Vertically expandable carry bag and cinching structure for same

Abstract

A carry bag and a cinching structure for use with a carry bag of the type having a shell with a predetermined maximum vertical rise. A channel connected to the shell seats a first portion of an elongated strap therein. A second portion is exposed from the channel. The strap is moveable with respect to the channel thereby causing the shell to cinch and the bag to assume a vertically constrained size while a carry strap increases in size. A cinching structure comprises the cooperation of the channel and the strap (webbing) and their materials and relative dimensions, free of any further hardware due, to vertically constrain the size of the bag. Optionally, the carry strap has an adjustable length to meet the needs of users of various height and having differing notions of how to wear the bag on their bodies.

1 . A vertically expandable carry bag, consisting essentially of: 
 a shell having a lower margin and an upper margin spaced from the lower margin by a predetermined vertical rise of a material, the material of the shell comprising one or more fabric layers at least one of which defines an interior space for receiving items;    a channel defined by stitches along the predetermined vertical rise of the material of the shell and having a width;    a flat, elongated strap having a first portion disposed and enclosed within the channel and a second portion exposed from and outside of the channel and defining an adjustable length carry strap for handling by a user,    wherein the channel cinches the material of the shell along the predetermined vertical rise thereof as the upper margin is slid along the flat, first portion of the strap toward the lower margin of the shell while the second portion of the strap defining the carry strap increases in the exact same length, and    wherein gathers in the shell are released and the predetermined vertical rise is at least partially restored as the upper margin is slid along the second portion of the elongated strap.    
   
   
       2 . A vertically expandable carry bag, comprising: 
 a shell having a lower margin and an upper margin spaced from the lower margin by a predetermined vertical rise of material, the shell defining an interior space for receiving items;    a channel defined along the predetermined vertical rise of the material of the shell;    an elongated strap having a first portion disposed within the channel and a second portion exposed from the channel and defining a carry strap for handling by a user; and    a fastener having first and second components, at least one of said components being disposed on the strap, the first and second components being matingly engageable to one another to lock the upper margin of the shell in position relative to the second portion of the strap,    wherein the channel cinches the material of the shell along the predetermined vertical rise thereof as the upper margin is slid along the first portion of the strap toward the lower margin of the shell while the second portion of the strap defining the carry strap increases in the exact same length, and    wherein gathers in the shell are released and the predetermined vertical rise is at least partially restored as the upper margin is slid along the second portion of the elongated strap.    
   
   
       3 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein first portion of the strap is immovably secured relative to the shell at a location more proximate to the lower margin than the upper margin.  
   
   
       4 . The bag of  claim 2 , further comprising a bottom panel proximate the lower margin of the shell and wherein the first portion of the strap is secured to the bottom panel.  
   
   
       5 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein the channel is defined by at least one row of stitches.  
   
   
       6 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein the upper margin of the shell and the second portion of the elongated strap define a loop length and wherein the second portion includes at least one means for adjusting the loop length.  
   
   
       7 . The bag according to  claim 2 , wherein said shell is formed of at least one ply of material, wherein said channel is defined by at least one row of stitches in the fabric material by sewing said at least one ply to thereby form said channel to receive said strap.  
   
   
       8 . The bag according to  claim 2 , wherein the shell has an edge folded over onto itself and wherein the channel is formed by a row of stitches inside the folded over edge.  
   
   
       9 . The bag according to  claim 2 , further comprising an access proximate the upper margin of the shell and a means for closing the access configured to operate independently of the cinching of the material of the shell along the predetermined vertical rise.  
   
   
       10 . A cinching structure for use with a vertically expandable carry bag having a lower margin spaced from an upper margin by a vertical rise of a fabric material, the carry bag including an access to an interior space, comprising: 
 a channel defined by stitches and being disposed along the vertical rise of the fabric material, the channel having a channel-width and presenting an engagement surface made of a first material;    a flat, elongated strap of a second material sized so as to have a strap-width which is less than the channel-width, the strap having a first portion disposed within the channel so that the strap-width of the flat strap is in slideable engagement with the engagement surface, the strap having a second portion exposed from the channel and defining a carry strap for handling by a user,    wherein the first material and the second material frictionally engage one another so as to support, against the weight of the fabric material, the upper margin of the vertically expandable carry bag at an arbitrary slideable position along the vertical rise of the fabric material, and    wherein the frictional engagement of the first and second material supports the upper margin at the arbitrary slideable position without regard to whether the access to the interior space is open or closed.    
   
   
       11 . The cinching structure of  claim 10 , wherein the channel-width and the strap-width are selected with regard to the materials comprising the first and second materials.  
   
   
       12 . The cinching structure of  claim 10 , wherein the materials comprising the first and second materials are the same material.  
   
   
       13 . The cinching structure of  claim 10 , wherein the channel is defined by at least one row of stitches in the fabric material.  
   
   
       14 . The cinching structure of  claim 10 , wherein the second portion of the elongated strap defines a loop length above the upper margin of the shell and wherein the second portion includes at least one means for adjusting the loop length.  
   
   
       15 . The cinching structure of  claim 10 , wherein the shell comprises at least two plies of material and wherein the channel is defined between two of the plies.  
   
   
       16 . The cinching structure of  claim 10 , wherein the channel and strap are slidably movable relative to one another independent of any closure provided on the carry bag.