Protective bag for sports equipment

Abstract

A protective bag. The protective bag has a waterproof flaccid fabric body with a front panel portion and a back panel portion. A top flap, connected to the back panel portion, is releasably securable to the front panel portion to provide an interior bag portion protected from the elements such as wind and rain. Suitable fasteners, such as hook and loop type fasteners may be utilized to secure the top flap to the front panel portion. The bag is provided in kit form with a small carry bag into which it may be placed for storage after folding into suitable small dimensions. The bag may be provided in a machine washable and machine dryable fabric, such as rip-stop nylon, and coated with a suitable type of wear and heat resistant waterproof coating, such as polyurethane.

1 . A protective bag, said protective bag comprising:  
     a weather resistant enclosure for personal gear and equipment of a soccer player, said enclosure comprising a flaccid fabric body including a front panel portion and a back panel portion, said front panel portion and said back panel portion each having an upper edge portion, said front panel portion having an outer side, and first and second lateral edge portions, said back panel portion having third and fourth lateral edge portions, 
 and wherein said first and said third lateral edge portions are secured each to the other,  
 and wherein said second and fourth lateral edge portions are secured each to the other,  
 so that a generally upwardly opening U-shaped bag portion is formed by said flaccid fabric body;  
 a top flap, said top flap having a bottom edge portion,  
 said bottom edge portion of said top flap and said upper edge portion of said back panel portion secured each to the other;  
 said front panel portion and said top flap further including one or more cooperating fasteners, at least one of said one or more cooperating fasteners having a first fastener portion affixed to said top flap, and a second fastener portion affixed to said outer side of said front panel portion, said first fastener portion and said second fastener portion positioned for juxtaposition into secure mating engagement, wherein said top flap is secured for closure of said bag.  
 
   
   
       2 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said front and said back fabric panel portions are formed from a single fabric piece.  
   
   
       3 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said front and said back fabric panel portions are formed from separate fabric pieces.  
   
   
       4 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said front and said back panel portions are each provided in a parallelepiped shape.  
   
   
       5 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said back panel portion further comprises an upwardly extending tongue portion, said tongue portion extending outwardly beyond the upper edge portion of said first panel portion.  
   
   
       6 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said bag further comprises, affixed to said outer side of said front panel portion, at least one pocket.  
   
   
       7 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said at least one pocket comprises a first pocket panel comprising 
 a longitudinally extending upper edge,    a longitudinally extending lower edge,    vertically extending lateral edges, and    wherein said lower edge and said vertically extending lateral edges are securely affixed to said outer side of said front panel portion, so that said upper edge of said first pocket panel provides an upwardly directed first pocket opening.    
   
   
       8 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said at least one pocket further comprises a second pocket panel, said second pocket panel comprising 
 a longitudinally extending upper edge,    a longitudinally extending lower edge,    vertically extending lateral edges, and    wherein said lower edge and said vertically extending lateral edges of said second pocket panel are securely affixed to said outer side of said front panel portion, so that said upper edge of said second pocket panel provides an upwardly directed second pocket opening.    
   
   
       9 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said fabric comprises rip-stop nylon.  
   
   
       10 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said fabric further comprises comprises a water resistant coating.  
   
   
       11 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said water resistant coating comprises polyurethane.  
   
   
       12 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said fabric comprises a polyurethane coated rip-stop fabric.  
   
   
       13 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said top flap comprises an interior surface, and wherein said protective bag further comprises at least one interior fastening system, said at least one interior fastening system comprising a first end affixed to said interior surface of said top flap, and a second end affixed to said upper edge of said front panel portion.  
   
   
       14 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said at least one interior fastening system is located along a mid-line centrally located between said first and said second lateral edges.  
   
   
       15 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said at least one interior fastening system comprises a distinctive, distinguishing set of colored complementary hook and loop fasteners.  
   
   
       16 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said top flap comprises an interior surface, and wherein said protective bag further comprises at least one hook and loop fastener closure, and wherein said at least one hook and loop fastener closure comprises a first end affixed to said interior surface of said top flap, and a second end affixed to said upper edge of said front panel portion.  
   
   
       17 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said at least one hook and loop fastener closure is located along a mid-line centrally located between said first and said second lateral edges.  
   
   
       18 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said fabric comprises a machine washable fabric.  
   
   
       19 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said fabric comprises a machine dryable fabric.  
   
   
       20 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said front panel portion and said back panel portion have a length L B .  
   
   
       21 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein said length L B  is approximately 22 inches.  
   
   
       22 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said top flap portion has a length L F .  
   
   
       23 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said length L F  is from approximately 12 inches to approximately 16 inches.  
   
   
       24 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said front panel portion and said back panel portion have a length L G .  
   
   
       25 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said length L G  is from approximately 24 inches to approximately 26 inches.  
   
   
       26 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said tongue portion has a length L T , and wherein said top flap portion has a length L P , and wherein an overall cover length L O  equal to the sum of said length L T  and said length L P  is provided.  
   
   
       27 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein said overall length L O  is approximately 19 inches.  
   
   
       28 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an overall width N G  is provided.  
   
   
       29 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said overall width W G  is from approximately 27.5 inches to approximately 33 inches.  
   
   
       30 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an overall width W B  is provided.  
   
   
       31 . The protective bag as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein said overall width W B  is approximately 31 inches.  
   
   
       32 . A protective bag, said protective bag comprising: 
 a flaccid fabric body, said flaccid fabric body comprising rip-stop nylon having a water resistant polyurethane coating,    said flaccid fabric body including a front panel portion and a back panel portion fabricated from a single piece of fabric,    said front panel portion and said back panel portion each having an upper edge portion,    said front panel portion having an outer side, and first and second lateral edge portions    said protective bag further comprising, affixed to said outer side of said front panel portion, at least one pocket,    said back panel portion having third and fourth lateral edge portions,    and wherein said first and said third lateral edge portions are secured each to the other,    and wherein said second and fourth lateral edge portions are secured each to the other,    said protective bag flaccid fabric body providing a generally upwardly opening U-shaped bag portion,    and wherein said back panel portion further comprises an upwardly extending tongue portion, said tongue portion extending beyond said upper edge portion of said first panel portion;    a top flap, said top flap having a bottom edge portion,    said bottom edge portion of said top flap and said upper edge portion of said back panel portion secured each to the other;    said front panel portion and said top flap further including one or more cooperating fasteners, at least one of said one or more cooperating fasteners having a first fastener portion affixed to said top flap, and a second fastener portion affixed to said outer side of said front panel portion, said first fastener portion and said second fastener portion positioned for juxtaposition into secure mating engagement, wherein said top flap is secured for closure of said bag.    
   
   
       33 . A protective bag kit, said kit comprising 
 (a) a protective bag as set forth in  claim 32 , and    (b) a carry sack, said carry sack sized and shaped to accommodate, said protective bag in a folded, compact configuration, so that as a consequence, said protective bag can be easily carried or stored.    
   
   
       34 . The kit as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein said carry sack comprises a generally rectangular flaccid fabric bag having an end opening, and wherein said end opening is reversibly securely closed via use of complementary hook and loop fabric fastener portions.