Abstract:
A tool bag with wheels includes a base and back side reinforced by a polymeric board covered with a fabric material. Wheel wells and telescoping handle affixed to the polymeric sheet or board facilitate maintenance of the configuration of the open topped tool bag. Additional polymeric boards and/or ribs are included in the lateral side walls and a front wall to further facilitate the maintenance of the configuration of the open topped, wheeled tool bag.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a tool bag or container with wheels for holding and transport of work tools and the like.  
         [0002]     Workman, craftsmen, mechanics and others often have a collection of tools or items which they utilize at a particular work site and which they may find occasion to transport from one site to another. Carrying a heavy tool case often becomes burdensome. Additionally, when moving from site to site, it is often inconvenient to carry, to open and to close a tool chest constantly in order to have access to necessary tools.  
         [0003]     Thus, there has developed a need to provide a tool carrier or tool bag which enables storage of tools in an assessable manner and which also is capable of easy portability.  
         [0004]     Additionally, tool carriers or tool bags incorporate or include bag sidewalls which are generally rigid so as to maintain the shape of the bag when the tools or contents are removed from the bag. This enables the bag to be open when the user of the bag desires to place items, such as tools, in the bag. As a consequence of the general necessity to have the bag provide an open top or open configuration to facilitate its use, the storage and shipment of such bags will often require a large container. Shipping multiple bags thus can result in the necessity to provide for bulky packaging and thus increase the cost of shipment. Methodologies to address concerns of this nature include manufacture of collapsible bags, however, collapsible bags often require assembly by the purchaser. Consequently, collapsible bags are not necessarily favored. As a result, various approaches have been sought to facilitate generally rigid sided shipment of rigid sided multiple bags.  
         [0005]     Another issue with such bags is associated with the utilization of a telescoping handle and wheels that are often considered desirable for such bags. As an alternative to utilizing the telescoping handle and wheels, carry handles are often provided. However, the carry handles may result in causing the bag to rub against the leg or side of the person carrying the tool bag. Consequently, various issues arise relating to the fact that the bag may be uncomfortable to carry or move. All of these problems associated with such prior art bags present themselves as challenges for bag design. Particularly, bag design of open top tool bags.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Briefly, the present invention comprises a tool bag or carrier with wheels wherein a generally rectangular base and back side of the tool bag are formed from a single polymeric sheet of material which is generally covered on the outside face with a fabric sheet. The back side and base include wheel wells that maintain the shape of the tool bag. A reinforcing board is fixed to the inside of the base and a skeg is attached on the outside to that reinforcing board, the polymeric sheet and fabric cover. A bracket and telescoping handle is attached to the back side of the tool case to further facilitate maintaining the shape of the tool bag. The lateral sides of the tool bag and the front side of the tool bag extend upwardly from the base and are connected to one another to form an open top enclosure having a generally rectangular profile. Auxiliary handles may be utilized to carry the tool bag, the handles being attached to the front side and back side of the tool case or bag. In a preferred embodiment the lateral sides and front side of the bag are configured to facilitate access to the tool bag. That is, the front side has a lesser vertical height than the back side and the lateral sides then slope downwardly to join the front side to the back side. Further, the lateral sides as well as the front side include reinforcing elements such as a polymeric board or polymeric or metal rods or other members inserted between layers of fabric to provide for shape retention and reinforcement. Pockets may be provided on the outside of the tool bag.  
         [0007]     As a further feature of the bag, the configuration of the bag though generally in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, the bag of the invention contemplates manufacture of the open top portion of the bag to have narrower dimensional characteristics than the bottom of the bag. As a consequence, two bags of substantially similar design may be inserted or nested one into the other by placing the narrow top side of one bag into the top side of another bag. Because there is some flexibility in the panels that form the bag, the bags may be nested one into the other by inserting the top of one bag into the top of another bag. This enhances the opportunity to ship pairs of bags in a single container and nested together thereby enhancing the efficiency of shipment of the bags.  
         [0008]     As a further feature of the invention, the handles which are joined to sides of the bag for manual carrying of the bag are arranged so that when the bag handles are gripped, the wheels of the bag will be inclined or tipped outwardly away from the side of the individual carrying the bag. That is, a handle attached to the telescoping handle attachment side of the bag will be foreshortened relative to the handle attached to the front side of the bag. Then when the two handle straps are gripped, the bag will be tilted slightly outwardly with the wheels being positioned away from the side of the individual carrying the bag. The design of the handle strap enables the bag to maintain its contents whiles at the same time preventing rubbing or undesirable engagement of the front side of the bag with the individual that is carrying the bag.  
         [0009]     Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved tool bag with wheels.  
         [0010]     Another object of the invention is to provide a tool bag with wheels and a telescoping handle for ease of transport of the tool bag.  
         [0011]     Another object of the invention is to provide a tool bag having an open top.  
         [0012]     A further object of the invention is to provide a tool bag with an open top and further including handles that may be utilized to carry the tool bag.  
         [0013]     Another object of the invention is to provide a tool bag having a base formed from the single polymeric sheet that is configured to also form the base and back side of the tool bag and which further incorporates wheel wells which facilitate maintaining the configuration of the polymeric sheet forming the back side and base of the tool bag.  
         [0014]     Another object of the invention is to provide a tool bag which includes a base comprised of a polymeric sheet, an inner reinforcing board and an outer fabric cover.  
         [0015]     Another object of the invention is to provide a wheeled tool bag wherein a base and a back side of the tool bag are comprised of a formed polymeric sheet having a fabric cover over the polymeric sheet.  
         [0016]     Another object of the invention is to provide a tool bag which is light weight, economical, rugged and inexpensive.  
         [0017]     These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0018]     In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the tool bag of the invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a front side elevation of the tool bag of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a right hand side view of the tool bag of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the tool bag of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is a back side view of the bag of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation of the right hand side of the bag of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a bottom side view of the bag of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the tool bag of the invention taken along the line 9-9 in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a bag of the invention wherein the carry handles are utilized by an individual to carry the bag and its contents;  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a side elevation depicting the manner in which two bags of substantially the same design and configuration may be nested one into the other for purposes of facilitating shipment; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  is a side elevation similar to  FIG. 11  wherein one bag is nested into another.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0031]     Referring to the figures, the tool carrier or bag of the invention includes a generally vertical back side  10  connected with an integrally formed, generally horizontal base  12 . The back side  10  includes a top edge  14 , a first lateral side edge  16  and a second lateral side edge  18 . The base  12  includes a back side edge  20 , a first lateral side edge  22 , a second lateral side edge  24  and a front side edge  26 . The base  12  and back side  10  are formed from a single polymeric sheet  30  which includes a vertical run  32  and a horizontal run  34 . Included and formed at the juncture of the vertical run  32  and the horizontal run  34  are first and second spaced slots  36  and  38  into which wheel wells  40  and  42  are inserted. The wheel wells  40  and  42  each include a generally semi-circular inner shell section  44  and  46  respectively and an outer reinforcing rib member  48  and  50  respectively. The wells  40 ,  42  serve to maintain the shape of configuration of horizontal base  12  and vertical back side  10 .  
         [0032]     A fabric sheet  52  is fitted over the polymeric sheet  30  and folds over the top edge  14  as well as the front side or forward edge  26  of base  12  as depicted in  FIG. 9 . A reinforcing, rectangular base board member  56  is fastened by means of rivets, for example rivets  58 , to the polymeric sheet  30  and more particularly to the inside of horizontal run or base  12  thereof. Rivets  60  serve to attach the polymeric sheet  30  as well as the reinforcing base board  56  to a lower skeg  62  positioned adjacent the forward edge  26 .  
         [0033]     The wheel wells  40  and  42  are affixed by rivets to the cover sheet  52  and polymeric board  30 . The wheel wells  40  and  42  thus conform and maintain the shape of the back side  10  and bottom side  12  so that the back side  10  may be maintained in a vertical configuration and the bottom side may be maintained in a horizontal configuration. Also attached by rivets, such as rivets  72 , to the back side  10  as a shape maintaining reinforcement is a telescoping handle comprised of a first vertical telescopic section  74  and a spaced second, vertical telescopic section  76 . Sections  74 ,  76  are connected by a handle  78  and bracket members  80  and  82 . Thus, the telescoping handle may be extended and wheels  90  and  92  within the associated wheel walls can then be utilized to transport the wheeled tool bag.  
         [0034]     The wheeled tool bag further includes a first lateral side  94  and a second lateral side  96  as well as a front side  98 . The front side  98  is comprised of a fabric panel with a reinforcing rib member  100  sewn therein generally along the top edge thereof. The lateral sides  94  and  96  are, as depicted in  FIG. 8 , comprised of polymeric boards  102  and  104  which are retained between fabric panels  106  and  108 ,  110  and  112 . The first and second lateral sides  94  and  96  are attached to the lateral side edges  114  and  116  of the base  12 . Such attachment is effected by sewing of the fabric panels described. The polymeric boards  102  and  104  have a shape which generally conforms to the shape of the side panels  94  and  96  and thus provides for some rigidity of those component parts to maintain the form and shape of the tool bag. The front side  98  of the tool bag maintains its shape due to the reinforcing bar  100  which extends between the lateral sides  94  and  96 .  
         [0035]     A first handle  120  is attached to the front side  98  and a second handle  122  is attached to the back side  10 . A grip  124  with a hook and loop fastener (Velcro fastener) is utilized to connect the handles  120  and  122  together at their midpoint and allows release of the handles  120 ,  122  for access to the interior of the space created by the walls  10 ,  12 ,  94 ,  96  and  98 . Thus, the sides of the tool bag in combination with the base  12  form an open top container into which tools and other items may be placed.  
         [0036]     The first handle  120  attached to the front side  98  is longer relative to the second handle  122  attached to the back side  10  when the handles are connected together. That is, each handle  120  and  122  comprise a strap attached respectively to the front side  98  and the back side  10 . The length of the strap is associated with the first handle  120  is greater than the length of the strap associated or comprising the second handle  122 . Consequently, when the straps or handles  120  and  122  are connected or joined, they will, when suspended, hold the tool carrier or tool case in a manner which causes it to be canted or inclined outwardly in the direction of the wheels. Thus, the handles  120  and  122  when gripped by an individual will cause the tool bag or tool carrier to tilt outwardly away from the individual when the front side  98  is positioned adjacent the hip or leg of an individual. This is illustrated in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0037]     As an alternative, the handles  120  and  122  may be designed so as to hold the carrier bag vertically. However, having the handles of distinctive lengths wherein the backside handle  122  is foreshortened relative to the front side handle, the handles still support the carrier appropriately, but do provide for a tilting slightly so as to preclude rubbing or bumping of the carried bag against the side of an individual. Of course, the handles  120  and  122  may be adjustable in length to achieve this function.  
         [0038]     A number of peripheral side storage pockets, such as pocket  130  and pocket  132  may be affixed to the fabric defining the various sides of the tool bag. The vertical height of the front side  98  is less than the vertical height of the back side  10  and the shape of the lateral sides  94  and  96  serves to smoothly join the back side  10  to the front side  98 . Peripheral binding  140  is provided to join the various fabric panels forming the bag.  
         [0039]     With the bag construction of the invention, a generally rigid form tool bag is provided wherein the back side  10  and base  12 , which are covered by a fabric layer  30 , provide a basic form for the bag in combination with the reinforcing wheel wells  40  and  42  which ensure the maintenance of the shape of the bag. The wheel wells  40  and  42  in combination with the wheels  90  and  92  as well as the skeg  62  provide for stability of the tool case and enable transportation when the case is lifted by means of the handles  120  and  122  or prepared for movement by the telescoping handle. As a result of the construction, access to the contents of the tool bag is maintained, yet the bag provides a stable means for conveyance of tools.  
         [0040]     As a further feature of the invention, the dimensions associated with the top of the carrier or bag, namely the lateral side to side dimensions of each of the sides of the carrier, are slightly less than the dimensions associated with the bottom side or adjacent the base of the carrier. Further, because of the construction as previously described, the various sides enjoy some flexibility with respect to one another particularly along the seams or edges which join the sides. As a consequence, when the telescoping handle is in its reclined or recessed position, the top of a bag can easily receive the top side of a second bag so that the bags may be nested in a posed relationship one in the other as shown in  FIG. 11 . By providing that the dimensions of the top of the bag are slightly less than the dimensions associated with the bottom of the bag, it is possible to achieve the nesting function so described. This depends, in part, upon the flexibility of the various component parts. However, their flexibility is limited, of course, by the various boards and reinforcing elements previously described. Consequently, an appropriate compromise between flexibility and rigidity enables insertion of a bag which maintains an open top and a configuration for easily receiving and supporting tools by way of example. Further, however, the bag permits coupling or joining of a pair of bags for bulk shipment thereof in pairs as illustrated.  
         [0041]     Variations of the construction may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The particular configuration of the wheel wells and handles as well as the particular configuration of the side walls and other walls comprising the tool bag may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention by way of example. Thus, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.