Abstract:
A folding carrier described herein is composed of a plurality of panels made of pliable and flexible material such as fabric, vinyl or leather where each of the plurality of panels may be folded onto each other. The folding carrier also includes a cavity access opening in one of the panels that allows a user to access the cavity formed by the plurality of panels, wherein the cavity access opening is secured to the one of the panels with re-closable access device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/783,503, filed on Mar. 17, 2006 and entitled “Folding Carrier,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The ability to flat pack enclosures such as pet carriers is a problem both before and after purchase by a consumer. After purchase, the consumer is left with a large bulky item to store. Before purchase, during shipment and at the point of distribution and sale, there is a storage problem with large carriers, such as for pets, because such carriers require large shipping volume and consume valuable shelf space. 
         [0003]    In the past, many carriers, such as handbags, were simply crushed to store them flat. Crushing is not suitable for those carriers that need to be rigid and remain fully assembled so not to restrict the space within the enclosure. This is very important if the enclosure is used for pets, although it is important for other types of carriers and not limited in use for pets. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The folding carrier has a body typically having multiple panels, such as two sides, two ends, a bottom and a top. The body is preferably composed of a pliable or flexible material such as fabric, vinyl, or leather. A cavity for holding a pet and for storing or carrying materials is defined by the body. To provide rigidity, the opposing sides, the opposing ends, or the top and bottom have a skeleton formed of a rigid material, such as metal or plastic, covered exteriorly by the pliable material. The skeleton helps define the shape of the body. 
         [0005]    Methods of transporting the carrier could include the use of handles, a carrying strap or wheels, either pulled along with a strap on four wheels or tipped on two wheels and pulled along with the use of a retractable rigid handle. 
         [0006]    To provide access to the interior or cavity of the body, one or more sides, ends, top or bottom are secured to the remainder of the body with reclosable access devices, such as zippers, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons or the like. At least one edge of the sides, ends, top or bottom that are secured with reclosable access devices is integrally hinged to an adjoining panel of the body, so that when that panel is opened using the reclosable access device, the panel remains attached to the body. In addition, a door may be provided in a side or end which is also secured to the remainder of the body using a zipper, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons or the like. A panel access opening may also be provided in a side, end, top or bottom, such as with overlapping panels of the pliable material. The door provides easy access for a pet owner, for example, to remove a pet, while the panel access opening permits the pet owner to insert his/her hand into the cavity to touch a pet while keeping the body substantially closed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    While the appended claims set forth the features of the present patent with particularity, the patent, together with its objects and advantages, may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a first embodiment, with a substantially rigid handle retracted and a substantially flexible handle extended. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of a first embodiment, with a substantially rigid handle extended, a substantially flexible handle flattened, and wheels at the bottom. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment, with a rigid skeleton and a zipper extending across the length of the carrier on both of its sides. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a third embodiment, with a rigid skeleton and a zipper extending across the width of the carrier at both of its ends. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 3  with a side unzipped and the body partially folded. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 3  with both sides unzipped and spread opposite each other on either side of the top, bottom and two ends. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 3  with one side folded beneath the bottom and the other side folded between the top and bottom and one end folded over the top. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 4  with one end unzipped. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 4  with both ends unzipped and spread away from the rest of the body. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 4  with both ends unzipped and folded within the cavity formed by the two sides, top and bottom. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 4  with the body fully flattened with the two sides, two ends, top and bottom substantially parallel to each other. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with one side unzipped. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with both sides unzipped and one side folded into the cavity formed by the top, bottom, and two ends, and the other side spread away from the rest of the body. 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the body fully flattened and the two ends both unzipped and within the cavity, and the top, bottom and sides substantially parallel to each other. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  with a door at one end unzipped to provide access to the cavity. 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  showing a cavity access panel and opening in one end. 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  showing a cavity access panel and opening in one end and a side unzipped. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    While the appended claims set forth the features of the present patent with particularity, the patent, together with its objects and advantages, may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0026]    Now referring to  FIG. 1 , it illustrates a three-dimensional front perspective view of a first embodiment  10  of a folding carrier. The first embodiment  10  is illustrated to include side panels  12  and  14 , a front and top panel  16  that are visible in  FIG. 1 . Moreover, the first embodiment  10  also includes a bottom panel  18  and a back panel  20 . A telescopic handle  22  and a loop handle  24  may be attached to the back panel  20 . The first embodiment  10  of  FIG. 1  includes a pocket zipper  24  creating a pocket area on the side panel  12 , a front-bottom zipper  26  creating an opening for a pet, etc., in the front, a front-top zipper  28  creating another opening in the front of the carrier and opening-zippers  30  and  32  that may allows the front-top panel to be detachably attached to the side panels  12  and  14  and to the back panel  20 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates an alternate view of the first embodiment  10 . Especially,  FIG. 2  illustrates the first embodiment  10  from the back so that the back panel  20 , the telescopic handle  22  is illustrated in its fully extended form. As it can be seen from  FIG. 2 , the back panel  20  may also include a telescopic handle housing pocket  34  that may be used to store the telescopic handle  22  in its un-extended form. 
         [0028]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , it illustrates a second embodiment  40  of the folding carrier. The second embodiment  40  may include side panels  42  and  44  that may be attached to a bottom panel  46  and a top panel  48 . The top panel  48  may further be designed to cover front end  50  and back end  52  of the second embodiment  40 . A handle  54  may be attached to the top panel  48  while a strap  56  may be attached to the front end  50  and the back end  52  of the second embodiment  40 . The bottom panel  46  of the second embodiment  40  may also include a cushioning material located to its inside surface and a semi-rigid material attached to its outside surface. The cushioning material may provide a surface on which a pet can sleep or sit on, whereas the semi-rigid surface may provide support to the weight of the pet. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment  60  of the folding carrier. The third embodiment  60  may include side panels  62  and  64  that may be attached to a bottom panel  66  and to a top panel  68 . Furthermore a front panel  70  and a back panel  72  may be attached to the side panels  62  and  64  and the top panel  68  by zipper or other similar tying mechanism. A handle  74  may be attached to the top panel  68  while a strap  76  may be attached to the front end  70  and the back end  72  of the third embodiment  60 . The side panels  62  and  64  may have zippered pockets such as the pocket  78  attached to them. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the second embodiment  40  of the folding carrier with the side panel  42  unzipped and the body of the folding carrier partially folded.  FIG. 6  shows the second embodiment  40  of the folding carrier with both side panels  42  and  44  folded down. The back panel  52  is shown to be folded down on the bottom panel of the folding carrier. Similarly, the top panel  48  is also shown to be folded down on the bottom panel and a front panel of the folding carrier. Such flexibility to fold various panels on top of each other allows the folding carrier to be easily stored in a compact fashion. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows a different perspective of the second embodiment  40  of the folding carrier in a collapsed format. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the front panel  50  and the top panel  48  are shown pulled on top of the bottom panel of the folding carrier. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective of the third embodiment  60  of the folding carrier with the back panel  72  of the folding carrier zipped opened and collapsed down. Further in  FIG. 9 , both the front panel  70  and the back panel  72  of the folding carrier  60  are illustrated zipped opened and collapsed down. Subsequently, a user may fold in the zipped open front panel  70  and the back panel  72  towards the bottom panel of the folding carrier.  FIG. 10  illustrates such an embodiment of the folding carrier with the front panel  70  zipped open and folded in towards the inner cavity of the folding carrier. 
         [0033]      FIG. 11  illustrates the each of the various side panels of the third embodiment  60  of the folding carrier zipped open and collapsed on towards the bottom panel of the folding carrier. As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , it is possible to fold the folding carrier to a very compact form, which allows a user to store the folding carrier easily and without taking too much extra space. When in the compact form, the folding carrier may be stored in another container, suitcase, etc., for easily transferring it from one place to another. Such compact form also allows a manufacturer to pack a large number of folded carriers in a shipping container and allows a store owner to shelf a large number of such units on shelves. 
         [0034]    Now referring to  FIG. 13 , the first embodiment  10  of the folding carrier is illustrated with the side panel  72  zipped open. Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the zipped open side panel may be folded inside the cavity of the folding carrier. For example, in  FIG. 13 , the side panel  12  is illustrated to be folded into the cavity of the folding carrier while the side panel  14  is illustrated to be zipped open and folded down.  FIG. 13  also illustrates the bottom panel  18  folded down on the back panel of the folding carrier. 
         [0035]      FIG. 14  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the first embodiment  10  of the folding carrier from a different point of view. Herein both side panels  12  and  14  are tucked inside the cavity of the folding carrier. 
         [0036]    Now referring to  FIG. 15 , an alternate illustration of the second embodiment  40  of the folding carrier is shown with the front panel  50  zipped and folded down. The other side panels and the back panels may also be similarly zipped down to allow the folding carrier to be folded down. 
         [0037]      FIG. 16  illustrates the second embodiment  40  of the folding carrier with a flap  102  attached to the top panel  48 . The flap  102  may be provided on one side of the top panel  48  so as to flap down on the front panel  50  or it may also be provided on the other side of the top panel  48  so as to flap down on the back panel  52  as well. The flap  102  may be fixedly attached to the front panel  50  with an attaching mechanism such as zipper, Velcro, buttons, etc. The flap  102  allows a user of the folding carrier to attend to the storage area or the cavity inside the folding carrier without having to open the entire side panel. 
         [0038]    Thus, for example, if the folding carrier is used to transport an animal, a user may input his hand through the flap  102  to touch the animal, to feed the animal, etc. Such capability is illustrated in further detail in  FIG. 17 , wherein the side panel  42  of the folding carrier is shown to be zipped open and collapsed while a user is shown to be approaching the cavity of the folding carrier via the opening created by the flap opening  102 . 
         [0039]    As shown above, the folding carrier can be folded substantially flat for shipping, store display, or home storage when not in use by simply unzipping the opposing sides, ends, or top and bottom, folding the unzipped sides, ends, or top and bottom into the cavity or exteriorly to the remainder of the body, and pressing the remaining sides, ends, or top and bottom so that the all fold into a flat and substantially parallel position relative to each other. When the carrier is to be used, the procedure is simply reversed to fully assemble it.