WO2005117634A1

WO2005117634A1 - A shoulder bag

Info

Publication number: WO2005117634A1
Application number: PCT/SE2005/000778
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joakim Liljedahl
Original assignee: Joakim Liljedahl
Priority date: 2004-06-02
Filing date: 2005-05-25
Publication date: 2005-12-15
Also published as: SE0401413D0; SE526890C2; SE0401413L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a personal shoulder bag (1) that includes a shoulder strap (2) fastened at attachment points in the form of fasteners (3) located on opposite sides of the bag (1), wherein, when carried, the bag (1) is supported by its shoulder strap (2) intended to be placed over one of the person´ shoulders with the bag (1) hanging down close to his/her body. The invention is characterized in that the shoulder bag (1) is swung in a horizontal plane when carried; in that the bag (1) has located thereon strap attachment points in the form of strap fasteners (3), such that the strap (2) will pass generally vertically down to said fasteners (3) when the bag is carried with the strap (2) placed over the shoulder of the person carrying the bag.

Description

A Shoulder Bag

The present invention relates to a shoulder bag.

Individuals often find it necessary to walk while carrying bags of different kinds. One of the smartest ways of doing this is to hang the bag over one shoulder and carry the bag as he or she moves. Handbags, briefcases, cycle bags and ordinary bags or cases that are provided with a shoulder strap are examples of so-called shoulder bags. A distinguishing feature of such bags resides in the provision of a shoulder strap affixed to bag-mounted attachment points, with the strap placed over one shoulder of the wearer so as to hang down close to the side of the individual concerned. It is usually possible to adjust the length of the strap to suit a respective wearer.

However, it is known that such shoulder bags give rise to irritating problems. When the strap hangs from the shoulder of the wearer down along one side thereof, it does not hang vertically downwards but, instead, slopes downwards and outwards from the wearer's shoulder, wherewith the strap tends to slide off the shoulder. In such an event, it is either necessary for the wearer to hold the bag against his or her body with one hand or an arm or to compensate for such slippage of the shoulder strap by consciously or subconsciously raising his or her shoulder. This impedes the freedom of movement of the wearer, for instance makes it difficult for him or her to bend down in order to do something. Moreover, carrying of a shoulder bag in this way has a harmful effect on the wearer's spine, which is placed under stress and caused to stoop. This can result in back problems.

Another problem is that the bag hangs down close to the wearer's side, so that the full width of the bag will protrude out from the wearer's body. Shoulder bags therefore require a lot of space and constitute an obstructive object in, for instance, confined passageways or in crowded busses and subways.

The present invention thus relates to a shoulder bag which is intended for individual use and which has a shoulder strap attached to attachment points in the form of fasteners on mutually opposite sides of the bag, wherein the bag is carried with the shoulder strap situated over one shoulder of the wearer such as to hang down close to the wearer's body and wherein the invention is characterized in that when worn the bag is swung in a horizontal plane; in that fastening points in the form of strap fastening elements are placed on the bag so that the strap will extend down generally vertically to ^• the attachment points when the bag is carried with the strap placed over one shoulder of the wearer.

The invention will now be described in more detail, partially with reference to an exemplifying embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings; in which

- Figure 1 illustrates an individual carrying a shoulder bag with the strap placed over one shoulder; Figure 2 is a view of the bag obliquely from behind; and - Figure 3 is a view of the bag from above.

The present invention relates to a personal shoulder bag 1 which includes a shoulder strap 2a and 2b fastened to attachment points in the form of fasteners 3 located on opposite short sides 4 of the bag and which bag 1 hangs down close to the wearer's side when worn with the strap 2 passing over one of his or her shoulders; see figures 1 and 2.

According to the present invention, the bag 1 is caused to swing in the horizontal plane in its use position, i.e., when carried, so that the strap 2 will extend generally vertical down to the fasteners 3 when the strap 2 is placed over a wearer's shoulder. Figure 1 shows two different types of shoulder strap 2. The first type has contact with the person's shoulder and is preferably flat, as indicated at 2a, so as to provide the best possible wearer comfort, whereas that part of the strap which is in contact with the bag 1 and the fasteners 3 is preferably round, e.g. cord shaped as shown at 2b.

Located at both ends of the strap 2 is a stop 5, which is preferably in the form of a ball, a knot, or a sleeve made, for instance, of plastic or metal material. The fasteners 3 are adapted to co-act with the ball or its counterpart on the strap portion 2b and are placed along both short sides of the bag 1. In order to obtain the shortest possible strap 2, the strap portion 2b is threaded through all mutually sequential fasteners 3 along the short sides 4 of the bag 1, starting from the highest fastener 3 on said both short sides 4 of the bag 1, by highest fastener meaning the top fastener when the bag 1 is placed in its use position; see figures 1 and 2. The stop 5 on the strap 2 is hooked into the lowermost fastener 3 in figure 1 so as to keep the strap 2 is its shortest set state. The length of the strap 2 can be adjusted, by moving the points at which the strap is attached to the fasteners 3 along the short sides 4 of the bag 1.

Figure 3 shows the bag 1 from above. The horizontally swung mode of the bag will be evident from this perspective. The arrow A shows the position of the bag-carrying person in relation to the bag 1. The arrows B indicate the swung part of the bag 1 against which parts of the person's stomach and back respectively are located. In the case of this embodiment, the shoulder strap 2 is in its shortest form, i.e. the strap portion 2b is threaded through all fasteners 3. Figure 3 also illustrates the different portions 2a and 2b of the shoulder strap. When this bag 1 is carried or worn, the shoulder strap 2a and 2b will hang generally vertically, meaning that the strap 2a and 2b will not strive to slide outwards on the wearer's shoulder.

With the exception of the uppermost fastener, the bag fasteners 3 are preferably designed to enable the strap 2 to be moved readily from one fastener 3 to another fastener 3 while still enabling the stop 5 to be hooked into the chosen fastener 3 so as to obtain a given strap length. For example, respective fasteners 3 may be formed with pairs of projections extending vertically along the short sides 4 of the bag 1 and projecting at right angles therefrom and placed centrally of one another. The projections are bent in towards each other, although while leaving a space between respective pairs of projections through which the strap portion 2b can pass. On the other hand, the stop 5 is prevented from sliding between the pairs of projection. More over, the stop is prevented from sliding out of hooked engagement with the projections, by virtue of the projections being adapted to hold the stop 5 in place.

However, the uppermost fastener 3 will preferably not include the space provided with the fasteners 3 described above. Instead, the free ends of the projections will meet each other so as to prevent the strap portion 2b with the stop 5 from being unintentionally released from the uppermost fastener 3, such release possibly causing the bag 1 to fall from the wearer's shoulder due to the fact that the strap will not then be fastened at two attachment points, i.e. in two fasteners.

The bag 1 is swung so as to follow one side of the person's body carrying the bag, both with respect to parts of the carrier's stomach and back. The shoulder bag 1 is preferably positioned close to the waist of the person carrying the bag 1 so as to minimise the extent to which the bag 1 projects out from the body. The bag 1 can have one of many different sizes and swing radii, such as to suit different people with different waist sizes.

In order to obtain a swing-type shoulder bag 1 it is necessary to produce the actual bag 1 from a material that will enable the bag 1 to retain its swing form irrespective to the extent to which it is packed, and also irrespective of weather and external blows or impacts to which it may be subjected. The bag may, for instance, be made of leather or a plastic material.

Although the bag has been described above with reference to a number of embodiments, it will be understood that the bag 1 and its swinging feature, its shoulder strap 2 and its fasteners 3 may be designed in some other appropriate fashion without departing from the fundamental concept of the invention.

It will therefore be understood that the present invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above, since variations and modifications can be made within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A personal shoulder bag (1) that includes a shoulder strap (2) fastened in attachment points in the form of fasteners (3) located on opposite sides of the bag (1), wherein, when carried, the bag (1) is supported by its shoulder strap (2) intended to be placed over one of the person' shoulders with the bag (1) hanging down close to his/her body, characterized in that the shoulder bag (1) is swung in a horizontal plane when carried; in that the bag (1) has located thereon strap attachment points in the form of strap fasteners (3), such that the strap (2) will pass generally vertically down to said fasteners (3) when the bag is carried with the strap (2) placed over the shoulder of the person carrying the bag.

2. A shoulder bag (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the length of the strap (2) can be adjusted, by moving the fasteners (3) of the strap (2) on the bag (1).

3. A shoulder bag (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the fasteners (3) are placed along respective short sides (4) of the bag (1).

4. A shoulder bag (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the bag (1) is swung such as to follow one side of the carrier's body when worn and to rest against parts of the wearer's stomach and back.

5. A shoulder bag (1) according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the bag (1) is made of a material which enables the swung form of the bag to be retained.