Expandable storage and carrying case

• US 6,595,687 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Travel Caddy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Travel Caddy Incorporated
• Inventors: Godshaw, Donald E., Redzisz, Andrezj
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US09/951,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 383/99, 383/110, 383/6, 383/117, 383/43, 383/121.1, 206/315.11, 150/118
• US Class Current: 383/6
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/06 Containers or holders for hooks, lines, sinkers, flies or the like attached to a fishing rod A01K87/009
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0063 comprising an integrated expansion device
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0077 collapsible to a minimal configuration, e.g. for storage purposes

Abstract

A storage bag is disclosed with two embodiments wherein the bag is in the form of a rectangular parallelpiped having overlapping top flaps to form an enclosure. In one embodiment the front and back panels are biased toward one another by elastic incorporated in mesh side panels. In a second embodiment the top flaps are joined by webs of insulating material which function to facilitate the insulating capacity of the storage bag.

Claims

1. A bag for carrying multiple, equal sized, modular, parallelepiped tackle boxes comprising, in combination:

a rectangular parallelepiped bag enclosure having a back side, a bottom side and a front side joined to form a continuous, flexible U-shaped cross-section enclosure, said back side and front side further including, respectively, a folding back top side flap and front top side flap, each top side flap for covering, at least in part, the top side, said top side flaps sized to fold over each other to enclose the interior of the bag; and

said bag further including a first lateral side panel and a second lateral side panel, each lateral side panel joining the back side, front side and bottom side, each lateral side panel comprising a flexible mesh panel with an elastic band between the junction of the back side, lateral side panel and back side top flap and the junction of the front side, lateral side panel and front side top flap.

2. The bag of claim 1 further including a flexible mesh panel extending parallel to the front side and back side and between the first and second lateral side panels.

3. The bag of claim 1 or 2 in combination with multiple, modular, equal sized tackle boxes positioned in the interior of the bag.

4. The bag of claim 1 further including handles for the bag, one handle comprising a first strap connected to a junction of the back top side flap to the back side and the other handle comprising a second strap connected to a junction of the front top side flap to the front side.

5. An expandable storage case comprising, in combination:

a parallelpiped case with an open top, a flat planar rigid bottom panel, a first flat planar side panel attached to the bottom panel by a flexible hinge section, a second flat planar side panel parallel to and spaced from the first side panel and attached to the bottom panel by a flexible hinge section;

a first end panel formed from a mesh and including an elastic link connecting the side panels;

a second end panel formed from a mesh and including an elastic link connecting the side panels whereby the side panels are elastically biased toward each other about their respective flexible hinges; and

further including first and second top closure flaps attached respectively to the first and second side panels by a flexible hinge, said first and second top closure flaps foldable over the open top and overlapping one another when folded over the full range of separation of the first and second side panels.

6. The bag of claim 5 further including a web member connecting the end panels and extending midway between the side panels to define first and second compartments within the case.

7. The case of claim 5 further including first and second handles attached respectively to the case at the hinge for the first and second flaps.

8. The case of claim 5 further including a third end panel overlying the first end panel to form a storage pocket open at the top and including an elastic band connecting the first and second side panels.