US20060153477A1

US20060153477A1 - Bag with pocket for containing shoulder belt

Info

Publication number: US20060153477A1
Application number: US10/536,035
Authority: US
Inventors: Kazuko Koguchi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-22
Filing date: 2002-11-22
Publication date: 2006-07-13
Also published as: WO2004047585A1; CN1708245A; AU2002359955A1

Abstract

A pouch provided with a pouch body (4) provided on the rear (4 a) thereof with a pair of vertically long pockets (7) separated by a predetermined interval, a pair of shoulder straps (8) having the upper and lower terminals thereof fixed to the upper and lower terminals of the interiors of the pair of vertically long pockets, and pocket closing means (11), such as slide fasteners or Velcro fasteners disposed in the open parts of the pair of vertically long pockets.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a pouch provided with shoulder strap storage pockets.

BACKGROUND ART

The pouches of a type provided with both a handle necessary for use as a carrier bag and shoulder straps necessary for use as a knapsack and consequently enabled to be used in two ways as “a carrier bag” and as “a knapsack,” have been known. These pouches, while serving as a carrier bag, suffer their shoulder straps to hang down, induce hindrances and inconveniences and impair appearances.
The pouches of another type provided at a prescribed position on one surface of pouch with a metal part for retaining a shoulder strap and, as occasion demands, enabled to be shouldered by causing a catch disposed in the terminal part of the shoulder strap to be hooked on the metal part have also been known.
These pouches, however, require their shoulder straps to be attached thereto while they are used as a knapsack and to be detached therefrom while they are used as a carrier bag. The attachment and the detachment of the shoulder straps are irksome chores. The shoulder straps, when detached therefrom, have the possibility of being missed.
This invention has as one object thereof the provision of a pouch which can be used as easily switched between a carrier bag and a knapsack.
This invention has as another object thereof the provision of a pouch which enables pouches, such as a briefcase and a carrier bag, to be pleasantly and easily shouldered.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

With a view to accomplishing the objects mentioned above, this invention is directed toward a pouch which comprises a pouch body provided on one surface thereof with a pair of vertically long pockets separated by a prescribed distance from each other, a pair of shoulder straps having upper and lower terminals thereof fastened respectively to upper and lower terminals of interiors of the pair of vertically long pockets, slide fasteners disposed along opening parts of the pair of vertically long pockets, and pocket closing means that are press-on and split-off type fasteners (Velcro fasteners), for example.
Since the pouch of this invention, as described above, has such a structure as to have the pair of shoulder straps stored in the pockets each provided with the closing means, the shoulder straps can be easily moved in and out of the pockets and, when the pouch is not in use, they are stored in the pockets and are prevented from inducing obstructions and impairing appearance.
Further, since the pouch of this invention, as described above, has such a simple structure that the paired vertically long pockets are disposed on one surface of pouch and the shoulder straps are fastened thereto, it can be easily adapted to the existing briefcases and carrier bags and enabled to add a shouldering function.
The other objects and the other characteristics of this invention will become apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating the first embodiment of the pouch contemplated by this invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the pouch shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the pouch of FIG. 1 in the state having an opening part thereof squeezed.
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the pouch of FIG. 1 in the state being used as a knapsack.
FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the pouch of FIG. 1 in the state being used as a knapsack.
FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the pouch of FIG. 1 in the state being used as a carrier bag.
FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view illustrating the second embodiment of the pouch contemplated by this invention.

BEST MODE OF EMBODYING THE INVENTION

Illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 is the first embodiment of the pouch provided with shoulder strap storage pockets according to this invention. On the rear 4 a of a pouch body 4 having the upper part thereof forming an open end, a pair of vertically long pockets 7 are disposed as separated by a prescribed interval as illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.
To the upper and lower terminals of the interior of each of the pockets, the upper and lower terminals of each of shoulder straps 8 provided with a strap length adjusting unit 9 are fastened as by sewing.
On the opening surface of each of the pockets 7, a slide fastener or a press-on and split-off fastener (Velcro fastener) is disposed as a pocket opening means 11. When the shoulder straps 8 are not in use, they are stored in the pockets and the opening surfaces of the pockets are closed by means of the fasteners 11 (FIG. 2).
The positions for disposing the aforementioned pair of vertically long pockets on the rear 4 a of the pouch body are only required to be such that when the shoulder straps 8 stored in the pockets are taken out, they may be easily shouldered. When the interval between the pockets is wider in the lower part than in the upper part to form the Japanese Katakana script “
,” the pouch can be shouldered more stably.
In the present embodiment, the upper open edge of the pouch body 4 has the fabric thereof folded down and sewn to form a bodkin 2 and a drawstring 3 is passed through the bodkin 2 to form an open end closing means.
On the rear 4 a and the front 4b of the upper terminal part of the pouch body 4, handles 1 are disposed at the corresponding positions. These handles 1 are preferred to be so constructed that they may be folded and store4d in the pouch body 4 when they are not in use (FIG. 2).
Between the positions at which the opposite ends of the handle 1 on the front 4 b of the pouch body 4 are mounted, the basal terminal of a lid 6 is fixed as by sewing. The lid 6 is drawn astride the upper open terminal of the pouch body 4 till the leading terminal thereof is hooked by an engaging part 10 provided at the leading terminal thereof on a lid stopping unit 5 b provided on the front 4 b of the pouch body 4, with the result that the upper open face of the pouch body will be covered (FIG. 6).
The lid 6, while not in use, is only required to have the leading terminal thereof turned inside out and fastened to a lid stopping unit 5 a provided on the rear 4 a of the pouch body and is consequently enabled to constitutes itself an accessory. Alternatively, the lid 6 may be stored fast inside the pouch body 4 by having the leading terminal thereof fixed with a catch (not shown) disposed inside the pouch body and consequently enabled to avoid inducing hindrances and enjoy good appearance.
Though the lid stopping units 5 a and 5 b and the engaging part 10 provided on the lid 6 are depicted in the illustrated embodiment each as a Velcro fastener, they are allowed to be formed in any structure so long as they are capable of effecting necessary fixation.
Since the pouch according to this invention is constructed as described above, it is enabled, simply by having the pair of shoulder straps 8 stored in the respective pockets 7 and the opening parts of the pockets closed with the respective fasteners 11, to be used as an ordinary carrier bag as illustrated in FIG. 6.
When the pouch is to be used as a knapsack, articles to be contained are placed inside the pouch body 4 through the open edge and then the drawstring 3 squeezed to compress the bodkin 2 and close the open edge as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thereafter, such a knapsack as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is completed by fastening the leading terminal of the lid 6 to the stopping unit 5 b disposed on the front 4 b of the pouch body, opening the fasteners 11 on the rear 4 a of the pouch body, and removing the shoulder straps 8 from the respective pockets 7.
Incidentally, the pouch of this invention is rendered usable in three ways, i.e. a carrier bag, a satchel and a knapsack, by having disposed at a proper position of the pouch body a metal part allowing a shoulder hanging strap to be removably fastened thereto.
FIG. 7 illustrates a second embodiment of the pouch of this invention provided with shoulder strap storage pockets. This pouch comprises an ordinary business bag, a pair of vertically long pockets 7 disposed on one surface of the business bag as separated by a prescribed interval, and shoulder straps 8 each provided with a strap length adjusting unit 9 and adapted to have the upper and lower edges thereof fixed as by sewing to the upper and lower edges of the interior of each of the pockets in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
On the open surface of each of the pockets 7, a slide fastener or a Velcro fastener is provided as a pocket means 11. When the shoulder straps 8 are not in use, they are contained in the respective pockets and the open surfaces of the pockets are closed with the fasteners 11 mentioned above. Thus, the business bag can be used as an ordinary carrier bag or a business bag hung from one shoulder.
When this business bag is to be used as a knapsack, it can be immediately converted into the knapsack by merely opening the pair of fasteners and removing the shoulder straps 8 from the respective pockets.
Though the present embodiment has illustrated the case of adapting the present invention for a business bag, it goes without saying that this invention can be applied equally to shopping bags, students' satchels, children's carrier bags, etc.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As is plain from the foregoing description, the pouch according to this invention is so constructed as to have the shoulder straps stored in the pockets each provided with an opening means. Thus, the shoulder straps are easily moved in and out of the pockets and, while they are not in use, are stored in the pockets and consequently enabled to avoid inducing hindrances and enjoy good appearance.
Further, since the pouch of this invention is so simply constructed that the pair of shoulder straps may be stored in the respective vertically long pockets each provided with a fastener, it can be easily applied to existing business bags and carrier bags and enabled to impart a shouldering function.
As a result, the user of this pouch, by holding it on the back, is enabled to maintain his posture stably, enjoy free use of both his hands and produce motions promptly.
This virtue enables a person to carry a hand baggage while producing other motion freely as when an aged person walking with a cane or a mother guiding a small child by the hand is enabled to hold an umbrella in the other hand. It, therefore, brings the effect of contributing to the safety of traffic and enhancing the convenience of daily life.

Claims

1. A pouch provided with shoulder strap storage pockets, comprising:

a pouch body (4) provided on a rear (4 a) with a pair of vertically long pockets (7) separated by a predetermined interval,

a pair of shoulder straps (8) having upper and lower terminals thereof fixed to upper and lower terminals of interiors of the pair of vertically long pockets, and

pocket closing means (11) disposed in open parts of the pair of vertically long pockets.

2. A pouch according to claim 1, wherein the pocket closing means are slide fasteners.

3. A pouch according to claim 1, wherein the pocket closing means are Velcro fasteners.