Flexible bags – With closure – For access opening in sidewall
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-29
2001-03-06
Pascua, Jes F. (Department: 3727)
Flexible bags
With closure
For access opening in sidewall
C383S023000, C383S039000, C383S098000, C383S907000, C190S109000, C190S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196718
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a travel organizer or bag and in particular, to an organizer for holding utility items, which organizer is in the configuration of a miniature golf bag.
Over the years, travel kits, bags and the like for carrying utility items, such as, but not limited to, toiletry items have been very popular. A travel kit with an arrangement which allows easy access to the interior of the bag for ready insertion and extraction of various toiletry and other utility items is desirable.
Many arrangements have been proposed for providing a travel bag and like articles. Some bags provide one or more large compartments in which are held all the various items one might carry. Others have multiple compartments for arranging different items separately from each other. Examples of such travel bags are disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,853 to Young; U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,928 to Orosy et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,924 to Stanfield. Some travel or utility bag are capable of being hung from a hook, bar or the like. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,455 to Garcia. While the hanging feature is convenient, such bags require that the items be kept in pockets or pouches so that they will not fall on the floor when the bag is hung. Bags are also known that are convertible into different functions; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,449 to Boorady.
Despite these many variations, a need still exists for an improved utility or accessory organizer or bag for retaining and carrying small items of toiletry or the like.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an organizer for holding utility items such as, but not limited to, toiletry items and the like wherein the organizer can be hung from a hook, bar or the like and forms a shelf-like structure for holding the items which can be loose in the same way that one places such items on an ordinary shelf, and wherein the organizer is in the shape of a miniature golf bag. In a preferred embodiment, the angle of the shelf-like portion is suitably changeable by a slide fastener which can be set in different positions.
The foregoing, and other advantages of the present invention, are realized in one aspect thereof in an organizer for holding utility items or the like, which comprises a miniature golf bag sized to enclose and hold the items. The bag includes a main inner recloseable storage compartment, the main inner compartment being substantially tubular and having substantially flat opposed ends, a recloseable sidewall therebetween and having a circumference, and a slide fastener. The slide fastener has a first terminus proximate one end and a second terminus proximate the other opposed end, the second terminus being substantially rectilinearly spaced apart from the first terminus. The slide fastener extends from the first terminus in a direction substantially paralleling one end to a distance approximately ¾ of the circumference, curves and then extends substantially rectilinearly toward the other end, and then curves toward the second terminus and extends in a direction substantially paralleling the other end to the second terminus.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an organizer for holding utility items which comprises a miniature golf bag sized to enclose and carry the utility items. The bag has a tubular main body portion having opposed closed ends, a reclosable sidewall defining a main body storage compartment, and a slide fastener. The slide fastener has a first terminus, a second terminus, and a track extending between the first and the second terminus. A pair of self-locking slides is mounted on the track. Each of the pair of self-locking slides is associated with one of the two termini, and each slide has a pull tab. The slide fastener is incorporated into the tubular main body portion to define the reclosable sidewall, and the pair of self-locking slides of the slide fastener can be manipulated to partially open the reclosable sidewall to define a rectangular flap and a shelf-like portion.
Other advantages and a fuller appreciation of the specific attributes of this invention will be gained upon an examination of the following drawings, detailed description of preferred embodiments, and appended claims. It is expressly understood that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
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Michael & Best & Friedrich LLP
Pascua Jes F.
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