CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT [001] BAGS [002] This invention relates to bags and in particular to an arrangement for holding a multiple of bags as well as in combination a bag holder with bags and a method of holding bags. 5 [003] Background of the Invention [004] It has become universal that thin sheet plastic bags are provided by business premises for customers to hold and then transport the goods purchased to their homes. [005] The very thin plastic bags are considered generally to be disposable and 10 while they can be used for some limited further applications such as liners and holders of rubbish, their subsequent uses or mostly simply disposal creates what many consider to be an environmental mess and at least one government in Australia has passed legislation to stop the use of such bags at least in many business outlets. 15 [006) Whereas thin plastic bags can be pushed into a relatively negligible area, more substantial bags which are by their nature reusable, also by their nature are more bulky. [007] It is currently possible and will be when a ban takes effect, more so, to purchase more substantial bags but at a cost which reflects their more costly 20 manufacture basis. [008] An economic reusable bag that is conventionally being offered includes a fabric perhaps cloth or other pliable material which is formed into an appropriate bag shape including two oppositely positioned sides, two oppositely positioned ends and a floor and secured to each of the sides, a loop handle, the ends of 25 each loop being secured often by having the loops in the form of straps of a length appropriate for being hand held and which are secured so as to extend 1 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT and be attached for a significant length to a respective portion of a side of the bag. [009] Such bags are intended to perform the task which is currently being provided by the disposable plastic bags and generally therefore have a space 5 which is defined by a width of each side of 30 cm, a width of each end being 20 cm, and a depth from top to bottom of 35 cm. [010] This size is typical. [011] A problem arises however when people arrive to shop in that the actual number of bags that might be required will generally be unknown and there is a 10 challenge in firstly being prepared and therefore conveniently carrying a sufficient number of bags that might be needed. [012] A second problem however relates to the supermarket or retail store where customers will be expected to not only bring in a number of bags but also to leave very often with a number of bags which will not be in fact used or a bag 15 holder which can also be used to conceal goods when the customer is leaving the store of other business premises. [013] This problem of security by having to allow people with multiple bags to leave where it becomes physically costly and often embarrassing to have to directly search inside all of those bags for goods that might otherwise not be 20 paid for. [014] Summary of this Invention [015] My solution to this problem proposes a bag holder which has two sides with one or more shoulder straps secured to one or more of the two sides, the two sides defining a storage space there between in which a modest number of 25 bags of the type described can be stored when folded into a relatively planar shape which, while being able to accommodate in an adjustable manner some bags, is also generally open at its ends so that both the bags stored and 2 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT subsequently when empty can be externally viewed for instance by security staff or check-out attendants at supermarkets or other such premises. [016] Typically, the holder will hold comfortably four such bags (although this number of bags is not limited) each folded in half and position one along side 5 the other and the ends of the two respective sides are joined together by extendable elastic such that the elastic is positioned only over a portion of the respective ends between the two sides. [017] In preference, the bag holder is comprised of a sheet material such as a fabric, or other pliable sheet material and has a shape that provides for two 10 sides which in one instance can be a single sheet of material extending from one side across the bottom area and up the other side, and there are two shoulder straps each of the ends of the respective straps being secured toward the ends of each respective side. [018] In the alternative, a flap is secured at one end of one side and it has at its 15 outer end on an inner face, a portion of a material such as that sold under the trade mark "Velcro" which is a hook and loop joining system, and in a corresponding position near its end on the other side, the other portion of the "Velcro" hook and loop system material is attached and this is also repeated at the other end of the bag holder. 20 [019] The result is a bag holder that can conveniently hold bags generally of the type described. [020] In a further form the invention could be said to reside in bag holder including a first side, a second side oppositely located to the first said side, a first handle comprised of a loop having its respective ends attached to each of 25 opposite ends of the said first side, a second handle comprised of a loop having its respective ends attached to each of opposite ends of the said second side, and extending between the first side and the second side, one for each end, a resilient extendable flap. 3 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT [021] In a further form the invention could be said to reside in a holder for bags which has first and second sides oppositely positioned and joined across respective lower most edges of the respective sides, defining thereby a plurality-of-folded-soft fabric-bags space, two shoulder carrying loops attached 5 one to each side, and a first end flap either elastically or adjustably joining between a first of the ends of the said first and second sides, and a second end flap either elastically or adjustably joining between a second of the ends of the said first and second sides being oppositely positioned to the said first of the ends. 10 [022] In a further form the invention could be said to reside in a holder for bags which has first and second sides oppositely positioned and joined across respective lower most edges of the respective sides, defining thereby a plurality-of-folded- fabric-bags space, two shoulder carrying loops attached one to each side, and a first end flap either elastically or adjustably joining between 15 a first of the ends of the said first and second sides, and a second end flap either elastically, adjustably or releasably joining between a second of the ends of the said first and second sides being oppositely positioned to the said first of the ends, and at least three fabric bags of a type having looped handles and being of a readily foldable material in a folded state and being positioned in the 20 plurality-of-folded-fabric-bags space by being folded into a laminar alignment and being located one adjacent the other. [023] In a further form the invention could be said to reside in a holder for bags which has first and second sides oppositely positioned and joined across respective lower most edges of the respective sides, defining thereby a 25 plurality-of-folded-fabric-bags space, two shoulder carrying loops attached one to each side, and a first end flap either elastically or adjustably joining between a first of the ends of the said first and second sides, and a second end flap either elastically, adjustably or releasably joining between a second of the ends of the said first and second sides being oppositely positioned to the said first of 30 the ends, and at least four fabric bags of a type having looped handles and 4 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT being of a readily foldable material in a folded state and being position in the plurality-of-folded-fabric-bags space. [024] In a further form the invention could be said to reside in a further included feature in which the respective end flaps are each of an elastically stretchable 5 material. [025] In a further form the invention could be said to reside in a further included feature in which the respective end flaps are each comprised of a portion attached to an end of a first side and having one part of a hook and loop attachment at or toward an end of the flap and having a corresponding other 10 part of a hook and loop attachment attached to the second side with the respective locations enabling a releasable attachment by each respective flap between the first and second sides. [026] In relation to the above in each case there is advantage in having each side of an opaque material which can then be appropriate to a decorative 15 appearance and be otherwise open or covered only to some extent so that the space between the sides can be visually discemed by security or other appropriate persons when being used in a shopping context. (027] In a further aspect the bag holder has stiffening strips along an upper edge of each side and also along a floor portion. 20 [028] For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with respect to embodiments which shall now be described with reference to drawings wherein; [029] Figure 1 is a view of a person with a bag holder with bags in it according to the first embodiment, 25 [030] Figure 2 is a view of the bag alone with folded individual bags inside the bag holder, 5 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT [031] Figure 3 is a view of the same embodiment as in figures 1 and 2 without the folded bags inside, [032] Figure 4 is a further embodiment which includes again open ends with a resilient tie and mesh below this, 5 [033] Figure 5 is the same embodiment as in figure 4 viewed from the end and having a plurality of bags folded and being held, [034] Figure 6 illustrates a fabric bag of the type that is intended to be folded and placed within the bag holder as in either of the previous embodiments. [035] Referring now in detail to the drawings, and in particular to figures 1, 2 10 and 3, the holder for bags 1 has a first side 2 and a second side 3 which are oppositely positioned one with respect to the other and joined across as a floor by a floor portion 4 which in this case is simply a continuation of the material providing the respective sides 2 and 3. [036] These two sides 2 and 3 thereby define between them a plurality of 15 folded fabric bags space 5. [037] Two shoulder straps 6 and 7 are respectively secured at their ends 8 and 9 in one case and 10 and 11 in the other to the respective upper edge portions of sides 2 and 3 and are spaced apart so that they are approximately one third along from each end in respect of the length of the respective sides 2 and 3. (In 20 a further alternative arrangement the straps are attached to the respective sides but also are extended to run fully around the two sides and across the floor portion. ) [038] The sides 2 and 3 are also opaque and for that reason can be either plain in the sense of conventional fabric appearance, or can be decorated 25 according to personal choice and can indeed be alternatively comprised of other materials other than a fabric. 6 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT [039] Across between respective ends of the sides 2 and 3 at one end is a first flap of elastic material 12 and across the other end of the respective sides 2 and 3 a further elastic strap 13 the width of the respective straps 12 and 13 being modest so that there is an open area shown typically at one end at 14 and at 5 the other end at 15 beneath the elastic strap. The bag 1 then provides an elegant holder which can adapt to holding 1, 2, 3, 4 or even more cloth bags which have hand length straps in a single folded position and which are appropriate and preferred by potential retail suppliers in that it is very easy for security or other persons to look through the bag holder from end to end even 10 when fabric bags are folded in the bag holder. [040] The fabric bags of which we speak are shown at figure 6 as 16. [041] This is a type of bag widely accepted now as very economic and comprised entirely of fabric and being capable of holding relatively heavy loads so that straps 17 and 18 of a length to be most conveniently hand held are 15 securely supported along the sides for instance 19 by extending with extended strap lengths 19 and 20 for strap 17 as an example. [042] A fabric bag of this type has substantially twice the height of the bag holder 1 so that when simply folded over in half, it fits neatly as is shown for instance in figures 1 and 2. Such fabric bags are variously described 20 [043] Such a bag holder as in the first embodiment can be used for convenient storage of the fabric bags and can simply be quickly taken when needed from any appropriate location. [044] There are other ways of achieving the similar result and in the second embodiment shown in figures 4 and 5, the holder 20 has sides 21 and 22 and 25 shoulder length straps 23 and 24 secured at approximately one third the way along from each end to the respective sides 21 and 22. 7 CONFIDENTIAL DRAFT [045] The depth of the bag again is such that it can be a conventional hand held bag which can be folded in two and then being neatly stored between the respective sides 21 and 22 and of course by having these simply folded, this assists in being able to further view what might be termed inclusion of 5 unpurchased products. [046] In this case the alteration is an end strap 25 at one end and 26 at the other and there is a mesh fabric 27 at one end and 28 at the other which can allow visual inspection therethrough but can be considered by some to be of more superior appearance. 10 [047] There is value in having a locking strap 28 which is secured at one end to the side 21 at 29 and a releasable engagement on the other side 30 which in this case includes a hook and loop engagement system often referred to under the Registered Trade Mark "Velcro". [048] We have described an elastic strap but other releasable fastening can be 15 also used including straps joined by a buckle, a button and button hole in a strap secured to one side, a folded strap that is allowed to expand by release of a press stud, two laces their respective ends being secured to the respective sides and being joined by a knot or bow, or even cords both secured to a respective side and having their ends passing through an interlocking joiner. 20 [049] From this description then it will be seen that we have proposed a very effective system with a bag holder that can provide some assurance to security personnel and store owners and operators that unpurchased goods are not going to be in such bag holders while at the same time, it offers great convenience to those who will intend to purchase goods and have to take their 25 own bags for this purpose into a store or other outlet. 8