Transformable shipping bags and method of use

Abstract

A transformable shipping bag includes a front panel and a rear panel that each are formed with a substantially planar sheet of material bounded by an outer circumferential edge, a binding that binds a contiguous first portion of the outer circumferential edges of the front and rear panels to realize an inner volume, said binding resulting in an opening embodying a second portion of the outer circumferential edges, the opening allowing access to the inner volume and a handle configured to be stored within the inner volume while the transformable shipping bag is deployed as a shipping bag, and configured to be detachably attached to the binded front and rear panels of the transformable shipping bag, when the transformable shipping bag is to be deployed as a carry bag or backpack.

1 . A transformable shipping bag, comprising:
 a front panel and a rear panel that each comprise a substantially planar sheet of material bounded by an outer circumferential edge;   a binding that binds a contiguous first portion of the outer circumferential edges of the front and rear panels to realize an inner volume, said binding resulting in an opening embodying a second contiguous unbound portion of the outer circumferential edges that allows access to the inner volume; and   a handle configured to be stored within the inner volume while the transformable shipping bag is deployed as a shipping bag, and configured to be detachably attached to the bound front and rear panels of the transformable shipping bag, when the transformable shipping bag is to be deployed as a carry bag or backpack.   
     
     
         2 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear panels are round, and wherein a length of the opening is equal to an arc length defined by a radius of the substantially planar sheets of material multiplied by the central angle, angular rays of which define respective ends of the opening, in radians. 
     
     
         3 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , wherein the central angle is 3π/8 radians. 
     
     
         4 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , wherein at the second portion of the circumferential edges defining the opening, a closure mechanism is arranged. 
     
     
         5 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 4 , wherein, the closure mechanism embodies a zipper-like closure mechanism as used to close in plastic storage bags, snaps or other functionally similar forms of closure known to the skilled person. 
     
     
         6 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear panels are fabricated using any of natural cloth, polyester, nylon or other strong, flexible and durable man-made and natural materials. 
     
     
         7 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear panels are laminated, or coated with a film, to provide resistance to weather elements, including rain, sleet, snow and/or high humidity 
     
     
         8 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , wherein the binding includes reliance upon any of adhesives, heat welding and electronic welding. 
     
     
         9 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 8 , wherein the adhesives are common adhesives, and/or uncommon adhesives manufactured to overcome such adherence problems. 
     
     
         10 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable label attached to either the front or rear panel in reliance upon a removable sticky member comprising an inner-facing surface with an adhesive coating to adhere the sticky member to the panels. 
     
     
         11 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a webbing clip for detachable connecting the handle to the bound front and back panels.   
     
     
         12 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 11 , further comprising a number of grommets arranged proximate the bound circumferential edges of the first portion, which pass through and hold the front and rear panels at each grommet location, wherein the grommets are configured to receive the webbing clip. 
     
     
         13 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 11 , wherein the webbing clip includes a means for connecting to the belt or handle, at one end, and an opposing slotted end for receiving a portion of the bound front and rear panels, including respective grommets, in the slot. 
     
     
         14 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 13 , wherein the slot defines slot leaves or fingers, and wherein a slot leaf or finger throughhole is included in each of the leaves or fingers that is aligned with an opening of the grommets, and wherein the webbing clip further includes a retaining pin that is provided in the slot leaf or finger throughhole and grommet openings to secure the handle to the bound front and rear panels. 
     
     
         15 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 14 , wherein the retaining pin is cylindrical and includes a slot extending a full length of the cylindrical retaining pin sufficient to allow the retaining pin to compress to a smaller diameter than a diameter of the grommets, with a compressing force applied, and to expand to a retaining pin diameter that is greater than or equal to a diameter of the grommets, once the compressing force is removed, to securely fix the retaining pin to the webbing clip. 
     
     
         16 . The transformable shipping bag of  claim 1 , further including a plastic bubble-lined protection layer on an inner surface of the front and rear panels, for protecting items present in the shipping bag inner volume.