The present invention relates to a bag. More specifically, the present invention relates to bags having integral legs attached thereto, configured to allow the bag to rest at an elevated position without the need for a separate resting surface.
Many individuals carry work tools, supplies and other items in easily transportable bags. For example, nurses or other medical professionals may wish to have certain supplies readily available when they are visiting various patients. However, resting a medical bag down on any available surface may not provide a convenient position for easily accessing the contents stored therein. Some surfaces may be too low or too distant from the patient to be conveniently used. Additionally, some supplies and tools require an open planar surface to properly prepare them for use, which may not be readily available within the room that a patient is located in.
Additionally, bacteria and germs may be present, potentially at elevated numbers within the living space of ill patients. In order to minimize the probability of spreading disease from one patient to another, a separation barrier is often placed between a bag and any surface within the patient's living space. However, setting up such a barrier can be cumbersome and inconvenient to do, especially if the medical professional visits multiple patients per day. Accordingly, a bag designed to be supported at a desirable working height with integral support legs, keeping the bottom of the bag separate from any unwanted germs or bacteria is desired.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bags now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a bag wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when wishing to have the bag rest at an elevated position without the need for a separate support device. The present system comprises a bag with integral legs having a base and sidewalls forming a main compartment with an interior volume. A pair of legs is pivotally secured to opposing ends of a lower side of the base, where the legs are configured to pivot between a stowed position and an extended position. When the legs are in an extended position, they are configured to support the bag off of a ground surface. In some embodiments, the legs comprise multiple telescopic sections to allow a user to adjust the working height of the bag. Additionally, the bag further comprises a tray secured to a sidewall, where the tray is configured to extend outwardly from the bag and remain in a stable position, providing a convenient work surface for a user at an elevated height. The bag may further contain a lower pocket below the base, adapted to fully enclose the pair of legs therein when the pair of legs is in the stowed position.
In some embodiments of the bag with integral legs, a locking hinge is provided and secured within the lower pocket. The locking hinge is configured to lock each of the pair of legs either in a stowed or in an extended position to ensure that legs are not shifted inadvertently during use, offering additional stability to the bag when in an elevated position.
Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the bag. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to
A lower pocket 24 is disposed beneath the main compartment on the base 20 and is configured to enclose a pair of legs therein. In some embodiments, the lower pocket 24 further includes a cover 23 that is securably closeable via a fastener 21, such that when the pair of legs is stowed within the lower pocket 24, the cover 23 can fully conceal and protect the pair of legs.
One or more carrying handles are secured to the bag 10 in order to allow for a convenient method of transportation. In some embodiments, a small handle 19 is secured to an upper portion of the bag 10, while in further embodiments a shoulder strap 18 may be secured to two opposing sides of the bag 10.
In some embodiments of the bag with integral legs 10, there is a compartment that is configured to be securely closed and locked in order to offer a place to safely store sensitive patient information, such as paperwork or test results. For example, a pocket may be disposed within the interior volume 12 or along an exterior sidewall of the bag 10 and further comprise a locking mechanism, such as a combination lock or a latch adapted to have a padlock attached thereto. Sensitive patient information may be placed therein and locked to prevent unauthorized access. Thus, a user may easily carry such information along with their medical tools and supplies within the bag with integral legs 10 without compromising the security of sensitive paperwork.
Referring now to
In one embodiment of the bag with integral legs, each of the pair of legs 32 can pivot away from the base 20 of the bag 10 into an extended position, as shown in
A tray 30 is further secured to the bag 10, wherein the tray 30 is configured to extend outwardly from the bag 10 and remain in a stable position, allowing a user, such as the aforementioned medical professional, to have a portable work surface integral to the bag 10. In some embodiments, the tray 30 is configured to be a front panel of a secondary side pocket of the bag 10 and may be secured to the sidewall of the bag 10 via a fastener 31. The tray 30 may be additionally secured along a bottom edge 29 to the sidewall of the bag 10, such as via a living hinge.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The locking hinge 49 includes a lever 60 pivotally secured to the bracket 50. The lever 60 comprises an elongated member 52 attached to a handle 55, wherein the elongated member 52 further comprises a first pin 54 at a first end and a second pin 53 at a second end. The lever 60 is biased toward a locked position, as shown in
Once the leg 32 is in the extended position, the second pin 53 of the elongated member 52 is configured to be inserted within the top end of the leg 32, locking it in position and preventing it from sliding within the slot 51, as shown in
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/316,671 filed on Apr. 1, 2016. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62316671 | Apr 2016 | US |