JPH0731703 | [Name of the device] Inner frame of bags |
JP2569356 | [Name of device] Fasner |
US4756394A | 1988-07-12 | |||
US4506769A | 1985-03-26 | |||
US5307908A | 1994-05-03 |
1. | An item of hand luggage which comprises a top compartment and an independent bottom compartment positioned underneath the top compartment. |
2. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said bottom compartment is of semirigid or rigid construction and is sized and shaped to receive a pair of sports shoes. |
3. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the top compartment comprises a bottom panel and the bottom compartment comprises a top panel, said bottom panel forming part of the top panel of the bottom compartment. |
4. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said bottom compartment is of substantially rectangular shape. |
5. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein said bottom compartment is provided with a top panel which is moveable and pivotally mounted via a hinge located on the circumference of the item of hand luggage. |
6. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein each of said top and bottom compartments is provided with a separate opening. |
7. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein said bottom compartment of said item of hand luggage includes a security bag which comprises a locking system. |
8. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein either said top or bottom compartments is provided with a housing sized and shaped to receive a security bag. |
9. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said housing may be at least partially formed by a semirigid dividing member which is releasably secured to the interior of the compartment. |
10. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said bottom compartment is provided with a number of specific compartment (s) adapted to hold a range of preselected items which facilitate changing and/or showering. |
11. | An item of hand luggage as claimed in Claim 10 wherein said preselected items are chosen from the group consisting of a toilet bag, a pair of shower slippers, a towel, a set of clothes hangers, a shoe brush and a shoe horn. |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is a large variety in styles of hand luggage bags adapted to meet various needs or criteria. For example, some bags are specifically adapted to conform with airplane regulations and are of permitted dimensions and/or provided with wheels to ease transportation, for example in airport corridors.
Attache cases for business people are currently designed to carry documents or portable computers. For people practising sport a great variety of bags is also available. Classic sports bags are usually a simple bag having a single large compartment. More elaborate
sports bags are usually designed to receive and carry sport implements like tennis, squash or badminton racquets or a hockey stick etc.
Most sportsmen/women will practice sport wearing appropriate specialised sports shoes and hence will require a change of footwear. Sports shoes are usually carried in a separate bag since inevitably footwear becomes dirty and it is desirable to minimise soiling of other items (e. g. sports clothes) held in the same bag. However, carrying two separate bags is cumbersome and usually the shoe bag is kept in the main sports bag where it may be crushed. This is not desirable especially with sports shoes which can be expensive and of quite fragile construction, for example, golf shoes.
Further, for a sport such as golf the enjoyment and smooth running of the game may be enhanced if a relatively large number of items are available to the player, in addition to the basic and essential sporting equipment. There is however no item of hand luggage designed to fulfil the needs of sportsmen or women to carry and protect sports shoes whilst simultaneously facilitating the organisation and carriage of other items required.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is an item of hand luggage which comprises a top compartment and an independent bottom compartment positioned underneath the top compartment.
The bottom compartment may be of semi-rigid or rigid construction and is sized and shaped to receive a pair of sports shoes. The rigid or semi-rigid construction protects the shoes against being crushed.
Preferably, the top compartment includes a bottom panel which is, or forms part of, the top panel of the bottom compartment.
Optionally the bottom compartment may be of substantially rectangular shape. In one embodiment the bottom compartment may be provided with a top panel which is moveable and pivotally mounted via a hinge located on the circumference of the bag.
It is also preferred that each of said top and bottom compartments be provided with an individual opening so that the interior of each compartment can be accessed independently from one another.
The bottom compartment of the item of hand luggage according to the invention may include a security bag comprising a locking system which may receive and secure the valuables of the sportsman/woman whilst engaged in sport. It is preferred that this security bag, which may be detachable from the main bag, may also hold a range of items required during good practice of a given sport or activity. Desirably the security bag may be located in a housing or compartment specifically sized and shaped to receive it in the bottom or top compartment. Optionally, the housing may be at least partially formed by a semi-rigid dividing
member which is releasably secured to the interior of the compartment.
It is further preferred that the bottom compartment of the item of hand luggage of the present invention has sufficient space or, more preferably, has specific compartment (s) adapted to hold a range of pre-selected items which facilitate changing and/or showering.
Suitable items can be chosen from the group consisting of a toilet bag, a pair of shower slippers, a towel, a set of (optionally folding) clothes hangers, a shoe brush, a shoe horn etc.
In one preferred embodiment the items contained in the bottom compartment of the item of hand luggage may be chosen to facilitate changing/showering and to provide peripheral equipment convenient for a game o. f golf.
It is a preferred object of the invention to further provide an item of hand luggage to contain and organise all the various items needed for the comfortable practice of a particular selected sport. By "comfortable practice of a particular selected sport" it is meant that the bag is designed to hold items required to practice the sport itself, peripheral items which enhance enjoyment or organisation of the sport, and also the items needed to facilitate a change of clothes, the storage of valuables, and the need for a shower.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an item of hand luggage in a closed position according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 1 wherein the bottom compartment is open; Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the item shown in Figure 2 where the bottom compartment is filled with articles useful for a change of clothing and for the practice of a sport; Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the security bag which forms part of the contents of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the security bag of Figure 4 in an open position and with some of its items removed and displayed thereabouts; Figure 6 is front elevational view of a pair of shoes and a shoe bag which forms part of the contents of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 3;
Figure 7 is a front elevational view of a pair of shower slippers which forms part of the contents of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 3; Figure 8 is a front elevational view of a toiletry bag which forms part of the contents of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 3 with some of the articles normally contained therein removed and displayed thereabouts; Figure 9 is a front elevational view of a shoe horn and a shoe brush which form part of the contents of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 3; and Figure 10 is a front elevational view of a glove bag containing gloves which form part of the contents of the item of hand luggage shown in Figure 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show an item of hand luggage or bag 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The item of hand luggage or bag 10 comprises at least two separate and independent vertically aligned compartments 30 and 50.
Top compartment 30 is positioned at the top of the bag 10 and is in the general style of a normal"hold-all" type bag. That is to say that top compartment 30 may be substantially parallelepiped in shape or in the
shape of a substantially trapezial prism. As with most such bags, it is provided with a bottom panel 58 (which is also the top panel of the bottom compartment 50), front panel 34, a rear panel (not shown), two side panels 36 and a top panel 38 which define an internal storage volume. Handling means are attached to the top compartment 30. As shown in Figure 1, such handling means can be a pair of handles 40 which are secured on the external surface of the front panel 34 and rear panel. To make the carrying of the bag. more comfortable, a comfort strap 44 may be provided to wrap around the pair of handles 40. Also, each side panel 36 may be provided with means to secure a shoulder strap, for example such means may be a pair of rings 46 provided on each side panel 36, to allow easy carrying of the bag 10 upon the user's shoulder.
Of course, the top compartment 30 is provided with an opening to allow the user to access its storage volume.
Such opening is releasably closable by any suitable closing means known in the art, such as press studs, clips, zip fasteners, etc. As shown in Figure 1 a double-headed zip fastener 42 is preferably used.
Top compartment 30 is mounted on bottom compartment 50.
Compartment 50 may be substantially rectangular in plan view and assumes substantially the shape of a rectangular box. As for the top compartment 30 the bottom compartment 50 is provided with bottom panel 52, front panel 54 and a rear panel 60 (see Figures 2 and 3), side panels 56 and top panel 58 which define an internal storage volume.
Both compartments 30 and 50 define internal storage volumes which are distinct and separate from each other and have distinct access openings. Advantageously the bottom panel 58 of the top compartment 30 meets or merges with the top panel 58 of the bottom compartment 50.
As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the bottom compartment 50 is also provided with an opening to allow the user to access its storage volume. As for the top compartment 30 such opening is releasably closable by any suitable closing means known in the art, such as press studs, clips, zip fastener straps, etc. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a double-headed zip fastener 62 is preferably used and is provided circumferentially around three consecutive panels i. e. both side panels 56, and front panel 54 of bottom compartment 50. The remaining panel is connected to the top compartment 30 by a hinge 64.
The zip fastener 62 is advantageously provided on the top portion of the compartment 50 so that when the compartment 50 is opened, as shown in Figure 2, the bottom part of the compartment 50, which is positioned below the zip fastener 62, constitutes the biggest portion of the internal storage volume.
The top and bottom compartments 30 and 50 are advantageously made using the same material. The top compartment 30 shown in Figure 1 demonstrates a semi- rigid construction but could be of a more foldable form as long as it demonstrates sufficient strength and wear resistance. Bottom compartment 50 is of a more rigid construction to resist deformation and compaction
during transportation, thus protecting its contents. A separation panel 63 is advantageously provided to divide the internal storage volume of the bottom compartment 50 into two parts 65 and 67. Separation panel 63 helps to hold in place the various items which can be stored in the compartment 50. Panel 63 can be secured on the internal face of the back panel 60 and front panel 54 with Velcro so that it can be easily removed, for example to facilitate cleaning. The separation panel 63 may also be located. at different positions within bottom compartment 50 to accommodate other items.
As shown in Figure 3 the bottom compartment 50 and more particularly its first part 65 is large enough to contain at least a pair of sports shoes and more particularly golf shoes 69 (see Figure 6).
Conveniently, a protective shoe bag 66 is provided to hold the shoes 69 and to preserve the bottom compartment 50 from dirt which may be transferred from the shoes 69. As the shoes 69 may be wet and muddy it is highly desirable they should be kept separate from other items. Thus, the bag 10 according to the invention allows a convenient way to carry both sports shoes 69 together with sport clothes while preserving the shoes from dirtying the clothes or from being crushed. As mentioned above this latter advantage may be very important when the sports shoes are expensive and rather fragile items like, for example, golf shoes.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment the bag 10 may contain a security bag 68 like the one shown in Figure 4 which is positioned in the bottom
compartment 50. Such security bag 68 is sized and shaped to receive the valuables of the sportsman or woman (money, credit cards, keys, jewellery, etc).
Further, the security bag 68 (which could be conveniently be carried by a golfer during a round of golf), contains various items which may be convenient to have at hand during the practice of a sport. The security bag 68 is conveniently provided with a security locking means which can be a classic lock closed by a key or, as shown in Figure 4., a combination lock 70.
In the preferred embodiment and as shown in Figure 4, the security bag 68 is specifically designed for golfer and advantageously comprises a rear pocket 72 which may contain a pencil 99, tees 94, ball markers 96 (for example having diameters of 15 and 25 mm) and pitch mark repairer 98. This rear pocket 72 defines a substantially rectangular volume openable at its top surface, for example by a zip fastener.
The security bag 68 may be further provided with a flapped main pocket 100 which can be folded over the exterior of the front wall 80 of the rear pocket 72.
As shown in Figure 5, the flapped pocket 100 can be secured in its folded position with a press stud 102 (or snap fastener) provided on each side of the security bag 68. A zipped pocket 104 can be provided inside the flap portion 106 of the flapped pocket 100 and may additionally contain other items needed by a golfer, such as replacement spike wrench 97, plasters 93 and a roll of fabric tape plaster 95. Within the
main storage area of flapped main pocket 100, there may be contained a pocket edition of the Rules of Golf 74, a notebook 76, and scorecards (not shown).
When the flapped pocket 100 is secured in its folded position, a further flap 73 which projects upwardly from the back panel of the rear pocket 72 can be folded over the opened top surface of the security bag 68 and then secured via the security combination lock 70.
Several holding means, for example loops 78, adapted to correspond to the shape of various desirable items can be provided at the exterior of the front wall 80 of the main pocket 72. When specifically designed for a golfer these loops can be adapted to hold the articles shown in Figure 5 and include nail clippers 82, a pair of scissors 84, a pencil sharpener 86, spare-shoe laces 88, compact shoe horn 90 for"on course"and driving range use, tweezers 92 and a replacement spike wrench 97.
In addition to the security bag 68, the bottom compartment 50 can also contain, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, a toiletry bag 110. The toiletry bag 110 may contain usual toiletry items (soap, shampoo, comb etc.). As shown in Figure 8 the toiletry bag 110 may specifically include items like a matching or co-ordinating toothbrush 140 and a razor 142. Such items are conveniently housed in retaining loops so that they can to be kept separate from other toiletry items.
Further a pair of light water-proof slippers 120 (see Figure 3 and 7) suitable for use during or after a shower may be provided in the bottom compartment 50.
Various holding pockets can be provided on the side or on the top panel 58 of the bottom compartment 50 and are specifically designed to hold other items suitable for the practice of a given sport. For example, pockets 130,132, or 134 shown in Figure 2 are designed to receive and hold respectively multiple coat hangers (not shown), a shoe brush 136 and a shoe horn 138 (see also Figure 9). As shown in Figure 2, such pockets may be open at one end, like pockets 132 and 134, or closed with a flap held by a releasable fastening (such as Velcro), like pocket 130.
Further, a glove bag 144 (see Figure 10) may. be also provided in the bottom compartment 50 of the item of hand luggage 10. The glove bag 144 is preferably sealable in an air tight manner to keep the gloves 146 moist and may conveniently be made of transparent plastic.
Bag 10 is therefore particularly useful to golfers.
The complete enjoyment of golf requires several items that are or may be needed during a round. The storage of such items in a compact and organised fashion within a single bag allows the golfer to quickly change clothes, transfer his valuables into the security bag 68 which can then be removed from the bag 10, put into the golf club bag of the golfer and brought on the
course. This is particularly handy and time saving for the golfer.
All the various bags (security bag 68 and toiletry bag 110) are preferably manufactured in the same colour and with a material of substantially similar appearance.
In the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8 the material used is leather calves skin lined with a jacquard fabric.
The manufacture of the handbags together with all additional bags (security bag, toiletry bag) are made according to methods known in the art.
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