RECONFIGURABLE BAG

Abstract

A reconfigurable bag has a bag body with a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls defining a cavity having an entrance; a first flap; a second flap; attachment components extending from the two side walls adjacent to the entrance and from the bottom; and straps fastenable to the attachment components and/or to another of the fasteners. The flaps are joined to the rear wall. The first flap encloses the entrance in a closed position. The second flap covers a portion of the rear wall. Each strap has a first fastener at a first end and a second fastener at a second end. Each fastener couples to the attachment components and/or to the fastener of an adjacent strap. The bag can hang from a wheelchair, a walker, or stroller handles. The bag can be used over-the-shoulder or crossbody.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to handbags and, more particularly, to a reconfigurable bag.

People need the flexibility to hang and secure their bag wherever and however it is most convenient for them. Existing bag handles are not easily reconfigurable with a wide array of reconfigurations. Bags tend to be made for their specific use. For example, a stroller bag is made to only hang from strollers. Wheelchair bags are made to only be used with wheelchairs. Purses are made to only hang from shoulders. None of the currently commercially available bags allow the person to reconfigure its handle to change as the situation and its use changes.

As can be seen, there is a need for a bag with reconfigurable handles operative to hang in a variety of configurations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a reconfigurable bag comprises a bag body having a bottom with a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls joining the front wall to the rear wall, the bag body defining a cavity therebetween, the cavity having an entrance; a first flap joined to the rear wall, operative to enclose the entrance in a closed position; a second flap joined to the rear wall, operative to cover a portion of the rear wall; attachment components extending from the two side walls adjacent to the entrance and from the bottom; and straps having a first fastener at a first end and a second fastener at a second end, each fastener being operative to releasably fasten to the attachment components and to another of the fasteners.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of configuring a bag comprises providing the reconfigurable bag; coupling each fastener of each of the straps to at least one of the attachment components or to the fastener of another of the straps; wherein each of the straps has a configuration selected from the group consisting of: (a) the first fastener coupled to an adjacent one of the straps and the second fastener coupled to another adjacent one of the straps; (b) the first fastener coupled to an adjacent one of the straps and the second fastener coupled to one of the attachment components; (c) the first fastener coupled to one of the attachment components and the second fastener coupled to an adjacent one of the straps; and (d) the first fastener coupled to one of the attachment components and the second fastener coupled to one of the attachment components.

The inventive bag may be easily reconfigured to hang however the current situation warrants. For example, the bag may be configured to hang from the arm or back of a wheelchair, the front of a walker, or the handles of a stroller. The handle may also be configured into a regular over-the-shoulder or crossbody bag. This bag is suitable for everyday use, as a stroller bag, or in the healthcare field as a wheelchair or walker bag.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a reconfigurable bag according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view thereof, showing clips by line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof, shown in an open position;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view thereof, shown in a second configuration;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view thereof, shown in a third configuration; and

FIG. 7 is another front elevation view thereof, shown in a fourth configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of 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.

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a reconfigurable bag having a body with multiple loops extending therefrom to which straps may be removably fastened and with a top center handle.

Three handles or straps may be used to hang or carry the bag. Because they clip and unclip easily, they may be reconfigured on-the-fly as the user's needs change. They clip onto various loops on the bag or to each other to achieve a configuration selected by the user. For example, two of the straps may be clipped on the loops of each side of the bag so that the bag may hang from a stroller, wheelchair, or walker. One strap may be clipped onto the loop at the bottom to secure the bag and keep it firmly held in place. Or the straps may be clipped end-to-end to make one long, crossbody strap for the bag. The number of straps is not limited and may be more or less than three. The dimensions may also vary.

Loops on each side of the top and on the bottom of the bag are provided for the straps to clip onto to achieve a particular configuration. The loops on the bag may be large clips or closed loops. The number of loops on the bag may increase or decrease.

A handle at the top of the bag may also be used in configuring the straps and may independently serve as a convenient carrying handle. The single hand-carry handle on top of the bag may change in size or number.

To use the bag, a person may determine how the bag will hang (e.g., from a stroller, walker, or wheelchair bag, worn as a regular over-the-shoulder bag, etc.). The person may clip the straps together or to the bag into a configuration that fulfills that purpose.

In an example that does not limit the invention, the bag may be about 10 inches long, about 8 inches high, and about 4 inches deep. The straps may each be about 15 inches long and about 0.25-0.5 inches in width or diameter. A top center handle may be about 3.5 inches long.

The materials of manufacture are not particularly limited. The bag may comprise one or any combination of fabrics selected from the group consisting of denim cotton, nylon, polyester/latex elastic cording, heavyweight stabilizer, and combinations thereof. The loops may be made from a stiff fabric that holds a round shape or out of metal. The straps may be made of rope, fabric, or leather. The top central handle may be made from a stiff fabric that holds its shape such as stabilizer fused with fabric. Fasteners and closure components may be selected from the group consisting of snaps, magnetic snap fasteners, twisted rope, metal zippers, lobster clasps, buttons (e.g., wooden), O-rings (which may have a spring gate), and combinations thereof.

To manufacture the bag, a manufacturer may sew fabric together with large loops at the top on each end and at least one large loop at the bottom, either in the middle or at one of the ends. The straps may have wide diameter crab clips or lobster clips fastened on both ends. A handle is sewn on the very top of the bag to allow for easy hand carry or for other handle configurations. The handle may be stitched to the flap with a bartack stitch, thread may be wrapped around the rope strap to the clasp and stitched with a ⅛″ single needle top stitch. Interior pockets may be stitched to the front surface with ½″ single needle top stitch and #10 metal zippers may be stitched to the openings. The top of the flap may be stitched with a ⅛″ single needle top stitch. All edges of lining panels may overlock.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, a reconfigurable bag 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a substantially rectangular body with a front, rear, right side, and left side, although the shape of the body is not particularly limited. A central top handle 12 and several attachment loops 13 provide multiple connection points for braided ropes or straps 18A, 18B, 18C having clips or clasps at each end, as more clearly shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 1 illustrates the straps 18A, 18B, 18C in a first configuration, with the straps 18A, 18B, and 18C connected in parallel to the attachment loops 13. A front flap 14A has a securing loop 14B that releasably encompasses a clasp 14C.

As shown in FIG. 2, a flap covers a rear zipper 16B on the rear surface of the bag. The flap is removably fastened with a magnetic fastener 15.

The bag has an interior lined pocket and exterior front pockets having zippers 16A; see FIG. 4.

The straps 18A, 18B, 18C have additional configurations 22A, 22B, 22C illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. In FIG. 5, the first strap 18A, the second strap 18B, and the third strap 18C are linked serially by the clips 20, with each end of the linked straps 18A, 18B, 18C having a clip 20 connected to an attachment loop 13 on each end of an upper surface of the bag 10. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, two of the straps 18A, 18B may be joined to the upper attachment loops, while the third strap 18C may be folded over such that the clips 20 both couple with the lower loop 13. In another configuration, a single strap 18A, 18B, or 18C may be folded over and linked to each loop 13 of the bag, so the bag 10 may hang from two straps 18A, 18B on the chair 24, while the third strap 18C may be clipped around the chair's leg.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary 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 reconfigurable bag, comprising: a bag body having a bottom with a front wall, a rear wall, and two side walls joining the front wall to the rear wall, the bag body defining a cavity therebetween, the cavity having an entrance;a first flap joined to the rear wall, operative to enclose the entrance in a closed position;a second flap joined to the rear wall, operative to cover a portion of the rear wall;attachment components extending from the two side walls adjacent to the entrance and from the bottom; andstraps having a first fastener at a first end and a second fastener at a second end, each fastener being operative to releasably fasten to the attachment components and/or to another of the fasteners.

2. The reconfigurable bag of claim 1, wherein a number of the attachment components is equal to a number of the straps.

3. The reconfigurable bag of claim 1, wherein at least one of the front wall and the rear wall has a pocket having a zipper closure.

4. The reconfigurable bag of claim 1, wherein the front wall has a closure element and the first flap has a closure element mated to the closure element of the front wall.

5. The reconfigurable bag of claim 1, wherein the rear wall has a closure element and the second flap has a closure element mated to the closure element of the rear wall.

6. The reconfigurable bag of claim 1, wherein the first flap has a handle centered between the attachment components adjacent to the entrance.

7. The reconfigurable bag of claim 1, wherein the front wall has adjacent pockets formed therein, each of the adjacent pockets having a zipper closure.

8. A method of configuring a bag, comprising: providing the reconfigurable bag of claim 1;coupling each fastener of each of the straps to at least one of the attachment components or to the fastener of another of the straps;wherein each of the straps has a configuration selected from the group consisting of:(a) the first fastener coupled to an adjacent one of the straps and the second fastener coupled to another adjacent one of the straps;(b) the first fastener coupled to an adjacent one of the straps and the second fastener coupled to one of the attachment components;(c) the first fastener coupled to one of the attachment components and the second fastener coupled to an adjacent one of the straps; and(d) the first fastener coupled to one of the attachment components and the second fastener coupled to one of the attachment components.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the straps has a configuration in which the first fastener and the second fastener are coupled to a same one of the attachment components.