Patent Application
20120128270
The present invention relates generally to a bag for carrying tangible items, and more specifically to a bag for carrying tangible items that has a slot for removal of unwanted particulate matter.
Bags are used by men and women alike to carry day-to-day items. For example, women carry purses that contain personal belongings such as makeup, wallets, tissues and the like and men carry briefcases that contain tiles, folders and personal items. When using a bag on a daily basis, the items that are contained within the bag are frequently removed from the bag for use and then later replaced back into the bag. A woman carrying a purse may remove her wallet from the bag to make a purchase at a store and place the wallet on a counter or elsewhere while she takes out a credit card or cash. While the wallet is on the counter, it may collect debris or other particulate matter. When the wallet is replaced into the bag, the debris or other particulate matter also gets placed into the bag. Over time, the debris and particulate matter accumulates in the bag. In order for the debris and particulate matter to be removed from the bag, all of the items contained within the bag must removed, the bag inverted and shaken to remove the debris and particulate matter, and the items replaced back into the bag. This can be an extremely time consuming process, especially when a person keeps an excessive amount of items in the bag.
Furthermore, the problem of debris and particulate matter accumulating in a bag is multiplied when the bag is used for carrying articles to and from sandy areas, such as a beach. When articles such as blankets, toys, clothing and reading materials are used in sandy areas, they generally tend to accumulate sand on their surfaces and in crevices. When these articles are stored away in ordinary bags for transport home, the sand that has accumulated on the various articles will collect inside the bag, typically on the bottom of the bag. On such occasions, a user must empty the bag entirely in order to attempt to remove the accumulated sand from the bag or risk spilling sand out of the bag during transportation or general use of the bag. However, even this type of cleaning action is not likely to remove all of the sand from the bag as the sand tends to become trapped in the seams of the bag.
Thus, a need exists for a bag that is capable of carrying tangible items and easily removing unwanted debris and particulate matter therefrom.
Additionally, a need exists for a bag that enables a user to empty the bag of accumulated particulate matter without removing the user's tangible items from the bag.
The present invention solves these and other needs by providing a bag that enables particulate matter to be removed from the bag without requiring the bag user to remove personal items from the bag. While the invention is especially suitable for removing unwanted debris and particulate matter from the bag, the invention can be utilized to separate larger sized particles from smaller sized particles in separate compartments of the bag, none of which are limiting of the present invention unless specifically recited in the claims.
In one aspect, the invention can be a bag comprising: a floor having a perimeter comprising a first perimetric portion and a second perimetric portion, the floor being formed of a material for containing particulate matter; a wall extending upward from the first and second perimetric portions of the floor so as to form an internal cavity, the wall and floor formed of a material for containing particulate matter, the wall connected to the floor along the first perimetric portion in a manner that contains particulate matter, and wherein the wall is not connected to the second perimetric portion of the floor so that a slot is formed between a bottom edge of the wall and the second perimetric portion of the floor; the floor comprising a flange extending from the second perimetric portion, the flange adjustable between (1) a closed position in which the flange extends upwardly along the wall, thereby substantially closing the slot, and (2) an open position in which the slot is substantially unobstructed by the flange; a partition located within the internal cavity that separates the internal cavity into an upper chamber located above the partition for holding articles and a lower chamber located below the partition, wherein the partition has a plurality of apertures for allowing particulate matter to pass through the partition from the upper chamber to the lower chamber; and wherein the slot defines a passageway between the lower chamber and an exterior of the bag to facilitate removal of particulate matter from the lower chamber.
In another aspect, the invention can be a bag comprising: a tubular wall forming an internal cavity about a longitudinal axis; a floor coupled to a bottom end of the tubular wall, the floor comprising a flange extending radially beyond the tubular wall, the floor and tubular wall formed of a material for containing particulate matter within the internal cavity; a slot formed between a bottom edge of the tubular wall and a top surface of the floor adjacent the flange; the flange adjustable between (1) a closed position in which the flange extends upwardly along the tubular wall, thereby substantially closing the slot, and (2) an open position in which the slot is substantially unobstructed by the flange; a partition located within the internal cavity at a distance above the floor so as to separate the internal cavity into an upper chamber above the partition for holding articles and a lower chamber below the partition, wherein the partition has a plurality of apertures for allowing particulate matter to pass through the partition from the upper chamber to the lower chamber; and wherein the slot forms a passageway from the lower chamber to outside of the bag when the flange is in the open position.
In a further aspect, the invention can be a bag comprising: a floor panel forming a floor having a perimeter and a lower portion of a wall extending upward from the floor; a wall panel forming an upper portion of the wall extending upward from lower portion, the wall and the floor forming an internal cavity; a notch formed in a bottom edge of the wall; the floor panel comprising a flange extending beyond the wall, the flange adjustable between (1) a closed position in which the flange extends upwardly along the wall, thereby substantially closing the notch, and (2) an open position in which the flange is substantially co-planar with the floor; a separator panel disposed within the internal cavity and coupled to the wall at a distance above the floor so as to separate the internal cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, wherein the separator panel is constructed of a porous material for allowing particulate matter to pass through the separator panel from the upper chamber to the lower chamber; and wherein the notch forms a passageway from the lower chamber to outside of the bag when the flange is in the open position.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the following figures:
The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such preferred embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.
Referring to
The floor 112 is connected to the wall 120 thereby forming a closed bottom end of the bag 100. The wall 120 and the floor 112 of the bag 100 are formed of a material that is capable of containing particulate matter, such as, without limitation, polypropylene, nylon, rubber, polyurethane, and other synthetic or natural materials having a sufficiently tight weave. It should be understood that a material that is capable of containing particulate matter is one which can not be penetrated by particulate matter as that term is defined below. In preferred embodiments, the wall 120 and floor 112 of the bag 100 are formed of a heavy duty composite material that is moisture resistant. Persons skilled in the art would be able to determine an adequate material to achieve the aforementioned characteristics. The material that forms the wall 120 and the floor 112 should be such that particulate matter is unable to penetrate through the wall 120 or the floor 112 of the bag 100.
By forming the wall 120 and the floor 112 of the bag 100 out of a material having a sufficiently tight weave to prevent particulate matter from penetrating through the wall 120 or the floor 112 of the bag 100, particulate matter is unable to enter the bag 100 through the wall 120 or the floor 112. In other words, even if the bag 100 is placed on a sandy or wet surface, the liquid, sand or other particulate matter will be unable to penetrate the wall 120 or move up into the bag 100 through the floor 112 to enter into the bag 100. As a result, particulate matter is only able to enter the bag 100 through a primary opening 117 in a top portion of the bag 100 as will be described in more detail below.
The wall 120 extends upwardly from the floor 112 thereby forming the internal cavity 114. However, one portion of the wall 120 is formed by a floor panel 110 and another portion of the wall 120 is formed by a wall panel 111. Thus, the bag 100 comprises the floor panel 110 that forms the entirety of the floor 112 and a lower portion 121 of the wall 120 and the wall panel 111 that extends upward from the lower portion 121 of the wall 120 and forms an upper portion 122 of the wall 120.
Examples of “particulate matter” include sand, dirt, silt, fragmentary particles and gravel granules. Of course, other materials may qualify as “particulate matter.” In certain embodiments, the term “particulate matter” refers to matter that has a grain size that is equal to or less than 4 mm in average diameter and, in other embodiments, a grain size that that is equal to or less than 3 mm in average diameter.
In a preferred embodiment, the bag 100 has a pair of straps 105, 109 to facilitate a user handing the bag. The straps 105, 109 can be small to enable the user to grip the straps 105, 109 with their hands, or the straps 105, 109 may be larger to enable the user to position the straps 105, 109 over his/her shoulder. The first strap 105 is coupled to the first side portion 101 of the wall 120 and the second strap 109 is coupled to the second side portion 102 of the wall 120. In one preferable embodiment, the straps 105, 109 are secured to the bag 100 along the upper portion 122 of the wall 120. Specifically, the straps 105, 109 extend from a top edge 127 of the lower portion 121 of the wall 120 to a top edge 123 of the upper portion 122 of the wall 120. Each of the first and second straps 105, 109 are loop straps that are connected to their respective sides of the wall 120 at two locations. The straps 105, 109 also comprise a U-shaped handle portion 106 that extends beyond the top edge 123 of the wall 120 to facilitate the gripping or carrying of the bag 100. Of course, the invention is not limited to U-shaped handle portions and the handle portions 106 may take on other shapes and sizes as would be known to persons skilled in the art. Furthermore, in other embodiments the bag 100 may have a single strap or no straps at all.
The floor panel 110 comprises a first flange 129 (
The second flange 130 extends from the floor 112 beyond the wall 120, but is not fixedly secured to the wall 120. Rather, the second flange 130 is an unsecured extension of the front portion 108 of the floor 112 that is adjustable between an open position in which the second flange 130 is not secured to the wall 120 and a closed position in which the second flange 130 is removably secured to the front portion 103 of the wall 120 by a securing means 131 as will be described in detail below with reference to
In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second flanges 129, 130 are triangular-shaped flanges. Of course, the invention is not so limited and the flanges 129, 130 may take on other shapes and sizes as would be understood to persons skilled in the art. However, in a preferred embodiment, the first flange 129 has the same size and shape as the second flange 130 so that the bag 100 is symmetrical and pleasing in appearance.
Referring to
Conceptually, the perimeter 115 is divided into a first perimetric portion 115A and a second perimetric portion 115B. In one preferable embodiment, the front portion 135 of the perimeter 115 comprises the second perimetric portion 115B. Furthermore, the first perimetric portion 115A preferably includes the rear portion 136, the first side portion 137 and the second side portion 138 of the perimeter 115 Of the floor 112. Although the second perimetric portion 115B is illustrated as extending across only a portion of the front portion 135 of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112, the second perimetric portion 115B may extend across the entirety of the front portion 135 of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112 as will be understood from the discussion below.
As will be better understood from the description below, the wall 120 is connected to the entire first perimetric portion 115A of the floor 112. Thus, the wall 120 is connected to the floor 112 at all points along the rear and first and second side portions 136, 137, 138 of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112. However, the wall 120 is not connected to the second perimetric portion 115B of the floor 112. Thus, the wall 120 is spaced from the second perimetric portion 115B of the floor 112 (which includes most or all of the front portion 135 of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112) by a slot 140 (
Referring to
Referring to
It should be understood that the first perimetric portion 115A and the second perimetric portion 115B are not limited to the specific portions of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112 illustrated in the drawings. Rather, the second perimetric portion 115B should be construed as being the portion of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112 that is aligned with the slot 140. Thus, the first perimetric portion 115A is any portion of the perimeter 115 of the floor 112 that is not aligned with the slot 140, but is instead connected to the wall 120.
The slot 140 preferably extends substantially the entire length of the front portion 103 of the wall 120. However, the invention is not so limited and the slot 140 may extend less than the entire length of the front portion 103 of the wall 120. Furthermore, the slot 140 is not limited to being formed solely in the front portion 103 of the wall 120, but may extend to the first and/or second side portions 101, 102 of the wall 120 in certain embodiments to create a larger opening for removal of particulate matter.
Referring solely to
Referring to
The partition 150 separates the internal cavity 114 into an upper chamber 152 that is above the partition 150 and a lower chamber 153 that is below the partition 150. The upper chamber 152 is the space within the internal cavity 114 that is between the partition 150 and the top edge 123 of the upper portion 122 of the wall 120 (or the closure panel 116). The lower chamber 153 is the space within the internal cavity 114 that is between the partition 150 and the floor 112. As will be understood from the description below, the partition 150 enables particulate matter to descend from the upper chamber 152 into the lower chamber 153 where it can be removed by a user through the slot 140 with minimal effort by the user.
The partition 150 is comprised of a suitable material that has a sufficient porosity to allow debris and other particulate matter to easily pass therethrough. In some embodiments, the partition 150 is a material such as, without limitation, nylon, synthetic polymers, polyester, cotton, plastic, thermoplastic, metal or the like that has a plurality of openings 159 for allowing particulate matter to pass through the partition 150. In a most preferable embodiment, the partition 150 is a meshed material that has many attached or woven strands, such as, for example, a nylon mesh fabric, a woven wire screen mesh or a plastic mesh with the openings 159 in between the woven strands. Of course, the invention is not to be limited by the type of material used for the partition 150 and other materials that are permeable to particulate matter as would be known to persons skilled in the art may also be used.
In a preferable embodiment, each of the openings 159 in the partition 150 have a maximum dimension that is equal to or less than 4 mm, and more preferably equal to or less than 2.5 mm. Of course, the invention is not so limited and the openings 159 may be larger or smaller, depending on the size of the particulate matter that is to be silted therethrough.
Referring to
In use, articles are placed into the bag 100 through the primary opening 117 in the closure panel 116 of the bag 100 with the second flange 130 in the closed position. The articles placed into the bag 100 are preferably larger than the openings 159 of the partition 150 so that the articles are positioned within the upper chamber 152 of the bag 100 and do not fall through the partition 150 into the lower chamber 153. In other words, the articles placed within the bag 100 will rest on the partition 150 and remain entirely within the upper chamber 152.
If the articles that are placed within the bag 100 contain particulate matter or debris, the particulate matter will pass through the partition 150 from the upper chamber 152 to the lower chamber 153 where the particulate matter will come to rest on the floor 112 of the bag 100. Thus, the partition 150 separates the articles placed within the bag 100 from any particulate matter in the bag 100 because the articles will remain within the upper chamber 153 and the particulate matter will pass through the openings 159 in the partition 150 to the lower chamber 152.
When it is desired to remove particulate matter from the lower chamber 153, the second flange 130 is placed into the open position by separating the second portion 131B of the securing means 131 from the first portion 131A of the securing means 131 so that the second flange 130 is substantially co-planar with the floor 112. In order to accomplish the removal of debris and particulate matter, the bag 100 with the second flange 130 in the open position is angled or tilted at an angle of between approximately 45° and 90° so that the second flange 130 hangs towards the ground or other object upon which it is desired to empty the contents of the lower chamber 153. When the bag 100 is tilted as described above, the contents of the lower chamber 153 will flow through the passageway defined by the slot 140 and exit the lower chamber 153. In this manner, particulate matter can be removed from the bag 100 without requiring removal of the contents of the upper chamber 152.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
