BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The illustrated embodiments relate generally to the field of convertible bags capable of being reconfigured into a plurality of carrying modes, such as a shoulder bag or backpack, by reconfiguration of a strap.

2. Description of Related Art

A bag has in its simplest form a storage container or body that can have one or more straps connected or coupled to the bag or no straps at all. Bags are available in many different types and configurations. Different types of bags may offer different advantages over other types of bags. Reconfigurable bags are available for carrying items. However, the existing reconfigurable bags require fixed length or fix placement of the straps, swapping or removing straps, allowing straps to hang free, many multiple fastening attachments, or additional retraction mechanisms, the reconfiguration may also deform the bag into a non-ergonomic shape (See U.S. Publication No. 20130233901, U.S. Publication No. 20070108247, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,529, CA 2318940 A1, and EP 0156328 A2). Further, none of the configurations are completely waterproof or are convertible while maintaining a waterproof characteristic.

As much as 80% of people in the U.S. have some back pain at some time in their lives making it the most common disability in the U.S. (Marcus, Norman J. End Back Pain Forever: A Groundbreaking Approach to Eliminate Your Suffering. New York: Atria, 2012; Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-982012). Further, back pain is the second most common reason for medical services and missed work days (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Diseases and Conditions, Back pain; American Chiropractic Association, Back Pain Facts & Statistics). Back surgeries are the fastest growing type of surgery. Spending on back pain now equals the amount spent on cancer (Marcus, 2012).

Many women in the United States wear or carry a bag, purse or handbag on one shoulder, because they believe it looks more professional than a backpack. Such a bag, when full, can weigh more than 10 pounds. Carrying this weight in a one-shoulder handbag causes lopsided or unbalanced walking, which leads to back issues.

There are no stylish, professional-looking bag options on the market that allow a user to carry this amount of weight with comfort and versatility, while also fully protecting or waterproofing any water sensitive products, such as electronics, they may carry. Users are forced to make a choice either to use a stylish bag with physical discomfort, or be comfortable, but stylishly awkward. One-shoulder bag users typically and subconsciously wear the bag with one shoulder forward and upward to keep the bag “in place” to accommodate the weight. Upper back muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade must struggle to counterbalance that weight. Eventually this leads to muscles being overworked and chronic pain. Worse, this may also cause permanent or semi-permanent curvature of the spine toward the shoulder.

Some reconfigurable bags are known as either a shoulder bag, backpack, or messenger bag by using a continuous strap through an exterior sleeve attached to the outside side surfaces of the bag (U.S. Publication No. 20130233901). One end of the strap attaches to an upper center back portion of the bag, is led to the bottom opening of a sleeve attached to the side of the bag, led up through the sleeve out of the opposing top opening of the sleeve to form a top loop to then be led down into an identical exterior side sleeve attached to the opposing side of the bag, through that sleeve, out the bottom opening and then back up to the upper center portion of the back surface of the back adjacent the attachment point of the opposing end of the strap. The strap can then be pulled to form a single large top loop for carrying the bag as a shoulder bag or pulled into two identically sized loops from the bottom opening of the sleeves to carry as a backpack. Pulling one loop out of the bottom end of the sleeve, but not out of the opposing sleeve, allows the bag to be configured as messenger bag. The design is limited in its configurations because the two exterior sleeves must each lie flatly on the opposing side surfaces of the bag, all straps are fixed length and fixed placement, and the system is not waterproof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of the present disclosure includes a bag with a system of construction that allows for easy conversion between different carrying modes such as, but not limited to, a shoulder bag, a handheld bag, a briefcase, a bag with hip belt, a handbag, a fanny pack, a clutch, electronics case, weekender, duffle, luggage, a backpack, or a bag configured to attach to any part of the body, or any combination thereof. A strap guide is established to guide a strap in, on, or through the bag, or any combination thereof. The strap is continuous and preferably length adjustable. The strap may be disposed through the strap guide, which may be inside, outside, and/or through the bag or in the case of a bag having a double layer material, additionally disposed between two adjacent layers of material. The strap guide defines the strap geometry and defines the possible movement of the strap from one configuration to another. By pulling in or out loops between the openings to the strap guide at selected locations, loops or handles are created for use in the various configurations of the bag, allowing the bag to be carried in different modes. The bag with its predetermined geometry of a strap guide carrying the strap is preferably waterproof, or at least water or rain resistant, and still maintains a changeable configuration or carrying mode without compromise of its waterproof character. Preferably, the straps is attached to the bag through a waterproof strap guide, such as a system of tunnels or opposing watertight reversibly connectable holes. In one aspect, for waterproofing, one or a plurality of closures or partial closures can be used to seal around the strap to reduce the water on the strap. The bag may include a frame which is reversibly or irreversibly integrated in, on, or through the bag to provide shape or spacing to the bag. Preferably the frame is incorporated into the bag to provide the bag with shape or frame to space it from a user's back to provide a ventilation space between the user's back and the bag.

In certain embodiments, an apparatus of the present invention comprises: a bag having a front, a back, a top, and a bottom, the bag defining an interior compartment and a plurality of exterior surfaces; a strap guide defining a path extending from a first one of the plurality of exterior surfaces to a second one of the plurality of surfaces; and a strap slidably disposed in the strap guide such that the strap is movable to define a plurality of different carrying configurations. In one aspect the apparatus further comprises where the plurality of external surfaces comprises a front and a back surface of the bag. In another aspect, the apparatus comprises where the interior compartment is waterproof. In yet another aspect, the apparatus comprises where the strap is at least one of a continuous length of strap and a plurality of lengths of straps connected to form a continuous length of strap. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises where the strap is at least one of a continuous, adjustable length of strap and a plurality of lengths of straps connected to form a continuous, adjustable length of strap.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus comprises where the apparatus is configurable as at least one of a shoulder bag, a backpack, a messenger bag, a briefcase, a bag with hip belt, a handbag, a fanny pack, a clutch, an electronics case, a weekender, a duffle, a luggage bag, and a bag configured to attach to any part of the body.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus comprises a strap guide comprising a plurality of tunnels. In one aspect the tunnel has opposing ends and where at least one of the opposing ends is coupled to an opening defined in one of the plurality of exterior surfaces. In another aspect, the at least one of the opposing ends is coupled to the opening in a waterproof coupling.

In certain embodiments the apparatus further comprises at least one of a stop coupled to the strap and a strap configured to include a portion of the strap which is shaped to provide an interference stop at a strap guide.

In certain embodiments the apparatus further comprises at least one of a waterproof closure and a water absorbing closure, the closure configured to be in contact with the strap and configured to reduce water from the strap as the strap is moved through the closure. In one aspect, the apparatus the closure comprises at least one of a slit defined by a material piece through which the strap is disposed, a clamp, a funnel, a cap, a gasket, a squeegee, a roller, a pressure plate, and a pressure bar. In another aspect, the bag defines an opening on an exterior surface coupled to the strap guide wherein the strap is disposed through the opening; the bag further comprising at least one of a waterproof closure and a water absorbing closure disposed in the opening and configured to seal the opening when the strap is disposed therethrough and to reduce water from the strap as it is moved through the opening.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus further comprises a connector assembly coupled to the strap guide, the connector assembly having a first mating component and a second mating component, the bag further comprising where the bag defines a first opening on one or more of the plurality of exterior surfaces and a second opening on one of the plurality of exterior surfaces, the first mating component mounted in the first opening and the second mating component mounted in the second opening, the strap being disposed through both the first and second opening, the first and second mating components capable of being selectively joined together to form a waterproof seal between the components and configured to allow the strap to be slidably disposed through the connector assembly. In one aspect, the connector assembly comprises a gasket, the gasket configured to render the connector assembly waterproof when the first and second mating components are selectively joined together. In another aspect, the mating components of the connector assembly are configured to selectively join together with at least one of a tongue-in-groove seal, a snap seal, and a magnetic seal; and where the seal is configured to render the connector assembly waterproof when the first and second mating components are selectively joined together.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus further comprises where the apparatus has a back exterior surface and a frame integrated with the bag, the frame configured to provide at least one of a shape of the bag and a spacing of the bag, and wherein the frame is configured to create a ventilation space between the back surface of the bag and a user carrying the bag. In one aspect, the apparatus further comprises a frame wherein at least part of the frame is configured to be capable of being reversibly bowed by tension. In another aspect, the apparatus comprises a bag with a connector for the frame, the connector configured to integrate the frame with the bag; and the bag further comprising an additional connector for the frame, the connector configured to integrate a frame that is bowed by tension with the bag. In yet another aspect, the apparatus further comprises a tensioner coupled to the frame wherein the tensioner is configured to bow the frame when the tensioner is at least one of adjusted and coupled to the frame.

In certain embodiments, the bag may include i) wherein the bag defines an interior compartment that is waterproof, ii) at least one stop coupled to the strap or wherein the strap is configured to contain a portion of the strap which is wider or of a different shape than an opening in the bag and capable of stopping the strap from traveling further through the opening, iii) at least one waterproof or water absorbing closure or partial closure in contact with the strap wherein the closure or partial closure reduces or extracts water from or on a strap as the strap is moved through the closure or partial closure, and iv) wherein the strap is a continuous length of strap or comprises a plurality of lengths straps connected to form a continuous length of strap. In one instance, the bag may further include a frame wherein the frame is configured to create a ventilation space between the back surface of the bag and a user carrying the bag. In one instance the bag includes a frame that at least part of the frame is capable of being bowed by tension. In another instance the bag includes a connector for the frame to integrate the frame with the bag and at least one additional connector for the frame that connects a frame that is bowed by tension to the bag. In yet another instance, the bag includes a tensioner coupled to the frame wherein the tensioner can be adjusted to bow the frame.

While the apparatus and method has or will be described for the sake of grammatical fluidity with functional explanations, it is to be expressly understood that the claims, unless expressly formulated under 35 USC 112, are not to be construed as necessarily limited in any way by the construction of “means” or “steps” limitations, but are to be accorded the full scope of the meaning and equivalents of the definition provided by the claims under the judicial doctrine of equivalents, and in the case where the claims are expressly formulated under 35 USC 112 are to be accorded full statutory equivalents under 35 USC 112.

The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.”

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

The apparatuses and methods for their use can “comprise,” “consist essentially of,” or “consist of” any of the elements or steps disclosed throughout the specification.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words, “at least one of” A, B, “and” C, means any one of A, B, or C, or any combination thereof. As an example, “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” means X, Y, Z, X+Y, X+Z, or Y+Z. As another example, “at least one of a D and a E”, means D, E, or D+E.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the examples, while indicating specific embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. Additionally, it is contemplated that changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

The disclosure can be better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein like elements are referenced by like numerals.

