Abstract:
A lightweight, rugged and easy-to-carry beach bag is well suited to serve a primary function as a tote for containing and transporting items useful during an excursion to a beach or other waterside location—items such as towels, swimwear, swimgear, sunscreen, snacks, drinks, reading material and the like. Should an emergency arise necessitating a rescue of a person in peril of drowning, the bag&#39;s contents are jettisoned, enabling a quick collapse of the bag as a chain of hinged flotation elements that form an upstanding sidewall of the bag folds in an orderly manner so the bag forms a compact, substantially flat flotation device well suited to serve a secondary function of keeping afloat the person in peril who forcefully grasps the flotation device so a rescuer can tow the person toward shore by pulling on a lengthy tether securely connected to the flotation device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This non-provisional (utility type) application is a continuation-in-part of a still-pending non-provisional (utility type) application Ser. No. 13/507,140 filed Jun. 7, 2012 by Stephen Parker Leatherman entitled LIFESAVING TOTE BAG (Atty&#39;s Docket No. 6-870) that claimed the benefit of a Jun. 15, 2011 filing date of a provisional (utility type) application Ser. No. 61/520,815 entitled LIFESAVING TOTE BAG (Atty&#39;s Docket No. 6-869). 
         [0002]    The above-referenced no-provisional (utility type) application Ser. No. 13/507,140 was filed Jun. 7, 2012 while the above-referenced provisional (utility type) application filed Jun. 15, 2011 was still pending. 
         [0003]    The disclosures of each of the above-referenced applications are incorporated into the present application by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0004]    Although beachgoers and the like typically have little if any hesitation to carry a tote bag or other type of simple carry-all device with them during excursions to the beach, a reluctance nonetheless exists to be seen carrying a life preserver, life jacket, life vest or the like on such excursions. Unfortunately, this is true despite the fact that many drownings take place at beaches and along other waterside locations where the availability and quick use of a simple flotation device could save lives. 
         [0005]    The term “beach bag” commonly refers to an easy-to-carry tote bag provided with one or more handles, and having a releasably closed interior chamber that is well suited to contain and protectively transport a small collection of items useful during an excursion to a beach or other waterside location. Items typically carried in a beach bag include towels, swimwear, swimgear, sunscreen, snacks, drinks, reading materials and the like. The present invention relates to such a beach bag. 
         [0006]    Over the years, variously configured flotation devices have been proposed that are intended to be tossed, thrown, extended or otherwise delivered to a person in peril of drowning so the person can forcefully grasp the flotation device to be kept afloat while being towed toward shore or other location of safety by a rescuer who tugs on an elongate tether securely connected to the flotation device. The present invention relates beach bag having a uniquely configured upstanding sidewall that enables the beach bag to be quickly and easily collapsed by being folded in an orderly manner to form a compact and substantially flat flotation device that is well suited to be forcefully grasped by the person in peril who can then be towed toward shore or other location of safety by a rescuer who pulls on an elongate tether securely connected to the flotation device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It has long been desirable to have a rapidly deployable flotation device at hand while one is enjoying an excursion to a beach or other waterside location where a possibility always exists that someone may find themselves in peril of drowning. Even frequent beach visitors can find themselves unexpectedly in need of water rescue—if, for example, they have waded into water that is over their heads, or 2) they are being carried offshore by an unseen current, or 3) they have experienced a life-threatening medical condition. 
         [0008]    The present invention takes advantage of the ease and familiarity that beachgoers and others have with beach bags to cause quickly-configurable flotation devices to be inconspicuously brought along during excursions to the beach or other waterside venues—by providing beach bags with substantially unobstructed interior chambers and upstanding sidewalls formed from chains of hingedly connected flotation elements that can quickly fold in an orderly manner to form a compact, substantially flat, easily grasped flotation device once contents of the beach bag are jettisoned. 
         [0009]    To insure that an interior chamber of each beach bag that embodies the present invention has the capacity to house and transport a small yet meaningful collection of items that are useful during an excursion to a beach or other waterside location (without causing the bag to become overloaded or too burdensome to carry), the interior chamber preferably has a volume of about a cubic foot, but no greater than about one and a half cubic feet. 
         [0010]    To facilitate transporting beach bags embodying the present invention, each bag is preferably provided with one or a pair of handles connected to upper portions of an upstanding sidewall of the bag. In one form, one or two lengthy strap-type handles each have their opposite end regions connected to upper portions of the upstanding sidewall of a bag located on opposite sides of the bag—so the handle or handles loop upwardly as they overlie the the upwardly opening top of the bag. In a more preferred form, two smaller upwardly looping handles each have its opposite end regions connected to an upper portion of the upstanding sidewall of the bag, so that the handles are located on opposite sides of the upwardly opening top of the bag. 
         [0011]    Each beach bag that embodies features of the present invention has, in common, two features associated with the interior chamber of the bag—features that help to give the beach bag a capability to quickly and easily transform from an expanded tote-bag-mode of configuration to a compact, substantially flat flotation-device-mode of configuration. One of these features calls for the interior chamber of the beach bag to be perimetrically surrounded by an upstanding sidewall of substantially uniform height that is defined by an endless chain of hingedly connected, substantially rectangular, relatively stiff flotation elements. The other of these features calls for the interior chamber to have no dividers or other structures that extend across the interior chamber of the bag in a way that could obstruct a rapid and orderly folding of the upstanding sidewall of the bag that permits an expanded beach bag to be quickly transformed into a compact, substantially flat, easily grasped flotation device. 
         [0012]    The hinged connections that couple each adjacent pair of the flotation elements in the chain that perimetrically wraps the interior chamber extend along lines that parallel each other—and that thereby facilitate a quick and easy folding in an orderly manner as a beach bag that has been emptied of contents is collapsed to provide a compact, substantially flat flotation device that can be easily grasped by a person in peril of drowning. 
         [0013]    To form the endless chain of hingedly connected flotation elements of the upstanding sidewall, a pair of relatively long, identically configured and exactly over-lapping sheets of thin, preferably slick-surfaced, water impervious, flexible material that are bonded one to the other along overlying top and bottom edge regions to define a relatively lengthy chamber located between the sheets. This lengthy chamber is subdivided by vertically extending lines of bonding that define the hinged lines of connection referred to just above. 
         [0014]    The thin, flexible material that covers substantially all flotation elements of the beach bags described herein can be formed from a wide range of substances such as nylon, polyester, other plastics, thin cloth, textiles, canvas or other solid or woven substances, some of which may be so new as to not even have widely reached the marketplace as yet. 
         [0015]    Each of the hingedly connected compartments of the chain is of generally rectangular configuration, and each snugly houses a single bat or panel of flotation material that also is of generally rectangular configuration. The flotation material that forms each bat or panel is of substantially uniform thickness, is relatively stiff, and preferably is defined by the same closed cell foam that is commonly used in wide variety of flotation devices, as is well known to those who are skilled in the art. 
         [0016]    In preferred practice, the two elongate, over-lapping sheets of thin, flexible materials as described above what preferably have relatively slick surfaces that cause the upstanding sidewall to resist being punctured by thorns, thistles, branches and twigs as the beach bag is carried to a selected waterside location. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments, the collapse of a beach bag to form a compact, substantially flat flotation device is achieved by causing selected opposed portions of the upstanding sidewall to translate toward and into engagement with each other, while at the same time, other portions of the upstanding sidewall pivot and fold in an orderly manner as they move away from the translating opposed sidewall portions and into engagement with each other—so that a compact and substantially flat flotation device is formed that includes of only two thicknesses of the flotation elements of the upstanding sidewall. 
         [0018]    In other embodiments, the collapse of a beach bag to form a compact, substantially flat flotation device is achieved by causing selected opposed sidewall portions to translate toward each other while, at the same time, intermediate sidewall portions fold in an orderly manner into a space that is located between the translating opposed sidewall portions—so that a compact and substantially flat flotation device is formed that includes four thicknesses of the flotation elements of the upstanding sidewall. 
         [0019]    Beach bags that embody the invention are also preferably provided with top walls or covers that are configured to overlie and close such upwardly facing openings as are defined by upper end regions of the upstanding sidewalls of the beach bags. In some embodiments, the top walls or covers are formed by a pair of substantially identical sheets that are continuously bonded along their peripheries to define a compartment or compartments that snugly enclose at least one relatively stiff flotation member between the two sheets. In some embodiments, the top walls or covers are hingedly connected to one or more of the flotation elements of the upstanding sidewall. In some embodiments, the top walls or covers have one or more openings formed therethrough that permit the upstanding handles to pass therethrough—so the presence of the handles extending through the openings in the top walls or covers helps the top walls or covers to stay in desired positions that close the top openings of the beach bags. 
         [0020]    In substantially all embodiments of the invention, the beach bag is provided with an elongate tether that is normally held out of view by being carried inside a pocket formation attached to a selected surface of the upstanding sidewall of the bag. The elongate tether has one end region connected to the upstanding sidewall of the beach bag, with the remainder of the elongate tether normally being carried within the pocket formation that is preferably normally held closed by providing the pocket formation with a releasably closed flap. The pocket formation and its flap are preferably constructed using thin, flexible material that can be held releasably closed by hook and loop material attached to the flap and to a near-by portion of the upstanding sidewall or of the pocket formation. An opposite end region of the elongate tether preferably forms a loop through which one can insert one&#39;s arm to sling the loop over one&#39;s shoulder so the tether and the associated flotation device can be towed during swimming toward a person in peril of drowning who grips the delivered flotation device, or while swimming toward shore or other location of safety. 
         [0021]    Beach bags that embody the invention preferably have thin, flexible bottom walls that are connected continuously along their entire peripheries to bottom portions of the chain of flotation elements that form the upstanding sidewall; and, each of the bottom walls is configured so it does not interfere with a quick and orderly folding of the flotation elements, as described above. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the bottom wall is water pervious and/or is a mesh material (or another material that is provided with a plurality of discrete openings formed therethrough that permit water that enters or may have entered the interior of the bag (and that might inhibit the collapse of the bag or delay a swimmer) can escape. 
         [0023]    If the beach bag has a pervious bottom wall, preferred practice calls for a sealed packet containing a commercially purchasable life vest or jacket to normally be carried within the interior of the beach bag at a location overlying the bottom wall in such a way as to normally close the openings of the bottom wall. When contents of the interior of the bag are jettisoned so the beach bag can be collapsed and rapidly folded to form a compact flotation device, the life vest or jacket is among contents that all are emptied from the bag&#39;s interior chamber. The presence and availability of a life vest or life jacket can safeguard the life of the rescuer who may chose to don the life vest or jacket if he or she is to enter the water to extend or otherwise deliver the compact, substantially flat flotation device to the person in peril of drowning, or while towing the person being rescued toward shore or other location of safety. 
         [0024]    In other embodiments, a water pervious bottom wall having openings formed therethrough may be overlaid with a sheet of solid material that prohibits entry of sand or the like into a bottom region of the interior chamber when the beach bag is resting on its bottom wall on a sandy beach. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    These, and other features and advantages of the combination beach bag and flotation device of the present invention such as are disclosed herein will become apparent from the description and claims that follow, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing one of two preferred forms of a beach bag embodying features of the present invention—with the beach bag in a normally expanded form, shown laying on one side portion of the bag&#39;s normally upstanding sidewall, with a pair of elongate looped-strap type handles connected to opposed portions of the upstanding sidewall of the bag, with one of the handles underlying a hinged and opened top or cover of the bag and being depicted by broken lines, with both of the handles being defined by a single elongate strap that not only has upwardly extending loops that define the two handles, but also reinforces opposite portions of the upstanding sidewall and the bottom wall of the bag, with a releasably closed pocket formation being provided on an exterior surface of the upstanding sidewall of the bag, and with the beach bag having a top or cover hingedly connected to an upper portion of the upstanding sidewall of the bag, and with hook and loop material being provided on the top or cover and on an upper surface of a portion of the upstanding sidewall opposite from where the the top or cover is pivotally connected to the bag&#39;s upstanding sidewall; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the bag on a reduced scale as seen from a plane indicated by a line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 , and showing eight example locations where hook and loop material can be provided on interior surface portions of the upstanding sidewall of the bag; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the beach bag of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed, substantially flat form that provides a compact, easy-to-grip flotation device, with the pocket open, and with an elongate tether fed or payed out from the pocket in which the elongate tether normally is housed, with the tether being foreshortened, with a loop being provided in an end region of the tether, and with one of the handles that underlies the pivoted-open cover of the bag again being depicted by broken lines; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing six relatively stiff flotation members that each is housed in a separate sealed compartment of the normally upstanding sidewall of the beach bag of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the beach bag as seen from a plane indicated by a line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 , with the top or cover of the bag closed, with a thin bottom wall of the bag being seen to have a plurality of discrete openings formed therethrough, and with a sealed packet containing a commercially purchased life vest or jacket positioned to overlie the bottom wall to close the discrete openings formed through the bottom wall; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  a perspective view showing a second of two preferred forms of a beach bag embodying features of the present invention—with the beach bag in a normally expanded form, shown laying on one side portion of the bag&#39;s upstanding sidewall, with a pair of elongate, substantially identical, looped-strap type handles connected to opposed portions of the upstanding sidewall of the bag, with one of the handles underlying sidewall and cover portions of the bag and therefore being depicted by broken lines, with a top or cover of the bag having elongate slots formed therethrough for the handles to extend therethrough, and with hook and loop material being provided on the interior of a depending lip of the top or cover, and on portions of the upstanding sidewall of the bag; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the beach bag of  FIG. 6 , as seen from a plane indicated by a line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 ; and, 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the beach bag of  FIG. 6  in a collapsed, substantially flat form that provides a compact, easy-to-grip flotation device, with a pocket formation provided on an interior surface of the upstanding sidewall shown open, and with an elongate tether fed or payed out from the pocket in which the elongate tether normally is housed, with the tether shown foreshortened and having a relatively lengthy loop formed in one end region of the tether which has its opposite end region securely connected to the upstanding sidewall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]    In the paragraphs that follow, two similarly constructed and similarly performing collapsible and expandable beach bags  100  and  200  are described.  FIGS. 1-5  show features of the beach bag  100 .  FIGS. 6-8  show features of the beach bag  200 . 
         [0035]    As will quickly become apparent from a perusal of the paragraphs that follow, corresponding numerals are used to refer to similar components and features of the beach bags  100 ,  200 . The numerals used with components and features of the beach bag  200  differ by a magnitude of one hundred from the numerals used with corresponding components and features of the beach bag  100 . 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the beach bag  100  is shown in an expanded form with an interior chamber  101  that can be used to carry items useful during an excursion to a beach or other waterside location. In  FIG. 3 , a collapsed form  100 ′ of the beach bag  100  is shown that has all contents removed from the interior chamber  101  so the beach bag  100  can be folded to form the depicted compact, substantially flat, easily grasped flotation device  100 ′. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the beach bag  200  is shown in an expanded form with an interior chamber  201  that can be used to carry items during an excursion to a beach or other waterside location. In  FIG. 8 , a collapsed form  200 ′ of the beach bag  200  is shown that has all contents removed from the interior chamber  201  so the beach bag  200  can be folded to provide the depicted compact, substantially flat, easy to grasp flotation device  200 ′. 
         [0038]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the beach bag  100  has a continuous normally upstanding sidewall  110  that perimetrically surrounds the interior chamber  101  of the beach bag  100 . The upstanding sidewall  110  is defined by two identical, exactly overlying sheets  103 ,  105  of thin, slick, water impervious and tear-resistant plastic material that is quite flexible. The sheet  103  defines the exterior of the upstanding sidewall  110  of the beach bag  100 . The sheet  105  defines the interior of the upstanding sidewall  110  that faces inwardly toward the interior chamber  101 . Upper end portions of the upstanding sidewall  110  defines an upwardly opening  113  of the beach bag  100  that provides access to the interior chamber  101  of the beach bag  100 . 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the beach bag  200  has a continuous normally upstanding sidewall  210  that perimetrically surrounds the interior chamber  201  of the beach bag  200 . The upstanding sidewall  200  is defined by two identical, exactly overlying sheets  203 ,  205  of thin, slick, water-impervious and tear-resistant material that is quite flexible. The sheet  203  defines the exterior of the upstanding sidewall  210  of the beach bag  100 . The sheet  205  defines the interior of the upstanding sidewall  210  that faces inwardly toward the interior chamber  201 . Upper end portions of the upstanding sidewall  210  defines an upwardly opening  213  of the beach bag  200  that provides access to the interior chamber  201  of the beach bag  200 . 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 , upper and lower overlying portions of the exterior and interior sheets  103 ,  105  that form the upstanding sidewall  110  are bonded, sewn and/or otherwise securely continuously fixed, joined or sealed together. At separate locations (designated by the numerals  119 ) along the lengths of the overlying sheets  103 ,  105 , the overlying sheets  103 ,  105  are bonded, sewn and/or otherwise securely and continuously fixed, joined or sealed together, by which arrangement the upstanding sidewall  110  is divided into a chain of individual sealed compartments  120 , best shown in  FIG. 2 . The hinged bonded lines  119  along which adjacent ones of the sealed compartments  120  are joined and pivotally coupled extend parallel to each other—and extend substantially vertically when the beach bag  100  rests on its flexible bottom wall  115  which is labeled in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , upper and lower overlying portions of the exterior and interior sheets  203 ,  205  that form the upstanding sidewall  210  are bonded, sewn and/or otherwise securely continuously fixed, joined or sealed together. At separated locations (designated by the numerals  219 ) along the lengths of the overlying sheets  203 ,  205 , the overlying sheets  203 ,  205  are bonded, sewn and/or otherwise securely continuously fixed, joined or sealed together, by which arrangement the upstanding sidewall  210  is divided into a chain of individual sealed compartments  220 , best shown in  FIG. 7 . The lines  219  along which adjacent ones of the sealed compartments  220  are joined extend parallel to each other—and extend substantially vertically when the beach bag  200  rests on its flexible bottom wall  215  that is labeled in  FIGS. 6-8 . 
         [0042]    Before leaving the subject of the flexible bottom walls  115 ,  215 , it should be explained that each of the bottom walls  115 ,  215  is formed from a sheet of the same thin, slick-surfaced, and tear resistant material (such as has been described above) that forms the overlying sheets  103 ,  105  and  203 ,  205  of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210 , respectively. Furthermore, the perimeters of each of the bottom walls  115 ,  215  is continuously fixed, joined or sealed to all bottom portions of each of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210 , respectively. As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the beach bag  100  can have its bottom wall  115  provided with discrete openings formed therethrough to permit water that enters, or that may have entered, the interior chamber  101  to escape so the bag  100  will not act to inhibit forward movement of a swimmer—or so that water in the interior chamber  101  will not inhibit a proper orderly collapse of the beach bag. The beach bag  200 , shown in  FIGS. 6-8  is shown having a water impervious bottom wall  215 ; however, either or both of the bottom walls  115 ,  215  can be formed from mesh material, to let water pass readily therethrough. 
         [0043]    Housed within each of the individually sealed compartments  120  of the upstanding sidewall  110  of the beach bag  100  are generally rectangular, relatively stiff bats or panels  120  of closed foam flotation material such as is commonly used to form all manner of flotation devices that are well known to those who are skilled in the art.  FIG. 4  shows the six bats or panels  120  used in the upstanding sidewall  110  which are also designated by circled numerals  1  thru  6 . As can be seen, the bats or panels  120  designated by the numerals  1  and  2  are of substantially equal but of longer length than are the bats or panels designated by the numerals  3  thru  6 , which are of substantially equal but of shorter length. 
         [0044]    Housed within each of the individually sealed compartments  220  of the upstanding sidewall  210  of the beach bag  200  are ten relatively stiff bats or panels  220  of closed foam flotation material such as is commonly used to form all manner of flotation devices that are well known to those who are skilled in the art.  FIG. 7  has the various flotation bats or panels  220  designated by circled numerals  1  thru  10 . As can be seen, the bats or panels  220  designated by the numerals  7  thru  10  are of substantially equal but of longer length than are the bats or panels  220  designated by the numerals  1  thru  6  which are of substantially equal of but shorter length. 
         [0045]    The beach bag  100  is provided with a top wall or cover  140  that is preferably defined by two overlying sheets  141 ,  142  of the same thin, slick, water-impervious and tear-resistant material as forms the overlying sheets  103 ,  105  and  203 ,  205  that define the exterior and interior covers of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210 , respectively. The overlying sheets  141 ,  142  are of generally rectangular shape, and are bonded, sewn and/or otherwise securely continuously fixed, joined or sealed together along overlying edge regions that define the perimeter of the top wall or cover  140 —so a sealed compartment  145  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) is formed that contains a thin relatively rigid bat or panel  146  of the same flotation material as forms the bats or panels  130 ,  230  of the upstanding side walls  110 ,  210  of the beach bags  100 ,  200 , respectively. The top wall or cover  140  is configured to close the open upper end region (i.e., the top opening  113 ) of the beach bag  100 . Hook and loop fastening material  150  is provided on the top wall or cover, and on an upper part of the upstanding sidewall  110  to releasably hold the top wall or cover in a position overlying the interior chamber  101  (i.e., closing the top opening  113  of the beach bag  100 ). 
         [0046]    The beach bag  200  is provided with a top wall or cover  240  that is preferably defined by a single flexible sheet  241  of the same thin, slick, water-impervious and tear-resistant material as forms the overlying sheets  103 ,  105  and  203 ,  205  that define the exterior and interior covers of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210 , respectively. The sheet  241  is of generally circular configuration, and has a depending lip  243  that is provided with hook and loop fastening material  250  that can releasably connect with other hook and loop fastening material  250  that is provided on an upper part of the upstanding sidewall  210  of the beach bag  200  to cooperate with the hook and loop fastening material  250  on the top wall or cover  240  to hold closed the open upper end region (i.e., the top opening  213 ) of the beach bag  200 . 
         [0047]    Whereas the top wall or cover  140  is hingedly connected to an upper portion of the upstanding sidewall  110 , the top wall or cover  240  is provided with a pair of elongate holes or slots  255  through which the upstanding handles  270  can extend to assist in retaining the top wall or cover  240  in a closed position. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the beach bag  100  or flotation device  100 ′ has an elongate tether  160  with one end region  161  affixed to an exterior surface of the upstanding side wall  110 , and with an opposite end region  162  provided with a loop that is long enough to be slung over a shoulder of a rescuer (not shown) who may pull or tug on the tether  160  to tow the flotation device  100 ′ toward shore or other location of safety after a person in peril of drowning (not shown) has grasped the flotation device  100 ′ formed by the collapsed beach bag  100  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the beach bag  200  or flotation device  200 ′ has an elongate tether  260  with one end region  261  affixed to an interior surface of the upstanding side wall  210 , and with an opposite end region  262  provided with a loop that is long enough to be slung over a shoulder of a rescuer (not shown) who may pull or tug on the tether  260  to tow the flotation device  200 ′ toward shore or other location of safety after a person in peril of drowning (not shown) has grasped the flotation device  200 ′ formed by the collapsed beach bag  200  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0050]    The elongate tethers  160 ,  260  are depicted as being of indefinite length in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , respectively because one can provide the elongate tethers in substantially any desired length. Tether lengths of at least about 10 feet are recommended so a rescuer (not shown) can space himself or herself from a person in peril of drowning (not shown) who may be thrashing around while gripping one of the flotation devices  100 ′ or  200 ′. It is safer to maintain a distance between the rescuer and a person being rescued. Tether lengths of greater than 10 feet will be selected by some, as a matter of choice. 
         [0051]    Normally (i.e., when the beach bag  100  is in its expanded form shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ), the elongate tether  160  is contained in a pocket formation  165  that has a closure flap  166 . When collapsed and folded to form the flotation device  100 ′ shown in  FIG. 3 , the closure flap  166  of the pocket  165  is opened and portions of the elongate tether  160  are fed or payed out as shown in  FIG. 3 . The closure flap  166  and the pocket formation  165  carry hook and loop material  167 ,  168 , respectively, to hold the closure flap normally closed. 
         [0052]    Normally (i.e., when the beach bag  200  is in its expanded form shown in  FIG. 6 ), the elongate tether  260  is contained in a pocket formation  265  that has a closure flap  266  as shown in  FIG. 6 . When collapsed and folded to form the flotation device  200 ′ shown in  FIG. 8 , the closure flap  266  of the pocket  265  is opened (in the same manner as shown in connection with the pocket  165 , pocket flap  166  and tether  160  in  FIG. 3 ) of the elongate tether  260  are fed or payed out as shown in  FIG. 3 . The closure flap  266  and the pocket formation  265  carry hook and loop material  267 ,  268 , respectively, to hold the closure flap  266  normally closed. 
         [0053]    To help retain the collapsed, folded, compact and substantially flat configurations of the flotation devices  100 ′ and  200 ′ shown in  FIGS. 3 and 8 , respectively, patches of hook and loop material designated by the numerals  180 ,  280  may be placed at appropriate locations on interior and exterior surface portions of the beach bags  100 ,  200 , respectively, so that, when portions of the upstanding side walls  110 ,  210  fold into engagement with each other, the hook and loop patches  180 ,  280  releasably engage and help to retain engaged portions of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210  together in the compact and substantially flat configurations shown in  FIGS. 3 and 8 , respectively. 
         [0054]    In accordance with method features of the present invention, a beach bag (such as the beach bags  100 ,  200 ) having an upstanding sidewall (such as the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210 ) formed from hingedly connected upstanding generally rectangularly shaped flotation members (such as are described above) is provided with a flexible bottom wall (such as the bottom walls  115 ,  215 ), and with a flexible top or cover (such as the covers  140 ,  240 ), with upstanding handles (such as the handles  170 ,  270 ) on opposed upper portions of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210 . When a flotation device (such as the flotation devices  100 ′,  200 ′) is needed for use in a water rescue, contents of the interior of the beach bag are jettisoned, and opposed portions of one of the upstanding sidewalls  110 ,  210  are folded (as has been described above) to form a compact, substantially flat flotation device ( 100 ′ or  200 ′) that is thrown, handed or otherwise delivered to a person in peril of drowning who then forcefully grips the flotation device  100 ′ or  200 ′ while a rescuer pulls on an elongate tether  160 ,  260  connected to the upstanding sidewall  110 ,  210  of the flotation device  100 ′,  200 ′ to tow the person in peril of drowning toward shore or another location of safety. 
         [0055]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a sealed packet  190  containing a commercially purchased life vest or jacket (not shown) is preferably positioned in the beach bag  100  to overlie and to thereby close the discrete openings  117  that extend through the bottom wall  115  when the beach bag is being used as a tote to contain such items as may be useful during an excursion to a beach or other waterside location. When the beach bag  100  is emptied of contents (as has been described), the removal from the interior chamber  101  of the packet  190  containing a life vest or jacket no longer closes the openings  117 , so water can pass through the bottom wall  115 . 
         [0056]    A preferred type of commercially available life vest or jacket is a U.S. Coast Guard approved Stearns Adult Type II life jacket that has a woven polyester shell for minimal chafing, well suited to be worn by adults that weigh in excess of 90 pounds. Another Stearns life vest that can be provided in the packet  190  is an Adult Classic Series that has three chest belts that help make a day on the water a comfortable and safe one. 
         [0057]    Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that the claims that follow address such patentable features as are disclosed herein.