Patent Publication Number: US-2011064334-A1

Title: Waterproof bag

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention concerns waterproof bag for safe preservation of various items, especially in the regions of flood hazard, where there is need for partially or completely watertight bags/cases surrounding the items. Bag of the invention is suitable for preservation, storage and protection of following items/objects: vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, sleighs, bicycles etc, domestic equipment of various size such as technical domestic devices, furniture etc, foodstuff, books, documents, various data media, art valuables, tools, environmentally hazardous chemicals. Furthermore the bag of invention is suitable for packaging of military technical equipment, packaging of fresh water, compost. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     US 2006137384 discloses the flood and preservation device for preservation of items during floods. The product has self-opening carcass, which shall be activated as necessary. The device has rigid internal frame structure, which is completely surrounded by waterproof cover defining the space. 
     KR 20040027586 discloses method for production of container bag and container bag produced with this method, which has side walls, upper and lower side, whereby the bag has outer layer, intermediate layer and inner layer. 
     CN2818347 discloses watertight package bag, including box case and leak-proof bag placed in it, which upper edge has been connected with the upper edge of box case. The case is made of foldable material, which relevant parts are glued together to form the box. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Object of this invention is to provide watertight and unsinkable ready-made or foldable storage bag, which is suitable for preservation of items with various size and shape and protection of items against flood hazards. Bag of the invention includes in preferred embodiment the lower part in the main shape of cuboid made of watertight material, covered by the upper part. The bag of preferred embodiment is foldable from planar form with suitable shape immediately before the need for preservation of the item, which is especially useful for space saving in case of large items. For smaller items the bag may be pre-folded, so that upon necessity the preserved item can be placed into it, closing the bag watertightly with its upper part. Dimensions of the bag may vary and depend on the dimensions of the item placed within. For example, the bag for storage, protection and/or preservation of painting has planar form designed specially for that purpose, so that two opposite side walls of the bag are essentially narrower than bordering side walls. 
     Preferred embodiment of the invention includes two options. 
     In case of the first option the upper edge of lower part of the bag is also the lower edge of upper part, in other words, lower and upper parts form integral whole, whereby upper edges of the upper part are foldable, in which result the upper side of the bag and thus the entire bag is watertightly (hermetically) closed with the methods known from thr prior art. 
     In case of the second option lower and upper parts are mutually connected with non-hermetical fixing details, whereby the upper part ensures watertightness of the item located in the bag against precipitation from above. 
     Bags of the second type are suitable for use in case of such items, which upon occurrence in water cause sufficient displacement to make them floating. In such case the bag need not to be made completely hermetically watertight, because the bag together with the item inside becomes floating upon certain water level and this ensures watertightness of the item from below. 
     In this alternative option lower and upper parts of waterproof bag are separate parts, so that the lower part ensures complete watertightness of the item from below and from the sides, and upon flood situation also floatability of the item, while the tent of upper part ensures watertightness of the item against precipitation from above. Such alternative option is suitable for preservation and protection of large motor vehicles and other large items, whereby it is equipped with stabilizers for balancing of overturning foce due to water flow and waves. Stabilizers also provide to the vehicle or any other large item the protection for avoiding of possible lateral collision damages, which may occur in case of flood situations. Stabilizers may be filled with gas, liquids or gel. Walls of the bag may be double or multiple, while the gap(s) between them may be similarly filled with stabilizers. Stabilizers may be located inside or outside the bag, but in case of the solution with double walls stabilizers may also be located between two layers. Watertight bag may be equipped with fixing points for additional stabilizers and for mutual connection of lower and upper part of the bag. Furthermore, this specific bag option is equipped with anchoring points (eyelets) for fixing of the bag to stationary constructions. Such anchoring points are necessary for example in case of floods, in which case upon the rise of water level above certain height the vehicle located in watertight bag becomes floatable due to water displacement, and the bag might drift away with water flow. To prevent this, the bag is fixed to stationary constructions from anchoring points. At the same time the stabilizers ensure stability of the floating object and prevent its overturning and sinking. 
     Bottom of the bag of the invention may be made of reinforced material and walls of elastic material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred embodiment of the invention is described with references to the figures included, where: 
         FIG. 1   a - 1   c  are side, bottom and perspective view of one preferred embodiment of the watertight package of the invention; 
         FIG. 2   a - 2   d  are side, end, bottom and perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the waterproof bag of the invention, 
         FIG. 3  is side view of an alternative embodiment of the waterproof bag of the invention, 
         FIG. 4  is one preferred option of the planar form of foldable waterproof bag of the invention. 
     
    
    
     REALISATION EXAMPLE OF THE INVENTION 
     Waterproof bag of the invention (see  FIG. 1 ) includes lower part  1 , which has bottom and side walls, and upper part  2 , which upper side is watertight or hermetically sealable. In one preferred embodiment the upper part of the bag includes folding lines  3 , along which the upper part of the bag shall be folded in watertight manner. In addition to folding the bag may be watertightly sealed with the help of other watertight connection details known from the technical level. 
       FIG. 2   a - 2   d  show an alternative option of the waterproof bag of the invention for preservation of large object (e.g. car), which due to its construction has sufficient water displacement ability to make the object floatable in case of occurrence in water upon certain water level. As in such case the storage bag shall not be completely hermetical, to ensure watertightness of the object, lower part  1  and upper part  2  of this alternative bag are mutually connected with non-hermetical fixing details  4 . Upon rise of water level above certain level the mentioned storage bag shall become floatable together with the object inside. For lateral stabilisation of the floating bag and the object located inside, and protection of the object against possible damages caused during lateral movement, the bag has at least one stabilizer  5  and there are anchoring eyelets  6  for fixing of the bag. 
       FIG. 3  shows one special solution of the bag of  FIG. 2   a - 2   d , where the shapes of lower and upper parts are made in compliance with outer shape of the object surrounded by the bag (in this case, car). The bag consists of two parts, watertight and floatable lower part  1  and upper part  2  covering the lower part in watertight manner. 
     One preferred planar area form of the material of the bag (see  FIG. 4 ) includes bottom part  7  of the bag, which corners are starting points for one folding lines  8  perpendicular to the edges of side walls and the second folding lines  9  to the corners of the planar form. The third folding lines  10  run in parallel near outer edge of the planar form. In an alternative option the planar form of the bag is made of watertight material and can be glued together along the edges of planar form.