HIP PACK APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus to be worn around over the shoulders and/or around the waist of a person to carry personal belongings thereby allowing the person to be hands-free while walking alone or with a dog.

BACKGROUND

People often need to carry small personal belongings, such as money, credit cards, makeup, keys, papers, identification, consumables, and other personal, portable items. The task of carrying these items may be difficult for several reasons. Setting one or more of these items down at a destination creates the risk of forgetting about the items and leaving the items behind. Further, the items may even be stolen. In addition, there may be too many of the items or the items may be too large to be placed in the pockets of one's clothing. Furthermore, keeping these items in a person's hands prevents the person from having their hands free for completing tasks.

Packs worn around a person's waist or torso are known in the art and widely used to carry items when walking or hiking. These packs may consist of a zippered pouch worn on a belt either over the belly or the back side (fanny) of the user's person. Packs worn around a person's waist are popular as they serve the function of a handbag or purse without tying up the user's hands and are also more secure against loss or theft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure is directed to a wearable dog-walking bag that mitigates the risk of physical injury to both a dog being walked and a person walking the dog. This disclosure is further directed to methods of making and of using the described apparatus.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a hip pack configured to be worn by a person. The hip pack includes a multi-pouch bag which may have a belt pouch, configured to lay against a waist of the person, having a left opening that is opened and closed by a left belt pouch zipper and a right opening that is opened and closed by a right belt pouch zipper. The multi-pouch bag may also include a main pouch constructed over the belt pouch having an opening that is opened and closed by a main pouch zipper. The multi-pouch bag may also include a front pouch constructed over the main pouch having an opening that is opened and closed by a front pouch zipper.

The hip pack may also include a sash. The sash may have a left sash portion having a first terminal end attached to a left portion of the multi-pouch bag and a second terminal end attached to a first part of a sash buckle. The sash may also have a right sash portion having a first terminal end attached to a right portion of the multi-pouch bag and a second terminal end attached to a second part of the sash buckle. The first part of the sash buckle and the second part of the sash buckle are configured to securely attach to each other.

The hip pack may also include a belt. The belt may be a single continuous strip of material having a left terminal end attached to a first part of a belt buckle and a right terminal end attached to a second part of the belt buckle. The first part of the belt buckle and the second part of the belt buckle are configured to securely attach to each other to create a belt for the user to wear. The belt may also have a belt length adjuster configured to adjust an effective length of the belt.

In a preferred embodiment, the belt passes through the left opening of the belt pouch and the right opening of the belt pouch and a portion of the belt in the belt pouch is attached to an inside portion of the belt pouch. This allows the user to either wear the belt or store the belt inside the belt pouch.

This Summary section is neither intended to be, nor should be, construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present disclosure. Additional benefits, features and embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth in the attached figures and in the description hereinbelow, and as described by the claims. Accordingly, it should be understood that this Summary section may not contain all of the aspects and embodiments claimed herein.

Additionally, the disclosure herein is not meant to be limiting or restrictive in any manner. Moreover, the present disclosure is intended to provide an understanding to those of ordinary skill in the art of one or more representative embodiments supporting the claims. Thus, it is important that the claims be regarded as having a scope including constructions of various features of the present disclosure insofar as they do not depart from the scope of the methods and apparatuses consistent with the present disclosure (including the originally filed claims). Moreover, the present disclosure is intended to encompass and include obvious improvements and modifications of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example embodiment of a hip pack apparatus arranged in a first arrangement with a belt of the apparatus stowed in a storage compartment, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8A is the rear view of FIG. 3 with the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a second arrangement with the belt extended from the storage compartment;

FIG. 8B is the rear view of FIG. 3 with the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a third arrangement with the belt extended from the storage compartment;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic front view of a hip pack apparatus worn and used in a first arrangement, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic rear view of the hip pack apparatus worn and used in the first arrangement of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic front view of a hip pack apparatus worn and used in a second arrangement, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic front view of a hip pack apparatus worn and used in a third arrangement, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 13A is an enlarged partial rear view of another example embodiment of a hip pack apparatus arranged in a first arrangement, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 13B is an enlarged partial rear view of the hip pack apparatus of FIG. 13A, arranged in a second arrangement;

FIG. 14A is an enlarged partial rear view of another example embodiment of a hip pack apparatus arranged in a first arrangement, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 14B is an enlarged partial rear view of the hip pack apparatus of FIG. 14A, arranged in a second arrangement;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged partial front view of another example embodiment of a hip pack including a reversible multi-pouch bag in a first arrangement, in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a method of reversing the reversible bag of the hip pack of FIG. 15, including a top view of the hip pack in the first arrangement and a front view of the hip pack in a second arrangement;

FIG. 17 is a front view of the hip pack of FIG. 15 in the second arrangement;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the hip pack of FIG. 15 in the second arrangement; and

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the hip pack of FIG. 15 in the second arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description describes a dog walking apparatus and methods of using and making the same and is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the disclosed subject matter in the context of one or more particular implementations. Various modifications, alterations, and permutations of the disclosed implementations can be made and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined may be applied to other implementations and applications, without departing from scope of the disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the described or illustrated implementations, but to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the described principles and features.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s), and specific language will be used to describe the same.

Appearances of the phrases an “embodiment,” an “example,” or similar language in this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment, to different embodiments, or to one or more of the figures. The features, functions, and the like described herein are considered to be able to be combined in whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or art may direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly.

As used herein, “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “is,” “are,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps unless explicitly stated otherwise.

In order to more fully appreciate the present disclosure and to provide additional related features, each of the following references are fully incorporated herein by reference in their entirety:

(1) U.S. Pat. No. 9,901,160 teaches a multipurpose fanny pack which is wearable around the waist and providing the wearer with storage compartments, while also having the capability to be removed and converted into an adjustable suspended sling-like seat, and with an adjustable backrest capable of comfortably supporting a user in the seated position, and with a multifunctional material capable of providing a user with multiple configurations of additional comfort and protection from weather and insects.

(2) U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,974 teaches a fanny pack of the type worn around a person's waist as a carrying bag has an inflatable air bladder and a hand operated air pump for inflating the air bladder to provide a lumbar support when the fanny pack is worn over the lower back of a seated person.

(3) U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,575 teaches a carrying body preferably of a size to be worn by a child and preferably in the form of a fanny pack, having an anchor strap attached inside the carrying body providing an access length and a retaining strap which can be looped around the access length at one end and holding a child's amusement device at the other end. The retaining strap and amusement device can be stored inside the carrying body and can be accessed when it is desired to play with the amusement device. Therefore, the amusement device can be stored, and not lost when not in actual use.

(4) U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,162 teaches a magnetically actuated illumination system for a purse, knapsack or fanny pack. The system works to effectively control a battery operated light with magnet and reed switch turning the light of and on. The system can also be used with an integrated circuit timer. The actuation of the switch sets up a timed on cycle. The timed cycle prevents accidental wearing down of the battery by inadvertent actuation or neglect to turn off.

(5) U.S. Pat. No. 20050017042 teaches a sports container system that resembles a sports ball, or other sports related object, easily carried or comfortably attached to a user, providing convenient access to the items contained, and displaying indicia representative of advertisers, sports governing bodies, teams, players, and other entities.

(6) U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,770 teaches a multiple use pack designed for convenience, security and optimal use of space and structures which can be used as a waist pack, a day backpack or a shoulder bag. A back face of the waist pack slides by means of a long belt loop on a removable, adjustable belt with quick release buckles allowing the waist pack to serve as a fanny pack/belly pack. The waist pack converts into a day backpack by opening a zippered main compartment posterior to the waist pack's main storage compartment. The zipper is stopped by a strip of fabric located in the middle bottom of the waist pack's main storage compartment connected to the middle bottom of the back face of the waist pack. The connecting fabric strip becomes a combined zipper stop and weight-bearing hinge which keeps the zipper slider from being pulled apart by the weight of items stored in the pack when used in the day backpack mode. Most importantly the fabric strip becomes a hinge which allows the back face of the waist pack to become the bottom of the day backpack and the waist pack main storage compartment to become an anterior storage compartment for the day backpack.

Reference will now be made in detail to an embodiment of the present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

People often need to carry small personal belongings, such as money, credit cards, makeup, keys, papers, identification, consumables, and other personal, portable items. The task of caring these items may be difficult for several reasons. Setting one or more of these items down at a rest stop or a destination creates the risk of forgetting about the items, leaving the items behind or exposing the items to be stolen. In addition, there may be too many of the items or the items may be too large to be placed in the pockets of one's clothing. Furthermore, keeping these items in a person's hands prevents the person from having their hands free for completing tasks.

Packs worn around a person's waist may be used to carry items when walking or hiking. These packs may consist of a zippered pouch worn on a belt either over the belly or the back side (fanny) of the person's body. Packs worn around a person's waist serve the function of a handbag or purse without tying up the user's hands and are also more secure against loss or theft. However, the prior art has not adequately addressed the need for a comfortable and effective hip pack that allows a person to store personal objects while also allowing the person to walk and walk a dog in a hands-free manner.

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate various views of an example hip pack 100 that may be worn by a person. As will be discussed further below, the hip pack 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 in a first arrangement of several arrangements described or contemplated in this disclosure; FIGS. 8A and 8B depict second and third arrangements, respectively, of the example hip pack 100, and the subsequent Figures illustrate other uses, arrangements, and embodiments, all compatible as described with the example hip pack 100.

The hip pack 100 may have a multi-pouch bag 105 comprising various pouches for storing personal belongings as well as a belt pouch 110 for storing a belt 175 as described below. The multi-pouch bag 105 may be of any desired shape. As non-limiting examples, the multi-pouch bag 105 may be circular, oval, rectangular, or, as shown in FIGS. 1-7, may have a shape similar to a sideways capital “D” when viewed from the front or rear. The multi-pouch bag 105 may be any desired size. In various embodiments, the multi-pouch bag 105 is in the range of between six to 18 inches and is most preferably between 10 and 14 inches in width (horizontal when worn); and, the bag 105 may be in the range of between four and 12 inches and most preferably between six and 10 inches in height (vertical when worn). In some embodiments, the multi-pouch bag 105 may be in the range of between 0.5 inches or less (when compressed and empty) and 8 inches (when full) in depth (away from the person when worn).

The multi-pouch bag 105 may be made of any desired material(s). In various embodiments, the bag 105 may be constructed from a plurality of fabric panels sewn or otherwise fastened together according to manufacturing methods described herein or otherwise ascertainable from the present disclosure. For example, panels forming the outer walls and surfaces of the bag 105 and the walls of the pouches may be made of any durable fabric, such as any medium to heavyweight woven materials, (duck) canvas, vinyl, denim, corduroy, polyester or (ballistic) nylon. The bag 105 may further include other structural or non-structural sheets or layers of material, such as lining(s) within various pouches, or strips 124 of reflective material disposed on or integrated with the exterior surfaces of the panels of the bag 105, such as those described further below. The various panels, walls, layers, etc., of the bag 105 are not shown in cross-section in the Figures; their thickness and construction may be selected according to the desired durability of the bag 105 with respect to both the exterior and the interior of the bag 105. Non-limiting examples are further described below.

The multi-pouch bag 105 may have any suitable number of pouches, i.e., two, three, four, five or more pouches, in accordance with the size, shape, and construction of the bag 105 as well as the desired dimensions of the various pouches. In the illustrated example hip pack 100, the multi-pouch bag 105 has three pouches 110, 115, 120 that are separated by various panels to form separate compartments each with one or more openings, i.e., items in one pouch cannot move to another pouch without the person intentionally removing the item from a first pouch through an opening thereof, and then placing the item in a second pouch through a corresponding opening. In other embodiments, one more pairs of adjacent pouches within the bag 105 may not be fully separated from each other, and thus one of the pouches may be accessible from the other of the pouches within the bag 105. An opening (or “aperture,” or “mouth”) of a pouch may be formed by leaving open a seam between two adjacent pieces of material, or by making a cut through a piece of material, or by overlapping pieces of material, or by any other suitable manufacturing technique. An opening may be reinforced, such as by affixing additional pieces of material to the opening. The multi-pouch bag 105 may include one or more closure mechanisms affixed to the piece(s) of material that form an opening, and spanning the opening via mating structures that can be engaged and disengaged to close and open the pouches. For example, various zippers, snaps, rivets, buttons, hook-and-loop materials, latches, and the like, can be used to seal closed and then open the openings to allow items to be inserted and removed for each pouch. Zippers, and the like, can be waterproof. Further, any of the closure mechanisms may be protected by a flap 142 of fabric. For example, zippers are hidden and/or protected from catching on things by a flap 142 that extends over the top of the respective opening.

With reference to the illustrated example, the various pouches of the multi-pouch bag 105 will be described according to their respective orientation relative to each other. The bag 105 may include: a belt pouch 110 partially defined by and positioned at a rear wall of the bag 105; a main pouch 115 partially defined by an interior wall or panel that forms the front of the belt pouch 110 and the rear of the main pouch 115; and, a front pouch 120 beginning at a front wall of the main pouch 115 and extending forward therefrom. In an embodiment, the belt pouch 110 may be made of a first piece of durable material (e.g., a fabric panel) that is generally in the desired height, width, and perimeter shape of the multi-pouch bag 105; this first panel may form the rear outer wall of the bag 105 and thus an exterior surface of the panel may be configured to contact a wearer of the hip pack 100. The belt pouch 110 may also be made of a second piece of material that is also generally in the desired height, width, and perimeter shape of the multi-pouch bag 105. In an embodiment, the edges of the second piece of durable material may be attached to the first piece of material, such as at the edges of the first piece of material except, in some embodiments, at locations where opening(s) of the belt pouch 110 are to be placed. The belt pouch 110 created from the first piece of material and the second piece of material is preferably enclosed, thereby forming the belt pouch 110. For access to the belt pouch 110, one or more openings may be disposed through or at the edges of the first piece of material. In some embodiments, the belt pouch 110 may be accessed through either or both of a left opening 112 and a right opening 114. The respective openings 112, 114 may be fastened shut by a respective closure. For example, the left opening 112 may be opened and closed by actuating a left belt pouch zipper 125 and a right opening 114 may be opened and closed by actuating a right belt pouch zipper 130.

The main pouch 115 may be constructed adjacent to the belt pouch 110. In one embodiment, the main pouch 115 may be formed from the second piece of material used to also create the belt pouch 110 and a third piece of durable material that is in the general desired shape and size of the multi-pouch bag 105. The edges of the second piece of material may be attached by any desired means to the edges of the third piece of durable material, thereby forming the main pouch 115. An opening 117 may be created in the third piece of material and a main pouch zipper 135 or other closure mechanism added to open and close the opening 117 in the main pouch 115. In some embodiments, the main pouch 115 may be the largest of the pouches in terms of cubic volume.

The front pouch 120 may be constructed adjacent to and forward of the main pouch 115. In a preferred embodiment, the front pouch 120 is formed from the third piece of material used to create the main pouch 115 and a fourth piece of durable material that is in the general desired shape and size of the front pouch 120. In some embodiments, the front pouch 120 may be smaller than the main pouch 115 and may be positioned directly below the main pouch zipper 135. In some embodiments, an outer-oriented face of the third piece of material may form an exterior surface at the front of the bag 105, and the edges of the fourth piece of durable material may be attached by any desired means to the face of the third piece of material, thereby forming the front pouch 120. An opening 122 may be created in the fourth piece of material and a front pouch zipper 140 or other closure mechanism may be added to open and close the opening 122 in the front pouch 120. To improve visibility of the hip pack 100 and a wearer thereof to others at night, a reflective strip 124 comprising light-reflecting material may be disposed on the front surface of the front pouch 120, such as over the opening 122. Other surfaces and areas may also have reflective material applied thereto. For example, a longer reflective strip may be applied over the opening 117 of the main pouch 115. In another example, the outer surfaces of the bag 105 and/or the front surfaces of any of the strips of material forming the sash 145 or belt 175 may include reflective stitching (not shown) or other reflective material.

In some embodiments, the first piece of material, the second piece of material and the third piece of material are actually one or two pieces of material as one or more of the pieces may be folded over to act as two pieces, while in other embodiments the first piece of material, the second piece of material and the third piece of material are three separate pieces of material. The edges and/or faces of the first, second and third pieces of material may be attached by any desired means. As non-limiting examples, the edges and/or faces of the first, second and third pieces of material may be attached by stitching, gluing and/or riveting. Additionally, some or all of the pouches 110, 115, 120 may be lined, such as by sewing or otherwise attaching a thin layer of fabric lining material to the inner-oriented face(s) of the respective pieces of material. See FIGS. 15-19 and the accompanying description below.

The hip pack 100 may include a sash 145 configured to be worn over a shoulder of the wearer, at least partially securing the hip pack 100 to the wearer and helping to distribute the weight of the hip pack 100 to increase comfort of the wearer. In one embodiment the sash 145 may be a single strip of material, such as woven nylon, permanently or removably attached to the bag 105. In another embodiment, the sash 145 includes a left sash portion 150 and a right sash portion 155 that each permanently or removably attach to the bag 105 and to each other to form a loop defining the sash 145. The left sash portion 150 may attach at a first terminal end to the multi-pouch bag 105 and extend therefrom leftward (with respect to the wearer). The right sash portion 155 may attach at a first terminal end to the multi-pouch bag 105 and extend therefrom rightward. The portions 150, 155 may then attach to each other at or approximate their opposing ends, using a buckle or similar attachment mechanism. For example, the sash buckle may be a quick-release buckle with mating parts 160, 165. The left sash portion 150 may attach at a second terminal end to a first part 160 of a sash buckle. The right sash portion 155 may attach at a second terminal end to a second part 165 of the sash buckle. The first part 160 and the second part 165 of the sash buckle may be configured to securely attach and connect to each other.

In embodiments such as illustrated, the sash portions 150, 155 extend away from the bag 105 at respective angles, relative to a horizontal orientation of the bag 105, so that when the sash portions 150, 155 attach to form the sash 145, the bag 105 sits approximate a left hip of the wearer. The right sash portion 155 may be shorter than the left sash portion 150 so that when the parts 160, 165 of the sash buckle are connected, the sash buckle sits on the wearer's chest. See FIG. 9. This positioning allows the wearer to easily reach and release the sash buckle if needed. The diameter of the sash 145 may be adjustable to fit the wearer of the hip pack 100. In some embodiments, the sash 145 size is adjusted by shortening one or both of the sash portions 150, 155. Thus, a sash length adjuster 170 may be disposed on a corresponding sash portion 150, 155. The sash length adjuster 170 may include any desired means for adjusting the effective length of the sash portion 150, 155. As a non-limiting example, the sash length adjuster 170 may be a web keeper or a slip-lock buckle that receives the second terminal end of the corresponding sash portion 150, 155 after the sash portion 150, 155 is fed through the corresponding part 160, 165 of the sash buckle. The sash portion 150, 155 may then be pulled from the second terminal end through the sash length adjuster 170 to shorten the corresponding sash portion 150, 155 by overlapping itself.

Referring now to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the hip pack 100 may also include a belt 175 for fastening the hip pack 100 around the waist of a wearer. The belt 175 may be configured to be stored within the belt pouch 110. Thus, it is contemplated that in the first arrangement of the hip pack 100 shown in FIGS. 1-7, the belt 175 is indeed stowed in the belt pouch 110 and the belt pouch zippers 125, 130 are zipped to close the openings 112, 114. When the belt 175 is to be worn around the waist, the belt pouch zippers 125, 130 may be opened and the belt 175 withdrawn by its opposing ends through both openings 112, 114 of the belt pouch 110. That is, a left portion 176 including a first terminal end of the belt 175 may be withdrawn from the belt pouch 110 through the left opening 112, and a right portion 178 including a second terminal end of the belt 175 may be withdrawn from the belt pouch 110 through the right opening 114. In an embodiment, the portions 176, 178 of the belt 175 may be separate strips of material each attached (e.g., by stitching) at one end to the bag 105. Preferably, however, the belt 175 may be a single continuous strip of material from end to end. In this embodiment, the belt 175 may be fixed or slidingly attached to the bag 105 at one or more points within the belt pouch 110, such as between the openings 112, 114. For example, the belt 175 may be secured by stitching to either a rear panel (i.e., the first piece of material described above) or an inner panel (i.e., the second piece of material described above) defining the belt pouch 110.

The belt 175 may attach at the left portion 176 to a first part 180 of a belt buckle may attach at the right portion 178 to a second part 185 of the belt buckle. The first part 180 and the second part 185 of the belt buckle are configured to securely attach to each other as described above with respect to the sash buckle. In various embodiments wherein the belt 175 is permanently fixed to the bag 105, the fixation may be located at a point along the belt 175 that provides a desired length of either of the portions 176, 178. For example, the right portion 178 may advantageously be shorter than the left portion 176 so that the belt buckle sits approximate the right hip of the wearer, so the wearer can easily reach and disengage the belt buckle if needed. The belt 175 may also include a belt length adjuster 190 on one or both portions 176, 178, the adjuster 190 configured to adjust an effective length of the belt 175 by overlapping or doubling up a portion of the belt 175 as described above with respect to the sash length adjuster 170.

The sash 145 and belt 175 may be made of (webbed) polyester, nylon, Kevlar or any other highly durable and strong material. The first part of the sash buckle 160, the second part of the sash buckle 165, the first part of the belt buckle 180 and the second part of the belt buckle 185 may be buckles, clasps, catches, fastenings, clamps, clips or any other means for connecting two straps together. The buckles may be plastic or metal.

Referring again to FIGS. 1-8B, the hip pack 100 may include one or more attachment mechanisms for attaching a dog leash to the hip pack 100. Suitable attachment mechanisms include, but are not limited to, metal or plastic rings, D-rings, latches and other connectors, fabric loops, carabiners, and any other suitable apparatus for attaching the connectors known in dog leads and leashes to the hip pack 100. Each attachment mechanism may be positioned advantageously for locating the dog being walked relative to the wearer and in light of the arrangement in which the wearer is wearing the hip pack 100, as explained further below with respect to FIGS. 9-12. In some embodiments, the hip pack 100 may include a back D-ring 200 securely attached to the bag 105 so that the D-ring 200 sits on the rear exterior surface of the bag 105, preferably near the bottom of the bag 105. A flap 205 may be added to the lower back section of the multi-pouch bag 105 to hide the back D-ring 200 within the flap 205 when the back D-ring 200 is not in use. The back D-ring 200 may be used as an attachment point for a leash for smaller dogs and dogs that do not exert significant pull force on the leash.

In some embodiments, the hip pack 100 may include a sash D-ring 210 securely attached to an upper portion of the multi-pouch bag 105 approximate one of the sash portions 150, 155. For example a retaining loop 212 of material attached to or integral with the bag 105 approximate the fixation point of the terminal end of the left sash portion 150 may retain the sash D-ring 210. The sash D-ring 210 may be used as an attachment point for a leash of a larger or stronger dog so that any pull force of the dog does not pull the bag 105 out of position relative to the wearer.

In some embodiments, the hip pack 100 may also include a slidable D-ring 215 slidably attached to the belt 175. As an example, the D-ring 215 may be attached to a loop of material 220 that encircles the belt 175, thereby allowing the D-ring 215 to slide along the belt 175. The wearer of the belt 175 may move the D-ring 215 along the belt 175 or the D-ring may move along the belt 175 as the wearer walks a dog. FIG. 8A shows an arrangement in which the D-ring 215 and loop 220 are disposed on the right portion 178 of the belt 175, which advantageously shortens the distance the D-ring 215 can slide (i.e., between the bag 105 and the second part 185 of the belt buckle) and keeps the D-ring 215 in front of the wearer. Alternatively, FIG. 8B shows another arrangement in which the D-ring 215 and loop 220 are disposed on the left portion 176 of the belt 175, which advantageously provides a longer sliding range if desired. In some embodiments, the loop 220 may have an inner diameter that is wider than the belt length adjuster 190 and further may be wider than the belt buckle, so that the D-ring 215 can slide along the belt 175 from the left opening 112 to the right opening 114 and back. The slidable D-ring 215 may be used as an attachment point for a leash of a dog, permitting the wearer of the hip pack 100 to enjoy hands-free dog walking for roaming dogs.

It should be appreciated that an O-ring may be used in place of any described D-ring. The back D-ring 200, sash D-ring 210 and slidable D-ring 215 may be made of any desired material. As non-limiting examples, the back D-ring 200, sash D-ring 210 and slidable D-ring 215 may be made of a plastic or resin but is preferably made of a metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum. The back D-ring 200, sash D-ring 210 and slidable D-ring 215 may be any desired size. As non-limiting examples, the back D-ring 200, sash D-ring 210 and slidable D-ring 215 may be between one and three inches in height and one and three inches in width, but is most preferably about two inches in height and two inches in width.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate various methods by which a wearer 900 may use a hip pack 902 as presently disclosed, such as the hip pack 100 of FIGS. 1-8B. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, in a first method the wearer 900, holding the multi-pouch bag 905, may open the left and right openings of the belt pouch and extract the belt 910 from the belt pouch. For example, the belt buckle 915 may be engaged within the belt pouch for storage of the belt 910; the wearer 900 may disengage the mated parts of the belt buckle 915 and extract the left and right portions of the belt 910 from the respective openings. The wearer 900 may then position the belt 910 around the wearer's waist and reengage the belt buckle 915. The wearer 900 may need to loosen the belt 910 so it fits around the waist, and after engaging the belt buckle 915 may need to tighten the belt 910 to fit. The wearer may then reach back and pull the left portion of the sash 920 over the shoulder to the wearer's chest, and then engage the sash buckle 925 as shown. Alternatively, the wearer 900 may engage the sash buckle 925 first, tighten the sash 920 to fit using the web keeper 930, place the sash 920 over the wearer's torso, and then engage the belt buckle 915. When ready to walk a dog, the wearer 900 may attach a connector 975 of a leash 970 to the sliding D-ring 935 attached to the loop 940 on the belt 910.

In FIG. 11, the wearer 900 dons the hip pack 902 using the belt 910 and sash 920 as described above with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10. When ready to walk a dog, the wearer 900 may lift the bag 905 from the bottom slightly away from the wearer 900 and attach the connector 975 of the leash 970 to the back D-ring 955 attached at the back of the bag 905. In FIG. 12, the wearer 900 stows, or leaves stowed, the belt (not shown) in the belt pouch of the bag 905. For example, if the belt is extended, the wearer 900 may feed the respective portions of the belt, and the parts of the belt buckle, through the left and right openings of the belt pouch and may close the left and right openings. The wearer 900 dons the hip pack 902 using only the sash 920 oriented across the torso, fastened with the sash buckle 925, as described above. When ready to walk a dog, the wearer 900 may attach the connector 975 of the leash 970 to the sash D-ring 960. In any of the methods shown in FIGS. 9-12, while walking the dog, the wearer's hands are free, and the wearer 900 can access the main pouch 950 or the front pouch 955 of the bag 905 as desired.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate another example hip pack 1300 having the elements described above with respect to the hip pack 100 of FIGS. 1-8B. The hip pack 1300 is shown partial and enlarged to emphasize the feature of a “hidable” back D-ring 1320. In this embodiment, a multi-pouch bag 1305 includes a plurality of pouches as described above, and further including a D-ring pouch 1310 with an opening 1315 disposed through the rear wall 1350 of the bag 1305. The pouch 1310 may extend a distance upward and downward from the opening 1315. A strap 1325 may be affixed at one end to an inner-oriented face of the rear wall 1350, inside the pouch 1310. The strap 1325 retains the back D-ring 1320 at the other end of the strap 1325. To use the back D-ring 1320, the wearer may reach (e.g., with a single finger) through the opening 1315, grasp the strap 1325 or the back D-ring 1320, and pull the back D-ring out of the pouch 1310 as shown in FIG. 13A. When not in use, the strap 1325 and the back D-ring 1320 may be pushed through the opening 1315 into the pouch 1310 and be fully retained therein as shown in FIG. 13B.

FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate another example hip pack 1400 having the elements described above with respect to the hip pack 100 of FIGS. 1-8B. The hip pack 1400 is shown partial and enlarged to emphasize features relating to securing and positioning the sash portions 1410, 1420 and the belt 1430 relative to each other and to the multi-pouch bag 1405. The bag 1405 is oriented horizontally relative to the ground, as indicated by the dotted horizontal line. In some embodiments, a back panel 1450 of durable material may form the rear wall of the bag 1405. The back panel 1450 may lie substantially or completely flat against a plane, such as a top surface of a table, having a normal that extends perpendicularly into the drawing page. The back panel 1450 may also form the rear wall of a belt pouch 1440 as described above. A left opening 1442 to the belt pouch 1440 and a right opening 1444 to the belt pouch 1440 may extend through the back panel 150 or may be positioned at the respective left and right edges of the back panel 1450 extending from approximate the bottom of the back panel 1450 to approximate a top left corner portion 1452 and a top right corner portion 1454, respectively, of the back panel 1450. As described above, the openings 1442, 1444 may be secured by zippers 1446, 1448 or other appropriate closure mechanisms.

The left sash portion 1410 may be angularly affixed to the bag 1405 so that the left sash portion 1410 extends away from the bag 1405 at a first angle α relative to horizontal. In an embodiment, the left sash portion 1410 may be affixed to the top left corner portion 1452 of the back panel 1450. For example, the top left corner portion 1452 may be stitched to a terminal end of the left sash portion 1410; the same stitching may further affix the back panel 1450 and the left sash portion 1410 to another panel, such as a front panel, of the bag 1405, as well as any intersecting inner panels or other sheets of material forming the pouch(es) of the bag 1405. Similarly, the right sash portion 1420 may be angularly affixed to the bag 1405 so that the right sash portion 1420 extends away from the bag 1405 at a second angle β relative to horizontal. In an embodiment, the right sash portion 1420 may be affixed to the top right corner portion 1454 of the back panel 1450. For example, the top right corner portion 1454 may be stitched to a terminal end of the right sash portion 1420; the same stitching may further affix the back panel 1450 and the right sash portion 1420 to another panel, such as a front panel, of the bag 1405, as well as any intersecting inner panels or other sheets of material forming the pouch(es) of the bag 1405. The angles α, β of the sash portions 1410, 1420 relative to horizontal may be selected to allow the bag 1405 to rest against the hip or left lower torso of the wearer, while also allowing the sash to lay flat against the wearer's chest and back, when the hip pack 1400 is worn using the sash. The angles α, β may in various embodiments be the same or different angles, the selection of which may depend on the relative lengths of the respective sash portions 1410, 1420.

The belt 1430 may also be angularly affixed to the bag 1405, orienting the belt 1430 at a third angle ζ relative to horizontal when the belt 1430 is extended from the belt pouch 1440. In an embodiment, the belt 1430 may be attached to the back panel 1450 by one or more runs 1456 of stitching, which may be offset from each other to fix the belt 1430 at the third angle ζ. In embodiments where the belt 1430 is a single strip of material permanently affixed to the bag 1405 in this manner, the belt 1430 may have a left portion 1432 that extends out of the belt pouch 1440 through the left opening 1442, a hidden portion 1434 that extends between the openings 1442, 1444 and remains within the belt pouch 1440, and a right portion 1436 that extends out of the belt pouch 1440 through the right opening 1444. When the belt 1430 is worn by the wearer horizontally with respect to the ground (i.e., around the waist), the bag 1405 may sit at approximately the third angle ζ relative to the ground. In some embodiments, the three angles α, β, ζ may be selected so that they cooperatively secure the bag 1405 against the wearer at the angle ζ relative to the ground and also allow the sash portions 1410, 1420 and the belt 1430 to lay flat against the wearer.

FIGS. 15-19 illustrate another example hip pack 1500 having the elements described above with respect to the hip packs 100, 1300, 1400 of the previous Figures. The hip pack 1500 is shown partial and enlarged to emphasize the feature of a “reversible” multi-pouch bag 1505 that functions as a container for the sash portions 1510, 1520, belt 1530, all buckles, buckle parts, D-rings, and other attachments, and any pouches such as the front pouch 1540 but not the main pouch 1550 as explained below. In FIG. 15, the hip pack 1500 is shown with the main pouch 1550 open; that is, a zipper 1554 is actuated to open the opening 1552 to the main pouch 1550. This exposes a lining 1556 of the main pouch 1550.

Referring to FIG. 16, the bag 1505 of the hip pack 1500 may be turned inside-out, with the interior of the main pouch 1550 becoming the exterior of the bag 1505. In an example method of “reversing” the bag 1505, a user unzips the zipper 1554 and opens the main pouch 1550, as shown in the first diagram of FIG. 16; then, grasping (e.g., by the thumbs) the bag 1505 at the opening 1552 of the main pouch 1550, the user presses (e.g., with the fingers of both hands) from the bottom of the bag 1505 upward, pushing the external panels of the bag 1505 into the space defined by the main pouch 1550 and pushing the lining 1556 out of the opening 1552; the user continues this movement until the “outside” of the bag 1505 (including the front pouch 1540) is inside the bag 1505, as shown in the second diagram of FIG. 16. Thus the lining 1556 of the main pouch 1550 becomes the outer surface of the bag 1505 in the reversed configuration. The sash portions 1510, 1520 and the belt 1530 (if withdrawn from the belt pouch (not shown)) can then be inserted into the bag 1505 through the opening 1552. The zipper 1554 in this embodiment may be a two-sided or reversible zipper, and the user may shift the zipper 1554 from inside to outside the bag 1505. Finally, the user can use the reversible zipper 1554 to zip the opening 1552 and close the reversed bag 1505, as shown in FIGS. 17-19.

The inventions and methods described herein can be viewed as a whole, or as a number of separate inventions, that can be used independently or mixed and matched as desired. All inventions, steps, processed, devices, and methods described herein can be mixed and matched as desired. All previously described features, functions, or inventions described herein or by reference may be mixed and matched as desired. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a hip pack configured to be worn by a person walking a dog. The hip pack includes: a bag configured to be worn at the person's hip or waist, the bag including one or more storage pouches each configured to store belongings of the person and a belt pouch accessible through a rear of the bag; one or more strips of material attached to the bag and defining a sash configured to extend from the bag over a shoulder of the person and back to the bag; a belt connected to the bag via the belt pouch, the belt configured to extend from the bag around a waist or lower torso of the person and back to the bag, the belt pouch being configured to store the belt when the belt is not in use; and, a first connector configured to receive a leash connector of a dog leash attached to the dog, the first connector attached to one of the belt, the sash, and the bag.

The belt pouch may include a first opening disposed through the rear of the bag approximate a left side of the bag and a second opening disposed through the rear of the bag approximate a right side of the bag; the belt may be attached to the bag within the belt pouch, and the belt may have a first portion configured to be withdrawn from and inserted into the belt pouch through the first opening, and a second portion configured to be withdrawn from and inserted into the belt pouch through the second opening. The belt may further include a belt connector having a first part attached to the first portion and a second part attached to the second portion and mating with the first part to secure the belt around the person. The belt may be a single strip of material extending from the first part of the belt connector to the second part of the belt connector. The belt may be angularly affixed to the bag within the belt pouch at an angle relative to horizontal of the bag. The hip pack may further include a first closure mechanism attached to the bag to open and close the first opening and a second closure mechanism attached to the bag to open and close the second opening.

The hip pack may further include a belt length adjustor attached to the belt and configured to slidably increase and decrease a length of the belt. The first connector may be slidably attached to the belt, and may include: a fabric loop encircling the belt and having an inner diameter that is larger than the belt length adjustor; and, a ring retained by the fabric loop and configured to receive the leash connector. The one or more strips of material defining the sash may include: a left sash portion having a first terminal end attached to a left portion of the bag and a second terminal end attached to a first part of a sash buckle, and, a right sash portion having a first terminal end attached to a right portion of the bag, the right sash portion attaching to a second part of the sash buckle, wherein the first part of the sash buckle and the second part of the sash buckle securely attach to each other to form the sash. The left sash portion and the right sash portion may each be angularly affixed to the bag approximate a top of the bag. In various embodiments, the bag may be reversible.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for hands-free walking of a dog by a person. The apparatus includes a bag having a rear wall facing toward the person and a front wall facing away from the person, the bag including: a belt pouch partially defined by and accessible through the rear wall; and, a first pouch accessible through a first opening, the first pouch adjacent to and separated from the belt pouch. The apparatus also includes: a sash attached to the bag and including one or more strips of material that with the bag form a closable loop for wearing the apparatus over a shoulder of the person; a belt that fits within the belt pouch and extends from the belt pouch around a waist or lower torso of the person and back to the bag; and, one or more connectors configured to receive a leash connector of a dog leash attached to the dog, the one or more connectors each attached to one of the belt, the sash, and the bag.

The belt may be a single continuous strip of material having a left portion extending from a left side of the bag and attached to a first part of a belt buckle, and a right portion extending from a right side of the bag and attached to a second part of the belt buckle, wherein the first part of the belt buckle and the second part of the belt buckle are configured to securely attach to each other. The apparatus may further include a left opening into the belt pouch approximate the left side of the bag and a right opening into the belt pouch approximate the right side of the bag, the left portion and the first part of the belt buckle being insertable into and removable from the belt pouch via the left opening, and the right portion and the second part of the belt buckle being insertable into and removable from the belt pouch via the right opening. The left portion may be longer than the right portion so that the belt buckle rests approximate the right hip of the person when worn. The belt may be permanently attached to the bag at a middle portion disposed within the belt pouch via a plurality of runs of stitching.

The one or more connectors may include a first connector attached to the belt and a second connector attached to the bag. The first connector may be slidably attached to the belt via a loop of material.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for hands-free walking of a dog. The method includes the step of donning a hip pack that includes: a bag configured to be worn at a person's hip or waist, the bag having one or more storage pouches each configured to store belongings of the person, and a belt pouch accessible through a rear of the bag; one or more strips of material attached to the bag and defining a sash configured to extend from the bag over a shoulder of the person and back to the bag; a belt connected to the bag via the belt pouch, the belt configured to extend from the bag around a waist or lower torso of the person and back to the bag, the belt pouch being configured to store the belt when the belt is not in use; and, a first connector configured to attach to a dog leash, the first connector attached to one of the belt, the sash, and the bag. The method further includes the steps of attaching to the first connector a leash connector of a leash attached to the dog, and, without holding the leash, walking the dog.

The hip pack may further include a left opening into the belt pouch approximate a left side of the bag and a right opening into the belt pouch approximate a right side of the bag; the method may further include the step of removing a left portion of the belt from the belt pouch via the left opening and removing a right portion of the belt from the belt pouch via the right opening. Donning the hip pack may include attaching the left portion of the belt to the right portion of the belt around the person's waist.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

HIP PACK APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME

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