PERSONAL HYGIENE BAG

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprising: an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated from an outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outer member having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football; the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space; the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is in communication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag; wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus for containing, transporting, and storing personal hygiene items.

Personal hygiene items are necessary in modern society. These items are often packaged in personal sized packages. Numerous personal hygiene items must be stored when not in use, and may be transported from destination to destination. While numerous referenced are directed to storing personal hygiene items, a tough an rugged carrying case suitable for storing personal hygiene items has been largely ignored.

Accordingly, there is a need for a personal hygiene bag which is capable of storing and containing various personal hygiene items, which maintains its shape to allow for such items to be stored and removed from the place in which they are being kept. In addition, a need exists for a personal hygiene bag which provides a tough, rugged surface and which is esthetically pleasing to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprises:

an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated from an outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outer member having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football;

the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;

the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is in communication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag and wherein the closable opening has an open and a closed position;

wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football when the closable opening is in the closed position.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprises:

an outer member having an outer member interior surface and an outer member exterior surface having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, configured in the shape of an American football;

an inner member having an inner member exterior surface and an inner member interior surface, wherein the inner member exterior surface is engaged with the outer member interior surface;

the inner member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;

said outer member and said inner member including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel with the major axis of the prolate spheroid and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, the opening in communication with said inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of the one or more personal hygiene items from the bag;

wherein the outer member is dimensioned to be equal to or smaller in dimension than a regulation sized American football, such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football;

wherein the bag comprises one or more fluid filled chambers in physical communication with the outer member interior surface, said fluid filled chambers oriented parallel to the major axis, parallel to the minor axis, or a combination thereof, such that the fluid filled chambers are biased against the outer member interior surface to maintain the shape of the bag in an American football shape.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a bag according to the present invention with a zipper in the closed position;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a bag according to the present invention with a zipper in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a bag according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial cut away perspective side view of a bag of according to the present invention cut parallel to the minor axis;

FIG. 5 is a partial cut away perspective side view of a bag of according to the present invention cut parallel to the major axis;

FIG. 6 is a partial cut away perspective side view of an alternative embodiment of the bag of according to the present invention cut parallel to the minor axis;

FIG. 7 is a partial cut away perspective side view of a bag of according to the present invention cut parallel to the major axis;

FIGS. 8 a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are cross sectional views of embodiments of the bag according to the present invention taken parallel to the minor axis; and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the bag according to the present invention taken parallel to the minor axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known devices have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details unnecessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention have been omitted in as much as such details are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views.

Broadly, the present invention generally provides a bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprising:

an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated from an outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outer member having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football;

the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;

the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is in communication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag;

wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football, preferably, wherein the outer member is dimensioned to be equal to or smaller in size than a regulation sized American football, such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football.

It is to be understood that the dimensions of the instant bag render the bag unsuitable for use as a carrying device for a regulation sized American football. For purposes herein, a regulation sized American football conforms is a football which corresponds to the 2006 NCAA Football rules, having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis which is 10⅞ inches to 11 3/16 inches long, and a circumference around the major axis of 27¾ inches to 28½ inches; a circumference around the minor axis of 20¾ inches to 21¼ inches.

As shown in FIG. 1, a top view of an embodiment of the instant bag for holding personal hygiene items, bag 10 comprises an outer member 12 having an outer member exterior surface 14. Outer member 12 has a prolate spheroid shape 16 comprising a major axis 18 and a minor axis 20, wherein bag 10 has a shape 16 of an American football.

Outer member exterior surface 14 includes a closable opening 22 formed therein. In a preferred embodiment, closable opening 22 is arranged in a direction essentially parallel to major axis 18 and essentially perpendicular to minor axis 20. Closable opening 22 is in communication with an inner enclosed space (See FIG. 2) affording the insertion and removal of one or more personal hygiene items from bag 10.

Closable opening 22 may include a fastening member 24 having an open and a closed position. The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows fasting member 24 to be a zipper, and is depicted in the closed position. In an embodiment, fastening member 24 may be selected from any one of the group consisting of a zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a snap fastening system, a button—button hole fastening system, and/or a combination thereof.

Turning now to FIG. 2, which shows a top view of a bag according to the present invention with fastening member 24 being a zipper in the open position, closable opening 22 is in communication with an inner enclosed space 26. In an embodiment, inner enclosed space 26 is defined by and/or bound by an outer member interior surface 30. Closable opening 22 is preferably dimensioned to afford facile insertion and/or removal of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag, represented generically by item 28 in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, closable opening 22 may be held closed by any number of fastening members 24. Fastening member 44 may be a snap fastening system 32, a button—button hole fastening system 34, a hook and loop fastening system 36 (e.g., Velcro), any combination thereof, or the like. Bag 10 may further include a carrying strap 64 attached to outer member 12. In an embodiment, carrying strap 64 may be attached to outer member 12 at one or more ends 66 of the prolate spheroid shape 16 and may form a loop 68 attached to a single end, and/or may form a carrying loop 70 attached to each of the two ends 66 of the prolate spheroid shape.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, bag 10 comprises a plurality of protruding objects protruding from, and/or attached to outer member exterior surface 14, wherein the plurality of objects are dimensioned and arranged to resemble a plurality of laces 38 arranged on outer member exterior surface 14 in two rows, a first lace row 40 and a second lace row 42, parallel to major axis 18, wherein closable opening 22 is arranged between first lace row 40 and second lace row 42.

In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, outer member 12 may include a plurality of side members 44 each attached along a periphery of the side member to corresponding side member 44 to produce the prolate spheroid shape 16 of the instant bag 10. Side members 44 may be sewn together, glued together, welded together, or otherwise attached in a manner consistent with an American football, as is commonly known to one of skill in the art. In an embodiment, outer member exterior surface 14 may include a pebbling texture consistent with an American football, as is commonly known to one of skill in the art.

In an embodiment, bag 10 may include one or more resilient members 46, each in physical contact with outer member interior surface 30. In an embodiment, at least one of the resilient members 46 is oriented parallel to the minor axis 20 and is biased against outer member interior surface 30 to maintain the shape of bag 10 in the form of an American football. As shown in FIG. 5, in another embodiment, at least one of the resilient members 46 is oriented parallel to the major axis 18 and is biased against outer member interior surface 30 to maintain the shape of bag 10 in the form of an American football.

In an embodiment, the one or more resilient members 46 each comprise a metal spring and/or a resilient polymeric member comprising high density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, super-low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-acrylate copolymer, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymer, amorphous polystyrene, crystalline polystyrene, vinyl chloride resin, polyamide resin, polyacetal resin, polycarbonate resin, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-1-butene rubber, propylene-1-butene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene block copolymer, or a combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 6, in an embodiment, bag 10 may further include an inner member 48 in physical contact with outer member interior surface 30. In an embodiment, inner member 48 is essentially impervious to water. In an embodiment, inner member 48 comprises a rubber and/or elastomeric material which is impervious to water.

Inner member 48 may thus include an inner member exterior surface 50 and an inner member interior surface 52. In an embodiment, inner member exterior surface 50 is engaged with and/or attached to outer member interior surface 30.

In an embodiment, bag 10 comprises one or more fluid filled chambers 54 in physical communication with outer member interior surface 30. Fluid filled chambers 54 may be oriented parallel to major axis 18 (See FIG. 7), parallel to the minor axis 20 (See FIG. 6), or a combination thereof, such that fluid filled chambers 54 are biased against outer member interior surface 30 to maintain the shape 16 of bag 10 in an American football shape.

FIGS. 8 a, 8b, 8c, and 8d shown cross sectional views of bag 10 taken parallel to minor axis 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8a, fluid filled chamber 54 may be attached to inner member outer surface 50. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8b, fluid filled chamber 54 may be formed between the inner member outer surface and the inner member inner surface, and thus may be integral to inner member 48. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8c, fluid filled chamber 54 may be formed between the outer member exterior surface 14 and the outer member interior surface 30, wherein bag 10 includes inner member 48 and thus may be integral to outer member 12. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8d, fluid filled chamber 54 may be formed between the outer member exterior surface 14 and the outer member interior surface 30 and thus may be integral to outer member 12, wherein bag 10 does not includes inner member 48.

In an embodiment the fluid 56 of fluid filled chambers 54 is a gas at 25° C., and or is a liquid at 25° C. Fluid 56 may comprise water, and/or a viscosifying agent. In an embodiment, fluid 56 may be a finely divided solid which flows like a liquid.

As shown in the cross sectional view of FIG. 9, bag 10 may further comprising at least one attachment strap, loop, and/or pocket disposed within the inner enclosed space and dimensioned and arranged for securing one or more of the personal hygiene items within the inner enclosed space. Personal hygiene items suitable for storage in bag 10 may include one or more of a safety razor, a container of shaving cream, a container of deodorant/antiperspirant, a container of hair gel, a container of hair spray, a nail clipper, a tweezers, a comb, a brush, a shaving mirror, a shaving brush, and a combination thereof.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprising: an outer member having an outer member exterior surface separated from an outer member interior surface by an outer member thickness, the outer member having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, wherein the bag has a shape of an American football;the outer member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;the outer member exterior surface including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel to the major axis and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, wherein the opening is in communication with the inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of one or more personal hygiene items from the bag and wherein the closable opening has an open and a closed position;wherein the outer member is dimensioned in size such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football when the closable opening is in the closed position.

2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the closable opening comprises a fastening member having an open and a closed position, wherein the fastening member is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a snap fastening system, a button—button hole fastening system, and a combination thereof.

3. The bag of claim 1, further comprising one or more resilient members, each in physical contact with the outer member interior surface, wherein at least one of the resilient members is oriented parallel to the minor axis and is biased against the outer member interior surface to maintain the shape of the bag in the form of an American football.

4. The bag of claim 1, further comprising one or more resilient members, each in physical contact with the outer member interior surface, wherein at least one of the resilient members is oriented parallel to the major axis and is biased against the outer member interior surface to maintain the shape of the bag in the form of an American football.

5. The bag of claim 4, wherein the one or more resilient members each comprise a metal spring.

6. The bag of claim 4, wherein the one or more resilient members each comprise a resilient polymeric member comprising high density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, super-low-density polyethylene; polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-acrylate copolymer, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, ethylene-carbon monoxide copolymer, amorphous polystyrene, crystalline polystyrene, vinyl chloride resin, polyamide resin, polyacetal resin, polycarbonate resin, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-1-butene rubber, propylene-1-butene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene block copolymer, or a combination thereof.

7. The bag of claim 1, further comprising an inner member in physical contact with the outer member interior surface, wherein the inner member is essentially impervious to water.

8. The bag of claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment strap, loop, and/or pocket disposed within the inner enclosed space and dimensioned and arranged for securing one or more of the personal hygiene items within the inner enclosed space.

9. The bag of claim 1, wherein the one or more personal hygiene items are selected from the group consisting of a safety razor, a container of shaving cream, a container of deodorant/antiperspirant, a container of hair gel, a container of hair spray, a nail clipper, a tweezers, a comb, a brush, a shaving mirror, a shaving brush, and a combination thereof.

10. The bag of claim 1, further comprising a carrying strap attached to the outer member exterior surface at one or more ends of the major axis of the prolate spheroid shape.

11. The bag of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of protruding objects protruding from, and attached to the outer member exterior surface, wherein the plurality of objects are dimensioned and arranged to resemble a plurality of laces arranged on the outer member exterior surface in two rows parallel to the major axis, a first lace row and a second lace row, wherein the closable opening is arranged between, and parallel to the first lace row and the second lace row.

12. A bag for holding one or more personal hygiene items comprising: an outer member having an outer member interior surface and an outer member exterior surface having a prolate spheroid shape comprising a major axis and a minor axis, configured in the shape of an American football;an inner member having an inner member exterior surface and an inner member interior surface, wherein the inner member exterior surface is engaged with the outer member interior surface;the inner member interior surface defining an inner enclosed space;said outer member and said inner member including a closable opening formed therein in a direction essentially parallel with the major axis of the prolate spheroid and essentially perpendicular to the minor axis, the opening in communication with said inner enclosed space affording the insertion and removal of the one or more personal hygiene items from the bag;wherein the outer member is dimensioned to be equal to or smaller in dimension than a regulation sized American football, such that the inner enclosed space is smaller than a regulation sized American football;wherein the bag comprises one or more fluid filled chambers in physical communication with the outer member interior surface, said fluid filled chambers oriented parallel to the major axis, parallel to the minor axis, or a combination thereof, such that the fluid filled chambers are biased against the outer member interior surface to maintain the shape of the bag in an American football shape.

13. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluid filled chambers are attached to the inner member outer surface.

14. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluid filled chambers are formed between the inner member outer surface and the inner member inner surface.

15. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluid of the fluid filled chambers is a gas at 25° C.

16. The bag of claim 12, wherein the fluid of the fluid filled chambers is a liquid at 25° C.

17. The bag of claim 12, wherein the opening comprises a fastening member having an open and a closed position, wherein the fastening member is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a snap fastening system, a button—button hole fastening system, and a combination thereof.

18. The bag of claim 12, further comprising an inner member in physical contact with the outer member interior surface, wherein the inner member is essentially impervious to water.

19. The bag of claim 12, wherein the inner member comprises an elastomeric polymer.

20. The bag of claim 12, further comprising at least one attachment strap, loop, and/or pocket disposed within the inner enclosed space and dimensioned and arranged for securing one or more of the personal hygiene items within the inner enclosed space.