FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to carry bags and in particular to sports carry bag.

The invention has been developed primarily for use as a sports carry bag with an internal illumination source, and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application.

However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

Known photoluminescent sports equipment is primarily energised prior to use by using a light source in the open, or by placing the equipment in sunlight. This can results in the sports equipment being withdrawn from a primary energising source a significant time prior to use.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

It is an object of the invention in its preferred form to provide a carry device with an internal illumination source. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a device comprising:

a body defining a cavity with an aperture for receiving goods to be carried; and a plurality of illumination sources about the cavity for substantially illuminating the exterior surface of carried goods.

Preferably the device includes a portable power source for supplying power to the illumination sources. More preferably, the power source is rechargeable.

Preferably, the illumination sources are arranged in a ribbed configuration about the cavity. Alternatively, the illumination sources are preferably arranged in a mesh configuration about the cavity.

Preferably, the illumination sources include a light emitting diode (LED). More preferably, the light emitting diodes are in the form of LED strip lighting. Most preferably, the cavity includes a lining for diffusing the light about the cavity.

Preferably the goods include a photoluminescent (typically fluorescent and/or phosphorescent) material and/or have a photoluminescent (typically fluorescent and/or phosphorescent) surface coating. More preferably, the photoluminescent material or surface coating can absorb energy from the light provided by the illumination source.

Preferably the goods have a photoluminescent material or surface coating for absorbing energy while under (or from) the illumination sources, thereby energising the photoluminescent material and/or surface . More preferably, the device is used in 'energising' sport equipment having a photoluminescent material or surface coating. Most preferably, the device is used to (or for) simultaneously transporting and energising sport equipment having a photoluminescent material and/or surface coating.

Preferably, the sports equipment can include any sports equipment useable in poor lighting conditions and/or after twilight. More preferably, the sports equipment can include any one or more of the set comprising: a football (for example Australian Rules, Rugby Union, Rugby League), soccer ball (European football), net ball, volley ball, hockey ball, hockey stick, golf ball, golf flag, ground markers, sport net, and sport shoes.

Preferably, the body includes a wall portion interconnected to a floor portion and a roof portion for defining the cavity. More preferably, the wall portion comprises four interconnected side wall portions. Most preferably, the body comprises four interconnected side wall portions further interconnected to a floor portion and a roof portion for defining a substantially closed cavity.

The device preferably includes a close means for reducing light egress from the cavity aperture. More preferably, the close means is a zipper means. Alternatively, the close means is preferably a Velcro means.

The device preferably includes a carry strap. More preferably the carry strap is any one or more of the set comprising a shoulder strap, and loop handle.

Preferably, the devise comprises, or is used as, a sports carry bag. Alternatively, the device can comprise a storage device (or storage box), wherein the storage device is fixedly located or relocatable. Most preferably, the device is portable.

Preferably the device is used to energise sport equipment having a photoluminescent material and/or surface coating when located in the cavity and under illumination of the illumination source. More preferably the device is used simultaneously transporting and energising sport equipment having a photoluminescent material and/or surface coating when located in the cavity and under illumination of the illumination source.

According to an aspect of the invention that is provided a portable sports carry bag apparatus for receiving and substantially illuminating the exterior surface of one or more item of sports equipment that is useable in poor lighting conditions, a surface of the sports equipment having a coating of photoluminescent material that absorbs energy from the illumination sources to thereby energise the photoluminescent coating, the apparatus comprising: a body defining a cavity with an aperture for receiving goods to be carried;

a cavity inner liner for diffusing the light about the cavity;

a plurality of illumination sources about the cavity for substantially illuminating the exterior surface of carried goods; the illumination sources being arranged in a mesh configuration about the cavity; the illumination sources being light emitting diodes in the form of LED strip lighting;

the body having a close means for reducing light egress from the cavity aperture; and a portable rechargeable power source retained by the body for supplying power to the illumination sources.

Preferably, the apparatus is used to simultaneously transport and energise the photoluminescent coating of the sports equipment.

Preferably, the body includes a wall portion comprising four interconnected side wall portions that are interconnected to a floor portion and a roof portion for defining a substantially closed cavity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment carry device according to the invention; FIG. 2 is sectional perspective view of the carry device of FIG.1; and FIG. 3 is sectional end view of the carry device of FIG.1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, a carry device 100 can comprise a body 110 defining a cavity 112 with an aperture 114 for receiving goods 190 to be carried.

In this embodiment the body includes a wall portion 120 (comprising four interconnected side wall portions 121) that is interconnected to a floor portion 122 and a top portion 124 for defining a substantially closed cavity.

This embodiment device further includes a close means 116, typically in the form of a zipper means and/or a Velcro means, for reducing light egress from the cavity aperture. This embodiment device can further include one or more carry strap 117, typically in the form of a shoulder strap 118 and/or pair of loop handles 119.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the device includes a plurality of illumination sources 210 about the cavity 112 for substantially illuminating the exterior surface of the goods 190. This embodiment device includes a rechargeable portable power source 220 for supplying power to the illumination sources. This embodiment device includes a cavity liner 230 for diffusing the light about the cavity.

It will be appreciated that the illumination sources include light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the form of LED strip lighting, which can be arranged in a ribbed configuration about the cavity and/or a mesh configuration about the cavity.

As shown in FIG. 3, the illumination sources 210 can be located the wall portion 120, or one or more of the four interconnected side wall portions 121. The illumination sources 210 can be further located on the floor portion 122 and/or the top portion 124. The illuminations source provides illumination that substantially envelopes the outer surface of the goods 190, which can be further assisted by a diffusing cavity liner.

It will be appreciated that the goods include a photoluminescent (typically fluorescent and/or phosphorescent) material and/or have a photoluminescent (typically fluorescent and/or phosphorescent) surface coating, which can absorb energy from the light provided by the illumination source. The goods have a photoluminescent material or surface coating for absorbing energy while under (or from) the illumination sources, thereby energising the photoluminescent material and/or surface . This embodiment device can be used to, or for, simultaneously transporting and 'energising' sport equipment having a photoluminescent material and/or surface coating.

It will be further appreciated that sports equipment can include any sports equipment useable in poor lighting conditions and/or after twilight. In particular, the sports equipment can include any one or more of the set comprising: a football (for example Australian Rules, Rugby Union, Rugby League), soccer ball (European football), net ball, volley ball, hockey ball, hockey stick, golf ball, golf flag, ground markers, sport net, and sport shoes. It will be appreciated that the illustrated carry device has an internal illumination source. It will be appreciated that the device can be used to 'energise' sport equipment having a photoluminescent material and/or surface coating when located in the cavity and under an enveloping illumination from the illumination source. The device can be further used simultaneously transporting and energising sport equipment having a photoluminescent material and/or surface coating when located in the cavity and under an enveloping

illumination from the illumination source.

It will be further appreciated that the devise can comprise, or can be used as, a sports carry bag. Alternatively, the device can comprise a storage device (or storage box), wherein the storage device is fixedly located or relocatable. However, the device is typically portable.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term coupled, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to direct connections only. The terms "coupled" and

"connected", along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Thus, the scope of the expression a device A coupled to a device B should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of terms "horizontal", "vertical", "left", "right", "up" and "down", as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., "horizontally", "rightwardly", "upwardly", etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader, or with reference to the orientation of the structure during nominal use, as appropriate. Similarly, the terms "inwardly" and "outwardly" generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.

Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that an embodiment of the invention can consist essentially of features disclosed herein. Alternatively, an embodiment of the invention can consist of features disclosed herein. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.