TENT ROLL BAG

Abstract

A bag is provided that includes a pouch portion for receiving a tent therein, and an elongated flap extending from the pouch portion. A tent (or other goods) may be stuffed into the pouch and rolled onto the bag's elongated flap and subsequently latched closed by straps on the rear portion of the bag.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to storage. More particularly, the invention relates to storage for soft goods that are subject to becoming dirty with use, such as an outdoor recreational tent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tents can be challenging to pack up after use. Instant tents can be even more difficult to pack up because the footprint generated by the combination of the frame and fabric is large, even when collapsed. The unwieldy nature of such a structure makes it hard to return the tent to a bag, especially if the zipper on the bag is difficult to operate when the bag is stuffed. The problem is only made worse when the tent bottom is also dirty or wet, or when a user is in a rush to pack the tent up due to inclement or cold weather.

One existing solution involves large, oversized, zipper bags, some of which have separate compression straps to reduce the unwieldy nature of instant tents. Such bags have multiple parts and/or result in squeezing and wrestling with the tent and bag to get the zipper shut. Existing bags really have only one option to properly pack a tent such that it fits it in the bag, and that involves taking the time to neatly break down and stow the tent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The bag provided herein includes a pouch portion for receiving a tent therein, and an elongated flap extending from that pouch portion. A tent (or other equipment, including a traditional tent having tent poles) may be stuffed into the pouch and rolled onto the bag's elongated flap and subsequently latched closed by a buckle system present on the bag. The ability for the tent to easily be placed in the pouch reduces the likelihood that the user gets dirty from a soiled tent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the following accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a tent roll bag constructed according to the teachings hereof;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tent roll bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a tent roll bag constructed according to the teachings hereof;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of the tent roll bag of FIGS. 1 and 2 in its unrolled position;

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the tent roll bag of FIG. 3 in its unrolled position; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the tent roll bag of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 in a partially closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bag 1 is illustrated that may be used to store a tent therein in an improved manner. Like traditional bags, the bag 1 includes a handle 5 that may be used to tote the bag when a tent (or other good) is contained therein. The bag 1 also includes four strap members 10 that may be used to close and tighten the bag 1 after a tent or other good has been placed within the bag 1, though more or fewer strap members 10 are foreseeable in alternative constructions of the bag 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates such an alternatively-constructed bag, bag 15, that includes a handle 20 and three strap members 25, though more or fewer strap members 25 are foreseeable. The handle 20 of the bag 15 may be comprised of two strap portions 27 that meet at the top of the bag 15, where they may be selectively attached to one another, for example by a hook and loop fastener, snap fastener, or the like. The strap members 25 are also shown to include buckle mechanisms 30 that may be used to fasten the strap members 25 when a tent or other good has been placed within the bag 15.

In FIG. 4, the bag 1 is illustrated as open and having received a tent 35 stuffed within a pouch 40 of the bag 1. The pouch 40, like pouches of many bags that have long been known in the art, is of a size and shape appropriate for receiving goods therein (in this case, the tent 35, though other goods are foreseeable).

Opposite from the pouch 40 and extending from a rear portion 45 of the bag 1, an elongated tongue or flap member 50 may be provided. After a user has stuffed a tent such as the tent 35 into the pouch 40, the flap member 50 of the bag 1 may be wrapped around the open portion of the pouch 40 where the tent 35 is retained. An upper edge 55 of the flap member 50 may then extend to the strap members 10. Then, first end portions 60 the strap members 10 may wrap around the closed flap member 50 and be secured by a buckle to their second end portions (not illustrated) at the rear portion 45 of the bag 1. Alternatively, the strap members 10 may be secured by a hook and loop fastener, clips, or the like. FIG. 4 illustrates the bag 1 with four strap members 10, though in some embodiments more or fewer (e.g., three strap members 10) may be provided.

FIG. 5 illustrates the bag 15, and it further illustrates the strap members 25 on a rear portion 65 of the bag 15. FIG. 5 further illustrates a pouch 70 of the bag 15. The bag 15 functions in substantially the same manner as the bag 1. FIG. 6 also illustrates the bag 15, but with the tent 35 stuffed within the pouch 70. Unlike the bag 1, the bag 15 includes three strap members 25 instead of four. Further, unlike the bag 1, the bag 15 includes side flaps 75 that may substantially cover the pouch 70 after a tent or other good has been placed therein and before rolling the bag 1 shut and securing the strap members 25.

Because the flap member 50 (and the flap member 80 of the bag 15 is longer than the pouch 40, a tent may be more puffy and less compact when stored. As such, the pouch may be rolled one, two, three, or more times, depending on how tightly the contents of the bags 1, 15 are rolled. As illustrated, the strap members 10, 25 aren't sewn to the edge of the flap members 50, 80 respectively to allow contents to be rolled up without rolling over the strap members 10, 25, respectively. Further, the strap members 10, 25 are substantially positioned on the flap members 50, 80 and do not extend to the pouches 40, 70, respectively.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various embodiments of the present invention are well adapted to attain all the objectives and advantages hereinabove set forth together with still other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the present structures. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations of the present embodiments are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Since many possible embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, it is also to be understood that all disclosures herein set forth or illustrated in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. The various constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts, principles, and scope of the present invention.

Many changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications of the present invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A bag for storing equipment, the bag comprising: a pouch;a flap member extending away from a rear portion of the pouch; anda plurality of strap members on a rear portion of the bag that may be selectively attached to one another when the bag is closed.

2. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag includes at least one side flap adjacent to the pouch that may cover a portion of the pouch when the at least one side flap is placed over the pouch.

3. The bag of claim 1, wherein the plurality of strap members comprise a male buckle and a female buckle that are selectively engageable with one another.

4. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag includes three strap members.

5. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag includes four strap members.

6. The bag of claim 1, wherein the flap member is long enough to substantially cover the pouch when the bag is closed.

7. The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag includes a handle for carrying the bag.

8. The bag of claim 2, wherein the bag includes two side flaps.

9. The bag of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of strap members have an adjustable length.

10. The bag of claim 1, wherein the pouch and the flap member have the same width.

11. A bag for storing equipment, the bag comprising: a pouch for storing the equipment;a flap member extending upwardly from a rear portion of the pouch; andone or more strap members coupled to a rear portion of the bag that may be selectively attached to itself when the bag is closed.

12. The bag of claim 11, wherein the bag includes at least one side flap adjacent to the pouch that may cover a portion of the pouch when the at least one side flap is placed over the pouch.

13. The bag of claim 11, wherein the plurality of strap members comprise a male buckle and a female buckle that are selectively engageable with one another.

14. The bag of claim 11, wherein the bag includes three strap members.

15. The bag of claim 11, wherein the bag includes four strap members.

16. The bag of claim 11, wherein the flap member is long enough to substantially cover the pouch when the bag is closed.

17. The bag of claim 11, wherein the bag includes a handle for carrying the bag.

18. The bag of claim 12, wherein the bag includes two side flaps.

19. The bag of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of strap members have an adjustable length.

20. The bag of claim 11, wherein the pouch and the flap member have the same width.