Device for transporting large planar rollable objects

Abstract

A device for carrying large planar sheets is disclosed. The device is made of thin pliable sheets of flexible and resilient material that is wrapped around the documents after they are rolled into a cylindrical bundle. The device has a detachable securing mechanism that securely holds the cylindrical bundle of documents. The device also has a handle to allow the bundle to be carried.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/______, filed 9 Sep. 2003 and entitled A Device for Transporting Large Planar Rollable Objects.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for carrying personal objects, and more particularly a device for carrying large pliable planar, sheets of paper or sheet-like objects.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Information such as pictures, drawings, blueprints for buildings, and information contained in a textural or graphic format is often put on large flat sheets of paper or thin pliable sheets of cardboard. When this is done, one of the problems of managing information in this format is the need to transport the document created on the large flat, pliable sheets. The drawings, pictures, blueprints or other documents on large flat sheets often must be carried from interview to interview, meeting to meeting, or from office to construction site and back repeated times. The blueprints, pictures or other documents must be taken out of the case they are carried in at each interview, meeting, office or construction site. There they are reviewed. Once this is done, they have to be replaced in the case. This constant movement and insertion and removal in the carrying case can subject the documents to damage and makes their handling difficult depending on the device used to carry the documents. It should also be noted that it can be very bulky and difficult to carry.

Artists carry folio cases, large, flat bi-folded cases, which can be used to carry such objects. The objects are placed in them in their flat configuration, and the container is closed for transportation. However, such containers are bulky, and can be difficult to carry. Another method for transporting these materials is to roll them up, and put then in a cylindrical tube made of cardboard, metal or plastic. While in some instances this may be a better way of transporting blueprints, maps or other large, flat sheets that contain information, cylindrical tubes made of metal, plastic or cardboard have their disadvantages. They often can be hard to carry. The tubes are often not the right size, and they require reaching into the tube, and rolling the sheets into an even tighter cylindrical roll to be able to extract them from the tube.

Thus, what is needed is a device which quickly and efficiently can be deployed for carrying large bulky sheets, such as blueprints. Such a transportation device must be easy to carry and the documents must be easily disengaged from the carrying device.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a device that can be quickly and easily deployed to carry large rollable planar objects such as blue prints etc. In another aspect of the invention the device can easily and conveniently be carried. In a further aspect of the invention the device can be easily disengaged from the rolled objects.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objectives by providing a pliable durable sheet with at least two adjacent protrusions on a first edge of said pliable durable sheet, each of said at least two protrusions having a first part of a detachable connecting mechanisms located thereon. The pliable durable sheet has a second edge with at least two second parts of said detachable connection mechanisms positioned such that when said pliable durable sheet is wrapped around a cylindrical object each of said at least two second parts of said detachable connection mechanisms can be aligned with one of each of the first part of said detachable connection mechanisms. The carrying device functions such that when a large planar flexible rollable object with planar shape memory is rolled into a cylindrical shape said pliable durable sheet is capable of being wrapped around said large planar flexible rolloable object and each of said first part of said detachable connections mechanisms are detachably connected to said one of said second part of said detachable connection mechanisms. The pliable durable sheet has a holding mechanism, i.e. a handle, positioned such that when said pliable sheet is secured around a rolled large planar flexible rollable object with planar shape memory said holding mechanism is in a position which allows said pliable durable sheet to be grasped and carried with one hand with said large planar flexible rollable object with planar shape memory is secured therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by an examination of the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a flat planar view of the inside surface of an embodiment of the document carrying device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flat planar view of the outside surface of the carrying device of the present invention depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a prospective view of an embodiment of the carrying device of the present invention secured around a bundle of documents to be carried; and

FIG. 4 is a flat planar view of another embodiment of the document-carrying device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a device for carrying blueprints, posters, or other pliable roll able sheet-like objects or documents. Typically these objects are made of thin cardboard, paper, plastic, etc.

The present invention provides a thin strong pliable sheet that can be wrapped around a rolled bundle of documents and detachable connected to hold the documents in a roll. The sheet has a handle, which allows the sheet and bundle of documents to be carried in one hand. FIG. 1 provides a view of the inside surface, 21 of the carrier 23 of the present invention. The carrying device 23 as depicted in FIG. 1 is roughly shaped in a rectangular or square format with, in preferred embodiment, two straps 27, and 29. On the end of each strap is a first type of connecting device part 31. In the preferred embodiment a Velcro™ type of a hook material is used. The Velcro™ material 39 that the material 31 on straps connects to is on the reverse side of 23 in outline form. The dimensions of the carrier 23 can vary. In a preferred embodiment the document carrier can be 12″×24″ to 12″×28″. The straps can vary form 6″ to 8″ in length. However, other sizes can be as equally effective, depending upon the application.

FIG. 2 provides a view of the outside surface 33 of the carrier. As can be seen, the opposite sides of the straps 27 and 29 are visible. Additionally, the second part of the connecting device 39 appears on the outside surface. In the preferred embodiment, this would the second part of the Velcro™ connector 31 that connects to Velcro™ connecting devices 31, on the opposite side of straps 27 and 29 represented in (outline form) when the carrier is rolled around a rolled bundle of documents. Also visible in FIG. 2, is a handle 41 and a label holder 43. Label holder 43 would typically hold information regarding ownership, or other identifying information may be placed in label holder 43.

Carrier Document 23 can be made of thin pliable leather, vinyl, plastic, or polyethylene type of materials that can be formed into a thin pliable sheet. Other similar materials can be used.

FIG. 3 is a view of the carrier 23, secured around a bundle of documents 51. The documents, 51 in FIG. 3 can be blueprints, posters or other documents or thin pliable sheets. Handle, 41, is in a position where it can be quickly grasped for carrying of document carrier 23 with one hand. Straps 29 and 27, with Velcro™ material 31 attached to the second part of the connectors 39 which are located on the outside surface of carrier. As noted above, in the preferred embodiment, a Velcro™ type of connector would be used. However, straps that have clips on the end of them or a belt buckles-type of connecting device could be used. Another alternative is magnetized type of connectors. In fact, any type of a two part detachable connecting device could effectively be used to detachably secure the straps, 29 and 27.

One of the factors that help carrier 23 retain a rolled bundle of documents, 51 and, is the fact that it is carrying objects, i.e. documents or material that has a flat planar shape memory. Paper and thin cardboard or planar sheets all can be rolled into a cylindrical configuration. However, in order to maintain the bundle in a cylindrical roll the bundle has to be secured by a band or other device. As soon as the restraint holding the documents is removed have a tendency to lay flat. Since these sheets always have the tendency “urge” to open up and lay flat they will maintain a minimum tension which keeps carrier 23 secure and around them. Such documents or sheets, as noted above, could be posters, blueprints, or other type of paper, documents or cardboard sheets. Additionally the sheets 51 could be made of a polyethylene, or polypropylene or other type of material that can be formed into a thin, pliable, flexible sheet that can be rolled, and around which the carrier 23 can be secured.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the document carrier 73 of the present invention that has three security straps 75, 77 and 79. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4 Velcro™ type of connecting device is used.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made to it without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A device for transporting large planar flexible rollable objects with planar shape memory comprising:

a pliable durable sheet with at least two adjacent protrusions on a first edge of said pliable durable sheet, each of said at least two protrusions having a first part of a detachable connecting mechanisms located thereon;

said pliable durable sheet having a second edge with at least two second parts of said detachable connection mechanisms positioned such that when said pliable durable sheet is wrapped around a cylindrical object each of said at least two second parts of said detachable connection mechanisms can be aligned with one of each of the first part of said detachable connection mechanisms;

wherein when a large planar flexible rollable object with planar shape memory is rolled into a cylindrical shape said pliable durable sheet is capable of being wrapped around said large planar flexible rolloable object and each of said first part of said detachable connections mechanisms are detachably connected to said one of said second part of said detachable connection mechanisms; and

said pliable durable sheet has a holding mechanism positioned such that when said pliable sheet is secured around a rolled large planar flexible rollable object with planar shape memory said holding mechanism is in a position which allows said pliable durable sheet to be grasped and carried with one hand while with said large planar flexible rollable object with planar shape memory is secured therein.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said detachable connection mechanism is a Velcro™ type of connection mechanism wherein each of two parts of said Velcro™ type of connection mechanism form the first and second parts of said detachable connection mechanism.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said detachable connection mechanism is a snap type of connection mechanism wherein the first and second parts of said connection mechanism are form a male and counter part female of said detachable connection mechanism.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least two protusions comprise three protrusions.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the pliable durable sheet is made of material selected from the group of leather, plastic, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

6. A device for carrying thin rollable sheets with planar shape memory comprising: a thin pliable sheet with at least two straps protruding from a first edge of said thin pliable sheet, each of said straps having a first part detachable connection mechanism on a first side of said at least two straps, said first side of said two straps forming a continuous surface with a first side of said thin pliable sheet; a second part of said detachable connecting mechanisms being located on a second side of said thin pliable sheet, at a second edge of said thin pliable sheet, said second edge being on a side opposite said first edge of said thin pliable sheet, and said second part detachable connecting mechanisms are each axially aligned with one of said first part detachable connecting mechanisms so that when said first side of said thin pliable sheet is rolled around at least one thin rollable sheet that has planar shape memory, when said sheet is formed into a cylindrical configuration with a predetermined radius, said first part of said detachable connecting mechanism can thereby be detachably mated with said second part of said detachable connecting mechanism and thereby retain said thin rollable sheet with planar shape memory in the cylindrical configuration.

7. The carrying device of claim 6 wherein said at least two straps is three straps.

8. The carrying device of claim 6 wherein said at least two straps is a plurality of straps.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said detachable connection mechanism is a Velcro™ type of connection mechanism wherein each of two parts of said Velcro™ type of connection mechanism form the first and second parts of said detachable connection mechanism.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein said detachable connection mechanism is a snap type of connection mechanism wherein the first and second parts of said connection mechanism are form a male and counter part female of said detachable connection mechanism.

11. The device of claim 6 wherein the thin pliable sheet is made of material selected from the group of leather, plastic, polyethylene, and polypropylene.