Abstract:
A compactly foldable storage pouch includes a pair of resilient wire loops, a front fabric panel disposed over and covering the interior portion of the first wire loop, a rear fabric panel disposed over and covering the interior portion of the second wire loop, at least one sidewall fabric panel joining the wire loops, the side fabric panel circumscribing at least a portion of the periphery of the wire loops and defining an opening between the front and rear fabric panels and the opposing lateral ends of the sidewall fabric panel and a plurality of removeable lateral cross-members are positionable between the pair of wire loops to maintain the foldable pouch in an expanded configuration. Upon removal of the cross-members, adjacent wire loops can be twisted into a figure-8 configuration and folded over on itself to assume a compact, generally circular flat configuration for packaging, shipment and eventual storage by the user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This patent application contains subject matter related to commonly assigned U.S. design application serial number ______, (Attorney Docket No. 211,362) filed contemporaneously herewith and the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a portable container, and more specifically to a light-weight foldable storage container for organizing and storing toys and accessories associated with swimming pool, beach, lake, boating and/or other water activities. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Homeowners having swimming pools, as well as boat owners, often have various accessories and toys that are used to enhance the owner&#39;s or user&#39;s pleasure while participating in water activities. Typically, pool, beach, lake and/or boating accessories can include inflatable rafts, kickboards, tubes, balls, life jackets, drink stands, and other well-known toys and flotation devices. The inexpensive manufacturing and mark-up costs for these types of toys and accessories are often an inducement for home owners and boaters to purchase a variety of flotation devices and accessories so that groups of people can enjoy themselves while participating in water activities. Although the accessories and flotation devices provide pleasure for those participating in water activities, when the water activities cease, the homeowner or boater often gathers and stores these accessories and flotation devices to prevent accidents and damage, as well as for aesthetic reasons. 
         [0004]    Some homeowners will stack or pile the accessories in a particular location to tidy the pool or boat area. However, left unsecured a strong breeze can easily blow and scatter the flotation devices around the pool area, which can become frustrating as the homeowner will again have to pick up the toys and flotation devices and secure them so that they will not be scattered about the premises again. Alternatively, many homeowners will place the accessories and flotation devices inside a garage, pool storage shed or other storage area. However, most storage areas or garages are often crowded with other personal items which often make it difficult to retrieve the flotation devices at a later time, as well as subject them to possible damage by sharp objects. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a need exists for a container or pouch-like device that is portable and light weight, and which can be used by home owners and boaters to safely store and make readily accessible various accessories and flotation devices for swimming pools and boats. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The disadvantages heretofore associated with the prior art are overcome by the present invention of a light-weight, compactly foldable pool accessory organizing and storage unit, which will also be referred to as a “pool pouch”. The pool pouch of the present invention enables a homeowner, beachgoer, and/or boater to conveniently store and transport various types of pool, lake, boat-related accessories and flotation devices. The pool pouch is preferably fabricated with a light-weight, water-resistant fabric material that has elastic characteristics to enable the sides of the pool pouch to expand outward when filled with the various accessories and flotation devices. The light-weight material allows a user to easily transport the pouch and its contents to various places, for example, as between the home and the beach, to and from a boat, and from the pool side to a storage location (e.g., garage or storage shed). The fabric material preferably includes panels that are fabricated from an open mesh fabric material having a plurality of perforations which permits air to flow through the pool pouch and help dry any wet accessories or flotation devices, as well as enable excess water to drain out of the pouch. 
         [0007]    The pool pouch of the present invention is provided with a frame structure including a pair of opposing wire loops which define and form the front and rear sides of the pouch. In an embodiment, each of the pair of wire loops is generally rectangular in shape. In one embodiment, each of the pair of wire loops is defined by opposing curvilinear ends joined by upper and lower sections that are generally straight or gently curved toward each other. Each wire loop further includes the water-resistant fabric material, such as a mesh fabric material and/or a non-perforated fabric material adjoined between the interior portions of each wire loop to form a front panel and a rear panel. The water-resistant fabric is also provided along the opposing sides and bottom of the pool pouch to thereby define an interior space between the front, rear, bottom and opposing side panels. A major portion of the top of the pool pouch is an opening to allow easy access o the interior of the pouch. 
         [0008]    A plurality of removable rigid cross-members extend laterally between the pair of opposing wire loops to maintain the pouch in an expanded (e.g., box-like) configuration. When a user removes the cross-members from their lateral positions, the pair of wire loops can be stacked adjacently and folded into a collapsed configuration for storage. 
         [0009]    In a preferred embodiment the foldable pouch comprises a pair of flexible and resilient wire loops; a front fabric panel disposed over and covering at least an interior portion of a first of the pair of wire loops; a rear fabric panel disposed over and covering at least an interior portion of the second of the pair of wire loops; at least one sidewall fabric panel coupled between the pair of wire loops, the at least one side fabric panel circumscribing along a least a portion of the periphery of the wire loop and defining an opening between the front and rear fabric materials and opposing lateral ends of the at least one sidewall fabric material; a plurality of lateral rigid cross-members configured to be removably positioned between the pair of wire loops to maintain the foldable pouch in an expanded configuration, and wherein the wire loops are stacked adjacently such that the foldable pouch is in a collapsed configuration when the plurality of lateral cross-members are removed therebetween. 
         [0010]    In one aspect, the front and rear fabric panels are fabricated from a water-resistant mesh fabric. Further, the at least one sidewall can be fabricated from a water-resistant fabric. In one embodiment, the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of fabric channels that extend laterally between the pair of wire loops, each channel being positioned and configured to receive a respective removable cross-member to maintain the pouch in the expanded configuration. 
         [0011]    In one aspect, the pair of wire loops is fabricated from stainless-steel. In yet another aspect, the pair of wire loops has a curvilinear configuration without sharp bends or corners in order to avoid tearing the surrounding fabric and injuring users. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, the at least one sidewall comprises a pair of opposing sidewall panels each having an upper and lower end positioned laterally between the pair of wire loops, and a bottom fabric panel positioned between the lateral lower ends of the opposing sidewall panels and the pair of wire loops. In one aspect, opposing edges of the sidewall panels and the bottom panel respectively circumscribe adjacent portions of the wire loops in close-fitting relation and are fastened thereabout by stitching. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the front and rear fabric panels and the bottom panel are fabricated from a water-resistant mesh material through which the stored contents of the unit can readily be seen, and the opposing sidewall panels are fabricated from a water-resistant material. In one aspect, an opening is defined between opposing top portions of the pair of wire loops and the lateral upper ends of the opposing sidewall panels. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment, a first pair of spaced-apart fabric channels is formed laterally along the bottom panel and a second pair of spaced-apart fabric channels is formed laterally along the upper ends of the opposing sidewall panels, the first and second pair of spaced-apart fabric channels being configured to removably receive the lateral cross-members. In one aspect, one end of the first and second pair of spaced-apart fabric channels is closed and the opposing end of the first and second pair of spaced-apart fabric channels includes a first fastener for selectively opening and closing the channels to permit insertion and removal of the lateral cross-members. In one embodiment, the first fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the top portions of the pair of wire loops are curved downwardly towards the bottom panel. In yet another embodiment, the lateral cross-members are fabricated from a rigid water-resistant material. 
         [0016]    In yet another aspect, the foldable pouch includes a closure for closing the opening. In one aspect, the closure comprises at least one of a strap and a flexible fabric that spans the opening. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment, the foldable pouch comprises hanging means for hanging the foldable pouch above ground. In one aspect, the suspension devices comprise at least one suspension hook coupled to one of the wire loops. The hook can be attached to a flexible suspension strap that in turn is secured to the loop, as by sewing. 
         [0018]    In yet another embodiment, when the foldable pouch is in the collapsed configuration, the rigid lateral cross-members are removed from between the pair of wire loops, and the pair of wire loops are in superposed touching relation and are twisted first in a figure-eight configuration and then folded one over the other to assume a generally circular, flattened configuration that is less than half of the size of the extended storage unit. The compactly folded unit can be maintained by one or more of the suspension hooks. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a top, front perspective view of the foldable pool accessory organizing pouch of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the foldable pool pouch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an elevated front view of the foldable pool pouch shown in  FIG. 1 , the rear view being a mirror image thereof; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is an elevated right side view of the foldable pool pouch of  FIG. 1 , the opposing left side view being a mirror image thereof; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the foldable pool pouch of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is an elevated side view of a top suspension strap and hook fastener of the pouch taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is an exploded cross-sectional view of a portion of a wire loop and mesh fabric cover taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a bottom channel and a removable lateral cross-member taken along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the bottom channel and the removable lateral cross-member taken along lines  9 - 9  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of an upper channel and a removable lateral cross-member taken along lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the upper channel and the removable lateral cross-member taken along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0031]      FIGS. 12-15  depict the foldable pool pouch of  FIG. 1  in various configurations so as to illustrate the folding of the pouch from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration for storage. 
       
    
    
       [0032]    To facilitate an understanding of the invention, identical reference numerals have been used when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale, but are shown for illustrative purposes only. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the foldable pool accessory organizing and storage pouch  100  is illustratively shown. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a foldable pool pouch  100  having an extended curvilinear shape, somewhat resembling an acoustic guitar, defines an interior volume to store pool accessories and/or floatation devices  101  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 ), although such configuration is not considered limiting. As will be apparent, other curvilinear shapes, including oval, elliptical, or even round, can be used. An example of an illustrative configuration of the foldable pool pouch can be fond in commonly assigned and co-filed US design application no. ______ (attorney docket no. 211,362), the contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety. In any embodiment, the configuration illustrated in the drawings has the advantages of easy access to the items on the interior bottom of the unit and the ability to compactly fold the unit for shipping, warehousing, and storage by the eventual owner. 
         [0034]    The pool pouch  100  includes a front portion  102 , an opposing rear portion  104 , a first side portion  106 , an opposing second side portion  108 , a bottom portion  110 , and a top portion  112  collectively forming the pouch  100 . In one embodiment, the pool pouch  100  has a length of approximately sixty inches, a height of thirty inches, and a depth of twelve inches, although such dimensions are not to be considered limiting, as other pool pouch shapes (e.g., oval, elliptical, pentagonal and the like) and dimensions are comprehended by the present invention. As noted above, shapes including corners, e.g., 90° bends are less favored. 
         [0035]    The pool pouch  100  comprises a collapsible/expandable or otherwise foldable frame  116  which includes a first wire loop  120 , a second wire loop  122 , and a plurality of cross-members  140  spaced laterally between the first and second wire loops  120  and  122 . The first and second wire loops  120  and  122  are preferably fabricated from a resilient flat metal wire or strap  130  ( FIG. 7 ), each wire  130  having opposing ends that are joined together to form a wire loop. The opposing ends of each strap/wire  130  can be joined together end-to-end using a connector (e.g., crimping connector), by welding or any other well-known fastening or bonding technique to safely secure the opposing ends of the wire  130  together. The wire can be metal or plastic. Preferably, the wires  130  of the first and second wire loops  121 ,  122  are fabricated from light-weight stainless steel to resist corrosion from exposure to the wet/humid environments. Alternatively, the wires  130  of the first and second wire loops  120 ,  122  can be fabricated from other well-known metal alloys resistant to corrosion, as well as flexible strips of polyvinylchloride (PVC) among other water-impermeable polymeric materials. Similarly, where connectors (not shown) are used to join the ends of the wires  130  of the loops  120  and  122  together, the connectors are also preferably fabricated from corrosion-resistant materials, such as stainless steel, PVC, or the like. 
         [0036]    The pair of wire loops  120  and  122  are preferably sized the same to define a generally elongated curvilinear shape having a substantially planar bottom surface  110  with respect to the ground, curved vertical side portions  106 ,  108 , and a somewhat downwardly curvilinear top portion  104 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 . The first and second wire loops  120 ,  122  are maintained in spaced-apart relation to define the storage volume by the plurality of rigid cross members  140 , which are removably positioned laterally between the first and second loops  120  and  122 . 
         [0037]    In a preferred embodiment, a water-resistant mesh panel  124  is positioned over the first wire loop  120  and is attached on the periphery of the wire loop  120  such that the wire loop  120  is covered by the mesh fabric material  124 . Likewise, a second rear side mesh fabric panel  126  is positioned over the second wire loop  122  and attached at its edge about the periphery of the wire loop  122  such that the wire loop  122  is covered with the fabric material  126 . Preferably, the mesh panels  124  and  126  are sized slightly greater than the diameter or cross-sectional dimensions of the wire loops  120  and  122  to provide slack and expandability of the panel  124  and  126 . 
         [0038]    The mesh fabric panels  124  and  126  can be fabricated from a polyester or nylon mesh fabric, among other readily available water-resistant materials. Preferably, the perforations in the mesh-like fabric materials  124  and  126  have a dimension of ⅛ inch, although such dimension should not be considered limiting. For example, the perforations can illustratively be in the range of 1/16 to ½ inches in diameter. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , preferably a water-resistant or water-impermeable fabric or ribbon sheathing  132 , e.g., polyester, nylon and the like, is wrapped around or otherwise circumscribes, i.e., sheaths, the lengths of each wire loop  130 . The ribbon sheathing  132  covers and protects the outer surface of the wire loops  120  and  122 , as well as helps secure the peripheral edging of the mesh materials  124  and  124  with respect to the wires  130  of wire loops  120  and  122 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the peripheral edge of the mesh fabric  124  includes stitches  134  between the opposing edges of the ribbon sheathing  132 . The stitching  134  is provided along the entire interior of each loop between the edge of the mesh fabric materials and the edges of the ribbon sheathing  132 . 
         [0040]    Alternatively, the edges of the mesh fabric materials  124  and  126  can also be wrapped around the outer surface of the respective wire metal bands  130  of the first and second wire loops  120  and  122  and secured with stitching  134  along the interior of the wire loops to secure the perimeters of the mesh fabric panels  124  and  126  to their respective wire loops  120 ,  122 . Further, the ribbon sheathing  132  can be positioned over and cover the mesh fabric wrapping in a similar manner as shown in  FIG. 7  to provide increased durability. Moreover, the periphery of the mesh fabric panels  124  and  126  can be glued or otherwise bonded or secured around the outer surface of the wire loops to form a sleeve  120 ,  122  in any other known manner. 
         [0041]    The front portion  102  and rear portion  104  of the pool pouch  100  are respectively formed by the combination of the first wire loop  120  and the mesh fabric  124 , and the combination of the second wire loop  122  and the mesh fabric  126 . The front and rear portions  102 ,  104  are spaced apart a distance, e.g., 10-16 inches, and are secured together by a pair of flexible opposing side panels  150  and  152 , which are preferably fabricated from the same water-resistant or water-impermeable fabric material forming the mesh fabric  124  and  126  of the front and rear portions  102 ,  104  of the pool pouch  100 . Preferably, the side panels  150  and  152  are fabricated from a non-perforated polyester or nylon fabric material to prevent the ends of the accessories or flotation devices from puncturing, tearing and/or poking through a mesh fabric material. Alternatively, the side panels  150  and  152  can be fabricated from a high-tensile strength mesh fabric material that is resistant to such damage. Additionally, a bottom panel  154  is provided along the bottom of the pool pouch  100  between the first and second wire loops  120  and  122  and the lower lateral edge of the side panels  150 ,  152 . Preferably the bottom panel  154  is fabricated from the mesh fabric material used to form the front and rear panels, although such mesh material is not limiting. 
         [0042]    The side panels  150  and  152 , as well as the bottom panel  154  are attached along opposing peripheral edges to the respective first and second wire loops  120 ,  122  in a similar manner to that by which the fabric mesh materials  124 ,  126  are attached to the first and second wire loops  120 ,  122 . For example, the ribbon sheathing or sleeve  132  is stitched  134  over the wire loop  130  proximate to where the front mesh fabric  124  is adjacent to the front lateral sides of the side panels  150  and  152 . Likewise, the ribbon sheathing  132  is stitched  134  over the wire loop  130  proximate to where the rear mesh fabric  126  is adjacent to the rear lateral sides of the side panels  150  and  152 . Similarly, the ribbon sheathing  132  can cover and be stitched over the wires  130  proximate to where the opposing lateral edges of the bottom mesh panel  154  are adjacent to the front and rear mesh panels  124  and  126 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the opposing side fabric panels  150  and  152  preferably extend from the bottom portion  110  to the top portion  112  of the pool pouch  100 , although such construction and dimension are not to be considered as being limiting. Further, the widths of the side fabric panels  150 ,  152  and the bottom panel  154  are commensurate with the widths of the lateral cross-members  140 , e.g., twelve inches. The top lateral edges of the opposing side panels  150  and  152 , as well as the inner surfaces of the mesh fabric materials  124  and  126  that are attached to the wire loops  120  and  122  define a top opening  160 , which is dimensioned to insert and remove the pool accessories and flotation devices in a convenient manner. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a strap  162  with a fastener  164 , e.g., hook-and-loop fastener is preferably mounted (e.g., stitched) laterally across the elongated top opening  160  to serve as a handle to enable a user to transport the pool pouch  100 . Further, the strap  162  generally restrains the accessories within the interior of the pouch  100  and prevents them from falling out through the elongated top opening  160 . A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a plurality of straps  162  with fasteners  164  can be provided laterally across the elongated top opening  160  to provide additional restraints. Alternatively, an elongated flap cover (not shown) can be attached along the top portion  112  of one of the loops (e.g., the rear loop  122 ) to close the top opening  150 . In this embodiment, the elongated cover can be folded over the top  112  to cover the opening  16  and one or more fasteners can be provided to secure the cover in position. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , a first pair of cross members  140   1  is preferably positioned laterally along the bottom portion  110  between the first and second wire loops  120  and  122  to act as rigid stretchers to better define the storage volume. Likewise, referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a second pair of cross members  140   2  is positioned laterally at opposing ends along the top  112  between the first and second wire loops  120  and  122  of the pool pouch  100 . The cross-members  140   1  and  140   2  (collectively cross-members  140 ) can be fabricated from a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing or any other substantially rigid, lightweight and water-impermeable material. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-members  140  are elongated circular tubes having a ½ inch outer diameter and a length of 12 inches, although such dimensions are not considered limiting. 
         [0046]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  8  and  9 , each upper cross member  140   1  is removably inserted into a corresponding channel  142   1  which extends laterally along the upper edge  163  of the opposing side panels  150 ,  152 . 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , a fabric strip  170  is disposed over and secured to the lateral edge of the side panel  150  to form the channel  142   1  therebetween. Stitching  172  is provided along each lateral edge of the fabric strip  170  to secure it to the upper edge  163  of the side panel  150 . Preferably, ribbon sheathing  132  is also provided along the outermost edge of the channel  142   1  to provide additional support and durability, as well as aesthetics for the top opening  160  of the pool pouch  100 . 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , one end (e.g., the right end) of the channel  142  is illustratively closed by stitching the corresponding right end of the fabric strip  170  to the first wire loop  120  in a similar manner as discussed above with respect to attaching the mesh fabric  124  to the wire loop  120 . Referring to the opposing (i.e., left) end of the channel  142   1 , the corresponding left end of the fabric strip  170  is not stitched to the wire loop  122  and remains a free end to define an opening  146  between the upper edge  163  of the side panel  150  and the second wire loop  122 . An elongated channel flap  148  is provided such that a first end is stitched to the second wire loop  122  and an opposing second end of the channel flap  148  is a free end that includes a fastener  144 , such as a hook-and-loop fastener to close and secure the channel opening  146  to prevent the cross member  140   1  from coming out of the channel  142   1  during use. 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5 ,  10  and  11 , the lateral cross members  140   2  are inserted into channels  142   2  formed laterally between the bottom portion  110  of the front and rear wire loops  120  and  122 . Referring to  FIG. 10 , the lower lateral edge  165  of the right side panel  150  is stitched at  173  to an adjacent lateral edge of the bottom panel  154 . Preferably the bottom panel  154  is fabricated from a mesh fabric material to permit excess water to drip out of the pouch  100 . A fabric strip  170  is stitched at  171  along both sides of the strip to form a channel  142   2  between the interior surface of the fabric strip  170  and the adjacent surface of the bottom panel  154 . The channel  142   2  is sized to receive the tubular cross member  140   2 , as discussed above with respect to the upper cross members  140   1  and corresponding channels  142   1 . A second lower channel  140   2  is provided on the opposite end of the bottom panel  154  near the left side panel  152  in a manner similar to that shown in  FIG. 10 . As will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the number, placement and methods of securing the lateral cross-members in position can be varied. 
         [0050]    Referring now to  FIG. 11 , one end (e.g., the right end) of the channel  140   2  is closed by stitching the corresponding end of the lateral fabric strip  170  to the first wire loop  120  in a similar manner as discussed above with respect to the upper channel  142   1  in  FIG. 8 . On the left side of the channel  142   2  the end of the fabric strip  170  is not stitched to the wire loop  122  and an opening  146  is defined there between to enable the cross member  140   2  to be inserted and removed from the channel  142   2 . As described above with respect to the upper channel  142   1 , a channel flap  148  is provided in which one end is stitched to the second wire loop  122   2  and the opposing end of the channel flap  148  can be secured to the outer surface of the left side of the fabric strip  170  by a fastener, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, a clip, a snap fastener and/or buckle, among other well known fasteners. As discussed in further detail below, with respect to  FIGS. 12-15 , the insertion of the cross members laterally between the first and second wire loops  120  and  122  maintains the pool pouch  100  in an expanded configuration. Conversely, by removing the lateral cross members  140  from the respective channels  142 , the pool pouch  100  can be folded and collapsed as will be described in further detail below. 
         [0051]    Referring now to the drawing series of  FIGS. 12-15 , the pool pouch  100  is illustratively shown being folded and collapsed from an expanded configuration to a compact and easily storable configuration. In  FIG. 12 , the pool pouch  100  is illustratively shown with the lateral cross-members  140  removed from the respective cross member channels  142  and the first and second wire loops  120 ,  122  stacked or positioned adjacent to each other. Preferably, after removal, the cross-members  140  are placed within the interior of the pouch so as not to become lost. In this partially collapsed configuration, the side panels  150 ,  152  as well as the bottom panel  154  are collapsed and folded inwardly towards the interior of the pouch  100 . 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIG. 13 , the right side of the pouch is twisted  180  degrees with respect to the left side such that the pair of wire loops  120 ,  122  criss-cross approximately mid-way between the opposing ends of the pool pouch to form a “figure 8” configuration. Referring to  FIG. 14 , the two circular portions of the “figure 8” configuration of  FIG. 13  are folded along the middle to adjacent positions with respect to each other to form a generally circular-shaped configuration. Accordingly, the circular configuration of the collapsed pool pouch (shown in  FIG. 14 ) is approximately one half of, or less than the size of the pool pouch  100  in its fully expanded configuration (shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 15 , at least one elongated strap  182  having a fastener  180  at a distal end is attached to the rear wire loop  122  at an opposing proximal end. The strap  182  can be used illustratively to hang the pool pouch  100  as shown in  FIG. 1 , as well as to secure the pool pouch  100  in its folded collapsed configuration as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
         [0054]    Preferably, the pool pouch  100  includes a pair of vertically depending straps  182  each strap having a first end attached, e.g., sewn, to the rear wire loop  122 , and a free distal end having a fastener  180  provided thereon as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Each of the vertical straps  182  is preferably fabricated from the same polyester or nylon material as used to form the mesh or panels (e.g., panels  124 ,  126 ,  150 ,  152 ,  154 ) of the pool pouch  100 . As illustratively shown in the drawings, the vertical straps  182  are fabricated from the mesh fabric material, although such fabric is not considered limiting, as a rope or other fabric strap is contemplated by the present invention. In one embodiment, the fastener  180  at the distal end of each vertical strap  182  is a hook, which can be used to hang the pool pouch  100  from a vertical structure such as a fence as shown in  FIG. 1 . As illustratively shown in  FIG. 1 , the hook  180  can be fastened to a loop, such as an O-ring or D-ring attached to the vertical structure (e.g., fence). Alternatively, the hook can pass through the D-ring and hook to the vertical strap  182  itself beneath the D-ring. 
         [0055]    In one embodiment, a loop strap or band  184  extends laterally along the backside of the vertical straps  182 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 . Each loop strap  184  illustratively extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding vertical strap  182 , however, such configuration is not considered limiting. In this manner, the hook  180  and distal end of the vertical strap  182  can pass over a horizontal cross-member such as a top rail of a fence and extend downwardly and be fastened (e.g., hooked) to the loop strap  184 . Although the loop straps  184  are illustratively shown attached to the backsides of the vertical straps  182 , a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the loop straps  184  can be attached (e.g., sewn) along any rear surface area of the rear panel  104 . For example, the loop straps  184  can be sewn along the top portion of the rear wire loop  122  adjacent to where the first end of the vertical strap  182  is attached to the wire loop  122 . Alternatively, the loop straps  184  can be sewn along the bottom portion of the rear wire loop  122 . In one embodiment, a plurality of loop straps  184  are provided for each vertical strap  182  to permit the user to select alternative loop straps for hanging the pouch  100  of the present invention. 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , as shown in phantom, one or more vertical straps  182  can optionally also be secured to the bottom of the rear wire loop  122 . The bottom vertical straps  182  can include a fastener  180  such as a hook, D-ring, or other fastener in the same manner as described above with respect to the vertical straps  182  provided on the top of the wire loop  122 . A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that each bottom vertical strap  182  can also have one or more corresponding loop straps  184 , as described above with respect to the vertical straps  182  provided on the top of the wire loop  122 . The one or more bottom vertical straps  182  are useful for securing the bottom portion of the pool pouch  100  to a support, such as a fence. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that alternative fasteners can be used for securing the vertical straps  182  to a structure, including tying the straps to the structure. 
         [0057]    Referring now to  FIG. 15 , the one or more straps  182  can be used to wrap around the folded pool pouch and be clipped to a wire loop  120  or  122 . A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the fasteners  180  can be provided, such as D-rings, clips, buckles or any other fasteners suitable for hanging the pool pouch above ground and/or securing the pouch in its folded configuration for storage as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
         [0058]    The present invention provides a storage container or pouch for storing accessories, toys and floatation devices associated with water activities, such as those used at a swimming pool, a lake, a river, a beach or with a boat. Advantageously, the pouch of the present invention is fabricated from combination of durable, lightweight water-permeable and water-impermeable materials that enables a user to readily transport and store such toys and floatation devices with ease and without worrying about loss of the contents. 
         [0059]    Preferably, the pouch includes mesh fabric portions that allow air to flow and water to escape from the pouch to allow the contents to dry quickly and to prevent mildew and mold, as well as keep the storage area dry. The mesh fabric material is expandable such that large and numerous items can be stored in the pouch. When the pouch is not in use, it can be hung from a vertical structure, or it can be folded and collapsed into a smaller footprint for storage. 
         [0060]    While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention will be apparent to, and can be devised by those of ordinary skill in the art based on this description without departing from the basic scope of the invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the claims that follow.