Equipment bag with interchangeable panels
An equipment bag of the kind used to tote sporting equipment having compartments for storing bats, balls, a glove, and the like, the bag further including exterior panel covers that are non-structural and removably connected to the bag via a zipper or other releasable means. The panel covers are provided in coordinating colors, and alternate panel covers are provided in different colors that also removably attach to the equipment bag. The removable panel covers can be selected to coordinate with team colors so that a user can match the colors of other teammates for different teams using the same equipment bag. In one embodiment, the panel covers are reversible to increase the number of bag appearances for the same number of panels.
This invention relates generally to equipment bags, particularly those used as a carryall for team sport equipment such as softball, baseball, football, lacrosse, etc., that includes interchangeable outer panel covers in varying colors to alter the appearance of the bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONEquipment bags used to tote sporting equipment are very popular with players who must carry a great deal of equipment and gear for participation in the game. Sports such as baseball, hockey, softball, football and the like typically require a bag to carry all of the bats, balls, gloves, hats, cleats, and the various other equipment and gear required. This has led to the popularity of the sports bag carry-all. These bags are traditionally leather or a synthetic leather-like material having a number of compartments that hold player's bats, gloves, balls, and the like. The bags normally include handles or straps that facilitate carrying the bag, and may also include clips or hooks for suspending the bags from a dugout fence or the like. A line of equipment bags is offered by the assignee of the present invention, Diamond Sports of Cypress, Calif.
Players on a sports team traditionally purchase an equipment bag in the color(s) of their team. This promotes team solidarity and presents a unified presence of team support. In many cases, players play for several teams, including club leagues, city leagues, semi-professional leagues, and so on. For players who play for more than one team, this can present a problem that is solved only by purchasing multiple equipment bags, one in each team color. This can be an expensive endeavor, particularly for players who play for three or more teams or for players who's team colors change every season. The present invention is directed to this problem, which remains unaddressed in the industry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to a sports equipment bag with a plurality of removable colored panel covers that can be exchanged with similar panel covers of a different color, style, or with a different logo. The panel covers are non-structural in that the bag is fully functional without the covers, and the covers serve an aesthetic function to designate team identity. When a player needs to change the appearance of his or her equipment bag to coordinate with a team's colors, the fitted panel covers of the equipment bags are easily removed via releasable fasteners or zippers, and replaced with alternate styled fitted panel covers of the designated colors. In this manner, one equipment bag can serve a player on multiple teams, eliminating the costs of purchasing an equipment bag for each team. Using different panel cover color combinations, the permutations of different bag appearances that can be created using a single bag with multiple panels is virtually endless.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The equipment bag 10 shown in
Bags such as those shown in
A second removable panel 52 is located at a second compartment portal for the equipment bag 10. The panel 52 also serves as locator for the front upper compartment panel cover 23a where the engagement of the panel cover 23a with the panel 52 is similar to the previous example. A third panel, the front lower compartment panel 54 serves as a locator for a third panel cover 26a, where each panel cover may be color-coordinated to match the other panel covers. For example, panel covers 20a, 23a, and 26a are preferably of a common color or display a common logo such that the equipment bag 10 can be adorned with a visually consistent theme or color scheme. Against the other neutral surfaces of the equipment bag, the colored panel covers allow customization of the equipment bag to coincide with a particular team's color scheme.
As shown in
The present invention allows players of multiple teams to keep a single equipment bag, requiring only the acquisition of various panel covers to vary the bag's appearance. Removing the panel covers is simple and takes only a few seconds to replace, and can even make a worn bag look new again. Accordingly, the present invention significantly reduces the cost of participating in multiple softball or baseball leagues.
Claims
1. An equipment bag including a plurality of compartments for storing sporting equipment, comprising:
- first and second straps secured to the equipment bag and forming handles thereon;
- at least one strap secured to the equipment bag and coupled with a hook member to secure said equipment bag on a vertical structure; and
- a plurality of removable panels connected to the outer surface of the equipment bag via zippers, said removable panels being decorative rather than structural, and of a like color;
- wherein said removable panels can be replaced with alternate removable panels of a color other than said like color.
2. The equipment bag of claim 1 comprising three removable panels, a first removable panel covering substantially a lateral side of the equipment bag, a second removable panel disposed on a front surface of the equipment bag, and a third removable panel also disposed on the front surface of the equipment bag.
3. The equipment bag of claim 1 wherein each removable panel includes on a periphery a set of teeth adapted to cooperate with a set of teeth on the equipment bag for releasably connecting the removable panels to the equipment bag.
4. A sports equipment bag having fence clips and carrying handles, and further comprising:
- external surfaces of a first color;
- at least one first removable panel cover releasably connected to the equipment bag and comprising an outer surface with a team color thereon, said removable panel being non-structural with respect to the sports bag; and
- at least one alternate removable panel for substitution with said first removable panel cover comprising an outer surface with a team color different from said first panel cover.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 7, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2006
Inventor: Chris Coffing (Rossmoor, CA)
Application Number: 11/030,824
International Classification: B65D 85/20 (20060101);