US20220369783A1

US20220369783A1 - Athletic bag with a built-in air circulating configuration for removing moisture from apparel or gear being carried in the bag

Info

Publication number: US20220369783A1
Application number: US17/749,259
Authority: US
Inventors: Corey Fitzpatrick; Travis M. Stroud; Kwame Toure Johnson
Original assignee: Three Innovative Brothers LLC
Current assignee: Three Innovative Brothers LLC
Priority date: 2021-05-20
Filing date: 2022-05-20
Publication date: 2022-11-24

Abstract

An athletic bag is provided that comprises a built-in air circulating configuration for airing out and drying apparel and/or gear carried in the bag. The bag provides an ideal solution for drying and airing out sweaty clothes and/or gear placed in the bag after a physical workout. The built-in air circulating configuration comprises an electrical fan system that pulls air through the bag to dry wet apparel and gear and one or more air vents to allow proper air flow. This ensures that workout apparel and/or gear will dry quickly, sometimes even before the user returns home, which preserves the apparel and gear, allows health risks associated with mold, mildew, bacteria and viruses to be avoided, and results in spending less money on new workout apparel and gear.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a nonprovisional application that claims priority to, and the benefit of the filing date of, U.S. provisional application No. 63/189,744, filed on May 20, 2021, entitled “ATHLETIC BAG WITH A BUILT-IN AIR CIRCULATING CONFIGURATION FOR AIRING OUT AND DRYING APPAREL AND GEAR BEING CARRIED IN THE BAG”, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to athletic bags for carrying athletic gear and apparel, and more particularly, to an athletic bag with a built-in air circulating configuration for airing out and drying apparel and gear carried in the bag.

BACKGROUND

Sports Apparel has exploded due to new technology such as wicking apparel created by Under Armour, Inc. of Baltimore, Md., and others. In 2020, consumers spent over $72 billion dollars on athletic Apparel for Men, Women and Children. Wicking material is more expensive than regular clothing material such as cotton because of the way the wicking technology keeps the body cool while working out. The material wicks the sweat from the body and captures the sweat within the material.
Studies show that within about eight to twelve hours of the clothes becoming wet and not being dried, they can mildew. If wet clothes are allowed to sit long enough, the mildew smell sets in, which has an unpleasant odor and is difficult to remove through washing. This can also result in possible stains and patches of rotten fabric in the clothing. Mold and mildew are also a health concern for people with respiratory ailments such as asthma, for example. Also, babies, children, the elderly, and people who suffer from eczema are at risk because of their weaker immune systems.
Additionally, athletic gear such as jiu jitsu gi's, belts, boxing gloves, MMA gloves, protective head gear, etc., typically also become wet with sweat during training. After training, the gear is typically stowed in an athletic bag and may not be removed from the bag for prolonged periods. If the gear remains wet, bacteria can grow inside of the gear that can cause skin irritation and infections when used at a later time. Leaving the gear wet for prolonged periods of time can also damage the gear in the same way that it can damage apparel.
Accordingly, a need exists for an athletic bag with a configuration for airing out and drying apparel and gear carried in the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The example embodiments are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawing figures. It is emphasized that the various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion. Wherever applicable and practical, like reference numerals refer to like elements.

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional (3-D) transparency view of the athletic bag in accordance with a representative embodiment showing a pop-up basket disposed in the interior of the bag and first and second electric fans for circulating air through the interior of the bag.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show 3-D top views of different examples of the pop-up basket shown in FIG. 1 that is disposed in the main compartment of the bag.

FIG. 4 is a front 3-D view of the athletic bag in accordance with another representative embodiment in which the bag comprises first and second inflow fans disposed on one side of the lengthwise direction of the bag and first and second outflow fans (not visible) disposed on the opposite side of the bag.

FIG. 5A is a front perspective view of three fans (not visible) having fan covers secured thereto that may be secured to an athletic bag in accordance with a representative embodiment.

FIG. 5B is a front perspective view of one of the fans that couples to the back side of the configuration shown in FIG. 5A on the interior of the athletic bag.

FIG. 6A is a front perspective view of a webbed pouch, pocket, satchel or compartment that the athletic bag can include on its interior for holding a fragrance sachet.

FIG. 6B is a front perspective view of a known fragrance sachet that can be placed in the pouch, pocket, satchel or compartment shown in FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a known rechargeable battery that can be secured to the athletic bag, preferably in a compartment disposed on the interior of the bag.

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of a known AC-to-DC converter that can be plugged into an AC wall outlet and electrically coupled to a battery of the type shown in FIG. 7 to recharge the battery via the AC wall outlet.

FIGS. 9A-9C depict 3-D views of the athletic bag in accordance with another exemplary embodiment having different carrying configurations; FIGS. 9A and 9C show front 3-D views of the athletic bag and FIG. 9B shows a back 3-D view of the athletic bag.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a person using the shoulder harness shown in FIG. 9C to carry the athletic bag in backpack fashion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure, an athletic bag is provided that comprises a built-in air circulating configuration for airing out and drying apparel and/or gear carried in the bag. The bag provides an ideal solution for drying and airing out sweaty clothes and/or gear placed in the bag after a physical workout. The built-in air circulating configuration comprises an electrical fan system that pulls air through the bag to dry wet apparel and gear and one or more air vents to allow proper air flow and air freshening. These features ensure that workout apparel and/or gear will dry quickly, sometimes even before the user returns home, which preserves the apparel and gear, allows health risks associated with mold, mildew, bacteria and viruses to be avoided, and results in spending less money on new workout apparel and gear.
In accordance with a representative embodiment, the athletic bag includes a rechargeable battery and a connector, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, for example, for connecting the rechargeable battery to a power source to allow the rechargeable battery to be recharged. The rechargeable battery powers one or more electrical fans of the electrical fan system and can be used to power any other optional devices of the bag that consume direct current (DC) power (e.g., lights, air fresheners, etc.). In other embodiments, a non-rechargeable power source, such as a non-rechargeable battery, for example, is used to power the electrical fan system and any other devices that require power.
In accordance with a representative embodiment, the athletic bag includes an optional pop-up basket disposed in a main compartment of the bag that can be collapsed or folded from an expanded basket state into a collapsed state (e.g., flattened), and vice versa. In its expanded basket state, the pop-up basket provides a receptacle for placement of apparel and/or gear in the bag. The pop-basket preferably is porous to allow air generated by the electrical fan system to pass through the basket to air out and dry apparel and/or gear held in the basket.
The pop-basket can optionally include one or more rails or bars that extend from one side to the other side of the top end of the basket when the basket is in its expanded state. Apparel and/or gear can be draped across the rails or bars to facilitate airing out and drying via the airflow generated by the electrical fan system.
In accordance with a representative embodiment, the athletic bag includes an optional shoe compartment that preferably is separate from the main compartment of the bag for stowing shoes.
The athletic bag can have additional features such as, for example, cover(s) for covering the fan(s) of the electrical fan system so that they are not visible our accessible by the user, one or more ventilation holes to facilitate airing out and drying of the apparel and or gear, etc.
The inventive principles and concepts are not limited with respect to the type or number of additional features that can be included in the bag configuration. Examples of the athletic bag and it features are described below in more detail with reference to the figures.
The terminology used herein is for purposes of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. The defined terms are in addition to the technical, scientific, or ordinary meanings of the defined terms as commonly understood and accepted in the relevant context.
The terms “a,” “an” and “the” include both singular and plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, “a device” includes one device and plural devices. The terms “substantial” or “substantially” mean to within acceptable limits or degrees acceptable to those of skill in the art. For example, the term “substantially parallel to” means that a structure or device may not be made perfectly parallel to some other structure or device due to tolerances or imperfections in the process by which the structures or devices are made. The term “approximately” means to within an acceptable limit or amount to one of ordinary skill in the art. Relative terms, such as “over,” “above,” “below,” “top,” “bottom,” “upper” and “lower” may be used to describe the various elements' relationships to one another, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device and/or elements in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, if the device were inverted with respect to the view in the drawings, an element described as “above” another element, for example, would now be below that element.
Relative terms may be used to describe the various elements' relationships to one another, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device and/or elements in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional (3-D) transparency view of the athletic bag 1 in accordance with a representative embodiment showing a pop-up basket 3 disposed in the interior of the bag 1 and first and second electric fans 2 a and 2 b, respectively, for circulating air through the interior of the bag 1. The athletic bag of the present disclosure can have many different shapes, sizes and configurations, and therefore the inventive principles and concepts are not limited to the example of the athletic bag 1 shown in FIG. 1 or to other examples of the athletic bag shown in other figures of the present disclosure. Additional optional, preferred features of the athletic bag 1 are discussed below in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2-9C.
In accordance with the representative embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the first and second electrical fans, 2 a and 2 b, respectively, are inflow and outflow fans, respectively. In accordance with this representative embodiment, the inflow fan 2 a and the outflow fan 2 b are disposed in different sides of the bag 1 to pull air into the interior of the bag 1 through one side of the bag 1 and to push air out of the interior of the bag 1 through a different side of the bag 1. The number and location of the fans can vary and are chosen based at least in part on cost and effectiveness, although other factors can be taken into consideration, such as the electrical power budget of the battery (not shown) that is incorporated into the bag 1.
The inflow fan 2 a can be, for example, a 1.4-ampere (amp) electric fan and the outflow fan 2 b can be, for example, a 0.4-amp fan, although the inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited with respect to the amount of electrical current needed to run the fans. The fan(s) can be selected to achieve reduced power drain on the battery while still achieving sufficient air flow.
The pop-up basket 3 can be disposed in the main compartment of the bag 1 and preferably has one or more rods or bars (not shown) connected on their ends to opposite sides of the top of the basket 3 for draping apparel to facilitate airing out and drying of apparel. As will be discussed below in more detail, the bag 1 preferably includes a shoe compartment 5 for stowing shoes that is separate from the main compartment in which the basket 3 is disposed. The bag 1 includes some type of opening/closing mechanism such as a zipper or snaps, for example, for closing and opening the main compartment of the bag 1. The bag 1 typically also includes other features that athletic bags normally include such as handles 4 and one or more side and/or top compartments. The bag 1 can be made of any suitable material, such as nylon and/or polyester, for example. Preferably, the bag 1 is made of multiple materials, such as, for example, nylon or polyester in certain portions of the bag 1 and a wicking material in other portions of the bag 1.
Although not visible in FIG. 1, the bag 1 also includes a control panel that is electrically coupled to the battery power source and to the electrical fan system 2 a, 2 b for activating and deactivating the electrical fan system 2 a, 2 b.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show 3-D top views of different examples of the pop-up basket 3 shown in FIG. 1. The basket 3 a shown in FIG. 2 has rods or bars 7 that extend across opposite sides of the top of the basket 3 a in the width-wise direction of the basket 3 a such that when the basket 3 a is in its expanded state shown in FIG. 2, the rods or bars 7 can act as supports over which apparel can be draped to facilitate airing out and drying of the apparel. The basket 3 b shown in FIG. 3 has one or more rods or bars 8 that extend across opposite sides of the top of the basket 3 b in the length-wise direction of the basket 3 a such that when the basket 3 b is in its expanded state shown in FIG. 3, the rod(s) or bar(s) 8 can act as support(s) over which apparel can be draped to facilitate airing out and drying of the apparel.
FIG. 4 is a front 3-D view of the athletic bag 10 in accordance with another representative, or exemplary, embodiment. In accordance with this embodiment, the bag 10 has first and second inflow electric fans 11 a and 11 b, respectively, disposed on one side of the lengthwise direction of the bag 10 and first and second electric outflow fans (not visible) disposed on another side of the bag 10 (e.g., one of the widthwise sides of the bag 10). The fans 11 a and 11 b preferably are covered by fan covers 11 c and 11 d, respectively, that pass air, but prevent a human from coming into direct contact with the blades of the fans 11 a, 11 b. The bag 10 preferably has at least one air ventilation hole 12 a for facilitating air circulation. The air ventilation hole 12 a preferably is covered with a vent cover 12 b that allows air to flow in and out of the bag 10. The ventilation hole 12 a and/or the vent cover 12 b can be configured to allow an air freshener device (not shown), such as air freshener devices of the type that are commonly used in automobiles, to be clipped onto it or to hang from it.
The bag 10 has a control panel, or console, 14 that includes, in accordance with this representative embodiment, an on/off button 15 and a fan speed button 16. The on/off button 15 when depressed causes the battery (not shown) to supply dc power to devices of the bag 10 that use dc power, including the fans 11 a and 11 b. The fan speed button 16 when depressed changes the fan speed. The fan speed button 16 is optional because the control panel 14 could include only the on/off button 15, in which case the fans 11 a and 11 b would be activated at a single speed when the button 15 is pressed and would be deactivated when the button 15 is pressed again. The inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited to control panel 14 having any particular set of controls and it can be made as complicated or simple as desired.
In accordance with this representative embodiment, the bag 10 includes a shoe compartment 5 that is separate from the main compartment of the bag 10 in which the pop-up basket (e.g., items 3 a or 3 b from FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively) is disposed. Preferably, the shoe compartment 5 is separated from the main compartment by a panel of material (not shown) that effectively seals off the main compartment from the shoe compartment 5 so that most or all odor and/or moisture from the shoe compartment 5 is substantially prevented from flowing from the shoe compartment 5 into the main compartment.
A shoe compartment zipper mechanism 17 can be used to open and close the shoe compartment 5. A main compartment zipper mechanism 18 can be used to open and close the main compartment of the bag 10. Other types of fastening/unfastening mechanisms can be used to open and close the shoe compartment 5 and/or the main compartment, such as, for example, buttons, snaps, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc.). The inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited to any particular opening/closing mechanisms being used for this purpose.
In accordance with the representative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, most of the bag 10 is made of a strong wicking material 20 and other portions of the bag 10 are made of a mesh material 19. The wicking material 20 absorbs moisture while the mesh material 19 facilitates air flow through the bag 10. The bag 10 has a carrying mechanism to allow a user to easily carry the bag 10, such as handles 21 and/or shoulder straps (not shown). Other types of carrying mechanisms that can be used for this purpose are described below in more detail with reference to some of the other figures. The inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited to any particular types of materials or carrying mechanisms being used with the bag 10.
FIG. 5A is a front perspective view of a front side of a panel 22 having three fan covers 21 a-21 c secured thereto. Three respective electric fans (not shown) are secured to the back side of the panel 22 opposite the respective fan covers 21 a-21 c. FIG. 5B is a front perspective view of one of the fans 21 d that is coupled to the back side of the panel 22 behind cover 21 c. The panel 22 can comprise the side of the bag 1, 10 or the panel 22 can be fixedly secured to the outside surface of the bag 1, 10. The fan covers 21 a-21 c are optional, but preferably are included for aesthetics and to prevent the user from inadvertently touching the fan blades.
FIG. 6A is a front perspective view of a webbed pouch, pocket, satchel or compartment 23 that the athletic bag 1, 10 can include on its interior for holding a fragrance sachet. FIG. 6B is a front perspective view of a known fragrance sachet 24 that can be placed in the webbed pouch, pocket, satchel or compartment 23 shown in FIG. 6A. The sachet 24 is an air freshener device for freshening the air circulating throughout the bag 1, 10. The webbing 23 a allows the scent of the air freshener to pass through it into the interior of the bag 1, 10. As indicated above with reference to FIG. 4, air freshener devices can also be clipped onto or hung from features (e.g., an inner surface of vent cover 12 b shown in FIG. 4) disposed on the inside surfaces of the bag 1, 10. The inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited to the bag 1, 10 having any particular configurations for holding air freshener devices or to any particular types of air freshener devices being used with the bag 1, 10.
FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a known rechargeable battery 26 that can be secured to the athletic bag 1, 10, preferably in a compartment disposed on the interior of the bag 1, 10. The compartment used for this purpose can be similar to the pouch, pocket, satchel or compartment 23 shown in FIG. 6A, except that it would not need to be webbed. The batter 26 can have a first and second cables 26 a and 26 b, respectively, having first and second connectors 26 c and 26 d disposed on distal ends thereof for electrically coupling the battery 26 to different types of charging receptacles, such as those commonly found in automobiles, for example, to allow the battery 26 to be recharged by an external power source electrically coupled to the charging terminal. The battery 26 can also have a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection to allow the battery 26 to be recharged from an external USB connection that is electrically coupled to an external power source. These electrical connections allow the battery 26 to be recharged at convenient times, such as when the user is in route to or from the gym, for example. This ensures that the fan(s) remain active as long as the user desires.
FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of a known AC-to-DC converter 27 that can be plugged into an AC wall outlet and connected via cable 27 a and connector 27 b to the battery 27 to recharge the battery 26 via the AC wall outlet. The bag 1, 10 will include appropriate electrical conductors for electrically coupling the battery 24 with the electric fan(s) and any other dc-powered devices of the bag 1, 10 via the control panel 14. The electrical conductors used for this purpose preferably will be routed within the material comprising the bag 1, 10. The ends of the electrical conductors of the fan(s) 2 a, 2 b, 11 a, 11 b and of the control panel 14 will typically be connectorized and the ends of the electrical conductors routed through the material of the bag 1, 10 will typically also be connectorized to allow the electrical fan(s) 2 a, 2 b, 11 a, 11 b, the control panel 14 and the battery 26 to be easily and securely electrically coupled to one another.
The battery 26 can be stored in an internal or external compartment of the bag 1, 10. For cases where the battery 26 is stored in an internal compartment of the bag 1, 10, preferably end portions of the electrical cables 26 a, 26 b of the battery 26 (FIG. 7A) on which the connectors 26 c, 26 d are disposed are passed through one or more thru holes formed in the bag 1, 10 to allow the battery 26 to easily be electrically coupled with an external electrical power charging source. This would prevent having to open the main compartment of the bag 1, 10 in order to charge the battery 26. For cases where the battery 26 is stored in an external compartment of the bag 1, 10, preferably end portions of the electrical cables 26 a, 26 b of the battery 26 (FIG. 7A) on which the connectors 26 c, 26 d are disposed are passed through one or more thru holes formed in the external compartment to allow the battery 26 to easily be electrically coupled with an external electrical power charging source.
The inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited to any particular types of electrical coupling systems for electrically coupling the battery 26, the control panel 14 and the fan(s) 2 a, 2 b, 11 a, 11 b to one another or to the electrical conductors of the bag 1, 10. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, these types of electrical connections can be made in a variety of ways.
FIGS. 9A-9C depict 3-D views of the athletic bag 100 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. FIGS. 9A and 9C show front 3-D views of the athletic bag 100 and FIG. 9B shows a back 3-D view of the athletic bag 100. The only difference between the athletic bag 100 shown in FIG. 9A and the athletic bag 100 shown in FIG. 9C is the carrying configuration. FIG. 9A shows the bag 100 having handles 101 a, 101 b that can be brought together into a single handle 101 c and removably secured to one another by a hook-and-loop fastener 101 c to allow the user to carry the bag 100 with one hand. FIG. 9A also shows the bag 100 having an adjustable shoulder strap 102 that can be removable coupled with the bag 100 to allow the bag 100 to be carried over a shoulder or behind the back of the user. FIG. 9C shows the bag 100 having an adjustable shoulder harness 103 having to straps 103 a, 103 b that are removable secured to the bag 100. The straps 103 a, 103 b pass over the user's shoulders to allow the bag 100 to be carried as a backpack. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a person using the shoulder harness 103 shown in FIG. 9C to carry the athletic bag in backpack fashion.
In the representative embodiment shown in FIGS. 9A-9C, the electric fan system comprises a first inflow electric fan 104 a disposed in a lengthwise side (e.g., the front side) of the bag 100 (FIG. 9B) and a second outflow fan 104 b disposed in a widthwise side (e.g., right end side) of the bag 100 (FIG. 9A). A control panel 106 (FIG. 9B) is also disposed in the lengthwise side of the bag 100. The control panel 106 can be located close to the rechargeable battery (not shown) to minimize electrical conductor routing through the material of the bag 100 for connecting the battery to the control panel 106. The bag 100 could have more than two or fewer than two fans, and the fan(s) can be disposed anywhere in the bag 100 deemed to provide the best or most effective airflow.
The inventive principles and concepts of the present disclosure are not limited to any particular types of carry mechanisms for allowing a user to carry the bag 1, 10, 100. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, a variety of carry configurations such as handles, harnesses and/or straps can be used for this purpose. For example, while all of the embodiments discussed above disclose an electrical fan system comprising at least a first inflow fan and a second outflow fan disposed in first and second sides of the bag, respectively, a single inflow fan may be sufficient in cases where portions of the bag are made of a breathable material that allows the air flow generated by the single fan to pass through the breathable material. At least one fan may be sufficient to generate the air flow needed, although multiple fans are preferred. Also, while embodiments disclosed herein utilize a rechargeable battery, nonrechargeable batteries can also be used to provide the necessary voltage and current for the fan(s).
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the inventive principles and concepts. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, some of the components shown in the figures are optional and/or may only be needed in certain applications, and components not shown in the figures can be included in the athletic bag. Persons of skill in the art will understand, in view of the description provided herein, the manner in which such modifications can be made. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.

Claims

1. An athletic bag comprising:

a built-in air circulating system that is configured to remove moisture from apparel or gear carried in the bag, the built-in air circulating configuration comprising:

an electrical fan system configured to pull air through the bag to generate an air flow in an interior space of the athletic bag that helps remove moisture from apparel or gear carried in the interior space of the athletic bag, the electrical fan system comprising at least a first inflow electric fan for pulling air into the interior space of the bag; and

an electrical power supply configured to supply electrical power to the electrical fan system.

2. The athletic bag of claim 1, further comprising:

a first outflow electric fan for pushing air out of the interior space of the bag.

3. The athletic bag of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more air vents disposed in one or more sides of the bag to facilitate the air flow.

4. The athletic bag of claim 1, further comprising:

a pop-up basket disposed in the interior space of the bag in a main compartment of the bag, the pop-up basket being collapsible or foldable into a collapsed state and expandable into an expanded state in which the basket expands into a basket shape, wherein in its expanded state, the pop-up basket provides a receptacle for placement of apparel or gear in the interior space of the bag, the pop-up basket being porous to allow the air flow generated by the electrical fan system to pass through the basket to help remove moisture from apparel or gear held in the basket.

5. The athletic bag of claim 4, wherein the pop-basket includes one or more rails or bars that extend from one side to another side of a top end of the basket when the basket is in the expanded state for draping apparel or gear across said one or more rails or bars to facilitate the removal of moisture from the apparel or gear.

6. The athletic bag of claim 1, wherein the electrical power supply is a rechargeable battery having a connection for connecting an external recharging power source to the rechargeable battery for recharging the rechargeable battery.

7. The athletic bag of claim 6, further comprising:

a control panel electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery and to the electrical fan system, the control panel having one or more user-selectable controls to allow a user to turn said at least a first inflow electric fan off and on.

8. The athletic bag of claim 7, wherein the control panel has at least a first user-selectable control to allow the user to turn said at least a first inflow electric fan off and on and a second user-selectable control to allow the user to change a speed of said at least a first inflow electric fan.

9. The athletic bag of claim 1, wherein said at least a first inflow electric fan comprises at least the first inflow electric fan disposed in a first side of the athletic bag and a first outflow electric fan disposed in a second side of the athletic bag for pushing air out of the interior space of the bag.

10. The athletic bag of claim 9, wherein the first and second sides of the athletic bag are different.

11. The athletic bag of claim 10, wherein the first side of the athletic bag is a lengthwise side of the athletic bag and the second side of the athletic bag is a widthwise side of the athletic bag.

12. The athletic bag of claim 10, wherein the first side of the athletic bag is a first lengthwise side of the athletic bag and the second side of the athletic bag is a second lengthwise side of the athletic bag.

13. The athletic bag of claim 1, further comprising:

a shoe compartment that is separated from the interior space of the athletic bag by a panel that prevents or at least reduces air flow from the shoe compartment into the interior space main compartment of the athletic bag.

14. The athletic bag of claim 1, further comprising:

a compartment or pocket disposed in the interior space of the bag for holding an air freshener device.

15. The athletic bag of claim 1, wherein each electric fan of said at least a first inflow electric fan is mechanically coupled to a respective fan cover.