GB2392084A - A bag for transporting elongate articles. - Google Patents

Abstract

A bag for transporting elongate articles 14 comprises a bag having a generally planar face and a cooperating flap 12 or flaps 5a,5b securable in a closed position so as to form a sleeve for securing an elongate article or articles to the bag. The bag may be provided with a stiffening insert or the like incorporated into the planar face so as to provide a more rigid support for elongate items transported within the sleeve. The dimension of the or each flap in the direction parallel to its hinge may be substantially greater than that of its dimension perpendicular to the direction of the hinge and the hinges may be formed by lines of stitching. The bag may be provided with shoulder and/or belt straps. The bag may be used to transport elongate articles such as skis, a snowboard, a surfboard, golf clubs or cricket bats so that they are easier to handle and manoeuver than they would be if they were carried by hand.

Description

Abbe The present invention relates to a bag, particularly but not

exclusively, to a back pack or a bag adapted to be worn round the waist, which includes additional fastening means to enable large elongate elements, such as skis, to be secured to the bag for easy transportation.

It is well known to have what is known as a waist bag, or colloquially, as a bum bag, which consists of a relatively small bag having, or being mounted on, a belt which is adapted to be secured round the waist of a wearer. Such bags are typically used to carry conveniently, small items such as cash, wallets, sunglasses etc. One particular problem which occurs in, for example, ski resorts is carrying one's skis when these are not being worn for skiing purposes.

Such relatively long articles can be extremely cumbersome and awkward to handle, particularly when trying to do such activities as getting in a ski lift or bus and simultaneously buying a ticket.

The present invention seeks to provide a bag to which it is relatively easy to secure elongate articles such as skis so that they are easy to handle and manoeuvre.

According to the present invention that is provided a bag adapted to be carried or worn by a person, the bag having a wall with a generally planar face and flap means securable in a closed position relative to the bag in such a manner as to form with the planar face, a sleeve for securing an elongate article to the bag.

Preferably, the flap means comprises two flap elements each hingedly connected to the bag by hinges arranged in spaced parallel relationship, one of the flap elements being adapted to overlie the other flap element when the elements are in the closed positions.

Preferably, the free edge of each flap element has interlocking closure elements adapted to engage with a supporting surface on the bag or the other flap element to secure the elements in the closed positions.

Preferably, the dimension of each flap element in the direction parallel to the hinge is substantially greater than the dimension of the flap element perpendicular to the first dimension, that is, from the hinge to the free edge of the element.

l Preferably, the said generally planar face of the bag has stiffening means incorporated to provide a more rigid support for the elongated elements. Preferably the hinges are formed by one or more lines of stitching.

According to a preferred embodiment, the bag includes means adapted to be worn round a person's waist as a belt or to form a shoulder strap.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A shows a waist bag in the closed position in which it would normally be worn, round the waist of the user, Figure IB shows the bag of Figure 1A with flaps in an open position, and Figure 1C shows the bag of Figures 1A and IB and having a pair of skis secured thereto. Figure 2A shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, Figure 2B shows front view of Figure 2A Figure 3A shows a third embodiment, and Figure 3B shows a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to Figure 1A there is shown a bag 1 adapted to be fastened round the waist of a wearer by means of a belt 2. The bag I has a wall 3 comprising a substantially flat generally planar surface which is, in use, intended to lie against the front of the person. The wall 3 may incorporate a stiffening element (not shown) such as a sheet of plastic or cardboard to provide a degree of stiffness to this wall. The main body of the bag consists of a partylindrical shape having on one peripheral edge a zip 4 to enable access to the interior of the bag. The precise shape of the main body of the bag is not significant to the invention.

On the wall 3 comprising the generally planar surface, as shown particularly in Figure 1B, there are two flaps 5A, 5B which extend from the upper and lower walls 6, 7 of the bag.

The flaps 5A, 5B are hingedly connected to the main body of the bag by hinges 8 which, in the embodiment shown, consist of a line or lines of stitching, the two hinges 8 thus being in spaced parallel relationship. In an alternative construction, the flaps SA, 5B may be fanned integrally with the material of the upper and lower walls 6, 7 of the bag, win the planar

surface wall 3 of the bag being a separate piece of material stitched to the upper and lower walls 6, 7 to define the hinges 8.

Adjacent for their free edges 9A, 9B, each of the flaps 5A, SB has a fastening means in the fonn of interlocking closure elements, such as Velcro (a registered trademark), which are adapted to engage with the material of the bag or with the other flap, adjacent to the hinge thereof. The flaps SA, 5B are shaped so that their dimension in the direction parallel to the hinge 8 is substantially greater than the dimension from the hinge 8 to the free edge 9A or 9B.

In this way, when an elongate article, such as a pair of skis, as shown in Figure 1 C, are held in the flaps, the length of the flaps provides a degree of stabilit.v to minimise the skis twisting relative to the bag. To secure items such as skis to the bag, the flaps 5A, SB, which are normally kept in a closed position as shown in Figure IA, are simply opened to the position shown in FigurelB and fastened round the article. When transporting such elongate articles, the belt 2 forms a handle or shoulder strap to facilitate hands-free transportation of the skis.

Refernng now to Figure 2A, there is shown a backpack lo having a pair of shoulder straps 11. On the front face of the rucksack which normally bears against the back of a wearer, there is a flap 12 formed of a fabric material which is hingedly connected by means of one or more lines of stitching to a lower part of the front face, the flap 12 being adapted to fall on to the front face and having adjacent its free end 13 securing means in the form of interlocking elements engageable in co-operating interlocking elements on the front face.

Velcro (a registered trademark) forms a suitable securing means. When so secured, the flap 12 serves to hold elongated articles such as a snowboard or surfboard 14, as shown in Figure 2B, securely in position for hands-free transport by a person wearing the backpack.

Figure 3A shows an alternative form of securing means for securing skis to a backpack 1 O. in this case having two flaps l S and 16, which are substantially identical in form to the embodiment shown in Figure IB. Figure 3B illustrates a further embodiment in the form of a shopping bag or sports bag] 7 which has two elongated handles 19 each of which is secured to a perspective side of the sports bag at predetermined spaced points. Between the points there is a flap 18 which is hingedly connected to one side of the sports bag by one or more lines of stitching and has on its free end securing means of the type referred to above by

which the flap may be secured to the over side of the bag. In this way, as shown in Figure 3B, a pair of slcis or like elongated element may be carried securely.

Although described as being used for transporting skis, surf boards and snowboards, it will be appreciated that the bags could well be used for transporting other elongate articles such as golf clubs, and cricket bats.

Claims (8)

s Claims

1. A bag adapted to be carried or wom by a person, the bag having a wall with a generally planar face and flap means securable in a closed position relative to the bag in such a manner as to form with the planar face, a sleeve for securing an elongate article to the bag.

2. A bag according to claim 17 wherein the flap means comprises two flap elements each hingedly connected to the bag by hinges arranged in spaced parallel relationship, one of the flap elements being adapted to overlie the other flap element when the elements are in the closed position.

3. A bag according to claim 2, wherein a free edge of each flap element opposite the hinge has interlocking closure elements adapted to engage with a supporting surface on the bag or the other flap element to secure the elements in the closed positions.

4. A bag according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the dimension of each flap element in the direction parallel to the hinge is substantially greater than the dimension of me flap element perpendicular to the first dimension, that is, in the direction from the hinge to the free edge of the element.

5. A bag according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein the said generally planar face of the bag has stiffening means incorporated to provide a more rigid support for elongate elements secured in the sleeve.

6. A bag according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the hinges are formed by one or more lines of stitching.

7. A bag according to any one of the preceding claims, including strap means adapted to be worn round a person's waist has a belt, or worn over the shoulder as a shoulder strap.

8. A bag, substantially as described herein, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.