GB2236475A

GB2236475A - A bag for carrying a video camera and accessories

Info

Publication number: GB2236475A
Application number: GB9021633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Naoki Kamaya; Koichi Nishimura
Original assignee: Sony Corp
Current assignee: Sony Corp
Priority date: 1989-10-07
Filing date: 1990-10-04
Publication date: 1991-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2010-10-04
Also published as: JPH03123505A; JP2884625B2; GB2236475B; KR0147809B1; GB9021633D0; KR910007469A

Abstract

A video camera carrying bag comprises a first bag 2 for the camera and a second bag 3 for accessories, such as a battery, battery charger and tapes, the bag being detachably fastened together by adjustable fastening means 4, 19a. The fastening means may comprise belts 19a (19b) with ratchet teeth (32, Fig 5 not shown) attached to bag 3 lockable in buckles 4 having engaging members (31, Fig 5) attached to bag 2. Bag 2 may also include handle 11 and shoulder strap 8. The bags 2, 3 may also include respective belt loops 12 (20, Figs 1D, 1E, not shown) and respective fur-surfaced plastics reinforcing boards (14, 22, Figs 2A, 4B not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

A CASE FOR CARRYING A VIDEO CAMERA AND ACCESSORIES The present invention relates generally to carrying bags and more particularly to a video camera carrying bag for accommodating therein a video camera and related video camera accessories.

Various kinds of video camera carrying bags or cases have been proposed for accommodating a video camera and its related accessories. Our Japanese patent laid-open gazette number 64-37353 describes a substantially trunkshaped video camera carrying case in which a video camera and accessories are accommodated side by side. Japanese utility model laid-open gazette number 61-190223 describes such a carrying bag for only the video camera.

Typically, a video camera utilises a secondary battery as a power source for use while taking pictures.

Thus, a battery charger (including a mains (AC) power adaptor) for charging the secondary battery is one of the most important video camera accessories, and is practically indispensable for long trips. If the carrying bag has only the capacity to hold just the video camera, then the AC power adaptor must be carried independently. If the bag is large enough to hold both video camera and accessories, the bag may become unavoidably large in size, which is inconvenient and makes the bag difficult to carry.

On the other hand, if the video camera is only to be used for a relatively short period of time, the AC power adaptor is not needed, but instead the auxiliary secondary battery must be carried around with the camera. In that case, if only a large bag is available and it desired to leave the AC power adaptor behind, then the large bag must be carried. This may be very cumbersome.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved video camera carrying bag which can reduce or eliminate the aforementioned shortcomings and disadvantages encountered with the prior art.

According to the present invention, there is provided a video camera carrying bag comprising: a first bag for containing therein a video camera; a second bag for containing therein video camera accessories; and fastening means for detachably fastening the first and second bags together, wherein the tightness of fastening together of the first and second bags is adjustable.

The invention also provides the combination of video camera according to the invention, a video camera snugly accommodated in the first bag and at least one video camera accessory accommodated in the second bag.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A to 1E are perspective views of varying methods of use of one embodiment of a video camera carrying bag according to the present invention; Figures 2A and 2B are cutaway views illustrating the camera bag portion of the carrying bag of figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end portion of a shoulder belt of the carrying bag of figure 1; Figures 4A to 4C are perspective and cutaway views illustrating the accessory bag portion of the carrying bag of figure 1; and Figures 5A to 5D are varying views of a fastening member used in the carrying bag of figure 1.

Figures 1 through 5 of the drawings depict various preferred embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognise from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

Figure 1A shows the overall arrangement of an embodiment of the video camera carrying bag according to the present invention. A video camera carrying bag 1 is comprised of a camera bag 2 and an accessory bag 3, and the camera bag 2 and the accessory bag 3 are detachably fastened together by a fastening belt.

As shown in figure lB, the camera bag 2 is comprised of front, rear, left, right and bottom bag members 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d and 4e which define a substantially rectangular shape and which are made of cloth, leather, etc.

Zippers 5a and 5b are respectively attached to the upper edges of the front and rear bag members 4a and 4b, and a belt-shaped upper lid flap 6 is provided between the zippers 5a and 5b. A zipper handle 7 made of, for example, a plastic material is stretched between the ends of zippers 5a and 5b. The belt-shaped upper lid 6 can be opened by moving the zipper handle 7 in the left to right direction as shown in figure 2A, and closed by moving the zipper handle 7 in the right to left direction.

A shoulder belt 8 is attached to the upper left and right portions of the front and rear bag members 4a and 4b. Each of the end portions of the shoulder belt 8 is engaged with a belt inserting member 9 secured to the front and rear bag members 4a and 4b. The belt inserting member 9 may be made of a plastic material, and as shown in figure 3 is in the shape of a buckle comprised of a belt engaging portion 9a having a belt insertion slot 9c, an opening portion 9d, and a slit 9b. The slit 9b is used to remove slackening of the shoulder belt 8.

As shown in figure 3, there is provided a generally rectangular belt engaging member 10 which may also be made of a plastic material, and which contains two slot portions lOa that create a substantially letter-B shape. In use, one end of the shoulder belt 8 is inserted into the slots 10a, then into the belt inserting slot 9c of the belt inserting member 9 and turned around the belt engaging portion 9a as shown by arrow A in figure 3. The end of the shoulder belt 8 is inserted again into the belt inserting slot 9c from the opening portion 9d. Thereafter, the end of the shoulder belt 8 is inserted into the slots 10a of the belt engaging member 10 as shown by arrow B in figure 3 such that the shoulder belt 8 is engaged to the video camera bag 2.

As shown in figure 1, a handle 11 made of cloth, leather or the like is attached to the left bag member 4c of the video camera bag 2 so as to bridge the edges of the front and rear bag members 4a and 4b. This handle 11 may be grasped to hold the bag 2 steady when the belt-shaped upper lid 6 is opened by moving the zipper handle 7 as shown in figure 2A. Also, this handle 11 may be used to carry the video camera bag 2 by hand without using the shoulder belt 8.

Sewed onto the front and rear bag members 4a and 4b of the video camera bag 2 at their middle positions are belt-shaped members 17. Each belt-shaped member 17 has at an upper portion thereof a belt loop 12 and at a lower portion thereof a fastening member 4. Fastening member 4 is used to tightly fasten the accessory bag 3 to the camera bag 2 in cooperation with a belt attached to the accessory bag 3, as will be described later.

The inside of the video camera bag 2 may be covered with a sewn-in lining, if desired, and an inside pocket 13 provided in the inside of the rear bag member 4b as shown in figure 2A. Also as shown in figure 2A, a bottom board 14, which is shaped substantially in a U-shape and may be made of a plastics material such as Nylon or the like, is inserted in the bottom of the bag 2. The bottom board 14 is secured to the insides of the left and right bag members 4c and 4d by metal fittings 16 which are secured in the inside of the bottom bag member 4e.

A video camera 15 is accommodated within the video camera bag 2 as shown in figure 2B. Although the bottom portion 4e of the video camera bag 2 is made of cloth, since the video camera bag 2 is provided with the Nylons bottom board 14, the video camera bag 2 can be prevented from being deformed at the bottom portion thereof. The inside of the bottom board 14 may be made furry to prevent deformation of the bottom portion of the bag when it is loaded.

Referring back to figures 1A to lE, the accessory bag 3 will be described. As shown in figure 1C, the accessory bag 3 is comprised of front, rear, left, right, upper and lower bag members 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e and 16f which are each substantially rectangular and made of cloth, leather, etc. Sewed on the front and rear bag members 16a and 16b at substantially middle portions are belt-shaped members 18. Belts 19a and 19b which are, for example, moulded are attached to the upper portions of the beltshaped members 18. When the video camera bag 2 is not attached to the accessory bag 3, the tip ends of the belts 19a and 19b may be inserted into a belt loop 20 which is also made of, for example, plastics material. The belt loop 20 is attached to substantially the centre of the upper bag member 16f.A zipper 21 is provided at substantially the central positions of the front, rear and left bag members 16a, 16b and 16c such that it may extend from one edge to the other edge of the belt-shaped members 18. By use of this zipper 21, the left half portion-of the accessory bag 3 can be opened and/or closed as shown in figure 4B.

A reinforcing member 22 shown in figure 4B is inserted into the accessory bag 3 so that, even when the video camera bag 2 is put on the accessory bag 3, the accessory bag 3 is not damaged or deformed. The shape of the reinforcing member 22 may be determined by the desired size and shape of the accessory bag 3. In the example of figure 4B, the reinforcing member 22 is made of plastics material such as a Nylon foam board and is substantially a box in shape. An opening portion 22a is formed at the side surface of the reinforcing member 22 so that various accessories of video camera may be inserted into the reinforcing member 22 with ease. The right side corners of the reinforcing member 22 are cut away to provide cutaway portions 22b and 22c so that the reinforcing member 22 may be inserted into the accessory bag 3 with ease.As with bottom board 14, the outer surfaces of reinforcing member 22 may be made furry if desired. Also, the inside of accessory bag 3 may be lined as the camera bag 2, if desired.

In figure 4C, the accessory bag 3 is shown containing video cassette tapes 23, an AC power adaptor (charger) 24, a battery 25 and the like. As above, the belt loop 20 has slots 23a and 23b for receiving the ends of belts 19a and 19b. Slots 24a and 24b are also formed in the belt loop 20, in the direction perpendicular to slots 23a and 23b. A belt may be inserted through the slots 24a and 24b so that accessory bag 3 may be carried on the waist.

Thus, as shown in figures 1D and lE, either or both of the two detachable components, video camera bag 2 and accessory bag 3, can be carried fastened on a belt 27 worn by the user 26. This allows the user to operate the video camera 15 with both hands, thus increasing the convenience of operation.

When the video camera bag 2 and the accessory bag 3 are fastened together, as shown in figure 1A, the free ends of the belts 19a and 19b attached to the accessory bag 3 are released from the slots 23a and 23b of the belt loop 20, lifted in the vertical direction and inserted into and engaged with the fastening member 4 (see figure 1).

A method for coupling the fastening member 4 and the belts 19a and l9b will be described in detail with reference to figures 5A to 5D.

The fastening member 4 may again be made by, for example, a plastics moulding process, and is shaped substantially as a rectangular buckle which is provided at its upper and lower positions with belt insertion opening portions 28a and 28b as shown in figure 5A. A recess 29 of a U-shape is formed on the front surface of the buckle body of the fastening member 4 as shown in figure 5A. The portion encircled by the recess 29 is provided as an engaging portion 30, and an engaging member 31 is formed on the top portion of the engaging portion 30 as shown in figure 5B, which is taken along the line A-A' in figure 5A.

The engaging member 31 is engaged with a ratchet member 32 in the shape of a sawtooth formed on each of the belts l9a and 19b. When portions 33a and 33b which are formed with the buckle portion are pushed in the directions shown by arrows C and C' in figure 5A, the engaging portion 30 is displaced around a broken-line portion 35 shown in figure 5B in the clockwise direction of an arrow X. An example of this arrangement will be described with reference to figures 5C and 5D.

As shown in figure 5C, the recess 29 around the engaging portion 30 is tapered to provide tapered surfaces 36, and the pushing portions 33a and 33b are also tapered at their surfaces opposing the recess 29 to provide tapered surfaces 37. Figure 5C illustrates the condition that the ratchet member 32 of each of the belts l9a and 19b is engaged with the engaging member 31 formed on the tip end portion of the engaging portion 30.If the pushing portions 33a and 33b are pushed as shown by arrows D and D' in figure 5D from this condition, the tapered surfaces 36 of the engaging portion 30 pushed by the tapered surfaces 37 of the pushing portions 33a and 33b are displaced around the broken-line portion 35 (see figure 5B) in the direction shown by an arrow X in figure 5D, so that the engaging member 31 is released from the ratchet member 32 of the belts 19a and 19b.

In this state, the belts 19a and 19b can be inserted into the insertion opening portions 28a and 28b of the buckle portion of the fastening member 4 so that, when the pushing portions 33a and 33b are released at the predetermined positions, the state of figure 5C is achieved and thus the fastening member 4 is placed in the engaged state. Accordingly, when the belts 19a and 19b of the accessory bag 3 are lifted up as shown in figure 4A, and video camera bag 2 is placed on the upper bag member 16f, the belts 19a and 19b are inserted into the insertion opening portions 28a and 28b of the fastening member 4 by pushing the pushing portions 33a and 33b of the fastening member 4, and the tightness of fastening is adjusted by lifting the belt 19a to the predetermined position and releasing the pushing portions 33a and 33b at the desired point.Thus, the video camera bag 2 and the accessory bag 3 can be tightly fastened together.

When it is desired to detach the video camera bag 2 from the accessory bag 3 from each other, the engaged state is released by pushing the pushing portions 33a and 33b to the pushed condition, presenting the state of. figure 5D. Under this condition, the video camera bag 2 and the accessory bag 3 can be detached with ease.

Thus, the user has several options. The camera bag 2 and the accessory bag 3 may be attached and carried together. If the user wants to carry only the video camera bag 2, this can be done with the shoulder belt 8 or the handle 11 as shown in figure 1B, or by carrying the bag on the waist with the belt 27 inserted into the belt loop 12 as shown in figure 1D. The user can carry the accessory bag 3 attached through its belt loop 20 to the belt 27 as shown in figure 1E. Finally, the user can carry both the camera bag 2 and the accessory bag 3 on the belt 27 at the same time.

Finally, since the accessory bag is unitarily formed, it may be arranged so as to be capable of being folded so that when the user does not want to carry the video camera accessories it may be folded and carried in the camera bag, so that the carrying bag remains relatively compact in size.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel and advantageous video camera carrying case. The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, different materials than those described may be used. Specific features may also be changed, for example, the precise arrangement of the belt-shaped members, the belt loops, and the belt inserting members may all be changed.

Also, the fastening member may be an ordinary belt or buckle type.

Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A video camera carrying bag comprising: a) a first bag for containing therein a video camera; b) a second bag for containing therein video camera accessories; and c) fastening means for detachably fastening the first and second bags together, wherein the tightness of fastening together of the first and second bags is adjustable.

2. The video camera carrying bag of claim 1, further comprising a shoulder belt attached to the first bag.

3. The video camera carrying bag of claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for opening and closing the first bag.

4. The video camera carrying bag of claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising means for opening and closing the second bag.

5. The video camera carrying bag of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means comprises: a fastening belt having first and second ends; means for fastening the first end of the fastening belt to the second bag; and a ratchet mechanism attached to the first bag for receiving and locking the second end of the fastening belt.

6. The video camera carrying bag of claim 5, further comprising belt loops on the first and second bags by which the first and second bags may be hung on a belt.

7. The video camera carrying bag of claim 6, wherein the belt loop on the second bag further comprises means for receiving the second end of the fastening belt.

8. The video camera carrying bag of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising belt loops on the first and second bags by which the first and second bags may be hung on a belt.

9. A video camera carrying bag constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. In combination, a video camera carrying bag according to any one of the preceding claims, a video camera snugly accommodated in the first bag and at least one video camera accessory accommodated in the second bag.

11. A combination according to claim 10 wherein the second bag accommodates a battery for powering the video camera and an AC power adaptor for recharging the battery from an electrical mains supply.