Patent Publication Number: US-8522939-B2

Title: Storage bag with secondary access

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/406,277 filed on Oct. 25, 2010 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     The present invention is directed to a storage bag, and more particularly, to a storage bag with secondary access to a compartment of the storage bag. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Storage bags, such as messenger bags, laptop cases, briefcases and the like are used to store a variety of components therein, such as laptop or notebook computers, binders, notebooks, folders, books, writing instruments, and portable electronic device. The storage bags may include a main compartment in which larger components, such as a laptop or a notebook computer, may be stored. However, existing bags do not provide sufficient access to the main compartment. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present invention is storage bag with a first compartment that can be accessed in multiple manners, while still ensuring that any components in the first compartment are securely retained therein. More particularly, in one embodiment the invention is a storage bag including an outer casing having an inner compartment configured to store a laptop computer or laptop computer-sized item therein. The bag further includes a first access opening formed at or along an upper edge of the inner compartment and communicating with the inner compartment. The first access opening is sized to allow a laptop computer or laptop computer-sized item to pass therethrough and into the inner compartment. The bag also has a second access opening formed along a back surface of the outer casing and communicating with the inner compartment. The second access opening is sized to allow a laptop computer or laptop computer-sized item to pass therethrough and into the inner compartment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the bag of the present invention with the front flap in the cover position; 
         FIG. 2  is front perspective view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , with the front flap in a retracted position and a laptop being passed through the first access opening into an inner compartment; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , with the laptop fully received in the inner compartment and a retaining strap in place; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the bag of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , with the laptop being passed through the second access opening; and 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross section of the bag of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , the storage bag of the present invention, generally designated  10 , includes a generally rectangular prism-shaped outer casing  12 . The casing  12  can be made of a relatively soft, pliable material, such as woven fabric, leather or the like with padding or other stiffening inserts received therein. The casing includes a pair of opposed major surfaces  14 ,  16 , taking the form of front and back surfaces which are significantly larger than the other surfaces of the casing  12 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  6 , the bag  10  includes a first inner compartment/pocket  18  defined therein. The bag/casing  10  may include a variety of other compartments, pockets or the like for storing various components therein. However, in the illustrated embodiment, the first inner compartment  18  is a relatively large compartment/pocket of the bag  10  and extends generally the entire width, and the entire height or nearly the entire height, of the bag  10 . The first inner compartment  18  may be sized and configured to store a laptop/notebook computer  20  (laptop and notebook computers being collectively termed “laptop computers” herein) or laptop computer-sized item therein. Thus, in one embodiment, the first inner compartment  18  has a width of at least about nine inches and/or less than about twenty inches, and has a height of at least about eight inches and/or less than about sixteen inches. However, these dimensions may be made larger or smaller as desired. 
     The storage bag  10  may include a front flap  22  pivotally coupled to an upper portion of the outer casing  12 . The front flap  22  is movable between a cover position ( FIG. 1 ), wherein the front flap  22  overlies the front surface  14 , and a refracted position wherein the front flap  22  is flipped back and generally covers, and overlies, the back surface  16 . The front flap  22  may be securable to the outer casing  12  in its cover position. In particular, the front flap  22  may carry a latch portion thereon (not shown) configured to releasably engage a corresponding latch portion of the front surface  14  and located near a bottom thereof. The latch portions may include snaps, clips, buttons, magnets, hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, ties, and other means of reversibly joining the front flap  22  and the front surface  14 . The illustrated flap  22  includes a handle  24  extending upwardly therefrom to provide a convenient structure by which a user can carry the bag  10 . The illustrated bag  10  also includes a shoulder strap  26  secured to opposite sides of the casing  12  to provide an alternate structure for carrying the bag  10 . 
     The storage bag  10  includes a first access opening  30  formed at or along an upper edge of the first inner compartment  18 , and communicating with the first inner compartment  18 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the front flap  22  is moved away from its cover position a laptop computer  20  or a laptop-computer sized item can be passed through the first access opening  30  and received in the first inner compartment  18 . The bag  10  may include a first fastener or first access opening fastener (not shown) extending along the first access opening  30 , or along the top edges of the bag  10 , which is manually operable to open or close the first access opening  30 . The first access opening fastener can take any of a wide variety of forms, such as a zipper, hooks, clasps, brackets, hook-and-loop fastening material (such as VELCRO®), etc. 
     When a laptop computer  20  or the like is fully received in the first compartment  18 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , a retaining strap  32  may be utilized to secure the computer  20  in the first inner compartment  18 . In particular, the illustrated embodiment, the retaining strap  32  spans the first inner compartment  18 /first access opening  30  and is releasably secured to the front panel  34  of the first inner compartment  18 . 
     The storage bag  10  further includes a second access opening  36  formed along the back surface  16  of the outer casing  12  and communicating with the first inner compartment  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second access opening  36  extends generally parallel to the first access opening  30 , and extends along substantially the entire width of the back surface  16 , positioned adjacent to an upper edge of the outer casing  12 . However, the second access opening may be located elsewhere on the back surface  16 , such as along one of the other edges of back surface  16 . The second access opening may also not be entirely parallel to an edge of back surface  16 , and may extend away from one or more of the edges of back surface  16 . The second access opening may also be located on, or extend onto, the area of front flap  22  that is adjacent back surface  16 . The storage bag  10  may further include a second fastener or second access opening fastener  38 , extending along the second access opening  36  to control opening and closing thereof. The second fastener  38  is shown as a zipper in the illustrated embodiment, although the second fastener  38  can take the form of any of a wide variety of fastening components, as described above in the context of the first fastener or the fastener between the front flap  22  and outer casing  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , when the front flap  22  is in its cover position, the front flap  22  blocks immediate access to the first inner compartment  18  via the first access opening  30 . In this case, then, it may be more convenient for the user to utilize the second access opening  36  to access the first inner compartment  18 , without having to open the front flap  22 . The second access opening  36  thereby provides a second, alternate manner for accessing the first inner compartment  18  to allow components to be inserted into, or removed therefrom. In addition, due to the positioning of the second access opening  36  below the retaining strap  32 , components stored in the first inner compartment  18  can be removed therefrom without having to disengage the retaining strap  32 . Finally, if the second access opening  36  is positioned at the top, or at least the upper portion, of the bag  10 , when the second access opening  36  is left opened, items stored in the first inner compartment  18  are retained therein by gravity, preventing inadvertent spillage of items from the first inner compartment  18 . 
     Although the invention is shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it should be clear that modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, and the present invention includes all such modifications.