Multi-Functional Pouch for Transporting and/or Suspending an Electronic Device

Abstract

A multi-purpose carrying pouch attaches to surfaces/objects, to retain an electronic device in a desirable position for hand-free use as a camera or video recorder. An upper bi-fold flap with integrated suction cup unfolds and extends upwards from a main body of the pouch. The main pouch compartment is opened/unzipped to allow the electronic device to be stored, or to be inserted in an upright position with both zipper-sliders moved to a central region along the zipper near the device to capture the device in portrait orientation. An elastic strap extends transversely from a zipper pocket formed in the pouch, wraps around the electronic device, and fastens to a lower bi-fold flap to capture the device in landscape orientation. The zipper pocket and strap may be located in various locations, for example, on the interior or exterior surface of the pouch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pouch device for an electronic device having camera and/or video capability, the pouch comprising:
 a pouch having an interior compartment and a zippered opening into the interior compartment, the interior compartment being for receiving the electronic device for storage;   a lower flap extending downward from the pouch; and   a retention strap connected to an upper portion of the pouch and, in a first pouch configuration, extendible to connect to the lower flap to form a retention loop defining a space between the loop and a front side of the pouch, the space being for receiving the electronic device in a landscape orientation;   wherein the retention strap, in a second configuration, is stored inside the pouch.   
     
     
         2 . A pouch device as in  claim 1 , wherein the retention strap extends out from an external pocket on the front side of the pouch in said first configuration, and is stored in the external pocket in said second configuration. 
     
     
         3 . A pouch device as in  claim 1 , wherein the retention strap extends out from an interior pocket inside the interior compartment of the pouch and, in said first configuration, extends out of the interior compartment through the zippered opening, and is stored in the interior pocket in said second configuration. 
     
     
         4 . A pouch device as in  claim 1 , further comprising an upper flap extending upward from the pouch, wherein the upper flap and lower flap fold toward each other and connect to each other at a rear side of the pouch to form a rear loop for receiving an object to hang the pouch device from said object. 
     
     
         5 . A pouch device as in  claim 1 , further comprising an upper flap extending upward from the pouch, and a suction cup connected to the upper flap for suspending the pouch device from a surface. 
     
     
         6 . A pouch device as in  claim 5 , wherein the upper flap and lower flap fold toward each other and connect to each other to enclose the suction cup. 
     
     
         7 . A pouch device as in  claim 1 , wherein the zippered opening into the interior compartment is closable by a double-pull zipper comprising a right and left zipper portion, and the right and left zipper portions are zipped to close the zippered opening except for an open slot at the top of the pouch, the open slot being for receiving a lower end of the electronic device in the interior compartment with an upper end of the electronic device extending above the pouch in portrait configuration with a lens in said upper end of the electronic device facing forward. 
     
     
         8 . An electronic-device storage and suspension device, the device comprising:
 an elongated hand-held electronic device having a lens near one end for taking pictures or video recording, the electronic device having a length;   a pouch having an interior compartment and a zippered opening into the interior compartment, the interior compartment having a longitudinal axis sized to receive the electronic device for storage in a horizontal orientation parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the interior compartment having a depth transverse to the longitudinal axis that is smaller than the longitudinal axis and smaller than the length of the electronic device, so that the electronic device and said lens extend up above the zippered opening of the interior compartment when the electronic-device is received in the interior compartment in portrait configuration;   a lower flap extending downward from the pouch; and   a retention strap connected to an upper portion of the pouch and, in a first pouch configuration, is extendible to connect to the lower flap to form a retention loop defining a space between the loop and a front side of the pouch, the space being for receiving the electronic device in a landscape orientation;   wherein the retention strap, in a second configuration, is stored inside the pouch.   
     
     
         9 . A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the retention strap extends out from an external pocket on the front side of the pouch in said first configuration, and is stored in the external pocket in said second configuration. 
     
     
         10 . A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the retention strap extends out from an interior pocket inside the interior compartment of the pouch and out of the interior compartment through the zippered opening in said first configuration, and is stored in the interior pocket in said second configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A device as in  claim 8 , further comprising an upper flap extending upward from the pouch, and a suction cup connected to the upper flap for suspending the pouch device from a generally vertical surface. 
     
     
         12 . A device as in  claim 12 , wherein the upper flap and lower flap fold rearward toward each other and connect to each other to form a bi-fold enclosure space that encloses the suction cup and that is adapted to receive an elongated object for suspending the device from said elongated object. 
     
     
         13 . A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the zippered opening into the interior compartment has a double-pull zipper comprising a right and left zipper portion, and the right and left zipper portions are zipped close to the electronic device, so that the pouch is closed except for an open slot at the top of the pouch through which the electronic-device extends. 
     
     
         14 . A device as in  claim 8 , further comprising an upper flap extending upward from a rear side of the pouch, wherein the upper flap and lower flap are opposing ends of a member sewn onto the rear side of the pouch main body, so that the flaps can be folded toward a center region of the member, and said flaps are securely stored while folded with hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         15 . A device as in  claim 8 , further comprising an upper flap extending upward form the a rear side of the pouch, wherein the upper flap comprises a suction cup having a suction portion and a protruding knob opposite the suction portion, and wherein a grommetted hole is provided in a central area of the lower flap, thereby providing a relief hole at which the protruding knob can extend into when the upper flap and lower flap are folded against each other, allowing the flaps to compress tightly together when folded in place to minimize the size and bulk of the folded flap system. 
     
     
         16 . A device as in  claim 8 , wherein said pouch is formed of a front portion and a rear portion pivotally connected together at a hinge area and zipped together along an outer perimeter of the front portion and rear portion, wherein the front portion and rear portion form an interior compartment between them for receiving the electronic device in both a horizontal orientation for storage and a vertical orientation for taking photos or videos with a lens of the electronic device in a portion of the electronic device that extends up through a top opening slot formed by partial unzipping of the pouch. 
     
     
         17 . A device as in  claim 16 , wherein zipper-pulls close the pouch up to the electronic device to hold the electronic device in place in said vertical orientation. 
     
     
         18 . A device as in  claim 8 , wherein the retention strap is elastic. 
     
     
         19 . A method of securing an electronic device to surfaces and objects for hands-free photos and video, the method comprising:
 a) providing a carrying pouch having a generally rectangular main body, an elastic horizontal strap connected to the inside of a zipper pocket on the main body and comprising a hook-and-loop fastener at a distal strap end, an upper flap connected to a rear mid-region of said main body and comprising a suction cup suspension mechanism attached to said upper flap, a lower flap connected to the rear mid-region of said main body and comprising a patch of hook-and-loop fastener and a circular grommet;   b) unfolding the upper and lower flaps from behind the pouch to expose the suction cup mechanism;   c) unzipping the pouch using a zipper with sliders for access to an interior compartment of the pouch through a pouch opening, and placing an electronic device vertically upright into the interior compartment in a portrait orientation, moving the sliders adjacent to the electronic device, whereby the pouch opening is held around the electronic device to capture it in a vertically upright position; and   d) suspending the pouch, and the electronic device captured therein, from a vertical surface by connecting the suspension mechanism to the vertical surface.   
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a) moving the electronic device to a landscape orientation against the front of the pouch wherein the electronic device length is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pouch, extending a transverse strap from the zipper pocket, wrapping the lower flap forward around a lower edge of the electronic device, wrapping the transverse strap downward around the electronic device, and fastening a distal end of the transverse strap to a front facing side of the lower flap by hook-and-loop fastening, whereby the transverse strap is stretched to capture the electronic device against the main body; and   b) suspending the pouch, and the electronic device captured therein, from a vertical surface by connecting the suction cup to the vertical surface.