BACKGROUND ART Various prior arrangements have been suggested for storing and moving an individual's medical supplies or equipment. However, achieving an optimum arrangement has been difficult. Initially, the container or package must be small enough to be easily portable and stored in convenient, readily accessible locations about the house, vehicle or person of the user. At the same time it must also be large enough to receive the medical supplies and/or equipment needed. It has been suggested that for some purposes a plurality of containers be employed, but that may cause the users to be unduly and awkwardly burdened during transportation of the containers. Moreover, for the sake of personal privacy many prefer that their medical conditions not be transparent to passersby via the nature of the containers so carried. Further, in some instances it is important to insulate the medicine from certain variances in temperature and/or light in order to prolong the viability of that medicine.

Since during usage, especially emergency usage, the supplies can become spilled or other materials, such as blood, can come into contact with the container, it is important to be able to maintain a sanitary environment about the supplies during storage until subsequent use. One time use (throwaway) containers are not always environmentally or economically efficient. At the same time, it is important that the supplies be adequately protected from injury as a result of accidental contact with other objects during storage or contact. However, while durability and reusability are desired, it is also important to keep the costs of such packaging reasonably affordable.

Medical supplies so carried may be used in a stressed or emergency condition.

Thus, the user and on occasion a person previously unknown to the user, should find the container to be readily accessible and have the location, source and/or nature of the supplies plainly known to them upon examination or opening of the container. In many

instances, the persons accessing the container will be highly trained, but in other instances they may not be, and the container construction should take that into account.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved container for storing and carrying personal medicinal supplies and/or equipment. Other objects include the provision of such a container that is: a. lightweight and aesthetically attractive in outward appearance, b. easily portable and conveniently stored about a home, person or vehicle, c. inexpensive and conveniently reusable, d. thermally insulated and shock resistant, e. durable and easily accessed for use, and f. conveniently and efficiently organized in its interior.

These and other obj ects of the present invention are obtained by the provision of a foldable, insulated carry pouch having a plurality of overlaid pockets therein, at least some of which include mesh or off-set walls to facilitate visual orientation and access by the user upon unfolding of the pouch. A pleated pocket wall structure is available to enlarge the pocket capacity, and diverse fabric materials are used to optimize the preferred internal and external characteristics: spill proof or waterproof interior and tear/wear resistant exterior, for example. Zippered closures for at least some of the pockets are arranged with diverse directions of closure travel to avoid interference, and a quick release exterior buckle secures the pouch in a folded position for transport or storage. An exterior flap provides convenience storage for personal identification materials and the like. The buckle is dimensioned and disposed so as to readily include a source identifying mark or brand which is externally apparent.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a plan view of the exterior of an unfolded pouch embodying the present invention, with portions broken away to illustrate layered construction.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the underside of the unfolded pouch of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 shows a front plan view of the pouch of Fig. 1 in a folded position.

Figure 4 shows a back plan view of the pouch of Fig. 1 in a folded position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shows an unfolded pouch 10 with an exterior layer 12 formed from flexible material, such as 600 denier polyester fabric. In general, the material of layer 12 is advantageously selected to resist wear and tear. Female buckle member 14 and male buckle member 16 are attached to layer 12. In especially preferred embodiments, a vinyl layer 18 is attached to layer 12 so as to be disposed under female member 14. In the example illustrated, female member 14 does not extend beyond layer 18, but male member 16 extends for a length beyond layer 12. Female member 14 and male member 16 can be of any desired conventional buckle configuration that is matingly interlocking and readily unlockable by the user. However, it is preferred that female member 14 include a sufficiently sizable surface 20 upon which a plainly visible brand symbol 22 identifying the origin of the pouch or its contents can be mounted. That brand can be applied in molding buckle member 14 from plastic material.

A generally rectangular flap 24 is secured along a first set of opposing sides 26 thereof to layer 12. A second set of opposing sides 28 of flap 24 are left unconnected to layer 12 and bounded only by edge binder 30. This binder also is attached to the perimeter of layers 12 and 18.

An interior layer 32 of flexible material is disposed beneath exterior layers 12 and 18. Layer 32 is, for example formed from a finer weave of nylon or like material so as to be more resistant to penetration of moisture or fluid. Layers 12 and 18 can be secured to layer 32 along the periphery of the layers by conventional stitching.

Preferably, layer 34 of flexible, foam material is disposed between the interior and exterior layers. Layer 34 can be selected from conventional material that is thermally insulating and shock resistant.

Additional layers and construction of pouch 10 are seen in Figure 2, illustrating the underside of the pouch. When folded into a closed position, such as viewed in Figures 3 and 4, this underside becomes the interior of the pouch. In particular and as viewed from Figure 2, layer 36 of flexible material is provided overlaying layer 32.

Preferably, layer 36 is coextensive with layer 32, formed from similar spill resistant, finer mesh fabric as layer 32 and is secured to layer 32 about most of its perimeter. Along one common side A, layers 32 and 36 are joined by a recessed zipper 38. As shown, a length 40 of binder material extends along that common side, slightly offset below binder 30, and assists to define the recess in which zipper 38 is located. In this manner, a selectively closable pocket is created between layers 32 and 36, and the pull tab of zipper avoids obstructing the interior of pouch 10. Zipper 38 is advantageously formed from nylon material.

Layer 42 of mesh material is disposed over a portion of layer 36. Preferably, layer 42 is secured to one side B of layer 36, extends over less than half of layer 36 and is pleated to allow it to expand outwardly away from layer 36. Layer 42 is fixedly secured about all its periphery to layer 36 except for a portion of that periphery where layer 42 is fixed to layer 36 by an exposed zipper 44. Thus, a selectively closable pocket is created between layers 36 and 42. Zippers 38 and 44 are shown to have substantially the same axis of closure X in this embodiment. However, the pull tab of zippers 38 and 44 are preferably both laterally separated and separated by the portion of layer 36 recessing zipper 38. The mesh of layer 42 is, for example, sufficiently coarse so as to allow the user to readily see the nature of the contents in the pocket created thereby. In embodiments where layer 42 is pleated there may be sufficient room within that pocket to contain bulky objects, such as even a smaller, insulated pouch or container 46.

Layer 48 of flexible material is disposed over another portion of layer 36, preferably not coextensive with the overlaying by layer 42. As shown, layer 48 is secured to one side C of layer 36 and extends over less than half of layer 36. Layer 48 is, for example, formed from the same material as layer 36. Layer 48 is fixedly secured about all of its periphery to layer 36 except for a portion of that periphery where layer 48 is secured to layer 36 by an exposed zipper 50. Thus, a selectively closable pocket is created between layers 36 and 48. Zipper 50 preferably has an axis of closure Y which is diverse, in this case nearly orthogonal, to axis of closure X. Thus, as zippers 42 and 50 travel between open and closed positions, their respective pull tabs do not interfere In especially preferred embodiments, layers 42 and 48 do not completely overlay layer 36 and there is a gap G between the pockets created by layers 42 and 48. Loop 52,

formed for example by elastic fabric material, is secured within gap G to either layer 36 or one side of layer 42 or both. As shown, loop 52 is disposed at the meridian of layer 36, where the pouch is foldable upon itself.

Layer 54 of flexible material is disposed over a portion of layer 48, but preferably not coextensive with layer 48. As shown, layer 54 is fixedly secured to side C and over most of its periphery to layer 48. A portion of that periphery is left unsecured so as to form an opening into the pocket between layers 48 and 54. As shown, that opening is along an axis Z, inclined with respect to both axes of closure X and Y. The edge of that opening can be defined by a length 56 of binder material. It has been considered advantageous to form layer 54 from the same or similar material as is used to form layer 12.

In use, pouch 10 is to be folded over upon itself and buckled shut by insertion of buckle member 16 into buckle member 14, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, when in the storage mode. When access to the contents of the pouch is desired, buckle members 14 and 16 are disconnected and the pouch is laid flat, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Flap 24 can be used, for example, to retain a medical alert card or health card providing pertinent information about the owner of the pouch and/or its contents to another person accessing the pouch to assist that owner, such as an attending doctor or paramedic.

The pocket formed between layers 32 and 36 is suitable for storing items that should be insulated from temperature changes, such as certain medicines. Although foam layer 34 is provided adjacent layer 32, but not layer 36, when pouch 10 is folded that foam encompasses layer 36, thus providing insulation around the entire pocket in the storage mode. Use of a supplemental insulated container 46 permits greater flexibility in the range of insulating characteristics and conditions available. If it is desired that certain items, such as medical syringes, be readily visible when the pouch is opened, the pocket formed between mesh layer 42 and layer 36 is advantageous. A marking device, such as a pen or pencil, can be readily retained by loop 52, and less bulky items, such as meters, instruction manuals and the like can be neatly disposed in the other pockets of pouch 10. As a whole, pouch 10 can be dimensioned to fit into most conventional purses, glove compartments, brief cases and the like, providing significant storage capacity by

comparison with its storage mode size. Offsetting the pocket openings and using diverse closure axes provides greater content visibility and reduces interference of pocket closure devices, such as zippers.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, the same is by way of illustration and example only, and not as a limitation. Those of skill in this art will now readily appreciate that various adaptations can be made within the spirit of this invention. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention are only limited by the scope of the claims below.