Ergonomic backpack

Abstract

A backpack including a backpack body having an inner cavity therein. The backpack body includes a releasable closure configured to provide access to the inner cavity and a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn. The backpack further includes a shoulder strap assembly coupled to the backpack body and configured to be positioned about a shoulder of the wearer when the backpack is worn. The shoulder strap assembly is coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body only at an attachment location that is located on an opposite side of the releasable closure relative to the back surface.

1 . A backpack comprising:
 a backpack body having an inner cavity therein, said backpack body including a releasable closure configured to provide access to the inner cavity and a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn; and   a shoulder strap assembly coupled to said backpack body and configured to be positioned about a shoulder of the wearer when the backpack is worn, wherein the shoulder strap assembly is coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body only at an attachment location that is located on an opposite side of the releasable closure relative to the back surface.   
     
     
         2 . The backpack of  claim 1  wherein the inner cavity is a main cavity and has the largest volume of any inner cavity of the backpack. 
     
     
         3 . The backpack of  claim 1  wherein the backpack body has an upper surface which is the upper surface of the backpack body when the backpack is worn by a wearer, and wherein the releasable closure extends across said upper surface. 
     
     
         4 . The backpack of  claim 1  wherein the shoulder strap assembly is pivotally coupled to said backpack body such that said shoulder strap assembly is movable between a first position wherein said shoulder strap assembly is generally positioned on first side of said releasable closure and a second position in which said shoulder strap assembly is generally positioned on a second, opposite side of said releasable closure. 
     
     
         5 . The backpack of  claim 1  wherein the shoulder strap assembly is pivotally coupled to said backpack body such that said shoulder strap assembly is movable between a first position wherein said shoulder strap assembly is generally positioned on a front side of said backpack body and a second position in which said shoulder strap assembly is generally positioned on a back side of said backpack body. 
     
     
         6 . A backpack comprising:
 a backpack body having an inner cavity therein; and   a shoulder strap assembly coupled to said backpack body and configured to be positioned about a shoulder of a wearer when the backpack is worn, wherein the shoulder strap assembly is coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body only at an attachment location that is in an outer half of the thickness of the backpack body, wherein the shoulder strap assembly is pivotally coupled to said backpack body such that said shoulder strap assembly is movable between a first position wherein said shoulder strap assembly is generally positioned on a back side of said backpack body and a second position in which said shoulder strap assembly is generally positioned on a front side of said backpack body.   
     
     
         7 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn, the back surface defining the back side, and wherein the front side is positioned on a generally opposite side of the back side relative to a thickness of the backpack body. 
     
     
         8 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn, and wherein the thickness of the backpack body extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the back surface, and wherein the outer half of the thickness of the backpack body is the half positioned away from the back surface. 
     
     
         9 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein said backpack body includes a releasable closure configured to provide access to the inner cavity and a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn, and wherein the shoulder strap assembly is coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body only at an attachment location that is located on an opposite side of the releasable closure relative to the back surface. 
     
     
         10 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the upper portion of the backpack body is the upper half of the backpack body when worn by a wearer. 
     
     
         11 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein said backpack body includes a releasable closure configured to provide access to the inner cavity, and wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn, a front surface generally parallel to said back surface and positioned on a generally opposite side of said backpack body relative to said back surface, a pair of side surfaces extending between said back and front surfaces, and a top surface extending between the front and back surfaces and extending between the pair of side surface, and wherein the releasable closure is positioned on both side surfaces and said top surface. 
     
     
         12 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the backpack lacks any straps coupled to the upper portion of the backpack body at a position that is in the inner half of the thickness of the backpack body. 
     
     
         13 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn, and wherein the backpack body lacks any straps coupled to an upper portion of the back surface. 
     
     
         14 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the shoulder strap assembly includes a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap being coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body at its own attachment location. 
     
     
         15 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the shoulder strap assembly includes a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap being coupled to a yoke which is in turn coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body. 
     
     
         16 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the shoulder strap assembly includes a single shoulder strap that is coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body at said attachment location. 
     
     
         17 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn and a front surface generally parallel to said back surface and position on a generally opposite side of said backpack body relative to said back surface, wherein said attachment location is on said front surface. 
     
     
         18 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn and a front surface generally parallel to said back surface and positioned on a generally opposite side of said backpack body relative to said back surface, the backpack body includes a pair of side surfaces extending between said back and front surfaces, and wherein said attachment location is on one or both of said side surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The backpack of  claim 6  wherein the shoulder strap assembly is coupled to a lower portion of the backpack body at a lower attachment location. 
     
     
         20 . The backpack of  claim 19  wherein the lower attachment location is in an inner half of the thickness of the backpack body. 
     
     
         21 . The backpack of  claim 19  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn and a front surface generally parallel to said back surface and positioned on a generally opposite side of said backpack body relative to said back surface, the backpack body including a pair of side surfaces extending between said back and front surfaces, and wherein said lower attachment location is on one or both of said back surface or said side surfaces. 
     
     
         22 . The backpack of  claim 19  wherein shoulder strap assembly is coupled to the lower portion of the backpack body at no more than two spaced-apart lower attachment locations. 
     
     
         23 . The backpack of  claim 19  wherein the backpack body includes a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn and a front surface generally parallel to said back surface and positioned on a generally opposite side of said backpack body relative to said back surface, and wherein the lower attachment locations are entirely spaced apart from the front surface. 
     
     
         24 . A backpack comprising:
 a backpack body having an inner cavity therein, the backpack body including a back surface configured to be positioned adjacent a back of a wearer when the backpack is worn, a front surface generally parallel to said back surface and positioned on a generally opposite side of said backpack body relative to said back surface, a pair of side surfaces extending between said back and front surfaces, and a top surface extending between the front and back surfaces and extending between the pair of side surface;   a shoulder strap assembly coupled to said backpack body and configured to be positioned about a shoulder of a wearer when the backpack is worn, wherein the shoulder strap assembly is coupled to an upper portion of the backpack body only at an attachment location that is in an outer half of the thickness of the backpack body; and   a releasable closure configured to provide access to the inner cavity, and wherein the releasable closure is positioned on both side surfaces and said top surface.