A nursing bag of this kind is known with which the rectangular side pieces are padded so as to form an underlay or mattress on which an infant can be lain for a change of diaper, after opening the bag. Two panels that cover the upper side of the underlay are each connected to respective opposite sides of the underlay and can be folded out in mutually opposite directions to positions in which they are juxtaposed to the underlay on respective sides thereof. The panels include pockets for diapers, powder, feeding bottles and other utilities, required in respect of a diaper change and infant care.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel, expedient bag, particularly an infant nursing bag, that is easy to handle and that has an improved function.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a bag of the kind described in the introduction and having the characteristic features set forth in the characterising clause of Claim 1. This arrangement gives a high degree of freedom in folding the bag and its contents into a carrying state or mode and also in orientating the side-wall regions of the bag so as to enable these regions and the upper part of the bag to form walls that define an area for protecting the upper body of an infant during a diaper change.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a bag which has an attractive appearance, which is comfortable to carry, which provides access to certain storage pockets in said panels without needing to fully open the bag. These and other objects of the invention are achieved with arrangements defined in the dependent Claims and apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of an inventive bag illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example only. In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are respective perspective front and oblique rear views of an inventive bag; Fig. 3 illustrates the bag shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in a fully open state obliquely from above and in perspective; and Fig. 4 illustrates the fully open bag from beneath.

Those parts of the inventive bag that find correspondence in the various Figures have been given the same reference signs.

The Figures illustrates an infant nursing bag that includes essentially rectangular front and rear side pieces 1 and 2 and an upper piece 3, end-wall pieces 4,5 and a bottom piece 6 that extend between the rectangular side pieces. The bottom edges 7 of the side pieces 1,2 are connected to the bottom piece 6 along fold regions, whereas the end-wall pieces 4,5 and the upper piece 3 are each connected permanently to a side edge 8 and the upper edge 9 of the side piece 2 respectively.

When the bag is fully open, the outside of the side pieces 1 and 2 and the bottom piece 6 may be rested on a flat

supportive surface, wherewith the panels 10,11, which are normally folded inwards so as to cover the inside of the pieces 1,2 and 6, can be folded out to a position in which they lie on respective sides of the open bag, in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The panels 10 and 11 include pockets 12-17 in which diapers, bottles, pacifiers (dummies) and other utilities required in connection with infant care can be stored. These pockets are situated on the upper side of the outwardly folded panels 10,12 so as to be presented conveniently in the bag mode illustrated in Fig. 3. The pockets 12-17 may be perforated in the manner shown or may be comprised of net material that will enable the pocket contents to be readily seen. The pocket openings, for instance the openings 18, may face away from the upper piece 3. This arrangement enables the contents of the pockets 12, 14,15 and 16 to be accessed after opening the bag along solely one upper edge thereof.

In order to enable the panels 10,11 to be easily folded inwards and the bag closed without material agglomerating disadvantageously at the edges 7 of the bag when the bottom piece 6 and the front side piece 1 are folded against the bottom edges of the end-wall pieces 4,5 and the front side edges 19 respectively, each of the panels 10,11 is connected solely to its adjacent side edge region of the side piece 1.

The panels 10,11 have no direct connection with the bottom piece 6 and the side piece 2 in other respects. The bag may include appropriate localising devices, such as press fasteners, touch-and-close tapes 20 or like devices for securing the inwardly folded panels 10,11 in desired positions relative to each other and relative to the inside of the bag.

When the bag is fully open, as shown in Fig. 3, and rests on a table, a bench or on the ground for instance, the side pieces 1,2 and the bottom piece 6 form an infant underlay that facilitates a diaper change, for instance. For the sake of comfort, the bag pieces 1,2 and 6 may be padded and the inner sides of said pieces 1,2,6 may be covered with a washable protective sheet 22 that is fastened removably with the aid of touch-and-close fastener tapes 21, for instance.

To avoid risk of the bag sliding relative to the surface on which it is supported, the outside of the bottom piece 6 may be provided with a layer that generates considerable friction. The upper edges and side edges 9,8 of the side piece 2 that project above the upper pieces and side-wall pieces 3,4,6 are suitably stiffened in some suitable manner, partly to form a coaming that forms an anti-roll protection for the infant or baby lying on the underlay, and partly to maintain a desired shape of the bag when closed.

The bottom piece 6 may also be given some rigidity to this end.

To enable the bag to be closed, the end edges of the bottom piece 6 can be connected removably to the bottom edges of the end-wall pieces 4,5 and the side edges and upper edge of the side piece 1 can be connected removably to the edges of the end-wall pieces 4,5 and the upper piece 3 distal from the side piece 2. This removable connection of said components is conveniently achieved in the manner shown, preferably with the aid of two zip fasteners 23 which each extend from a respective region 24 where the bottom edge 7 of the side piece 2 connects with the bottom edges of the end-wall pieces 4,5 to a region of the upper edge of the side piece 1, such as its midway region 25. This enables the contents of the

pockets 12,15,16,18 to be made accessible when the bag is closed, simply by opening the bag along the upper piece 3 with the aid of the zip fasteners 23.

The bag may conveniently be designed as a shoulder bag, in which case it will include an adjustable shoulder strap 26 that extends between the fasteners on the end-walls 4,5. The bag can be converted into a hand-carried bag, by appropriately shortening the strap 26. The bag will suitably be comprised of material that can be easily cleaned, for instance a machine washable material, essentially textile material, and may also include external storage pockets. The illustrated bag includes, by way of example, end-wall pockets 27 and 28 in which a mobile telephone and a feeding bottle can be kept respectively.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed and illustrated exemplifying embodiment thereof and that the invention can be implemented in any desired manner within the scope of the inventive concept as defined in the accompanying Claims.