FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to portable packs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Packs holding implements for tactical medical emergencies require easy and fast access to the implements with minimal hindrance. Various constructs answer at least some of these requirements. However, there remains room for improvement. For example, currently used combat medical packs tend to be very bulky, covered with receptacles such as pockets and pouches, both in front and in back, and on the shoulder straps. These pouches can be considerable hindrance to a combat soldier, in the front because they are at the expense of access to warfare equipment, and in the back because they are difficult to access, and on the shoulder straps since they might interfere with maneuverability. Sensitive medical equipment is often not protected sufficiently well and might easily break, wear out or lose it's sterility due to the rough treatment the pack undergoes. An object is to provide a pack that is versatile, equipment-protective, and that facilitates access to articles such as medical equipment yet allows putting them out of the way when not required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, a pack is provided that comprises:

a bag containing side walls, a bottom wall and at least one receptacle

configured to allow snagless removal of articles placed therein to outside the bag. In some preferred embodiments, the receptacles are attachable to the side walls and/or bottom wall of the pack.

In some preferred embodiments, the side walls/bottom wall of the pack are configured to allow attachment of the receptacles in multiple positions.

In some preferred embodiments, the side walls/bottom wall of the pack are configured to allow attachment of the receptacles in multiple orientations.

Some preferred embodiments further comprise at least one strip, each strip comprising: resilient means for attachment of articles thereon or therein, and at least one strip engagement means, and wherein the bottom wall of the pack has fixed thereto at least one bottom strap having a bottom strap engagement means for engagement with a strip engagement means thereof.

The receptacle may comprise at least one box having a box bottom, the pack further comprising at least one strip, each strip comprising: resilient means for attachment of articles thereon or therein and at least one strip engagement means, and wherein each box bottom has fixed thereto at least one bottom strap having a bottom strap engagement means for engagement with a strip engagement means thereof.

The bottom strap may further comprise a resilient element configured to allow pulling the bottom strap engagement means out of the bag.

Preferably, the strip further comprises a stiff backing.

The stiff backing is preferably at least 0.5mm thick, for example 0.8mm thick.

The stiff backing is made for example plastic material selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene copolymerized with ethylene, ABS, and combinations thereof and other materials that have similar stiffness at a thickness of about 0.5- lmm.

A rugged cover may be tautly fixed to the backing. The cover comprises for example yarn filaments woven together into a looped entanglement, and jet-textured.

The cover is preferably at least 600 Denier.

The pack may further comprise back straps, each comprising at least one strap engagement means for engagement with a strip engagement means thereof.

The pack may further comprise flaps, the pack configured to allow strip engagement means to extend out of the pack when the flaps are closed, and to allow opening the flaps when the strip engagement means are pulled.

According to another aspect, a system comprising the pack of any one of the packs defined above, and a belt comprising at least one belt engagement means for engagement with a strip attachment means, is provided.

In some system embodiments the strip or belt engagement means further comprises at least one adjustment strap, each configured to allow sturdy engagement of a strip with a strap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.

With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of selected embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the embodiments; the description taken with the drawings making apparent to apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 presents a perspective side-view of a pack having rigid compartments therein, inside the compartments there are strips connected thereto;

Figure 2a illustrates a cutout compartment together with a disconnected strip;

Figure 2b shows the compartment and strip shown in Figure 2, connected to each other;

Figure 3 a is a perspective frontal view of the pack opened up, wherein the rigid compartments are arranged in a first configuration;

Figure 3b is a perspective frontal view of the pack opened up, wherein the rigid compartments are arranged in a second configuration;

Figure 4 depicts a back view of the pack, showing straps and a waist-belt, all having fittings connectable to the strips, and

Figure 5 illustrates a strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED EMBODIMENTS

According to one aspect, a pack is provided that is particularly suitable and versatile for quick access to equipment in or on the pack.

Referring to Figure 1, the pack 100 comprises a bag 110 with side walls 112 and a bottom wall (not shown in the figure), the pack 100 further comprises two receptacles 120a, 120b that have interior side walls 122a and 122b respectively. The pack is for example for emergency medical use, in which case it is important that items be easily and reliably withdrawn from the receptacles during emergencies. Some embodiments comprise receptacles with interior side walls 122a, 122b made of fabric tautly stretched over material that retains shape, in particular without creasing, after being subject to pressure and/or impact, from punishments such as sitting on the pack, falling from a considerable height etc. The receptacles may comprise sheets of polypropylene of 0.5- lmm, polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene copolymerized with ethylene, ABS, and combinations thereof , for example, to impart appropriate rigidity, flexibility and strength. Such embodiments may allow snagless withdrawal from the receptacles despite said punishment. The fabric may further be rugged e.g. abrasion-resistant and fixed to rigid material underneath. Such fabric is preferably at least 500 Denier. The pack may also be padded to help protect the receptacles.

The receptacle 120a may be a box having therein a bottom, and an open top. In other embodiments (not shown) there are flaps thereon, such flaps may be a substitute for bag cover/s or may be an additional cover/s protecting sensitive contents of the receptacle. In yet other embodiments, the receptacles are sleeves.

As shown in Figure 3a and Figure 3b, the receptacles 120a, 120b may be placed in multiple positions and/or orientations. Preferably, the receptacles are attachable to the side walls and/or bottom wall of the pack. The receptacles may have on their outside walls and/or on their outside bottom Velcro, for example, that can engage a matching Velcro on the bag interior. The advantage of relocating and/or repositioning of the receptacles is for example that the effective size of the pack may be adjusted by such that a large article may be placed in the bag, for example a stretcher may be placed in the bag in the orientation depicted in Figure 3a, but not in the orientation shown in Figure 3b. On the other hand, the bag may be compressed and be narrower in the orientation shown in Figure 3b, which would allow a person carrying the pack easier and safer passage through narrow spaces such as crevices.

Referring back to Figure 1, the pack 100 further comprises strips 130a and

130b, each strip comprising: resilient means (not shown) for attachment of articles thereon or therein, and at least one strip engagement means, and wherein the bottom wall of the pack (if the receptacle is a sleeve) or the box has fixed thereto at least one bottom strap (not shown) having a bottom strap engagement means for engagement with a strip engagement means thereof. The Figure shows the strips 130a, 130b drawn out of the bag 110. The strip 130a is further shown in isolation with a box 120a in Figure 2a, wherein the strip 130a is mostly inside the box 120a. The bottom strap 140 has engagement means 144a, and the strip 130a has engagement means (not shown) are engaged with the engagement means 144a of the bottom strap 140. Figure 2b shows the engagement means of the strip 134a' disengaged from the engagement means 144a of the bottom strap 140.

Figure 4 shows the strip 130a hanging out of the bag 110 after being pulled out. Figure 5 shows the strip 130a disengaged from the bag. The strip 130a includes resilient means 136a such as elastomeric bands for attachment of articles thereon or therein.

The bottom strap 140a preferably further comprises a resilient element 142 configured to allow pulling the bottom strap engagement means out of the bag 110, as shown in Figure 4. The pulling may be accomplished in the following way: The strip 130a has two engagement means 134a', 134a", one on each end of the strip 130a. The first engagement means 134a' of the strip 130a is engaged with the engagement means 144a of the bottom strap 140a, as in Figure 3a, whereas the second engagement means 134a" of the strip 130a extends outside the bag 110, as in Figure 4. The resilient element 142 allows easily pulling the strip 130a out of the bag 110 and disengaging the first engagement means 134a' of the strip 130a is from the engagement means 144a of the bottom strap 140a. The bottom strap 140a then typically rebounds into the bag 110 and the strip 130a is available for use.

In preferred embodiments, the strip further comprises a stiff backing. Such backing prevents the articles attached to the strip from being damaged or disfigured by forces applied on the strip. Preferably, the stiff backing is at least 0.5mm thick and may be made of plastic such as polypropylene. In some embodiments, a strong and abrasion-resistant cover is fixed to the backing, for example yarn filaments woven together into a looped entanglement, and jet- textured. Such cover preferably is at least 600 Denier.

Typically the pack further comprises back straps, 150a in Figure 4, each comprising at least one strap engagement means 160a for engagement with a strip engagement means 134" thereof. After the strip engagement means 134a' is disengaged from the engagement means of the bottom strap (that is fixed to the bottom of the bag or the bottom wall of the box), the strip engagement means 134a' is free to engage with the strap engagement means 160a and thus the strip 130a is engaged to the strap and is fully available for use.

The embodiment in Figure 4 further comprises flaps 116a, 116b. The pack 100 is configured to allow strip engagement means to extend out of the pack 100 when the flaps are closed, and to allow opening the flaps when the strip engagement means are pulled. The flaps may have a particular amount of Velcro or other engagements means that allows them to firmly engage the bag so as not to unintentionally open, yet allows them to be easily forced open when the strip is pulled out. The strip may have a particular shape, particularly the part of the backing to first contact the flaps (e.g. spade shape) to facilitate opening the flaps and allowing the strips thereout.

According to another aspect, a system comprising the pack of any one of the embodiments described above and a belt 160 comprising at least one belt engagement means 170a for engagement with a strip engagement means 134a" is provided. The belt may be part of the bag 110, or a separate unit. Typically, when the strip is withdrawn, the first engagement means 134a' is engaged with the strap, and the second engagement means 134a" is engaged with the belt. The strip is thus immobilized and allows the user a good range of movement with minimal impediment by the strip. The strip or the belt engagement means may further comprise at least one adjustment strap, such as the adjustment strap 138a in Figure 5 on the strip 130a, each is configured to allow sturdy engagement of a strip with a strap by adjustment of the strap 138a until the strip is tautly immobilized on the strap.

It should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that changes and modifications can be made by one ordinarily skilled in the art without deviation from the scope of the invention, as will be defined in the appended claims.

Although certain presently preferred embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that variations and modifications of the various embodiments shown and described herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims and the applicable rules of law.