GB2512134A

GB2512134A - Themed bag with hinged external compartment

Info

Publication number: GB2512134A
Application number: GB201305272A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-22
Filing date: 2013-03-22
Publication date: 2014-09-24
Also published as: GB201305272D0

Abstract

A bag comprises a main compartment 10; at least one substantially rigid external compartment 14; a hinge; and an attachment means 38; where the hinge and the attachment means are operative to attach the external compartment to the main compartment; and wherein if the detachable attachment is in an open configuration the external compartment is operative to open about the hinge. The external compartment may be reinforced by boning and/or stuffing. The invention particularly relates to costume or themed back packs for children, for example, the back pack shown in figure 1 has a sea or diving theme.

Description

Patent Application of Stuart Williams for Themed Bag With Hinged External Compartment

Background of the Invention

[1] The present invent:on relates to bags and, more particularly, to costume or themed bags for children.

[2] Bags or baggage whether wearable e.g. backpack, rucksack, or ouherwise can be multi-purpose with additional features providing more than just a trarisportabte container for belongings. In particular, it is desirable to provide toy or play characteristics to children's bags.

[3] Reinforced baggage with a rigid exterior to provide protection to the items contained within is known in the art.

Such external reinforcement is also known to provide toy characteristics, for example US2011256792 to Silver which describes a backpack formed of a material of sufficient rigidity to support a child wishing to ride on the backpack.

[4] Baggage providing a detachable compartment is known in the art, for example Dl1O2CliOO9663 to t4air which describes a satchel with a rigid outer pocket connected to the main body of the bag by a fastening device.

[5] Baggage providing decorative costume or make believe' toy features is known in the art, for example U32008i73686 to Kennedy which describes a backpack with deployable/stowable wings. 1I

[61 To the inventors' best knowledge no baggage of the art combines rigid or detachable comparuments with toy or make believe' features.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[7] It can be seen from the forgoing that a need has arisen for baggage providing toy or play characteristics for children.

[8] It would be advantageous to provide a bag which includes ccstume elements that, due to rigidity are able to provide a costume element independent of the contents of the bag.

[9] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bag including: a main compartment; and at least one substantialLy rigid external compartment; and a hinge; and a attachment means; wherein the hinge and the attachment means are operative to attach the external compartment to the main compartment; wherein if the detachable attachment is in an open configuration the external compartment is operative to open about the hinge.

[10] Preferably, the external compartment is internally reinforced, where the internal reinforcement is by boning or stuffing or a combination.

[11] Preferably, the bag is wanerproof.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [12] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [13] Figure 1 shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with an external compartment in a closed configuration.

[14] Figure 2 shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with an external compartment in an open configuration.

[15] Figure 3 shows a back view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[16] The principles and operation of a bag according to the present invention may be better understcod with reference to the drawings and the accompanying ciescripticn.

[17] Referring now to the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 wherein like numerals refer to like components, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, a sea or diving themed bag. For clarity, not all components are labeled on all figures.

[18] Figure 1 illustrates a bag 2 of the invention. The bag includes a main compartment 10. Main compartment 10 includes a zippered opening 12. Disposed on the main compartment are an external compartment 14, a base comparoment 15, a handle 16, a first back scrap 18 and a second (not visible in Figure 1) back strap 20, a side compartment 22, a side pocket 24, a side pocket toggle closure 25, a first sea themed decoration 26, a second sea themed decoration 28, a first pouch 30 and a second pouch 32.

Figure 1 illustrates first pouch 30 in an open configuration and second pooch 32 in a closed configuration.

[19] Figure 2 illustrates bag 2 where hinged external compartment 14 and a zip fastening 38 are illustrated in an open position or configuration revealing an inner pocket 36. Figure 2 illustrates first pouch 30 in a closed configuration and second pouch 32 in an!open configuration. First pouch 30 and second pouch 32 each include a pouch body, 42 and 44 respectively, and an openable pouch flap 46 and 48 respectively. Second pouch 32 includes a Velcro® closure 45. In the view of the bag illustrated by Figure 2 second back strap 20 is visible (first back strap 18 is not visible) . Side compartment 22 includes a zippered opening 23.

[20] Figure 3 illustrates a back view of bag 2. Handle 16 is attached to a top back of main compartment 10 and first back strap 18 and second back strap 20. First back strap 18 and second back strap 20 are atcaohed at one end to a top of main compartment 10 and at the other end to a base of main compartment 10. First back strap 18 and second back strap 20 each include a length adjuster, 50 and 52 respectively.

[21] All comnartments, pockets and pouches of the bag of the invention can be constructed from fabric. Suitable fabrics include synthetics such as polyester and nylon and natural fabrics such as cotton or wool without restriction. Suitable fabrics include water resistant and waterproof fabrics as described below. Preferably, the fabric is hard wearing or heavy duty to provide a longer life-span to the bag. In some or all parts of each compartment, pocket or pouch the fabric can be a !double layer or reinforced with a second material e.g. flexible plastic, moIL!ded foam. A filler material can be placed in any double area to provide additional strength or rigidity. Suitable materials for the filler include, for example, wadding as !described below, molded foam fabrics etc. [22] In one embodiment of the invention, as illustrated by the figures, bag main compartment 10 is a substantially rectangular cuboid shape, However, other shapes are equally encompassed by the invention, as long as the shape affords affixing of an external compartment.

[23] The external compartment can be spherical, cylindrical, cuboid, semi-spherical, semi-cylindrical or any other three dimensional regular or irregular shape. In particular the external compartment can represent a costume or toy element. As illustrated in the figures, in one embodiment, external compartment 14 forms a top or closure to base compartment 15 disposed on the main compartment. In this embodiment the external compartment, if it includes an inner pocket (described below) can advantageously be used for storing small items whilst leaving larger items stored in the base compartment, for example a water bottle, undisturbed.

[24] In one embodiment the bag does not include a base compartment, for example, the external compartment could be semi-cylindrical (the appearance of which would be that of the combined external compartment 14 and base compartment 15 of Figure 1) . In this embodiment the entire semi-cylindrical shape would be hinged on one edge and be openable for access to the compartment.

[25] In all embodiments the excernal compartment can include an inner pocket. The inner pocket can be made of net fabric as illustrated in Figure 2. It can alternatively be more robus: and be reinforced (suitable techniques described above) for holding heavy items. Reinforcement is particularly suitable for the embodiment in which the external compartment does not include a base compartment.

[1] In one embodiment the external compartment hinge is formed by attachment of the external compartment to the main compartment. Attachment can be by, for example, sewing or gluing.

The hinge can alternatively be a separate hinge part as known in the art, which may attachthe main compartment to the external compartment. Suitable materials include, for example, flexible plastic, fabric etc. [2] The attachment means is preferably a zipper as known in the art. The external compartment, optionally in combination with a base compartment, when the attachmenc means is in the closed configuration, forms a closed surface disposed on the bag main compartment as illustrated in Figure 1. When the attachment means is in the open configuration, the external compartment is free to be swung open on the hinge. In one embodiment the attachment means is zip fastening 38. Although the attachment means is preferably a zipper as iliustraned in the figures it can alternatively be poppers, ties or any other attachment means or method enabling an open and a closed configuration.

[3] The external compartment and optional base compartment are substantially rigid. Substantially rigid is herein defined as being able to maintain an original shape when the compartment is empty of belongings or tilled with belongings of 200g in weight.

Rigidity can be achieved with an internal support structure and or by wadding or padding. Suitable internal support structures include vertical and/or horizontal boninc as known in the art.

Suitable materials for boning include wire, card, plastic etc. [4] Rigidity can be imparted to the external compartment and optional base compartment by padding with wadding also termed batting or filler. Suitable wadding materials include cotton, polyester, wool and combinaticns thereof. The external compartment can be additionally or alternatively filled with shredded paper, shredded plastic, polystyrene, combinations thereof, or other stuffing material as long as the material assists in maintaining the desired chree dimensional shape.

[51 In a preferred arrangement, the semi-cylindrical part of the external compartment is boned while the spherical part at the top of the external compartment is filled with wadding. Ar: advantage of this is that the part of the external compartment which has the largest and most regular volume is usable, that is, it is substantially hollow and can be used for storage of items therein, while the wadding is used only for the part having smaller and more irregular volume which is less useful for storage.

[6] In the illustrated embodiment bag 2 is a sea or diving themed bag including one external compartment 14 and base compartment 15 which represent a diving cylinder. However, the invention encompasses other themes including more than one external compartment and/or base compartment. For example, in one embodiment of the invention the bag includes two side by side semi-cylindrical external compartments in order to represent a jet pack. Part or all of the external compartment and/or base compartment can be cone-shaped for a jet or rocket theme. The bag and external compartment could be shaped to represent fire-fighting gear, the gear of a bug-hunter etc. [7] In one embodiment of the invention at least a portion of the outer surface of the bag is waterproof or water resistant.

In one embodiment the entire outer surface of the bag is waterproof or water resistant. Water resistance/wacerproofing is provided by employing suitable materials in the outer surface of the bag, such as natural or synthetic fabrics such as polyester or nylon that are laminated to or coated with a waterproofing material such as rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) , polyurethane (PU), silicone elastomer, fluoropolymers, and wax. In one embodiment thorough waterproofing of the entire bag is achieved by waterproof fabric covering the external compartment and overlapping onto waterproof fabric of the main compartment.

[B] The bag includes at least one strap or handle. The exemplary illustrated embodiment is that of a rucksack and thus includes first and second back straps, 18 and 20 respectively.

These straps are advantageously adjustable for comfort and fit as is known in the art. Alternatively, the bag of the invention can include wheels and an extendable handle providing a wheeled suitcase or the bag can include instead of back straps, at least one long shoulder strap providing a sho-older bag. Other forms of luggage or baggage without restriction are envisioned and encompassed by the invention.

[91 As illustrated in the figures the bag of the invention can include any number of additional pockets, compartments, pouches and decorative elements. These components can be rigid or non-rigid, detachable or permanently affixed to the main compartment.

[10] While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of the invention may be made. Tt is also to be understood that the embodiments described may be combined. Therefore, the claimed invention as recited in the claims that follow is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

Claims

Claims 1. A bag comprising: a main compartment; and at least one substantially rigid external compartment; and a hinge; and an attachment means having an open configuration and a closed configuration; wherein said hinge and said attachment means are operative to attach said external compartment to said main compartment; wherein when said attachment means is in said open configuration said external compartment is operative to open about said hinge.
2. The bag of claim 1 where said main compartment further comprises a base compartment attached to said main compartment wherein said attachment means is operative to attach said external compartment to said main compartment and said base compartment.
3. The bac of claim 1, wherein said external compartment further comprises an internal pocket.
4. The bag of claim 1 wherein an least one part of the surface of the bag is waterproof.
5. The bag of claim 1, wherein said external compartment further comprises an internal reinforcement.
6. The bag of claim 3, wherein said internal reinforcement is selected from the group comprising: boning, stuffing, a combination thereof.
7. The bag of claim 4 wherein said boning material is selected from the group comprising: wire, card, plastic, and combinations thereof and wherein said stuffing material is selected from the group comprising: cotton wadding, polyester wadding, wool wadding, multi-fiber wadding, shredded paper, shredded plastic, and polystyrene and combinations thereof.
8. The bag of claim 2, wherein said base compartment further comprises an internal reinforcement.
9. The bag of claim 7, wherein said internal reinforcement is selected from the group comprising: boning, stuffing, a combination thereof.
10. The bag of claim 8 wherein said boning material is selected from the group comprising: wire, card, plastic and combinations thereof and wherein said stuffing material is selected from the group comprising: cotton wadding, polyester wadding, wool wadding, multi-fiber wadding, shredded paper, shredded plastic, and polystyrene and combinations thereof.