Hydration pack

Abstract

A hydration pack is disclosed including a backpack ( 100 ), a bladder assembly ( 150 ), and a split belt assembly ( 130 ). The backpack includes a front panel ( 102 ) and a back panel ( 112 ) that are interconnected with baffle panels ( 140 ) to define a volume for receiving the bladder ( 151 ) of the bladder assembly. The split belt includes a lower belt portion ( 132 L, 132 R) and an upper belt portion ( 134 L, 134 R). The upper belt portion extends behind the backpack, over the bladder, thus compressing the fluid bladder and prevents it from shifting. In the disclosed embodiment, the split belt includes an elastic portion ( 138 ) that is retained in a keeper ( 139 ) disposed on the back panel. The back panel includes elongate straps ( 114 L, 114 R) that are slidably retained along the shoulder straps. A cover ( 120 ) is attached to the front panel and is attachable to the back panel.

1 . A hydration pack comprising: 
 a flexible bladder assembly including a bladder, an elongate tube having a proximal end in fluid communication with the bladder and a distal end, and a valve disposed at the distal end of the elongate tube;    a backpack having a front panel adapted to lay adjacent the user's back, a back panel attached to the front panel, first and second side panels attached to the front panel and the back panel, the front panel, back panel, and first and second side panels defining a volume for receiving the bladder;    a left shoulder strap and a right shoulder strap, the shoulder straps attached to the front panel of the backpack; and    a split belt having a first strap attached to the front panel of the backpack and a second strap that extends over the back panel of the backpack, the split belt adapted to be releasably fastened about the waist of the user.    
     
     
         2 . The hydration pack of  claim 1 , wherein the first strap of the split belt is an integral portion of the front panel.  
     
     
         3 . The hydration pack of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the split belt second strap is elastic.  
     
     
         4 . The hydration pack of  claim 3 , wherein the back panel of the backpack further comprises a keeper and wherein the elastic portion of the second strap is slidably retained by the keeper.  
     
     
         5 . The hydration pack of  claim 1 , wherein volume for receiving the bladder is open at the top and wherein the hydration pack further comprises a cover panel that is fixedly attached to a top edge of the front panel and is releasably attachable to the back panel of the backpack to substantially cover the open top of the volume.  
     
     
         6 . The hydration pack of  claim 1 , wherein the back panel of the backpack further comprises left and right elongate strap portions that are adapted to extend generally along the left and right shoulder straps.  
     
     
         7 . The hydration pack of  claim 6 , wherein the left and right shoulder straps further comprise a plurality of keepers and wherein the left and right elongate strap portions of the front panel are slidably retained by the plurality of keepers.  
     
     
         8 . The hydration pack of  claim 1 , further comprising a releasable chest strap having a first portion attached to the left shoulder strap and a second portion attached to the right shoulder strap.  
     
     
         9 . The hydration pack of  claim 1 , wherein the second strap of the split belt is adapted to apply a pressure to the bladder when the split belt is fastened about the waist of the user.  
     
     
         10 . The hydration pack of  claim 9 , wherein the split belt holds the bladder adjacent to the user's back when the split belt is fastened about the waist of the user.  
     
     
         11 . A hydration pack comprising: 
 a nonrigid backpack defining a volume, the backpack having a left shoulder strap, a right shoulder strap, and a bottom portion;    a split belt assembly attached to the bottom portion of the backpack, the split belt assembly having a lower belt portion disposed below the backpack and an upper belt portion that extends behind the backpack over the defined volume, the split belt assembly further having a buckle assembly adapted to releasably fastened split belt assembly about the user; and    a pliable bladder removably insertable into the defined volume such that the upper belt portion overlies the pliable bladder, the pliable bladder further including a tube having a proximal end in fluid communication with a lower portion of the pliable bladder and a distal end, wherein the tube is adapted to extend over the top of the backpack.    
     
     
         12 . The hydration pack of  claim 11 , wherein the backpack comprises a breathable front panel, a pliable back panel, and at least two side panels that connect the front panel and the back panel.  
     
     
         13 . The hydration pack of  claim 11 , wherein at least some of the upper belt portion of the split belt assembly is elastic.  
     
     
         14 . The hydration pack of  claim 11 , wherein the backpack further comprises a keeper disposed on a back portion of the backpack and wherein the upper belt portion of the split belt assembly is slidably retained by the keeper.  
     
     
         15 . The hydration pack of  claim 12 , wherein the left and right shoulder straps each further comprises at least one keeper, and further, wherein the pliable back panel of the backpack further comprises left and right elongate strap portions that are slidably retained by the left and right shoulder strap keepers.  
     
     
         16 . The hydration pack of  claim 11 , further comprising a chest strap having a first portion that is attached to the left shoulder strap, a second portion that is attached to the right shoulder strap, and a buckle assembly for releasably connecting the first and second portions.  
     
     
         17 . The hydration pack of  claim 11 , wherein the split belt assembly is adapted to apply a pressure to the bladder.