Multi-purpose foldable tote bag

Abstract

A foldable bag comprising a flexible laminate panel section and a plurality of custom arranged or rearrangeable interior pockets. The bag is foldable to assume a folded closed configuration, an unfolded flat configuration, or a folded open configuration. In the folded open configuration the bag is adapted to be supported by a support structure, such as a chair back, in a configuration in which a plurality of interior pockets are in a substantially upright orientation and readily accessible. At least one pivotable pocket suitable for use as a work surface may be included, together with at least one open configuration retaining unit. Also disclosed are methods of making a foldable bag of the type described above.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A multi-purpose foldable bag, comprising: 
 a laminate panel section foldable about a fold line and being substantially bilaterally symmetrical about the fold line, said laminate panel section capable of adopting a folded closed configuration, an unfolded flat configuration, and a folded open configuration, said laminate panel section in the folded open configuration adapted for being supported by a chair back;    a plurality of interior pockets, each of said plurality of interior pockets being readily accessible when said laminate panel section adopts the folded open configuration;    a plurality of exterior pockets, each of said plurality of exterior pockets being readily accessible when said laminate panel section adopts the folded closed configuration; and    a bag closure unit for securing said laminate panel section in the folded closed configuration.    
     
     
         2 . The bag of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one open configuration retaining unit for retaining said laminate panel section in the folded open configuration.  
     
     
         3 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one open configuration retaining unit comprises first and second side straps and a side strap lock unit.  
     
     
         4 . The bag of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pivotable pocket including a rigid slab.  
     
     
         5 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of interior pockets are attached to at least one interior pocket section, and said at least one interior pocket section is attached to said laminate panel section.  
     
     
         6 . The bag of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one holder band and at least one holding unit, and wherein said laminate panel section includes an outer panel, said at least one holder band secured to said outer panel.  
     
     
         7 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein said laminate panel section includes an outer panel, a backing layer, and a lining layer having a lining interior face.  
     
     
         8 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of interior pockets are rearrangeable on said lining interior face.  
     
     
         9 . The bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrying strap attached to the laminate panel section along the fold line.  
     
     
         10 . The bag of  claim 9 , wherein the carrying strap is removably attached to the laminate panel section.  
     
     
         11 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the interior pockets are layered.  
     
     
         12 . The bag of  claim 9 , wherein a length of the carrying strap is adjustable.  
     
     
         13 . A multi-purpose foldable bag comprising: 
 a flexible outer panel;    a lining layer attached to said outer panel to form a laminate panel section;    a bag closure unit;    at least one interior pocket; and    at least one open configuration retaining unit; said bag foldable into a folded closed configuration, an unfolded flat configuration, and a folded closed configuration, said bag closure unit for retaining said bag in the folded closed configuration, said at least one open configuration retaining unit capable of retaining said bag in the folded open configuration, and said at least one interior pocket accessible when said bag in the folded open configuration.    
     
     
         14 . A multi-purpose foldable bag, comprising: 
 a laminate panel section foldable about a fold line, said laminate panel section including a lining interior face; and    a pivotable pocket pivotably attached to said lining interior face, said pivotable interior pocket including a rigid slab.    
     
     
         15 . The bag of  claim 14 , wherein said pivotable interior pocket is pivotable between an upright orientation and an angled orientation, and said pivotable interior pocket may be locked in the angled orientation via a stay unit.  
     
     
         16 . The bag of  claim 15 , wherein said stay unit comprises first and second stays, first and second stay mounting units, and first and second stay receptacle units.  
     
     
         17 . The bag of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one male attachment unit attached to said lining interior face, and a plurality of rearrangeable interior pockets each having at least one female attachment unit for attachment of each of said plurality of rearrangeable interior pockets to said lining interior face via said at least one male attachment unit.  
     
     
         18 . A multi-purpose foldable bag comprising: 
 a flexible laminate panel section foldable about a fold line into a folded closed configuration and a folded open configuration, the folded open configuration of said laminate panel section adapted for support on a chair back;    a pivotable interior pocket pivotably attached to said laminate panel section and having a rigid slab adapted for use as a work surface; and    at least one open configuration retaining unit for retaining said bag in the open configuration on the chair back.    
     
     
         19 . The bag of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one open configuration retaining unit comprises first and second side straps and a side strap lock unit.  
     
     
         20 . The bag of  claim 18 , wherein said pivotable interior pocket is pivotable between an upright orientation and an angled orientation, and said pivotable interior pocket may be locked in the angled orientation via a stay unit, said stay unit comprising first and second stays, first and second stay mounting units, and first and second stay receptacle units.  
     
     
         21 . A method of making a foldable bag, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a panel section;    b) attaching at least one rearrangeable interior pocket to the panel section; and    c) attaching a trilateral portion to the panel section.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one rearrangeable interior pocket includes a female attachment unit, and the panel section includes at least one male attachment unit.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the panel section provided in said step a) includes an outer panel and at least one of a backing layer and a lining layer disposed on the outer panel.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one interior pocket comprises a plurality of rearrangeable interior pockets.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein at least two of the rearrangeable interior pockets are layered.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of attaching a first carrying unit to the panel section.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of attaching an exterior pocket to the panel section.  
     
     
         28 . A method of making a foldable bag, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an outer panel;    b) attaching a backing layer to the outer panel provided in said step a);    c) attaching a lining layer to the backing layer to form a trilaminate panel section;    d) providing at least one interior pocket section, each of the at least one interior pocket sections having at least one interior pocket;    e) attaching each of the at least one interior pocket sections to the panel section;    f) attaching a trilateral portion to the panel section; and    g) attaching at least one open configuration retaining unit to the panel section.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said step d) comprises providing at least one interior pocket section including at least one pivotable pocket pivotably attached thereto, the pivotable pocket including a rigid slab.  
     
     
         30 . A method of making a foldable bag, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a laminate panel section having a lining layer interior face;    attaching at least one male attachment unit to the lining layer interior face;    providing at least one rearrangeable interior pocket, each of the at least one rearrangeable interior pockets having at least one female attachment unit attached thereto;    attaching the at least one rearrangeable interior pocket to the lining layer interior face;    attaching a trilateral portion to the laminate panel section; and    attaching at least one carrying unit to the laminate panel section.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of attaching at least one pivotable pocket to the lining layer interior face, the at least one pivotable pocket including a rigid slab.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of attaching at least one open configuration retaining unit to the laminate panel section.  
     
     
         33 . A multi-purpose foldable bag, comprising: 
 a panel section foldable about a fold line; and    at least one interior pocket attached to an interior surface of the panel section;    wherein the panel section is adapted to be supported in an open folded configuration by a support structure.    
     
     
         34 . The bag of  claim 33 , wherein the panel section is adapted to be supported in an open folded configuration by a chair.  
     
     
         35 . The bag of  claim 33 , wherein at least one interior pocket is removably attached to the interior surface of the panel section.  
     
     
         36 . The bag of  claim 35  wherein at least one interior pocket is rearrangeable on the interior surface of the panel section.  
     
     
         37 . The bag of  claim 35  wherein at least one pocket is removably attached to the interior surface of the panel section with hook and loop fasteners.  
     
     
         38 . The bag of  claim 33 , wherein said at least one interior pocket comprises a plurality of interior pockets, and wherein at least two of the interior pockets are layered.  
     
     
         39 . The bag of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one interior pocket is attached so that it is in a substantially upright configuration when the panel section is supported in the folded open configuration by the supporting structure.  
     
     
         40 . The bag of  claim 33 , further comprising at least one open configuration retaining unit for securing the panel section in the open folded configuration while the panel section is being supported by the supporting structure.  
     
     
         41 . The bag of  claim 33 , further comprising at least one interior pocket that is pivotally attached to the interior surface of the panel section.  
     
     
         42 . The bag of  claim 41 , further comprising a rigid material disposed inside the pivotally attached interior pocket.  
     
     
         43 . The bag of  claim 33 , further comprising at least one exterior pocket attached to an exterior side of the panel section.  
     
     
         44 . The bag of  claim 33 , further comprising a carrying strap attached to the panel section along the fold line.  
     
     
         45 . The bag of  claim 44 , wherein the carrying strap is removably attached to the panel section.  
     
     
         46 . The bag of  claim 44 , wherein a length of the carrying strap is adjustable.