STORAGE BAG CONVERTIBLE INTO A TRAVEL SEAT

Abstract

Storage bag convertible into a travel seat when the bag assumes an open configuration, the bag being configured to be carried by hand by means of a handle, and being further configured to be removably coupled to a suitcase provided with an extensible handle, the bag being characterized in that it comprises a front part and a lid configured to be coupled to two side parts of the bag through first removable coupling mechanical means when the bag assumes a closed configuration, and to be decoupled and separated from the two side parts when the bag assumes the open configuration, the handle being arranged on the lid, the bag comprising a rigid structure, placed within the bag, provided with safety belts configured to be fastened in front of a torso of a child sitting in the bag when the latter assumes the open configuration, and a padding superimposed on the rigid structure, the bag being provided with a pass-through pocket integrally coupled to a rear part of the bag, the pass-through pocket and the handle being configured to receive and to be crossed by an extensible handle of a suitcase.

Claims

1. Storage bag convertible into a travel seat when the bag assumes an open configuration, the bag being configured to be carried by hand by means of a handle, and being further configured to be removably coupled to a suitcase provided with an extensible handle, the bag comprising a front part and a lid configured to be coupled to two side parts of the bag through first removable coupling mechanical means when the bag assumes a closed configuration, and to be decoupled and separated from the two side parts when the bag assumes the open configuration, the handle being arranged on the lid, the bag comprising a rigid structure, placed within the bag, provided with safety belts configured to be fastened in front of a torso of a child sitting in the bag when the latter assumes the open configuration, and a padding superimposed on the rigid structure, the bag being provided with a pass-through pocket integrally coupled to a rear part of the bag, the pass-through pocket and the handle being configured to receive and to be crossed by an extensible handle of a suitcase.

2. Bag according to claim 1, wherein the rigid structure comprises a main part coupled to an upper part, the main part comprising a backrest and a seat, the main part being configured to support the body and at least partially the legs of a child when the bag assumes the open configuration, the upper part (being configured to support the head of a child when the bag assumes the open configuration.

3. Bag according to claim 2, wherein the main part of the rigid structure further comprises two side wings configured to confine the backrest and at least partially the seat when the bag assumes the open configuration.

4. Bag according to claim 1, wherein said first removable coupling mechanical means comprises zippers and/or mechanical and/or magnetic buttons and/or Austrian knots and/or hooks.

5. Bag according to claim 1, wherein the rigid structure is removably coupled to the storage bag through second coupling mechanical means, optionally comprising nickel and brass screws having a male/female arrangement and/or hook and loop fabric mechanical devices and/or screws, the rigid structure being configured to be extracted from the bag.

6. Bag according to claim 1, wherein the handle and the pocket have the same width, the handle and the pocket being optionally of the same material.

7. Bag according to claim 1, wherein it is provided on a base with a plurality of feet, optionally four feet.

8. Bag according to claim 1, wherein the rigid structure is made of thermoformed plastic, optionally of polycarbonate.

9. Bag according to claim 1, wherein the padding is made of hypoallergenic and/or breathable and/or fire-proof material.

10. Bag according to claim 1, wherein it is provided with a plate, optionally a metal plate, more optionally applied on the lid.

Description

[0023] The present invention will be now described, by way of illustration and not by way of limitation, according to one of its preferred embodiments, by particularly referring to the Figures of the annexed drawings, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 schematically shows a possible sequence of use of a preferred embodiment of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat according to the invention, that includes an extractable bag;

[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1, that shows the lid;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic front perspective view of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1, that shows the front aperture;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic side perspective view of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1, that shows the attachment of the shoulder strap;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a schematic rear perspective view of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1, that shows the attachment for the insertion of the extensible handle of a suitcase;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1 in an open configuration;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a schematic rear perspective view of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1 in the open configuration and coupled to a suitcase provided with wheels and extensible handle;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a particular of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat of FIG. 1.

[0032] In FIG. 1 a possible sequence of use of a preferred embodiment of the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat according to the invention is shown. The bag 100 is optionally made of leather and/or strong and/or impermeable tissue (even if the material of the bag is not an essential feature of the invention), and it optionally contains a bag 200 of non-rigid material, quale tissue and/or leather and/or impermeable material, in which it is possible to put personal items and that is possible to extract from the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat when the bag 100 is applied to a suitcase 300 provided with extensible handle 320, and advantageously with wheels 310, so as to be used in open configuration as child's chair thanks to the zippers 111 and 112 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which open and close the front part 105 and the lid 110 of the bag 100 with respect to the side parts 106 of the latter. In other embodiments of the present invention, the zippers 111 on the lid may be replaced with other closing/opening means, such as mechanical and/or magnetic buttons, Austrian knots, hooks. The size of the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat, though this is not an essential feature of the present invention, may vary, but it must be such that it maintain stability when the bag 100 is coupled to the suitcase and used as child's chair; consequently, the size of the bag 100 is advantageously comparable with the size of a suitcase provided with wheels and standard extensible handle to which it couples. In particular, the storage bag 100 convertible into a child's chair has a width optionally lower than 49 cm, still more optionally equal to 29 cm, a depth optionally not larger than 30 cm, still more optionally equal to 20 cm, and a height optionally not larger than 40 cm, still more optionally equal to 32 cm.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows the lid 110 that may be opened thanks to the side zippers 111 of the preferred embodiment of the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat according to the invention of FIG. 1. A handle 115, optionally of the same material of which the bag 100 is made, is attached in a non-removable way onto the lid. The lid 110 has a front flap 130 shown in FIG. 3. Other embodiments may have the front flap 130 that may close with suitable closing means, such as mechanical and/or magnetic buttons, Austrian knots, hooks, or they may be devoid of a flap. A plate 120, optionally of steel and of size 714 cm, may be applied onto the lid and it may include a trademark and/or identification data of the owner of the bag 100 or of the child; such plate is advantageously positioned so as to never get in contact with the child when he/she is seated within the bag 100 (when the latter is in open configuration), for instance it may be placed on the front flap 130 of the lid shown in FIG. 3. The plate is not an essential feature of the invention, whereby further embodiments of the bag according to the invention may be devoid of it or may have one or more labels positioned in locations different from the front flap 130. A shoulder strap of suitable shape and material may be applied laterally to the bag 100 for transporting the bag 100 when the child is not seated inside the same; in particular, the attachment 140 of the shoulder strap is visible in FIGS. 3 and 4. Other embodiments may have handgrips along with or in place of the shoulder strap.

[0034] With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the bag 100 in the open configuration transforms into a child's chair and is configured to be anchored to the extensible handle 320 of a suitcase (advantageously a trolley case provided with wheels) through the handle 115 and a pass-through pocket 150 integrally coupled to the rear part of the bag 100 (as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7), optionally made of the same material of the handle 115 and/or of the bag 100. As shown in FIG. 7, the handle 115 and the pass-through pocket 150 in the rear part optionally have equal dimensions in width and strength characteristics, so as to anchor in the same way the bag 100 in the open configuration, i.e. the child's chair into which the bag 100 has been transformed, to the suitcase 300 and to give stability to the child's chair during its use.

[0035] Advantageously, the handle 115 has width sufficient to guarantee an extended interaction with the rod of the extensible handle 320 in order to ensure stability to the child's chair, and to avoid that instinctively it is grasped for transporting the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat; in any case, the dimensions in width of the handle 115 are not an essential feature of the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat according to the invention. Optionally, the handle 115 has the same width of the lid, i.e. of the same storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat, and a height in the zones of attachment to the lid equal to 8 cm. Also the pocket 150 optionally has the same width of the bag 100; the height of the pocket 150 is optionally equal to 15 cm.

[0036] A rigid structure of thermoformed plastic, such as for instance polycarbonate, placed within the storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat of the preferred embodiment of the invention and configured to house a child during transport, is shown in FIG. 8. The rigid structure includes two parts: a main part 410 configured to support the body and at least partially the legs of the child, and an upper part 420 configured to support the head of the child. The two parts 410 and 420 are joined with suitable coupling means, such as strong tissue and/or a tissue hinge, and by the padding 500 coated with fabric shown in FIG. 6.

[0037] The main internal part 410 includes a backrest 411, a seat 412 and two side wings 413 configured to confine the backrest 411 and at least partially the seat 412 when the bag 100 assumes the open configuration, whereby the side wings 413 permit to use the child's chair even for transporting very young children, aged from 4 to 14 months, who have not yet a good control of motion and a good motor coordination. Other embodiments may have no side wings, or have them removable so as to eliminate them when the child grows up acquiring better control of motion and motor coordination. A suitable number of holes 414 are present in the rigid structure for attaching in a removable manner the rigid structure to the storage bag 100 through suitable coupling means, such as nickel and brass screws having a male/female arrangement. In this way it is possible to extract the rigid structure from the bag 100 for rendering the same more lightweight and handy once that its function of child's chair is terminated. Other embodiments may have different systems for removably coupling the rigid structure to the bag 100, such as for instance hook and loop fabric mechanical devices (also known with the commercial name Velcro), remaining within the scope of the present invention. The seat 412 is optionally attached to the lower part of the bag through screws inserted into respective holes (not shown in the Figures) to which four feet (also not shown in the Figure) are advantageously attached at the base of the bag 100 which serve as support on the suitcase and for resting the bag 100 on the floor when it is not used as child's chair.

[0038] The size of the rigid structure of FIG. 8 may vary according to the size of the bag 100 to which it must be attached. In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 8 the size are as follows: [0039] upper part 420: 27.5 cm of width18 cm of height; [0040] backrest 411: 24 cm of width30.5 cm of height; [0041] seat 412: 24 cm of width19 cm of depth; [0042] each side wing 413: 16 cm of width27 cm of height.

[0043] However, the size of the rigid structure of FIG. 8 is not an essential feature of the present invention.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6, the rigid structure is provided with safety belts 415 (not shown in FIG. 8) configured to be fastened in front of a torso of the child seated on the bag 100 in open configuration. Optionally, the belts are configured so that, when fastened, the child is blocked at the waist and at the shoulders. The storage bag 100 convertible into a travel seat includes an ergonomic padding 500 of hypoallergenic, breathable and fire-proof material, configured to wrap even laterally the child seated on the bag 100 in open configuration ensuring comfort to the child (see FIG. 6). Further embodiments of the storage bag convertible into a travel seat according to the invention may have shapes of the padding different from that shown in the Figures for the preferred embodiment.

[0045] The preferred embodiments of this invention have been described and a number of variations have been suggested hereinbefore, but it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make other variations and changes without so departing from the scope of protection thereof, as defined by the attached claims.