EP0342300A1 - Bag transformable into a clothes carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a bag which can be converted into a clothes carrier. This bag is characterised in that it consists of a pocket (1), in particular a rectangular pocket, open at its upper part and provided, at this level, with gripping members, in particular with handles (4), and of fastening members (2, 8, 9) which can move between a rest position in which they are totally folded up inside the bag (1), and a use position in which they are unfolded outwards in order to be able to serve as a support, in particular for hanging clothes whilst at the same time enabling the bag (1) to rest on the ground in the standing position. The invention applies to bags which can be converted into clothes carriers. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a bag convertible into a clothes rack; this bag can, of course, have any use, in particular as a travel bag or beach bag.

All the surveys concerning the types of vacation preferred by Europeans have shown that the sun and the sea come, largely, in the head and that the "idleness" on a sunny beach, interspersed with baths in a warm sea, jogging or another sport of outdoors, is the vacation dreamed of by the majority.

To make the most of the beach and perfect their tan, summer visitors seek to spend as many hours as possible; for this, they need to bring a certain number of essential items ranging from the terry towel and swimsuit to magazines, sun products, drinks, sandwiches, etc ...

For this purpose, it is imperative to provide large bags capable of containing the aforementioned objects, but also the "city" clothes of summer visitors.

However, the "tote" type bags which are commonly used are not entirely satisfactory since they are not very stable once placed on the beach and are therefore likely to fill with sand, which is detrimental to their content and that it is impossible to place relatively bulky and fragile clothing such as jackets and pants without crumpling them.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a bag capable of containing all the objects necessary for the summer visitor for a day on the beach without risking that they are in contact with the sand, and which, moreover, can allow its user to avoid having to put his clothes directly on the beach and therefore allow him to return to his place of residence while always being clean and impeccable.

To this end, the invention relates to a bag convertible into a clothes rack, characterized in that it consists of a pocket, in particular rectangular, open at its upper part and provided, at this level, with gripping members, in particular with handles, as well as by movable fasteners between a rest position in which they are completely folded in the bag and a position of use in which they are unfolded outwards so as to be able to serve as a support, in particular for hanging clothes while allowing the bag to rest on the floor in a standing position.

Thanks to this configuration, the bag according to the invention constitutes a silent servant when it is in the position of use; the user can then very easily store his clothes (jacket, skirt, pants ...) on the support without the risk of wrinkling.

To be able to optimally use the volume of the pocket, it is particularly advantageous to place the fasteners, not directly in this pocket, but in an attached pocket integral with the latter, or even removably attached thereto in particular by means of pressures in order to allow, in certain cases, the user to use the bag without having to transport fasteners; this separation of the pocket and the pocket allows, in all cases, the user to have free access to the interior of the bag.

Of course, the bag according to the invention can have any configuration without departing from the scope of the invention: the pocket can, for example advantageously, include an external bellows to increase its capacity, or even small internal auxiliary pockets or outside likely to contain more fragile objects (watch, jewelry ...).

The bag can, moreover, be of any material, in particular canvas, synthetic material or even leather, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention; since the internal part of the pocket is called upon to receive wet sponge towels or even wet clothing, it is however advantageous to provide its internal part with an impermeable coating.

In addition, for the bag according to the invention to be able to be used satisfactorily, it is imperative that the fastening members can be completely folded back inside the pouch in the rest position, so that the user, in particular summer visitors can carry it by holding it by its handles in the usual way, or by means of a strap attached to the pocket.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the fixing members are constituted by a chassis, in particular removable, resting at the bottom of the po chette and cooperating, on the one hand, with a rigid suspension frame in the form of an inverted U comprising two lateral arms, in particular telescopic, as well as a central rod carrying a hanger, in particular articulated, and, on the other hand, with a frame of removable support also in the form of an inverted U and comprising a central cross member as well as two lateral plugs terminated by two points capable of projecting outwards by penetrating into two orifices provided for this purpose at the bottom of the pocket and being pressed in the ground, especially in sand, the central rod of the suspension frame as well as the central cross member of the support frame acting as operating handles for transferring the bag from the rest position to the use position or vice versa.

The aforementioned fasteners can be of any rigid material: metal (aluminum), synthetic material or even wood ... It is, in all cases, imperative that they form a sufficiently light assembly to be easily transported with the bag in rest position.

The lateral arms of the suspension frame are most often telescopic; in certain particular configurations, they may nevertheless include hinge joints without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, in accordance with the invention, the hanger is, most often, constituted by an independent element articulated on the central rod of the suspension frame at its upper part, in order to facilitate the positioning or gripping of clothes or others; it is, however, also possible, in certain simplified embodiments, to simply bend the aforementioned central rod so that it matches the shape of classic coat racks.

In all cases, to pass the bag from the use position to the rest position, the user just has to exert traction in one direction or another on the rod and the central crosspiece.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the chassis is constituted by a main bar carrying, perpendicularly on the one hand, at its ends, two tubular branches forming a sheath for the lateral arms of the suspension frame and, on the other hand and at in the immediate vicinity of these tubular branches, two guide sleeves perforated right through, cooperating with the lateral plugs of the support frame and allowing their displacement towards the outside of the bag in the position of use.

To allow the use of the aforementioned bag, it is imperative to provide the fastening members with locking members, on the one hand, the suspension frame in the use position and, on the other hand, the support frame in rest position, to keep the tips of the side plugs securely inside the pocket, without the risk of downward movement.

To this end and according to another characteristic of the invention, the lateral arms of the suspension frame cooperate with a pawl making it possible to maintain the suspension frame in the position of use. This pawl is advantageously constituted by a member resiliently held inside the lateral arms and capable of projecting from their external surface through an orifice specially provided for this purpose to maintain and block the suspension frame in the position of use. To replace this frame in rest position, the user simply presses the pawls to unlock the system and then pushes the central rod down.

Furthermore, the tubular branches of the chassis are provided on their outer periphery with two lugs forming a stop to maintain the support frame inside the pouch in the rest position.

According to this configuration, the support frame is maintained at the level of the central crosspiece; to move the support frame into the position of use, the user need only, on the one hand, to press on the cross member and, on the other hand, to force apart the tubular branches.

It is clear that, in its aforementioned configuration, the bag according to the invention can only be placed in the position of use in the case of soils which are sufficiently loose to allow the lateral sheets of the support frame to be "planted". However, in accordance with the invention, it is sought to provide a bag that can be used on any terrain, even hard, for example around swimming pools.

To this end, and according to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the fixing members comprise two sockets respectively movable in translation along the lateral plugs of the support frame and provided with retaining lugs capable of being introduced from the outside in the chassis guide sleeves so as to allow the support frame, taken out of the pouch, to rest on the ground and keep the bag in an upright position.

In accordance with this configuration, the support frame, once removed from the pouch, therefore acts as a "seat" surface for the bag and the suspension frame in the position of use and responsible for clothing.

Due to the removable nature of the fasteners, it is possible for the user to take them out of the bag and in particular of the pouch, and to use them inside, as a "silent servant" in a totally independent of the bag and in particular of the pouch.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the bag comprises a protective canvas which can be folded back inside the pouch in the rest position and which can be unfolded above the suspension frame in the position of use to protect the clothing or the like therein. are suspended against the wind, bad weather, dust ... This fabric can, moreover, have an aesthetic role by making it possible to camouflage the "unpacking" of clothes. It is particularly advantageous to provide it, at its lower part, with fasteners making it possible to fix it to the support frame.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the pocket is provided, in particular on its face opposite to the pocket, with a foldable flap in the rest position and which can be blocked, in this position, by means of blocking members.

This flap acting in particular as a magazine rack in the rest position, transforms, in the use position, into a shelf which must be rigid enough to allow the user resting on a beach or by a swimming pool to place various objects such as sun products, drinks, sunglasses ...

In the rest position, locking members such as a zipper or snaps allow the flap to be held.

Of course, the bag according to the invention is preferably provided, at its upper part, closing devices of the conventional type.

So that summer visitors can leave their bag for a few moments on the beach, in particular to take a bath without risking seeing its contents disappear, the bag closing members are, according to another characteristic of the invention, associated with body members. alarm, in particular audible alarm devices, cooperating with triggering devices capable of being actuated from the outside to control the emission of an alarm signal, in particular an audible signal in response to any attempt opening of the closing members.

• - la figure 1 est une vue du sac en perspective en po­sition de repos,
• - la figure 2 est une vue en perspective du sac en po­sition d'utilisation,
• - la figure 3 représente les organes de fixation en position de repos,
• - la figure 4 représente les organes de fixation en position d'utilisation,
• - la figure 5 représente le châssis.

The characteristics of the bag which is the subject of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bag in the rest position,
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bag in the use position,
• FIG. 3 represents the fixing members in the rest position,
• FIG. 4 represents the fixing members in the position of use,
• - Figure 5 shows the chassis.

According to Figure 1, the bag according to the invention consists of a pocket 1 of any material, in particular a fabric having at its internal part an impermeable coating, which is provided on one of its faces with a pocket 2 closed by a flap 3 and containing removable fasteners to transform the bag into a clothes rack. Handles 4 allow the user to grasp the bag which may be provided with other members, such as for example a label holder 5 or closing members 6.

The fasteners are movable between a rest position in which they are completely included in the pocket 2 (Figures 1 and 3) and a position of use in which they protrude outward on either side of that -ci (Figures 2 and 4).

These members consist of a frame 7 shown in FIG. 5 which rests on the lower part 20 of the pocket 2 and cooperates with two movable frames in the shape of an inverted U, namely a telescopic suspension frame 8 movable upwards according to the arrow A (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a support frame 9 which can be moved downwards according to arrow B.

According to Figure 5, the frame 7 is constituted by a main bar 10 whose ends carry perpendicularly two tubular branches 11 and 11 'which act as guide sleeves for the suspension frame 8 as will be described in more detail below of this talk.

The main bar 10 also cooperates with guide sleeves 12, 12 ′ mounted in the immediate vicinity of the tubular branches 11 and 11 ′ parallel to these, and defining at their internal part through perforations 13, 13 ′ extending over their entire length, including through the walls of the bar 10. Lugs forming stops 14, 14 ′ are also provided to hold the support frame 9 in the pocket 2 when the bag is in the rest position.

According to Figures 3 and 4, the suspension frame 8 is constituted by two lateral arms 15 and 15 'telescopically movable in the branches 11, 11' forming sleeves of the chassis 7 as well as by a central rod 16 whose middle part carries a hanger 17 articulated at its upper part 18 (FIG. 2) in order to facilitate the positioning and gripping of clothing.

Ratchets 19, 19 ′ mounted at the lower end of the lateral arms 15 and 15 ′ make it possible to hold and block the frame 8 in the use position as shown in FIG. 4, projecting from the outer surface of the arms 15 , 15 ′ by an orifice not shown to come into abutment against the upper end of the branches 11 and 11 ′ of the chassis 7. One could also without departing from the scope of the invention, provide for this purpose an orifice, at the 'upper end of branches 11 and 11 ′. This configuration would have the advantage of avoiding any involuntary separation of the chassis 7 and the frame 8.

Furthermore, and according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the support frame 9 is constituted by a central cross member 21 as well as by two lateral plugs 22 and 22 ′ terminated by points 23, 23 ′ (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4) , and likely to penetrate into the perforations 13, 13 ′ of the guide sleeves 12, 12 ′ and into corresponding holes not shown in the figures provided for this purpose in the lower part 20 of the pocket 2 so as to be able to be planted in the ground in the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4 to allow the bag to rest on the ground x, x ′ in a standing position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pins 14, 14 ′ of the tubular branches 11, 11 ′ make it possible to maintain the support frame 9 in the rest position inside the pocket 2 by acting as stops for its central cross member 21 ; from this position, to bring the frame 9 into the position of use as shown in FIG. 4, the user just has to push down on the cross member 21 with his hand according to arrow B, and to force the tubular branches 11 and 11 ′ apart simultaneously by force in order to disengage the frame 9 from the lugs 14, 14 ′.

Furthermore, two sockets 25, 25 ′ are respectively mobile in translation along the lateral plugs 22, 22 ′ of the support frame 9 to which they are retained in particular by means of cords not shown in the figure; these sockets are provided with lateral holding tabs 24, 24 ′ capable of being introduced from the outside into the perforations 13, 13 ′ of the guide sleeves 12, 12 ′ of the chassis 7 as shown in solid lines in the figure 2 to allow the frame 9 to constitute a base allowing the bag to be placed in the upright position in the case of soils that are too hard for the spikes 23, 23 ′ to be planted there as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4.

According to FIG. 2, the pouch 2 also contains a folding protective canvas 26 provided with fasteners 27 which can be fixed to the plugs 22, 22 ′ of the frame 9 in order to protect the clothes or the like placed on the hanger 17.

The aforementioned bag could of course be provided with other members without departing from the scope of the invention, in particular with a foldable flap fixed to its face opposite to the pouch.

According to FIG. 2, so that the aforementioned bag gives complete satisfaction and in particular allows a user to move away for a few moments without the risk of seeing the contents of the pocket 1 disappear, the bag is provided with audible alarm devices 28 shown schematically, associated with the closure members 6 of the pocket 1 and cooperating with latching members 29, in particular a push button capable of being actuated from the outside to com request the emission by the members 28 of an audible alarm signal a in response to any attempt to open the closing members 6.

It would also be possible to provide alarm devices of the type of those commonly used in particular on motor vehicles and capable of being triggered during any attempt to steal the bag as a whole.

Furthermore, to reduce the volume of the bag according to the invention, the arms 15, 15 ′ of the frame 8 and / or the branches 11, 11 ′ of the chassis 7 can be constituted by elements which slide telescopically.

Claims (10)

1) Bag convertible into a clothes rack, characterized in that it is constituted by a pocket (1) in particular rectangular open at its upper part and provided, at this level, with gripping members, in particular with handles (4) , as well as by fasteners (7, 8, 9) movable between a rest position in which they are completely folded in the bag (1) and a position of use in which they are unfolded outwards to be able serve as a support, in particular for hanging clothes while allowing the bag (1) to rest on the ground in a standing position. 2 °) Bag according to claim 1, characterized in that in the rest position, the fastening members are completely folded in a pocket (2) integral with the pocket (1) or removably attached thereto. 3 °) Bag according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the fixing members are constituted by a frame (7), in particular removable resting at the bottom of the pocket (2) and cooperating, on the one hand , with a rigid suspension frame (8) in the shape of an inverted U comprising two lateral arms, in particular telescopic (15, 15 ′) as well as a central rod (16) carrying a hanger (17), in particular articulated, and, on the other hand, with a removable support frame (9) also in the form of an inverted U and comprising a central crosspiece (21) as well as two lateral plugs (22, 22 ′) terminated by two points (23, 23 ′) capable of protrude outward by entering two holes provided for this purpose at the bottom of the pocket (2) and being sunk into the ground (x, x ′), in particular in the sand, the central rod (16) of the suspension frame (8) and the central crosspiece (16) of the support frame (9) acting as operating handles for transferring the bag from the rest position to the use position or vice versa. 4 °) bag according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame (7) is constituted by a main bar (10) carrying, perpendicularly on the one hand, at its ends, two tubular branches (11, 11 ′) forming sheath for the lateral arms (15, 15 ′) of the suspension frame (8) and, on the other hand and in the direct vicinity of these tubular branches (11, 11 ′), two guide sleeves (12, 12 ′) perforated with right through, cooperating with the lateral plugs (22, 22 ′) of the support frame (9) and allowing their displacement towards the outside of the bag in the position of use. 5 °) bag according to claim 4, characterized in that the tubular branches (11, 11 ′) of the chassis (7) are provided on their outer periphery with two lugs (14, 14 ′) forming a stop to hold the support frame (9) inside the pocket (2) in the rest position. 6 °) Bag according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the lateral arms (15, 15 ′) of the suspension frame (8) cooperate with a pawl (19, 19 ′) making it possible to hold the frame suspension (8) in the use position. 7 °) Bag according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fastening members comprise two sockets (25, 25 ′) respectively movable in translation along the lateral plugs (22, 22 ′) of the frame support (9) and provided with retaining lugs (24, 24 ′) capable of being introduced from the outside into the guide sleeves (12, 12 ′) of the chassis (7) so as to allow the frame to support (9), out of the pocket (2), rest on the ground (x, x ′) and keep the bag in a standing position. 8 °) Bag according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a protective fabric (26) foldable inside the pocket (2) in the rest position and unfoldable above the suspension frame (8) in the position of use to protect the clothes or other items suspended therein. 9 °) Bag according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the pocket (1) is provided, in particular on its face opposite to the pocket (2), with a foldable flap in the rest position and capable of be blocked in this position by means of blocking members. 10 °) Bag according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the pocket (1) is provided, at its upper part, with closing members (6) associated with alarm members, in particular audible alarm members (28), cooperating with interlocking members (29) capable of being actuated from the outside to control the emission of an alarm signal, in particular an audible signal (a) in response to any attempt to open the closure members (6).

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