JP7534340B2 - Systems and methods for compressible pouches - Google Patents

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent No. 16/822,245, filed March 18, 2020, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent No. 16/503,519, filed July 4, 2019, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

Examples of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods related to compressible pouches. More specifically, the embodiments relate to a compressible pouch that includes a flap, a rear shell, a front shell, and a compressible layer positioned between the rear shell and the front shell, and a zipper configured to apply pressure toward the front shell to compress a compartment into the front shell.

Bags are universal in many cultures because everyone needs to carry objects, protect items, or carry several things together. Therefore, a wide variety of bags have evolved to meet certain standards. When deciding on the type of bag to use, many users may need to use a larger bag that is less portable but can hold more objects. Unfortunately, many bags can take up a lot of space even when folded. Furthermore, when using a larger bag to store objects within the bag, the objects may move around. This can cause damage to the objects.

Therefore, there is a need for a more effective and efficient method and system for a compression pouch that includes a rear shell and a front shell connected together by a compressible layer, the compressible layer configured to open and close via a zipper.

Embodiments are directed to a compression pouch with a flap, a rear shell compressible layer, and a front shell. The compression pouch may be a small refillable pouch, case, storage container, etc., configured to store various objects such as feminine pads, diapers, liners, cosmetics, wallets and keys, and other essentials. The compression pouch may allow for easy access to objects without removing the compression force applied to the rear and front shells. This may allow for a compartment in the front shell.

The flap may have a first end configured to be permanently coupled to a proximal surface of the rear shell and a second end configured to be selectively coupled to a distal surface of the front shell. In response to uncoupling the second end of the flap to the distal surface of the front shell, a compartment within the front shell may be accessed. Additionally, the compressible zipper may open and close when the second end of the flap is uncoupled from the front shell. In response to coupling the second end of the flap to the distal surface of the front shell, the compartment may be sealed.

The rear shell may be a piece of fabric configured to be a rear sidewall of the compressible pouch. An outer surface of the rear shell may be coupled to the first end of the flap, and an inner surface of the rear shell may be coupled to and adjacent to the compressible layer.

The compression layer may be located between the rear shell and the front shell. The compression layer may be formed from and filled with a compressible material, the compressible material being a different material than or the same material as the rear shell or the front shell, with a thinner sidewall than the rear shell or the front shell. The compression layer may be configured to exert a compressive force against the front shell to contract a volume of a compartment within the front shell. The compression layer may include a zipper configured to be accessed in response to decoupling the second end of the flap and the distal surface of the front shell. In response to opening of the flap, the zipper may be exposed. When the zipper is exposed, the compressive force is released or retained by opening the zipper.

The front shell may be adjacent to and forward of the compression layer. The front shell may include an attachment mechanism and a compartment. The attachment mechanism may be configured to couple with the flap to allow an object to be inserted into and removed from the compartment. In response to the flap being decoupled from the attachment mechanism, the compartment may be exposed. The compartment may be located on an outer surface of the front shell and may include an opening on the outer surface and on a top surface of the outer shell. The compartment may be configured to allow a user to remove an object from the compressible pouch without removing the compressive force on the front shell.

In embodiments, the upper and lower edges of the front shell, the compression layer, and/or the rear shell may be compressed or covered with a stronger and/or thicker material that protects the components of the compression pouch from the elements.

These and other aspects of the present invention may be further appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth various embodiments of the present invention and numerous specific details thereof, given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many substitutions, modifications, additions, or rearrangements may be made within the scope of the present invention, and the invention includes all such substitutions, modifications, additions, or rearrangements.

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a compression pouch according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates a rear view of a compression pouch, according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of an alternative compression pouch, according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates a rear view of an alternative compression pouch, according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 illustrates a method of storing objects using a compression pouch, according to one embodiment.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help enhance understanding of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in commercially feasible embodiments are often not shown so as not to obscure these various embodiments of the present disclosure.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required to practice the present embodiments. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a compression pouch 100, according to one embodiment. The compression pouch 100 may include a flap 110, a rear shell 120, a compressible layer 130, and a front shell 140.

The flap 110 may have a first end configured to be permanently coupled to a proximal surface of the rear shell 120 and a first coupling mechanism 112 configured to be selectively coupled to a second coupling mechanism 144 located on the front shell 140. The first coupling mechanism 112 may be any type of coupling mechanism that can be selectively coupled to the second coupling mechanism 144, such as a button, a hoop and loop, a buckle, etc. In response to decoupling of the first coupling mechanism 112 and the second coupling mechanism 144, a compartment 142 is located on the front shell 140. In response to coupling of the first coupling mechanism 112 and the second coupling mechanism 144, the compartment 142 may be sealed. In an embodiment, the flap 110 may have a substantially rectangular shape with triangular shaped ends, or a body that is rectangular shaped.

The rear shell 120 may be a piece of fabric configured to be a rear sidewall of the compressible pouch 100. An outer surface of the rear shell 120 may be coupled to the first end of the flap 110, and an inner surface of the rear shell 120 may be coupled to and adjacent to the compressible layer 130.

The compressible layer 130 may be located between the rear shell 120 and the front shell 140. The compressible layer 130 may be made of a compressible material, such as compressible foam, nylon, rubber, etc. In an embodiment, the compressible layer 130 may be formed of a material different from the rear shell 120 or the front shell 140. The compressible layer 130 may be configured to exert a force against the front shell 140 to increase or decrease a volume associated with the compartment 142. The compressible layer 130 may be formed of a first layer and a second layer that are partially coupled together via a zipper on the zipper track 132. The first layer of the compressible layer 130 may be located adjacent to the rear shell 120 and the second layer may be located adjacent to the front shell 140. The zipper may be configured to move on the zipper track 132 to increase or decrease the compressive force generated by the compressible layer 130 against the compartment 142. In an embodiment, in response to a zipper fully closing on the zipper track 132, a maximum compressive force may be applied to the compartment 142, which may reduce the volume of the compartment 142. In response to a zipper fully opening on the zipper track 132, a minimum compressive force may be applied to the compartment 142, which does not reduce the volume of the compartment 142. In an embodiment, the zipper track 132 may be configured to have a first end point 134 on the top surface of the compressible layer 130, rotate 630 degrees, and have a second end point 136 on a sidewall of the compressible layer 130. In an embodiment, the second end point 136 may be located vertically below the lower edge of the compartment 142. By having the zipper track 132 completely surrounding the perimeter of the compressible layer 130, the compressive force generated by the compressible layer 130 may be maximized and maintained. The zipper track 132 is located behind the compartment 142 and in front of the rear shell 120 so that the compartment 142 can be accessed without changing the zipper placement along the track 132. In implementation, the first end point 134 may be the start of the zipper on the track 132 when the compressible layer 130 is fully closed, and the zipper moves toward the second end point 136 to open the compressible layer 130. The second end point 136 may be the start of the zipper on the track 132 when the compressible layer 130 is fully open, and the zipper moves toward the first end point 136 to close the compressible layer. This may allow the flap 110 to cover the zipper when the compressible layer 130 is closed.

Also, by having the second end 136 of the zipper track 132 on a sidewall of the compressible layer 130 that is not covered by the flap 140, the placement of the zipper and the relative compression force can be adjusted while the flap 140 is positioned over the compartment 142 and the zipper start 132. Furthermore, by locating the second end 136 of the zipper track 132 on the lower portion of the sidewall of the compressible layer 130, the compression force can be angled toward the opening of the compartment 142 to assist the user in removing an object from the compartment 142.

The front shell 140 may be located adjacent to and forward of the compression layer 130. The front shell 140 may include a compartment 142 and a second coupling mechanism 144. The compartment 142 may have an opening along the top edge of the front shell 140 and on the exterior surface of the front shell 140. The compartment 142 may be configured to allow a user to remove an object from the compressible pouch 100 without removing the compressive force on the front shell 140. This may allow other objects located in the compartment 142 to be secured in place. The second coupling mechanism 144 may be located between the bottom edge of the compartment 142 and the front shell 140 and may be configured to couple with the first coupling mechanism 112. By positioning the second coupling mechanism 144 under the bottom edge of the compartment 142, the object may be secured in place and the first coupling mechanism 144 may be secured to the first coupling mechanism 112.

Figure 2 illustrates a rear view of the compression pouch 100 according to one embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the compression pouch 100 can include a hemline 210 that extends across the outer surface of the rear shell 120.

Additionally, a second zipper 220 may be located across the exterior surface of the rear shell 120. The second zipper 220 may be configured to open and close a second compartment recessed within the rear shell 120. The second compartment may be separate from the compartment on the front shell.

Figure 3 shows a front view of a compression pouch 300 and Figure 4 shows a rear view of the compression pouch 300 according to one embodiment. The elements shown in Figures 3 and 4 have been described above and may be omitted for brevity. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, each side of the compression pouch 300 may include a separate rear shell, compression layer, and front shell.

As further shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flap layer 305 may be configured to be sandwiched between the inner surfaces of the rear shells 120A and 120B and extend away from the body of the rear shells 120A and 120B. The first flap 310 may be configured to be located on a first end of the flap layer 305, and the second flap 320 may be located on a second end of the flap layer 305. The first flap 310 may have a coupling mechanism 315 configured to selectively couple with a coupling mechanism 319 located on the front shell 140A. The second flap 320 may have a second coupling mechanism 325 configured to selectively couple with a coupling mechanism 239 located on the front shell 140B. In this manner, each side of the compression pouch 300 may have independent compartments 142A, 142B selectively coupled by independent flaps 310, 320, respectively. Additionally, each side has its own compression layer 130A, 130B that allows for independent control of the compression force applied to the respective compartments 142A, 142B.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 for utilizing a compression pouch, according to one embodiment. The operations of method 500 presented below are intended to be exemplary. In some embodiments, method 500 may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described and/or without one or more operations described. Additionally, the order of operations of method 500 is illustrated in FIG. 5 and the following description is not intended to be limiting.

In operation 510, an object may be inserted into the compartment, which is located on the front shell of the compression pouch.

In operation 520, a zipper surrounding a boundary of the compression layer may close. In response to closing the zipper, the compression layer may exert a compressive force on the compartment to minimize the volume of the compartment.

At operation 530, the flaps may close over the rear shell, the compression layer, and the upper edge of the front shell, thereby securing the object within the container.

At operation 540, the flap may open to expose the rear shell, the compression layer, and the upper edge of the front shell.

At operation 550, objects within the compartment may be removed without opening the zipper.

The present technology has been described in detail for the purpose of explaining the presently most practical and preferred embodiments, but it should be understood that such details are for the purpose only, and that the present technology is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements within the spirit and scope of the claims. For example, it should be understood that the present technology can be combined, to the extent possible, with one or more features of any embodiment with one or more features of any other embodiment.

Throughout this specification, "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "one example," or "an example" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," "one example," or "an example" appearing in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combinations and/or subcombinations in one or more embodiments or examples. Additionally, it should be understood that the figures provided herein are for illustrative purposes to persons skilled in the art, and that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the flow diagrams illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems and methods according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a segment including one or more processes.

Claims (10)

1. A compression pouch comprising:
A rear shell;
a front shell having a compartment;
a zipper configured to travel on a zipper track;
a compression layer located between the front shell and the rear shell, the zipper track having a first end point on a top surface of the compression layer and a second end point on a sidewall of the compression layer, the compression layer configured to increase a compressive force against the front shell to decrease a volume of the compartment as the zipper moves toward the first end point and to decrease a compressive force against the front shell to not decrease a volume of the compartment as the zipper moves toward the second end point;
a flap having a first end permanently connected to the rear shell and a second end configured to be selectively connected to the front shell;
A compression pouch. a first coupling mechanism located on the flap;
a second coupling mechanism located on the front shell;
10. The compression pouch of claim 1, further comprising: The compression pouch of claim 2 , wherein the compartment is configured to be exposed by disconnecting the flap from the front shell. The compression pouch of claim 3, wherein the zipper maintains a compressive force on the front shell even when the flap is disconnected from the front shell. The compression pouch of claim 4, wherein a zipper track beginning is located on an upper edge of the compressible layer and a zipper track ending is located on a side wall of the compressible layer at a position below a lower edge of the compartment. The compression pouch of claim 5, wherein the compartment has an exposed surface and upper edge. The compression pouch of claim 6, wherein the flap is configured to cover the zipper track beginning and the upper edge of the compartment when the first attachment mechanism is attached to the second attachment mechanism. The compression pouch of claim 1, wherein the compression pouch includes a plurality of flaps connected to a flap body. The compression pouch of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of flaps are configured to be coupled to opposing sides of a compression pouch body. The compression pouch according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the flap body is sandwiched between the inner surfaces of the two rear shells.

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