for a substantial portion its length thereby forming an upper leg and a lower leg in each of the left and right portions;
• a strap assembly having a left strap attached to the distal end of the belt member left portion, and a right strap attached to the distal end of the belt member right portion, the strap assembly further including a fastener for releasably connecting the left strap to the right strap;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member left portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member left portion lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member right portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member right portion lower leg;
• wherein each belt member left and right portion leg comprises a resilient foam material.

A hip belt of the type suitable for use with a backpack, the hip belt comprising:

• a belt member including a left portion having a distal end, a right portion having a distal end, and a back portion interconnecting the left and right portions, wherein each of the left and right portions is split longitudinally for a substantial portion its length thereby forming an upper leg and a lower leg in each of the left and right portions;
• a strap assembly having a left strap attached to the distal end of the belt member left portion, and a right strap attached to the distal end of the belt member right portion, the strap assembly further including a fastener for releasably connecting the left strap to the right strap;
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member left portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member left portion lower leg;
• and
• at least one semi-rigid transverse member having an upper end secured to the belt member right portion upper leg and a lower end secured to the belt member right portion lower leg;
• wherein the transverse members comprise elongate members having an outward curvature.