Rucksack has telescopic frame made up of upper and lower section which can be slid apart and which fit into pockets at top and bottom

Holder (s):

© Agent (s): BEAU DE LOMENIE.

© BACKPACK WITH HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE FRAME.

FR 2 817 451 - A1 (57) The backpack comprises a bag proper and a rigid frame secured to the back of the bag. The frame (3) is formed of at least a first (4) and a second (5) elements capable of being moved with respect to each other between a first inactive retracted position and an active position in which the first element (4) is engaged in at least one upper housing (7) formed in the top (2a) of the back (2) of the bag (1) and in which the second element (4) is engaged in at least one lower housing (8, 9) formed in the back (2) of the bag (1). In addition, said frame (3) is equipped with means for blocking the elements in the active position.

Preferably the frame (3) consists only of two elements (4, 5) both having a longitudinal upright (4h, 5h), the two said elements (4, 5) being able to slide one relative to the other according to their longitudinal amounts (4h, 5h).

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- i BACKPACK WITH HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE FRAME

The present invention relates to the field of backpacks which are composed of a bag proper and of a stiffening frame; it relates more precisely to the particular configuration of a rucksack equipped with a frame 5 adjustable in height suitable for use with bags of different sizes.

A backpack consists, in its simplest form, of a bag itself and carrying means, such as suspenders or suspension straps. When intended for heavier loads, the backpack is usually equipped with a stiffening frame which is attached to the back of the bag.

The purpose of this frame is of course to give a certain hold to the bag but also to effect a certain transfer of load between the carrying means that are the shoulder straps and, when it exists, the belt which secures the attachment of the bag around of the user's height.

The rigid frame may consist of metal tubes or possibly thin metal plates, fixed by rivet to the canvas constituting the back of the bag.

The manufacturers of backpacks have given great consideration to the problem of adjusting the height of the carrying means, as a function of the size of the user so as to ensure the best wearing comfort. For example to solve this problem, it has already been proposed that the carrying straps can constitute an assembly independent of the back of the bag, the assembly of which the area of ​​attachment to the back of the bag is adjustable in height relative to the stiffening frame. .

The approach targeted by the present invention is of another type. It concerns the adequacy between the bag itself and its stiffening frame.

Backpack manufacturers must offer their customers a full range of bags of different sizes. This necessarily results in personalized manufacturing both of the bag itself and of the frame which corresponds to the size of said bag.

The applicant imagined that it should be possible to create a frame 30 which is relatively standard and which can accommodate several sizes of bags.

- 2 This solution undoubtedly presents a substantial advantage for the manufacturer himself since he can manufacture in greater number said standard frame, able to equip a plurality of bags of different capacities. It can also present an advantage for the user since it would be possible to offer him a group purchase of a single frame and several bags proper of different capacities.

Thus, the backpack of the invention conventionally comprises a bag proper and a rigid frame which is integral with the back of the bag. Characteristically the frame is formed of at least a first and a second element capable of being moved with respect to each other between a first inactive retracted position and an active position in which the first element is engaged in. at least one upper housing formed in the top of the back of the bag and wherein the second member engages at least one lower housing formed in the back of the bag; in addition, said frame is equipped with means for locking the elements in position in the active position.

The term "housing" covers any means in which or against which the stiffening element is applied, locking it in position against the back of the bag. It is in particular a pocket-type cavity attached to the back of the bag. It may be other mechanical locking means of the clipping or snap-fastening type.

The housing is said to be superior because it is located at the top of the back of the bag. The housing is said to be lower because it is located below the upper housing; it is not necessarily in the lower back of the bag; in particular it may be two side housings.

Thanks to the relative displacement capacity of the elements constituting the frame and thanks to the locking means of said elements, it is possible to adjust the external dimension in height of the frame so as to adapt said frame to bags of capacities and therefore to different heights. It suffices, starting from a given frame in the retracted position, to place said frame against the back of the bag then to move the elements constituting the frame until

- 3 that the first and the second element engage in the upper and lower housing of the back of the bag, then actuate the locking means in position of said elements. The frame is thus secured to the back of the bag, in the active position.

The locking means can be temporary, allowing the removal of the frame by the user and its possible use on another bag of different capacity. But the blocking means can be final, the frame being intended to equip a backpack of a determined capacity. Locking can be achieved by any means capable of locking the first and the second element in a determined position, depending on said capacity, for example by riveting.

In a preferred embodiment, due to its simplicity, the frame consists only of two elements both having a longitudinal upright, the two said elements being able to slide with respect to each other along their uprights. longitudinal.

For example, the first element, in the form of a T, comprises a transverse upper plate and a longitudinal plate and the second element comprises at least one lower plate, able to come to bear in a lower housing, and a longitudinal plate; furthermore, the back of the bag comprises at the top a pocket in which the upper transverse plate comes to rest in abutment during the active position of the frame.

Advantageously, in this simplified embodiment, two slides are mounted laterally on one of the longitudinal plates for guiding the other plate during the sliding of the two elements relative to each other. Preferably it is the second element which is immediately near the back of the user when the bag is in the carrying position, while the first element is disposed between the second element and the back of the bag itself. In this case the second member of the frame forms the main stiffening structure while the first member simply serves to allow the height adjustment of said frame.

In particular, in the case of a backpack comprising a shoulder strap assembly and a belt assembly, independent of the bag itself, said shoulder strap and belt assemblies are fixed to each other on the longitudinal plate of the second element, respectively in upper part and lower part of said plate, by fixing means.

In a first version, in which the second element comprises a lower transverse plate, the back of the bag comprises in the lower part two side pockets in which the lower transverse plate comes to rest in abutment during the active position of the frame. This particular arrangement makes it possible to leave the lower part of the longitudinal plate accessible, between the two said side pockets for the use of the means for fixing the belt assembly.

In a second version, the backpack has a single pocket forming substantially the entire back of the bag, the opening of which arranged along the bottom of the bag 15 can be closed by a flap, closure means allowing the flap to be secured to the bottom. pocket; moreover, the pocket and possibly the flap have cut-out zones making it possible to leave accessible the parts of the longitudinal plate of the second element for the implementation of the means for fixing any suspenders and belt.

In a preferred embodiment, the blocking elements are temporary and consist of:

a) the first notches formed on one of the longitudinal plates and

b) at least one blocking piece integral with the other longitudinal plate and provided with second notches, said blocking piece being movable between an active position where the first and second notches are interlocked and effect the blocking in position of the two plates and an inactive position where the first and second notches are moved apart to allow movement, in particular sliding, of the two plates.

In order to minimize the size of the locking means, preferably the first notches are formed in the edge of the longitudinal plate of the first element and the locking piece is mounted along the edge of the longitudinal plate of the second element. .

The blocking piece must be able to temporarily block the two elements with respect to each other. In other words, it should be possible for the user to perform the unlocking of the two elements so as to allow not only the placement but also the removal of the frame of the bag itself. It is therefore important that the blocking part can be actuated by the user so as to release the elements' constituting the frame and their displacement from the active position to the inactive retracted position.

A locking piece capable of achieving this result comprises for example a flexible tongue whose end is fixed to the edge of a longitudinal plate and whose second end supports a locking and actuating head provided with notches and accessible from the back of the bag. The flexible tongue acting as a spring forces the locking head to rest along the edge of the longitudinal plate. To unlock, the user must move the locking head away from said edge so as to release the notches of the locking head from the notches of the longitudinal plate.

In a preferred embodiment, the second element is in the form of a frame whose external configuration substantially matches that of the back of the bag, having generally the shape of an isosceles trapezoid whose large base constitutes the lower transverse plate, the small and the the large bases being connected to each other by a middle spacer forming the longitudinal plate.

Advantageously, in this case, the frame comprises two transverse spacers between the longitudinal plate and the two lateral uprights of the isosceles trapezium, on which lateral spacers are provided abutments capable of limiting the angular pivoting of the locking head. This avoids any risk of damage to the flexible tongue in the event of improper handling by the user.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description which will be given of a preferred embodiment of a backpack the stiffening frame of which is adjustable in height, illustrated by the appended drawing in which:

- 6 Figure 1 is a schematic rear plan view of the bag, according to a first variant,

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan representation of the first element of the reinforcement,

Figure 3 is a schematic plan representation of the second element of the frame and

Figure 4 is a rear plan view of the bag, according to a second variant.

The backpack 1 has the particularity of having a stiffening frame which is adjustable in height to adapt to actual bags of capacities and therefore of different sizes.

In the detailed example which will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3, the frame consists of two sliding elements relative to each other between a first retracted position, inactive, and an active position in which the two said elements are engaged with upper and lower housings provided in the upper part and in the lower part of the back of the bag, means for locking the two elements being provided to ensure that the two elements are held in position when they are in the active position.

The present invention is not limited to this precise embodiment, knowing that this is the embodiment which is the simplest to implement, in the present state of the knowledge of the applicant.

However, it is possible to envisage a frame consisting of a plurality of elements which are articulated to each other by pivots so that the height adjustment of the frame would no longer be done by sliding the elements in the longitudinal direction of the bag but by a succession of pivoting elements with respect to each other resulting in height deformation.

In Figure 1, there is shown the backpack 1 on the back 2 of which is secured a frame 3 consisting of a first element 4 and a second element 5, able to slide relative to each other in the longitudinal direction DD 'of the bag.

- 7 More precisely the first element 4 has a T-shape, with a transverse upper plate 4a and a median longitudinal plate 4b.

The second element 5 also has a lower transverse plate 5a and a middle longitudinal plate 5b. The two longitudinal plates 4b and 5b are at least over part of their length applied against each other by means of sliding means which do not appear in FIG. 1 but in FIG. 3 and which in the occurrence consist of retaining slides 6. These slides are, in the example illustrated, mounted laterally on the rear face of the second longitudinal plate 5b forming with said rear face U-shaped transverse sections 10, in which the first longitudinal plate 4b can slide in an adjusted manner during its operation. movement between the inactive position and the active position. In this example, it is the second element 5 of the frame 3 which is closest to the user's back when the latter is carrying the backpack 1, the first element 4 of the frame 3 being interposed between the second 15 element 5 and the back 2 of bag 1.

The bag 1 comprises means allowing the frame to be engaged with the upper part 2a and the lower part 2b of the back of the bag when the frame 3 is in its active position. These means may in particular consist of pockets which serve as housings for the transverse plates 4a and 5a of the two elements 4, 5 of the frame, said pockets being formed by attaching to the back of the bag a part fixed in particular by stitching in such a way. that the bottom of the pocket can serve as a stop for the corresponding transverse plate in the active position of the frame. More precisely, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, on the back 2 of the bag is provided in the upper part 2a a single pocket 7 spanning the entire width of the top 2a of the back 2 of the bag 1, said pocket being adapted to receive the transverse plate 4a of the first element 4. On the other hand, in the lower part 2b, two side pockets 8,9 are provided.

For the adaptation of the frame 3 on the back 2 of the bag 1, it suffices to present the frame 3 in the inactive position, in its most retracted configuration 30 and to place the lower transverse plate 5a of the second element 5 of the 'frame in the two side pockets 8, 9. In this position, the upper transverse plate 4a of the first element 4 is located substantially at the level of the opening 7a of the upper pocket 7. The first element 4 is slid relative to the second element 5 of the frame, ensuring that the upper transverse plate 4 of the first element enters the pocket 7 and pushing said first element 4 until said transverse plate upper 4a is completely in abutment with the bottom of said pocket 7. We have thus reached the active position of the frame, according to which the two elements 4,5 are engaged with the back of the bag. The locking in position of the two elements 4, 5 is achieved by means of the locking means which will be described below.

Referring to Figure 2, the longitudinal plate 4b of the first element 4 of the frame 3 is a thin plate and has on the edge of its two opposite edges notches 10 over a determined height h corresponding to the maximum height of armature adjustment 3.

Referring to Figure 3, the longitudinal plate 5b of the second element 5 of the frame 1 is integral with two locking heads 11 which are also provided with notches 12 able to cooperate with the notches 10 above to ensure the locking in position of the two elements 4, 5, after sliding them until the desired active position is reached.

Each locking head 11 is fixed to the free end of a flexible tongue 13, the other end 14 of which is itself fixed to the bottom of the retaining slide 6 or to any other support allowing the notches 12 of the locking head 11 are arranged opposite the notches 10 of the first element 4. In the normal position, the flexible tongue 13 acts as a leaf spring, maintaining the notches 12 carried by the locking head 11 in the notches 10 of the first element 4. This tongue 13 nevertheless allows the separation of said locking head 11 on the one hand due to the actuation of the user and on the other hand in the event of sliding of the first element 4 from the retracted position to the active position of frame 3.

- 9 As shown in Figure 1, the user has direct access to the two locking heads 11 on the rear of the bag and can therefore move them aside in the direction of the arrows F so as to release the notches 12 of said heads 11 from those 10 of the first element 4 and thus have the possibility of sliding the first element 4 relative to the second element 5 of the frame 3.

However, to facilitate the positioning in the active position of the frame, a shape of notches 10, 12 is chosen which makes it possible to obtain the sliding of the first element 4 when it moves away from the second.¹ element 5, that is to say when it passes from the retracted position to the active position of the frame 3. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the notches 10 are formed by a succession of oblique faces 10a and of transverse faces 10b relative to the axis DD ', said faces defining an angle a which is directed towards the lower end 4c of the first element 4, opposite to the upper transverse plate 4a. This same configuration of the notches exists identically for the notches 12 carried by the locking head 11. Thus when the first element 4 slides away from the second element 5, the oblique faces 12a of the notches 12 of the locking head 11 are progressively pushed back by the sliding of the oblique faces 10a of the notches 10 of the first element so that the a separation of the locking head 11 is obtained by means of the tongue 13, step by step throughout the movement of the first element 4. Given the particular configuration of the notches, seen above, the displacement of the first element 4 in the opposite direction is not possible, since in this case it is the transverse faces 10b and 12b which bear against one another. 'other and can not force the locking head 11 to move away.

In the exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in FIG. 1, the second element 5 of the frame 3 is formed in the form of a frame having the overall configuration of an isosceles trapezoid, corresponding to the configuration of the back 2 of the bag 1. This isosceles trapezium has a large lower base which corresponds to the transverse plate 5a already described, a small upper base 5c and two oblique lateral uprights 5d. The longitudinal plate 5b already described extends perpendicularly to the small 5c and to the large base 5a in the middle part thereof.

The lower side pockets 8, 9 are provided to serve as housings, in a substantially adjusted manner, also for the lower parts of the two side uprights 5d. In addition, to ensure the maintenance of the frame 3 resting on the back 2 of the bag 1, in addition to the pockets 7,8,9, additional support means may also be provided. In the example illustrated in Figure 1, these are two parts 15 which extend on the back 2 of the back 2 of the bag 1, outside the side uprights 5d of the second element when the latter is in place, said 10 pieces 15 being connected by a set of two straps with tension adjustment to the two lower pockets 8,9. In the example illustrated, a first strap 16 connects the two lower pockets 8, 9 while a second strap 17 connects the two complementary parts 15 by means of a closing buckle 18 with possible adjustment of the tension of the strap. strap 17. The two straps 16, 17 are brought together centrally, in line with the longitudinal plate 5b of the second element 5 by a deflection part 19. Thus, the buckle 18 being open, it is possible to introduce on the back 2 of the bag and in the lower pockets 8, 9, the frame 3 in the retracted position then after having performed the sliding of the first element 4 with introduction of the latter. Ci in the upper pocket 7, it is possible to ensure effective maintenance of the frame 3 by closing the buckle 18 and by putting the straps 16, 17 under tension; thanks to this tensioning, the two complementary parts 15, the two lower pockets 8, 9 as well as possibly the two straps 16, 17 are strongly applied to the second element 5 of the frame 3.

It may also be advantageous to provide lateral textile flaps intended to protect the user's back when carrying the bag. These flaps are sewn on the two opposite sides of the back 2 of the bag and can be folded on either side of the second element 5 of the frame 3. It is however preferable that these flaps can leave them accessible to the user. two locking heads 30 11, as moreover the parts of the longitudinal plate 5b capable of being

- II implemented for fixing on the frame 3 of the suspender assemblies and the belt assemblies. In the representation of FIG. 1, we have shown in the form of two squares 20, 21, the first 20 in the upper part and the second 21 in the lower part, the two zones in which could be fixed respectively a set of straps and a set. belt. Preferably, the two side flaps could also be fixed to one another, after having been folded over the frame 3 by any means and in particular by means of mechanical fastening systems of the self-gripping type, known under the Velcro brand.

Furthermore, in the embodiment which is illustrated in FIG. 1, two spacers 22 are provided connecting the lateral uprights 5d of the second element 5 to the longitudinal plate 5b at the level of the two locking heads 11. On these two spacers 22 are provided. two stops 23, intended to prevent the angular pivoting of the two locking heads 11 beyond a certain stroke. Of course, this travel is sufficient to allow the disengagement of the notches 12 carried by the locking heads 11 outside the notches 10 carried by the longitudinal plate 4b of the first element 4.

The second exemplary embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4, differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the back of the bag is completely covered with a single pocket formed of an insert 30, along three edges 31a, 31b, 31ç. of the back 31, for example by sewing, respectively the upper edge 31a and the two side edges 31b and 31c, and of a flap 32 which is attached along the fourth edge 3Id and which is able to be secured to the part 30 thanks to means of closure. In the example illustrated, the closure means consist of self-gripping closure strips with hooks 33 and loops 34.

In the part 30 and in the flap 32 are provided respectively cutouts 35,36 forming openings, through which are accessible the areas 20,21 in the upper and lower part of the longitudinal plate 5b of the second stiffening element of the frame, areas in which a suspender assembly and a belt assembly could be attached.

- 12 The frame being definitively locked between the two elements, the frame is introduced in its final configuration in the pocket through opening 37, the flap 32 being in the position shown in Figure 4, then the flap is folded 32 and it is secured to the part 30 by applying the closure strips 33, 34 against each other, thus closing the pocket.

It should be noted that, due to the transfer of load when carrying the bag, there is no significant stress between the lower transverse plate 5a and the back of the bag. It would even be possible to eliminate said transverse plate 5a, the two lateral uprights 5d, blocked laterally in position in the pocket ensuring the maintenance of the frame despite the movements during the carrying of the bag.