FR2621299A1 - Bag for transporting and protecting fragile objects - Google Patents

Abstract

A transport and protection bag 1 for fragile objects comprises a flexible outer enclosure 2 of the rucksack type in which there is provided at least one block of foam 16, 17 adapted to some of the internal dimensions of the said enclosure, internal housings 20-22 adapted to the said objects being provided in the said block of foam to receive them. The said foam is crosslinked high-density polyethylene. A lightweight and practical unit is thus obtained, providing at the same time protection of the hardware and that of the carrier, capable of being employed especially for foot, bicycle, ski and other tours, for example for carrying photographic or similar equipment. Many applications in military or leisure fields.

Description

 The present invention relates to a bag for transport and protectlon for fragile objects.

 Many models of containers are available on the market to transport and protect fragile objects such as photographic, film, videoscope, precision measuring instruments, computer equipment, etc. There are two main types: bags, with flexible outer casing, and cases, with rigid outer casings or reinforced with reinforcements.

 The cases usually offer a good protection against external mechanical aggressions, including shocks, falls or crushes. On the other hand, their use is not without risk for the wearer. In the event of a fall, the wearer may indeed be injured by the slatted parts or sharp corners of the rigid envelope or reinforcements. In addition, it is neither convenient nor comfortable to practice certain activities such as walking or skiing with a hard case, even over the shoulder. In addition, hard cases are often quite heavy.

 The bags, flexible, do not have these disadvantages because of their flexibility but most of them do not offer a sufficient protection against external mechanical aggresslons, despite the interiors padding of which they are often equipped.

 Finally, most existing bags or cases have common defects: the principle of internal clolsons limits the possibilities of subdivision, which can lead to inefficient interior arrangements, complicating the search for objects, mixed during transport, and not It does not provide sufficient protection against internal shocks between objects, as these are generally not sufficiently held or wedged.

 The object of the present invention is to provide a bag for transport and protection for fragile objects that alleviates the advantages of rigid cases - good volre mellleure protectlon against external mechanical aggresslons such as shocks, falls or crush- those of flexible bags - comfort and convenience of use in particular-, while having interesting features of waterproofing, thermal insulation, wedging objects, weight, for a relatively low cost.

 According to the present invention, a bag for transport and protectlon for fragile objects comprises a flexible outer envelope and the molns a foam block adapted to certain internal dimensions of said envelope, inner housings adapted to said objects being provided in said foam block for recipients

 In one embodiment of the invention, the outer envelope is of the backpack type.

 Said foam is advantageously of the closed cell type, for example crosslinked polyethylene.

 According to a varlante, one or more reinforcing plates can be provided solt between said foam block and said outer shell, solt between some blocks of foam when there are several. The reinforcing plates may also be provided embedded in a foam block.

 When more blocks of foam are provided, they can be assembled together by gluing.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following description given as a non-limiting example of the possible embodiments of the invention, with reference to the drawings, which will make it difficult to understand how the invention can be realized.

On the drawings:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1 according to its plane of symmetry
- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a foam block for equipping a bag according to the invention.

 In Fig. 1, a backpack 1 comprises an outer shell 2 made of impervious and strong fabric, such as a polyamide fabric as well as coated on a plasticized polyvinylchloride face.

The envelope 1 can be broken down into an upper part 5 substantially oblique pyramid, a central portion 6 substantially parallelepiped and a bottom 7 substantially truncated truncated inverted pyramid. A ventral waist 4 is attached to the central part 6, and the upper fasteners of two shoulder straps 3 are fixed in the vicinity of the top of said upper part 5, to which is also attached a fabric loop 10.

 The straps 3 and the belt 4 are provided with buckles 12, 13 and the belt 4 is equipped with a closure loop 14, 15.

 We will use the term "edge" in reference to the names of geometric figures used in the description above, namely pyramid and parallelepiped. Similarly, the terms back, front, side will refer to the direction of the bag carrier's march. In reality, the shapes indicated for the outer shell of the bag, which is flexible pulsque fabric, are approximate. They correspond substantially to the shape of the bag when it is in place on the back of its carrier, and said edges are fictitious.

 Linear apertures 8 are provided on the rear lateral edges of the upper part 5 between its top and its height, as well as 9 on the rear and lateral upper edges of the central part 6. These openings are provided with closures. slider protected by fabric flaps 1 1, 12.

 According to the invention, foam blocks 16, 17 delimited in the drawing by mixed tralts are provided respectively inside the central part and the bottom of the bag, adjusted to their internal dimensions. Foam is a high-performance crosslinked polyethylene foam whose characteristics we will see more.

 In these foam blocks are provided housing, not shown in Figure 1, which can receive fragile objects to be transported by means of said bag, for example a photographic equipment.

Alnsl, a cylindrical recess is provided in the foam block
17 of the bottom 7, which is accessed through a circular opening 18 equipped with a peripheral zipper 19. This recess allows to house a telephoto camera camera horizontally in the bottom of the bag, inside Foam block 17. The telephoto lens is alnsl protected from the outside while being easily accessible. We will return more to the different aspects of this protection.

 The foam blocks 16, 17 fill the central portion 6 and the bottom 7 of the bag. They are rigid enough to hold the bag in shape.

 In FIG. 2, which is a vertical median schematic section of the bag of FIG. 1, the flexible outer envelope 2, the upper and central parts 6 of the bag and its bottom 7, the fabric flap 12 which protects the zipper 9 of the upper lateral and rear edges of the central portion 6 of the bag.

 This section shows the cylindrical recess 20 for receiving a telephoto lens. Other recesses or housings 21, 22 are provided in the foam block 16 of the central part 6, for receivingother apparells or accessories. These dwellings can cross the block from side to side, 21, or partly, 22.

 The inner walls of the upper portion 5 of the bag are provided with or coated with plates 23, 24, 25 made from another foam than that of said blocks 16, 17, this second foam being preferably more flexible.

 Although this is not obligatory in the spirit of the invention, reinforcement plates 26, 27 may also be provided to provide additional protection to particularly severe external mechanical forces exerted for example by means of pointed objects or sharp.

 These reinforcing plates may be interposed between said outer casing 2 and a block of foam> such as that, 27, which is shown in Figure 2 between the outer casing of the bottom 7 and the foam block 17 of the bottom, or embedded in a block of foam, such as that 26, which is shown in FIG. 2 in the vicinity of the rear face of the foam block 16 of the central part 6.

 An example of a cut foam block 16, which can equip the central portion 6 of the bag shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is shown in perspective in FIG. 3, the partle in the foreground in FIG. 3 corresponding to the upper face of said block when in position in the bag.

 Housings 31-36 have been cut from the foam block 16 to accommodate different cameras or accessories of photographic equipment. Alnsl, one of housing 31 can receive a camera case equipped with a lens and a winding motor, and another, 34, is adapted to the dimensions of a flash, while a third a cyllndrique form lul to contain a goal. The other slots can contain and protect other accessories or consumables such as batteries, rolls of films, filters, etc ...

 The films can also be housed in the bottom block 17.

 Note the slightly concave and rounded shape of the rear face 37 of the foam block> to match the horizontal curvature of the wearers of the bag. Conversely, the front face 38 of said block may be rounded and convex for meux replace the bag and adapt to the shape that the outer envelope 2 of the bag is likely to take naturally, or just to give the bag a shape that the makes the least bulky possible, to facilitate the passage of the carrier through narrow paths.

 The thicknesses of foam required between the objects and the outer faces of the foam block depend on the degrees of protection sought for these objects, as regards both the thermal insulation and the mechanical stresses which are likely to occur. exercise on the bag, such as shocks, blows, crushing, polnonnement, cuts, etc .... These thicknesses of course depend also on the nature of the foam, males ausst the shape of objects, which shapes determining the support surfaces , and the adjustment of the objects in their respective housings, that is to say, their wedges. It is indeed desirable that said object solent well wedged in their housing and with respect to each other.

 Of course, the thicknesses of foam laden between the objects must also take into account the desired protection, they can be damaged if they are pressed too heavily on each other without a sufficient thickness of foam between them. In this respect, the positions of the objects relative to each other also play an important role.

In a general way, the search for the internal layout defined by the division of the blocks must answer the following exlences:
- definition of an ideal and unleauxelle arrangement,
- good distribution of the masses,
- easy searching and grasping objects,
- take into account the frequency of use of the objects,
- search for the material without depositing the bag.

 The example of interior arrangement of-Figure 3 meets these requirements. The objective which equips the camera case is turned towards the interior of the block, said case being placed standing near one of the lateral edges of said block 16, and the flash is placed layer against the other lateral edge , illuminating towards the inside of the block. A vertical cylindrical housing 35 separates those 31, 34 respectively from the housing and the flash. Housings in the form of paraplegelipipeds are also provided, one, 36, at the front of the block 16 and two narrower, 32, 33, behind the block 16.

It is possible to use a closed-cell polyethylene foam such as DELI-PAD BXL (French FLO-PACK), or that marketed by TRAMICO SA in France under the reference XM 2000, and whose technical characteristics are close to those values. following:
- density .. .... 35 to 50 kg / m
- breaking strength ..... 0.32 to 0.43 N / cm
- elongation at break ...... .. 155 to 175%
- thermal conductivity ... ...... 0.03 to 0.05 Kcal / m / h / C
- operating temperatures ... .......- 80 to +100 C
- compressive strength:
+ for 30% deflection ..... 100 to 110 kPa
+ for 50% deflection .... 150 to 160 kPa
+ for 70% deflection ..... 260 to 270 kPa
- compresslon SET (DIN 53572 standard), 22 h load at 23 C:
+ 25% deflection
1/2 h after discharge ...... 7 to 8%
24 hours after discharge ...... 3%
+ 50% deflection
1/2 h after discharge ..... 18 to 20%
24 hours after discharge ..... 9 to 10%
- Absorptlon of water: + after 7 days ...... 0.5 to 0.6% volume
+ after 28 days .... .... 1.1 to 1.2% volume
- transmission of water vapor ... ... 0.6 g / m2.24h (5mm)
- diffusion of water vapor .... .... 3000 (, dimensionless).

It is interesting that the compresslon strength of said foam for a deflection of 50% is between 130 and 180 kPa, preferably 150 to 160 kPa, and that its density is close to 50 kg / m2.
Some compartments, for the most fragile objects, can be doubled internally by polyurethane foam.

 The fabric used to make the outer casing of the bag must protect the contents of the bag splash water outside (thunderstorms, nelge, hail, etc ...) and have sufficient strength, including tearing and abrasion . If necessary, it must also constitute a first level of thermal insulation, in particular by the choice of its color, which can advantageously be clear or even reflective for the external heat telnte metallized genre aluminum.

 A fabric which may be suitable for producing the outer envelope of the bag is a polyamide fabric which is dyed and coated on one side with plasticized polyvinyl chloride (Polyamide 66), such as that sold by Taraflex under the reference Tarval NY 960. It must be presented good resistance to tearing and shearing.

The technical characteristics of such a fabric are similar to those indicated below:
- surface mass + 5% ..... 0.37 kg / m2
- texture after 9 x 9
- breaking strength, NF G 37-103 standard:
chain .................> 280 daN
frame. . ...> 250 daN
- elongation at break, NF G 37-103 standard:
chain .... <25
frame .... .... s 30%
- resistance to dynamlque tear, NF G 37-104 standard:
chain ... 2 35 daN
frame. .....> 25 daN
- adherence of PVC on a coated textile substrate, NF 637-107 standard:
... 8 daN
- Impermeability, NF G 37 106 standard
1 bar / 5 minutes
- title of thread 940 dtex-840 denlers
The sewing thread used to assemble the outer casing must have good resistance to tearing, abrasion and corrosion, in particular by seawater and snow.It may be made of polyamide, type Polyamide C 100%, such as that sold by the company COUSIN Frères SA under the reference Onyx 81 Tex. 80:
- composition: Decitex: 253/3, Nm: 40/3, Tex: 80
- resistance in kg
+ average .... 4,5 kg
+ minimum .... 4,2 kg
The zippers may be of the "Eclalr" type, such as those marketed by the company ECLAIR PRESTIL under the reference 80105 type 150. Advantageously, the top closure of the central partle is double slider. The ribbon and the hair are in. polyester and Zamack slider.The lateral tear resistance of such a closure over a length of 25 mm is characterized by a force of 83 kg before breaking.

 As an example of dimensioning, a 30 mm foam epalizer has been provided peripherally in the central block 16, which may have overall dimensions of the order of 35 × 25 × 10 cm. A minimum thickness of about 15 mm separates the different objects from each other. The thickness of foam in the lower portion of the bottom block 17 is 50 mm. By way of indication, such a dimensioning would generally make it possible to obtain a satisfactory degree of protection for objects capable of withstanding accelerations of 25 times gravity, that is to say 25 g, with g × 9.8 m / s 2 for a height of fall of 105 cm. Such objects are classified at the limits of the "extremely fragile" to "very fragile" categories, and the height of fall corresponds to manutentlon by "a man throwing", according to the current military specifications.

 The interest of the backpack is clear. it frees the movements of the wearer and lighten the load to be transported compared to the rigid aluminum cases while ensuring a good security to the material (if it is reduced in theft or loss) and to the wearer himself in the event of a fall (The use of soft materials eliminates the presence of sharp angles).

 Its steep top partle leaves snow, hail, plum etc ... slide on, like a creeping roof.

 In addition, contrary to the bag of the invention, rigid materials such as metal do not return to their original shape after deformation in the case of a violent shock.

 Inventlon finds many applications both in the field of leisure (hiking, biking, motorcycling, skiing, etc ...) than in the military (Alpine hunters, engineers, commandos, etc ...) . It more generally concerns any transport of fragile objects in difficult conditions.

Claims (7)

 1. A bag for transport and protectlon (1) for fragile objects comprising a flexible outer casing (2) characterized in that it further comprises molns a foam block (16, 17) adapted to some of the inner dimensions of said envelope, inner housings (20-22, 31-36) adapted to said objects being provided in said foam block to receive them.  2. Bag according to revendlcatlon 1 characterized in that the outer casing (2) is of the type backpack.  3. Bag according to revendlcatlon 1 or revendlcatlon 2 characterized in that said foam is of the closed cell type.  4. Bag according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that said foam is crosslinked polyethylene.  5. Bag according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the compressive strength of said foam for a deflection of 50% is comprlse between 130 and 180 kpa.  6. Bag according to revendlcatlon 4 or revendlcatlon 5, characterized in that the density of said foam is close to 50 kg / m2  7. Bag according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that one or moreleur reinforcing plates (26, 27) are provided solt (27) between said foam block (17) and said outer shell (2), is between some said blocks of foam when there are moreleurs or still embedded (26) in one of said foam blocks (16).