Car seat carrier

Abstract

The present application relates generally to carrier bags, and specifically to a reconfigurable bag which can carry a car seat. The carrier of the present application includes a wall system defining a seat compartment, the wall system moveable between an extended configuration, in which an expansion portion is included in defining an outer wall of the seat compartment, and a retracted configuration, in which the expansion portion is excluded from defining the outer wall of the seat compartment. The outer wall of the seat compartment further has an opening, the opening permitting objects to enter or exit the seat compartment and the outer wall of the seat compartment having a cover portion being moveable to close the opening. The carrier further includes a releasable fastener system to govern access through the opening. A related method of utilizing the carrier as a car seat carrier and backpack are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reconfigurable carrier, comprising:
 a wall system defining a seat compartment and including an expansion portion, the wall system moveable between an extended configuration in which the expansion portion is included in defining an outer wall of the seat compartment and a retracted configuration in which the expansion portion is excluded from defining the outer wall of the seat compartment,   the outer wall of the seat compartment having an opening defined therein, the opening permitting objects to enter or exit the seat compartment, the outer wall of the seat compartment having a cover portion being moveable to close the opening; and   a releasable fastener system to govern access through the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the releasable fastener system is moveable between a first configuration to govern access through the opening in the extended configuration and a second configuration to govern access through the opening in the retracted configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the releasable fastener system includes at least one compression strap and at least one side release buckle, the at least one compression strap and the at least one side release buckle provided to allow for expansion in the first configuration and retraction in the second configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The carrier of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one compression strap contains a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is secured to one external side of the wall system and the second end contains a coupling mechanism that is configured to releasably secure to the at least one side release buckle, and wherein the at least one side release buckle is secured to an opposite external side of the wall system. 
     
     
         5 . The carrier of  claim 4 , wherein the releasable fastener system includes:
 a seat compartment access fastener including at least one first constituent seat compartment access fastener and at least one second constituent seat compartment access fastener; and   the at least one first and second constituent seat compartment access fasteners are engageable to govern the opening.   
     
     
         6 . The carrier of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one first constituent seat compartment access fastener and the second constituent seat compartment access fasteners are each zipper halves. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one shoulder strap secured to an outer surface of the outer wall structure for use by a user in carrying the carrier. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one shoulder strap is a pair of shoulder straps for use by a user in carrying the carrier as a backpack. 
     
     
         9 . The carrier of  claim 8 , wherein the outer wall structure includes a back panel and a base to form a support structure for the seat when the outer wall structure is in the extended configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the back panel is a padded panel and is positioned between the shoulder straps and the seat compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one waist strap and at least one sternum strap secured to the outer surface for use by a user in carrying the carrier. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier of  claim 2 , wherein the wall system includes an inner wall structure, the inner wall structure segregating at least one general compartment from the seat compartment, the at least one general compartment provided for use by a user in segregating at least one further carried object from a seat in the seat compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The carrier of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one general compartment includes a front compartment configured to rest within a seating area of the seat when the seat is received in the seat compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The carrier of  claim 13 , wherein the releasable fastener system includes a front compartment fastener governing a front compartment access opening through the wall system. 
     
     
         15 . The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion portion is either folded into the seat compartment or removed from the carrier when the carrier is in a retracted configuration. 
     
     
         16 . A method of utilizing the carrier of  claim 1  as a car seat carrier, comprising:
 extending the wall system defining the seat compartment by including the expansion portion in defining the outer wall of the seat compartment; 
 opening the cover portion of the outer wall of the seat compartment to open the opening; 
 placing a car seat through the opening of the outer wall of the seat compartment and in the seat compartment; and 
 securing the car seat in the carrier by utilizing the releasable fastener system to close access through the opening and secure the carrier in the extended configuration. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the carrier further includes at least one shoulder strap secured to an outer surface of the outer wall structure for use by a user in carrying the carrier. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the carrier outer wall structure includes a back panel and a base to form a support structure for the seat when the outer wall structure is in the extended configuration. 
     
     
         19 . A method of utilizing the carrier of  claim 1  as a backpack, comprising:
 retracting the wall system defining the seat compartment by excluding the expansion portion from defining the outer wall of the seat compartment; and 
 securing the carrier as a backpack by utilizing the releasable fastener system to maintain the carrier in the retracted configuration. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the carrier further includes a pair of shoulder straps for use by a user in carrying the carrier as a backpack. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the expansion portion is either folded into the seat compartment or removed from the carrier when the carrier is in the retracted configuration.