Patent Application
20170360168
The present invention relates to a bag and replaceable panel system.
Consumers often use bags to carry objects from one place to another. Such bags may be used to pack food (e.g., a lunch bag or lunchbox), supplies for a child (e.g., a diaper bag), or personal accessories (e.g., a purse or cosmetics bag). Many bags have a lid, which can be opened or closed, for example via a hinge, to permit the consumer to access the contents of the bag. In many bags, lids are static, meaning they are not intended to be removable or replaceable.
The lid of such typical bags may include a pocket or a sleeve, but such elements often cannot be changed to meet the needs of the specific use. For example, if a user wishes to store a drinking bottle in the lid one day and an ice pack in the lid another day, the items must conform the lid pocket-size and there is no opportunity to adapt the lid to the specific packing needs on a day to day or long term basis.
Also, bags are often adorned with images, patterns, or characters. Although the bags may still function properly, the bags may no longer be favored by the user due to a pattern that does not match the user's apparel or provide a seasonally-appropriate message, an image that does not express the user's preferred mood or environment (e.g. a professional image may be wanted for a work day and fun image wanted for a weekend picnic), or the character does not meet the whims of a child. Further, typical lunch bags and boxes are not customizable, for example, for different members of the same family or different needs on different days. Finally, users may simply enjoy or prefer the opportunity to customize their bag.
Clearly, there is a demand for a customizable bag. The present invention satisfies this demand.
A bag and replaceable panel system is described. One or more interchangeable panels may be used to close a bag. The user may remove a first panel from the bag and replace it with a second panel. While the examples discussed are configured generally as a lunch bag, the bag of the system may be a container or bag for any purpose. The bag and replaceable panel system includes a bag that may be customized to include different panels depending on the user's preferred functional features or aesthetic characteristics. Each panel is a lid or cover to close the bag.
In one aspect, a bag and replaceable panel system is described. The bag and replaceable panel system includes a bag defining a compartment. A bag zipper extends around a perimeter of the bag. The bag and replaceable panel system further includes a panel. A panel zipper extends around a perimeter of the panel. The panel zipper engages with the bag zipper to connect the panel to the bag. The panel zipper disengages from the bag zipper to completely disconnect the panel from the bag. The panel may be replaced with one or more different panels that engage to the bag zipper of the bag.
In another aspect, a bag and replaceable panel system is described. The bag and replaceable panel system includes a generally rectangular bag defining a compartment to hold food, drink containers, and/or personal items. The generally rectangular bag has one or more walls and a bottom wall. One example includes a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall. The first wall is generally opposite of the third wall. The second wall is generally opposite of the fourth wall. The first and third walls have a longer length than a length of the second and fourth walls. The first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth side wall extend from the bottom wall. The first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall are integral with or attached to each other to form the outer boundary or sides of the bag. The upper edge of each of the first wall, second wall, third wall, and fourth wall form an upper perimeter of the bag. A bag zipper extends completely around the upper perimeter of the bag. The bag zipper is formed from a single, continuous length of a zipper material. The bag and replaceable panel system includes a panel sized and shaped to cover the compartment, for example, a generally rectangular panel. A panel zipper extends completely around an entire perimeter of the panel. The panel zipper is formed from a single, continuous length of a zipper material. The panel zipper engages with the bag zipper to removably connect and removably disconnect the panel from the bag such that the panel may be completely disconnected from the bag.
In another aspect, a bag and replaceable panel system is described. The bag and replaceable panel system includes a generally circular or elliptical bag defining a compartment to hold food, drink containers, and/or personal items. The generally circular bag has one continuous side wall and a bottom wall. The side wall extends up from a bottom wall. The side wall and bottom wall may be integral with each other or may be attached to each other. An upper edge of the side wall forms an upper perimeter of the bag. A bag zipper extends completely around the upper perimeter of the bag. The bag zipper is formed from a single, continuous length of a zipper material. The bag and replaceable panel system includes a panel sized and shaped to cover the compartment, for example, a circular or elliptical panel. A panel zipper extends completely around an entire perimeter of the panel. The panel zipper is formed from a single, continuous length of a zipper material. The panel zipper engages with the bag zipper to removably connect and removably disconnect the panel from the bag such that the panel may be completely disconnected from the bag.
In another aspect, a bag and replaceable panel system is described. The bag and replaceable panel system may include a bag and panel connectable via more than one zipper connection.
In another aspect, a bag and replaceable panel system is described. The bag and replaceable panel system may include a bag and panel configured to be connected via one or more panel fastener elements and complementary fastener elements positioned on the bag. Examples include complementary zipper teeth components, buttons and complementary button openings, snaps, clips, snap hooks, hooks & eyes, tack, hook & loop complementary components, stud & post, prong & socket, screw & bolt, or other types of complementary fastener pairs known in the art that permit easy removal and replacement of the panel relative to the bag.
In another aspect, a bag with an interchangeable panel system is described. The bag with an interchangeable panel system includes a bag defining a compartment. A bag zipper extends around a perimeter of the bag. A first panel is configured to close the compartment. A first panel zipper extends around a perimeter of the first panel. The first panel zipper engages with the bag zipper to connect the first panel to the bag. A second panel is configured to close the compartment after the first panel is disconnected from the bag. A second panel zipper extends around a perimeter of the second panel. The second panel zipper engages with the bag zipper to connect the second panel to the bag. As such, the first panel may be unzipped from the bag and replaced with the second panel. Typically, the second interchangeable panel includes at least one functional or aesthetic feature different than the features of the first interchangeable panel. For example, the first interchangeable panel may include no pocket, while the second panel includes a pocket on the exterior or interior surface, or the first interchangeable panel includes a first pattern on an exterior surface while the second interchangeable panel includes a second pattern on an exterior surface. Other features of one or more panels may include various pocket sizes, pocket shapes, pocket materials, pocket closure types, panel color, panel material, design on exterior surface of the panel, design on interior surface of the panel, panel insulation, or integrated ice element in the panel.
All aspects and embodiments of the disclosure can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of any aspect or embodiment or combination of aspects and embodiments disclosed herein. Other aspects, embodiments, and iterations of the lid are described in more detail below.
For purposes of this application, any terms that describe relative position (e.g., “upper”, “middle”, “lower”, “outer”, “inner”, “above”, “below”, “bottom”, “top”, etc.) refer to an embodiment of the invention as illustrated, but those terms do not limit the orientation in which the embodiments can be used.
A bag and replaceable panel system 10 will now be described with reference to
The user may engage any of the interchangeable panels 60A-60E to the bag 20 depending on their preference or needs. For example, each of the interchangeable panels 60 may include different functional features or aesthetic characteristics. One interchangeable panel 60 may have no pockets and be lighter/easier to carry, while another interchangeable panel 60 may have pockets configured for various functions—possibly to hold an ice mat or to hold a drinking container, a sandwich, etc. Other interchangeable panels 60 may be sized and shaped to create a larger or smaller compartment 25 when connected to the bag 20.
Although the interchangeable panels 60 may be connected and disconnected to the bag 20, the bag and replaceable panel system 10 may still function similarly to typical lunch bags and boxes. For example, to access the compartment 25 of the bag 20, the user only needs to partially unzip the bag and replaceable panel system 10, and the remaining zipped portion provides a hinge for the then-connected panel 60 to be lifted to provide access to the compartment 25. Thus, the user is not required to completely remove the then-connected panel 60 in order to access the compartment 25.
As illustrated, the first interchangeable panel 60A includes an exterior surface 70A and an interior surface 71A. The exterior surface 70A includes a first design 72. The second interchangeable panel 60B includes an exterior surface 70B with a second design 74. The first design 72 is different from the second design 74. This provides the user the ability to customize their bag and replaceable panel system 10 as desired. The user may, for example, interchange the panel 60 etc. on a daily, weekly, etc. basis to suit their preference or needs. All of the panels 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 60E, etc. may engage to the same bag 20. As such, a single bag 20 may be used with one or more of the interchangeable panels 60A-60E to provide different aesthetic appearances or different functional characteristics.
The interchangeable panels 60 may include any of variety of ornamentation including media characters, athletic teams, pop-stars, branding, etc. The interchangeable panels 60 may include any of variety of decoration or designs, such as color schemes or patterns to complement or match a school back pack, a school uniform, school colors, etc. The interchangeable panels 60 may include any of variety of materials, colors, designs, etc. to match, coordinate, or complement the materials of the user's briefcases, purses, etc.
The bag 20 may include a box-like or bowl-like shape. The bag 20 may include an overall shape that is square, rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc. With reference to
In the aspect of
The panel zipper 160 engages with the bag zipper 120 to connect the first interchangeable panel 60A to the bag 20, and the panel zipper 160 disengages from the bag zipper 120 to completely disconnect the first interchangeable panel 60A from the bag 20.
The first interchangeable panel 60A includes a generally rectangular shape to match the generally rectangular shape of the bag 20. With reference to
With reference to
The panel zipper 160 includes a plurality of panel zipper teeth 162. A first end 163 of the panel zipper 160 includes a first end zipper connection element such as a zipper insertion pin 166 or a pin box 124. The panel zipper 160 includes whichever first end zipper connection element complements or is compatible with the first end zipper connection element of the bag zipper 120. A second end 165 of the panel zipper 160 includes a panel zipper teeth end 168. The panel zipper 160 may be formed from a single, continuous length of a zipper material.
The pin box 124 of the bag zipper 120 receives and aligns the zipper insertion pin 166 of the panel zipper 160, to begin the connecting of the bag zipper 120 with the panel zipper 160. The slider 126 (with optional pull tab 126A) moves along a length of the bag zipper 120 and the panel zipper 160 to connect the bag zipper 120 with the panel zipper 160.
In the aspect of
With reference to
In order to the access the compartment 25 of the bag 20, the user only needs to partially unzip the bag and replaceable panel system 10, and the remaining zipped portion provides a hinge for the respective panel 60 to be lifted to provide access to the compartment 25. For example, the user may only unzip the panel zipper 160 from the bag zipper 120 along the second wall 84, the third wall 86, and the fourth wall 88, thus leaving the panel zipper 160 engaged to the bag zipper 120 along the first wall 82, which provides a hinge for the respective panel 60 to be lifted to an open position. Thus, the user is not required to completely remove the panels 60 in order to access the compartment 25.
In
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
A carrying handle 200 may be engaged to one of the walls 82, 84, 86, and 88. In the aspect of
The panel zipper 160 and the bag zipper 120 may be formed from plastic and/or metal materials having interlocking teeth, tracks, coils, etc.
With reference to
It should be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the particular aspects described herein, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this novel concept as defined by the following claims. Further, many other advantages of applicant's disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above descriptions and the claims below.
