Patent Publication Number: US-2021161263-A1

Title: Bag usable as knee guards

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a bag usable as knee guards and, more specifically, to a bag usable as knee guards, which can retain heat or prevent damage done to knees by surrounding the knees according to the needs of the user and can also be used as a bag. 
     RELATED ART 
     Recently, knee guards have drawn much interest from people whose knees feel cold and fatigue including those who have bad knees such as manual workers, athletes, office workers, housewives, students who usually sit at their desk, the elderly who suffer from degenerative arthritis etc. 
     Against these circumstances, there is a growing need to develop knee guards which keep knees warm so as to relieve fatigue and coldness of knees and also have new functions. Accordingly, research on such a knee guard has been underway in a relevant field. 
     For instance, “A FOOT WARMER USABLE AS BAG (Publication No. 10-2013-0067974) includes a coupling part vertically provided at one inner side of a foot warmer, a string part where a string is horizontally inserted and installed between upper and lower ends of the foot warmer, and a grip part formed between upper and lower ends of the foot warmer. 
     However, the foot warmer usable as a bag has a complex structure thereby leading to lowered productivity and practicability. Accordingly, the foot warmer usable as a bag does not meet consumer satisfaction. 
     As a result, there is a need for research into technologies for keeping knees warm, preventing damage done to knees, satisfying consumer needs. 
     [Prior Art Document] (Patent Document 1) Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0067974 published on Jun. 25, 2013. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problems 
     As a means to solve the above-described problems, a bag usable as knee guards can retain heat or prevent damage done to knees by surrounding the knees and can also be used as a bag according to the needs of the user. 
     Technical Solutions 
     A bag usable as knee guards includes: a first body whose one side is open so as to form an accommodating space therein and surrounds a knee of the user with the knee bent; a second body which is formed so as to correspond to the first body and surrounds the other knee of the user with the knee bent; and a coupling means for coupling the open parts of the first and second bodies so as to form a bag shape, wherein the first body has a cut part which can be opened and closed by a locking device, a storage pocket is formed inside the first body so as to be linked with the cut part such that an article can be stored in the storage pocket by means of the locking device even when the first and second bodies are uncoupled, each of the first and second bodies has connecting means for fixation formed at both ends thereof so as to prevent detachment after surrounding the knees of the user, and the cross section of each of the first and second bodies is in a triangular shape, so that the cross section forms a rectangular shape when the first and second bodies are coupled to each other. 
     Preferably, the coupling means includes a first zipper coupling belt formed along the outer perimeter of the first body, and a second zipper coupling belt formed along the outer perimeter of the second body so as to correspond to the first zipper coupling belt and to be coupled by a slider. 
     Preferably, heating wires are incorporated into the first and second bodies. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     As a means to solve the above-described problems, a bag usable as knee guards naturally surround knees by means of the accommodating spaces of the first  100  and second  200  bodies so as to keep the knees warm and prevent fatigue and damage to the knees. 
     Further, the open parts of the first  100  and second  200  bodies are coupled to each other so as to form a bag shape such that the knee guards may be used as a bag. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary view illustrating application according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVNENTION 
     Below, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is an exploded view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a bag usable as knee guards according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention may include a first body  100 , a second body  200 , and a coupling means  300 . 
     The first body  100  is configured to have one side open so as to form an accommodating space therein and to surround a knee of the user, and the second body  200  is configured to correspond to the first body  100  and to surround the other knee of the user. 
     That is, the first body  100  and the second body  200  are manufactured from flexible materials such as fabric, leather etc. such that a shape is easily changed, and retain heat or prevent damage to knees by surrounding the knees. 
     Herein, a cut part that may be opened and closed by means of a locking device  120  is formed at one side of the first body  100 , and a storage pocket  110  may be formed inside the first body  100  so as to be linked with the cut part. 
     The storage pocket  110  for storing an article consists of materials such as fabric, and an article in the storage pocket  110  can be safely stored by means of the locking device  120  even when the first  100  and second  200  bodies are uncoupled. Accordingly, important and secret articles may be safely stored. 
     For reference, the locking device  120  that opens and closes the cut part linked with the storage pocket  110  may consist of a zipper. Although a zipper is illustrated as the locking device  120  in the attached drawings of the present invention, the locking device is not limited to a zipper. Accordingly, any device that can open and close the storing space of the storage pocket  110  may be used as the locking device  12 . For instance, a Velcro, a button, a snap button, a magnet etc. may be used as the locking device. 
     In this specification, the storage pocket  110  is formed at the first body  100 . However, the storage pocket  110  may be formed so as to be linked with the cut part of the second body  200  and may be formed at both of the first body  100  and the second body  200 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary view illustrating application according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  shows that the first  100  and second  200  bodies surround the knees of the user and are fixed by means of connecting means  400 . 
     The cross section of each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies is preferably configured to have a triangular shape so as to surround the knees and is preferably configured to have a rectangular shape when the first  100  and second  200  bodies are coupled to each other by means of a coupling means  300 . 
     When the user sits on a chair or kneels down, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the first  100  and second  200  bodies smoothly surround and cover the knees of the user with the knees bent because the cross section of each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies is configured to have a triangular shape. 
     The knees are naturally surrounded by the accommodating spaces of the first  100  and second  200  bodies, and afterwards, the first  100  and second  200  bodies may not escape from the knees of the user by means of connecting means  400  formed at both ends thereof. 
     Herein, the connecting means  400  may consist of connecting belts  410 , female Velcros  420 , and male Velcros  430 . The connecting belts  410  are fixed to one end of each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies, and the female Velcros  420  may be formed at the ends of the connecting belts  410 . Additionally, the male Velcros  430  attached to the female Velcros  420  may be formed at the other end of each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies. 
     In this case, the female Velcros  420  and the male Velcros  430  may exchange the positions and directions thereof, and the positions and directions of the female Velcros  420  and the male Velcros  430  are not limited to what has been described. 
     Additionally, heating wires  600 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , may be incorporated into each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies. That is, each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies may consist of an outer cover and an inner cover, and the heating wire may be installed between the outer cover and inner cover. 
     Such heating wires  600  are used to heat the knees after each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies surround the knees. A heating source is provided between the outer cover and the inner cover so as to keep the knees of the user warm in cold winter weather. 
     In this case, switches  610  for turning on and off the heating wires  600  are connected with the heating wires  600  and installed at the outer side of each of the first  100  and second  200  bodies such that the user turns on and off the heating wires  600 . 
     That is, the heating wires  600  are selectively operated by the switches  610 , and the switches  610  are operated by means of rechargeable batteries (invisible) provided respectively at the first  100  and second  200  bodies. 
     The coupling means  300  of the present invention are configured to couple the open parts of the first  100  and second  200  bodies so as to form a bag shape. 
     That is, the coupling means  300  for coupling the first  100  and second  200  bodies to form a bag shape may consist of a first zipper coupling belt  310  formed along the outer perimeter of the first body  100 , and a second zipper coupling belt  320  formed along the outer perimeter of the second body  200  so as to correspond to the first zipper coupling belt  310  and to be coupled by a slider  330 . 
     In other words, the first zipper coupling belt  310  is formed at the open outer perimeter of the first body  100 , and the second zipper coupling belt  320  that may be coupled by the slider  330  to correspond to the first zipper coupling belt  310  is formed at the open outer perimeter of the second body  200 . Accordingly, the accommodating spaces formed in the first  100  and second  200  bodies are closed depending on the user&#39;s needs such that the user uses the knee guards as a bag. 
     For reference, a grip  500  may be connected to and formed at the first  100  and second  200  bodies such that the user wears the bag on the user&#39;s shoulder or hold the bag thereby maximizing applicability of the knees guards as a bag. That is, the bag with the grip  500  is used as a shoulder bag or a cross-body bag such that the user carries the bag. 
     Additionally, hooks  510  are formed at the first  100  and second  200  bodies to hang both ends of the grip  500 , may consist of materials such as metal or plastic and may be connected with the grip  500 . 
     As described above, a bag usable as knee guards according to the present invention functions not only as a knee guard in which knees are surrounded by accommodating spaces of first  100  and second  200  bodies so as to keep the knees warm and protect the knees but also as a bag in which the first  100  and second  200  bodies are coupled to each other to form a bag shape. Accordingly, it is expected that the present invention may become popular among people as a new concept bag. 
     The above description has been provided as examples only to describe the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the intrinsic feature of the present invention. Accordingly, the technical spirit of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Further, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined only by the attached claims, and all the technical ideas within the appended claims and equivalents thereof should be construed as being included in the scope of the right to the present invention. 
     Description of the Symbols 
       100 : First body 
       110 : Storage pocket 
       120 : Locking device 
       200 : Second body 
       300 : Coupling means 
       310 : First zipper coupling belt 
       320 : Second zipper coupling belt 
       330 : Slider 
       400 : Connecting means 
       410 : Connecting belt 
       420 : Female Velcro 
       430 : Male Velcro 
       500 : Grip 
       510 : Hook 
       600 : Heating wire 
       610 : Switch