US20240083661A1

US20240083661A1 - Insulated Shopping Bag Device

Info

Publication number: US20240083661A1
Application number: US18/336,216
Authority: US
Inventors: Wanda Mule
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-09-14
Filing date: 2023-06-16
Publication date: 2024-03-14

Abstract

The present invention relates to an insulated shopping bag device wherein the exterior surface of the body may be comprised of at least one attachment fastener that allows the body of one device to attach to the body of a second device. As a result, the devices are secured to each other and cannot easily move or topple while in the trunk of a vehicle. The body may also be a plurality of colors and may have a plurality of indicia to indicate what items should be stored in the bag (i.e., fresh items, dry items, cold items, etc.). In addition, one embodiment of the device for cold items can be comprised of an insulated lining and lid to keep cold items at a stable temperature.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/406,302, which was filed on Sep. 14, 2022, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of shopping bags. More specifically, the present invention relates to an insulated shopping bag device. The exterior surface of the body may be comprised of at least one attachment fastener that allows the body of one device to attach to the body of a second device. As a result, the devices are secured to each other and cannot easily move or topple while in the trunk of a vehicle. The body may also be a plurality of colors and may have a plurality of indicia to indicate what items should be stored in the bag (i.e., fresh items, dry items, cold items, etc.). In addition, one embodiment of the device for cold items can be comprised of an insulated lining and lid to keep cold items at a stable temperature. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

While shopping, shoppers may place their items into plastic bags after checking out. However, plastic bags can be harmful to the environment if thrown away instead of being recycled. Alternatively, reusable bags may be used. However, reusable bags may not offer enough convenience to be consistently used. More specifically, cold items may get too warm while being transported from a store to a home. Furthermore, shopping bags can move around in a vehicle trunk while driving. This may lead to items falling out of the bags, spill, and/or become damaged.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved shopping bag. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for an insulated shopping bag device that keeps cold items cold after being purchased. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an insulated shopping bag device that cannot be easily moved or toppled while being transported in a vehicle. Furthermore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an insulated shopping bag device that allows a user to easily sort items after purchase.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises an insulated shopping bag device. The device is primarily comprised of a body with at least one interior space, at least one strap, and at least one attachment fastener. The body may be a plurality of colors and may have a plurality of indicia to indicate what items should be stored in the bag (i.e., fresh items, dry items, cold items, etc.). In addition, one embodiment of the device for cold items can be comprised of an insulated lining and lid to keep cold items at a stable temperature. In addition, the exterior surface of the body may be comprised of at least one attachment fastener. The fastener allows the body of one device to attach to the body of a second device. As a result, the devices are secured to each other and cannot easily move or topple while in the trunk of a vehicle.
In this manner, the insulated shopping bag device of the present invention accomplishes all the forgoing objectives and provides an improved shopping bag. During use, the device keeps cold items cold after being purchased via the insulated lining. In addition, multiple devices cannot be easily moved or toppled while being transported in a vehicle via the attachment fasteners. Furthermore, color coding and indicia of the device allows a user to easily sort items in multiple devices after purchase.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises an insulated shopping bag device primarily comprised of a body with at least one interior space, at least one strap, and at least one attachment fastener. The body of the device is preferably rectangular in shape and is preferably collapsible and made from any fabric, synthetic, and/or natural material known in the art. In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the body is made from a rigid material to provide structural support and shape to the body.
The body is comprised of at least one opening that allows groceries and other goods to be placed into the interior space of the body. In one embodiment (wherein the device is intended to house groceries that need to be frozen or refrigerated), the body is comprised of at least one lid that covers the opening to insulate groceries within the body. In this embodiment, the lid may be secured to the body via at least one lid fastener.
In an embodiment with a lid, the interior lining of the body and lid is comprised of an insulated material that stabilizes the temperature of the groceries within the body and prevents them from melting/changing temperature. The interior lining may be made from any insulated material known in the art.
The exterior surface of the body may also have at least one attachment fastener. This allows one device to attach to another device. This prevents the devices from moving within a vehicle and/or shopping cart.
Accordingly, the insulated shopping bag device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved shopping bag that keeps cold items cold after being purchased via the insulated lining. In addition, multiple devices cannot be easily moved or toppled while being transported in a vehicle via the attachment fasteners. Furthermore, color coding and indicia of the device allows a user to easily sort items in multiple devices after purchase. In this manner, the insulated shopping bag device overcomes the limitations of existing shopping bags known in the art.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a plurality of potential embodiments of an insulated shopping bag device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of an insulated shopping bag device of the present invention while collapsed, partially collapsed, and expanded in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of an insulated shopping bag device of the present invention with a lid open and closed in accordance with the disclosed architecture; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method of using a potential embodiment of an insulated shopping bag device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved shopping bag. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for an insulated shopping bag device that keeps cold items cold after being purchased. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an insulated shopping bag device that cannot be easily moved or toppled while being transported in a vehicle. Furthermore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an insulated shopping bag device that allows a user to easily sort items after purchase.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of an insulated shopping bag device. The device is primarily comprised of a body with at least one interior space, at least one strap, and at least one attachment fastener. The body of the device is preferably rectangular in shape and is preferably collapsible and made from any fabric, synthetic, and/or natural material known in the art. In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the body is made from a rigid material to provide structural support and shape to the body.
The body is comprised of at least one opening that allows groceries and other goods to be placed into the interior space of the body. In one embodiment (wherein the device is intended to house groceries that need to be frozen or refrigerated), the body is comprised of at least one lid that covers the opening to insulate groceries within the body. The lid may be secured to the body via at least one lid fastener.
In an embodiment with a lid, the interior lining of the body and lid is preferably comprised of an insulated material that stabilizes the temperature of the groceries within the body and prevents them from melting/changing temperature. The interior lining may be made from any insulated material known in the art.
Furthermore, the exterior surface of the body may also have at least one attachment fastener. This allows one device to attach to another device. This prevents the devices from moving within a vehicle and/or shopping cart.
Accordingly, the insulated shopping bag device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved shopping bag that keeps cold items cold after being purchased via the insulated lining. In addition, multiple devices cannot be easily moved or toppled while being transported in a vehicle via the attachment fasteners. Furthermore, color coding and indicia of the device allows a user to easily sort items in multiple devices after purchase. In this manner, the insulated shopping bag device overcomes the limitations of existing shopping bags known in the art.
Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a plurality of potential embodiments of an insulated shopping bag device 100 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The device 100 is comprised of a body 110 with at least one interior space 120, at least one strap 130, and at least one attachment fastener 114. The body 110 of the device 100 is preferably rectangular in shape but may also be square or any other shape in different embodiments. The body 110 is preferably collapsible (as seen in FIG. 2 ) and is made from any fabric, synthetic, and/or natural material known in the art. However, the body 110 is preferably made from a polyester material. In one embodiment, the bottom surface 118 of the body 110 is made from a rigid material to provide structural support and shape to the body 110. In this embodiment, the bottom surface 118 may be made from any rigid material.
The body 110 may be any color known in the art. In one embodiment, a plurality of devices 100 may each be a different color to differentiate what type of groceries/items should be placed within each device 100 (i.e., dry goods, fresh goods, cold goods, etc.). Further, the body 110 may be comprised of at least one indicia 150 such as, but not limited to, patterns, logos, emblems, images, symbols, designs, letters, numbers, words, characters, animals, advertisements, brands, etc.
The body 110 is comprised of at least one opening 116. The opening 116 allows groceries and other goods to be placed into the interior space 120 of the body 110. In one embodiment (wherein the device 100 is intended to house groceries that need to be frozen or refrigerated), the body 110 is comprised of at least one lid 140 that is fixedly connected to the body 110. The lid 140 covers the opening 116 to insulate groceries within the body 110. In this embodiment, the lid 140 may be secured to the body 110 via at least one lid fastener 142, as seen in FIG. 3 . The fastener 142 may be any type known in the art such as, but not limited to, zipper, magnet, hook and loop, snap button, etc.
In an embodiment with a lid 140, the interior lining 122 of the body 110 and lid 140 is comprised of an insulated material. This stabilizes the temperature of the groceries within the body 110 and prevents them from melting/changing temperature. The interior lining 122 may be made from any insulated material known in the art. This includes, but is not limited to, PEVA, heat sealed PEVA, a thermal liner, a gel liner that can be frozen, silver foil liner, etc.
The body 110 may be comprised of at least one strap 130. In one embodiment, the strap 130 is comprised of a handheld strap. In another embodiment, the strap 130 is comprised of a shoulder strap. The strap 130 may be of a fixed length in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the strap 130 is adjustable in length, wherein the length of the strap 130 can be adjusted by at least one strap fastener 132 such as, but not limited to, a sliding buckle.
The exterior surface 112 of the body 110 may also have at least one attachment fastener 114. The attachment fastener 114 allows one device 100 to attach to another device 100. This prevents the devices 100 from moving within a vehicle and/or shopping cart. The fastener 114 may be any fastener type known in the art such as, but not limited to, a hook fastener, a loop fastener, a magnet, a snap button fastener, a buckle fastener, etc.
The device 100 may also be comprised of a method of using 200 the device 100, as seen in FIG. 4 . First, two devices 100 are provided [Step 202]. Then, food items are placed within both devices 100 [Step 204]. Next, the devices 100 are placed within a vehicle for transport [Step 206]. Then, the devices 100 are secured to one another using attachment fasteners 114 of both devices [Step 208].
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “insulated shopping bag device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the insulated shopping bag device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the insulated shopping bag device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the insulated shopping bag device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the insulated shopping bag device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the insulated shopping bag device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the insulated shopping bag device 100 may be of any size, shape, and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An insulated shopping bag device comprising:

a body having an exterior surface and an opening;

a fastener positioned on the exterior surface of the body;

an indicia; and

a strap.

2. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 1, wherein the body is comprised of a polyester material.

3. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the body is comprised of a rigid material.

4. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 1, wherein the strap is comprised of a handheld strap.

5. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 1, wherein the indicia is comprised of a word.

6. An insulated shopping bag device comprising:

a body having an opening;

a lid attached to the body;

a fastener positioned on an exterior surface of the body;

a lid fastener;

an indicia; and

a strap.

7. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 6, wherein the strap is comprised of a shoulder strap.

8. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 6, wherein the strap is comprised of an adjustable length strap.

9. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 8, wherein the adjustable length strap is adjustable via a sliding buckle fastener.

10. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 6, wherein the lid fastener is comprised of a zipper, a magnet, a hook and loop fastener, or a snap button fastener.

11. An insulated shopping bag device comprising:

a body having an opening;

a lid;

an insulating interior lining;

a fastener positioned on an exterior surface of the body;

a lid fastener;

an indicia; and

a strap.

12. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the fastener is comprised of a hook fastener.

13. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the fastener is comprised of a loop fastener.

14. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the fastener is comprised of a magnet fastener.

15. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the fastener is comprised of a snap button fastener.

16. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the fastener is comprised of a buckle fastener.

17. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the insulated interior lining is comprised of a PEVA material.

18. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the insulated interior lining is comprised of a gel.

19. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the insulated interior lining is comprised of a silver foil.

20. The insulated shopping bag device of claim 11, wherein the insulated interior lining is positioned on the lid and positioned on an interior space of the body.