AU2012100302A4 - A shopping bag - Google Patents

Abstract

A shopping bag including a mouth opening into the bag having rigid opposed 5 first and second edges and flexible opposed thirst and fourth edges. The is transformable between a closed configuration where the rigid edges of the mouth lie adjacent to one another to present, to the shopper, a carry handle, and an open position. The rigid edges are spaced from on another to present, to each side of a shopping cart into which the bag is placed, a respective 10 attachment means for holding the bag in the open configuration across the cart. in 0MPLETE PATENT APPLICATION \ 14D McCALLUM RADEMEYER & FREIMOND Patent Agents for the Applicant(s)

Description

Our Ref: 56361nno P/00/009 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED Invention title: A shopping bag Name of Applicant: Mardi Johnson and Mari Johnson Address for Service A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys PO Box 222 Mitcham, S.A. 5062 The invention is described in the following statement: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to a shopping bag and in particular to a re-useable shopping bag which can be removably attached to a shopping cart. [0002] Shopping, particularly grocery shopping, involves placing various goods 5 for purchase into a shopping cart for transportation around a store until such time as the shopper is ready to make a final purchase of the goods contained in the cart, at this point the goods are removed, tallied and payment is made. Thereafter the goods are replaced back into the cart either, directly or packed in plastic or paper bags and then placed in the cart. 10 [0003 Often the size of the bags is not sufficient to accommodate all of the goods and multiple bags have to be used. [0004] Transporting goods in multiple bags, or individually unpacked goods, is difficult and cumbersome. [0006] A further problem associated with the use of a shopping cart is the 15 potential for contamination of the goods placed in the cart. Carts are used multiple times a day, carrying a wide variety of goods including foodstuffs and cleaning chemicals. The carts are rarely cleaned. This can lead to the cart's surface potentially becoming toxic or bacterially contaminated. [0006] It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve the 20 aforementioned problems. P23111IRFT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [00071 The invention provides a shopping bag, which includes a mouth which opens into the bag, which has rigid opposed first and second edges and flexible opposed third and fourth edges, the bag being transformable between a closed configuration, wherein the rigid edges of the mouth lie adjacent to one another to present, to a shopper, a carry handle, and an open position, wherein the rigid edges are spaced from one another to present, to each side of a shopping cart into which the bag is placed, a respective attachment means for holding the bag in the open configuration across the cart. 0008] The carry handle may comprise of a pair of handle straps with one strap on each opposed side of the bag. Alternatively, the carry handle may comprise of a pair of apertures formed through the bag, each adjacent a respective rigid first and second edge, and which are in register when the bag is in the closed configuration. [0009] The attachment means may be a Velcro strip or a tie. [0010] The third and fourth edges may include an elasticated section which resiliently yields when the bag is transformed from the closed configuration to the open configuration. [0011] The bag, in the open configuration, may be substantially cuboid in shape. P23111IRFT [0012] The shopping bag may be made from a variety of materials sturdy enough to withstand tearing and breakage of the bag during use and sturdy enough to withstand multiple occasions of use. Preferably the bag is made from a suitable woven material. 5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shopping bag in accordance with the invention in a closed configuration; 10 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the shopping bag in an open configuration; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first and second shopping bag in use in an open configuration, attached to a shopping cart. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT (0014] It is anticipated, within the scope of this invention, that the shopping bag 15 may be made in a variety of shapes and configurations in order to conform for attachment to different shapes and dimensions of shopping carts. The following description is therefore not intended to be limiting. [0015] The accompanying drawings illustrate a shopping bag 10, in accordance with the invention, which has a body 12, made up of side-panels 14A, 14B, 14C 20 and 14D respectively, and a base panel 15, stitched together along respective P23111/RFT adjacent panel edges. Each of the panels are substantially quadrilateral in shape as evidenced in Figure 2 and each panel is made, preferably, from a woven fabric material. Although it is anticipated within the scope of the invention that the panels can be made from any suitable knitted or felted fabric, fibrous or 5 plastics material. [0016] The bag 10 has a mouth 16 which opens into an interior 17 of the bag. The mouth is defined by rigid opposed edges 18A and 18B respectively and opposed flexible edges 20A and 20B respectively. Rigidity is provided, in this particular embodiment, by attaching a co-extensive length of wooden dowelling 10 along each edge 18. [0017] A pair of strap handles, respectively designated 22A and 22B, is provided, each attached to panel 14A and opposed panel 14C, adjacent the respective rigid edge 18A or 18B. Also attached to panels 14A and 14C, adjacent the respective rigid edges 18, are a plurality of spaced Velcro strips which are 15 respectively designated 24A, 24, 24C and 24D. [0018] Each flexible edge 20 includes, along a mid-section 26 thereof, an elasticated portion 28. [0019] The bag is essentially used as a shopping bag, into the interior 17 of which is placed grocery items, though the mouth 16. To provide a bag that can 20 be used in a shop, with a shopping trolley and then, on check-out gathered by the shopper out of the trolley and transported home, without the need for removing the grocery items initially placed therein, the bag is transformable P23111JRFT between an open configuration (illustrated in Figures 2 and 3) and a closed configuration (illustrated in Figure 1). [0020] In the closed configuration, the rigid edges 18 of the mouth 16 are brought together, which causes the flexible edges 20 of the mouth to shorten, 5 aided by the elasticated portions 28. This causes the panels 14C and 14D to fold or collapse in a concertina manner. [0021] The configuration of the body 12 of the bag, made up of panels, provides a bag which, even in a closed configuration, has an interior 17 volume which is sufficient to contain numerous items of shopping. This relatively large interior 10 volume, even in the closed configuration, is principally conferred by the presence of the base panel 15. [0022] With the rigid edges adjacent to one another, in the closed configuration of the bag, each strap handle 22 is presented to a shopper in such manner that both strap handles can be gathered simultaneously and held. 15 [0023] In an open configuration, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the rigid edges 18 are drawn apart, and the flexible edges 20, in particular the elasticated portion 28 of each edge 20, resiliently yields to be drawn out taut, thereby defining, in the open configuration, a substantially rectangularly shaped mouth and a cuboidal body, in which each side panel 14 and the base panel 15 are clearly defined. 20 [0024] The height H of the panels 14 is preferably such that, when the bag 10 is placed within a shopping cart 30, as illustrated in Figure 3, the shopping bag P23111/RFT does not touch the base of the shopping cart. in this position, the base 15 of the bag is suspended above a base 32 of the shopping cart and, the weight of the grocery items within the bag keep the panels 14 taut. [0025] Each Velcro strip 24, attached as it is adjacent a respective rigid edge 18, 5 is drawn into contact with a respective side edge 34A and 34B of the cart 30 as the bag is opened to the open configuration. Each Velcro strip is then looped around the edge element of each side of the cart to hold the bag in the open configuration, across the width of the shopping cart. (0026] With the bag in the open configuration, within the cart, the cart can then 10 be wheeled through the shop by a shopper who can then conveniently place, into the shopping bag which now presents a wide rectangular mouth, grocery items for purchase. [0027] Preferably, the width W of the bag is of such dimension as to allow a second bag 10B to be placed and attached alongside the first bag 10 in the 15 shopping cart 30, as illustrated in Figure 3. 20 P23111/RFT

Claims (6)

1. A shopping bag which includes a mouth which opens into the bag, which has rigid opposed first and second edges and flexible opposed third and fourth edges, the bag being transformable between a closed configuration, wherein the rigid edges of the mouth lie adjacent to one another to present, to a shopper, a carry handle, and an open position, wherein the rigid edges are spaced from one another to present, to each side of a shopping cart into which the bag is placed, a respective attachment means for holding the bag in the open configuration across the cart.

2. A shopping bag according to claim 1 wherein the carry handle includes a pair of handle straps, with one strap attached to each opposed side of the bag.

3. A shopping bag according to claim 1 wherein the carry handle includes a pair of apertures formed through the bag, each adjacent a respective rigid first and second edge and which are in register when the bag is in the closed configuration.

4. A shopping bag according to anyone of claims 1 to 3 wherein each attachment means is a Velcro strip or a tie.

5. A shopping bag according to anyone of claims I to 4 wherein both the third and the fourth edges include an elasticated section. P231111RFT

6. A shopping bag according to anyone of claims 1 to 5 wherein the bag is substantially cuboid in shape in the open configuration. DATED this 19t" day of March 2012 5 McCALLUM RADEMEYER & FREIMOND Patent Agents for the Applicant P23111/RFT