Lightweight bear-proof bag
A lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items is provided. The bag includes an outside surface made of a bear-proof material along with a non-solid frame located inside the outside surface. The non-solid frame has a predetermined form which cannot be substantially altered by an animal (e.g., a bear).
This invention relates to camping gear, specifically to food storage bags for long-term camping in the wilderness. During long term camping, pack weight is of particular concern. Food storage bags add to pack weight, so it is desirable to keep these bags as lightweight as possible.
In addition to pack weight, campers desire to keep their food stores from being raided and torn apart by hungry, marauding bears, raccoons or other animals. While backpacking in most areas of the United States, it is suggested that you use a bear-proof bag, bear-proof canister or other bear resistant container for storing your food. Others require the use of a bear-proof container.
One lightweight bear-proof bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,713. This patent discloses puncture and tear resistant fabric sewn with high strength thread and secured with an abrasion resistant cord. This bag is made to be hung high in a tree to prevent bear tampering.
Another bear-proof option is set forth in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0206763 entitled, “Easily Disassemblable Bear-Proof Container.” This publication discloses a complicated structure used for long-term camping in deep wilderness. This container unlocks and opens as a self-contained eating table. It may also be disassembled into individual parts for transportation. It's more like a cage with sturdy table-like side than a bag.
Additional solutions are currently available for purchase. For example, the BearVault product is a bear-proof container providing tool-less access. BearVault claims its canister product is light weight while able to contain a large volume (approximately seven days worth of food) by using durable Lexan® construction. This canister also has a childproof-style, press-while-you-turn locking mechanism.
Wild Ideas provides the Bearikade product which is a bear resistant container including an internal cylinder made of a lightweight composite carbon fiber material. The Bearikade container may be opened by a human using the edge of a coin or other flat object, and animals are unable to open the container. One advantage of the Bearikade canister is that the external diameter is large enough to keep Grizzly Bears from getting a jaw lock on it. A bear may still use its claws, body weight and other tactics to damage the container and its contents. Another disadvantage is that the opening is quite small.
Another example currently on sale is the Ursack bear-proof food bag made of various materials. Some of these products use bullet-proof fabric, more specifically, high tech spectra fabric that's bolstered with flexible fiberglass Ripstop. Other Ursack bags are made of high tech Vectran fabric, which is the same material used in the airbags on the Mars Rover so that it will safely land on the planet's rough terrain. The Ursack highbred bag is a combination of the regular Ursack bag plus a heavy duty aluminum liner in the shape of a cylinder. The aluminum liner is designed to bend but not break, and it's possible that a bear might bend the liner out of shape. Ursack claims that “your food should survive just fine,” but some food may still be squished. Furthermore, Ursack states, “[t]he liner can be reused—although it may have to be reworked into a cylinder shape.”
Additional background for the invention is in the technical area of collapsible cages. Collapsible cages are common and usually used for animals. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,194, entitled, “Collapsible Portable Animal Crate.” In this reference, the crate includes a tray to define a collapsed stowed configuration. The stowed configuration allows for easy crate transport.
Thus it is desirable to provide a lightweight bag that is fully resistant to bear tampering and which can be easily carried during a wilderness hike. To be fully resistant, the bag must not lose its shape while full of food.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is a lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items. The bag includes an outside surface made of a bear-proof material along with a non-solid frame located inside the outside surface. The non-solid frame has a predetermined form which cannot be substantially altered by an animal (e.g., a bear).
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the present technology, not limitation of the present technology. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present technology without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present subject matter covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
With reference to
Turning now to
Frame 800 is optionally collapsible such that when the bag is empty, it may be easily reduced in size and stowed away. This is convenient for both the final leg of a trek and for storage. Well know techniques may be used for providing the collapsibility of frame 800 and the other collapsible frames described in this disclosure. A predetermine method is provided to the user for collapsing the non-solid frame. A standard locking mechanism may be used for this collapsing.
Many other shapes may be used for the bear-proof bag of the present invention. For example,
Although embodiments of the invention have been discussed primarily with respect to specific embodiments thereof, other variations are possible. For example, different sizes and geometric shapes may be utilized with the non-solid frame to match backpack shapes and backpacker needs. It may be possible to use any attachment device with the designs disclosed herein.
While the specification has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these embodiments. These and other modifications and variations to the present invention may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. Furthermore, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit the invention.
Claims
1. A lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items, comprising:
- an outside surface comprising a bear-proof material; and
- a non-solid frame located inside said outside surface, said non-solid frame having a predetermined form;
- wherein said predetermined form cannot be substantially altered by an animal; and
- wherein said outside surface and said non-solid frame together provide the bag for carrying and storing camping related items.
2. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1,
- wherein said predetermined form of said non-solid frame is in an open position; and
- wherein said non-solid frame is collapsible to a second predetermined form in a closed position.
3. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said non-solid frame is a cylinder shape.
4. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said non-solid frame is a rectangular shape.
5. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said non-solid frame substantially matches the shape of a backpack.
6. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said bear-proof material is a bullet-proof material.
7. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said non-solid solid frame is a lightweight metal.
8. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said non-solid frame is a lightweight plastic.
9. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein a camper may use a predetermined technique to manually collapse said non-solid frame.
10. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 9, wherein said predetermined technique includes unlocking a mechanism.
11. The lightweight bear-proof bag for carrying and storing camping related items of claim 1, wherein said non-solid frame is cage-like.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 26, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 28, 2008
Inventor: Veronica R. Vance (San Carlos, CA)
Application Number: 11/710,687
International Classification: A45C 11/20 (20060101);