Patent Publication Number: US-6210037-B1

Title: Back pack liner

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/117,236, filed Jan. 26, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a liner insert, and more specifically, a size adjustable removable liner insert for use in a variety of differently sized and shaped carrying bags. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Various kinds of soft bodied carrying bags such as soft bodied back packs (or backpacks), luggage, briefcases, portfolios, duffle bags, tool belts and the like are common place today. Often, soft bodied carrying bags are used for a wide array of purposes and within a diverse and wide range of areas such as educationally, industrially, athletically, militarily, recreationally and professionally, to name a few. Soft bodied carrying bags are generally constructed from at least one layer of synthetic woven or knitted fabric-like materials, canvas or fabrics, as well as a combination of these materials. 
     However, an inherent problem associated with soft bodied carrying bags are their susceptibility to puncture damage from pens, pencils, corners of books or other items having sharpened edges, protrusions, or irregular shapes capable of piercing, puncturing and/or tearing the soft bodied carrying bag. Therefore, there is a great need for a liner insert, preferably removable, that can be inserted and/or installed within a soft bodied carrying bag to prevent inherent puncture related damage caused by sharp edged objects; thereby increasing the useful life span of soft bodied carrying bags. 
     Examples of various kinds of liners, inner containers or the like, as taught in the prior art are as follows: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,436 to Jones et al. issued on May 13, 1997, discloses saddlebags with a removable rigid insulated liner. However, the rigid liner is not size adjustable to fit carrying bags of a different size. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,127 to Yamada et al. issued on Jun. 16, 1987, discloses a liner bag used in containers, and employed in the transporting of granular goods or bulk items such as grain and feed stocks. The liner disclosed in Yamada et al. is capable of effectively preventing sagging in the upper face of the liner bag body when installed on the inside of the container. However, the liner bag is not size adjustable to fit different size carrying bags or containers. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,693 to Mykleby issued on Nov. 11, 1986, discloses a protective collapsible liner bag, especially well suited to vacuum packaging or modified atmosphere packaging of food products. However, the liner is apparently not readily size adjustable to fit carrying bags of a different size. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,164 to Ishino et al. issued on Jun. 17, 1997, discloses a liner used in containers having box-shaped configurations. The liner is bag-shaped and has a ring portion, connection means, and a connection mechanism for connecting the ring portion to the container holding the liner. However, the liner does not appear to be readily size adjustable to fit containers of a different size. 
     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a removable one-piece, puncture resistant, flexible inner liner insert for use in a variety of soft bodied carrying bags. The liner insert comprises an adjustable variably sized bottom portion having at least four sides, at least four stress relief joints, a front flap attached to the first side of said bottom portion, a back flap attached to a second side of the bottom portion, and a first side flap and a second side flap attached to the third and fourth sides of the bottom portion respectively. Additionally, a plurality of size adjusting perforations can be located at each of the four joints and run inwardly at an approximately 45° angle from the joints toward the center of the bottom portion. The size adjusting perforations enable the size of the bottom portion of the liner insert to be appropriately adjusted, such that the size of the bottom portion of the liner insert substantially corresponds to the size of the bottom region of the soft bodied carrying bag the liner is to be placed within. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a versatile one-piece inner liner insert that is removable and capable of being shaped to substantially conform to the body cavity of the carrying bag that the liner is to be placed within. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an inner liner insert that is puncture-resistant to sharp-edged objects, water-resistant, durable and flexible. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an inner liner insert having substantially circular stress relief joints on the bottom portion of the liner inserts to help prevent the liner insert from tearing at these joints. 
     Still, another object of the invention is to provide a liner insert that can be used with a variety of differently sized and shaped carrying bags due to an adjustable variably sized bottom portion that is capable of substantially corresponding to the bottom portion of the carrying bag. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an inner liner insert that can be stored in either a flat or rolled up position when stored outside a carrying bag. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a liner insert according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a liner insert according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the liner insert and a back pack. 
     FIG. 4 is an environmental perspective view of the liner insert and back pack shown in FIG. 3, wherein the liner insert is installed in the back pack. 
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As used herein, the phrase “soft bodied” describes various carrying bags and the like, constructed from at least one layer of synthetic woven or knitted fabric-like materials, canvas or fabric, as well as a combination of these materials, wherein the liner insert can be used to prevent puncture damage caused by sharp edged objects stored within the soft bodied carrying bags. The expression soft bodied carrying bags is meant to differentiate carrying bags that are inherently susceptible to puncture damage caused by sharp-edged objects because they are constructed from fabric or fabric-like materials, from “hard bodied” carrying bags such as hard bodied luggage, suitcases, briefcases and the like. Hard bodied carrying bags are not inherently susceptible to puncture damage from sharp-edged objects because of a relatively hard shell, usually constructed from a hard plastic, metal or some combination of both, that is capable of preventing piercing damage caused by sharp-edged objects. 
     While the drawings herein are directed towards a liner insert used in a backpack, this is only an example of a preferable embodiment. The liner insert can be installed in any sort of carrying bag, such as, but not limited to, soft bodied luggage, briefcases, portfolios, duffle bags, tool belts or the like. 
     The phrase “puncture resistant” as used herein, refers to materials used to construct the liner insert that are resistant to puncturing or piercing damage caused by sharp-edged items placed inside the soft bodied carrying bag. The phrase “puncture resistant materials” as used herein, also generally includes tough durable plastic materials that are sufficiently flexible to permit the liner insert to substantially conform to the inside cavity of a soft bodied carrying bag. The liner insert of the present invention should preferably be made from material(s) that are capable of maintaining a sufficiently rigid shape such that the liner insert will not collapse upon itself when attached within a carrying bag. However, it should be noted that liner can also be constructed from a material that permits the liner to partially collapse on itself when not attached to the inside carrying bag, yet permits the liner to still be adequately functional. Preferably, the puncture resistant material is typically about ¼″ thick, but this thickness can vary depending on the material used, so long as the inner liner insert demonstrates adequate puncture resistant properties to sharp-edged objects. 
     The present invention, as depicted in FIGS. 1-4 is a puncture resistant, one-piece inner liner insert, preferably removable, for use with soft bodied carrying bags such as backpacks and the like. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, while the preferred embodiment of the instant liner consists of one-piece, the liner can also consist of two or more separate pieces that can be joined together or used separately. As depicted in FIG. 1, the liner insert  200  comprises an adjustable, variably sized bottom portion  20  having at least four side regions ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ), at least four stress relief joints ( 32   a - 32   d ), a front flap  28  attached to the first side  16  of said bottom portion  20 , a back flap  26  attached to a second side  12  of the bottom portion  20 , and a first side flap  22  and a second side flap  24  attached to the third  18  and fourth  14  sides of the bottom portion  20 , respectively. 
     Additionally, a plurality of size adjusting perforations  36  can be located at each of the four stress relief joints ( 32   a - 32   d ) and run inwardly, preferably at an approximately 45° angle, towards the middle or center region C of the bottom portion  20  of the liner insert  200 . The plurality of perforations  36  enable the size of  10  the bottom portion  20  to be appropriately adjusted such that the bottom portion substantially corresponds to the size of the bottom region  76  of soft bodied carrying bag, such as a backpack  250 , the liner insert  200  is to be placed within. (best seen in FIG. 3) Such is the case if the liner is to large for the back pack it is to be installed within, whereby the size of the base portion of the liner insert has to be adjusted accordingly. This is accomplished by cutting, with a sharp knife, scissors or the like, along the perforations until the size of the base portion of the liner insert  200  substantially matches the size of the bottom region  76  of the back pack the liner insert is to be placed within. The size of the liner  200  is adjusted by starting at the four stress relief joints ( 32   a - 32   d ) and cutting along the perforations  36  in an inward direction until the bottom portion  20  of the liner  200  substantially corresponds to the bottom region  76  of the back pack  250  the liner  200  is to be placed within. (best seen in FIG. 3) A removable form cushion (not shown) can be disposed beneath the bottom portion  20  of the liner  200  to cushion the bottom region  76  of the back pack  250 . Any appropriate cushioning material could be used. 
     The plurality of perforations  36 , as well as the stress relief joints ( 32   a - 32   d ), have a preferably substantially circular shape and act as stress relief points that distribute the forces applied to each perforation and/or joint equally to all sides respectively, thereby reducing the chance of a tear occurring at any one particular location on the perforation or joint. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the liner insert  200  has a front face  48  and a rear face  46 . Additionally, the liner insert  200  can have attachment means ( 52   a - 52   f ) attached to the rear face  46 . The attachment means ( 52   a - 52   f ) can be a variety of fastening elements, such as removable fastening elements like hook and loop fasteners, (VELCRO), snaps and/or buttons, each securely affixed to the inside cavity of the back pack and the rear face of the liner insert. The attachment means can also be permanently mounted fastening elements, such as by stitching or riveting the liner insert to the inside of the back pack or by stitching or riveting the liner insert between the inner and outer shells in the case of a soft side carrying bag that is composed of two or more layers of material. (not shown) 
     Another embodiment of the current invention is depicted in FIG.  2  and shows an inner liner insert  100  without any size adjusting perforations. Liner insert  100  lacks any size adjusting perforations because it does not have an adjustable variably sized bottom portion. Liner  100  is not meant to fit a variety of differently sized back packs, as liner insert  200  having an adjustable variably sized bottom portion is meant too. Liner insert  100  is constructed in a variety of different sizes that substantially correspond to a variety of differently sized back packs. 
     FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of the liner insert  200  and a preferred carrying bag, represented by a back pack  250 , having an inside cavity  70 , a bottom region  76  and attachment means ( 72   a - 72   f ) located on the inside cavity of the back pack  250 . The attachment means ( 72   a - 72   f ) are located on the inside of the back pack  250  such that they correspond to the location of the attachment means ( 52   a - 52   f ) located on the inner face  46  of liner insert  200 . The liner insert  200  depicted in FIG. 4 does not show the plurality of perforations  36  seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 because of viewing constraints. 
     FIG. 4 demonstrates a preferred embodiment  300  representing the liner insert  200  affixed to the inside of back pack  250 . In the preferred embodiment  300 , attachment means ( 52   a - 52   f ) of liner insert  200  are attached to attachment means ( 72   a - 72   f ) of back pack  250 ; as well recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, additional points of attachment means may be provided to more securely affix the liner to the inside of the back pack. The liner insert  200  should be positioned within the back pack  250  such that the bottom portion  20  rests adjacent the bottom region  76  of back pack  250  in such a manner that the four stress relief joints ( 32   a - 32   d ) of liner insert  200  generally correspond to the four corners of the bottom region  76  of the back pack. As previously noted, the liner insert  200  can be attached to the inside of the back pack  250  by a variety of attachment means. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.