GB2059254A - Sports bag - Google Patents

Abstract

A sports bag (1) accommodates a relatively small bag (6) for containing accessories which a player is likely to require during a squash game. Means are provided for detachably securing the small bag (6) within the main bag (1) to prevent relative movement during carrying. The small bag has an open top and a number of pockets having openings in walls of the smaller bag. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sports bag This invention relates to sport bags in general, and is particularly applicable to a bag designed to contain equipment and clothing for use in the game of squash.

The game of squash is played in a court having a front wall, two side walls and a rear wall, the entire floor area bounded by these walls constituting the playing area about which the players move during the course of play. Thus, unlike courts used in other games, such as tennis, there is no floor or ground area surrounding the playing area, readily accessible to the players where various items which may be required during the course of a game may be left.

Access to the squash court is by way of a door provided centrally along, and flush in the rear wall.

Although it would be possible for items to be left outside the door, they would be out of the court and out of sight of the players. Two points arise here: firstly, the rules of squash forbid players to leave the court during a game; secondly, players will normally wish to divest themselves of such valuable items as watches, and will clearly wish to leave such items in a visible position during play. The first point above raises problems if, for example, a shoelace should break during play; in circumstances such as this, the game cannot proceed until a replacement item has been brought onto court, and this would often cause the breaking of a rule of squash.

Accordingly, it is common practice for squash players to take onto the court various essential items and valuables, and to leave these on the floor in a front corner of the court, viz in a corner between the front wall and a side wall. However, since it is clearly importantthat these items should not interfere with play, players generally restrict items brought onto court to the bare essentials to enable them to cope with the type of emergency mentioned above. If further items to which the players may desire to have access and contained, for example in a conventional sports bag, are left in this position, there is the danger that by virtue of their total bulk, they may interfere with the players movements orthe flight of the ball.

Accordingly, the invention provides a sports bag assembly comprising a main bag and detachably securable thereto a relatively smaller bag for accommodating sports accessories and which is removable from the main bag.

The main bag, in the case of a squash bag, will be large enough to contain, in addition to the smaller bag, a squash racket and squash clothing. The smaller bag will be used by the playerto hold the various items he may require during a game together with the players valuables, and will be taken onto court and deposited in a cornerofthe court. The items are thus retained together in a compact unit thereby minimising the danger of interference with play.

The smaller bag preferably has a firm rectangular base with four upstanding relatively flexible walls, the top being open to facilitate the packing into, and unpacking from the bag of the small towel. One or more ofthe side walls may have horizontal slit openings leading into respective pockets for accommodating the different items required. These slit openings may be closable by zip fasteners. A flexible handle may span across the open top of the bag to afford easy portability.

Means for detachably securing the smaller bag within the main bag may comprise pieces of VEL CRO (Registered Trade Mark) attached respectively to the outside of the smaller bag and to the inside of the main bag at the desired position at which the smaller bag is to be accommodated.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE lisa perspective view of a squash bag according to the invention showing a small squash bag secured therein; and FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the smaller bag, shown in the upright position which it would assume standing in a corner of the squash court.

With reference to the drawings, a main squash bag 1 has a relatively firm fabric covered peripheral side wall 2, which includes two relatively long wall portions 2a and two relatively short wall portions 2b. A handle 3 is provided generally centrally of one of the longer wall portions 2a, and a relatively flexible upper wall 4 is arranged so that it can be hinged away from the side wall 2 to constitute a lid providing access to the interior of the bag. A zip fastener 5 is provided to fasten the lid 4 at its periphery to an edge of the side wall 2.

Within the bag 1 at one end thereof is a smaller bag 6, shown in greater detail in Figure 2. The bag 6 comprises a relatively firm rectangular base 7, and projecting upwardly therefrom, two side walls 8 and front and rear walls 9. The bag is provided with a handle 10 spanning across the open top of the bag from one side wall 8 to the other. Both front and rear walls 9 each have a pair of horizontal slit openings 11 providing access into respective pockets 12; zipfasteners 13 are provided at these slit openings. To secure the smaller bag 6 within the main bag 1, a piece of VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) 14 is affixed to one or other of the front and rear walls 9, for example in a region between the two slit openings 11 as shown in Figure 2. A complementary piece of VEL CRO is affixed at an appropriate pointtothe base 15 of the bag 1.By this means, the smaller bag 6 can be securely disposed within the main bag 1 to prevent it from moving about while the main bag is being carried. Various other forms of detachable fixing may clearly be employed such as poppers, buttons, clips etc.

The function of the smaller bag is to contain the various accessory items which the squash player may wish to utilise during the progress of a game and to hold the players valuables. Such former items include a small towel, spare shoelaces, glucose tablets, resin pad, head andlorwristbands, spare squash balls, score card and pencil and coins for operating a light meter for illuminating the court. Of these items, the towel is clearly the most bulky and is intended to be accommodated in the space defined by the base and upstanding walls of the smaller bag.

The other items can be accommodated in the various pockets, which may be individually identified by lettering printed, or otherwise provided on the outer surface of the walls 9 of the smaller bag adjacent the slit openings. The small bag can also hold the players valuables (e.g. wallet, wristwatch). The size of the small bag is such that it can be deposited in the front corner of the squash court will not interfere with the players movements orthe flight of the ball.

In particularthe heightofthis bag should be less than the heightto the upper edge of the board (or "tin") from the ground, namely 19 inches (0.48 m), and should preferably be no greater than approximately 13 inches (330 m) to allow a reasonable clearance between the top of the bag and the top of the board. The smaller bag may, for example, be approximately 9t inches (0.24 m) tall, approximately 6 inches (0.15 m) wide (direction of extension of the handle 10), and approximately 4 inches (0.10 m) deep.

As regards items such as laces, wristbands, squash balls, there is no necessity for the playerto leave the court when such items are required. As regards the players valuables, the bag remains within the players vision while he is on court, and the security of such valuables is therefore ensured.

Claims (10)

1. A sports bag assembly comprising a main bag having detachably securable thereto a relatively smaller bag for accommodating sports accessories and which is removable from the main bag.

2. A sports bag assembly according to claim 1, wherein the smaller bag is detachably securable within the interior of the bag.

3. A sports bag assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the smaller bag includes a plurality of separate compartments.

4. A sports bag assembly according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said compartments comprises a pocket with an opening thereto provided in a side wall of said smaller bag.

5. A sports bag assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the smaller bag comprises a base and an upstanding peripheral side wall extending from the base, the said smaller bag being open at an end thereof opposite said base wall.

6. A sports bag assembly according to any preceding claim wherein said smaller bag is provided with a handle.

7. A sports bag assembly according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 5 wherein said handle extends across the open end of the said smaller bag.

8. A sports bag for accommodating sports accessories comprising a relatively firm base, a relatively flexible upstanding peripheral side wall extending from said base, said bag being open at an end thereof opposite said base, wherein the bag includes a plurality of separate compartments for accommodating the different accessories, and wherein a handle is provided extending across the said open end.

9. A sports bag assembly substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompany ing drawings.

10. A sports bag substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 ofthe accompanying drawings.