Athletic bag

Abstract

An apparatus and method for supplying air to an interior of an athletic bag and/or to a piece of athletic equipment in the athletic bag (e.g., onto or into the piece of athletic equipment) is disclosed. The athletic bag includes a flow vent attached to a first wall of the bag and a hose attached (e.g., removably attachable) to the flow vent. The hose is configured to transfer air into an interior of the athletic bag and/or into or onto an interior of a piece of athletic equipment

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An athletic bag comprising:
 a flow vent attached to a first wall of the bag;   a hose coupled to the flow vent;   wherein the hose is arranged to transfer air to at least one of an interior of the bag, an exterior of a piece of athletic equipment and an interior of the piece of athletic equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second flow vent attached to the first wall,   a second hose coupled to the second flow vent.   
     
     
         3 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flow vent is removably attachable to the first wall. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , wherein the first wall comprises a first opening, the flow vent being connected to the first opening. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , wherein the flow vent comprises a conduit, the first hose being coupled to the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , wherein the hose is removably attachable to the flow vent. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , wherein the first hose is expandable. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold arranged to couple the hose to the flow vent. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic bag of  claim 8 , further comprising a second hose coupled to the flow vent via the manifold. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic bag of  claim 1 , wherein the hose is coupled to the flow vent in the interior of the bag. 
     
     
         11 . A method of directing air in and around a piece of athletic equipment, the method comprising:
 placing a piece of athletic equipment into an interior of a bag;   supplying air to at least one of into the bag, into the piece of athletic equipment or onto the piece of athletic equipment via a flow vent attached to a first wall of the bag.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein placing a piece of athletic equipment into an interior of a bag comprises placing the piece of athletic equipment relative to a hose connected to the flow vent. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein placing the piece of athletic equipment relative to the hose connected to the flow vent comprises sliding the piece of athletic equipment onto the hose. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein placing the piece of athletic equipment comprises placing the piece of athletic equipment relative to the hose connected to the flow vent in the interior of the bag. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein supplying air comprises transferring air via the hose to at least one of an interior of the bag, an exterior of the piece of athletic equipment, and an interior of the piece of athletic equipment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising attaching an air supply device to the flow vent for supplying air to the piece of athletic equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising placing a second piece of athletic equipment into the interior of the bag and supplying air to the second piece of athletic equipment via the flow vent. 
     
     
         18 . A flow vent for transferring air to at least one of an interior of the bag, an exterior of a piece of athletic equipment and an interior of the piece of athletic equipment, the flow vent comprising:
 a conduit having first and second ends, the first end arranged to extend into an interior of a bag;   first and second flanges attached to the second end of the conduit, the first and second flanges arranged to hold the conduit relative to a wall of the bag via a locking member.   
     
     
         19 . The flow vent of  claim 18 , wherein each of the first and second flanges include washers and wherein the locking member includes a lock nut. 
     
     
         20 . The flow vent of  claim 18 , wherein the first end of the conduit is arranged to receive a hose for transferring air into at least one of the interior of the bag, the exterior of the piece of athletic equipment, and the interior of the piece of athletic equipment. 
     
     
         21 . The flow vent of  claim 18 , wherein the first flange is permanently attached to the second end of the conduit. 
     
     
         22 . The flow vent of  claim 21 , wherein the second flange is removably attached to the second end of the conduit. 
     
     
         23 . The flow vent of  claim 20 , wherein the hose is arranged to extend into an interior of the bag.