US20100243695A1 - Diving equipment pack - Google Patents

Abstract

A scuba gear travel bag, possessing an expandable compartment, wherein the means for expanding said compartment utilizes a zipper, having a two piece zipper tape, with separable and engagable male and female profile elements. The zipper initiates at a location on the travel bag, at or near a central point of expansion, in the expansion dimension, and spirals around the circumference of the bag, expanding generally outwardly away from the central point of expansion in a mirror image configuration. It also possesses a removable, self-storage subunit with a support template for an integrated diver's buoyancy compensator, wherein the buoyancy compensator possesses a zipper fastening means for fully engaging or disengaging the compensator from the travel bag.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The modern scuba diving enthusiasts have expanded the places for unique diving experiences to include caves that have, over time, filled with water or were carved from the surrounding terrain by underground rivers. Traveling to these unique and inaccessible places is made more difficult because there are no diving gear carriers that are specifically designed to be both lightweight and compact. It is common for divers to utilize a variety of bulky and oversized duffel bags to store and transport the necessary diving equipment. Often times large duffel bags employed to carry the variety of diving components (swim fins, buoyancy devices, goggles, snorkel, etc.) are conducive for travel to the above identified locations. In many circumstances the duffel bag type of carrier is inconvenient or inappropriate for the scuba diver's travel needs. First, the duffel bag type carrier is generally a large, single compartment bag. The bag is not designed for, nor does it specifically accommodate, diving equipment. The present invention is an improvement over the duffel bag type carriers commonly employed in the art by incorporating features specifically configured to accommodate diving equipment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of the invention with fully integrated carrier bag subunit, self-enclosed storage subunit and partially expanded storage compartment configuration.
• FIG. 2 shows a front view of an embodiment of the invention with fully detached carrier bag subunit and partially open self-enclosed storage subunit to expose configuration with shoulder harness.
• FIG. 3 shows a front view of an embodiment of a support template with zipper fastening system.
• FIG. 4 shows a back view of an embodiment of a support template with shoulder harness, waist belt, and cover panel.
• FIG. 5 shows a front view of an embodiment with shoulder harness partially deployed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
• Reference will now be made to the drawings, in which similar elements in different drawings bear the same reference numerals. For the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such terms as “front”, “back”, “right”, “left”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like are words of descriptive convenience to provide relative orientation and are not to be construed as limiting terms.
• One configuration of the present invention reduces the weight and bulk of scuba diving gear, to make travel and handling easier.
• One configuration comprises a buoyancy compensator system, possessing a support template that is design to removably attach to a travel bag. With this configuration one can save on weight and bulk. The back bag may have a variety of configurations as would be readily known in the art. The bag size is designed to meet carry on luggage limits of most airlines.
• This size limitation still allows enough space for appropriate sized standard recreational dive equipment and a few personal items. The travel bag can be made expandable to provide enough room to accommodate a dive tank. This expanded configuration would also allow more room for personal items and would be useful for cave diving. Because the bag may be checked during airline flights, a cover for the harness straps is incorporated to protect the harness from damage.
• Referring toFIG. 1, there is shown a scubagear carrier bag100. The bag has a generallyrectangular storage compartment105. The storage compartment has a plurality of wall components that are contiguous and generally form afront panel110, a back panel115 (not shown), a plurality ofside panels120, atop panel125, and abottom panel130. The combination offront panel110,back panel115, plurality ofside panels120,top panel125, andbottom panel130 define anexternal surface132. Further, thefront110,back115, andside120 panels have anexpandable configuration140.
• To expand the storage compartment volume in a selected dimension, afirst zipper145 is fastened to the carrier bagexternal surface132 in a spiral configuration such that it travels around the circumference of thestorage compartment105. The zipper configuration is shown to spiral in the latitudinal (horizontal) direction inFIG. 1. This allows the compartment to expand in the length dimension. The zipper configuration may also function in the longitudinal (vertical) direction as well (not shown). This configuration would allow the compartment to expand in the depth dimension.
• Thefirst zipper145 possesses a firstpositionable slide145a cooperatively contacting an interlocking first two-piece zipper tape146. The two-piece zipper tape146 forms an upper zipper tape146aand alower zipper tape146b. The two zipper tapes (146aand146b) are configured to spiral around theexternal surface130 of the storage compartment in a widening mirror image of separation. The two pieces (146aand146b) incorporate male and female profile elements which are separate147 and engaged148 as is well known in the art. The separable and engagable function allows the compartment to expand or contract the volume of the storage compartment respectively as the zipper slide145atravels from the fully engaged zipper tape configuration to the fully disengaged position.
• Referring toFIGS. 1-2, thecarrier bag100 also possesses a removable, self-enclosedstorage subunit150. InFIGS. 2-5, thecarrier bag subunit150 possesses a buoyancycompensator harness system151 having asupport template152. Thesupport template152 is generally a flat component having a front face152a,aback face152b,and a generally rectangular shape which forms aperimeter152c.The support template is removably fastened to thecarrier bag100 by asecond zipper158.
• Thesecond zipper158 comprises male and female profile elements which are separable and engagable as is well known in the art. Thesecond zipper158 also comprises a secondpositionable slide158aand a second two-piece zipper tape159. The second two-piece zipper tape159 possesses a first piece,mounting zipper tape159a,and a second piece, fasteningzipper tape159b.Themounting zipper tape159ais fastened to the plurality ofside panels120, thetop125, and theback115 panels in a configuration that cooperates with thesupport template152. Thefastening zipper tape159bis fastened at or near theperimeter152cof thesupport template152. Further, thefastening zipper tape159bis oriented to the front face152a.Thesecond slide158ais the means by which the twozipper tape pieces159aand159bare engaged or separated as is well known in the art.
• It is also anticipated the configuration may utilize a variety of fastening components such as belts, clips, and latches to attain the same fastening capability as performed by the zipper fastener.
• Thesupport template152 has a front face152a.A plurality of fastening systems may be utilized to removably fasten diving gear to thesupport template152. The diving gear may include such items as air tanks and air bladders. As shown inFIG. 3, a plurality ofmounting elements170 are fixedly attached to the front face152aof thesupport template152. In this embodiment, themounting elements170 are configured to have a plurality ofbelt loop sections170athat provide attachment points for a buoyancy device and air tanks as is known in the art. The fasteners could also include a variety of belts, latches, and clip systems known in the art.
• As seen inFIG. 4, thesupport template152 has aback face152b.A plurality ofshoulder straps180, which formshoulder harness181, are fixedly attached to theback face152bof thesupport template152. Additionally, awaist belt185 is also fixedly attached to thesupport template152.
• FIGS. 1,2, and4 also depict a shoulderstrap cover panel190. The shoulderstrap cover panel190 is generally a flat component having afront face190a,aback face190b,and a generally rectangular shape which forms aperimeter190c.Thecover panel190 is fixedly attached to supporttemplate152 at or near the periphery of one side of the support template's generally rectangular shape. In particular, theFIGS. 1,2,4 and5 depict thecover panel190 fastened to the bottom edge ofsupport template152. The generally rectangular shapes of thesupport panel152 and thecover panel190 are generally of the same size and shape. They are configured such that theperimeter152cof thesupport panel152 and theperimeter190cof thecover panel190 are cooperatively placed to allow athird zipper210 to reversibly fasten the two components.
• Thethird zipper210 comprises male and female profile elements which are separable and engagable as is well known in the art. Referring toFIG. 5, thethird zipper210 also possesses fourpositionable slides210a,210b,210c,and210dand a third two-piece zipper tape215. The third two-piece zipper tape215 possesses a first piece,primary zipper tape215a,and a second piece,secondary zipper tape215b.Theprimary zipper tape215ais fastened at or near theperimeter152cof thesupport template152 oriented toward theback face152b.
• Thesecondary zipper tape215bis fastened at or near theperimeter190coriented toward theback face190b.The four zipper slides210a,210b,210c,and210dare configured in opposing pairs.Slides210aand210bform the first pair.Slides210cand210dform the second pair. As seen at a first zipper engagedconfiguration220, theslides210aand210bare configured such that the male and female profile elements are fully engaged for the sub-segment220 ofzipper tape215 that resides betweenslides210aand210b.Similarly, as seen at a second zipper engageconfiguration225, theslides210cand210dare configured such that the male and female profile elements are fully engaged for the sub-segment225 ofzipper tape215 that resides betweenslides210cand210d.
• The resulting slide configuration, as seen inFIGS. 2 and 5, allows theshoulder harness180 and thewaist belt185 to be exposed while thecover panel190 may be folded to a generally planar position that is proximate parallel to theback face152bof thesupport template152. This is a functional configuration.
• This functional configuration provides utility in at least two scenarios. The first scenario is during a dive. The support template is fully disengaged from thecarrier bag100. When thecover panel190 is in the folded position and proximate to theback face152c,a diver may strap on the exposedshoulder harness181 andwaist belt185 with thecover panel190 positioned between the diver's back and thefront face152bof thesupport template152.
• Portaging is another scenario where the functional configuration is useful. Thesupport template152 is fully engaged with thecarrier bag100. When thecover panel190 is in the folded position and proximate to theback face152c,the wearer may strap on the exposedshoulder harness181 andwaist belt185 with thecover panel190 positioned between the person's back and thefront face152bof thesupport template152 and utilize the system in a backpack fashion.

Claims (7)

1. A buoyancy compensator harness system comprising: a support template defining a front face, a back face, and a perimeter; further comprising a shoulder harness comprising a plurality of shoulder straps and a waist belt fixedly attached to said back face, and one or more zipper fasteners, fastened at or near and contiguous with the support template perimeter.

2. The buoyancy compensator harness system ofclaim 1, further comprising a shoulder strap cover panel reversibly fastened to said support template.

3. The buoyancy compensator harness system ofclaim 2 comprising a zipper with a plurality of positionable zipper slides reversibly fastening said cover panel to said support template.

4. A scuba gear travel bag, comprising: a generally rectangular storage compartment, having a plurality of wall components, defining an internal space and an external surface, the wall components are generally contiguous and form a front panel, a back panel, a plurality of side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel, wherein the front, back, and side panels cooperatively engage a zipper comprising: a zipper slide cooperatively contacting interlocking teeth on a two-piece zipper tape, the two-piece zipper tape forming an upper zipper tape piece and a lower zipper tape piece, said pieces incorporating male and female profile elements which are separable and engagable; wherein the zipper tape initiates at a position in a selected expansion dimension, the zipper upper tape and lower tape pieces are configured to spiral around the external surface of the bag in a widening mirror image configuration from the point of initiation.

5. A scuba gear carrier bag ofclaim 4 comprising: a support template defining a front face, a back face, and a perimeter; further comprising a shoulder harness comprising a plurality of shoulder straps and a waist belt fixedly attached to said back face, and one or more zipper fasteners, fastened at or near and contiguous with the support template perimeter.

6. A scuba gear carrier bag ofclaim 5 comprising: a shoulder strap cover panel reversibly fastened to said support template.

7. A scuba gear carrier bag ofclaim 6 comprising: a zipper with a plurality of positionable zipper slides reversibly fastening said cover panel to said support template.

Images