Abstract:
An equipment bag for storing and carrying athletic equipment, including a body forming an upper half and a lower half, the upper half and the lower half operatively and flexibly connected one a first side, a securing mechanism for securing a second, third and fourth side of the upper half and the lower half, wheels for rolling the equipment bag and a handle for gripping the equipment bag operatively attached to the body, outer storage for storing equipment operatively attached to an outer surface of the body, inner storage for storing equipment within the body, a bat rack for hanging bats operatively attached to the body, and a fence securing mechanism for securing the equipment bag to a fence. A method of carrying equipment by loading equipment into the equipment bag, securing and transporting the equipment bag, and opening the equipment bag and securing it to a fence.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to storage and carrying devices. In particular, the present invention relates to bags for organizing and carrying Little League Baseball and Softball athletic equipment such as baseball bats, gloves, balls, helmets, catcher&#39;s equipment, and first aid kits. 
         [0003]    2. Background Art 
         [0004]    Older athletes commonly use their own equipment bags for transporting athletic equipment to and from the practice field and games. In the case of Little League Baseball, the duty of transporting team equipment such as bats, balls, batting helmets and catchers equipment often falls on the little league coach. Little league equipment is typically supplied in a large duffel bag, along with a helmet bag and ball bucket. The coach and assistant coaches are responsible for transporting and maintaining the various equipment throughout the duration of the season. The team equipment is commonly stored in the coach&#39;s vehicle and carried by hand to and from the field for practices and games. Once located in the dugout, the team equipment is unloaded and organized for the players; batting helmets are typically placed on the ground, bats are placed against the fence or in some cases the field will supply bat racks. Baseballs and all other miscellaneous equipment is typically gathered on the ground in the corner of the dugout where it is readily accessible to the players, yet out of the way so as not to form a trip hazard in the narrow dugout. The dugouts utilize the dirt field surface with a metal chain link fence to protect the players. The dugouts typically do not have roofs, therefore on raining days, equipment such as batting helmets, catcher&#39;s equipment, baseballs, and miscellaneous team gear will get wet and gather mud and debris. The coaching staff is therefore responsible for helping the players keep the equipment free of mud and debris so that the players can use the equipment when required. 
         [0005]    Some Little League organizations have provided coaches with equipment carts that resemble upright “shopping cart”. Although the little league equipment cart relieves the coach of carrying the heavy equipment to and from his vehicle, the carts are bulky and do not fit in a standard size automobile. Also, once the equipment cart is unloaded in the dugout, it is typically placed out of the way to allow players to move about. The cart may assist with transporting; however, it does not resolve the problems previously mentioned. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is a need for a portable sports bag for housing, transporting, organizing and protecting the equipment of a little league baseball/softball team. A portable sports bag is needed that while in the closed position is manageable by one adult person, fits easily in a standard size automobile, while being durable and lightweight for convenient transport to and from the playing filed. The equipment bag should also be user friendly and while in the open position provide an organized, easily accessible system for baseball and softball equipment, which can be secured quickly to a dugout fence or secured to the back wall of a structural dugout. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides for an equipment bag for storing and carrying athletic equipment, including a body forming an upper half and a lower half of the bag, the upper half and the lower half operatively and flexibly connected one a first side, a securing mechanism for securing a second, third and fourth side of the upper half and the lower half, wheels for rolling the equipment bag operatively attached to the body, a handle for gripping the equipment bag operatively attached to the body, outer storage for storing equipment operatively attached to an outer surface of the body, inner storage for storing equipment within the body, a bat rack for hanging bats operatively attached to the body, and a fence securing mechanism for securing the equipment bag to a fence. 
         [0008]    The present invention also provides for a method of carrying equipment by loading equipment into the equipment bag, securing the equipment bag, transporting the equipment bag, and opening the equipment bag and securing it to a fence. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Other advantages of the present invention are readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a front side of the equipment bag in an open position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a back side of the equipment bag in an open position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the equipment bag with a screen; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the equipment bag in an open position with pockets; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the equipment bag in an open position; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the equipment bag in an open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The present invention provides for an equipment bag  10 , generally shown in  FIG. 1 , that is a portable enclosure for storing and carrying athletic equipment which, in a closed position, forms a rigid rectangular duffle bag (cart) having a closed interior volume, which can be opened into a flat (open) position. The open position is shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
         [0017]    The equipment bag  10  is made of ten fabric covered rigid panels  12  that are interconnected to form an upper half  11  and lower half  13  of the bag: two back panels  14 , four full length side panels  16 , and four end panels  18 . The panels  12  preferably are made from a structural plastic or foam core skeletal structure that are covered with reinforced fabric, such as but not limited to, heavy duty nylon or canvas. Back panels  14  also preferably include a durable plastic material to protect the bag  10  when resting on the ground or parking lot. The panels can be a variety of textures and colors, and can be made to match team colors. Outer surfaces  28 ,  29  of the two back panels  14  can also include a bag manufacturer&#39;s logo and/or team logo or commercial branding, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The outer surfaces  28 ,  29  can optionally include skid pegs at corners. 
         [0018]    Two of the full length side panels  16  are connected to form a flexible seam  20 , that can be reinforced to be durable, that runs the entire length of one side of the equipment bag  10 . The other three sides (i.e. the end panels  18  and the other two full length side panels  16  not secured by the flexible seam  20 ) securely fasten together using a heavy duty zipper  22  that runs continuously along the outer three surfaces of the mating side walls. The zipper  22  transforms the bag  10  from the open position to the closed position, and vice versa. Preferably, the zipper  22  is reinforced for durability and multiple cycles. In the closed position, the equipment bag  10  is rigid and therefore, with the provision of two “luggage” wheels  24  incorporated into the bottom lower edge of the back panel  14  of the lower half  13 , the equipment bag  10  can be carted to and from the playing field. The wheels  24  are preferably large high-strength polymer wheels that are durable for rolling transport. 
         [0019]    At least one handle  26  is fastened to the side panels  16  and/or end panels  18  to allow a person to pick-up the bag  10  when loading and unloading into a vehicle, or when pulling the bag  10  and utilizing the wheels  24 . Preferably, multiple handles  26  are included to allow for carrying from multiple places on the bag  10 . The handles  26  can be fabric and reinforced for extra strength and durability, such as but not limited to, nylon reinforced. The handle  26  can also be collapsible or fixed to the bag  10 . Various positions of the handles  26  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , outer surface  28  of the lower back panel  14  incorporates a flexible pocket  30  capable of storing five team baseball bats  32 . The pocket  30  can be an accordion style pocket and preferably is made of durable plastic material for the protection of the bats  32 . The pocket  30  can further include individual bat sleeves in order to protect the bats  32  during transport. The bag  10  can further include a durable flap  34  connected to the outer surface  28  of lower back panel  14  by a flexible seam that securely encloses the bats  32  inside the flexible pocket  30  and prohibits damage or fall-out. This flap  34  can be secured by any means known in the art, such as, but not limited to hook and loop closures, snaps, zippers, or combinations thereof. 
         [0021]    End panels  18  can include clear pouches  36 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , in which team information can be inserted, such as, but not limited to, batting order, field positions, team roster, a score book, or combinations thereof. The pouches  36  can be made of any clear material known in the art. 
         [0022]    When the equipment bag  10  is unzipped into the open position, the back panels  14  and side panels  16  open up and lay flat so that various compartments located on the interior surfaces  38  thereof are accessible in order to access and store team equipment and various other items. 
         [0023]    For example, batting helmets are stored in helmet compartments  42 . Preferably, there are eight helmet compartments  42  that are separated by reinforced fabric or foam dividers  44  in the upper half  11  and lower half  13  of the bag  10 . The dividers  44  are soft and flexible to mechanically trap helmets  40  when positioned in the helmet compartments  42 . In another configuration, the helmet compartments  42  can be organized so that six store helmets  40  and two compartments  42  are combined into one space in order to store team catcher&#39;s equipment, which is larger than the players&#39; helmets  40 . Elastic fabric straps  46  are attached at opposite end panels  18  that secure the helmets  40  while in the helmet compartment  42  and during transit. Optionally, the elastic fabric straps  46  can be an elastic pouch. 
         [0024]    Baseballs  48  and various items are securely stowed in dedicated interior fabric sleeves. When the bag  10  is in an open position, the baseballs  48  can be removed from their sleeves and rest on the side panel  16  on the lower half  13  of the bag  10 . The side panel  16  can also include a raised lip or ridge  50  in order to trap the baseballs  48  and other team items and prohibit them from rolling out of the bag  10  when in an open position hanging on a fence. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the equipment bag  10  can also include elastic pockets  66  on the inside of end panels  18  to store miscellaneous team items such as first aid kits and/or water bottles. The shape and size of pockets  66  can be varied depending on space limitations inside the bag  10 . 
         [0026]    A retractable bat rack  52  is connected by a flexible hinge  54  to an inner edge  56  of the lower side panel  16 . The bat rack  52  can be folded outward to allow players to hang bats  32  for quick access, team bats  32  are removed from back pocket  30  allowing back panel  14  to flatten. Preferably, the bat rack  52  is constructed of high impact plastic to support twelve bats  32 . Alternatively, stamped aluminum can be used. Less than twelve bats can also be supported. The bat rack  52  can be secured inside the bag  10  by an elastic or fabric strap when not in use. 
         [0027]    Since the entire equipment bag  10  opens flat and has structural integrity, it can be secured quickly to a dugout fence or secured to the back wall of a structural dugout using the durable fabric straps  58  and D-rings  60  that are fastened to the outer surface  28  of the back panel  14  on the upper half  11 . The entire bag  10  now acts as a centralized team equipment storage unit with “cubby-hole” compartments to ensure that team equipment is stored safely and free of dirt and debris but also allows quick access when equipment is required for use. 
         [0028]    Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the equipment bag  10  can include a screen  62  attached to side panel  16  in the upper half  11  in order to keep dust or rain off of equipment. The screen  62  can also function to keep equipment from falling out while attaching the bag  10  to a fence or back-stop. The bag  10  can further include a heavy duty hook and loop side strap  64  on each side of the bag  10  that secures the upper half  11  to the lower half  13  at end panels  18 . This maintains the upper half  11  and lower half  13  in a fixed position when hanging from a fence or back-stop. Alternatively, the strap  64  can be affixed to the upper half  11  and lower half  13  by snap tabs. 
         [0029]    In use, the equipment bag  10  can be loaded with equipment needed for a game. Helmets  40  can be placed in the helmet compartments  42 , bats  32  can be placed in the pocket  30 , and various other items as described above can be placed in their appropriate pocket or pouch. The upper half  11  is folded onto the lower half  13  and the zipper  22  is zipped around the upper half  11  and lower half  13 , thus securing both halves to each other. The bag  10  can be grabbed by handle  26  and wheeled to a vehicle. Once at the game or practice site, the bag  10  can be wheeled to a desired place. The bag  10  can be unzipped to the open position and secured to a fence or back-stop with D-rings  60 . Equipment can be removed as necessary from their compartments, and the bat rack  52  can be opened and bats  32  loaded thereon. This process can be repeated in reverse order to load the bag  10  back in the car after the game. 
         [0030]    Throughout this application, various publications, including United States patents, are referenced by author and year and patents by number. Full citations for the publications are listed below. The disclosures of these publications and patents in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. 
         [0031]    The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
         [0032]    Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.