Apparatus for maintaining a position of an item

Abstract

An apparatus includes a pouch, a flap, a stiffener, a magnet attracting material, and a magnetic member. A first panel is coupled to a second panel along a periphery of the first panel and the second panel with a portion of the panels uncoupled forming an opening. The flap is positionable in an engagement position wherein the flap is positioned parallel to the second panel with the second panel disposed between the flap and the first panel. The stiffener extends across a width of the pouch at a top edge. The magnet attracting material is coupled to one of the second panel and the flap with the magnetic member coupled to the other of the second panel and the flap. The magnetic member has a magnetic field sufficient to attract the magnet attracting material when one or more pieces of material are positioned between the second panel and the flap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus to maintain a position of an item comprising:
 a pouch comprising a first panel coupled to a second panel along a periphery of the first panel and the second panel, wherein at least a portion of the periphery of the first panel and the second panel is uncoupled to form an opening in the pouch;   a flap coupled to the second panel of the pouch at a top of the pouch, the flap positionable between an engagement position and a disengagement position, wherein the flap is positioned parallel to the second panel with the second panel disposed between the flap and the first panel when the flap is positioned in the engagement position;   a stiffener comprising substantially rigid material, the stiffener extends across a width of the pouch, the width comprising a distance between a first vertical edge of the pouch and a second vertical edge of the pouch, the stiffener disposed on a top edge of the second panel of the pouch;   a magnet attracting material coupled to one of the second panel and the flap; and   a magnetic member coupled to one of the second panel and the flap such that the magnetic member is position parallel to the magnet attracting material when the flap is positioned in the engagement position, the magnetic member having a magnetic field sufficient to attract the magnet attracting material to retain the flap in the engagement position when one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member coupled to the second panel and the flap,   wherein the one or more pieces of material are different from material of the second panel and the flap, wherein the magnetic field from the magnetic member has a strength sufficient to exclusively support the apparatus in the engagement position when the one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffener comprises a material that is more rigid than the first panel, the second panel and the pouch, wherein the stiffener maintains the top edge of the pouch in a substantially planar orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the stiffener is disposed in a sleeve formed in the pouch, the sleeve conforming to a shape of the stiffener. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a zippered pocket coupled to the first panel on a side of the first panel that is opposite of the second panel, the zippered pocket comprising a zipper positioned horizontally in the zippered pocket, wherein opening the zipper allows access to a pocket formed between the first panel and the zippered pocket. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the zippered pocket comprises a mesh material, the mesh material comprising openings, and further comprising a strip of opaque material positioned along a side of the pouch forming a second flap, the second flap positioned at an edge of the zipper where a zipper slider of the zipper is located when the zipper is in a closed position, the second flap covering at least a portion a zipper slider when the zipper slider is in the closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the flap forms a loop between the flap and the second panel when the flap is positioned in the engagement position, wherein the loop and the magnetic member coupled to the magnet attracting material exclusively support the pouch with the one or more pieces of material positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member coupled to the second panel and the flap. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second panel and the flap comprises a slip resistant material that prevents movement of one or more pieces of material positioned between the second panel and the flap. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member comprise a material selected from a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, and a paramagnetic material. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member comprise a ferromagnetic material having a magnetic field sufficient to support the pouch when the one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member coupled to the second panel and the flap. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic attracting material or the magnetic member is coupled to the second panel at a location in a top third of the second panel, the top third of the pouch comprising a region from the top of the pouch to one third the distance from the top of the pouch to a bottom of the pouch distal to the top of the pouch. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member has a length sufficient to span a portion of a distance between a first edge of the pouch and a second edge of the pouch, wherein the distance spanned by the at least one of the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member is sufficient to provide structural support to at least one of the pouch and the flap to maintain the pouch in a substantially planar orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of
 the magnetic member comprises at least two magnetic members coupled to at least one of the second panel and the flap; and   the magnet attracting material comprises at least two pieces of magnet attracting material coupled to at least one of the second panel and the flap.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a support member positioned between each of the at least two magnetic members or two pieces of magnet attracting material to separate the at least two magnetic members or two pieces of magnet attracting material, each support member having a length sufficient to span a distance between each magnetic member or piece of magnet attracting material, wherein each support member is shaped to provide structural support to maintain the distance between each magnetic member or piece of magnet attracting material and to maintain at least one of the pouch and the flap coupled to the at least two magnetic members or two pieces of magnet attracting material in a substantially planar orientation. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus to maintain a position of an item comprising:
 a pouch comprising a first panel coupled to a second panel along a periphery of the first panel and the second panel, wherein at least a portion of the periphery of the first panel and the second panel is uncoupled to form an opening in the pouch;   a flap coupled to the second panel of the pouch at a top of the pouch, the flap positionable between an engagement position and a disengagement position, wherein the flap is positioned parallel to the second panel with the second panel disposed between the flap and the first panel when the flap is positioned in the engagement position;   a stiffener comprising a substantially rigid material, the stiffener extends across a width of the pouch, the width comprising a distance between a first vertical edge of the pouch and a second vertical edge of the pouch, the stiffener disposed on a top edge of the second panel of the pouch along a fold between the flap and the second panel;   a magnet attracting material coupled to one of the second panel and the flap;   a magnetic member coupled to one of the second panel and the flap such that the magnetic member is position parallel to the magnet attracting material when the flap is positioned in the engagement position, the magnetic member having a magnetic field sufficient to attract the magnet attracting material to retain the flap in the engagement position when one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member coupled to the second panel and the flap; and   wherein a portion of the flap forms a loop between the flap and the second panel when the flap is positioned in the engagement position, the loop supporting the pouch with one or more pieces of material positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member coupled to the second panel and the flap,   wherein the one or more pieces of material are different from material of the second panel and the flap, wherein one or more of the loop and the magnetic field from the magnetic member support the apparatus in the engagement position when the one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member, and wherein the stiffener is located above the magnet attracting material and above the magnetic member.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the stiffener comprises a material that is more rigid than the first panel, the second panel and the flap, wherein the stiffener maintains the top edge of the pouch in a substantially planar orientation. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the stiffener is disposed in a sleeve located between the flap and the second panel at a location where the flap moves relative to the second panel. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a zippered pocket coupled to the first panel on a side of the first panel that is opposite of the second panel, the zippered pocket comprising a zipper positioned horizontally in the zippered pocket, wherein opening the zipper allows access to a pocket formed between the first panel and the zippered pocket. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member comprise a ferromagnetic material having a magnetic field sufficient to support the pouch when one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member coupled to the second panel and the flap. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member has a length less than the length of the stiffener. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus to maintain a position of an item comprising:
 a pouch comprising a first panel coupled to a second panel along a periphery of the first panel and the second panel, wherein at least a portion of the periphery of the first panel and the second panel is uncoupled to form an opening in the pouch;   a flap coupled to the second panel of the pouch, the flap positionable between an engagement position and a disengagement position, wherein the flap is positioned parallel to the second panel with the second panel disposed between the flap and the first panel when the flap is positioned in the engagement position;   a stiffener comprising a substantially rigid material, the stiffener extends across a width of the pouch, the width comprising a distance between a first vertical edge of the pouch and a second vertical edge of the pouch, the stiffener disposed on a top edge of the second panel of the pouch along a fold between the flap and the second panel, the stiffener disposed in a sleeve located between the flap and the second panel at a location where the flap moves relative to the second panel;   a zippered pocket coupled to the first panel on a side of the first panel that is opposite of the second panel, the zippered pocket comprising a zipper positioned horizontally in the zippered pocket, wherein opening the zipper allows access to a pocket formed between the first panel and the zippered pocket;   a strip of material positioned along a side of the pouch forming a second flap, the second flap positioned at an edge of the zipper where a zipper slider of the zipper is located when the zipper is in a closed position, the second flap covering at least a portion a zipper slider when the zipper slider is in the closed position;   a magnet attracting material coupled to one of the second panel and the flap, the magnet attracting material comprising a material selected from a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, and a paramagnetic material; and   a magnetic member coupled to one of the second panel and the flap such that the magnetic member is position parallel to the magnet attracting material when the flap is positioned in the engagement position, the magnetic member having a magnetic field sufficient to attract the magnet attracting material to retain the flap in the engagement position and to exclusively support the pouch when one or more pieces of material are positioned between the second panel and the flap, wherein the magnetic member comprises a material selected from a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, and a paramagnetic material,   wherein the magnet attracting material or the magnetic member coupled to the second panel is positioned within a top third of the pouch, the top third of the pouch comprising a region from the top of the pouch to one third the distance from the top of the pouch to a bottom of the pouch distal to the top of the pouch,   wherein the one or more pieces of material are different from material of the second panel and the flap, wherein the magnetic field from the magnetic member and the magnetic material have a strength sufficient to exclusively support the apparatus in the engagement position when the one or more pieces of material are positioned between the magnet attracting material and the magnetic member, and wherein the stiffener is located above the magnet attracting material and above the magnetic member.