Article with Reconfigurable Straps

Abstract

An article adapted to be positioned on a user's body includes a compartment, a female connector, and a strap. The compartment includes a top, bottom, front, and rear. The female connector is coupled to the top of the compartment and includes a first receptacle opening toward the front of the compartment, and a second receptacle opening toward the rear of the compartment. The strap includes a first end with a male connector and a second end coupled to the bottom of the compartment. The male connector is removably coupleable to the first receptacle, where the strap is oriented on the front of the compartment so that, when worn, the front faces the body of the user. The male connector is also removably coupleable to the second receptacle, where the strap is oriented on the rear of the compartment so that, when worn, the rear faces the body of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article adapted to be positioned on a back of a user, the article comprising:
 a compartment including a top side having first material panel, a second material panel, and a seam coupling the first material panel to the second material panel;   at least one female connector coupled to the top side of the compartment over the seam, the at least one female connector comprising:
 a front side having a first receptacle, the front side disposed over the first material panel, 
 a rear side having a second receptacle, the rear side disposed over the second material panel, 
 a first side, 
 a second side, 
 a top side, 
 a bottom side, 
 a first protrusion extending from the bottom side proximate to the front side, and 
 a second protrusion extending from the bottom side proximate to the rear side, wherein the front protrusion extends through the first material panel and the second protrusion extends through the second material panel; and 
   at least one fastener coupled to at least one of the first protrusion and the second protrusion such that the first material or the second material is disposed between the bottom side of the at least one female connector and the at least one fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one female connector is configured to receive a male connector in a first configuration, where the male connector is disposed within the second receptacle, and a second configuration, where the male connector is disposed within the first receptacle. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the male connector is disposed on an end of a strap. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein when the male connector is received in the first configuration, the strap is disposed proximate to a rear side of the compartment, and when the male connector is received in the second configuration, the strap is disposed proximate to a front side of the compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom side of at least one female connector includes an arched portion disposed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the arched portion being sized and shaped to extend over the seam of the top side of the compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one fastener is a first fastener coupled to the first protrusion on a first side of the arched portion, and further comprising:
 a second fastener coupled to the second protrusion on a second side of the arched portion.   
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the compartment contains an outer surface and an inner surface, the female connector being disposed on the outer surface of the compartment, and the first fastener and the second fastener are disposed on the inner surface of the compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first receptacle and the second receptacle are in fluid communication with one another. 
     
     
         9 . A connector for an article adapted to be worn by a user, the connector comprising:
 a first receptacle disposed on a first side;   a second receptacle disposed on a second side opposite the first side;   a top side extending from the first side and the second side; and   a bottom side extending from the first side and the second side, the bottom side comprising:
 a first protrusion extending from the bottom side proximate to the first side, and 
 a second protrusion extending from the bottom side proximate to the second side, wherein, when coupled to the article, the first protrusion is disposed on a first side of a seam and the second protrusion is disposed on a second side of the seam, and the first and second protrusions are configured to be coupled to at least one fastener. 
   
     
     
         10 . The connector of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom side of the connector includes an arched portion disposed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the arched portion being sized and shaped to extend over the seam of the article. 
     
     
         11 . The connector of  claim 9 , wherein the first protrusion is configured to be coupled to a first fastener, and the second protrusion is configured to be coupled to a second fastener. 
     
     
         12 . The connector of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a third side extending from the first side to the second side;   a fourth side opposite the third side and extending from the first side to the second side;   a third protrusion extending from the bottom side proximate to the first side and the fourth side; and   a fourth protrusion extending from the bottom side proximate to the second side and the fourth side, wherein the first protrusion extends from the bottom side proximate to the first side and the third side, and the second protrusion extends from the bottom side proximate to the second side and the third side.   
     
     
         13 . The connector of  claim 12 , wherein the first fastener is removably coupled to the first and third protrusions, and the second fastener is removably coupled to the second and fourth protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The connector of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a fifth protrusion centrally disposed and extending from the bottom side; and   a sixth protrusion centrally disposed and extending from the bottom side, wherein the fifth protrusion is spaced from the sixth protrusion such that the fifth protrusion is disposed more proximate to the first side than the sixth protrusion and the sixth protrusion is disposed more proximate to the second side than the fifth protrusion.   
     
     
         15 . The connector of  claim 14 , wherein the first fastener is removably coupled to the first, third, and fifth protrusions, and the second fastener is removably coupled to the second, fourth, and sixth protrusions. 
     
     
         16 . The connector of  claim 9 , wherein the connector is a female connector and is configured to receive a male connector in a first configuration, where the male connector is disposed within the second receptacle, and a second configuration, where the male connector is disposed within the first receptacle. 
     
     
         17 . An article adapted to be positioned on a body of a user, the article comprising:
 a compartment including a top side, a bottom side, a front side, and a rear side;   at least one female connector coupled to the top side of the compartment, the at least one female connector comprising:
 a first side having a first receptacle opening towards the front side of the compartment, and 
 a second side having a second receptacle opening towards the rear side of the compartment; and 
   at least one strap having a first end with a male connector and an opposite second end coupled to the bottom side of the compartment, the male connector of the first end being removably coupleable to the first receptacle of the at least one female connector, where the at least one strap is oriented on the front side of the compartment such that the front side of the compartment faces the body of the user when the article is worn, and removably coupleable to the second receptacle of the at least one female connector, where the at least one strap is oriented on the rear side of the compartment such that the rear side of the compartment faces the body of the user when the article is worn.   
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein bottom side of the compartment further comprises:
 a tether extending from the bottom side; and   a male connector coupled to the tether.   
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the second end of the at least one strap includes a female connector that removably couples to the male connector of the tether of the bottom side of the compartment. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 17 , wherein the top side further comprises a seam extending across the top side, the seam being spaced equidistant from the front side and the rear side of the compartment, the at least one female connector disposed on the top side over the seam.