CONVERTIBLE BAG

DESCRIPTION Application field

The present invention refers to a bag; in particular, it refers to a walking, evening or sport bag, or to a man's bag, a child's school-bag or the like.

Summary of the invention

In contemporary life, we are called to perform every day a plurality of working, sporting and social activities requiring a varied wardrobe, suited to different personal needs.

Among the essential elements of such a wardrobe there are without doubt bags, in particular walking or evening handbags, and hats.

However, economic considerations and space needs do not always allow to avail oneself of the variety of articles one would wish to own.

Therefore, the technical problem set and solved by the present invention is that of providing a bag convertible into another article of clothing, so as to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Such a problem is solved by a bag according to claim 1.

Preferred features of the present invention are set forth in the dependent claims thereof.

The present invention provides several relevant advantages. The main advantage is that, by the convertibility into a hat, the bag actually provides - contrary to known bags - two wardrobe articles instead of merely one, effectively and ingenuously exploiting the item-holding compartment naturally present in the bag itself.

Description of the figures

Other advantages, features and the operation steps of the present invention will be made apparent in the detailed description of some embodiments thereof, given hereinafter by way of example and not for limitative purposes. Reference will be made to the figures of the annexed drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the bag according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 shows another perspective view of the bag di Figure 1 , in which the bag is upturned with respect to the position of this latter Figure;

- Figure 3 shows a further perspective view of the bag di Figure 1, during the removal of closing means thereof;

- Figure 4 A shows a view of a detail in a section, along line A-A of Figure 3, of the bag of Figure 1 , during the engagement and the removal of closing means

thereof;

- Figures 4B, 4C and 4D show each a view analogous to that of Figure 4A for a respective alternative embodiment of the closing means of the bag of the invention; and

- Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the bag of Figure 1 worn-on as a hat. Description of preferred embodiments

Referring initially to Figures 1, 2 and 3, in a preferred embodiment the bag according to the invention is generally denoted by 1.

The bag 1 comprises a main body 20, which in the present instance is substantially bowler-shaped (derby-shaped) and defines an item-holding internal compartment 2. The bag 1 further comprises holding means 3 for a user's holding of the bag itself, means which in the present example consist in a seat, obtained in correspondence of a brim 22 of the main body 20 and adapted just to allow insertion of a user's hand. The bag 1 further comprises closing means 4 for closing the internal compartment 2, adapted just to close said compartment in correspondence of its mouth 21. In particular, such closing means 4 comprises a closing element 41, substantially flap-shaped and removably engageable, in correspondence of its periphery, on the mouth 21 of the internal compartment 2. The element 41 centrally bears a zipper 44. The above-mentioned removable connection between element 41 and compartment 2 is made by first and second engagement means, respectively denoted by 42 and 43, respectively applied in correspondence of the periphery of the closing element 41 and of the mouth 21 of the internal compartment 2, and removably engageable to each other.

In the embodiment of Figure 4A, such engagement means 42 and 43 are based on snap fasteners, whereas in the embodiment of Figure 4B they are of Velcro® type. Therefore, the closing means 4 is of removable type, thereby allowing the convertible bag of the invention to assume a first configuration, in which it can be used as an item-holding bag and in which said means is engaged with the main body 2 of the bag itself, and a second configuration, in which such means 4 is removed and the bag can be worn-on as a hat, as shown in Figure 5. In this latter configuration the item- holding compartment evidently accommodates a subject's head. It will be appreciated, as better seen in Figures 4A and 4B, that the closing means 4 - and in particular the second engagement means 43 thereof - once disengaged does not interfere with the subject's head and therefore causes no inconvenience whatsoever during a wearing on of the bag as a hat. In the present example this is obtained by applying the engagement means 43 onto a flap 45 integral to the main body 20, and making such engagement means substantially foldaway once said flap is raised.

It will be appreciated that the bowler-shaped configuration, by virtue of the wide internal compartment and of the rounded configuration thereof, represents a quite effective implementation of the present invention.

According to a further embodiment, the holding means 3 may consist, e.g., in a handle or a shoulder strap, optionally removably connected to the main body of the bag.

Figure 4C shows an alternative embodiment of the above-introduced closing means. In particular, it is provided that in correspondence of the mouth of the internal compartment 2 an internal annular band 401 be applied, e.g. of the already known felt-covering or sweat band type, onto which a membrane or closing element 402 is removably applied. Such a membrane 402 is comprised of a first portion (top in Figure 4C) 403 and a second portion (bottom in Figure 4C) 404 integral to each other, preferably with the second portion 404 slightly longer than the first portion 403. First portion 403 and brim 401 bear mutual engagement means (e.g. buttons with buttonholes, or snap fasteners or Velcro®) of the type described hereto with reference to the preceding embodiments and generally denoted herein by 406. Moreover, the brim 401 bottomwise (always referring to the direction of Figure 4C) is connected to the second portion 404 by a zipper 405 or an equivalent means. This solution enables a sturdier joining among parts and greater safety in holding the items placed in the bag.

Moreover, the membrane turning the hat into a bag would necessarily be 2-3 cm lower than the brim of the hat, making it more recognizable as an article and thereby enhancing the deceiving perception.

Alternatively, for fastening the membrane to the hat, especially in the case of a man's hat and in particular for cow-boy type ones, there might be used a string, e.g. of leather, joining suitable holes placed in the peripheral portion of the membrane and of the felt-covering band of the hat. Therefore, evidently such a string would act as a shoulder strap or handle for carrying the bag.

Figure 4D illustrates a further embodiment of the bag that is analogous to that of Figure 4C, yet provides the addition of a string or shoulder strap 407 crossing the felt-covering band 401. Such a string 407, optionally removable, can therefore act both as hat-holding element and bag-holding means.

According to a variant, the string may cross the closing membrane instead of the felt- covering band.

According to a further variant embodiment, the bag of the invention might be substantially helmet-shaped, both having a sport meaning (motorcycling, horse- riding, or other), and with a shape equivalent to military and regulation helmets

(police helmets, fireguard helmets, etc.) or with a configuration resembling historical headgears.

The present invention has been hereto described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It is understood that to such embodiments modifications might be effected which anyhow fall within the concept of the same invention, according to the content of the claims hereinafter.