Backpack attachment for improved distribution of the backpack weight across a user's shoulders

Abstract

A backpack attachment is provided for use with backpacks that have a bag-like body and a pair of shoulder straps, in particular backpacks used by school attendants, which is effective to distribute the backpack weight in a rationalized fashion across a user's shoulders. The attachment includes essentially two curved members arranged to stiffen substantially the sections of the shoulder straps that lie closest to the upper region of the bag-like body. These members may replace or be associated with sections of the shoulder straps, and include a pair of substantially inflexible curved members being each a one-piece construction, or several pieces jointed to one another. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment includes a pair of members formed each of several pieces which can be associated detachably to the shoulder straps, at least one of them in a locked fashion.

1 . A backpack attachment for use with backpacks that have a bag-like body and a pair of shoulder straps, in particular backpacks used by school attendants, being effective to distribute the backpack weight in a rationalized fashion across a user's shoulders, said attachment comprising: 
 two curved members arranged to stiffen substantially sections of the shoulder straps closest to an upper region of the bag-like body.    
   
   
       2 . The attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 two substantially inflexible curved members mounted in place at closest sections of the shoulder straps to the upper region of the bag-like body.    
   
   
       3 . The attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 two substantially inflexible curved members associated with the closest sections of the shoulder straps to the upper region of the bag-like body.    
   
   
       4 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said substantially inflexible curved members have an underside thereof lined with a soft yielding material.  
   
   
       5 . The attachment of  claim 1 , further comprisng: 
 a pair of substantially inflexible curved members, each member having a one-piece construction.    
   
   
       6 . The attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a pair of substantially inflexible curved members, wherein the curved members are comprised of several pieces jointed to one another.    
   
   
       7 . The attachment of  claim 5 , wherein the curved members are of hollow construction and slippable over said shoulder straps.  
   
   
       8 . The attachment of  claim 5 , wherein the curved members are hinge-ably connected to a holder, said holder being affixed to the upper region of the bag-like body.  
   
   
       9 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein the curved members are comprised of hollow pieces slippable over said shoulder straps.  
   
   
       10 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein leading hinge-connected piece in each curved member is affixed to the upper region of the bag-like body, with a trailing hinge-connected piece carrying the shoulder strap fastened thereto.  
   
   
       11 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein a leading hinge-connected piece in each curved member is affixed to the upper region of the bag-like body, with the shoulder strap extending from the leading piece through other pieces connected thereto.  
   
   
       12 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein the curved members are comprised of several shaped pieces adapted to be associated with the shoulder straps in a detachable manner, at least one in a lockable manner.  
   
   
       13 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the leading piece of the curved member is associated with the shoulder straps by releasable hoops, another piece being associated with the shoulder straps by a releasable camlock device.  
   
   
       14 . The attachment of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a locking arrangement intervening between jointed pieces of each curved member for maintaining a set angle between individual pieces.    
   
   
       15 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein a set angle between individual jointed pieces of each curved member is adjustable.  
   
   
       16 . The attachment of  claim 14 , wherein said locking arrangement comprises, mounted on one side of each jointed piece, a gear wheel and a lockable spring-biased slider, said slider being formed with an end jaw engageable with teeth of a gear wheel on adjacent pieces.  
   
   
       17 . The attachment of  claim 1 , for use in a method of correcting abnormal curvatures of the spine.