Tote bag

Abstract

A tote bag includes a semi-rigid sack wall dependently and upwardly disposed about a rigid base to present an upwardly oriented mouth. The semi-rigid sack wall is affixed at the lower edges thereof to the separately constructed rigid base, which generally includes an outer perimetrical frame and an inner perimetrical frame, the outer perimetrical frame and the inner perimetrical frame cooperating to dependently support an interiorly disposed, wire mesh and to anchor the lower edges of the semi-rigid sack walls. A removable panel is included to selectively close the bottom of the tote bag.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This present application claims all available benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/277,901 filed Sep. 30, 2009. By this reference, the full disclosure, including the drawings, of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/277,901 is incorporated herein as though now set forth in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to personal accessories. More particularly, the invention relates to a tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use and, especially, for use as a beach bag, a gardening bag, a fishing bag or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tote bags of wide variety are routinely found in use during recreational activities, such as trips to the beach, as well as in the furtherance of hobbies or home activities, such as gardening. Such a tote bag as heretofore know in the arts generally comprises a canvas or like material sack having one or more handles affixed thereto. Unfortunately, and especially in the types of activities previously noted, such prior art tote bags are prone to falling over and spilling out of their contents. Additionally, whether through falling over or as a consequence of use, such tote bags also often become filled with soil or sand, which soil or sand is generally difficult to remove from the bag and can rarely be removed without first removing from the bag any contents. Still further, the canvas or like material forming the base of such prior art tote bags is generally placed directly in contact with often wet sand or soil as commonly found in beach or garden areas, causing the sack itself to become wet and/or muddy, further frustrating the cleaning process and, as a result, negatively impacting the practical utility of such bags.

With the forgoing disadvantages and limitations of the prior art in mind, it is an overriding object of the present invention to improve over the prior art by providing a tote bag that is particularly adapted for use in the type of environments encountered in the described and similar activities. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tote bag that is prone to remaining generally upright while in use, thereby reducing the ingress to the bag of sand and soil. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a tote bag that is also provided with some measure of protection from direct contact of sack materials with wet sand or soil. Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a tote bag wherein any sand or soil that should enter the bag is relatively easily cleaned therefrom, the cleaning process being simple and effective without generally requiring removal from the tote bag of any contents thereof. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a tote bag that is economical to manufacture and aesthetically pleasing in appearance, such that the tote bag may be as widely as possible distributed to an accepting population of consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention—a tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use—generally comprises a preferably semi-rigid sack wall dependently and upwardly disposed about a rigid base to present an upwardly oriented mouth. The semi-rigid sack wall is affixed at the lower edges thereof to the separately constructed rigid base, which generally comprises an outer perimetrical frame and an inner perimetrical frame, the outer perimetrical frame and the inner perimetrical frame being cooperatively adapted to dependently support an interiorly disposed, wire mesh and to anchor the lower edges of the semi-rigid sack walls. A removable panel may also be included to selectively close the bottom of the tote bag, preventing travel through the mesh of contained material.

Finally, many other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts, especially in light of the foregoing discussions and the following drawings, exemplary detailed description and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with illustrative figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows, in a partially cut away side perspective view, the preferred embodiment of the tote bag of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows, in cross sectional view taken through cut line 2-2 of FIG. 1, details of one preferred manner for construction of the tote bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows, in a partially cutaway side perspective view, various details of one extension of the invention of the tote bag as otherwise shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows, in a cross sectional view taken through cut line 4-4 of FIG. 3, various additional details of the extension of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

Referring now to the figures and to FIG. 1 in particular, the tote bag 10 of the present invention is shown to generally comprise a preferably semi-rigid sack wall 11 dependently and upwardly disposed about a rigid base 16 to present upwardly oriented mouth 12. As will be better appreciated herein, the semi-rigid sack wall 11 itself has no integral base, but rather is affixed at the lower edges 15 thereof to the separately constructed rigid base 16. As shown in various levels of detail in FIGS. 1 through 4, the preferred embodiment of the rigid base 16 of the present invention generally comprises an outer perimetrical frame 17 and an inner perimetrical frame 28, the outer perimetrical frame 17 and the inner perimetrical frame 28 being cooperatively adapted to dependently support an interiorly disposed wire mesh 26 and to anchor the lower edges 15 of the semi-rigid sack walls 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 4 in particular, the outer perimetrical frame 17 is shown to preferably comprise a plurality of rabbeted, elongate blocks 18 joined together in mitered edges 22. As shown in the figures, the outer perimetrical frame thus constructed comprises a vertically oriented portion 19 and a horizontally oriented portion 20, which together, as shown in the figures, form an interiorly oriented shelf about the outer perimetrical frame. In order to begin assembly of the tote bag 10 of the present invention, a plurality of feet 23, such as may comprise rectilinear blocks 24 are affixed about the corners of the outer perimetrical frame 17 with conventional mounting hardware, such as screws 25 or the like, disposed through the horizontally oriented portion of the frame 17. The feet 23 in place, the wire mesh 26, which preferably comprises a 0.25 inch by 0.25 inch to 0.5 inch to 0.5 inch square mesh of approximately 18 to 19 gauge welded wire coated with a polymer, is supported at its outer edges atop the horizontally oriented portion 20 of the outer frame 17 with the outermost edges 27 of the mesh 26 upturned to rest adjacent to the interior face of the vertically oriented portion 19 of the outer frame 17. With the lower edges 15 of the sack walls 11 disposed generally adjacent the vertically oriented portion 19 of the outer frame 17, the upturned outermost edges 27 of the wire mesh 26 being preferably interposed the lower edges 15 of the of the sack wall 11 and the outer perimetrical frame 17, the inner perimetrical frame is inserted through the open mouth 12 of the sack wall 11 and friction fit against the lower edges 15 of the sack wall 11 in order to securely press or “sandwich” the interposed lower edges 15 of the sack wall 11 and the upturned outermost edges 27 of the mesh 26 between to inner frame 28 and outer frame 17. In order to ensure stability of construction, however, the inner frame 28 is then preferably affixed to the outer frame 17 with conventional mounting hardware such as, for example, screws 33 inserted through the vertically oriented portion 19 of the outer frame 17.

The inner perimetrical frame 28, which is preferably constructed from a plurality of elongate blocks 29 joined together in mitered edges 30, may be reinforced with the provision of gussets 31 or the like. For example, as shown in the figures, preferably triangular blocks 33 may be conventionally disposed in the interior corners of the inner frame 28 in order to enhance the structural integrity thereof.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tote bag 10 of the present invention may optionally be provided with a removable panel 34 dependently supported on grooves or rabbets 36 formed about the distal edges 21 of the horizontally oriented portion 20 of the outer frame 17. In this manner, sand or soil collected in the interior of the bag 10 may be prevented from falling out through the mesh 26 when, for example, travelling by car or entering a household. In order to allow sand or soil to freely escape, however, the panel 34 may be removed by sliding it out of a provided slot 35 through a section of the outer frame 17.

While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description and the accompanying drawings. For example, conventional handles 13 such as, for example, straps 14 of canvas of the like may be conventionally attached to the outer faces of the sack walls 11 by, for example, stitching or the like. Such handles 13, in addition to facilitating carrying of the tote bag 10, also allow the bag 10 to be sharply banged onto its feet 23 to encourage removal through the mesh 16 of sand or soil.

Additionally, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that in various applications materials other than canvas may be desired in the construction of the sack walls 11. Likewise, it will be recognized that the frames 17, 28 may comprise any of a variety of materials such as, for example, white oak, which is known to be a strong and stable lumber that readily accepts waterproofing treatments such as, for example, boiled linseed oil and the open mesh 26 may be manufactured of any relatively strong material, including some plastics and textile materials. In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use, said tote bag comprising:

a rigid base, said rigid base comprising a perimetrical frame;

a semi-rigid sack wall, said sack wall being dependently and upwardly disposed about said rigid base; and

an open mesh interiorly disposed substantially within said perimetrical frame, said open mesh thereby forming the bottom of the tote bag.

2. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 1, wherein said open mesh comprises a wire mesh.

3. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 2, wherein said wire mesh comprises a polymer coating.

4. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 1, wherein said perimetrical frame comprises an outer perimetrical frame and an inner perimetrical frame.

5. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 4, wherein said outer perimetrical frame and said inner perimetrical frame are cooperatively adapted to support said interiorly disposed open mesh.

6. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 5, wherein said outer perimetrical frame and said inner perimetrical frame are cooperatively adapted to anchor the lower edges of said semi-rigid sack wall.

7. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 5, wherein said outer perimetrical frame and said inner perimetrical frame are further cooperatively adapted to anchor the lower edges of said semi-rigid sack wall.

8. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 7, wherein said outer perimetrical frame comprises a vertically oriented portion and a horizontally oriented portion, said vertically oriented portion and said horizontally oriented portion forming an interiorly oriented shelf.

9. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 8, wherein said outer perimetrical frame comprises a plurality of rabbeted, elongate blocks.

10. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 9, wherein said plurality of blocks are joined together in mitered edges to form said outer perimetrical frame.

11. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 8, wherein said inner perimetrical frame and said vertically oriented portion of said outer perimetrical frame sandwich the lower edges of said sack wall, thereby anchoring said sack wall.

12. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 8, wherein said inner perimetrical frame and said horizontally oriented portion of said outer perimetrical frame sandwich the outer edges of said open mesh in dependent support of said open mesh.

13. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 12, wherein said inner perimetrical frame and said vertically oriented portion of said outer perimetrical frame sandwich the outer edges of said open mesh in dependent support of said open mesh.

14. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 13, wherein said inner perimetrical frame and said vertically oriented portion of said outer perimetrical frame further sandwich the lower edges of said sack wall, thereby anchoring said sack wall.

15. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 14, wherein the lower edges of said sack wall are disposed to the interior side of the outer edges of said open mesh.

16. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 14, said tote bag further comprising a removable panel adapted to prevent escape through the open mesh of material contained within the interior of the tote bag.

17. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 7, said tote bag further comprising a removable panel adapted to prevent escape through the open mesh of material contained within the interior of the tote bag.

18. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 4, said tote bag further comprising a removable panel adapted to prevent escape through the open mesh of material contained within the interior of the tote bag.

19. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 2, said tote bag further comprising a removable panel adapted to prevent escape through the open mesh of material contained within the interior of the tote bag.

20. The tote bag particularly adapted for outdoor use as recited in claim 1, said tote bag further comprising a removable panel adapted to prevent escape through the open mesh of material contained within the interior of the tote bag.