CA2136400A1 - Backpack with compartment for school and office use - Google Patents

Abstract

A backpack comprising a sack member, the sack member having a generally rectangular shape, a first panel adjacent the wearer's back when the backpack is donned by the wearer, a second panel opposite the first panel in a generally planar parallel relationship with the first panel, and a side panel contiguous to the first panel and second panel which connects the two panels forming a sack-like compartment;
a pair of shoulder straps secured to the first panel of the sack member; and a generally rectangular leaf member having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of horizontal edges, the leaf member being joined to the second panel along one of its vertical edges to provide a compartment, for retaining school or office products, and a closure means for securing the first leaf member to the second panel in a closed relationship to contain the school and office products therein.

Description

-Docket No. 100041-4014 PATENT

~ACRPACR WIT~ COMPARTMENT FOR
SCHOOL AND OFFICE USE

Background of the Invention This invention relates to a backpack having a compartment which opens to expose pockets which can be used to transport school or office papers and supplies including pens or pencils.
It is popular today on college campuses to use a backpack in much the same manner as a business person would carry a briefcase. The backpack is used as an all-purpose carrying device for carrying articles such as books, notebooks, papers, pens, clothes and other objects.
Backpacks are also used by high school and grade school children for many of the same purposes. Unfortunately, those backpacks carried by school children and college students have been designed for camping and hiking uses and have not been designed with the objective of transporting school or office materials. Thus, a need has developed for a backpack which is designed for school and also business uses.
United States Patent No. 4,236,659 to Brunton describes a backpack having leaves which open to form an envelope. This arrangement allows the user to carry clothes and to keep those clothes neater than if they had been packed in a regular backpack. This invention, however, fails to address the needs of persons attending school.
Those persons attending school need a means for carrying school supplies, paper, and other objects to school.

~1~6400 .
Docket No. 100041-4014 Summary of the Invention This invention relates to a backpack having a zippered pocket which opens to expose a compartment designed to transport business, office, or school materials.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 presents a front perspective view of the backpack of the invention;
Fig. 2 presents a rear view of the backpack of the invention;
Fig. 3 presents a front view of the backpack;
Fig. 4 presents a front view of the backpack with the front pocket in an opened position; and Fig. 5 presents a side view of the backpack of this invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention A backpack 10 in accordance with this invention is shown in Fig. 1. The backpack 10 includes sack-like member 14 having compartment 12 therein for carrying school or business papers and supplies. The sack-like member 14 includes first panel 50 corresponding to the back of the sack which is adjacent the body when the backpack is donned by the wearer and second panel 16 corresponding to the front of the backpack. Panels 16 and 50 are joined together at their peripheries by side panel 52 to provide a sack-like compartment therebetween. Access to sack-like member 14 is provided by an opening in side panel 52 which is secured by closure means 54.

'~136100 -Docket No. 100041-4014 In accordance with the invention, the backpack 10 is provided with compartment 12 for transporting school and office papers and supplies. In the embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 1, this compartment is formed on the second panel 16 of the backpack 10 and is formed by first leaf member 22 and second leaf member 24 which are secured along a common vertical edge 46. In the embodiment illustrated, second leaf member 24 is incorporated into second panel 16 of the backpack 10 for example, by sewing.
Second leaf member 24 includes skirt 64 which provides depth to the compartment 12. Closure means 18 is provided along the sides 20A, 20B and 20C of compartment 12 on skirt 6~.
Closure means 18 can be a zipper, press tabs, a hook and loop fastener or the like, with a zipper being preferred.
While, in the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, compartment 12 is formed with a pair of leaf members 22 and 24, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the second leaf member 24 incorporated into the second panel 16 can be omitted by attaching the first leaf member 22 directly to the second panel 16 along vertical edge 46.
Leaf member 22 has a pocket 28 mounted on its interior surface 26. Pocket 28 is formed by interior surface 26 of leaf member 22 and flap 30. Pocket 28 further has two pockets 32 and 34 mounted on flap 30. Rear leaf member 24 of pocket 12 also has a pocket 36. Pocket 36 is formed by interior surface 38 of rear leaf member 24 and flap 40. Pocket 36 has pocket 42 and writing utensil slots 44 located on its exterior surface.
Sack portion 14 comprises second panel 16, first panel 50 and side panel 52. Front panel 16 has pocket 12 mounted thereon. Side panel 52 has a closure means 54 and a pocket 56 mounted thereon. Closure means 54 can be any type Docket No. 100041-4014 of conventional fastening device such as a zipper, press tabs, a hook and loop fastener or the like, with a zipper being preferred. Pocket 56 is preferably gusseted so that it will expand as objects are placed into it. Rear panel 50 has two shoulder straps 58 attached thereto. Each strap 58 has an adjustable buckle 60. Rear panel 50 also has a top handle 62 mounted on the position at which the shoulder straps join with the side panel 52 and first panel 50.
In the preferred embodiment, pockets 28 and 36 are adapted to receive papers of at least 8-1/2 x 11 inches in size. The papers are inserted into the trapper pocket under flaps 30 and 40, respectively, and retained in backpack 10 when front pocket 12 is closed by closure means 18. Writing utensil holder 44 can accommodate pencils, pens, markers, or any other writing means. Further, if desired, a reinforcing element, such as cardboard, can be added to either first leaf member 22 or second leaf member 24 or both to provide rigidity to the leaf members to prevent the papers from becoming wrinkles in the respective pockets.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiment, which is presented for purposes of illustration and not for limitation, and it will be apparent that modification and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims (12)

1. A backpack comprising:

(a) a sack member, the sack member having a generally rectangular shape, a first panel adjacent the wearer's back when the backpack is donned by the wearer, a second panel opposite the first panel in a generally planar parallel relationship with the first panel, and a side panel contiguous to the first panel and second panel which connects the two panels forming a sack-like compartment;

(b) a pair of shoulder straps secured to the first panel of the sack member; and (c) a generally rectangular leaf member having a pair of vertical edges and a pair of horizontal edges, the leaf member being joined to the second panel along one of its vertical edges to provide a compartment, for retaining school or office products, and a closure means for securing the first leaf member to the second panel in a closed relationship to contain the school and office products therein.

2. The backpack of claim 1 wherein a second leaf member is affixed to the second panel of the backpack and the first leaf member is secured along one of its vertical edges to a vertical edge of the second leaf member and the compartment is formed between the first and second leaf members.

3. The backpack of claim 2 wherein the first or the second leaf member includes a skirt to expand the width of the compartment.

4. The backpack of claim 3 wherein the compartment includes a file pocket for retaining stationery in an essentially flat condition.

5. The backpack of claim 4 wherein the compartment further includes a plurality of circular pockets for retaining writing members.

6. The backpack of claim 2 wherein the closure means is selected from the group consisting of press tabs, a zipper and a hook and loop fastener.

7. The backpack of claim 6 wherein the closures means is a zipper.

8. The backpack of claim 1 further including a side pocket on the side panel.

9. The backpack of claim 8 wherein the side pocket is gusseted.

10. The backpack of claim 1 wherein the shoulder straps are adjustable.

11. The backpack of claim 1 wherein the backpack further includes a handle attached to an outside surface of the backpack.

12. The backpack of claim 11 wherein the handle is attached to the first panel of the backpack.