Attachable backpack apparatus

Abstract

An attachable backpack apparatus for reducing sweat and heat is described herein. The attachable backpack apparatus may comprise one or more of a body, a backpack attachment component, and/or other components. The backpack attachment component is configured to removably engage with carrying straps of a backpack a forming an as-used position of the attachable backpack apparatus. The as-used position of the attachable backpack apparatus causes the body to be disposed at or near a lower portion of the backpack. The attachable backpack apparatus may separate a portion of the backpack from a portion of the user's back. Contact between the backpack and the user is therein reduced, while maintaining the traditional strap-based engagement of the backpack to the user and without adversely modifying the backpack's structure. The separation may create a channel between the backpack and the user to allow air to pass through.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An attachable backpack apparatus comprising:
 a body, the body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface forming a longitudinal passage running from the first end to the second end along a longitudinal axis of the body, wherein the first end includes a first opening of the longitudinal passage and the second end includes a second opening of the longitudinal passage;   a backpack attachment component communicating through the longitudinal passage, the backpack attachment component having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the third end extending from the first opening at the first end of the body, the fourth end extending from the second opening at the second end of the body; and   wherein the third end of the backpack attachment component is configured to removably engage with a first carrying strap of a backpack and the fourth end of the backpack attachment component is configured to removably engage with a second carrying strap of the backpack forming an as-used position of the attachable backpack apparatus, and wherein the as-used position of the attachable backpack apparatus causes the attachable backpack apparatus to be disposed at or near a lower back portion of a user of the backpack having the attachable backpack apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cover element formed to engage over the exterior surface of the body thereby wrapping the body in the cover element;   a first fastener inserted through the first opening and securing the cover element at the first end of the body; and   a second fastener inserted through the second opening and securing the cover element at the second end of the body.   
     
     
         3 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a circular cross-section such that the body has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         4 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the circular cross-section defines a diameter of the body, the diameter being in the range of two to thirteen centimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the diameter is about five centimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a circular segment cross-section such that a portion of the exterior surface of the body is curved and a portion of the exterior surface of the body is relatively flat. 
     
     
         7 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the backpack attachment component comprises a textile strip, wherein the third end of the backpack attachment component comprises a first clip, and wherein the fourth end of the backpack attachment component comprises a second clip. 
     
     
         8 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein removable engagement of the third end of the backpack attachment component to the first carrying strap of the backpack is facilitated by attaching the first clip to the first carrying strap, and the removable engagement of the fourth end of the backpack attachment component to the second carrying strap of the backpack is facilitated by attaching the second clip to the second carrying strap. 
     
     
         9 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the backpack attachment component comprises a textile strip, wherein the third end of the backpack attachment component comprises a first loop, and wherein the fourth end of the backpack attachment component comprises a second loop. 
     
     
         10 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a length, and wherein the length is in the range of ten to thirty centimeters. 
     
     
         11 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the length is about twenty three centimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The attachable backpack apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body is a polyethylene foam tube. 
     
     
         13 . A backpack system comprising:
 a backpack having a first carrying strap and a second carrying strap; and   an attachable backpack apparatus comprising:
 a body, the body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface forming a longitudinal passage running from the first end to the second end along a longitudinal axis of the body, wherein the first end includes a first opening of the longitudinal passage and the second end includes a second opening of the longitudinal passage, and wherein the body has a circular cross-section such that the body has a cylindrical shape; 
 a backpack attachment component communicating through the longitudinal passage, the backpack attachment component having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the third end extending from the first opening at the first end of the body, the fourth end extending from the second opening at the second end of the body, wherein the backpack attachment component comprises a textile strip, wherein the third end of the backpack attachment component comprises a first clip, and wherein the fourth end of the backpack attachment component comprises a second clip; 
 a cover element formed to engage over the exterior surface of the body thereby wrapping the body in the cover element; 
 a first fastener inserted through the first opening and securing the cover element at the first end of the body; 
 a second fastener inserted through the second opening and securing the cover element at the second end of the body; 
 wherein the third end of the backpack attachment component is removably engaged with the first carrying strap of a backpack and the fourth end of the backpack attachment component is removably engaged with the second carrying strap of the backpack forming an as-used position of the attachable backpack apparatus, and wherein the as-used position of the attachable backpack apparatus causes the attachable backpack apparatus to be disposed at or near a lower back portion of a user of the backpack having the attachable backpack apparatus; and 
 wherein removable engagement of the third end of the backpack attachment component to the first carrying strap of the backpack comprises the first clip being attached to the first carrying strap, and removable engagement of the fourth end of the backpack attachment component to the second carrying strap of the backpack comprise the second clip being attached to the second carrying strap. 
   
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacture of an attachable backpack apparatus, the method comprising:
 determining a length of a body of an attachable backpack apparatus;   forming the body of the determined length from a polyethylene foam tube, the body being formed to have a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface forming a longitudinal passage running from the first end to the second end along a longitudinal axis of the body, wherein the first end includes a first opening of the longitudinal passage and the second end includes a second opening of the longitudinal passage;   inserting a backpack attachment component through the longitudinal passage, the backpack attachment component having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the backpack attachment component being inserted through the longitudinal passage such that the third end extends from the first opening at the first end of the body, and the fourth end extends from the second opening at the second end of the body;   wrapping a cover element over the exterior surface of the body;   securing the cover element at the first end of the body using a first fastener; and   securing the cover element at the second end of the body using a second fastener.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the body has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the circular cross-section defines a diameter of the body, the diameter being in the range of two to thirteen centimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the diameter is about five centimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising forming the body to have a circular segment cross-section, such that a portion of the exterior surface of the body is curved and a portion of the exterior surface of the body is relatively flat. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the length is in the range of ten to thirty centimeters. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the length is about twenty three centimeters.