CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) The present application is based on, claims priority to, and incorporates herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/794,812, filed on Jan. 21, 2019, and entitled “Modular Bag Insert System”.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to the field of inserts for organizing items in a bag, and more particularly to a modular bag insert system that is highly customizable by the user.
BACKGROUND Planar bag inserts having one or more means to affix objects thereto are known in the art. These inserts do not provide protection to said objects and have very limited customizability.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved bag insert system that overcome these and other drawbacks of the prior art devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The modular bag insert system according to the present disclosure is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a tray for a bag insert system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a schematic top perspective view thereof;
FIG. 3 is a schematic top perspective view of a second embodiment of a tray for a bag insert system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a schematic top perspective view of a third embodiment of a tray for a bag insert system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 5 is a schematic top perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a tray for a bag insert system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 6A is a schematic top perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a tray for a bag insert system according to the present disclosure, in a first position;
FIG. 6B is a schematic top perspective view thereof, in a second position;
FIG. 7A is a schematic top perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a tray for a bag insert system according to the present disclosure, in a first position;
FIG. 7B is a schematic top perspective view thereof, in a second position;
FIG. 8 is a schematic top perspective view of a first accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 9 is a schematic top perspective view of a second accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a third accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the third accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 12 is a schematic top perspective view of a fourth accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 13 is a schematic top perspective view of the system according to the present disclosure in exemplary use, showing the tray of FIG. 1 containing multiple accessories attached thereto;
FIG. 14 is a schematic top perspective view of a fifth accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure; and
FIG. 15 is a schematic top perspective view of a sixth accessory designed for attachment to the tray of the system according to the present disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPTS In one respect, the inventive concept is an insert that is adapted to be placed inside a bag, the insert comprising: a base panel; a first side panel extending approximately perpendicular from the base panel; a second side panel located opposite the first side panel, the second side panel extending approximately perpendicular from the base panel, the base panel, first side panel, and second side panel collectively defining a substantially open end of the insert; a substantially open side located opposite the base panel; and at least one fastening element coupled to an interior surface of at least one of the base panel, first side panel, or second side panel, the at least one fastening element being adapted to support an object at least partially interior to the insert.
In another respect, the inventive concept is a kit comprising: a tray; and at least one accessory that is releasably attachable to the tray, the tray comprising a base panel, a first side panel extending approximately perpendicular from the base panel, a second side panel located opposite the first side panel, the second side panel extending approximately perpendicular from the base panel, the base panel, first side panel, and second side panel collectively defining a substantially open end of the tray, and a substantially open side located opposite the base panel, wherein an interior surface of at least one of the base panel, first side panel, or second side panel of the tray includes a first fastening element and the at least one accessory comprises a second fastening element, wherein the first and second fastening elements are used to releasably attach the at least one accessory at least partially interior to the tray.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The ensuing detailed description provides exemplary embodiment(s) only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the herein disclosed embodiment(s). Rather, the ensuing detailed description of the exemplary embodiment(s) will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing the exemplary embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
To aid in describing the disclosure and/or invention as claimed, directional terms may be used in the specification and claims to describe portions of the present disclosure and/or invention (e.g., upper, lower, left, right, etc.). These directional definitions are merely intended to assist in describing the embodiment(s) and claiming the invention, and are not intended to limit the disclosure or claimed invention in any way. In addition, reference numerals that are introduced in the specification in association with a drawing figure may be repeated in one or more subsequent figures without additional description in the specification, in order to provide context for other features.
It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be integral with the other element, directly connected or coupled to the other element, or that intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, it should be understood that no intervening elements are present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).
In embodiments described herein or shown in the drawings, any direct electrical connection or coupling, i.e., any connection or coupling without additional intervening elements, may also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling, i.e., a connection or coupling with one or more additional intervening elements, or vice versa, as long as the general purpose of the connection or coupling, for example, to transmit a certain kind of signal or to transmit a certain kind of information, is essentially maintained. Features from different embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments. For example, variations or modifications described with respect to one of the embodiments may also be applicable to other embodiments, unless noted to the contrary.
For purposes of the attached specification and claims, the term “approximately parallel” means within a range of plus or minus 5 degrees from parallel, inclusive of an exact parallel arrangement.
For purposes of the attached specification and claims, the term “approximately perpendicular” means within a range of plus or minus 5 degrees from perpendicular, inclusive of an exact perpendicular arrangement.
For many tactical applications, it is desirable to carry various gear in a closeable bag to protect said gear from dirt, water, and the various elements. Since many tactical items are of irregular shape, placing those items in a bag without any way to organize them will make the items difficult to find for the user, negatively impacting the user's efficiency. Moreover, many tactical items have sharp or abrasive surfaces, which will cause damage to the carrying bag if these items are not organized in some way within the bag. It is the desire of Applicant to disclose an insert system for a bag that is modular, customizable, and that incorporates several improvements over the prior art.
Referring now generally to FIGS. 1-14, a modular bag insert system 10 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a non-limiting example of a first embodiment of a tray 12 that is adapted to be inserted within a bag, and FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing thereof with some details of the tray 12 removed for ease of illustration. In this embodiment, the tray 12 includes a base panel 14, a first side panel 22, a second side panel 26 located opposite the first side panel 22, and a bottom panel 32. In this embodiment, the bottom panel 32 spans laterally between the first side panel 22 and the second side panel 26, thereby forming a substantially closed end of the tray 12. In this embodiment, each of the first and second side panels 22,26 and bottom panel 32 extend from the base panel 14 at an approximately perpendicular angle. The first and second side panels 22,26 and bottom panel 32 are each connected to the base panel 14 via a respective edge 25,31,34, which in this embodiment are rigid and inflexible. In this embodiment, a gap 36 is formed between the first side panel 22 and the bottom panel 32, and a gap 38 is formed between the second side panel 26 and the bottom panel 32. An opening 40 is formed at an end of the tray 12 opposite the closed end formed by the bottom panel 32, and the side of the tray 12 located generally opposite the base panel 14 is open (i.e., no structural panel is present to create a substantially open side of the tray 12) so that the contents and arrangement of the tray 12 can be easily seen and configured when the tray 12 is located exterior to a bag. In this embodiment the base panel 14, first side panel 22, second side panel 26, and bottom panel 32 are comprised of a substantially rigid material, e.g., steel or other metal. In alternative embodiments, one or more of the panels 14,22,26,32 could be comprised of a partially-flexible or highly-flexible material, or the base panel 14 could be comprised of a substantially rigid material and one or more of the remaining panels 22,26,32 could be comprised of a partially-flexible or highly-flexible material.
The base panel 14 has an interior surface 15 and an opposing exterior surface (not shown), both of which are generally planar; the first side panel 22 has an interior surface 23 and an opposing exterior surface (shown in FIG. 2 but not labeled), both of which are generally planar; the second side panel 26 has an interior surface 27 and an opposing exterior surface (not shown), both of which are generally planar; and the bottom panel 32 has an interior surface 33 and an opposing exterior surface (not shown), both of which are generally planar. In this embodiment, respective fasteners 16,24,28 in the form of hook-and-loop patches have been applied to the respective interior surfaces 15,23,27 of the base panel 14, first side panel 22, and second side panel 26, but not to the interior surface 33 of the bottom panel 32. It should be understood that in alternative embodiments of the tray according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein, fasteners of any known or hereafter-discovered type could be used instead of hook-and-loop fasteners, and/or that fasteners could be applied to any combination of the interior and/or exterior surfaces of the base panel, side panels, and/or bottom panel.
Generally, while in use, the bottom panel 32 of the tray 12 will be located near the bottom (e.g., closed end) of a carrying bag, with the opening 40 located at the top (opening) end of the bag so that the user can easily reach within the bag and through the opening 40 of the tray 12 to grab a desired item, though the tray 12 could be inserted within a carrying bag in any desired configuration or orientation. For example, the carrying bag may be openable from either the top end or a bottom end, therefore the user may choose to orient the tray 12 such that the opening 40 is located at either one of the top end or bottom end of the carrying bag, as desired. In this embodiment, the base panel 14 includes a slot 18 that serves as a handle for easy removal of the tray 12 from the bag. It should be understood that, in general, it is preferable that the slot 18 be sized and shaped such that it can be used as a grab-point or handle that permits for removal of the tray 12 from a bag using a person's hand (e.g., one or more fingers).
For example, in the illustrated embodiment the slot 18 defines a substantially rectangular opening with rounded or curved semi-circular ends located near the opening 40 of the tray 12 to provide an ergonomic opening for use as the handle. In applications where the tray 12 is used in a backpack, the base panel 14 could be oriented to lie either against or away from the user's back, as desired or necessary based on the items or accessories installed within the tray 12 and/or the user's preferences.
In this embodiment, the tray 12 further includes a plurality of eyelets on each of the base panel 14, first side panel 22, and second side panel 26 (exemplary eyelet 20 on base panel 14 and exemplary eyelet 30 on second side panel 26 are labeled in FIG. 1). The eyelets 20,30 permit for ropes, ties, wires, cords, bungies, cable ties, elastic banding, and/or other supplemental fastening means to be received therethrough or fixedly attached to the tray 12 to assist in supporting accessories and items within the tray 12, as will be further described herein. An elastic cord 42 is shown in FIG. 1 as being routed through several eyelets on the base panel 14, including eyelet 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the eyelets 20,30 can be arranged along the base panel 14, first side panel 22, and second side panel 26 in a substantially regular or geometric pattern. It should be understood that additional eyelets could be added to the tray 12 to accommodate additional accessories or to meet the user's requirements.
As shown in the schematic drawing of FIG. 2 (in which several details of the tray 12 have been removed from view for ease of illustration), the tray 12 has a height 44 as measured perpendicularly from the surface of the base panel 14 in the dimension in which the first and second side panels 22,26 and bottom panel 32 extend, a width 46 measured perpendicularly between the first and second side panels 22,26 at the opening 40, and a depth 48 measured perpendicularly between the opening 40 and the bottom panel 32. In this embodiment, the height 44, width 46, and depth 48 dimensions are all fixed. It is to be understood that trays 12 of different fixed dimensions could be produced in accordance with the present disclosure to custom-fit various bags and/or universally fit a wide range of bags.
FIGS. 3-7B show various additional embodiments trays in accordance with the present system 10. In these Figures, elements that are similar to those of other embodiments of the present inventive concept are represented by reference numerals increased by a value of 100. Such elements should be regarded as having the same function and features unless otherwise stated or depicted herein, and the discussion of such elements may therefore not be repeated for multiple embodiments.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a tray 112. In this embodiment, each of the edges 125,131,134 that attach the respective first and second side panels 122,126 and bottom panel 132 to the base panel 114 are hinged, so that the angle of one or more of the first and second side panels 122,126 and/or bottom panel 132 with respect to the base panel 114 could be changed, up to and including an arrangement where the respective first and second side panels 122,126 and/or bottom panel 132 is rotated completely such that it contacts the exterior sides (not shown) of the base panel 114. Such a feature permits the accommodation of slightly-oversized accessories or items that otherwise would not fit within the tray 112, and permits for the height dimension of the tray 112 to be altered if desired or necessary. In this embodiment, gap 136 is provided between the first side panel 122 and bottom panel 132 and gap 138 is provided between the second side panel 126 and bottom panel 132.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of another alternative embodiment of a tray 212. In this embodiment, the first side panel 222 and the bottom panel 232 are fixed together and the second side panel 226 and the bottom panel 232 are fixed together, such that no gaps are provided between these parts. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of yet another alternative embodiment of a tray 312. In this embodiment, the bottom panel is omitted entirely for applications in which no carried accessory or item is likely to extend to the bottom of the bag, where other means are provided within the tray 312 to prevent items from extending beyond the bottom edge thereof, and/or items that are unlikely to damage a bag are to be carried within the tray 312. In a further alternative embodiment, the tray 312 could be included with the edges 325,331 hinged similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.
FIGS. 6A and 6B show first and second positions, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a tray 412 that is depth-adjustable to accommodate for larger items or accessories to be received therein, or to allow for adjustability for various bag sizes. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A, the bottom panel 432 is slidably connected to the base panel 414 and has a base expansion panel 468 attached thereto, so that the bottom panel 432 can be moved in direction 472 to increase a depth of the tray 412. The base expansion panel 468 may optionally include a fastener 469. In addition, one or more side expansion panels could be either slidably or hingedly attached to the bottom panel 432 or the first and second side panels 422,426 to cover the side gaps created when the location of the bottom panel 432 is adjusted. In this embodiment, the tray 412 includes a first pair of side expansion panels 451,456 attached to the first side panel 422 by respective hinges 450,454, and a second pair of side expansion panels 461,466 attached to the second side panel 426 by respective hinges 460,464. In this embodiment, the side expansion panels 451,456,461,466 each optionally include a fastener 452,457,462,467 (e.g., hook-and-loop fastener patches). The side expansion panels 451,456 are movable in rotation direction 458 about the hinges 450,454 and the side expansion panels 461,466 are movable in rotation direction 470 about the hinges 460,464 to cover the respective side gaps that are created when the location of the bottom panel 432 is adjusted.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show first and second positions, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a tray 512 that is width-adjustable to accommodate for larger items or accessories to be received therein, or to allow for adjustability for various bag sizes. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7A, the first side panel 522 is slidably connected to the base panel 514 and has a base expansion panel 576 attached thereto, so that the first side panel 522 can be moved in direction 578 to increase a width of the tray 512. The base expansion panel 576 may optionally include a fastener 577. In addition, one or more bottom expansion panels could be either slidably or hingedly attached to the bottom panel 532 or first side panel 522 to cover the bottom gap created when the location of the first side panel 522 is adjusted. In this embodiment, the tray 512 includes a bottom expansion panel 574 that is hingedly connected to the bottom panel 532 by a hinge 573. The bottom expansion panel 574 is movable in rotation direction 575 about the hinge 573 to cover the bottom gap that is created when the location of the first side panel 522 is adjusted.
It should be further appreciated that the width and depth adjustability features of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A-7B could be combined, mutatis mutandis, optionally further including hingedly-attached side panels and/or a bottom panel, to form further alternative embodiments of a tray of the modular bag insert system 10 in which any or all of the height, width, and/or depth dimension of the tray is adjustable.
Any of the embodiments of a tray disclosed herein could be sold alone, or they could be sold as part of a kit that includes at least one accessory that is releasably attachable to the tray. FIGS. 8-15 show perspective illustrations of various accessories that are attachable to any of the embodiments of the tray discussed above as part of the modular bag insert system 10 disclosed herein. Each of the disclosed accessories contains one or more fasteners that are attachable to the fasteners located on the various panels of any of the trays previously described herein. For example, the various accessories shown in FIGS. 8-15 can include one or more complementary hook-and-loop fastener patches attached thereto that can allow those accessories to be attached to the base panel 14 and/or first and second side panels 22,26 of the tray 12 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2.
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8-15, the various accessories are created from a heat-formable thermoplastic material that has been heated and custom-formed to support the various object (e.g., firearms, ammunition magazines, drones, electronic devices, etc.) that the accessory is designed to support within the tray 12. Kydex®-brand acrylic-polyvinyl chloride sheets, produced by Sekisui SPI, are well-suited for these applications, although other types of thermoplastics and various other materials, including leather, wood, and metal, could be used to create accessories that are attachable to the tray 12. It should be understood that various additional accessories are possible within the scope of the present disclosure, and can be formed of one or more pieces of material that are either themselves customizable, adjustable, or fixed in shape to accommodate various tools or other items that the user may want to attach to the tray 12. It should be further understood that non-formed and non-customized or “off-the-shelf” accessories could be attached to any of the trays of the modular bag insert system taught herein.
FIG. 8 is schematic illustration of an accessory 80 comprised of multiple sheets of material and that is intended to support multiple objects in a stacked configuration. Specifically, the accessory 80 is designed to include a sleeve 81 for supporting a barrel of a firearm (e.g., for AR rifles having tubular holsters) and also a holster 82 for a pistol stacked atop the sleeve 81. The multiple pieces of material are riveted together, with the various rivets (e.g., rivet 84) also serving as eyelets that can receive a supplemental fastener therethrough (e.g., a cord), as previously described herein with respect to tray 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of eyelets can be arranged around outer edges of the accessory 80 to provide a multitude of configuration or orientation options for securing the accessory 80 to the tray 12. The bottom side (not shown) of the accessory 80 contains a fastener 83, which in this embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener patch that is complementary to the hook-and-loop fastener patches attached to any one of the trays previously described herein.
FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of an accessory 86 comprised of multiple sheets of material and that is intended to support a specific object therein. Specifically, the accessory 86 is designed as a holster 87 for supporting a firearm therein. The multiple pieces of material can be screwed and riveted together, with rivet 89 in this embodiment also serving as an eyelet that can receive a supplemental fastener (e.g., a cord), as previously described herein with respect to tray 12. The bottom side (not shown) of the accessory 86 contains a fastener 88, which in this embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener patch that is complementary to the hook-and-loop fastener patches attached to any one of the trays previously described herein.
FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic illustrations of a first and second embodiment, respectively, of an accessory 91 comprised of multiple sheets of material and that is intended to support a specific object therein. Specifically, the accessory 91 is designed as a holder having a pouch compartment 92 and a finger 93 for supporting a tactical drone therein. The multiple pieces of material are riveted together, with the various rivets (e.g., rivet 95) also serving as eyelets that can receive a supplemental fastener (e.g., a cord), as previously described herein with respect to tray 12. It should be understood that the finger 93 of FIG. 10 and the finger 93 of FIG. 11 can be shaped or otherwise formed differently to provide a desired retention strength to retain the object received within the pouch compartment 92, and/or can be shaped or otherwise formed differently to provide a desired ergonomic shape. In the illustrated embodiments, the plurality of eyelets can be arranged around outer edges of the accessory 91 to provide a multitude of configuration or orientation options for securing the accessory 91 to the tray 12. The bottom side (not shown) of the accessory 91 contains a fastener 94, which in this embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener patch that is complementary to the hook-and-loop fastener patches attached to any one of the trays previously described herein. In either embodiment shown, the accessory 91 is custom-shaped to support a Mavic-brand drone sold by DJI of Shenzhen, China, wherein the body of the drone D is inserted within the pouch compartment 92 and the folded legs of the drone D are located beneath the finger 93. It should be understood that the pouch compartment 92 could be formed into various shapes to support various other drones, and the specific tactical drone shown in FIG. 11 is only one specific and non-limiting example.
FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of an accessory 97 comprised of multiple sheets of material and that is intended to support a specific object therein. Specifically, the accessory 97 is designed as a holder for supporting a tablet computer therein, the holder having a pouch 98 and a notch 99 cut out of one of the pieces of material to permit for easy removal of the tablet computer from the pouch 98. The multiple pieces of material are riveted together, with the various rivets (e.g., rivet 101) also serving as eyelets that can receive a supplemental fastener (e.g., a cord), as described above with respect to tray 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of eyelets can be arranged around outer edges of the accessory 97 to provide a multitude of configuration or orientation options for securing the accessory 97 to the tray 12. The bottom side (not shown) of the accessory 97 contains a fastener 100, which in this embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener patch that is complementary to the hook-and-loop fastener patches attached to any one of the trays previously described herein. It should be understood that the pouch 98 could be formed into various shapes to support various other electronic devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, and other portable electronics.
FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of the system 10 according to the current disclosure in use, including the tray 12 of FIG. 1 and accessories 86,91—as shown respectively in FIGS. 9 and 10-11—attached to the base panel 14 of the tray 12. Specifically, the fastener 88 of accessory 86 and the fastener 94 of accessory 91 are each attached to the complementary fastener 16 located on the base panel 14 of the tray 12 so that the accessories 86,91 can be used to support various objects (e.g., a drone and a firearm) within the tray 12 of the system 10. It should be understood that the position and orientation of the accessories 86,91 shown in FIG. 13 are exemplary and non-limiting. As previously described herein, the first side panel 22 and second side panel 26 have additional fasteners 24,28 which can also be used to support accessories 86,91 when attached to any one of the base panel 14, first side panel 22, or second side panel 26.
FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of an accessory 102 comprised of multiple sheets of material and that is intended to support multiple objects in a stacked configuration. Specifically, the accessory 102 is designed to include a holder 103 for supporting a firearm magazine, an intermediate hanger piece 106 riveted thereto, and a tourniquet holder 107 riveted to the hanger piece 106. The multiple pieces of material are riveted together, with the various rivets (e.g., rivet 105) also serving as eyelets that can receive a supplemental fastener (e.g., a cord), as described above with respect to tray 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of eyelets can be arranged along left and right edges (i.e., from the perspective of FIG. 14) of the accessory 102, to provide a multitude of configuration or orientation options for securing the accessory 102 to the tray 12. The bottom side (not shown) of the accessory 102 contains a fastener 104, which in this embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener patch that is complementary to the hook-and-loop fastener patches attached to any one of the trays previously described herein.
FIG. 15 is a schematic illustration of an accessory 108 comprised of multiple sheets of material. Specifically, the accessory 108 is designed to include a shroud 109 which can be included within the tray 12 to protect other items within the tray 12 or the bag into which the tray 12 has been inserted (e.g., as a shroud to receive the barrel end of a firearm). The multiple pieces of material are riveted together, with the various rivets (e.g., rivet 113) also serving as eyelets that can receive a supplemental fastener (e.g., a cord), as described above with respect to tray 12. The bottom side (not shown) of the accessory 108 contains a fastener 111, which in this embodiment is a hook-and-loop fastener patch that is complementary to the hook-and-loop fastener patches attached to any one of the trays previously described herein.
Although exemplary implementations of the herein described systems and methods have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many additional modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the herein described systems and methods. Accordingly, these and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the herein described systems and methods. The herein described systems and methods may be better defined by the following exemplary claims.
