Abstract:
A bag assembly for saving time in the organization, storage, and transportation of sporting equipment. The bag assembly includes a frame assembly with a pivotable upper frame member, a cover member, and a pair of strap members.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to convertible bags and more particularly pertains to a new bag assembly for saving time in the organization, storage, and transportation of sporting equipment. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of convertible bags is known in the prior art. More specifically, convertible bags heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,982,820; 2,476,932; 668,864; 930,343; 792,793; and U.S. Pat. No. Design 363,600. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new bag assembly. The inventive device includes a frame assembly with a pivotable upper frame member, a cover member, and a pair of strap members. 
     In these respects, the bag assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of saving time in the organization, storage, and transportation of sporting equipment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of convertible bags now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new bag assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for saving time in the organization, storage, and transportation of sporting equipment. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new bag assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the convertible bags mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new bag assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art convertible bags, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a frame assembly with a pivotable upper frame member, a cover member, and a pair of strap members. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new bag assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the convertible bags mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new bag assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art convertible bags, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new bag assembly that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new bag assembly that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new bag assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such bag assembly economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new bag assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new bag assembly for saving time in the organization, storage, and transportation of sporting equipment. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new bag assembly which includes a frame assembly, a cover member, and a pair of strap members. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new bag assembly that facilitates the air-drying of sporting equipment. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new bag assembly that provides and organizational system for storing, putting on, and taking off sporting equipment. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new bag assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention in the open condition. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1 view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the frame member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic detail view of the present invention taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new bag assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the bag assembly  10  generally comprises a frame assembly  20 , a cover member  50 , and a pair of strap members  60 . 
     The frame assembly  20  includes a pair of generally trapezoidal end portions  30 . The frame assembly  20  includes a centrally positioned upper frame member  22  which has a proximal end pivotally coupled to an upper cross member  32  of a first one of the end portions  30 . The upper frame member  22  extends between the end portions  30  such that a hook portion  24  positioned at a distal end of the upper frame member  22  is selectively engageable to an upper cross member  32  of a second one of the end portions  30 . 
     The upper cross member  32  of the second one of the end portions includes a neck portion  38  for receiving the hook portion  24  of the upper frame member  22 . 
     The first one of the end portions  30  includes a sleeve portion  34  which extends between the upper cross member  32  and a lower cross member  33  of the first one of the end portions  30 . The sleeve member  34  is aligned with the proximal end of the upper frame member  22 . The sleeve member  34  includes an open upper end and a closed lower end. 
     The proximal end of the upper frame member  22  includes a longitudinal slot  26 . 
     A pin member  36  extends across the open end of the sleeve member  34 . The pin member  36  is inserted through the longitudinal slot  26  such that the pin member  36  is slidable in the longitudinal slot  26  such that the proximal end of the upper frame member  22  is insertable into the open end of the sleeve member  34  when the upper frame member  22  is pivoted into an upright position. Thus the sleeve member  34  holds the upper frame member  22  in the upright position when the proximal end of the upper frame member  22  is fully inserted into the sleeve member  34 . 
     The frame assembly  20  includes a pair of lower frame members  40 . Each of the lower frame members  40  extends in a spaced generally parallel relationship to each other between the end portions  30 . 
     The cover member  50  envelops the frame assembly  20 . The cover member  50  includes a base portion  52  for receiving a bottom of the frame assembly  20 . Thus the bottom of the frame assembly  20  holds the base portion  52  in a generally planar position. 
     The cover member  50  includes a slit  54  extending between medial portions of opposite ends of the base portion  52  to form a pair of upper side portions  53 . Opposite sides of the slit  54  are couplable to each other for closing the cover member  50  around the frame assembly  20 . 
     Each of the strap members  60  includes opposite ends coupled to an associated one of the upper side portions  53  to form a pair of loops for facilitating carrying of the bag assembly  10 . 
     The cover member  50  includes a plurality of exterior pockets  56  positioned on an exterior surface of the cover member  50  for permitting access to each of the exterior pockets  56  when the cover member  50  is closed. 
     The cover member  50  includes a plurality of flap portions  58 . Each of the flap portions  58  is positioned adjacent to an opening of an associated one of the exterior pockets  56  thus each flap portion  58  is positioned for covering the opening of the associated exterior pocket  56 . 
     A first portion of hook and loop fastener is coupled to each of the flap portions  58 . A second portion of a hook and loop fastener is coupled to an exterior surface of each of the exterior pockets  56 . The second portion of hook and loop fastener is complimentary to the first portion of hook and loop fastener thus each flap portion  58  is engageable to the exterior surface of the associated exterior pocket  56  for holding the flap portion  58  over the opening of the associated exterior pocket  56 . Thus each the flap portion  58  is designed for preventing an object positioned in the associated exterior pocket  56  from passing through the opening of the associated exterior pocket  56  when the first portion of hook and loop fastener is engaged to the second portion of the hook and loop fastener. 
     In use, the user would open the cover member and extend the upper cross member into an upright position. As an illustrative example if the sporting goods to be transported were for hockey the following order would be used. The user would first place their gloves on the upper cross member, followed in order by: helmet, jersey, elbow pads, shoulder pads, skates, pants, socks, knee pad, and athletic support if appropriate. The user would then return the upper cross member to the horizontal position and place the hook portion over the neck portion of the end portion. The sporting goods can then be transported to or from the sporting area and are ready to be removed and put on by the user in the proper order. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.