GB2411825A

GB2411825A - A bag which may be stored in its grip portion

Info

Publication number: GB2411825A
Application number: GB0405582A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Joseph Carr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-12
Filing date: 2004-03-12
Publication date: 2005-09-14
Also published as: GB0405582D0; WO2005094629A1

Abstract

A device for carrying goods comprises a bag B having a tubular grip portion into which the bag may be inserted when not in use, the bag being attached to the grip portion by a pair of handles H1,H2 extending therefrom, the handles having respective bodies 14,20 for retention within the grip portion 22. The grip portion is open at both ends and the respective bodies are preferably balls.

Description

241 1 825

CARRYING BAG

The present invention relates to a bag for carrying goods.

Whilst carrier bags of plastics material are very commonly used for carrying consumer goods purchased in supermarkets, for example, these bags cause environmental problems because, for the most part, they are disposed of after a single use. In some countries, particularly Ireland, regulations are being introduced to reduce the quantity of disposable bags being used.

I have now devised a re-usable bag which is stored in a compact manner when out of use, and which can be deployed for use easily and quickly.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a bag for carrying goods, the bag having a tubular grip in which the bag, in folded condition, may be stowed, the bag having a pair of handles extending from it and attached to respective bodies for retention in the opposite ends of the grip.

Preferably a first one of the bodies is arranged to be retained within the grip and move along the grip from a first end of the grip to the second end as the bag is withdrawn from the grip through the latter end. Preferably the second body is retained within the grip, adjacent the second end thereof, when the bag is stowed within the grip, and serves to retain the bag within the grip. The second body is arranged to be inserted into the first end of the grip, when the bag is withdrawn from the grip, to complete an assembly in which the bag is suspended, by its handles and the respective bodies, from the opposite ends of the grip.

The second body may be retained in one or other end of the grip, depending whether the bag is stowed into the grip or deployed, by means of at least one spring-loaded plunger of that body engaging into apertures formed in the grip adjacent its opposite ends.

The tubular grip may be tapered towards its opposite ends to retain the first body within the grip.

The first and second bodies may be spherical in shape, the first larger in diameter than the second.

Preferably each of the handles of the bag comprise two lengths of cord or other flexible filament connected between the bag and the respective body.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a view of a bag when stowed into its tubular grip; FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the bag at an initial stage of being withdrawn from its tubular grip; FIGURE 3 is a view of the bag once withdrawn from its grip; and FIGURE 4 is a view of the bag once assembled.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a bag B of flexible material, the bag B having handles H1,H2 extending from its opposite ends. Handle HI comprises two lengths of cord 10,12 attached at one end to opposite sides of the bag B and at their other ends to a ball 14. Handle H2 similarly comprises two lengths of cord 16,18 attached at one end to the opposite sides of the bag B and at their other ends to a ball 20. The bag is provided with a tubular grip 22 which is open at both ends and slightly tapered towards each end: further, a pair of aligned apertures 24,26 are formed in each end of the grip 22.

When not in use, the bag B is stowed within its grip 22. Thus, the ball 20 is disposed within the grip 22 adjacent one end E1, the ball 14 is disposed within the grip 22 adjacent the other end E2 and the bag B. in folded-up condition, is disposed within the grip 22 between the two balls 14,20. The ball 20 is larger in diameter than the internal diameter of the grip 22 at its end E1, so that the ball 20 is prevented from coming out of the grip 22 at this end. The ball 14 has a pair of sprung-loaded plungers 15 which engage into the pair of apertures 24 at end E2 of the grip 22, to retain the ball 14 within the grip 22.

In order to deploy the bag, firstly the plungers 15 of the ball 14 are depressed, by applying pressure to their projecting ends, in order to disengage the plungers from their apertures 24 in the grip 22 and allow the ball 14 to come out through the end E2 of the grip 22 (Figure 2) . The ball 14 and handle HI are then pulled to withdraw the folded-up bag B from within the grip 22 and the bag B is then opened up (Figure 3).

It will be appreciated that the ball 14 is smaller than the ball 20 and able to pass out of the tapered end E2 of the grip 22, whilst the ball 20 is too large to leave the end E2 and is retained at that end of the grip 22. Finally, the grip 22 is turned to extend over the open top of the bag B and the ball 14 is inserted into the opposite end E1 of the grip 22 (Figure 4): the ball 14 is oriented so that its plungers 15 align with, and expand into, the apertures 26, to retain the ball 14 within the grip 22, adjacent the end E1.

Figure 4 thus shows the bag B deployed for use, suspended by its handles Hi, H2 from the carrying grip 22 and suited to carry any desired products or articles within the bag B. After use, and once emptied again, the bag B is stowed away within the grip 22: firstly, the ball 14 is removed from end E1 of the grip 22, the ball 20 is pushed along the grip 22 from the end E2 to the end E1, the bag is folded up and inserted into the grip 22 through the end E2, and finally the ball 14 is inserted into the end E2 of the grip 22 and retained in position by allowing its plungers 15 to expand into the apertures 24.

Claims

Claims 1. A bag for carrying goods, the bag having a tubular grip in which

the bag, in folded condition, may be stowed, the bag having a pair of handles extending from the bag, the handles being attached to respective bodies for retention in the opposite ends of the grip.
2. A bag according to claim 1, wherein a first one of the bodies is arranged to be retained within the grip and move along the grip from a first end of the grip to the second end as the bag is withdrawn from the grip through the latter end.
3. A bag according to claim 2, wherein a second of the bodies is retained within the grip, adjacent the second end thereof, when the bag is stowed within the grip, and serves to retain the bag within the grip.
4. A bag according to claim 3, wherein the second body is arranged to be inserted into the first end of the grip, when the bag is withdrawn from the grip, to complete an assembly in which the bag is suspended, by its handles and the respective bodies, from the opposite ends of the grip.
5. A bag according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the second body is be retained in one or other end of the grip, depending whether the bag is stowed into the grip or deployed, by means of at least one spring-loaded plunger of that body engaging into apertures formed in the grip adjacent its opposite ends.
6. A bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the tubular grip is tapered towards its opposite ends to retain the first body within the grip.
7. A bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second bodies are spherical in shape, the first larger in diameter than the second.
8. A bag according to any preceding claim, where each of the handles of the bag comprise two lengths of cord or other flexible filament connected between the bag and the respective

- body.
9. A tubular grip for use with a bag according to any preceding claim, the grip being open at both ends and having aligned apertures formed on each end of the grip, the apertures being designed to receive spring- loaded plungers of bodies that are inserted in either end of the grip.
10. A bag as substantially described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying figures.
11. A tubular grip as substantially described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying figures.