Flexible sports bag

Abstract

The present invention replaces the traditional steel and plastic construction primarily used in sports equipment bags to provide a novel sports equipment bag with flexibility, durability, strength, and a net weight reduction. The sports bag of the present invention integrates optionally removable composite rods into the frame structure of a sports bag to allow for significant flexibility and compression thereof for general transport, storage, shipping and handling purposes, and yet the sports bag is also capable of holding a semi-rigid exterior to a given volume and shape when in regular use. The present invention also discloses a sports equipment bag with a novel folding floor to assist with the flexible and collapsible nature of a sports equipment bag.

1 . A flexible sports bag comprising:
 a flexible body defining an interior compartment, said body comprising a front panel, a back panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, and first and second side panels;   a flexible subframe disposed in the interior compartment to which the flexible body is affixed, said subframe comprising:
 a first removable linear rod that extends vertically substantially the height of the back panel from a location proximate a junction of the back panel, the bottom panel and the first side panel to a location proximate a junction of the back panel, the top panel and the first side panel; 
 a second removable linear rod that extends vertically substantially the height of the back panel from a location proximate a junction of the back panel, the bottom panel and the second side panel to a location proximate a junction of the back panel, the top panel and the second side panel; 
 a first flexible angled rod that is releasably engageable with a first rod holder located proximate to the junction of the back panel, the top panel and the first side panel and that is capable of releasably engaging with a second rod holder located proximate to a junction of the front panel, the bottom panel and the first side panel; and 
 a second flexible angled rod that is releasably engageable with a third rod holder located proximate to the junction of the back panel, the top panel and the second side panel and that is capable of releasably engaging with a fourth rod holder located proximate to a junction of the front panel, the bottom panel and the second side panel, 
   wherein, when the first flexible angled rod is engaged with the first and second rod holders and the second flexible angled rod is engaged with the third and fourth rod holders, said flexible angled rods and linear rods maintain the flexible body in a semi-rigid but semi-compressible state, and   wherein, when the first flexible angled rod is engaged with at most one of the first and second rod holders and the second flexible angled rod is engaged with at most one of the third and fourth rod holders, said flexible body is compressible for any one or more of storage, transport, shipping or handling.   
     
     
         2 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first flexible angled rod is engageable with at least one side attachment affixed to an interior side of the first side panel and the second flexible angled rod is engageable with at least one side attachment affixed to an interior side of the second side panel,   wherein the side attachments comprise hook and loop attachments, loops of fabric stitched to the first and second side panels, or U-shaped portions of plastic stitched or riveted to the first and second side panels,   wherein the bottom panel further comprises a flexible floor portion that is vertically foldable along a lateral length of said bottom panel to increase the compressibility of the sports bag,   wherein the vertical folding of the flexible floor portion is controlled by the attachment and detachment of struts that are releasably attachable to the back panel at strut back panel attachment sections and releasably attachable to the flexible floor portion at strut floor attachment sections.   
     
     
         19 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the struts comprise strut attachments to releasably attach the struts to the strut back panel attachment sections and strut floor attachment sections. 
     
     
         20 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the strut attachments comprise hook and loop fasteners or hook and loop pile sewn on a polyethylene board. 
     
     
         21 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the strut attachments comprise hook and loop pile sewn on a polyethylene board. 
     
     
         22 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the struts are semi-rigid. 
     
     
         23 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the struts comprise strut webbing along an upper and lower lateral portion thereof which house strut rods to provide strength to the struts. 
     
     
         24 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the strut rods comprise any one of carbon fibre, pultrusion fiberglass, or pultrusion fiberglass with glass-fibre reinforced polymer or plastic material comprising epoxy, a thermosetting plastic or thermoplastic. 
     
     
         25 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the strut rods comprise pultrusion fiberglass with glass-fibre reinforced with a plastic composite material comprising non-homogeneous thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         26 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the distal ends of the linear rods comprise end caps fabricated from rubber or injection molded polyethylene plastic. 
     
     
         27 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and third rod holders comprise a second opening to releasably and frictionally engage or house the upper distal ends of the first and second removable linear rods. 
     
     
         28 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lower distal ends of the first and second removable linear rods are releasably engaged or housed by a fabric holder, a webbing holder supported by a rigid support, or an injection molded polyethylene plastic holder. 
     
     
         29 . A flexible sports bag comprising:
 a flexible body defining an interior compartment, said body comprising a front panel, a back panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, and first and second side panels;   a flexible subframe disposed in the interior compartment to which the flexible body is affixed, said subframe comprising:
 a first removable linear rod that extends vertically substantially the height of the back panel from a first distal end located proximate a junction of the back panel, the bottom panel and the first side panel to a second distal end located proximate a junction of the back panel, the top panel and the first side panel, and wherein said second distal end is releasably and frictionally engageable with a first end of a first support tube; 
 a second removable linear rod that extends vertically substantially the height of the back panel from a first distal end located proximate a junction of the back panel, the bottom panel and the second side panel to a second distal end located proximate a junction of the back panel, the top panel and the second side panel, and wherein said second distal end is releasably and frictionally engageable with a first end of a second support tube; 
 a first flexible angled rod having a first distal end that is releasably and frictionally engageable with a second end of the first support tube, and that is capable of extending from said second end of the first support tube to a location proximate to a junction of the front panel, the bottom panel and the first side panel where a second distal end of the first flexible angled rod is releasably and frictionally engageable with a first rod holder; and 
 a second flexible angled rod having a first distal end that is releasably and frictionally engageable with a second end of the second support tube, and that is capable of extending from said second end of the second support tube to a location proximate to a junction of the front panel, the bottom panel and the second side panel where a second distal end of the second flexible angled rod is releasably and frictionally engageable with a second rod holder, 
   wherein, when the second distal end of the first removable linear rod is engaged with the first end of the first support tube, the first distal end of the first flexible angled rod is engaged with the second end of the first support tube, and the second distal end of the first flexible angled rod is engaged with the first rod holder, and when the second distal end of the second removable linear rod is engaged with the first end of the second support tube, the first distal end of the second flexible angled rod is engaged with the second end of the second support tube, and the second distal end of the second flexible angled rod is engaged with the second rod holder, the flexible body is maintained in a semi-rigid but semi-compressible state, and   wherein, when the first distal end of the first flexible angled rod is disengaged from the second end of the first support tube, and the first distal end of the second flexible angled rod is disengaged from the second end of the second support tube, the first ends of the first and second support tubes are capable of swiveling inward on the second distal ends of the first and second removable linear rods, and whereby said flexible body is compressible for any one or more of storage, transport, shipping or handling.   
     
     
         30 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the flexible body comprises soft-sided nylon, canvas or polyester. 
     
     
         31 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the first and second removable linear rods are flexible. 
     
     
         32 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the first and second removable linear rods comprise any one of carbon fibre, pultrusion fiberglass, or pultrusion fiberglass with glass-fibre reinforced polymer or plastic material comprising epoxy, a thermosetting plastic or thermoplastic. 
     
     
         33 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the first and second removable linear rods comprise pultrusion fiberglass with glass-fibre reinforced with a plastic composite material comprising non-homogeneous thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         34 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the first and second removable linear rods are 0.375″ in diameter. 
     
     
         35 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the first and second flexible angled rods comprise any one of carbon fibre, pultrusion fiberglass, or pultrusion fiberglass with glass-fibre reinforced polymer or plastic material comprising epoxy, a thermosetting plastic or thermoplastic. 
     
     
         36 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the first and second flexible angled rods comprise pultrusion fiberglass with glass-fibre reinforced with a plastic composite material comprising non-homogeneous thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         37 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the first and second flexible angled rods are 0.25″ to 0.27″ in diameter. 
     
     
         38 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the first and second rod holders comprise an opening section to releasably and frictionally engage or house the second distal ends of the first and second flexible angled rods. 
     
     
         39 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the first and second rod holders comprise an opening that is tapered. 
     
     
         40 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the rod holders are fabricated from plastic, fabric, metal, or synthetic plastic material. 
     
     
         41 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein the rod holders are fabricated from injection molded polyethylene plastic. 
     
     
         42 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the rod holders are engaged with the first and second side panels by riveting said side panels to a plastic board. 
     
     
         43 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the bottom panel further comprises a flexible floor portion that is vertically foldable along a lateral length of said bottom panel to increase the compressibility of the sports bag. 
     
     
         44 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the first distal ends of the first and second removable linear rods comprise end caps fabricated from rubber or injection molded polyethylene plastic. 
     
     
         45 . A flexible sports bag as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the first distal ends of the first and second removable linear rods are releasably engaged or housed by a fabric holder, a webbing holder supported by a rigid support, or an injection molded polyethylene plastic holder.