Occupying the attention of children traveling in conveyances, such as airplanes or automobiles, is a challenge for parents. When confined to a seat on an airplane or automobile a child typically becomes restless and irritable due to inactivity. Although a parent may bring a few toys or play items aboard an airplane in carry-on luggage, the child typically loses interest in a relatively short period of time and looks for other avenues of entertainment.
Thus there is a need for a child's portable activity pack that can be hand-carried onto commercial airplanes or taken on automobile trips and which contains a variety of amusement or educational items capable of maintaining the child's interest for extended periods of time. In addition to maintaining such activity items in an organized manner, the portable activity pack should include a wide variety of activity items, such as toys, books, a flat transparent surface for game boards, or tracing or writing and a dry erase board for drawing.
A portable activity pack in the form of a back pack is provided having back straps and a handle for hand carry and which has fold-up panels containing toys, games, writing or drawing paper and related children activity items. Aboard an aircraft the portable activity pack is unfolded and a rear pouch is placed on a fold-down tray attached to the back of the seat in front of the seat being occupied by the child. The back straps are crossed beneath the tray and rebuckled. A front pouch attached to one lateral side of the rear pouch, which is the same size as the rear pouch, has a loop on its free lateral edge, which hooks over the latch for the fold-down tray, thereby holding the front pouch and its dry erase board in an upright position. A lateral side pouch folds down from the other lateral side of the rear pouch at the front of the tray and top and bottom side pouches fold-down at the sides of the tray. The rear pouch has a transparent plastic window beneath which game boards and sheets of paper may be stored. The front pouch may include a dry erase board and includes a zipper for a pocket behind the board for storing paperback books, game boards or other flat items. Loops are provided below the dry erase board for holding dry erase pens. The side pouches also include zipper enclosed compartments for storing game cards, crayons, toys and the like. Mesh pockets are also provided on the side pouches for storing toys and game pieces and one of the side pouches preferably has loops for storing finger puppets. When it is desired to refold the portable activity pack, the front pouch unhooks from the tray latch and is folded over the rear of the rear pouch, the lateral side pouch is folded over the front pouch and a separating zipper therebetween is closed. Next, the top and bottom side pouches are folded over the interconnected front and lateral side pouches and a separating zipper therebetween is closed. A flap is provided to hide this last mentioned zipper. The flap is held in its zipper covering position by Velcro patches. The shoulder straps are then unbuckled and the portable activity pack is removed from the fold-down service tray. Friction hinges interconnect lateral edges of the front and rear pouches, which serve to frictionally hold the front pouch in an adjusted activity position when it is manually moved to such position. The friction hinges facilitate use of the portable activity pack when the activity site does not include a hook on which the loop can be hooked to hold the front pouch in an upright position.
The portable activity pack is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
The front pouch 12 has a front or inner wall or panel 36 to which a rigid dry erase board 37 is secured and a rear or outer wall or panel 38, which in
Referring to
The lateral side pouch 14 includes a front panel 52 and a rear panel 53 which are interconnected at their top edges, their bottom edges and their lateral side edges which correspond to a top edge 56, a bottom edge 57, and lateral edges 58, 59 of the lateral side pouch 14. A non-separating zipper 61 is installed in the front panel 52 adjacent and parallel to the lateral edge 59, which provides access to the interior of the pouch 14, which is suitable for storing small toys and game pieces. Mesh material is sewn or otherwise fastened to the front panel 52 to form a pair of mesh pockets 62, 63 which open toward the zipper 61. The pockets 62, 63 are ideal for storing quickly accessible game pieces or toys.
As shown in
The bottom side pouch 17 includes a front panel 82 and a back or rear panel 83 interconnected at their top, bottom and laterally opposite sides to form a top edge 84, the bottom edge 81, a lateral edge 86 and a lateral edge 87. A non-separating zipper 88 is installed in the front panel 82 near and parallel with the top edge 84 to provide access to the pocket formed between the panels 82, 83. Mesh material is sewn or otherwise fastened to the front panel 82 to form side by side mesh pockets 91, 92. Velcro patches 93, 94 are sewn on the lower corners of the front panel 83 of the lower side pouch 17 which mate with Velcro patches 96, 97 sewn on the inside of the flap 76 in the fold-up condition of the activity pack as shown in
The portable activity pack 11 is designed to maintain toys, games, writing accessories and the like in a secure organized manner during transport and when unfolded aboard an airplane, in an automobile, on a train or at a home, it provides an activity center for keeping a child occupied for a long period of time. The portable activity pack 11 can be carried by the handle 31 or, by using the back straps 21, 22, it can be transported as a backpack. When the portable activity pack 11 is unfolded and placed on a service tray 98 in its fold-down service position shown in
The friction hinges 111, 112 increase the versatility of the portable activity pack 11 by maintaining the front pouch 12 and its dry erase board 37 in an upright posture to which it may be pivoted without reliance on an external support such as found aboard a passenger aircraft. The friction hinges 111, 112 facilitate the usefulness of the portable activity pack 11 when used at home, when it accompanies a child to a baby sitters home, in an automobile or train or to a day care center.
11 portable activity pack
12 quadrilateral front pouch
13 quadrilateral rear pouch
14 lateral side pouch
16 top side pouch
17 bottom side pouch
18 shoulder strap
19 shoulder strap
21 corresponding portion
22 corresponding portion
23 top edge
24 corresponding portion
26 corresponding portion
27 bottom edge
28 adjustable quick release buckle
29 adjustable quick release buckle
31 handle
36 panel
37 rigid dry erase board
38 rear or outer wall or panel
39 separating zipper
41 non-separating zipper
42 lateral edge
43 loop
44 lateral edge
46 front panel
47 rectangular transparent game board
48 band
49 rigid frame
51 elongated opening
52 front panel
53 rear panel
56 top edge
57 bottom edge
58 lateral edge
59 lateral edge
61 non-separating zipper
62 mesh pocket
63 mesh pocket
66 front panel
67 back panel
68 top edge
69 bottom edge
71 lateral edge
72 lateral edge
73 non-separating zipper
74 loop
76 flap
77 separating zipper
80 embroidered flower
81 bottom edge
82 front panel
83 rear panel
84 top edge
86 lateral edge
87 lateral edge
88 non-separating zipper
91 mesh pocket
92 mesh pocket
93 Velcro patch
94 Velcro patch
96 Velcro patch
97 Velcro patch
98 service tray
99 fastening
101 latch
102 passenger seat
111 friction hinge
112 friction hinge