IES20070349A2 - A carrier bag - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a carrier bag for bottles and the like containers. The bag preferably comprises a pair of justaposed pockets and a reinforced gandle to carry the bag. Alternatively, a shoulder strap may be releasably attached to the bag in a plurality of different positions to facilitate different carrying positions. The bag comprises a thermally insulting material such as neoprene. The neoprene will thermally insulate any items placed in the bag. The bag may be used to carry a plurality of different. The mass of each item may be different and the bag will be unbalanced as a result. The different carrying positions of the bag allow the user greated flexibility to balance the load in the bag to afford a comfortable carrying position. <Figure 1>

Description

This invention relates to a carrier bag and in particular to a carrier bag for carrying bottles and the like containers.

According to the invention, there is provided a carrier bag for bottles and the like 10 containers including an outer envelope of a resilient material defining at least one pocket for reception of a bottle, each pocket having an inlet opening, a closure flap extending across the inlet opening and being movable to an open position to allow access to the pocket, and means for carrying the bag. Advantageously, fully enclosed pockets are provided for reception of bottles or other containers.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a pair of juxtaposed pockets is provided.

In another embodiment, the pocket openings face in opposite directions. in a further embodiment locking means is provided for releasably securing each closure flap in a closed position.

Conveniently the locking means may be provided by a hook and pile fastener.

In another embodiment, the means for carrying the bag is a handle at an upper edge of the bag.

In another embodiment, the handle is formed by a handle opening formed in the material of the bag.

In a further embodiment handle reinforcement is provided on the bag at the handle.

In a preferred embodiment, the handle reinforcement comprises a reinforcing rod mounted at the handle opening. -2In another embodiment, the reinforcing rod extends substantially fully across the upper edge of the bag.

In another embodiment, the reinforcing rod is embedded in the bag material.

In another embodiment, the handle reinforcement comprises a webbing strap mounted on the bag at the handle opening, the handle opening extending through the webbing strap and through the bag material.

In another embodiment, the webbing strap is sandwiched between a front panel and a rear panel of the bag.

In another embodiment the means for carrying the bag includes a shoulder strap having ends which are attached to the bag.

In a further embodiment clips on the shoulder strap engage complementary eyelets on the bag for releasable attachment of the shoulder strap to the bag.

In another embodiment, eyelets are provided in two adjacent sides of the bag to which the shoulder strap can be attached to carry the bag in either a horizontal carrying position or an upright carrying position with the pocket or pockets extending in either a horizontal orientation or an upright orientation respectively.

In another embodiment, each eyelet mount on the bag is reinforced.

In another embodiment the bag is formed from a thermally insulating material. Preferably said material is neoprene.

In another embodiment the bag comprises a rectangular rear panel and a two-part front panel comprising two interlocking L-shaped parts, an outer portion of each part forming a front wall of the pockets with an inwardly projecting flap at one side which projects inwardly over the outer portion of the other part. $07034$ -3In another aspect, the invention provides a carrier bag for bottles and the like including an outer envelope of resilient material defining at least one pocket for reception of a bottle or the like container, means for carrying the bag located at a top edge of the bag and a reinforcing rod mounted along a top edge of the bag.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a carrier bag according to the invention; Fig. 2 is another front elevational view of the bag, shown in another position of 15 use; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing the bag in use; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of another carrier bag according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the bag of Fig. 5, shown in another position of 25 use; Fig. 7 is an illustration the bag of Fig. 5 being carried in use; Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the bag of Fig. 5, shown in use; and 30 Fig. 9 is an illustration of the bag of Fig. 5 being carried in an upright position of use.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, there is illustrated a -4carrier bag according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The bag 1 is formed from neoprene material and comprises an outer envelope 2 defining a pair of juxtaposed pockets 3, 4 for reception of bottles 5, 6. A carrier handle 7 is provided at a top of the bag 1. In addition a shoulder strap 8 is provided.

Ends of the shoulder strap 8 engage with complementary eyelets 9,10 positioned at three corners of the bag 1 to allow the bag 1 be carried by the shoulder strap in a horizontal carrying position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, or in an upright carrying position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each pocket 3, 4 has an inlet opening 14, 15 respectively. A closure flap 16, 17 extends across each inlet opening 14,15. Thus, each bottle 5,6 is securely retained fully within each pocket 3, 4 and fully enclosed with the pocket 3, 4. Each closure flap 16,17 can be releasably secured in the closed position shown in Fig. 1 by a hook and pile fastener such as a Velcro® fastener one part of which is provided on the closure flap 16, 17 and the complementary part is provided on an exterior of the pocket 3, 4 adjacent the inlet opening 14, 15.

The handle 7 is provided at a top of the bag 1. A reinforcing web strip 20 is sandwiched between front and rear panels of the bag 1 along the top edge as shown and provides reinforcement for the handle 7 and the eyelets 9. The handle 7 is formed by an opening through the material of the bag 1 and through the webbing material 20. Similarly, each eyelet 9 provides an opening through the bag material and the webbing 20. It will be noted that eyelets 9, 10 are provided at three corners of the bag 1 to facilitate carrying the bag 1 by means of the shoulder strap 8 in either a horizontal carrying position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 , or an upright carrying position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Changing between the two carrying positions is a simple matter of unclipping one end of the shoulder strap 8 from one eyelet 9 and attaching it to the eyelet 10 or vice versa.

It will be noted that the bag 1 essentially comprises two rectangular neoprene panels, namely a rear panel and a front panel. The front panel is of composite construction comprising two interlocking L-shaped parts outer portions of which form front walls of the pockets 3, 4 with inwardly projecting portions which form the closure flaps 16, 17 associated with the pockets 3, 4. A central line of stitching 18 between the front and -5rear panels divides the interior of the bag 1 into the two pockets 3, 4.

The neoprene material chosen to form the bag 1 will have sufficient flexibility to allow easy insertion of the bottles 5, 6 into the pockets 3, 4. The thickness of the neoprene material can be chosen to provide any required insulation for the bottles 5, 6 and also protect the bottles from damage during carrying of the bag 1.

In use, the bottles 5, 6, such as wine bottles for example, are inserted into the pockets 3, 4 and are completely secured within the pockets 3, 4 by means of the closure flaps 16, 17. The bag 1 can then be carried either in a horizontal carrying position by means of either the handle 7 or the shoutder strap 8 as shown in Fig. 4, or can be carried by the shoulder strap 8 in an upright carrying position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. For better balance in the horizontal carrying position, the bottles 5, 6 can be faced in opposite directions as shown in Fig. 4. Cooler packs 25 (Fig. 3) may be inserted into the pockets 3, 4 with the bottles 5, 6 to keep the bottles 5, 6 chilled within the pockets 3, 4. It will be appreciated that even without the cooler packs 25, if the bottles 5, 6 are chilled prior to insertion into the bag 1 the insulation properties of the neoprene material will keep the bottles 5, 6 chilled over a period of time. Similarly, heated bottles inserted into the pockets 3, 4 will be kept warm by the neoprene material.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 9 there is illustrated another carrier bag according to a second embodiment of the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 30. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case, instead of the webbing 20 a stiff reinforcing rod 31, which may be of plastics or wooden material for example, is mounted between the front and rear panels of the bag 30 along a top edge 32 of the bag 30. As can be seen in the drawings, the rod 31 extends substantially fully across the top edge 32. As well as providing reinforcement for the handle 7, the rod 31 helps the bag 30 keep its shape, preventing the material of the bag collapsing inwardly when the bag is being carried with a load. In this case also the handle 7 is provided adjacent the top edge 32 of the bag 30 immediately below the rod 31 for carrying the bag 30 in an upright position.

In use, the handle 7 or the strap 8 can be used to support the bag 30 in an upright 703 -6carrying position as shown in Fig. 5. Alternatively, the strap 8 can be used to carry the bag 30 in a horizontal carrying position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Bottles, cans or other containers can be inserted into the pockets 3, 4 and are securely retained within the fully enclosed pockets 3, 4 during use of the bag 30. Such use is illustrated in Fig. 8 in which a number of beverage cans 33 are retained in one pocket 3 and a plastic bottle 34 of water, lemonade, or the like is retained in the other pocket 4. Cooler packs 25 are also inserted into the pockets 3, 4 for chilling the containers in the pockets 3, 4.

Fig. 9 shows a person carrying the bag 30 in an upright position by means of the shoulder strap 8.

It is envisaged that a second rod or other stiffening or reinforcing element may be mounted along the side edge of the bag 30 which is engaged by the shoulder strap 8 in the horizontal carrying position.

It will be appreciated that the bag 1, 30 will maintain beverage container contents either chilled (white wine, etc.), or at room temperature (red wine, etc.), or keep them warm (baby’s bottles, etc.) if a warm container is inserted into a pocket. Also a heater pack, warming block, or the like could be inserted in to the pockets to keep the contents warm, or as previously described chiller packs can be used to keep the contents cool.

The neoprene material of the bag provides both thermal insulation and shock absorption protecting the containers within the pockets.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail. 31452iesp.spec.filedcopy.11.05.7 ΙΕο 70349 Fig 1 1/9 ιεο 7°349 Fig 2-2/9 70349 Fig 3 - 3/9 9 70349 Fig 4 - 4/9 n Fig 5 - 5/9 'f«70349 Fig 6 - 6/9 Fig 7 - 7/9 Ι£ ο 70s Fig 8 - 8/9 31 Fig 9 - 9/9 The following Claims were filed 12th May 2008

Claims (5)

Claims

1. A carrier bag for bottles and the like containers comprising an outer envelope of a resilient thermally insulating material defining at least one pocket for reception of a bottle, each pocket having an inlet opening, a closure flap extending across the inlet opening and being movable to an open position to allow access to the pocket, and means for carrying the bag.

2. The carrier bag according to claim 1 wherein the bag comprises a pair of juxtaposed pockets formed by a rectangular rear panel and a two-part front panel, the two-part front panel comprising two interlocking L-shaped parts, an outer portion of each part forming a front wall of the pockets with an inwardly projecting flap at one side which projects inwardly over the outer portion of the other part.

3. The carrier bag according to claim 2 wherein the means for carrying the bag is a handle formed by an opening in the material at an upper edge of the bag, a handle reinforcement is provided on the bag at the handle, the handle reinforcement comprises either a reinforcing rod or a webbing strap mounted at the handle opening.

4. The carrier bag according to any preceding claim wherein the means for carrying the bag includes a shoulder strap having ends which engage complementary eyelets on the bag for releasable attachment of the shoulder strap to the bag, and the eyelets are provided in two adjacent sides of the bag such that the shoulder strap can be attached to carry the bag in either a horizontal carrying position or an upright carrying position with the pocket or pockets extending in either a horizontal orientation or an upright orientation respectively.

5. The carrier bag according to any preceding claim wherein the pocket openings face in opposite directions.