Equipment bag attachment mechanism

Abstract

An equipment bag attachment mechanism detachably secures two equipment bags to each other for easy collective or individual transport. In embodiments, the equipment bags may be selected from among a helmet bag, a boot bag, and a grooming bag. In embodiments, the mechanism includes a first attachment mechanism portion that includes a pair of opposed tongues, one of the tongues having a downwardly extending protrusion, and a second attachment mechanism portion that includes a loop that seats between the opposed tongues and is limited by the protrusion to hold the two mechanism portions together.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An equipment bag attachment mechanism comprising:
 a first attachment mechanism portion attached to a first equipment bag and having at least a portion made of a first material, the first attachment mechanism portion comprising a first plate and a second plate;   a second attachment mechanism portion attached to a second equipment bag having at least a portion made of a second material, the second attachment mechanism portion comprising a loop which is sized to seat between the first and second plates of the first attachment mechanism portion when the first and second attachment mechanism portions are mated with each other.   
     
     
         2 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second attachment mechanism portion comprises a third plate and a fourth plate, the fourth plate having the loop.   
     
     
         3 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate includes a protrusion that seats against the second plate to hold the loop between the first and second plates when the first and second attachment mechanism portions are mated with each other. 
     
     
         4 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate includes a first tongue and the second plate includes a second tongue, wherein the loop seats between the first and second tongues when the first and second attachment mechanism portions are mated with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the first tongue includes a protrusion that seats against the second tongue to hold the loop between the first and second tongues when the first and second attachment mechanism portions are mated with each other. 
     
     
         6 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 2 , further comprising a first securer to secure the first and second plates of the first attachment mechanism portion to the first material. 
     
     
         7 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein the first securer secures the first and second plates of the first attachment mechanism portion to each other through the first material. 
     
     
         8 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 6 , further comprising a second securer to secure the third and fourth plates of the second attachment mechanism to the second material. 
     
     
         9 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein the second securer secures the third and fourth plates of the second attachment mechanism to each other through the second material. 
     
     
         10 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the first and second securers are selected from the group consisting of adhesive, glue, epoxy, one or more ultrasonic welds, or a plurality of barbs extending from either the second plate or the third plate and attaching to the first or the second material. 
     
     
         11 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate of the first attachment mechanism portion includes interior sloped edges to guide the loop between the first and second plates when the first and second attachment mechanism portions are mated with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate of the first attachment mechanism portion has openings on three sides, the openings being sized to guide the loop between the first and second plates of the first attachment mechanism portion as the first and second attachment mechanism portions are mated with each other. 
     
     
         13 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second plates comprise material selected from the group consisting of metal, brass, plated metal, plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, fiber reinforced polymer, fiberglass reinforced nylon, or plastic coated carbon fiber. 
     
     
         14 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of the third and fourth plates comprise material selected from the group consisting of metal, brass, plated metal, plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, fiber reinforced polymer, fiberglass reinforced nylon, or plastic coated carbon fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first material is sufficiently rigid to facilitate attachment of the first attachment mechanism thereto. 
     
     
         16 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the second material is sufficiently rigid to facilitate attachment of the second attachment mechanism thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first equipment bag comprises the first material, and wherein the first material is sufficiently rigid to facilitate attachment of the first attachment mechanism thereto. 
     
     
         18 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the second equipment bag comprises the second material, and wherein the second material is sufficiently rigid to facilitate attachment of the second attachment mechanism thereto. 
     
     
         19 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first equipment bag comprises the first material, and wherein the first material is sufficiently rigid to enable the first equipment bag to be free-standing when empty. 
     
     
         20 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the second equipment bag comprises the second material, and wherein the second material is sufficiently rigid to enable the second equipment bag to be free-standing when empty. 
     
     
         21 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second equipment bags are shaped to carry equestrian equipment selected from the group consisting of boots, a helmet, and grooming equipment. 
     
     
         22 . The equipment bag attachment mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second equipment bags is an equestrian boot bag and the other of the first and second equipment bags is an equestrian helmet bag.