Utility bag with sustained open configuration

A cloth bag having the property of maintaining a sustained open-bag configuration once opened and the sides arranged vertically comprising a flat base, a pair of flexible yet retentive side panels and a pair of supple end panels attached to the base, a flexible yet retentive divider panel attached to the end panels and base to divide the bag into two large compartments, closure means, such as a zipper, to join the side panels together along their top edges and fold back and join the end panel top edges onto themselves to form exterior flaps that are folded down and attached to the end flap near the base and a handle for carrying same.

This invention pertains to the field of cloth containers and like 
receptacles otherwise known as utility bags. More particularly, this 
invention pertains to flexible cloth bags generally termed "parachute" 
bags. 
Flexible bags of the "parachute" type are characterized by having a smooth 
elongated flat base from which a pair of opposed side panels extend 
upward, joined to a pair of opposed end panels that also extend upward 
from the base and a closure means arranged along the top edge of the 
panels to close the side panel top edges together and close the end panel 
top edges back on themselves to form an exterior flap at each end thereof. 
The end flaps are then folded down over the outside of the end panels and 
attached to the bottom thereof by snaps or Velcro (trademark) pads or 
other connection means. The closed compact configuration is a bag with an 
elongated semiround top and buttoned-down end flaps. Usually a pair of 
"U"-shaped straps are arranged inverted such that the straight sections of 
each "U" are attached to each side panel with the "U" loops extending 
above the top of the closed bag for grasping as a handle. The advantages 
of this parachute luggage are that it is light in weight as compared to 
solid-walled luggage, and very durable. In addition, the bag expands in 
proportion to the amount of material stored therein. These bags are easy 
to pack into an enclosed area, such as an automobile trunk, because the 
flexible panels are easily deformable to a variety of shapes. Side pockets 
and zippered pouches may be added internally or externally to increase the 
useable volume and provide compartmentalization when desired. 
A problem has arisen with these type containers in that because the side 
and end panels are supple and not self-supporting, the bag collapses under 
its own weight to crumple the opening and interfere with proper packing. 
In other words, it won't stand up and remain open on its own. One is 
therefore reduced to holding the bag open with one hand and packing 
materials into it with the other hand. This sometimes causes items to be 
dropped and broken and/or sometimes causes articles to be caught in the 
collapsed bag to be later jostled or broken when the bag is again 
re-opened to its fullest extent. 
One solution to this problem is to insert a spring wire frame in the end 
panels arranged to provide a sprung open configuration during loading and 
a folded down compact configuration when the bag is closed. Problems with 
this solution include the spring wire ends tearing through the cloth and 
the fact that these wires prohibit the bag from being washed or 
dry-cleaned because of the rusting that inevitably would follow. There has 
been some attempt at using a plastic wire frame in lieu of the spring wire 
frame, however, the same problems with respect to the tearing occur and in 
addition, the plastic wire tends to break during extended use. 
This invention is a cloth parachute-type bag that, once opened to its 
fullest extent, will remain open until it is forcibly closed, all without 
the use of wire frames. It has been discovered that (1) if a center 
divider panel is added to the bag between the side panels and attached to 
the end panels so as to make the bag a two-compartment container, (2) if a 
sheet of material that is flexible yet has memory is added to the side 
panels and the divider panel, and (3) if a flat strip or strap of flexile 
material of heavier gauge than the end panel material is sewn into the top 
of the end panels near the top edge thereof, the bag may be opened and the 
side and end panels straightened up into an open configuration that will, 
when not disturbed, remain fully open so that both hands may be used to 
load and unload the bag. Not only are the spring wire or plastic wire 
frames eliminated, but the bag is now completely washable. 
Accordingly, the main object of this invention is the construction of a 
cloth utility bag of the parachute type that will, without the use of wire 
frames, retain a sustained open-bag configuration when first opened to 
permit easier loading and unloading thereof. Other objects of this 
invention include a bag that is not subject to rust discoloration from the 
corrosive effects on the wire openers during washing, a bag that is 
completely washable and reusable by merely placing it in a washing 
machine, and a bag that may be made waterproof, decorated, or have pockets 
and pouches added, all without any decrease in the open-bag feature. These 
and other objects of the invention will become more apparent to the reader 
upon studying the description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings 
appended hereto; the protection sought by the inventor for this advance in 
the state-of-the-art is set forth in the claims that complete this 
disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
This invention calls for the use of cloths and sheet materials displaying a 
variety of characteristics that are not generally subject to standard or 
industrial nomenclature. Accordingly, I have undertaken herein to define 
these characteristics by use of ordinary words and terms which I believe 
best describe them. For instance, one material must be "flexible yet 
retentive" meaning that while it is capable of being crushed easily by 
hand, once released, it reverts back to a flat sheet. Another material is 
to be "supple" meaning easily crushed by hand and not revertable to a flat 
sheet or other previous form when released but then again, not incapable 
of use as a rather flat sheet when cut and sewn into such a configuration. 
Finally, I call for a "flexible" meaterial meaning that it can be bent or 
folded, not necessarily crushed with the hand, and it will remain in the 
bent or folded configuration or the last formed configuration until 
disturbed by a force other than gravity. 
A typical bag of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and begins with a 
base 1 which is a flat sheet made from cloth or plastic that is bounded by 
a defined outer edge 3, usually in the shape of a rectangle however, other 
geometries are certainly includable within the scope herein. Preferably, 
base 1 is comprised of two or more layers of cloth such as a 400 or 420 
denier woven nylon 8 ounce/yard cloth like Parapack (trademark) with an 
interposed layer of a flexible yet retentive sheet material. There are 
many materials that will come within this definition; most of them are 
thin sheets of flexible polymeric foam such as polyethylene, 
polypropylene, polyurethane foams, either reticulated (opened celled) or 
closed cell, either fabric backed, film backed, skinned or non-skinned. 
One of the most useful flexible rest retentive materials is 1/8 inch thick 
reticulated flexible polyurethane foam having a 200 denier woven 
nylon/oxford cloth backing. 
A pair of opposed flexible yet retentive side panels 5 extend upward from 
opposed portions of based outer edge 3 and are joined to base 1 by sewing, 
thermowelding, adhesives or by other well-known techniques. Side panels 5 
terminate at respective top edges 7 and side edges 9. Preferably, side 
panels 5 are made in the same construction as base 1 just described, 
including the flexible yet retentive foam sheet. 
A pair of opposed supple end panels 11 extend upward from opposed free 
(i.e., not taken up by side panels 5) portions of base outer edge 3 and 
terminate at respective top edges 13 and side edges 15. End panels 11 are 
also joined to base 1 by sewing, thermowelding, adhesives, or by other 
well-known techniques. The mutually adjacent side edges 9 and 15 of side 
panels 5 and end panels 11 are then joined to form the bag. 
A flexible yet retentive divider panel 17 is interposed or set upright 
between side panels 5 and attached at its side edges 19 to end panels 11 
and along its bottom edge 21 to base 1. Divider panel top edge 23 is left 
unattached and, in fact, top edge 23 is set below side panel top edges 7 
for reasons to be explained later. 
In the preferred embodiment of this invention, side panels 5 and base 1 are 
made in one continuous strip using outer layers of Parapack (trademark) 
nylon with a layer of 1/8 inch thick reticulated polyurethane cloth-backed 
foam placed therebetween. Side panels 5 are merely bent upward from base 1 
and a welt or other narrow strip of fabric 26 is sewn along the fold line 
to mark the edge of base 1. Then end panels 11, made from two layers of 
Parapack (trademark) nylon without the interposed foam, are then moved 
into place and their edges 15 sewn to side panel edges 9 and then sewn 
along the bottom end panel edges 25 to base 3. Then, divider panel 17, 
constructed like base 1 and side panels 5, is sewn into place inside the 
bag. It is preferred that all panels and base 1 are rectangular. Also, all 
exposed seams are covered with a narrow strip of welt 26, a segment 
thereof shown in FIG. 1. 
While it is probably aesthetically desired that divider panel 17 divide the 
bag into two equal compartments, it is by no means necessary for the 
operation of this invention. Panel 17 should, however, divide the bag into 
two large compartments and, as shown in FIG. 2, panel 17 does form large 
compartments 27 and 29 respectively. 
Along panel top edges 7 and 13 is a closure means 31 for joining together 
side panels 5, along their total top edge, and for simultaneously closing 
each end panel top edge 13 over onto itself to form an exterior or 
outwardly pointing end flap 33. End flaps 33 may then be folded down over 
the outside of end panels 5 and temporarily attached to the lower part 
thereof by means 35, shown in FIG. 1 as a Velcro (trademark) pad, one 
piece 37 attached to end panel 5 and the other piece 39 attached to the 
underside end of a cloth strip 41 carrying closure means 31. As shown, 
attachment means 31 is a zipper, preferably a nylon coil zipper, however, 
other closure means such as Velcro (trademark) and snap or buttons may be 
used. 
When the bag is to be closed, side panel top edges 7 are moved together and 
end panel top edges 13 are folded over onto themselves and the zipper 
closed. At the same time side panel top edges 7 are pushed downward to 
contact divider panel top edge 23. When fully closed and end flaps 33 
fastened, the bag will have a rounded top appearance and a height near 
that of divider panel 17; that is the reason for the relative shortness of 
height of divider panel 17. 
A flat strip or strap or narrow, elongated length 43 of flexile material, 
of heavier gauge than end panel 11 is attached to end panel 11 near its 
top edge 13 and extends therealong from side edge 15 to side edge 15 to 
provide the sustained open-bag configuration to this bag when it is 
opened, the panels vertically set or arranged by hand and strips 43 are 
straightened with the fingers by pulling at the ends thereof. sewn or 
glued directly onto end panels 11 but in the preferred embodiment shown in 
FIG. 3, strap 43 is interposed two layers 45 and 47 of Parapack 
(trademark) nylon cloth making up end panel 11 and held in place by 
parallel lines 49 of stitching. A preferred flexile material is woven 
polypropylene strap 11/2 inches in width. 
FIG. 4 shows a typical cross-section of the flexible yet retentive panel 
and shows spaced-apart cloth layers 51 and 53 with a layer 55 of flexible 
yet retentive sheet material held therebetween. 
A handle 57 is provided for carrying the bag. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 
handle 57 comprises a pair of straps 59 of finite length arranged in an 
inverted U-shape configuration with their straight segments 61 sewn or 
attached to side panels 5 and their intermediate U-shaped segments 65 
extending above closure means 31 for grasping. A pouch 67 is shown affixed 
to the outside of side panel 5 and is enterable through zipper 69. These 
additions may be made to the bag without detracting from the open 
configuration achieved through the use of this invention.