Sport bag
A sport bag comprises first and second substantially identical soft sided generally rectangular parallelepiped compartments having an array of layers of hard sided boxes which may be maintained at various elevations with respect to the bottom side of the compartments in order to enhance access of the hard sided boxes. The compartments are hinged together along a bottom edge and are also connected by a gusset and/or connecting straps joined to a carry strap that may be pulled to pivot the compartments flush back to back.
Latest Travel Caddy, Inc. d/b/a Travelon Patents:
In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a sport bag generally of the type used by fisherman, hunters, hobbyists and the like.
Practice of a sport or hobby often requires access to items associated with the sport or hobby. Fishermen typically desire access to lures, lines, weights, certain tools, and the like. Hobbyists, such as model airplane enthusiasts, may require batteries, fuel, repair kits, bonding materials, and the like. To satisfy such a need for such items, sportsmen and hobbyists often employ tackle boxes—metal or molded plastic containers with internal compartments. Often such containers have inadequate capacity. Moreover, it may be difficult to access the contents of such containers. Also, to change the contents of such containers and clean such containers may be difficult and time consuming. Thus, sportsmen and hobbyists may desire alternative containers or options for their gear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, the present invention comprises a sport bag fabricated from a soft material such as canvas or other fabric and including first and second generally rectangular, parallelepiped identical compartments hinged back to back and pivotal about their hinge connection between a flush back to back position and an open position. The compartments are connected by straps or gussets which may be attached to a shoulder strap that may be engaged to pivot the compartments together. The sport bag is sized to receive modular, removable, hard sided layers of boxes that hold sport gear or items and which may be supported on an array of stepped supports within the compartment to facilitate removal of the boxes from the compartment. The sport bag may also include various hand operated tools attached by a lanyard to a side or handle of the bag wherein the lanyard is extendable in length and wherein the tool may be retained in a pocket or by other means on the side of the bag when the tool is not in use.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved sport bag.
A further object is to provide a sport bag inclusive of removable, hard sided, modular sized, storage boxes.
Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive and rugged sport bag.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sport bag with a shoulder strap that effects closure or compacting of elements comprising the bag.
A further object is to provide a sports bag with a tool attached thereto by an extensible lanyard.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGIn the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures:
Referring to the figures, the sport bag of the invention is particularly useful to fishermen, hunters and other sports activists. The bag of
An important aspect of the invention is the inclusion of a gusset 32 connecting the first lateral sides 18 and 19 and a second gusset 34 connecting the second lateral sides 16 and 17. A horizontal cross strap 36 also connects the lateral sides 18 and 19. A horizontal similar strap 37 is provided on the opposite side of sections 8, 9 for attachment to the outside of the second lateral sides 16, and 17. A shoulder carry strap 40 is attached to the two horizontal lateral side straps 36, 37 which are stitched in the embodiment shown to the outside edge, such as the edge 35 and the outside edge 37 of the respective elements or bags 8 and 9. Thus, as shown in
Referring next to
A problem often encountered with respect to inclusion of such hard sided boxes 50, 52, 54 within the soft sided bag 8 is the effort to effect removal of the boxes 50, 52, 54 one at a time from the compartment 8.
Other alternative constructions for the sport bag are within the scope of the invention. For example, the compartment connecting gussets 32 and 34 need not fill the entire space between the back sides 12 and 13 as illustrated in
Thus, referring first to
Referring again to
Multiple variations of the arrangement of attachment of a tool to the outside face or surface of any one of a number of panels comprising a bag may be employed, and a particular retention means is not a limiting feature of the invention. Among the important aspects of the constructions depicted, however, is the elasticity or elongation capability of the lanyard or cord connected to a tool. Multiple tools, of course, may be utilized including clippers, knives and the like. Preferably, another important feature of the invention is the fact that the tool can be retained temporarily in some type of pocket, elastic band, hook and loop fastener or the like. Additionally, the tool may be replaced and the lanyard may be totally replaced by providing for detachability of the one end of the lanyard from the outside face of the sport bag side panel. Further, the tools, lanyards and the like may be affixed to any one of the panels of the sports bag, including the back panel, lateral side panels or front panel.
Thus, while there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A sport bag comprising, in combination:
- a generally rectangular, parallelepiped, soft sided bag compartment with a bottom side with an inside, a back side, a front side, a first lateral side, a second lateral side generally parallel to and spaced from the first lateral side, and an open top side;
- a plurality of at least two generally rectangular, parallelepiped, hard sided, storage boxes fitted into the compartment, said hard sided boxes in combination having a dimension substantially equal to the spacing between the front side and back side, and at least one hard sided box having a lateral side to side dimension substantially equal to the spacing between the first and second lateral sides, said hard sided boxes overlying each other in stacked array of layers; and
- at least one hard sided box support member on or over the inside of the compartment bottom side for support of the respective layers hard sided boxes at an increasing distance from the inside of the bottom side upon increased spacing of each layer from the front side.
2. The sport bag of claim 1 wherein the hard sided boxes each have a side to side dimension equal to the spacing between the first and second lateral sides.
3. The sport bag of claim 1 including a hard side box support member selected from the group consisting of (1) a plurality of web members extending between the front side and back side, (2) a single web member extending from the front side to the back side, (3) a plurality of web members extending between the lateral sides, and (4) a series of rigid, stepped platform members between the front side and back side.
4. The sport bag of claim 1 in combination with a second sport bag compartment of like construction and dimension, said compartments arranged in opposed back to back array and hinged at the junction of their respective bottom side and back side, and further including a flexible gusset connecting the opposed back sides to permit the compartment to pivot a limited extent about the hinged junction between a flush, back side to back side position and a pivoted partially spaced position.
5. The sport bag of claim 4 further including a first lateral strap joining the first lateral sides of said compartments, and a carry strap attached to the lateral strap whereby pulling the carry strap effects pivoting of the bags about the hinged junction to the generally flush position.
6. The sport bag of claim 5 including a second lateral strap connecting the second lateral sides, said carry strap having opposite ends connected respectively to the first and second lateral straps.
7. A sport bag comprising, in combination:
- a first generally rectangular, parallelepiped, soft sided compartment with a bottom side with an inside, a back side, a front side, a first lateral side, a second lateral side generally parallel to and spaced from said first lateral side, and an open top side;
- a second compartment of like construction and dimension, said compartments in opposed back to back array and hinged at the junction of the respective bottom side and back side, and further including a flexible gusset connecting the opposed back sides to permit the compartments to pivot a limited extent about the hinged junction between a flush back side to back side position and a pivoted partially spaced position;
- a first lateral strap joining the first lateral sides; and
- a carry strap attached to the lateral strap whereby pulling the carry strap effects pivoting of the compartments about the hinged junction to the generally flush position.
8. The sport bag of claim 7 including a second lateral strap connecting the second lateral sides of the compartments said carry strap having opposite ends connected respectively to the first and second lateral straps.
9. The sport bag of claim 7 including an extensible lanyard attached at one end to the outside of a side of the bag with a tool attached to the opposite end of the lanyard, and further including a fastening mechanism for removably holding the tool on a side of the bag.
10. The sport bag of claim 9 wherein the lanyard is a connecting member selected from the group consisting of a coiled cord, an elastic cord, a reel retained cord, and combination thereof.
11. The sport bag of claim 9 wherein the tool is selected from the group consisting of a knife, a clipper and a ring.
12. The sport bag of claim 9 wherein the fastening mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a pocket formed on the outside of the bag, hook and loop fastener incorporated on the tool and the outside of the bag, and an elastic band on the outside of the bag.
13. The sport bag of claim 9 further including a bungee strap attached to a first side and a clip mechanism for attaching the bungee strap to a separate second side of the bag to retain items in the bag.
14. The sport bag of claim 1 including an extensible lanyard attached at one end to the outside of a side of the bag with a tool attached at the opposite end of the lanyard and further including a fastening mechanism for removably holding the tool on a side of the bag.
Type: Application
Filed: May 20, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 23, 2006
Applicant: Travel Caddy, Inc. d/b/a Travelon (Des Plaines, IL)
Inventors: Donald Godshaw (Evanton, IL), Andrezj Redzisz (Wheeling, IL)
Application Number: 11/134,734
International Classification: A45C 15/00 (20060101); A45C 11/26 (20060101);