US20160244208A1

US20160244208A1 - Bag for Toy Organization

Info

Publication number: US20160244208A1
Application number: US15/046,989
Authority: US
Inventors: Kristi L. Mitchell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-02-18
Filing date: 2016-02-18
Publication date: 2016-08-25

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for storing, organizing, and transporting toys. The disclosed device is a bag having characteristics making it suitable for use by children and for use in conjunction with storage and transport of children's items such as toys.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/117,768 titled “Bag,” to Kristi L. Mitchell, filed Feb. 18, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to an organizational and transportation bag for toys.

BACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY

Organizing and managing the clutter that children often leave in their wake has long been a task that ultimately falls upon their mothers, fathers, teachers, or other caretakers. From toys, to clothes, to food, caretakers are constantly having to clean up after these children within and outside the home. Further, many caretakers, especially parents, are often on-the-go as they have to shuttle their children around to school, sports practices, or whatever other errand that must be completed. Notwithstanding the efficiency of organizational products, safety is also a paramount concern. As such, products intended to make the organization process safe, easy, and/or efficient are of value to these weary caretakers. Unfortunately, the organization solutions currently on the market do not provide optimum flexibility for caretakers to manage their little ones.
The present disclosure teaches a device that allows caretakers to organize kids' clutter safely. As will be explained in greater detail below, a bag for organizing children's toys and other items is provided that allows caretakers to pack, organize, and transport items in a container that is both durable and safe. The bag can be used primarily in the home to store discrete groups of toys (e.g., action figures bearing the branding of a specific movie franchise, the toys belonging specifically to one child, toys that can be brought to the beach). Each bag may have a label holder that can be used to identify the discrete group to which the contents belong. Additionally, the label holder secures the label on all sides so it will not fall out when a child is using the bag.
The bag of the present disclosure may be made out of durable material that facilitates cleaning it in between uses. The bag is also built with safety in mind. The sides are made of mesh that not only allows the bag to be collapsible, but allows a child to breath should he or she put it on his or her head. The front and rear panels of the bag are also made of a semi rigid material that prevents a child from suffocation by resisting collapsing over the child's facial features (ex. nose, mouth, cheeks, etc.). This semi rigid material also works in conjunction with tubing in the seams of the bag that allows it to stand freely without having to hold the bag up.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bag is provided having front and rear panels made of a semi rigid material and a mesh side wall extending between the front and rear panels. The front and rear panels cooperate with the mesh side wall do define a vented interior space sized to store items, such as toys.
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bag for holding toys is provided that comprises a substantially transparent front vinyl panel having a first perimeter and a substantially transparent rear vinyl panel having a second perimeter. The substantially transparent front vinyl panel is substantially parallel to the substantially transparent rear vinyl panel. The bag further includes a mesh wall extending between a majority of the first and second perimeters of the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels. The substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels and the mesh wall cooperate to define an interior space sized to hold toys and permit the flow of air into the interior space through the mesh wall. The bag further includes a first web extending between the first and second perimeters of the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels; a second web extending between the first and second perimeters of the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels; a strap removable coupled to the first web and coupled to the second web; and a zipper extending along the mesh wall to provide access to the interior space when the zipper is in an unzipped state and to substantially block access to the interior space when the zipper is in a zipped state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The aforementioned aspects of this disclosure will grow to be appreciated at a greater level once references to the following accompanying illustrations are expounded upon.

FIG. 1 is front perspective view of a bag for toy organization showing an exemplary embodiment of the bag having front and back panels and a mesh side wall that defines an interior region and a handle coupled to the side wall;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 showing the handle removed and a zipper providing access to the interior region;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing interior structures of the bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cut-out view of a portion of the bag of FIG. 1 showing an interior side of a seam including support tubing; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a seam of the bag of FIG. 1 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 showing the arrangement of the support tubing, the mesh side wall, and the back panel into the seam.

Equivalent reference components point to corresponding parts throughout the several views. Even though the drawing depict manifestations of components and attributes to the present disclosure, certain features are magnified due to the fact that not only are the drawings not scalable, but also because this method is the best way to illustrate the present disclosure. Wherein, the illustrations depicted are manifestations of the disclosure, and such illustrations shall in no way be interpreted as limiting the scope of the disclosure.
Before the present disclosure is described in detail, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, a limited number of the exemplary methods, materials, and configurations are described herein.
The word “exemplary” or the like is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or the like is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Organizing a child's toys or other belongings is a difficult and ongoing task for any caretaker. Transporting these items outside of the home further complicates the process. Often toys become lost, misplaced, or left at a friends' house or at school. In many instances, the bags used to keep track of all these items are unreliable. Though an embodiment is disclosed that may be used to store, organize, and transport toys, the present disclosure should not be understood to be limited only to use with toys. The present disclosure may be used to store, organize, and transport any other items for which a user may deem appropriate, such as clothes, knitting supplies, food, or first aid supplies. The present disclosure contemplates a device for safely organizing such items that comports with the limits of caretakers' time and resources. Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary bag 200 is provided. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of bag 200 adapted to transport and organize toys. According to this embodiment, hag 200 includes a front panel 10, a back panel 20, and a mesh wall 40 that makes up the sides, top, and bottom of bag 200. Both front panel 10 and back panel 20 are made of a clear, semi rigid material such as vinyl that provides support for bag 200, and helps to keep bag 200 upright without having to hold it open. The ability of bag 200 to remain upright when in a freestanding position facilitates loading and unloading by caretakers or children. Additionally, using a semi rigid material for front panel 10 and back panel 20 is safer for children as the material can't be inhaled (i.e. collapsing over the child's facial features (ex. nose, mouth, cheeks, etc.) if the bag is placed on a child's head as less rigid flexible materials may be (e.g., plastic commonly used in grocery store plastic bags). In this embodiment, front panel 10 and back panel 20 are made of a clear material that allows caretakers and children to see the contents of bag 200.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, front and back panels 10, 20 are made of 49 C (i.e. 0.49 mm) clear PVC. Panels 10, 20 may be made of various thicknesses (ex. 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 C, or thicknesses there between). Panels 10, 20 may be made of various flexibility (ex. 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 34, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 75, 80 PHR). According to an exemplary embodiment, mesh wall 40 is a plastic coated mesh with cross fibers spaced apart about 2 mm. According to alternative embodiments, the cross fibers may be spaced apart other distances (ex. 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 mm) and coated with various materials (ex. PVC, PTFE, etc.).
Front panel 10 has an ID holder 90 capable of receiving an identification label made up of paper, cardboard, plastic, or any other material that is or can be flattened to fit in ID holder 90. ID holder 90 can be made of any clear material so as to allow caretakers and children to see the identification label inside ID holder 90. ID holder 90 is attached to front panel 10 by an ID holder fabric 100 that is stitched to front panel 10. ID holder fabric 100 can be any type of fabric such as nylon, vinyl, or cotton. ID holder fabric 100 adjacent to an upper edge 150 of ID holder 90 may be stitched to only to front panel 10 so as leave ID holder 90 unattached to front panel 10 on the top, yet underneath ID holder fabric 100, which enables caretakers or children to insert or remove the identification label. The remaining edges of ID holder 90 are covered with ID holder fabric 100 and stitched directly to front panel 10, sealing II) holder 90 along the right, left, and bottom edges. Allowing the upper edge of ID holder 90 to remain free under the lip of ID holder fabric 100 whilst securing the remaining edges allow an identification label to be changed while preventing it from dislodging while in use.
Both front panel 10 and back panel 20 are attached to mesh side wall 40 by fabric 28 that along with other components form a seam 30 that boarders the edges of both front panel 10 and back panel 20. Fabric 28 can be made of any type of fabric, including nylon, vinyl, or cotton. Mesh wall 40 allows bag 200 to collapse when not in use. Mesh wall 40 is also breathable, meaning bag 200 allows air to flow freely into and out of bag 200. Using breathable mesh materials also has other advantages that would be apparent to those of skill in the art.
Bag 200 also has a handle 60 that is semi-detachable. FIG. 1 discloses bag 200 having handle 60 that is fully attached. As seen in FIG. 1, bag 200 has a support web 80 spanning mesh wall 40 and joining both front panel 10 and back panel 20 at seams 30. Handle 60 may be made of any durable material such as nylon, vinyl, or cotton. Both sides of bag 200 have a support strap/web 80 to which handle 60 is attached. FIG. 1 further discloses that strap 80 has a fastener 70 enabling caretakers to detach handle 60 from support strap 80. In the disclosed embodiment, fastener 70 is a snap button. In alternative, fastener 70 may be a flat button, a hook and eye fastener, or any other type of fastener. In the disclosed embodiment, only one support strap 80 has a fastener 70. Support strap 80 on the opposite side of bag 200 (not pictured) is permanently attached to handle 60. Support strap 80 allows the weight of bag contents to be distributed over a much larger surface area than if handle 60 was attached directly to mesh wall 40. Providing a semi-detachable handle 60 as allows caretakers to secure bag 200 to objects while in transit. For example, handle 60 may be detached on one side at fastener 70, allowing caretaker to weave handle 60 through a shopping cart or stroller handle and then reattach handle 60 at fastener 70. This functionality allows caretaker to secure bag 200 to objects while in transit. In alternative embodiments, handle 60 may be fully-detachable or non-detachable.
Turning now to FIG. 2, atop perspective view of bag 200 of FIG. 1 is provided. Bag 200 may be opened and closed through use of a closure 50. In the disclosed embodiment, closure 50 is a zipper that spans the entire top portion of mesh wall 40 and down each side to both support straps 80. In some embodiments, closure 50 may be made using Velcro, buttons, or any other type of fastener. As seen in FIG. 2, handle 60 (not pictured in FIG. 2) of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, can be detached from one side of bag 200 to allow for unobstructed access to closure 50. When in an open/unzipped state, closure 50 permits access to an interior region defined by front panel 10, rear panel 20, and wall 40. When in a closed/zipped position, closure 50 substantially blocks access to the interior region to resist toys or other objects from falling out of bag 200.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of bag 200 at line 3-3 of FIG. 1 is provided. FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of bag 200 from directly above, revealing tubing 120 not exposed from the exterior of bag 200. Tubing 120 provides a flexible internal support structure for bag 200. This interior support structure gives bag 200 further rigidity and works in concert with the exterior support structures, front panel 10 and back panel 20. Tubing 120 may be made of any flexible material capable of providing support to bag 200, including vinyl, rubber, or plastic. As demonstrated in FIG. 3, tubing 120 can be incorporated into bag 200 at seams 30. FIG. 3 also shows handle 60 that is semi-detached from bag 200.
FIG. 4 provides an enlarged cut-out view of cut-out box 130 from FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows in more detail how the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 incorporate tubing 120 into seams 30. Tubing 120 can be incorporated into seam 30 along with mesh wall 40 and front panel 10 (not shown) or back panel 20. Tubing 120 can be attached to seam 30 by stitching 140. In alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, tubing 120 may be incorporated into bag 200 by other means and using different types and shapes of tubing 120 as would be appreciated by those of skill in the art.
Turning finally to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of seam 30 at line 4-4 of FIG. 4 is provided. As can be seen, this embodiment of the present disclosure includes tubing 120 that is not entirely circular, but that has a protrusion 160 along the length of the structure that allows tubing 120 to be sewn into fabric 32 to form seam 30 using stitching 140. Protrusion 160 enables tubing 120 to be incorporated into seam 30 with mesh wall 40 and front panel (not pictured) or back panel 20. Protrusion 160 may have sides that are substantial tangent to the cylindrical both of tubing 120 or protrusion 160 may be flatter than shown so the sides are substantially parallel to facilitate the forming of seam 30 during stitching. Seam 30 may also be formed through other processes such as ultrasonic welding, etc.
Thus, specific configurations of “Bag for ToyOrganization” have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the disclosure. Moreover, in interpreting this disclosure, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprise(s),” “comprising,” “include(s),” and “including” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.

Claims

1. A bag for holding toys comprising:

a substantially transparent front vinyl panel having a first perimeter;

a substantially transparent rear vinyl panel having a second perimeter; the substantially transparent front vinyl panel being substantially parallel to the substantially transparent rear vinyl panel;

a mesh wall extending between a majority of the first and second perimeters of the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels, the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels and the mesh wall cooperating to define an interior space sized to hold toys and permit the flow of air into the interior space through the mesh wall;

a first web extending between the first and second perimeters of the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels;

a second web extending between the first and second perimeters of the substantially transparent front and rear vinyl panels;

a strap removable coupled to the first web and coupled to the second web; and

a zipper extending along the mesh wall to provide access to the interior space when the zipper is in an unzipped state and to substantially block access to the interior space when the zipper is in a zipped state.