Convertible Carrying Apparatus

Abstract

A convertible carrying apparatus for items such as toys comprises a flat sheet of flexible material with an optional smaller and centered rigid section. The sheet may be one or several layers and may have any shaped perimeter including octagonal, square, or circular. One or more gatherers are disposed about the perimeter of the sheet and a permanent or removeable grip is attached to one of the gatherers. The gatherers may be two or more handles, two or more ties, or a continuous drawstring that is threaded through a channel around the perimeter of the sheet and exposed at two or more locations around the perimeter of the sheet. The grip may include a fastener for securing it around the gatherers. When an item or many items are placed on the sheet, the gatherers can be collected or secured together with the grip. When the sheet is lifted by the grip, the sheet becomes a carrying apparatus for the items originally placed on the sheet. When desired, the carrying bag can set down, the grip can be unfastened, and the sheet can again lay flat.

1 . A carrying apparatus comprising:
 a. a flexible sheet having a perimeter;   b. one or more gatherers connected to the perimeter of the sheet; and   c. a grip connected to at least one gatherer.   
   
   
       2 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gatherer comprises a drawstring. 
   
   
       3 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the gatherer comprises two or more handles. 
   
   
       4 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the grip is permanently connected to at least one gatherer. 
   
   
       5 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the grip comprises a fastener. 
   
   
       6 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the grip comprises a flexible material. 
   
   
       7 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the grip comprises a rigid material. 
   
   
       8 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the grip is removably connected to at least one gatherer. 
   
   
       9 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a rigid structure connected to the sheet, wherein the rigid structure comprises rigid material having a smaller perimeter than the perimeter of the sheet. 
   
   
       10 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the grip is connected to one of the handles. 
   
   
       11 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the fastener comprises a hook-and-loop-type fastener. 
   
   
       12 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the fastener comprises one or more snaps. 
   
   
       13 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the grip further comprises a rigid material. 
   
   
       14 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the perimeter of the sheet comprises an octagon. 
   
   
       15 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising four handles spaced equidistant around the perimeter of the sheet. 
   
   
       16 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the perimeter of the sheet comprises an octagon having a first corner, a second corner, a third corner, a fourth corner, a fifth corner, a sixth corner, a seventh corner, and an eighth corner and wherein the gatherer comprises a first handle connected to the first corner, a second handle connected to the third corner, a third handle connected to the fifth corner, and a fourth handle connected to the seventh corner. 
   
   
       17 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the handles comprises a flexible webbed material. 
   
   
       18 . A carrying apparatus comprising:
 a. a flexible sheet having a perimeter and one or more channels along the perimeter;   b. a drawstring comprising one or more drawstring portions moveably encased in the one or more channels and one or more exposed drawstring portions; and   c. a grip connected to one or more exposed drawstring portions, wherein the grip comprises a fastener.   
   
   
       19 . A carrying apparatus comprising:
 a. a flexible sheet having a perimeter;   b. a first handle permanently connected to the perimeter of the sheet;   c. one or more additional handles permanently connected to the perimeter of the sheet; and   d. a grip permanently connected to the first handle and capable of removably attaching to the additional handles.   
   
   
       20 . The carrying apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the perimeter of the sheet comprises an octagon having a first corner, a second corner, a third corner, a fourth corner, a fifth corner, a sixth corner, a seventh corner, and an eighth corner; wherein additional handles comprise a second handle, a third handle and a fourth handle; and wherein the first handle is permanently connected to the first corner, the second handle is permanently connected to the third corner, the third handle is permanently connected to the fifth corner, and the fourth handle is permanently connected to the seventh corner.