CARRIER

ARTICLE DE TRANSPORT

English Abstract

A carrier (10) of the backpack type is provided for use by motorcyclists to
carry their travel requirements and a motor cycle helmet (26) when on or off
the motorcycle. The carrier (10) has a bag (11) of flexible textile material
with adjustable shoulder straps (12), waist strap (16) and chest strap (13).
The bag (11) has a main compartment (22) and a lower compartment (25) adapted
to receive the helmet (26) inside it so that the carrier (10) can be
freestanding when placed on the ground. The lower compartment (25) folds and
is contained by a securing panel (28) to the base of the main compartment (22)
when no helmet (26) is in the lower compartment (25).

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un article de transport (10) de type sac à dos destiné à être utilisé par des motards pour transporter leur nécessaire de voyage et un casque de moto (26), lorsque les motards sont sur leur moto, ou lorsqu'ils sont à pied. Cet article de transport (10) comporte un sac (11) en matière textile souple comportant des sangles (12) d'épaule ajustables, une sangle (16) au niveau de la taille et une sangle (13) au niveau de la poitrine. Ce sac (11) comporte un compartiment principal (22) et un compartiment inférieur (25) conçu pour recevoir le casque (26) à l'intérieur, de sorte que l'article de transport (10) peut être autoporté une fois placé sur le sol. Le compartiment inférieur (25) se plie et est contenu par un panneau de protection (28) au niveau de la base du compartiment principal (22), lorsqu'aucun casque (26) ne se trouve dans le compartiment inférieur (25).

Claims

5
CLAIMS
1. A carrier (10) comprising a bag (11) having at least one shoulder strap
(12) extending
from the top of the bag (11) to the lower part thereof and intended to pass
over a shoulder
and under the arm of the wearer, the bag (11) having a main compartment (22)
and a lower
compartment (25) disposed beneath the main compartment (22), the lower
compartment (25)
being adapted to receive a motor cycle helmet (26) therein, characterised in
that the carrier
(10) also has a securing panel (28) adapted to pass under the lower
compartment (25).
2. A carrier according to claim 1, characterised in that the bag (11) is of a
flexible textile
material.
3. A carrier according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the
carrier (10) has an
access opening to the lower compartment (25) separate from that providing
access to the
main compartment (11).
4. A carrier according to claim 3, characterised in that the access opening to
the main
compartment (22) is provided with a main sliding fastener (23).
5. A carrier according to claim 4, characterised in that the bag (11) has a
flap (24)
adapted to cover the main sliding fastener (23).
6. A carrier according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the
access
opening to the lower compartment (25) is provided with a drawstring (27).
7. A carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the
securing panel
(28) comprises a base portion (29) and a securing strap portion (30).
8. A carrier according to claim 7, characterised in that the base portion (29)
is secured to
the base of the main compartment (22) at the rear thereof.
9. A carrier according to claim 8, characterised in that there is a connecting
device (31) at
the free end of the securing strap portion (30) adapted to be releasably
connected to the base
of the main compartment (22) at the front thereof.
10. A carrier according to claim 9, characterised in that the releasable
connecting device
comprises a securing buckle (31).

6
11. A carrier according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that
the base portion
(29) and the base of the main compartment (22) have a sliding fastener (32)
around the
peripheries thereof adapted to secure the base portion (29) in underlying
relationship with the
base of the main compartment (22), with the lower compartment (25) and the
securing strap
portion (30) contained therebetween, when no helmet (26) is contained in the
lower
compartment (25).
12. A carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised by having
two shoulder
straps (12) extending from the top of the bag (11) to the lower part thereof
and intended to
pass over the shoulders and under the arms of the wearer.
13. A carrier according to claim 12, characterised in that the shoulder straps
(12) are
adjustable in length.
14. A carrier according to claim 12 or claim 13, characterised in that the
carrier (10) has a
waist strap (16) adapted to pass around the waist of the wearer.
15. A carrier according to claim 14, characterised in that the waist strap
(16) comprises two
waist strap parts, each having one end thereof secured to the bag (11) and
having one of a
pair of co-operating buckle parts (17) at the free end thereof.
16. A carrier according to claim 15, characterised in that at least one part
of the waist strap
(16) is adjustable in length.
17. A carrier according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterised in that
the carrier (10)
has a chest strap (13) adapted to pass around the chest of the wearer.
18. A carrier according to claim 17, characterised in that the chest strap
(13) comprises
two chest strap parts, each having one end thereof secured to a respective
shoulder strap
(12) and having one of a pair of co-operating buckle parts (14) at the free
end thereof.
19. A carrier according to claim 18, characterised in that at least one part
of the chest strap
(13) is adjustable in length.
20. A carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that
the carrier (10)
has a carrying handle (15) secured to the top of the bag (11).

7
21. A carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that
the carrier (10)
has at least one pocket (18, 19) secured to the bag (11).
22. A carrier according to claim 21, characterised in that the carrier (10)
has a front pocket
(18) and a pair of side pockets (19).
23. A carrier according to claim 22, characterised in that each pocket (18,
19) is provided
with a sliding fastener (20).
24. A carrier according to claim 23, characterised in that each pocket (18,
19) has a flap
(21) adapted to cover the sliding fastener (20).
25. In combination, a carrier (10) and a motor cycle helmet (26), the carrier
(10) comprising
a bag (11) having at least one shoulder strap (12) extending from the top of
the bag (11) to
the lower part thereof and intended to pass over a shoulder and under the arm
of the wearer,
the bag (11) having a main compartment (22) and a lower compartment (25)
disposed
beneath the main compartment (22), the lower compartment (25) in which the
motor cycle
helmet (26) is received, characterised in that the carrier (10) also has a
securing panel (28)
adapted to pass under the lower compartment (25).

Description

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This invention relates to carriers, and in particular to carriers to be worn
on the back of a
person. Such carriers are often known as backpacks.
Backpacks generally consist of a bag and straps that are intended to pass from
the top of the
bag, over the shoulders of the wearer and under their arms to the lower part
of the bag. The
bags are of a flexible textile material, and are usually provided with a
drawstring closure and
covering flap to inhibit the ingress of rain to the bag. Such backpacks may
also be provided
with pockets or compartments for specific items to be carried, such as maps,
or with straps for
attaching articles to the outside of the bag. Motorcyclists often carry
personal requirements
for a journey in such backpacks. They also often carry a spare helmet, or
their own helmet
when not in use, in a bag specifically designed as a helmet carrier. Such a
helmet carrier
usually takes the form of a bag with a drawstring closure and a carrying
handle. However,
walking around with both a backpack and a helmet carrier, or riding with a
backpack and a
spare helmet, is at least inconvenient and, in the latter case, at worst
dangerous. If the
backpack has external straps, it may be possible to strap the helmet to the
backpack so that
the backpack and helmet can be carried as one. However, this does not prevent
damage to
the helmet if the backpack and helmet are put down, possibly propped against a
wall or some
other object, and the assembly falls over. Consequently, known backpacks and
helmet
carriers do not need the needs of motorcyclists when riding with a spare
helmet or when not
on the motor bicycle. US 5826771 discloses a backpack having a main
compartment and a
lower compartment, the lower compartment being of various sizes to accommodate
unspecified articles. Whilst the upright backpack may be stable standing on a
flat surface
when a rigid flat bottomed article is contained in the lower compartment, the
flexibitty of the
tower compartment will militate such stability when the lower compartment is
empty.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a carrier that overcomes
the abovementioned
disadvantages of the known carriers.
The invention provides a carrier comprising a bag having at least one shoulder
strap
extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to
pass over a
shoulder and under the arm of the wearer, the bag having a main compartment
and a lower
compartment disposed beneath the main compartment, the lower compartment being
adapted
to receive a motor cycle helmet therein, wherein the carrier also has a
securing panel adapted
to pass under the lower compartment.
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The bag may be of a flexible textile material. Preferably the carrier has an
access. opening to
the lower compartment separate from that providing access to the main
compartment. The
access opening to the main compartment may be provided with a main sliding
fastener. The
bag may have a flap adapted to cover the main sliding fastener. The access
opening to the
lower compartment may be provided with a'drawstring. The securing panel may
comprise a
base portion and a securing strap portion. The base portion may be secured to
the base of
the main compartment at the rear thereof, and there may be a connecting device
at the free
end of the securing strap portion adapted to be releasably connected to the
base of the main
compartment at the front thereof. The releasable connection may comprise a
securing buckle.
The base portion and the base of the main compartment may have a sliding
fastener around
the peripheries thereof adapted to secure the base portion in underlying
relationship with the
base of the main compartment, with the lower compartment and the securing
strap portion
contained therebeiween, when no helmet is contained in the lower compartment.
The carrier may have two shoulder straps extending from the top of the bag to
the lower part
thereof and intended to pass over the shoulders and under the anus of the
wearer. The
straps may be adjustable in length. The carrier may have a waist strap adapted
to pass
around the waist of the wearer. The waist strap may comprise two waist strap
parts, each
having one end thereof secured to the bag and having one of a pair of co-
operating buckle
parts at the free end thereof. At least one part of the waist strap may be
adjustable in length.
The carrier may also have a chest strap adapted to pass around the chest of
the wearer. The
chest strap may comprise two chest strap parts, each having one end thereof
secured to a
respective shoulder strap and having one of a pair of co-operating buckle
parts at the free end
thereof. At least one part of the chest strap may be adjustable in length. The
carrier may also
have a carrying handle secured to the top of the bag.
The carrier may have at least one pocket secured to the bag, and may have a
front pocket
and a pair of side pockets. Each pocket may be provided with a sliding
fastener. Each pocket
may have a flap adapted to cover the sliding fastener.
The invention also provides in combination, a carrier and a motor cycle
helmet, the carrier
comprising a bag having at least one shoulder strap extending from the top of
the bag to the
lower part thereof and intended to pass over a shoulder and under the arm of
the wearer, the
bag having a main compartment and a lower compartment disposed beneath the
main
compartment, the lower compartment being adapted to receive a motor cycle
helmet therein,
wherein the carrier also has a securing panel adapted to pass under the lower
compartment.
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The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier with a helmet within the lower
compartment,
and
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carrier of Fig. 1 with the helmet removed.
Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a carrier 10 of the backpack type. The
carrier 10 has a
bag 11 with shoulder straps 12 intended to pass over the shoulders and under
the arms of the
wearer in conventional backpack manner. To prevent the shoulder straps 12 from
slipping off
the wearer's shoulders, a chest strap 13 is connected across the shoulder
straps 12. The
shoulder straps 12 and chest strap 13 are adjustable for length, and the chest
strap 13 is
formed in two parts that may be connected by a buckle 14. A carrying handle 15
spans the
shoulder straps 12 adjacent the top of the bag 11. The bag 11 is also provided
with a waist
strap 16 formed in two parts that may be connected by a buckle 17. The waist
strap 16 is also
adjustable for length. A front pocket i8 and two side pockets 19 are provided
on the bag 11.
Sliding fasteners 20 close the pockets 18, 19 or allow access into them, and
flaps 21 cover
the sliding fasteners 20 to inhibit the ingress of rain water to the pockets
18, 19.
The bag 11 has a main compartment 22 with an access opening closed by a
sliding fastener
23. A flap 24 covers the sliding fastener 23 to inhibit the ingress of
rainwater to the main
compartment 22. Beneath the main compartment 22 is a lower compartment 25,
which is of a
size just to receive a motorcycle helmet 26 (shown in dashed lines). Access to
the lower
compartment 25 is from below the carrier 10, and the lower compartment 25 is
closed by a
drawstring 27. The carrier 10 also has a securing pane( 28, which passes under
the lower
compartment 25. The securing panel 28 is formed of a base portion 29 and a
securing strap
portion 30. The base portion 29 is secured to the base of the main compartment
22 at the its
rear, and a securing buckle 31 is provided at the free end of the securing
strap portion 30 to
be releasably connected to the base of.the main compartment 22 at the front
thereof. The
securing panel 28 ensures that the helmet 26 is carried by the carrier in a
safe and secure
manner.
With the helmet 26 contained in the lower compartment 25 in an upright
disposition as shown
in Fig. 1, the rigidity of the helmet 26 provides that the carrier 10 can be
ptaced on the ground
or other substantially level surface in a stable manner. Hence the risk of
damage to the
helmet 26, bag 11 or its contents due to the carrier falling or being knocked
over is minimised.
When the helmet 26 is not in use, it is conveniently carried as one with the
bag 11, either by
hand using the carrying handle 15 or on the back of the motor cyclist using
the shoulder
straps 12.
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When the helmet 26 is in use, or no helmet 26 other than one being worn by the
motor cyclist
is being carried, the lower compartment 25 may be compressed and stored at the
base of the
main compartment 22, as shown in Fig. 2. To facilitate this; the flexible
textile material of the
lower compartment 25 is compressed and the securing strap portion 30 is folded
with the
compressed lower compartment 25. A sliding fastener 32 is provided to extend
around the
peripheries of the base portion 29 and the base of the main compartment 22 to
secure the
base portion 29 in underlying relationship with main compartment 22, with the
compressed
Power compartment 25 and the folded securing strap portion 30 contained
therebetween. By
means of the invention, a motor cycle helmet 26 may be conveniently carried
whether the
motor cyclist is on foot or riding a motor cycle. The helmet 26 may be placed
in the carrier 10
or removed therefrom without disturbing the contents of the main compartment
22. When
riding, the helmet 26 is carried in a safe and aerodynamically efficient
manner.
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Representative Drawing