GB2257028A

GB2257028A - Holder for carrying articles on the outside of a brief case or the like

Info

Publication number: GB2257028A
Application number: GB9213506A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jasbir Singh Chaggar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-06-25
Filing date: 1992-06-25
Publication date: 1993-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-25
Also published as: GB9213506D0; GB2257028B; GB9113627D0

Abstract

A holder for suspending on the outside of a case 16 so as to hang down only one side 16a of the case for carrying articles required to be readily accessible, comprises a flexible base sheet 2 having a reinforced portion 3 at its upper end and attached to the case by means of an opening 6 in the reinforced portion which fits about the carrying handle 15 of the case and through which the carrying handle projects so as to be grasped by a person using the case. The opening 6 is retained in engagement with the handle by a strap 7 extending across the opening and through the handle and having a releasable fastening at one end. The part of the flexible base sheet below the reinforced Portion hangs down the side of the case and has article receiving pockets 10, 11. <IMAGE>

Description

HOLDER FOR CARRYING ARTICLES ON THE OUTSIDE OF A BRIEF CASE OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to a holder for hanging on the outside of a brief case, attached case or other case or travelling bag for conveniently carrying articles, such as, newspapers, periodicals, mobile telephones and foldable umbrellas, in readily accessible positions during travelling.

It is often a problem, and at least inconvenient, for a person travelling with a case or bag to extract a newspaper, periodical or umbrella from the case or bag, when required, and/or pack such an article in the case or bag, when not required, particularly in crowded public places or public transport situations. It may also be inconvenient to carry a mobile telephone outside of a bag with the aerial extended, which is preferable for operation of the telephone.

Auxiliary holders for use with travelling cases or bags are known which are in the form of a saddle bag for carrying on a main bag or case with compartments hanging down opposite sides of the latter. These prior saddle bag type holders have the disadvantage that, when in place, the main case or bag cannot be opened.

An object of the present invention is to alleviate the problems described above and provide an auxiliary holder which may be hung on the outside of a case or bag for conveniently carrying articles required to be accessible during travel and which may be readily packed in the case or bag, together with the carried articles, when not required. Another object is to provide such a holder which is adapted to hang down only one side of the case or bag so that, when in use, it does not prohibit opening of the case or bag.

To this end, the invention consists in a holder which may be suspended on the outside of a case, travelling bag or other bag so as to hang down only one side of the bag for carrying one or more articles required to be readily accessible, comprising a flexible base sheet having means adjacent an end of the sheet for attaching the holder to a carrying handle of the bag so that at least a part of the base sheet hangs down one side of the bag, and at least one article receiving pocket located on said part of the base sheet.

Conveniently, the means for attaching the holder to the carying handle of a bag includes an opening in the base sheet, or an extension piece attached to the base sheet, which opening fits about the carrying handle and through which the carrying handle projects so as to be grasped by a person using the bag. With this arrangement, when the carrying handle is grasped and the bag is being carried, the holder is securely suspended from the carrying handle and cannot be disengaged from the latter.

The base sheet may be reinforced adjacent and about the opening by sheet material which is stiffer than the base sheet or the extension piece may comprise a sheet of such stiffer material. The stiffer reinforcement, or extension piece, may also be made from sheet material which is thicker and/or denser than the base sheet material so as to provide weight as well as stiffness and strength, at the attachment to the handle. The additional stiffness provided by the reinforcement or extension piece avoids deformation or distortion of the holder when it is suspended from the carrying handle of a bag and the additional weight ensures that the attachment means seats more firmly on the top of the bag about the carrying handle. Conveniently, the reinforcement or extension piece is made from a synthetic material, such as, reconstituted leather.The base sheet and pockets may be made from flexible plastics sheet and/or textile material.

Whilst the provision of the reinforcement, or an extension piece, of stiffer sheet material results in a more durable and acceptable product, the omission of such reinforcement or extension piece enables the production of a cheaper article which may, for example, be used for promotional purposes and be given away free during a marketing exercise or in shops, exhibitions, etc. It may be simply and cheaply produced as a plastics base sheet having one or more article receiving pockets, also made from plastics sheet material, heat welded to the base sheet.

The means for attaching the holder to a carrying handle includes a device for securely retaining the opening on the carrying handle when the latter is not being grasped by a user. Such a device may simply comprise a security strap or tape extending across the opening and through the carrying handle. This security strap or tape may be permanently attached at one end to the base sheet, reinforcement or extension piece on one side of the opening and have releasable fastening means at its opposite end which is engageable with cooperating fastening means on the other side of the opening. The fastening means may, for example, be press stud fasteners or velcroifastening strips.

In an alternative embodiment, the means for attaching the holder to a carrying handle comprises a web portion of the base sheet or an extension piece which projects through the carrying handle and which has portions extending in opposite directions from its end remote from the base sheet to extend about opposite ends of the handle and having releasable fastening means for engaging cooperating fastening means on the base sheet or extension piece. When the holder is suspended from the carrying handle of a bag, the web portion and its associated projecting portions encircle and are secured about opposite ends of the carrying handle so as to secure the holder to the carrying handle.As with the first embodiment, in the area of the web portion, the base sheet may be reinforced by sheet material which is stiffer than the base sheet material or the extension piece may be formed from sheet of such stiffer material.

In a preferred embodiment, two article receiving pockets are arranged side-by-side on the base sheet, one being configured so as to be suitable more particularly for holding newspapers, periodicals and the like, and the other so as to be suitable for holding a foldable umbrella or mobile telephone. The pockets may also be designed for other specific uses. For example, another embodiment may be specifically intended for use by doctors, whereupon the pockets may be designed for holding a stethoscope and other medical items which doctors regularly use when examining patients.

The bottom ends of the pockets may be formed with slits or other openings arranged so as to allow for drainage of any dampness or water entering the pockets whilst securely holding articles deposited in the pockets. The top edges of the pockets are preferably stiffened so as to prevent them from fully collapsing, thereby facilitating the insertion of articles.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 illustrates the embodiment in use on a brief case.

Referring to the drawings, the holder 1 comprises a tough flexible base sheet 2 which is of generally rectangular shape in plan and is reinforced at its upper end portion 3 intended to be attached to the carrying handle of a case by a piece 4 of sheet material which is stiffer, thicker and denser than the base sheet material. The end portion 3 is shaped with slightly convergent side edges 5 and the reinforcing sheet 4 is laminated with this end portion, for example, by stitching. The base sheet may be made from flexible plastics sheet material whilst the reinforcing sheet may be reconstituted leather.

An elongated opening 6 is formed through the base and reinforcing sheets at the end portion 3 for attaching the holder to the carrying handle of a case. A strap 7, which may, for example, be made from the same material as the reinforcing sheet, is secured to the material at one side of the opening 6, for example, by stitching, and has a press stud fastening 8 at its opposite end for snapping into engagement with a cooperating fastener part 9 fixed to the material at the opposite side of the opening so that the strap can be fastened across a central region of the opening.

Secured to the base sheet 2, for example, by stitching are two elongated pockets 10,11 made from the same material as the base sheet. Alternatively, they may be made from other less tough or contrasting coloured flexible sheet material. The pockets may have pleated side portions 12 enabling them readily to collapse into a substantially flat condition when not in use. For the same reason and also to provide slits permitting any wetness to drain from the pockets, the bottoms of the pockets are not attached to the bottom edges of the side portions 12.

Below the reinforcing piece 4, the edges of the base sheet and also the top edges of the pockets are bound with a webbing or vinyl binding material 13 to strengthen the edges and prevent fraying. Brass finishing clips 14 are affixed to the bottom corners of the base sheet, generally coterminus with the binding 13 to avoid the need to seam about corners, which is a difficult operation, and to provide some decorative enhancement. Also, for decorative purposes, the reinforcing sheet 4 and binding 13 may be of contrasting colour to the base sheet and/or pockets.

In use, the holder 1 is suspended from the carrying handle 15 of a brief case 16 or similar bag so as to hang down only one side 16a of the case, as is more particularly illustrated in Figure 2. The opening 6 in the upper end portion 3 of the holder fits about the carrying 15 handle which projects through the opening so as to be readily grasped by a person using the bag. The strap 7 is fastened through the loop of the handle 15 to secure the holder in place. The reinforcing sheet 4 adds weight to the end portion 3 so that it seats firmly on the top 16b of the case 16 about the handle and its stiffness and strength avoids distortion in the shape of the holder which may otherwise occur when the holder is in use owing to the weight of articles deposited in the pockets 10,11. The flexible nature of the base sheet enables it readily to bend about the top edge of the case and hang down the outside thereof.

In the particular embodiment illustrated, the first pocket 10 is conveniently sized to receive a newspaper 17 whilst the second pocket 11 is sized to receive a foldable umbrella 18. The base sheet and the pockets are preferably made from a water resistant plastics or textile material so as to afford protection to articles carried in the pockets.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the reinforcing sheet 4 may be arranged as an extension of the base sheet 2 instead of being laminated to a corresponding part of latter.

Claims

1. A holder which may be suspended on the outside of a case, travelling bag or other bag so as to hang down only one side of the bag for carrying one or more articles required to be readily accessible, comprising a flexible base set having means adjacent an end of the sheet for attaching the holder to a carrying handle of the bag so that at least part of the base sheet hangs down one side of the bag, and at least one article receiving pocket located on said part of the base sheet.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder attaching means includes an opening in the base sheet, or an extension piece, which opening fits about the carrying handle of the bag and through which the carrying handle projects so as to be grasped by a person using the bag.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base sheet is reinforced adjacent and about the opening by sheet material which is stiffer than the base sheet, or the extension piece comprises sheet of such stiffer material.

4. A holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the reinforcing sheet material or extension sheet is thicker and/or denser than the base sheet material so as to provide weight, as well as stiffness and strength, at the holder attaching means.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the holder attaching means includes a device for retaining the opening on the carrying handle.

6. A holder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the retaining means comprises a strap attached at one end to the holder on one side of the opening and having releasable fastening means at its opposite end which is engageable with cooperating fastening means on the holder at the opposite side of the opening.

7. A holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder attaching means comprises a web portion of the base sheet, or an extension piece, which is dimensioned to project through the carrying handle and which has portions extending in opposite directions from its end remote from the base sheet so as to extend about opposite ends of the handle and having releasable fastening means for engaging cooperating fastening means on the base sheet or extension piece.

8. A holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base sheet is reinforced in the area of the web portion by sheet material which is stiffer than the base sheet material or the extension piece is formed from sheet of such stiffer material.

9. A holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including two article receiving pockets arranged side-by-side on the base sheet with their open ends adjacent the holder attaching means.

10. A holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom end of the or each pocket is formed with a slit or other opening arranged to allow for drainage of any dampness or water from the pockets.

11. A holder for suspending on the outside of a case, travelling bag or other bag, constructed, arranged and adapted to be used substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.