WO2014033450A1

WO2014033450A1 - Expandable cool bag

Info

Publication number: WO2014033450A1
Application number: PCT/GB2013/052254
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Harrison
Original assignee: Mark Harrison
Priority date: 2012-08-31
Filing date: 2013-08-28
Publication date: 2014-03-06
Also published as: GB2505465A; GB201215500D0

Abstract

A cool bag (100) is disclosed, comprising a main bag section (102) forming an insulated pocket and a tubular expandable section (104) attached to the opening of the main bag section, the expandable section having a lining of flexible insulating material. A lid (106) is attached to the upper opening of the expandable section so as to allow access to an inside of the cool bag. The expandable section (104) is extendable from a contracted state in which the upper opening of the expandable section is adjacent to its lower opening and the cool bag has a smaller volume to an expanded state in which the upper opening of the expandable section is separated from its lower opening and the cool bag has a larger volume. A method of folding a cool bag for storage is also disclosed.

Description

EXPANDABLE COOL BAG

The present invention relates to a cool bag that can be expanded to increase its volume. The invention also relates to a cool bag that can be folded into a pouch and a method of folding a cool bag.

Insulated cool bags are widely used to keep food and drink cool, for example to hold a packed lunch or picnic. Cool bags are also used to keep other objects cool, for example ice and organs for transplants amongst others. There is a problem with existing cool bags in that they are bulky and fairly rigid. This means that the cool bag takes up a relatively large amount of space even when the bag is empty or only partially full, both during use and afterwards when stored. This in turn makes cool bags inconvenient to carry and store between uses.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cool bag that is more compact when empty or partially empty and that can be stored more easily.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cool bag

comprising: a main bag section forming an insulated pocket; a tubular expandable section attached to the opening of the main bag section, the expandable section having a lining of flexible insulating material; and a lid attached to the upper opening of the expandable section so as to allow access to an inside of the cool bag; wherein the expandable section is extendable from a contracted state in which the upper opening of the expandable section is adjacent to its lower opening and the cool bag has a smaller volume to an expanded state in which the upper opening of the expandable section is separated from its lower opening and the cool bag has a larger volume.

Since the cool bag of this aspect of the invention has the expandable section, the size of the bag can be adjusted between a larger and a smaller volume. This means that the bag takes up less space when empty or partially empty compared to an inflexible bag having the same maximum volume. The expandable section of the present invention is made possible by using flexible and thinner insulating materials such as Thinsulate (RTM) and GORE-TEX (RTM) for the expandable section. It would not be possible to provide the expandable section using conventional insulating foam, which is too rigid and thick to collapse.

Preferably, the cool bag further comprises a fastening means adapted to attach an edge of the upper opening of the expandable section to an edge of the lower opening of the expandable section in the contracted state. More preferably, the fastening means is a zip fastener extending around the outside of the upper opening and the lower opening of the expandable section.

Preferably, the main bag section has an insulating foam lining. Suitably, the lid has an insulating foam lining.

In one embodiment, the cool bag further comprises a lower pouch, wherein: a base of the main bag section is attached to an upper edge of the pouch to form a hinge portion; the main bag section has a flexible insulating lining; and the pouch is adapted to accommodate the main bag section in a folded state so as to store the cool bag.

Folding the cool bag of this embodiment into the pouch means that the cool bag takes up a much smaller volume when stored than a conventional cool bag of the same maximum volume. The folding action of the cool bag is made possible by using flexible and thinner insulating material such as Thinsulate (RTM) or GORE-TEX (RTM) for the folding insulated section of the bag. Conventional insulating foam is too rigid and thick to be folded in the same way as the bag of this embodiment.

Preferably, the cool bag further comprises a first fastening means adapted to

detachably attach the upper edge of the pouch to the base of the main bag section at portions other than the hinge portion in an unfolded state of the cool bag, so that the pouch is closed by the base of the main bag section when the first fastening means is fastened in the unfolded state. More preferably, the first fastening means is a zip fastener.

Preferably, the pouch is adapted to be turned inside out to enable the main bag section to be stored in the pouch in the folded state. Suitably, the cool bag further comprises a second fastening means adapted to detachably attach the upper edge of the pouch to the base of the main bag section at portions other than the hinge portion in the folded state of the cool bag, so that the pouch is closed by the base of the main bag section with the main bag section stored within the pouch when the second fastening means is fastened in the folded state.

Preferably, the second fastening means is a zip fastener.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of folding a cool bag for storage, the cool bag comprising a lower pouch and a main bag section, a base of the main bag section being attached to an upper edge of the lower pouch to form a hinge portion, and the main bag section having a flexible insulating lining, the method comprising: turning the lower pouch inside out; collapsing the main bag section; and rotating the main bag section about the hinge portion to a position in which the main bag section is contained within the pouch and the base of the main bag section forms a lid of the pouch.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of further example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an expandable cool bag according to a first embodiment of the invention in a contracted state;

Fig. 2 shows the expandable cool bag of Fig. 1 in an expanded state;

Fig. 3 shows an expandable and foldable cool bag according to a second embodiment of the invention and the steps of folding and storing it.

A first embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 1 . The first embodiment is a cool bag 100 suitable for carrying food and drink, having a main bag section 102, an upper expandable section 104 and a lid 106. The upper expandable section 104 is tubular and is joined at its lower edge to an upper opening of the main bag section 102.

The main bag section 102 is insulated with foam insulation as used in conventional cool bags. In some applications this alone may be sufficient insulation, but in this

embodiment an extra layer of flexible insulation such as Thinsulate (RTM) and/or GORE-TEX (RTM) is also provided in the main bag section 102. The main bag section 102 in this embodiment has a generally cuboidal shape and the insulation lines the inside of each wall of the main bag section 102. The bag may also have other shapes such as a tubular shape for carrying similarly shaped items. The expandable sections may form other parts of the bag, for example the side or base. The insulation is a single continuous layer in this embodiment but may also be provided as separate panels.

The upper expandable section 104 is only insulated with flexible insulating materials such as Thinsulate (RTM) and/or GORE-TEX (RTM). Surprisingly, the inventors have found that such flexible and thin insulating material provides adequate insulation to keep food and drink cool when used on the expandable section of the cool bag 100.

Typically, this type of insulation has been used to retain body heat in clothing rather than to preserve a temperature below that of the surroundings. The inventors have found that applying this material to a cool bag 100 can provide significant advantages in the design of the bag, as explained further below.

The flexible insulating material lining the upper expandable section 104 may be part of the same layer insulating the main bag section 102 or may be a separate insulating layer. Since no rigid foam insulation is used in the upper expandable section 104, the walls of the upper expandable section 104 are flexible and can be collapsed. As a result, the upper expandable section 104 can be extended from a contracted state in which the cool bag 100 has a smaller volume to an expanded state in which the cool bag 100 has a larger volume. The upper expandable section 104 can be extended by simply lifting the lid 106 away from the main bag section 102 of the cool bag 100.

A zip fastener is provided on upper and lower edges of the outer surface of the upper expandable section 104. When the upper expandable section 104 is in the contracted state, the part of the zip fastener on the upper edge can be fastened to the part on the lower edge so that the upper and lower edges are zipped together. This holds the bag in the contracted state for carrying or storage when the bag is wholly or partially empty. When it is necessary to fill the bag, the zip can be unfastened allowing the upper expandable section to be extended into the expanded state. When necessary, the bag may have multiple expandable sections. The adjustable volume of the bag makes the bag more convenient to carry and store when at least partly empty, while retaining the same maximum insulated volume for holding food and drink. This would not be possible using conventional insulating foam for the cool bag 100 due to the rigidity of the foam.

A second zip fastener is provided joining the upper edge of the upper expandable section 104 and the lid 106. The second zip fastener holds the bag closed when fastened and allows the lid 106 to be raised to open the bag when unfastened. The second zip fastener extends around three sides of the generally rectangular lid 106. The remaining side of the lid 106 is joined to the upper edge of the upper expandable section 104 by the outer material of the bag.

The insides of both the main bag section 102 and the upper expandable section 104 are lined with a food safe PVA lining. Any other food safe lining may also be used to separate the insulation of the cool bag 100 from the contents of the bag. The outer material of the cool bag 100 is polyester fabric in this embodiment, but any suitable material may be used for the outer surface provided that the expandable section can be sufficiently flexible to collapse. For example, nylon is another alternative outer material.

The lid 106 is lined with foam insulation and a flexible insulating layer in the same way as the main bag section 102. This improves insulation and makes the lid 106 relatively rigid, which helps protect the contents of the bag and maintain the shape of the bag. A webbing handle is attached to the lid 106, which can be used to carry the bag and also to extend the upper expandable section. A webbing shoulder strap is also provided, which is joined to the main bag section 102 of the cool bag 100.

A second embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3 is an expandable and foldable cool bag 200. The cool bag 200 of this embodiment also has a main bag section 202 provided with an upper expandable section 204 and a lid 206. The features of the upper expandable section 204 and the lid 206 in the second embodiment are as described above in relation to the first embodiment, except that the lid 206 in the second embodiment may be insulated with the flexible insulating layer alone in order to make the lid 206 less rigid. The main bag section 202 of the second embodiment is also joined to a lower pouch 208. The cool bag 200 can be stored in the lower pouch 208, and the lower pouch 208 can act as an additional pocket when the bag is in use.

The base of the main bag section 202 is generally rectangular and is attached to a top edge of the lower pouch 208 by the material of the bag along one side. The bag may also have other shapes such as a tubular shape for carrying similarly shaped items. The expandable sections may form other parts of the bag, for example the side or base. On the other three sides of the base, the base is attachable to the top edge of the pouch by a lower zip fastener. In use of the bag, the lower zip fastener can be opened to allow items to be placed in the lower pouch 208.

The lower pouch 208 is made from flexible material, for example polyester fabric. The lower pouch 208 does not need to be insulated or to have a food safe lining as its primary purpose is not to store food and drink. However, the pouch may also be provided with those features. A key feature of the pouch is that it must be possible to invert the pouch, i.e. turn it inside out, when the zip fastener is unfastened. This allows the bag to be stored in compact form as explained below.

The main bag section 202 is insulated with flexible insulating material in the same way as the upper expandable section 204 in the first embodiment. Since the main bag section 202 is insulated with flexible and thin insulator such as Thinsulate (RTM) and/or GORE-TEX (RTM) and no rigid insulating foam is used, the main bag section 202 can be collapsed when empty. The main bag section 202 also has a food safe lining inside the insulating material, for example a PVA lining.

A closure at the top of the main bag section 202 can be provided by a flap as shown in Fig. 3 or by a zip fastener. The inside of the flap may be fastened to the outer surface of the cool bag 200 by a hook and loop fastener for example. A webbing handle is attached to the top of the main bag section 202 as in the first embodiment. A webbing shoulder strap may also be attached to the main bag section 202. When the bag is empty and needs to be stored, the lower zip fastener can be unfastened and the lower pouch 208 can be turned inside out. The main bag section 202, being flexible, can then be collapsed in on itself and folded into the pouch. The fabric section joining the lower edge of the main bag section 202 to the upper edge of the pouch along one side acts as a hinge about which the main bag section 202 rotates relative to the lower pouch 208.

Once the main bag section 202 has been rotated through 180° relative to the pouch, the folded bag section is contained entirely within the pouch and the former lower edge of the main bag section 202 is once again adjacent the former upper edge of the pouch. The base of the main bag section 202 then forms a lid for the pouch. A storage zip fastener is provided along the lower edge of the main bag section 202 and along the upper edge of the pouch, with the teeth of the zip extending along the opposite side of each edge compared with the lower zip fastener. The storage zip fastener extends around the three sides of the main bag section 202 and pouch other than the side of the fabric section acting as a hinge.

The storage zip fastener can be fastened to hold the cool bag 200 in the folded state, with the main bag section 202 collapsed and held entirely within the closed pouch.

When stored in this configuration, the cool bag 200 of the invention can take up 75% less space than a conventional cool bag 200 of the same size. The insulated main bag section 202 is also protected from damage by the material of the pouch in the folded state. These advantages are possible due to the attachment between the lower pouch 208 and the main bag section 202 and also due to the fact that the main bag section 202 is flexible enough to be collapsed into the pouch. This would not be possible for a conventional cool bag 200 using relatively rigid and thicker insulating foam.

In the second embodiment, it is preferred that the entire main bag section 202 is insulated using flexible insulating materials such as Thinsulate (RTM) and/or GORE- TEX (RTM) so that the main bag section 202 can be collapsed and stored in the lower pouch 208. However, sections of insulating foam can also be used to insulate the main bag section 202 provided that the main bag section 202 can be folded up to a size small enough to fit in the lower pouch 208. The second embodiment has the advantage of an adjustable volume in the main bag section 202 so that the bag can take up less space when partly empty. The cool bag 200 also has the advantage that the main bag section 202 can be folded up and stored inside the lower pouch 208 when the bag is not in use, further reducing the volume of the bag.

The foregoing description has been given by way of example only and it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1 . A cool bag comprising:

a main bag section forming an insulated pocket;

a tubular expandable section attached to the opening of the main bag section, the expandable section having a lining of flexible insulating material; and

a lid attached to the upper opening of the expandable section so as to allow access to an inside of the cool bag;

wherein the expandable section is extendable from a contracted state in which the upper opening of the expandable section is adjacent to its lower opening and the cool bag has a smaller volume to an expanded state in which the upper opening of the expandable section is separated from its lower opening and the cool bag has a larger volume.

2. A cool bag according to claim 1 , further comprising a fastening means adapted to attach an edge of the upper opening of the expandable section to an edge of the lower opening of the expandable section in the contracted state.

3. A cool bag according to claim 2, wherein the fastening means is a zip fastener extending around the outside of the upper opening and the lower opening of the expandable section.

4. A cool bag according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main bag section has an insulating foam lining.

5. A cool bag according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lid has an insulating foam lining.

6. A cool bag according to any of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a lower pouch, wherein:

a base of the main bag section is attached to an upper edge of the pouch to form a hinge portion;

the main bag section has a flexible insulating lining; and the pouch is adapted to accommodate the main bag section in a folded state so as to store the cool bag.

7. A cool bag according to claim 6, further comprising a first fastening means adapted to detachably attach the upper edge of the pouch to the base of the main bag section at portions other than the hinge portion in an unfolded state of the cool bag, so that the pouch is closed by the base of the main bag section when the first fastening means is fastened in the unfolded state.

8. A cool bag according to claim 7, wherein the first fastening means is a zip fastener.

9. A cool bag according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the pouch is adapted to be turned inside out to enable the main bag section to be stored in the pouch in the folded state.

10. A cool bag according to any of claims 6 to 9, further comprising a second fastening means adapted to detachably attach the upper edge of the pouch to the base of the main bag section at portions other than the hinge portion in the folded state of the cool bag, so that the pouch is closed by the base of the main bag section with the main bag section stored within the pouch when the second fastening means is fastened in the folded state.

1 1 . A cool bag according to claim 10, wherein the second fastening means is a zip fastener.

12. A method of folding a cool bag for storage, the cool bag comprising a lower pouch and a main bag section, a base of the main bag section being attached to an upper edge of the lower pouch to form a hinge portion, and the main bag section having a flexible insulating lining, the method comprising:

turning the lower pouch inside out;

collapsing the main bag section; and rotating the main bag section about the hinge portion to a position in which the main bag section is contained within the pouch and the base of the main bag section forms a lid of the pouch.