Strap for retaining equipment transport bag on equipment lifting lugs

Abstract

An equipment transport bag assembly is operable to handle equipment having a lifting element. The bag system includes a bag assembly and a retention assembly. The bag assembly includes a bag defining an interior configured to at least in part receive the equipment therein when the bag is in a receiving position. The bag assembly further includes a lifting strap unit secured relative to the bag and defining an element-receiving opening. The lifting element is at least in part received by the element-receiving opening when the bag is in the receiving position and the lifting strap unit is in an engaged configuration. The retention assembly releasably retains the lifting strap unit in the engaged configuration.

1 . An equipment transport bag system operable to handle equipment having a lifting element, said bag system comprising:
 a bag assembly including
 a bag defining an interior configured to at least in part receive the equipment therein when the bag is in a receiving position, and 
 a lifting strap unit secured relative to the bag and defining an element-receiving opening, 
 said lifting element being at least in part received by said element-receiving opening when the bag is in the receiving position and the lifting strap unit is in an engaged configuration; and 
   a retention assembly releasably retaining the lifting strap unit in the engaged configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 1 ,
 said retention assembly being configured to selectively apply tension to the lifting strap unit so as to restrict shifting of the lifting strap unit relative to the lifting element.   
     
     
         3 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 1 ,
 said bag assembly including a pair of said lifting strap units,   each of said lifting strap units defining an element-receiving opening,   each of said element-receiving openings configured to receive a corresponding lifting element of the equipment,   said retention assembly configured to releasably retain each of the lifting strap units in the engaged configuration.   
     
     
         4 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 3 ,
 said retention assembly presenting a pair of spaced apart ends defining a length therebetween,   said length being adjustable.   
     
     
         5 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 4 ,
 each of said ends configured to engage a respective one of the lifting strap units.   
     
     
         6 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 4 ,
 said retention assembly comprising an elongated retention strap assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 6 ,
 said retention strap assembly including a retention strap and an adjustment element engaging the retention strap to facilitate adjustment of the length.   
     
     
         8 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 7 ,
 said adjustment element including a component selected from the group consisting of a ring, a plurality of teeth, hook-and-loop fasteners, and an elastic section.   
     
     
         9 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 1 , said lifting strap unit including
 a lifting element section defining the element-receiving opening, and   an external operation section located at least in part outside the bag interior and operably coupled to the lifting element section,   said lifting strap unit configured to support the bag and the equipment, when a lifting force is applied to the external operation section and the bag is in the receiving position and the lifting strap unit is in the engaged configuration,   said retention assembly releasably retaining the lifting strap unit in the engaged configuration when the lifting forced is removed.   
     
     
         10 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 9 ,
 said external operation section, said lifting element section, and said bag being operably coupled to one another such that the equipment is supported by the lifting strap unit within the bag interior and the bag does not function as the primary load-bearing component during lifting and handling of the equipment.   
     
     
         11 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 9 ,
 said lifting element section including an element-section securement portion and an element-section receiving portion,   said element-section receiving portion extending from the element-section securement portion into the bag interior and defining the element-receiving opening,   said external operation section including an external-operation securement portion and an external lifting portion,   said external lifting portion extending from the external-operation securement portion away from the bag interior,   said lifting element section being operably connected to the external operation section such that the lifting-section securement portion is secured in an orientation generally opposite that of the external-operation securement portion, and the element-section receiving portion extends generally away from the external lifting portion.   
     
     
         12 . The equipment transport bag assembly of  claim 11 ,
 said element-section securement portion and said external-operation securement portion being secured to one another by stitching.   
     
     
         13 . The equipment transport bag assembly of  claim 11 ,
 a portion of the bag being sandwiched between said element-section securement portion and said external-operation securement portion,   said election-section securement portion, said external-operation securement portion, and said portion of the bag being operably secured to one another.   
     
     
         14 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 1 ,
 said retention assembly comprising an elongated retention strap assembly,   said retention strap assembly including a retention strap forming a retention loop,   said retention loop defining a retention opening,   at least a portion of said lifting strap unit extending through said retention opening.   
     
     
         15 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 14 ,
 said retention loop being selectively openable and closeable to facilitate ease of placement of the retention loop relative to the portion of the lifting strap unit.   
     
     
         16 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 15 ,
 said retention loop being selectively secured in a closed position by use of a component selected from the group consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, and hooks.   
     
     
         17 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 14 ,
 said lifting strap unit including
 a lifting element section defining the element-receiving opening, and 
 an external operation section located at least in part outside the bag interior and operably coupled to the lifting element section, 
   said portion of the lifting strap unit comprising the lifting element section.   
     
     
         18 . The equipment transport bag system of  claim 1 ,
 said retention assembly comprising an elongated retention strap assembly,   said retention strap assembly including a retention strap having an end,   said end being secured directly to at least one of said bag and said lifting strap unit.   
     
     
         19 . A method of transporting equipment having a lifting element, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) positioning at least a part of the equipment in an interior defined by a bag;   (b) engaging the lifting element with a lifting strap unit attached relative to the bag;   (c) lifting the bag and the equipment by applying a lifting force to the lifting strap unit; and   (d) retaining the lifting strap unit on the lifting element when the lifting force is removed.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 ,
 step (d) including the step of positioning a retention strap assembly relative to the lifting element and the lifting strap unit such that the retention strap assembly at least substantially restricts shifting of the lifting strap unit relative to the lifting element.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of:
 (e) disengaging the lifting strap unit from a lifting mechanism.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 ,
 step (e) being performed after the step of positioning the retention strap assembly relative to the lifting element and lifting strap unit.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 ,
 step (d) further including the step of using the retention strap assembly to apply tension to the lifting strap unit, thereby restricting shifting of the lifting strap unit relative to the lifting element.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 ,
 said equipment having a pair of said lifting elements,   a pair of said lifting strap units being attached relative to the bag,   step (b) including the step of engaging each of the lifting elements with a corresponding one of the lifting strap units,   step (d) including the step of positioning the retention strap assembly relative to each of the lifting elements and each of the lifting strap units such that the retention strap assembly at least substantially restricts shifting of each of the lifting strap units relative to the corresponding one of the lifting elements.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 ,
 step (d) including the step of using the retention strap assembly to apply tension to the lifting strap units.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 ,
 step (d) including the step of tightening the retention strap assembly between the pair of lifting strap units.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 ,
 step (d) including the step of positioning a retention loop defined by the retention strap assembly around the lifting strap unit such that at least a portion of the lifting strap unit extends through the retention loop.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 ,
 step (c) including the step of opening and then closing the retention loop to facilitate positioning of the retention loop around the lifting strap unit.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 ,
 step (b) including the step of positioning the lifting element at least in part in an element-receiving opening defined by the lifting strap unit,   step (d) including the step of positioning the retention strap assembly relative to the lifting element and the lifting element section such that the retention strap assembly at least substantially restricts shifting of the lifting element section relative to the lifting element.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further including the step of:
 (e) after the step of positioning the retention strap assembly relative to the lifting element and the lifting element section, disengaging a external operation section of the lifting strap unit from a lifting mechanism.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 ,
 step (b) including the step of engaging the lifting element with a lifting element section of the lifting strap unit,   step (d) including the step of positioning the retention strap assembly relative to the lifting element and the lifting element section such that the retention strap assembly at least substantially restricts shifting of the lifting element section relative to the lifting element.