Bag with easy access identification holder

Abstract

A bag, of tote or briefcase size, includes an identification holder which is easily accessible. The identification holder, which may be integrated with a small, convenience storage pouch, is secured to the interior of a pocket of the bag by means of an expandable-contractible member which permits the identification holder/pouch to be readily presented for inspection without being disconnected from the bag. The pocket is releasably enclosed along the top and/or side edges thereof by a zipper, and stores the identification holder/pouch when not in use. The pouch serves as a convenient storage space for accessory items.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/241,011, filed Sep. 11, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to bags, such as luggage, business cases, carry-on bags, totes and the like, and more particularly to a bag having incorporated therein a personal identification holder which is easily accessible for presentation without being disconnected from the bag. The invention also relates to a combined convenience pouch and identification holder which is easily accessible as aforementioned, but which may also be readily disconnected from the bag when desired.

[0004] 2. The Related Art

[0005] As security measures are heighten all around the world, it has become common place for individuals to be required to present personal identification to gain entry into numerous places. For example, most people in United States major cities are required to display some type of identification in order to gain entry into their office building. Even parking garages underneath highly occupied office buildings often require at least a United States driver's license for entry. Airports and airlines are even more stringent in requiring personal identification to acquire electronic tickets, and board aircraft.

[0006] In addition to having to present personal identification, as described above, many places also perform random searches or search everyone's bags prior to entry. This requires individuals to both open their bags, so that security personnel may ensure that there are no dangerous items being brought into the building, while simultaneously requiring the presentation of personal identification to gain entry. In reality this process can be rather frustrating, as an individual tries to open his/her bags, while reaching into his/her wallet or purse to find his/her personal identification. When the line of people trying to gain entry is large, this rather quick juggling around can result in the misplacement or even loss of one's personal identification. It is also frequently necessary for persons to remove valuable items from their clothing or bodies, e.g., coins, watches, jewelry, etc., to pass through metal detection equipment, as, for example, at airport security stations or certain building entrances. Adequate provision is not always made at the inspection sites, however, for the safe transfer of such items through the security station.

[0007] What is needed are better, more orderly ways of dealing with these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to fulfill the foregoing and other needs of the prior art by the provision of a bag, e.g., of the tote or hand-carried size, having an integral identification holder which is easily accessible for presentation without being disconnected from the bag. The identification holder is preferably stowed in an exterior pocket of the luggage item, such that by opening the exterior pocket an individual will have immediate access to the identification holder, where the identification holder is affixed at one end to the interior of the pocket by an expandable-contractible member, e.g., an elastic cord.

[0009] In one embodiment, the identification holder is preferably made of a resistant material forming a frame capable of holding at least one, and preferably two, personal identification cards. To that end, at least one side, and preferably both sides, of the identification holder have a transparent window for displaying at least one form, and preferably two forms, of identification without removing them from the identification holder. The expandable-contractible member affixes one end of the identification holder to the interior of the pocket of the bag. In this way, the identification holder is biased to recoil back to its place in the exterior pocket after use. This also prevents the identification holder from being lost or otherwise misplaced.

[0010] In accordance with another feature of the invention, the identification holder comprises a small convenience pouch that is connected to the free end of the expandable-contractible member, with the structure for holding the identification card attached to a side of the pouch. The identification card may then be readily presented for inspection by removing the pouch from the bag. The pouch also preferably includes a zippered opening for the storage therein of convenience items or items that the user might want to remove from his/her person during a security inspection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference may be made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a generally schematic perspective view of a bag having an integral identification holder which is easily accessible in accordance with the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a partial frontal view of the bag item of FIG. 1, showing an exterior pocket opened and revealing an identification holder which is easily accessible in accordance with the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a detailed illustration of the identification holder of FIG. 2, with an expandable-contractible coil in accordance with the present invention; and

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a convenience pouch bearing an identification holder on one surface and detachably connected to an expandable-contractible coil in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0016] FIG. 1 depicts a bag or luggage item 100, of tote or briefcase size, which is adapted to be carried by an individual by means of the handles 102 or shoulder strap 106. Such a bag would typically include one or more zippered main pockets 104 for papers, overnight articles, and the like, and one or more sides or exterior pockets 108, 110 for storage of readily accessible items. In the usual case, the bag 100 would be carried with a person when traveling on business or vacation, or simply traveling to the office. Preferably, the exterior pockets 108, 110 are fastened or opened by a closure mechanism, such as, for example, a zipper 112 extending along the top 114 and down the side 116 of the pocket 110. The exterior of the bag may be made of any suitable material, such as the fabric customarily used to cover “soft” briefcases or the like, e.g., ballistic nylon fabric.

[0017] In accordance with the invention, an identification holder 200 is located in one of the exterior pockets, e.g., the pocket 110. See FIG. 2. The identification holder 200 is secured to the interior 202 of the pocket 110 by an expandable-contractible member 204, e.g., an elastic cord, biasing the identification holder 200 towards the interior 202 of the pocket 110. In this way, the identification holder 200 is attached to the interior 202 of the pocket 110, but may readily be withdrawn therefrom and presented for inspection without being disconnected from the bag. When not in use, the identification holder is stored in the pocket 110. The elastic cord 204 is of a length, when expanded, to permit the identification folder to be readily presented for inspection. For example, the expanded length may be on the order of one to two feet.

[0018] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 3, the identification holder 200 comprises a rectangular frame 302, preferably made of a leather or other suitably attractive material, which provides the support structure for the identification holder 200. As shown, the frame 302 includes a central solid panel 304 having an apertured side member 306 on either side thereof (only one side member is shown in FIG. 3). Each side member 306 surrounds a transparent window 308 and is coextensive in size with the central panel 304 except at the upper edge 310 (as viewed in FIG. 3). By use of a transparent window 308 on both sides of the central panel 304, two forms of identification may be displayed without being removed from the identification holder 200. The transparent windows 308 are preferably clear polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0019] To permit the insertion of personal identification cards into the frame 302, the side members 306 are not attached to the central panel 304 along their upper edges 310. The side members 306 are preferably stitched to the central panel 304 along all other edges, as indicated at 312 in FIG. 3. A personal identification card may therefore be inserted, in the direction of the arrow 314, into the pocket formed between the central panel 304 and each transparent window 308.

[0020] The portion of the central panel 304 extending above the side members 306 is formed with an opening 316 for the attachment thereto of one end of the elastic cord 204. The cord 204 may be looped directly through the opening 316 as shown in FIG. 3, or a key-ring type attachment may be used. If desired, a reinforcing grommet may be provided in the opening 316.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the identification holder 200 has a length of four (4) inches and a width of three (3) inches. The width of the side frame members 306 surrounding the windows 308 may be approximately ten (1O) mm.

[0022] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the identification holder 400 takes the form of a small convenience pouch 402 with the structure for holding the identification card comprising a rectangular leather frame 403 and transparent window 404 that are sewn to the side of the pouch 402. An opening is left at one end or the top of the frame 403 for the insertion therein of an identification card.

[0023] The pouch 402 may be made of any suitable material, e.g., the same material as that of the bag 100, and preferably is provided in its top 405 with a zippered opening 406 having a zipper pull 407. A D-buckle 408 or other suitable bracket is secured to one end of the pouch 402, to which a snap-hook 409 fixed to the free end of an elastic cord 410 is removably attached. The other end of the cord 410 is secured to the interior of a pocket of the bag, as described above in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 2.

[0024] When the user desires to show his/her identification, the pouch 402 is removed from the bag 100 and extended, while still connected to the cord 410, for inspection of the identification card within the holder frame 403. At the same time, the pouch 402 provides a convenient, readily accessible place to store accessory items or other forms of identification or passage, such as tickets, that need to be readily at hand. For example, personal items such as jewelry, watches, coins, etc., that a person does not want to wear or carry on his/her person when passing through a security inspection station could conveniently be stored in the pouch 402. If desired, the pouch 402 could be disconnected from the bag 100 by means of the snap-hook 408 and carried or passed separately through the security station.

[0025] Although the invention has been described herein by reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof, it will be understood that such embodiment is susceptible of modification and variation without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed. All such modifications and variations, therefore, are intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. In a bag having a body and at least one pocket openable to the exterior of the bag, the improvement comprising:

an identification holder; and

an expandable-contractible member attached at one end to the interior of the pocket and at the other end to the identification holder, whereby the identification holder may be withdrawn from the pocket and displayed for inspection by expanding the expandable-contractible member.

2. The bag of claim 1, wherein said bag comprises ballistic nylon fabric.

3. The bag of claim 1, wherein said identification holder comprises a frame having a transparent window on at least one side thereof for displaying an identification card.

4. The bag of claim 3, wherein said frame is comprised of leather material.

5. The bag of claim 3, wherein said frame comprises a transparent window on both sides thereof for displaying two identification cards.

6. The bag of claim 5, wherein said transparent window comprises polyvinyl chloride.

7. The bag of claim 1, wherein said expandable-contractible member comprises an elastic cord.

8. The bag of claim 3, wherein said frame includes an opening for the attachment thereto of the other end of the expandable-contractible member.

9. The bag of claim 5, wherein the frame of said identification holder comprises a central solid panel and two side frames secured thereto, each of said side frames having a transparent window therein and forming with the central panel a pocket for receipt of an identification card.

10. The bag of claim 1, wherein said identification holder comprises a pouch having a transparent window structure secured to a surface thereof for display of an identification card.

11. The bag of claim 10, wherein said pouch further comprises a zippered opening in one side thereof for access to the interior of the pouch.

12. The bag of claim 11, further comprising means for releaseably attaching said other end of said expandable-contractible member to said pouch, whereby said pouch may be disconnected for said expandable-contractible member.