Carrying Devices Containing Alignment Elements

Abstract

New and non-obvious systems and devices are provided for permitting decoration of the straps of bags. These systems and devices are configured to retain association of an accessory and a strap of a bag through the compression of a portion of the strap across the width of the strap in the direction of the thickness of the strap. Through the use of these systems and devices, bag owners will be able to decorate the straps or their bags easily and reversibly.

1 . A carrying device comprising:
 (a) a bag; and   (b) a strap, wherein the strap is attached to the bag at a first attachment location and at a second attachment location and the strap comprises a first alignment element and a second alignment element, wherein the first alignment element is located a first distance from the first attachment location and the second alignment element is located a second distance from the second attachment location, wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially the same size.   
     
     
         2 . The carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein said bag is a tote bag or a hand bag. 
     
     
         3 . The carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein said strap further comprises a third alignment element and a fourth alignment element, wherein the third alignment element is located a third distance from the first attachment location and the fourth alignment element is located a fourth distance from the second attachment location, wherein the third distance and the fourth distance are substantially the same size 
     
     
         4 . The carrying device of  claim 3 , wherein the first alignment element and the third alignment element are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The carrying device of  claim 4 , wherein the second alignment element and the fourth alignment element are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein the first alignment element and the second alignment element are each on only one side of the strap. 
     
     
         7 . The carrying device of  claim 6 , wherein the first alignment element and the second alignment element are on the same side of the strap. 
     
     
         8 . The carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein the first alignment element and the second alignment element are recesses. 
     
     
         9 . The carrying device of  claim 6 , wherein the first alignment element and the second alignment element are recesses. 
     
     
         10 . The carrying device of  claim 1  further comprising an accessory, wherein said accessory may be reversibly associated with said strap and said accessory comprises a display element; and an attachment mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The carrying device of  claim 10 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a compression element, wherein the strap is located between the compression element and the display element. 
     
     
         12 . The carrying device of  claim 10 , wherein a first combined thickness of the strap in an area that is not located at one of the recesses is greater than or equal to the combined thickness of the strap at a location of a recess and the attachment mechanism at the location at which the attachment mechanism contacts the recess. 
     
     
         13 . The carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein the first alignment element and the second alignment element each comprise nicks on the left and right sides of the strap. 
     
     
         14 . The carrying device of  claim 13 , wherein the width of the strap at a location that does not contain the nicks is greater than or equal to the length of the accessory. 
     
     
         15 . The carrying device of  claim 10 , wherein the accessory is a first accessory and further comprising a second accessory. 
     
     
         16 . The carrying device of  claim 1 , wherein the strap of (b) is a first strap and the carrying device further comprises a second strap. 
     
     
         17 . The carrying device of  claim 16 , wherein the second strap is attached to the bag at a third attachment location and at a fourth attachment location and the second strap comprises a fifth alignment element and a sixth alignment element, wherein the fifth alignment element is located a fifth distance from the third attachment location and the sixth alignment element is located a sixth distance from the second attachment location, wherein the fifth distance and the sixth distance are approximately the same size. 
     
     
         18 . The carrying device of  claim 17 , wherein the first distance is approximately the same as the fifth distance. 
     
     
         19 . The carrying device of  claim 18  further comprising a first display element, wherein the first display element is affixed to the first strap and a second display element, wherein the second display element is affixed to the second strap. 
     
     
         20 . The carrying device of  claim 19  further comprising a third display element, wherein the third display element is affixed to the first strap and a second display element, wherein the second display element is affixed to the second strap.