Collapsible duffel bag with folding bottom board

Abstract

A flexible bag may include various panels that define a compartment. The bag may also include a bottom member having rigid material, which is positionable between an extended position and a retracted position. One end of the bottom member is fixedly coupled to an interior location of the bag that generally corresponds to where the first side panel meets the bottom panel. The bottom member is sized to extend over an inside of the bottom panel when in the extended position, and is also structured to be folded to define a first portion and a second portion, which are each positionable relative to an inside portion of the first side panel, to permit collapsing of the flexible bag.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flexible bag, comprising:
 a front panel;   a back panel;   a first side panel coupled to the front panel and the back panel;   a second side panel coupled to the front panel and the back panel;   a bottom panel coupled to the front panel, the back panel, the first side panel and the second side panel to define a compartment; and   a bottom member comprising rigid material and being positionable between an extended position and a retracted position,   wherein one end of the bottom member is fixedly coupled to an interior location of the bag that generally corresponds to where the first side panel meets the bottom panel;   wherein the bottom member is sized to extend over an inside of the bottom panel when in the extended position, and   wherein the bottom member is structured to be folded to define a first portion and a second portion, which are each positionable relative to an inside portion of the first side panel to permit collapsing of the flexible bag.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coupling region located between the first portion and the second portion to facilitate folding of the first portion relative to the second portion.   
     
     
         3 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel, the back panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the bottom panel comprise flexible material which facilitates the collapsing of the flexible bag when the bottom member is positioned in the retracted position, and expanding of the bag when the bottom member is positioned in the extended position. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top panel coupled to the front panel, the back panel, the first side panel and the second side panel to define a top side of the compartment;   an access portion formed in the top panel and being configured to open and close to respectively provide and block access to the compartment; and   first and second handles respectively coupled to the front panel and the back panel.   
     
     
         5 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein a top side of the first portion faces a top side of the second portion when the bottom member is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom side of the first portion faces a bottom side of the second portion when the bottom member is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom member is substantially planar when in the extended position. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom member includes a single foldable sheet comprising the rigid material. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid material comprises cardboard. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid material has a rigidity that maintains a shape of the flexible bag when in the extended position, and wherein the rigidity of the rigid material is greater than a rigidity of material that forms at least one of the bottom panel, the front panel, the back panel, the first side panel, or the second side panel. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the one end of the bottom member is stitched to the interior location of the bag that generally corresponds to where the first side panel meets the bottom panel. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein an interior height of the first side panel is at least half that of a length of the bottom member. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom member is sized to substantially cover the inside of the bottom panel. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the one end of the bottom member is fixedly coupled to an inside edge of the bottom panel, adjacent to a lower inside edge of the first side panel. 
     
     
         15 . The flexible bag of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion is positionable to extend over an inside portion of the first side panel, and the first portion is positionable relative to the second portion to face a side of the second portion. 
     
     
         16 . A flexible bag, comprising:
 a front side;   a back side;   a first side coupled to the front side and the back side;   a second side coupled to the front side and the back side;   a top side coupled to the front side, the back side, the first side and the second side;   an access portion formed in the top side and being configured to open and close to respectively provide and block access to an interior of the bag;   a bottom side coupled to the front side, the back side, the first side and the second side to define a portion of the interior of the bag; and   a bottom member comprising rigid material and being positionable between a first position and a second position,   wherein an end of the bottom member is fixedly secured to an interior location of the bag that generally corresponds to where the first side meets the bottom side,   wherein the bottom member is sized to extend over the bottom side when in the first position,   wherein the bottom member is structured to be folded to define a first portion and a second portion, and   wherein the folded bottom member is positionable to be located adjacent to an inside portion of the first side to permit collapsing of the flexible bag.   
     
     
         17 . The flexible bag of  claim 16 , wherein the top side, the access portion, the front side, the back side, the first side, the second side, and the bottom side comprise flexible material which facilitates the collapsing of the flexible bag when the bottom member is in the second position, and expanding of the flexible bag when the bottom member is in the first position. 
     
     
         18 . The flexible bag of  claim 16 , wherein the one end of the bottom member is stitched to the interior location of the bag that generally corresponds to where the first side meets the bottom side. 
     
     
         19 . The flexible bag of  claim 16 , wherein an interior height of the first side and the second side is at least half that of a length of the bottom side.