RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 62/000,860, filed May 20, 2014. That related application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to a carrier apparatus. More specifically, the present invention is a multi-compartment carrier bag apparatus intended to hold the user's helmet and other possessions.
BACKGROUND ART People who wear helmets tend to be cyclists, skateboarders, horseback riders, skiers, construction workers, and other individuals that require the use of helmets. While cyclists tend to enjoy the efficiency of riding a cycle, it is challenging for cyclist, when no longer riding a cycle, to carry both belongings and a helmet used for cycling.
SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS In one embodiment, the present invention provides a carrier for a helmet. In this embodiment, the carrier includes:
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- a sack having a main opening at an upper end thereof, the main opening having an approximately horizontal orientation and defining a vertical axis, the sack defining an interior volume;
- a partition disposed in the interior volume of the sack so as to define distinct upper and lower compartments in the interior volume;
- wherein (i) the sack includes a re-closable opening to the lower compartment, (ii) the lower compartment is configured to receive the helmet in a position wherein a portion of the partition protrudes into a cavity of the helmet and the helmet becomes a structural part of the carrier, (iii) the upper compartment includes a portion thereof that is nested in the cavity, and (iv) the sack has a perimeter of one meter or less in a plane, lying perpendicular to the vertical axis, that intersects with the re-closable opening.
In a related embodiment, the lower compartment is configured to receive and store the helmet in an inverted position, so that the portion of the upper compartment nested in the cavity is directly below the main opening.
In another related embodiment, the re-closable opening occupies a distance around the foregoing perimeter that is at least half of the length of the perimeter.
In yet another related embodiment, the partition is sized so that, when the lower compartment is not used, the partition conforms to the carrier so as to collapse the lower compartment, to render the entire interior volume of the carrier accessible from the main opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing features of embodiments will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a helmet carrier, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the carrier is configured as a draw-string backpack;
FIG. 2 is a similar view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 1, wherein the carrier has been opened at the top and the draw-string straps have been loosened to produce an opening in the carrier to expose a partition 25;
FIG. 3a is a front view of an embodiment of a helmet carrier that is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, but wherein the carrier is provided with a carrying strap 32 and showing, in phantom, a helmet 37 disposed in the carrier as well as the partition 35 which is situated closer to the main opening;
FIG. 3b is a view of an embodiment of a helmet carrier similar to that of FIG. 3a, but wherein the partition is mounted in the carrier at a point closer to the opening to the lower compartment;
FIG. 4 a front perspective view of a helmet carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, where the carrier is implemented as non-draw-string version of a backpack;
FIG. 5 is a similar front perspective view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 4, showing a view into the carrier when it is opened, including partition 55;
FIG. 6 is a another front perspective view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 4, similar to that of FIGS. 4 and 5, showing, in phantom, a helmet 67 disposed within the carrier and also showing the partition 65;
FIG. 7 is a front view of a helmet carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the carrier is implemented as a tote bag;
FIG. 8 is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 7, showing a view into the carrier when the carrier is opened at the top 84;
FIG. 9a is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 7, showing, in phantom, a helmet 97 disposed in the carrier as well as the partition 95;
FIG. 9b is a front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 9a, showing how, when the lower compartment is not used, the partition conforms to the carrier so as to collapse the lower compartment, and render the entire interior volume of the carrier accessible from the main opening; and
FIG. 10 is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 7, showing the vertical axis of the carrier, as well as a plane that is perpendicular to the vertical axis and that intersects the re-closable opening of the carrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Definitions. As used in this description and the accompanying claims, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context otherwise requires:
A “partition” in a sack is a flexible member, disposed in the sack that defines two compartments of the sack, an “upper compartment” and a “lower compartment”. The “lower compartment” of the sack is a compartment of the sack that is accessed from a portion of the sack that is below the top of the sack and can be used to house a helmet. The “upper compartment” of a sack is a compartment of the sack that is accessed from the top of the sack and can be used to house other belongings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a helmet carrier, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the carrier is configured as a draw-string backpack. In this embodiment, the carrier includes a pair of shoulder straps 12. The shoulder straps 12 also serve as opposed draw-strings to close the carrier at the top 14. As shown in further detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the carrier has an interior that is divided into two compartments by a partition. The lower compartment 16 of this embodiment has an opening 13 that is re-closable by a zipper. The opening 13 is dimensioned to be wide enough to receive a helmet through the opening that is inserted into the lower compartment 16. As an alternative to using a zipper in the opening 13, there may be employed any other suitable mechanism, such as buttons, magnets, or Velcro. The carrier can be made from any flexible material or combination of materials, such as a natural or synthetic woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or leather that can be sewn or otherwise assembled using techniques that are well known in the art.
FIG. 2 is a similar view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 1, wherein the carrier has been opened at the top and the draw-string straps have been loosened to expose an opening 24 in the carrier. There are a number of ways in which a partition 25 between the upper compartment 21 and lower compartment 26 may be implemented. In one embodiment, the partition is implemented as a liner for the entire carrier and is fastened to the carrier at the opening 24. In this embodiment the partition is shown as item 25. It conforms to the outer casing of the carrier but floats inside the carrier without being tacked down to the inside. The partition is sized so that, when the lower compartment 26 is not used, the partition conforms to the carrier so as to collapse the lower compartment 26, and render the entire interior volume of the carrier accessible from the main opening. The partition is made from a thin fabric or other material that can easily nest in the cavity of the helmet, but is sturdy enough to hold personal belongings without tearing.
FIG. 3a is a front view of an embodiment of a helmet carrier that is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, but wherein the carrier is provided with a carrying strap 32 and showing, in phantom, a helmet 37 disposed in the carrier as well as the partition 35 which separates the upper 31 and lower compartment 36. The lower compartment 36 is configured to receive the helmet 37 in a position wherein a portion of the partition 35 protrudes into a cavity of the helmet and the helmet becomes a structural part of the carrier. The partition 35, as discussed in connection with FIG. 2, is made from a thin material that can easily nest in the cavity of the helmet, while being sturdy enough to hold personal belongings without tearing. The lower compartment opening 33 is wide enough to receive a helmet. The partition can be manually moved in order to accommodate the helmet. Once the helmet is in the carrier the partition will nest inside the cavity of the helmet and the helmet will sit along the bottom or side of the carrier.
FIG. 3b is a front perspective view of a helmet carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, where the partition is mounted in the carrier at a point above and close to the opening 33, and is located in the carrier sufficiently high as to accommodate placement of the helmet. This figure also shows how when the lower compartment is not used, the partition conforms to the carrier so as to collapse the lower compartment, and render the entire interior volume of the carrier accessible from the main opening.
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a helmet carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, where the carrier is implemented as non-draw-string version of a backpack. In this embodiment, the carrier includes a pair of shoulder straps 42. As to be shown in further detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, the carrier has an interior that is divided into two compartments by a partition. The lower compartment opening 43 is re-closable by a zipper or other means such as buttons, magnets, or Velcro. It needs to be wide enough to accept a helmet. The carrier can be made from any flexible materials that can be sewn or glued together. The upper compartment 44 is closed with a zipper other means such as straps, buttons, magnets or Velcro.
FIG. 5 is a similar front perspective view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 4, showing a view into the carrier with it is opened and showing the upper compartment 51, including the partition 55.
FIG. 6 is another front perspective view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 4, similar to that of FIGS. 4 and 5 showing, in phantom, a helmet 67 disposed within the carrier and also showing the partition 65 which separates the upper 61 and lower compartments 66. The partition is made from a thin material or fabric that fits inside the cavity of the helmet, and it's sturdy enough to hold ones personal belongings without tearing. The partition is attached near the opening 64 and has the same dimensions as the inside of the carrier. The partition is not tacked down inside the carrier. In this embodiment, the helmet 67 will become part of the structure of the sack and can be oriented at the bottom of the carrier in an inverted position (in a manner as illustrated generally in FIG. 9a) or can be oriented so that the hollow of the helmet faces a side of the carrier (as illustrated in this FIG. 6). In the second orientation, the hollow of the helmet can be made to face the back of the user, when the user wears the carrier on the user's back.
FIG. 7 is a front view of a helmet carrier in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the carrier is implemented as a tote bag. In this embodiment, the carrier includes a strap 72. As shown in further detail in FIGS. 8, 9a, 9b and 10 the carrier has an interior that is divided into two compartments by a partition, an upper compartment 71 and a lower compartment 76. The lower compartment is accessed by the opening 73 and is dimensioned to be wide enough to receive a helmet through the opening that is inserted into the lower compartment 76. As an alternative to using a zipper in the opening 73, there may be employed any other suitable mechanism, such as buttons, magnets, or Velcro. The carrier can be made from any flexible material or combination of materials, such as a natural or synthetic woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or leather that can be sewn or otherwise assembled using techniques that are well known in the art.
FIG. 8 is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 7, showing a view into the carrier when the carrier is opened at the top 84 including the partition 85.
FIG. 9a is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 7 showing, in phantom, a helmet 97 disposed in the carrier as well as the partition 95. The helmet is inverted and its orientation is such that that the portion of the upper compartment 91 is nested in the helmet directly below the main opening, and where the helmet is in the lower compartment 96. The partition is made from a thin material or fabric that can easily nest into the cavity of a helmet, and it is sturdy enough to hold one's personal belongings without tearing. The partition can be attached anywhere in-between the top compartment opening and lower compartment opening and can fit along the interior of the sack. The lower compartment 96 is configured to receive the helmet 97 in a position wherein a portion of the partition 95 protrudes into a cavity of the helmet and the helmet becomes a structural part of the carrier.
FIG. 9b is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 9a, showing how, when the lower compartment is not used, the partition conforms to the carrier so as to collapse the lower compartment, and render the entire interior volume of the carrier accessible from the main opening.
FIG. 10 is a similar front view of the helmet carrier of FIG. 7, showing the vertical axis A-A of the carrier, as well as a plane 1001 that is perpendicular to the vertical axis and that intersects the re-closable opening of the carrier. The carrier has a perimeter lying in the plane 1001 of less than 1 meter. When the carrier is dimensioned in this way, it provides sufficient room in the lower compartment to accommodate the helmet while also being relatively compact.
