Environmentally controlled sports equipment bag

#The present invention relates generally to a sports equipment bag. In particular, the present invention relates to a sports equipment bag constructed to significantly reduce or eliminate the effect of sunlight, moisture and heat on the contents of the equipment bag.

#Sport equipment bags are well known. Sport equipment bags typically are soft-sided duffle-type bags and are made in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Many sports bags, such as tennis racquet bags, are specifically configured to store one or more tennis racquets and related equipment, such as balls, grips, etc. The equipment bags often include multiple compartments, as well as one or more openings, handles and straps. In competitive play, players, particularly tennis players, typically carry their sports equipment to the sporting venue using an equipment bag. These equipment bags are typically placed near the play area, and often are fully exposed to environmental conditions such as sunlight, moisture and heat.

#Existing sport equipment bags have some drawbacks. Since most sporting events take place outdoors, the equipment bags are often subjected to the outdoor weather conditions, including sunlight, moisture and heat, over an extended period of time. Such exposure can damage or reduce the useful life of some sporting goods, especially sporting goods stored in equipment bags. For example, extended or severe exposure to ultraviolet radiation, heat or moisture can damage or reduce the life of the strings and the grip of a tennis racquet. In particular, the play characteristics of racquet strings can be negatively affected through exposure to extreme environmental conditions, even over the course of a single match. Existing sport equipment bags typically provide little or no protection for the sporting goods positioned within the bag against the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation, heat, cold and moisture.

#FIG. 1 is a side view of a sports equipment bag in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a top view of the sports equipment bag of FIG. 1.

#FIG. 3 is front perspective, partial sectional view of the sports equipment bag of FIG. 1 with a moisture-absorbing element, a cooling element and a heating element shown in an exploded view position.

#Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a preferred embodiment of a sports equipment bag is indicated generally at 10. The bag 10 includes a lightweight, flexible body 12 having a bottom wall 14, a top wall 16 and at least one side wall 18 connecting the top and bottom walls 14 and 16. The bag 10 is configured to: retain a variety of sports equipment; to enable a user to readily store or transport the bag 10 and its contents; and to reduce the detrimental effect of the environment, including sunlight, moisture, and temperature variations, on the contents of the bag 10. The bag 10 farther includes at least one handle 20, at least one strap 22 and at least one reclosable opening 24. The handle 20 outwardly extends from the body 12 to enable the user to readily grasp the bag 10. The strap 22 is preferably a conventional adjustable shoulder strap. The reclosable opening 24 includes a releasable fastener, preferably a zipper. Alternative releaseable fasteners can also be used including, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, and other conventional fasteners.

#Referring to FIG. 1, the side wall 18 includes an exposed reflective side portion 26 extending over at least a portion of the side wall 18 and connected to a covered side portion 28 extending over the remainder of the side wall 18. The exposed reflective side portion 26 preferably extends over at least 5% of the outer surface area of the side wall 18. The exposed reflective side portion 26 includes an outer open mesh layer 30 extending over an outer reflective barrier layer 32. The open mesh layer 30 includes a plurality of openings making the outer reflective layer 32 visible from outside of the bag 10. The body 12 can also include alphanumeric and/or graphical indicia 34. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the side wall 18 includes a reflective side portion which is substantially covered with a layer of material.

#Referring to FIG. 3, the bottom, top and side walls 14, 16 and 18 of the body 12 define at least one equipment storage compartment. In one preferred embodiment, the bag 10 further includes a longitudinally extending dividing wall 36 connected at first and second edges to the bottom and top walls 14 and 16, respectively, to define opposing first and second equipment storage compartments 38 and 40. The dividing wall 36 provides additional support to the body 12 and protects the contents of the first storage compartment 38 from impacting the contents of the second storage compartment 40. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the first and second storage compartments 38 and 40 are contoured to generally conform to the shape of one or more tennis racquets. In alternative preferred embodiments, the body and the storage compartments can be sized to entirely receive at least one racquet. In particularly preferred embodiments, the body 12 is contoured to receive two, three, four or six racquets and other related tennis equipment. In alternative embodiments, other body shapes and sizes can be used. In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one of the compartments 38 and 40 is moisture-proof. In another alternative embodiment, the bag 10 can include one or more sub-dividers (not shown) for storing multiple sport implements side by side, such as, for example, tennis racquets.