WO2014016564A1

WO2014016564A1 - Bags

Info

Publication number: WO2014016564A1
Application number: PCT/GB2013/051863
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carol Smith
Original assignee: Ideagear International Ltd
Priority date: 2012-07-24
Filing date: 2013-07-12
Publication date: 2014-01-30
Also published as: GB2504296A; GB201213153D0

Abstract

A pocket (24) for a bag (10) comprising interior signage (48), a resiliently deformable structural element (50) adapted to bias the pocket (24) to an open position in which the interior of the pocket (24) is visible from outside the bag (10), and additionally comprising means (30) for retaining the pocket (24) in a closed position in which the interior signage (48) faces inwardly and is substantially not visible from without the pocket (24).

Description

Title: Bags

Description: This invention relates to bags, and in particular, but without limitation, to rucksacks having signage thereon.

Rucksacks are in widespread use as they are versatile items that can be worn on a user's back to keep it out of the way when performing other tasks. For example, rucksacks are useful when partaking in sporting activities, such as walking, running and cycling as the user's limbs are largely uninhibited by the bag during the activity, and the weight of the bag's contents are borne by the user's back in an unobtrusive way.

Rucksacks generally comprise a main storage compartment and are often also provided with exterior pockets and pouches for storing items that need to be accessed quickly or whilst on the move.

When partaking in certain activities, especially road running and cycling, it can be desirable for the rucksack to comprise signage elements, such as a high-visibility patch and/or retrorefelctive elements that enable the wearer to be more easily spotted by other road users. Conventionally, such elements are integrated into, or sewn onto, the exterior surfaces of the rucksack and perform adequately. One disadvantage of known rucksack signage, however, is that it can detract from the overall appearance of the rucksack, in particular where the rucksack is designed for everyday use and where the users are particularly fashion conscious. As such, the use of high visibility rucksacks is not as widespread as it ought to be.

In one example, school bags for children, most especially in Europe, are designed with external high-visibility elements for road safety reasons. Where such bags are part of a school uniform, or where their use is widespread, peer pressure to use more fashionable bags is not as strong. However, in other parts of the world, or in particular localities where high-visibility bags are not deemed to be fashionable, their use is much less widespread, which can have public safety implications.

A need therefore arises for a bag, and in particular, but not exclusively, a rucksack, that has integral signage, but which signage can be hidden when it is not desired to be visible. It is an object of the invention to address one or more of the above problems, and/or to provide an improved and/or alternative bag.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a pocket for a bag comprising interior signage, a resiliently deformable structural element adapted to bias the pocket to an open position in which the interior of the pocket is visible from outside the bag, and additionally comprising means for retaining the pocket in a closed position in which the interior signage faces inwardly and is substantially not visible from without the pocket.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a bag comprising a main storage compartment and at least one pocket located on the exterior of the bag, the interior of at least one of the pockets comprising signage, wherein the pocket comprises a resiliently deformable structural element adapted to bias the pocket to an open position in which the interior of the pocket is visible from outside the bag, the pocket additionally comprising means for retaining it in a closed position in which its interior faces towards the bag.

In one aspect, the invention comprises a bag with an exterior pocket that springs open by the action of the resiliently deformable structural element when the retaining means is released. However, the pocket can also be closed, against the action of the resiliently deformable structural element and held closed to form a pocket. Such an arrangement may advantageously enable the signage to be displayed at will, and to remain visible without having to positively secure the pocket in the open position.

The invention is thus different to known bags having exterior signage in several ways, namely in that the signage can be displayed or hidden at the user's option, thereby converting the bag, in one embodiment, from a high-visibility road safety device into a bag of conventional design, or vice-versa, at the user's option. Such a configuration may remove some of the stigma that can be associated with high-visibility bags, for example in schools or between children of certain ages.

Another possible aspect of the invention may conveniently enable the signage to be concealed for operational purposes. For example, a plain-clothes policeman or policewoman may wear the bag with the signage in a concealed state, but when required, the signage, for example, a "police" sign may be deployable to reveal the fact that the user is a policeman or policewoman.

Additionally, the exterior of the pocket may comprise signage of a different type to that of the interior of the pocket. A rucksack, for example, in accordance with this aspect of the invention may be of particular use, say, to police cyclists, who may wish to display a "police" sign most of the time, but to have the option to display a different sign, for example, a warning triangle, when attending an emergency. One possible application of such a bag in accordance with the invention would be for the pocket to contain a first aid kit, such that when the pocket is opened to remove the first aid kit, the signage automatically flips out to reveal appropriate signage, such as "first aider - keep back".

The bag may comprise one or more pockets comprising signage. Most preferably, the bag has at least one pocket on the rear of the bag and may also have additional pockets comprising signage located on the sides and/or top and/or base of the bag.

The resiliently deformable structural element preferably comprises a resiliently deformable plastics or elastomeric element that biases the pocket to the open position. Most preferably, the resiliently deformable structural element has a contoured or three-dimensional surface profile to provide ribs or other non-planar formations that urge the pocket to the open position. A three- dimensional surface profile may provide a snapping action to the resiliently deformable structural element, such that the profile needs to be collapsed to close the pocket, but which snaps into its un- deformed configuration when the pocket is opened.

Conveniently, a three-dimensional resiliently deformable structural element can be made by moulding or vacuum forming a sheet of plastics or elastomeric material. The three dimensional profile of the resiliently deformable structural element, where provided, may take the form of raised lines or ridges, as raised lettering or symbols corresponding the wording/icons of the signage, or indeed any other form. In one embodiment of the invention, the three-dimensional profile corresponds to that of a cartoon character or other image, which form may be particularly desirable to younger children.

The bag additionally comprising means for retaining the pocket in a closed position. Such retaining means may conveniently be provided in the form of a zip fastener extending around part of the periphery of the pocket, press studs, hook-and-loop fasteners, or indeed any other suitable fastener or retainer.

Preferred embodiments of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a rucksack in accordance with the invention with a signage pocket in a closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rucksack of Figure 1 with the signage pocket in an open position;

Figure 3 is a partial cross-section of Figure 1 on Ill-Ill;

Figure 4 is a partial cross-section of Figure 2 on IV-IV;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a messenger bag in accordance with the invention with a signage pocket in a closed position; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the messenger bag of Figure 5 with the signage pocket in an open position;

In Figure 1, a rucksack 10 in accordance with the invention comprises a main body portion 12 having a main storage compartment 14 that is accessible via a zip fastener 16. The rucksack 10 can be carried by a user using the shoulder straps 18 or by a grip handle 20 located at the top of the rucksack 10. The rucksack has a set of side pockets 22 that can be used for carrying water bottles or other small items, and a rear pocket 24 located on the back of the main body portion 12, that is, facing away from the user's back (not shown) when the rucksack 10 is worn over the user's shoulders using the shoulder straps 18. As will be apparent, except for the rear pocket 24, the rucksack 10 is of a generally conventional design.

As can be seen from Figure 1 to 4, the rear pocket 24 comprises a flap 26 that can be folded upward to form an interior space 28 that can be used for retaining and transporting items (not shown). The flap 26 is held up by a zip fastener 30 that extends around three of its sides (two side edges and an upper edge) to form a closed storage volume 28. The zip fastener 30 can be partially un-zipped to gain access to the interior 28 of the pocket 24, of fully un-zipped, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, to reveal the signage 34 within it.

As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4 in particular, the rear pocket 24 is formed by a layer of fabric 36, the upper portion 38 of which is stitched to the rear 40 of the rucksack 10, and a lower portion 42 whose exterior surface 44 is visible from the rear of the rucksack 10 when the main pocket 24 is closed, but which lies against the rear of the rucksack 40 when the pocket 24 is opened. The interior of the main pocket 24 comprises an additional signage layer 46, which is glued and/or stitched to fabric layer 36. The signage layer 46 is preferably of a contrasting colour to the fabric layer 36, but this may not necessarily be the case. The signage layer 46 comprises writing, an image or other indicia 48, which forms the visible part of the signage layer 46 that is visible from the exterior of the rucksack 10 when the main pocket 24 is opened and folded down.

The signage layer 46 is formed from a sheet of moulded polyester or PVC (e.g. phalate-free PVC) that has a three-dimensional shape. The contours 50 of the three dimensional shape, in the illustrated embodiments, correspond to the outline of the indicia 48, although this may not necessarily be the case. For example, the three-dimensional shape may comprise a set of straight, vertical ribs and the indicia itself may be printed over the ribs to form the visible signage when the pocket 24 is opened.

The signage layer 46 itself is made from a resiliently deformable material, and so naturally has a tendency to open out as shown in Figure 2 when the zip fastener 30 is un-zipped. However, one function of the three dimensional relief 50 in the signage layer 46 is to render the signage layer 46 stiffer, such that when the pocket 24 is opened, the signage layer 46 remains substantially flat - lying against the rear 40 of the rucksack 10. Such a configuration conveniently avoids the need to fasten the pocket 24 down when opened, as the inherent stiffness of the signage layer 46, as imparted by its three-dimensional structure 50, holds it in place. Using such a design, it is possible for the pocket 24 to remain substantially in place, even when, say, being worn on a moving bicycle, without the slipstream or wind causing it to flutter - as it would if a three-dimensional signage layer 46 were not present.

A further function of the three-dimensional structure of the signage layer 46 is to provide a positive snapping action as the rear pocket 24 is opened and closed. This is achieved by positioning a portion of the relief in the signage to span the fold line of the pocket. As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, in particular, when the pocket 24 is opened, the three dimensional form 50 of the signage layer 46 adopts is as-moulded form, but when the pocket 24 is sipped closed, the three-dimensional form 50 buckles or inverts in places 52 (usually adjacent the pocket's fold line), thereby snapping into a folded configuration. This holds the pocket 24 in a partially closed configuration, even when the zip 30 is partially released, which avoids the contents (not shown) of the pocket 24 from being scattered as the pocket snaps open. The three-dimensional structure 50 of the signage layer 46 can be configured to require a user to positively snap the signage layer 46 down (or up) into an open, deployed position, whereupon it will remain in that state until deliberately folded closed again.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6, in which the bag is a messenger-type bag 56, rather than a rucksack. Identical reference signs have been used to identify identical features to avoid repetition. The same principles as described above, nevertheless, apply.

It will be noted, in Figures 5 and 6, that the main pocket 24 is applied to the flap 58 of the messenger bag 56, that is to say, the portion that faces outwardly when worn by a user. The messenger bag 56 is intended to school children, and so the indicia 48, rather than being plain text of a warning symbol, comprises an illustration that children of certain ages may find appealing. The illustration may be gender specific. Additionally, in Figure 6, it will be noted that the indicia 48 additionally comprises strips of retrorefelctive tape 60 to increase the visibility of the bag 58 in low- light conditions.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, which are merely exemplary. For example, the number, size and location of the signage pockets may be changed to suit different types of bad, the bag may take any form and not just a rucksack or messenger bag-type design as described herein, the means of closing the various pockets and compartments of the bag may not necessarily utilise zip fasteners, and the materials of construction of the invention may all be changed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims:

1. A pocket for a bag comprising interior signage, a resiliently deformable structural element adapted to bias the pocket to an open position in which the interior of the pocket is visible from outside the bag, and additionally comprising means for retaining the pocket in a closed position in which the interior signage faces inwardly and is substantially not visible from without the pocket.

2. A bag comprising a pocket according to claim 1.

3. A bag comprising a plurality of pockets according to claim 1.

4. A bag as claimed in any of claims 1, 2o r 3, wherein the bag is any one or more of the group comprising: a rucksack; a messenger bag; a satchel; a holdall; and a suitcase

5. A pocket or bag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the exterior of the pocket

additionally comprises signage.

6. A pocket or bag as claimed in claim 5, wherein the interior signage is different to the exterior signage.

7. A pocket or bag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the resiliently deformable structural element comprises a resiliently deformable plastics or elastomeric element.

8. A pocket or bag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the resiliently deformable structural element has a contoured or three-dimensional surface profile.

9. A pocket or bag as claimed in claim 8, wherein the contoured or three-dimensional surface profile comprises stiffening ribs or other non-planar formations.

10. A pocket or bag as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the contoured or three-dimensional surface profile aids, in use, urging the pocket to the open position.

11. A pocket or bag as claimed in any of claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein the contoured or three- dimensional surface profile imparts, in use, a snapping action to the resiliently deformable structural element.

12. A pocket or bag as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the contoured or three- dimensional surface profile is arranged to overlie a fold line of the pocket.

13. A pocket or bag as claimed in any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the contoured or three- dimensional surface profile is formed by moulding or vacuum forming a sheet of plastics or elastomeric material.

14. A pocket or bag as claimed in any of claims 8 to 13, wherein the contoured or three- dimensional surface profile comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a raised lines or ridges; relief lettering; relief symbols; and a relief illustration.

15. A pocket or bag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means for retaining the pocket in the closed position comprises any one or more of the group comprising: a zip fastener; a press stud; a hook-and-loop type fastener; a buckle; a clip; and a magnet.

16. A bag as claimed in any of claims 2 to 15, comprising a main body portion having a main storage compartment separate from the pocket.

17. A bag as claimed in any of claims 2 to 16, wherein the pocket comprises: a layer of fabric, a first portion of which fabric layer is affixed to the bag, and a second portion of which fabric layer has an exterior surface that is visible, in use, when the pocket in in the closed position, but which second portion lies against bag when the pocket is in the open position; and a signage layer affixed to the interior surface of the fabric layer when the pocket is in the closed position.

18. A bag as claimed in claims 17, wherein the signage layer is of a contrasting colour to the fabric layer.

19. A pocket or bag as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the signage further comprises a retrorefelctive element.

20. A pocket or bag substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.