WO2008141645A1

WO2008141645A1 - Protective unit for storing a pliable item

Info

Publication number: WO2008141645A1
Application number: PCT/DK2008/000186
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Hsiangiui Brown
Original assignee: Kapera, Jolanta, Elzieta
Priority date: 2007-05-24
Filing date: 2008-05-19
Publication date: 2008-11-27

Abstract

The present invention concerns a protective unit for storing at least one pliable item, where the item is folded and/or rolled up to a size largely corresponding to the protective unit. The protective unit is arranged and fixed only at one side of the pliable item, where the protective unit at two opposing edges includes at least one locking device that includes interacting locking means, and where the pliable item is enclosed by the protective unit and is fixed by the interacting locking means. Hereby is achieved a rapid and easy packing of a pliable item, such as a bag, a towel, bathing suit or similar which can be folded and/or rolled. When the pliable item has been folded and possibly rolled up at a position above the protective unit, this will now, by further rolling up, constitute the outermost surface of the item. A bath towel may e.g. be rolled up and enclosed by means of the protective device according to the invention.

Description

Protective Unit for Storing a Pliable Item

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a protective unit for storing at least one pliable item, where the item may be folded and/or rolled up to a size largely corresponding to that of the protective unit.

Description of Prior Art

It is a commonly known problem that bags carried for transporting shopping articles are preferably to be stored and hid away in a handbag, a glove compartment in a car or in a pocket in a jacket, or the like. It is a clear advantage to be able to carry such a bag that may easily be put out of sight as one does not need to buy a paper bag or plastic bag each time of shopping. A solution to this problem is known from US 6,230,950 Bl where a bag with a carrying handle or with shoulder straps is indicated. This bag may be folded and rolled up into the form of a cylinder, where the bag is fixed in this shape by a flap which is fastened at one end of one side of the bag and which may be fixed in a lock at the other side. When the bag is in use, this flap is used as a kind of lid over the opening of the bag.

Furthermore, it is prior art that bedclothes, which are rolled up or folded during transport, e.g. when children are visiting friends overnight, are difficult to handle without unfolding them before the intended time. A solution to this problem is indicated in US 6,657,570 Bl, where a pocket with an opening at one side is arranged sewn upon a piece of bedclothes. The bedclothes are folded over the pocket, and the first part of the pocket is reversed around the bedclothes, and subsequently the second part of the pocket is reversed around the bedclothes.

Both of these solutions are useful for the particular purposes, though with certain in- conveniencies. The bag has a relatively large flap which quite right is used as lid for the bag, but which will be in the way most of the time, during filling as well as during emptying of the bag. The bedclothes with the pocket sewn upon it has the drawback that it is not very easy to use, as a rather big size of the pocket is required for enabling turning the back of the pocket out around the bedclothes. Furthermore, it is not expe- dient to have such a pocket fitted on all of one's bedclothes.

It is the purpose of the invention to indicate a solution which is suitable for storing and transporting items such as bags, swimwear, towels, blankets, rugs and similar in rolled up and protected condition, where the surroundings are also protected against contact with the rolled up item.

Description of the Invention

As mentioned in the introduction, the invention concerns a protective unit for storing at least one pliable item where the protective unit is arranged and fixed at only one side of the pliable item, where the protective unit at two opposing edges includes at least one locking device that includes interacting locking means, and where the pliable item is enclosed by the protective unit and is fixed by the interacting locking means.

Hereby is achieved a rapid and easy packing of a pliable item, such as a bag, a towel, blanket, swimwear or similar which can be folded and/or rolled. When the pliable item has been folded and possibly rolled up at a position above the protective unit, by further rolling up, this will now constitute the outermost surface of the item. A wet bath towel and possible swimwear may e.g. be rolled up and enclosed by means of the pro- tective device according to the invention. Hereby the surroundings are protected against moisture from the bath towel as well as the bath towel will not be smudged by sand or other matter.

The mentioned locking means may be snap fasteners, Velcro bands, zippers or other suitable types of locking means which, as mentioned, are disposed at opposing edges on the protective unit itself and which may easily be brought into mutual engagement in a locked position.

In a preferred embodiment, a protective unit according to the invention is fixed to the pliable item along part of the periphery, and preferably along Mt-part , %-part or more of the periphery. Together with the pliable item, the protective unit may thus constitute a pocket which e.g. may be an advantage on a blanket used in connection with a picnic or a trip to the beach. In the present connection, the fact that a protective unit according to the invention is fixed along the periphery or part of the periphery is to be regarded as at the periphery or close to the periphery, so that at least the part of the periphery upon which one part of the interacting locking means are arranged appears as a flap outside the said fixing.

Furthermore, a belt or similar may be arranged under the protective unit if it is only attached to the pliable item at two opposing sides, for example corresponding to 2/4 of the periphery of the protective unit, whereby a passage is left between the pliable item and the protective unit. This application with a belt is, of course, also an option even if the protective unit is attached to a greater part of the periphery, provided apertures allowing the passage of a belt or similar are provided at opposite sides. A further possibility of mounting a belt is to arrange one or more loops on the protective unit, corresponding to the type of belt loops known from jeans and other trousers where the belt is arranged in these loops.

In a further variant of the invention, the protective unit is secured to the pliable item. This fixing may be provided by gluing, sewing or other kinds of permanent fastening. Thus is achieved a solution in which the protective unit is a totally integrated part of the item. For example, the protective unit may be secured to a bath towel at the middle of one end. The protective unit may thus constitute a small pillow or alternatively, by disposing it at a corner of a rug, the protective unit may constitute a pocket for storing car keys or similar during the use of the rug.

Another variant of a protective unit is where the protective unit is detachably fastened to the pliable item. This fastening may advantageously be effected by Velcro bands or similar, and thus it may possible to use one and the same protective unit for various pliable items. By this variant, there is also achieved possibility of combining different colours of the protective unit and of the pliable items. For example, a customer does not need to buy a red rug with a red protective unit, as protective units and pliable items both may be offered with many different colours and qualities which may be combined freely afterwards. A further advantage of being able to dismount the protective unit is that it may be dismounted in connection with washing the pliable item. A further variant of a protective unit according to the invention is that only the protective unit is provided with at least one pocket, preferably a closable pocket with closing means. The detached or dismounted protective unit may thus constitute a small bag for storing valuables or similar. By making the protective unit in a moisture impervious material and with a tight closure, it may even be used as a bag carried while bathing at a beach where one is rather not to leave any valuable items. Furthermore, an application of the protective unit may be as seat pad. This application may advantageously be provided with the protective unit fastened on or detached from the pliable item. Moreover, the protective unit can be made of many different materials, e.g. heavy fabric, plastic, rubber or other suitable materials.

The protective unit may in one embodiment be provided with at least one handle, preferably one or more carrying handles, shoulder straps, loop or with a belt. These may be used for fixing the protective unit around a wrist or around the waist of a user during swimming, where the protective unit is used as a bag for valuables. Such a protective unit may possibly be provided with a belt or waist-belt so that the protective unit can be carried in this way used as pocket or bag for valuables in addition to the pliable item being stored in the protective unit. Alternatively, a carrying handle, shoulder straps or keychain loop may be used during transport of the folded/rolled up item. The mentioned types of handles can be made of the same material as the protective unit, but may also be made of other materials.

In a preferred embodiment, a protective unit according to the invention may include that the mentioned handles, carrying handles, shoulder straps, loop or belt are provided with one or more pockets, preferably closable pockets. Such pockets may e.g. be used for storing e.g. keys, money, sunglasses, lotion or a water bottle, and may advantageously be provided with a closing device with zipper, maybe even a watertight zipper, buttons, Velcro or other suitable closing device.

These bags may be with an opening along or transverse to the handle, carrying handle, shoulder straps or belt. An alternative embodiment may be that at one half of e.g. a belt, there is provided an opening along the belt, whereas at the other half there is provided an opening transverse to the belt.

For example, it may be advantageous to keep money and keys in a pocket along a belt if this is used about the waist, as it may readily be opened without risking that the contents of the pocket are falling out. However, if the belt is used as shoulder strap, a pocket with an opening transverse to the belt may provide the same advantage.

In the description above, variants of a protective unit according to the invention are described. This description is, however, not exhaustive, and it is obvious that the skilled in the art may provide modifications which are not mentioned, but which may still be included in the scope of the appended claims.

Short Description of the Drawing

The invention may be described more closely with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a protective unit in rolled up condition;

Fig. 2 shows a protective unit fixed on a partially folded item;

Fig. 3 shows a dismounted protective unit with Velcro band as fastening and locking means; and

Fig. 4 shows a protective unit provided as a pocket with handle.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In Fig. 1 appears a protective unit 1 which is closed around a folded and rolled item

2, here being a rug or a bath towel. The closing is effected by interacting locking means 3, 4, which are here constituted by Velcro bands mounted at two opposing edges 5, 6 on the protective unit 1. The protective unit shown here is rectangular, but it can be made square, round, oval, edged or have any other preferred shape and at the same time have the effect as describe above and below.

In Fig. 2 is seen a protective unit 1 which is fixed to a partly folded item 2 by sewing or gluing or by other suitable methods, and where the locking means 3 and 4 also appear. As it appears from the Figure, the protective unit 1 may be disposed at different points on the pliable item 2 as shown with broken lines.

In Fig. 3 appears a pliable item 2 with fastening means 7 that correspond to other fastening means 8 on the protective unit 1, which is shown here as detached and with Velcro bands as fastening means 7 and 8. Furthermore, locking means 3 and 4, also constituted by Velcro bands, are also shown.

Finally, in Fig. 4 is shown a dismounted protective unit 1 with an opening 9 and by which the protective unit 1 constitutes a small bag or pocket which is suited for storing valuables. The protective unit 1 is furthermore provided with a fastening strap 10 with which it may be fastened around a wrist or around the waist of a user, e.g. during a swim. By making the protective unit in a watertight material and with a watertight closure, there is achieved an advantageous protection of possible valuables under many different conditions, such as during swimming and in rainy weather.

Claims

1. A protective unit (1) for storing at least one pliable item (2), where the item (2) may be folded and/or rolled up to a size largely corresponding to that of the protective unit (1), where the protective unit (1) is arranged and fixed only at one side of the pliable item (2), where the protective unit (1) at two opposing edges (5, 6) includes at least one locking device that includes interacting locking means (3, 4), and where the pliable item (2) is enclosed by the protective unit (1) and is fixed by the interacting locking means (3, 4), characterised in that the protective unit (1) is fixed to the pliable item (2) along part of the periphery, preferably along Vi-part , %-part or more of the periphery.

2. A protective unit (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the protective unit (1) is secured to the pliable item (2).

3. A protective unit (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the protective unit (1) is detachably fastened to the pliable item (2).

4. A protective unit (1) according to any claims 1 - 3, characterised in that the pro- tective unit (1) is provided with at least one pocket, preferably a closable pocket with closing means.

5. A protective unit (1) according to any of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that the protective unit (1) is made of a moisture impervious material.

6. A protective unit (1) according to any of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that the protective unit (1) is provided with at least one handle (10), preferably one or more carrying handles or loops (10) or shoulder straps (10), or with a belt.

7. A protective unit (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the handle (10), carrying handle or loop (10), shoulder straps (10) or belt (10) is provided with one or more pockets, preferably closable pockets.

8. A protective unit (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the pockets are provided with an opening along the handle (10), carrying handle (10), shoulder straps (10) or belt (10).

9. A protective unit (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the pockets are provided with an opening transversely to the handle (10), carrying handle (10), shoulder straps (10) or the belt (10).