Tote bag

Abstract

A tote bag having high handleability is provided, in which articles of various sizes or a large number of articles can be efficiently and stably stored so as to be highly visible, from which articles can be found in a short time, and which can prevent dirt or the like from adhering to articles. The tote bag includes a bag main body the inner section of which serves as an article storage space, the article storage space can be partitioned by a partition member into two compartments having an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment, a bag body is disposed in the lower storage compartment, the article storage space serves as a single-compartment space when the partition member is in a fallen orientation whereas the article storage space serves as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment when the partition member is in a raised orientation, and the bag body is expandable in an inner section of the lower storage compartment when the partition member is in the raised orientation, whereas the bag body is foldable for storage between the partition member and a lid portion or one side wall when the partition member is in the fallen orientation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a tote bag having high handleability, in which an article storage space can be flexibly and efficiently used without waste, which can prevent leakage of dirt or the like derived from articles.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In general, a tote bag for carrying articles stored in its inner section is carried and used by a user grasping handle portions to lift the bag or putting the handle portions over their shoulder. This kind of tote bag has been frequently used not only in, for example, carrying a personal computer, a wallet, a lunchbox, and the like stored in the bag while commuting, but also in carrying extra clothes, shoes, and the like stored in the bag to be used in a fitness gym or the like, in shopping, and for other purposes.

[0003] The tote bag needs to be capable of flexibly accommodating various kinds of use described above, and highly convenient and versatile. Accordingly, the tote bag is required to have high overall handleability, including excellence in, for example, article storability and ease of taking out articles, and such visibility that allows articles stored in the vicinity of the bottom wall to be found at a glance, when used to store a large number of various articles.

[0004] The tote bag is generally configured to be largely opened at the top surface side where handle portions are attached, since various kinds of use described above and overall handleability are taken into consideration. In recent years, attempts have been made to enhance the above-described overall handleability, such as providing an openable and closable lid on a side surface of the tote bag, and partitioning the inner section in the vertical direction to form two or more compartments.

[0005] A tote bag as described above has been proposed, which has, for example, a shoes storage section on a bottom wall, a shoes insertion opening provided in one side surface portion, a shoes storage bag body connected to the shoes insertion opening, and a lid body for opening or closing the shoes insertion opening (for example, see JP-A-2015-112236). According to the tote bag described in JP-A-2015-112236, the tote bag is highly convenient during travel due to the shoes storage section provided in the side surface portion since, at the time of playing golf or tennis, for example, golf shoes or tennis shoes can be stored in one tote bag together with clothes.

[0006] In addition, a bag provided with a hand-carrying grip and a shoulder strap has been proposed, which has a partition member configured to partition a storage section of a bag main body into an upper section and a lower section (for example, see JP-U-H07-28420). The partition member provided in the bag described in JP-U-H07-28420 is detachably attached to an inner surface of the storage section by means of a fabric fastener and is allowed to be changed in position in the vertical direction. Since the bag described in JP-U-H07-28420 has the partition member described above, the storage section can be partitioned into two compartments, so that items can be stored by category as necessary, for example, in the upper section for clothes and in the lower section for shoes. In addition, the items stored in any of the upper section and the lower section can be easily taken out and put thereinto by pushing a side surface portion of the bag main body outward.SUMMARY OF INVENTIONTechnical Problem

[0007] Since the tote bag described in JP-A-2015-112236 and the bag described in JP-U-H07-28420 have the above configurations, articles can be stored while being categorized in a plurality of sections in a manner that takes characteristics of the articles and conditions of the articles such as presence or absence of dirt into consideration, and furthermore, articles stored in the lower section can be taken out and put thereinto through the side surface portion, without the need to take out articles stored in the upper section each time. Accordingly, even articles stored in the lower section of the storage space are visually recognizable with ease and taken out in a short time as compared to, for example, a configuration in which various articles are stored together in a single-compartment space.

[0008] However, the tote bag described in JP-A-2015-112236 has a problem in that it is difficult to store a large article therein, because the plurality of storage spaces in the inner section, which are ensured due to the shoes storage section, are fixedly provided.

[0009] On the other hand, since the bag described in JP-U-H07-28420 has the detachable partition member in the inner section of the bag main body, it is possible to store a large article in the bag by removing the partition member from the bag as necessary or peeling apart the fabric fastener and laying the partition member on the bottom surface so that a large storage space can be ensured.

[0010] However, the configuration of the bag according to JP-U-H07-28420 has a large gap between the partition member and the bag main body and thus the sections are not completely separated from each other, and therefore, there is a problem in that, for example, when shoes soiled with dirt or the like, a lunchbox from which liquid or the like is likely to leak out, or the like is stored in the lower section, such dirt may adhere to clothes or the like stored in the upper section.

[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tote bag having high handleability, in which articles of various sizes or a large number of articles can be efficiently and stably stored so as to be highly visible, which allows articles stored therein to be found in a short time, and which can prevent dirt or the like derived from articles stored therein from adhering to other articles.Solution to Problem

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors have intensively conducted repeated studies. As a result, first, the inventors have found that the article storage space can be flexibly and efficiently used without waste, when the bag is provided with a partition member which is configured to partition the article storage space into an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment so that the article storage space serves as a single-compartment space when the partition member has a fallen orientation whereas the article storage space serves as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment when the partition member has a raised orientation. Furthermore, the inventors have found that dirt or the like derived from articles can be prevented from leaking out, and handleability can be further improved, when the bag is provided with a bag body which is connected to a side opening of a bag main body and is expandable in an inner section of the lower storage compartment, the bag body being expandable inside the lower storage compartment when the partition member has the raised orientation and being foldable for storage when the partition member has the fallen orientation. In consequence, the inventors have completed the present invention.

[0013] That is, the present invention provides a tote bag including: a bag main body that includes a bottom wall, an upper open end disposed opposite the bottom wall, and a pair of side walls and a pair of side gussets that extend from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall to the upper open end, the bag main body having an inner section that serves as an article storage space; and a pair of handle portions respectively attached to the pair of side walls of the bag main body, in which the bag main body further includes: a partition member configured to partition the article storage space into an upper storage compartment on a side of the upper open end and a lower storage compartment on a side of the bottom wall; a side opening that is provided in one side wall of the pair of side walls and opens to the lower storage compartment;

[0014] a lid portion configured to cover the side opening in an openable and closable manner; and a bag body that is connected to a peripheral edge of the side opening and is expandable in an inner section of the lower storage compartment, the partition member is attached to an inner surface of the one side wall in a foldable structure in which the one side wall serves as a support, and causes the article storage space to serve as a single-compartment space in a state where the partition member is disposed in a fallen orientation in a direction along the one side wall and causes the article storage space to serve as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment in a state where the partition member is disposed in a raised orientation so as to be braced between the pair of side walls, and the bag body is expandable in the inner section of the lower storage compartment in the state where the partition member is disposed in the raised orientation, and is foldable for storage between the partition member and the lid portion or the one side wall in the state where the partition member is disposed in the fallen orientation.

[0015] In the above configuration, the tote bag according to the present invention preferably has a configuration in which the partition member includes a partition plate configured to partition the article storage space into the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment and a pair of support plates extending from both end portions of the partition plate on sides of the pair of side gussets in a bendable manner, one ends of the pair of support plates on sides opposite to the partition plate are capable of supporting the partition plate in the raised orientation by abutting with the bottom wall in the state where the partition plate is disposed in the raised orientation, and the partition plate and the pair of support plates are folded along the one side wall in the state where the partition plate is disposed in the fallen orientation.

[0016] In the above configuration, the tote bag according to the present invention may have a configuration in which the bag main body further includes at least one small pocket configured to store an article in the article storage space.

[0017] In the above configuration, the tote bag according to the present invention more preferably has a configuration in which the small pocket includes a transparent resin sheet or a see-through material through which an inner section of the small pocket is visible from an outer side.

[0018] In the above configuration, the tote bag according to the present invention may have a configuration in which the bag main body includes at least one tag pocket including a transparent resin sheet configured to accommodate a tag in a position corresponding to the small pocket in the article storage space.

[0019] In the above configuration, the tote bag according to the present invention may have a configuration in which the bag main body further includes at least one small pocket configured to store an article on at least one of outer surfaces of the pair of side walls and the pair of side gussets.

[0020] According to the tote bag of the present invention, the tote bag is configured such that the article storage space serves as a single-compartment space when the partition member has the fallen orientation whereas the article storage space serves as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment when the partition member has the raised orientation as described above, so that the article storage space can be flexibly and efficiently used without waste, and can be efficiently stored without regard to the size or quantity of the articles. Furthermore, the bag body is expandable inside the lower storage compartment when the partition member has the raised orientation and is foldable for storage when the partition member has the fallen orientation, so that dirt or the like derived from articles can be prevented from leaking out, and higher handleability can be achieved.

[0021] Therefore, a tote bag having high handleability can be provided, in which articles of various sizes or a large number of articles can be efficiently and stably stored so as to be highly visible, which allows articles stored therein to be found in a short time, and which can prevent dirt or the like derived from articles stored therein from adhering to other articles.

[0022] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a tote bag according to the present invention as seen obliquely from an upper side of a second side wall on the front side of the tote bag;

[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention as seen from a side of a first side wall on the back side of the tote bag;

[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention as seen obliquely from an upper side of the first side wall, with an article storage space partitioned by a partition member into an upper storage compartment and a lower storage compartment, a bag body expanded into a three-dimensional shape in the inner section of the lower storage compartment, and a lid portion open;

[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention as seen obliquely from the front of the first side wall, with the article storage space partitioned by the partition member into the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment, the bag body expanded into a three-dimensional shape in the inner section of the lower storage compartment, and the lid portion open;

[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention as seen from a side of an upper open end being open, with the article storage space partitioned by the partition member into the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment, the bag body expanded into a three-dimensional shape in the inner section of the lower storage compartment, and the lid portion closed;

[0028] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention as seen from the side of the upper open end being open, with the partition member and the bag body folded and the lid portion closed;

[0029] FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention along line A-A shown in FIG. 2;

[0030] FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention along line B-B shown in FIG. 5;

[0031] FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention along line C-C shown in FIG. 5;

[0032] FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention along line A-A shown in FIG. 2, with the partition member and the bag body folded and the lid portion closed as shown in FIG. 6; and

[0033] FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the tote bag according to the present invention along line D-D shown in FIG. 6.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0034] A detailed description will be given below by way of embodiments of the tote bag according to the present invention with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

[0035] Note that, in the drawings referred to in the following description, characteristic parts may be slightly enlarged for convenience to facilitate understanding of the features of the tote bag according to the present invention, and relative dimensional ratios and the like of the components may differ from those of an actual product. In addition, materials, dimensions, and the like exemplified in the following description are merely illustrative, and the present invention is not limited thereto and may be carried out with appropriate modifications as needed, without departing from the gist of the invention.Overall Configuration of Tote Bag

[0036] An overall configuration of a tote bag according to the present embodiment will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11 as appropriate.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tote bag 1 of the present embodiment as seen obliquely from an upper side of a second side wall 52 on the front side, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view as seen from a side of a first side wall 51 on the back side of the tote bag 1.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view as seen obliquely from an upper side of the first side wall 51, with an article storage space 2A partitioned by a partition member 7 (see FIG. 5 or the like) into an upper storage compartment 21 and a lower storage compartment 22, a bag body 8 expanded into a three-dimensional shape in the inner section of the lower storage compartment 22, and a lid portion 54 open. FIG. 4 is a perspective view as seen obliquely from the front of the first side wall 51.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a plan view as seen from a side of an upper open end 4 being open, with the article storage space 2A partitioned by the partition member 7 into the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22, the bag body 8 expanded into a three-dimensional shape in the inner section of the lower storage compartment 22, and the lid portion 54 closed. FIG. 6 is a plan view as seen from the side of the upper open end 4 being open, with the partition member 7 and the bag body 8 folded and the lid portion 54 closed.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line A-A shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line B-B shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line C-C shown in FIG. 5.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a sectional view along line A-A shown in FIG. 2, with the partition member 7 and the bag body 8 folded and the lid portion 54 closed as shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view along line D-D shown in FIG. 6.

[0042] In the following description, the term “upper side” refers to the direction indicated by the reference sign “U” in FIGS. 1 to 4, FIGS. 8 and 9, and FIG. 11, and the term “down side” refers to the direction indicated by the reference sign “D” in the above figures. That is, the above reference signs “U” and “D” correspond to the upper side and the down side, respectively, of the tote bag 1 lifted by a user grasping a pair of handle portions 9.

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 1 (also see FIGS. 2 to 6 as appropriate), the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment generally includes a bag main body 2 the inner section of which serves as the article storage space 2A, and the pair of handle portions 9 respectively attached to the pair of side walls 51 and 52 of the bag main body 2. The article storage space 2A of the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment can be partitioned by the partition member 7 into two compartments, i.e., the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22, and the bag body 8 is disposed in the side of the lower storage compartment 22.

[0044] Specifically, the article storage space 2A of the tote bag 1 serves as a single-compartment space in the state where the partition member 7 is disposed in a fallen orientation in the direction along the first side wall 51. On the other hand, the article storage space 2A serves as a double-compartment space which is partitioned into the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22 in the state where the partition member 7 is disposed in a raised orientation so as to be braced between the pair of side walls 51 and 52.

[0045] In the state where the partition member 7 is disposed in the raised orientation as described above, the bag body 8 of the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment is expandable in the inner section of the lower storage compartment 22. In the state where the partition member 7 is disposed in the fallen orientation as described above, the bag body 8 is foldable for storage between the partition member 7 and the lid portion 54 or the first side wall 51.

[0046] The tote bag 1 of the present embodiment allows a user to carry articles (not illustrated) stored in the article storage space 2A of the bag main body 2 by grasping the pair of handle portions 9 by hand and lifting the bag, or putting the pair of handle portions 9 over their shoulder.

[0047] The tote bag 1 of the present embodiment allows articles (not illustrated) to be put into or taken out through, for example, the upper open end 4 or a side opening 53 provided in the first side wall 51.

[0048] The outer shell of the bag main body 2 is defined by a bottom wall 3, the upper open end 4 disposed opposite the bottom wall 3, and the pair of side walls 51 and 52 and a pair of side gussets 61 and 62 extending from a peripheral edge 3a of the bottom wall 3 to the upper open end 4. With the above configuration, the bag main body 2 ensures the article storage space 2A having a surrounded inner section.

[0049] The pair of side walls 51 and 52 of the bag main body 2 has a handle portion 9A or the handle portion 9B attached thereto, respectively, which compose the pair of handle portions 9, as described above.

[0050] According to the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and the like, the bag main body 2 is configured as follows. That is, the pair of side walls 51 and 52 is substantially equal in side length in a plan view and is substantially square in shape in a front view, and at the same time, the corners between the bottom wall 3 and the pair of side gussets 61 and 62 are rounded and therefore the pair of side walls 51 and 52 has a rounded shape on the side of the bottom wall 3 in a plan view.

[0051] In addition, the bag main body 2 illustrated in the drawings has a width dimension corresponding to the pair of side walls 51 and 52 larger than a depth dimension corresponding to the pair of side gussets 61 and 62. With this configuration, the tote bag 1 has such a thickness suitable for a user to carry the bag by grasping the pair of handle portions 9 by hand or putting the pair of handle portions 9 over their shoulder when the user uses the tote bag 1.

[0052] The bottom wall 3 functions as a bottom plate of the tote bag 1 which supports articles from below.

[0053] The bottom wall 3 also serves to stably support the tote bag 1 when, for example, the tote bag 1 is placed on a table or a floor surface. In this respect, the bottom wall 3 preferably has a plate-like shape, more preferably has bottom studs on the side of the outer surface (lower surface) in view of the stability of the tote bag 1 placed as described above.

[0054] The upper open end 4 functions as an opening through which articles are put into or taken out of the tote bag 1, and has a top plate portion 41 provided so as to cover the article storage space 2A from above, and an upper fastener 42 disposed so as to divide the top plate portion 41 into two parts along the longitudinal direction.

[0055] The upper fastener 42 connects the two parts of the top plate portion 41, which is divided into two parts along the longitudinal direction as described above, in an openable and closable manner.

[0056] The upper fastener 42 has an element 42a composed of a pair of rows of teeth extending so as to divide the top plate portion 41 into two parts along the longitudinal direction, and brings the upper open end 4 into a closed state by way of sequential engagement of the teeth through a sliding operation of a slider 42b. In the illustrated example, two sliders 42b are attached to the element 42a, and are independently slidable along the extending direction of the element 42a.

[0057] On the other hand, the sliding operation of the sliders 42b and 42b in a direction opposite to the direction for closing the upper fastener 42 causes the element 42a, which is composed of the pair of rows of teeth, to be released from the engaged state, which divides the top plate portion 41 into two parts along the longitudinal direction, thereby bringing the upper open end 4 into an open state. As a result, articles are allowed to be stored in or taken out of the article storage space 2A through the opening where the element 42a is divided.

[0058] The material of the upper fastener 42 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected from metal or resin materials according to a specification or the like of the tote bag 1.

[0059] The first side wall 51 of the pair of side walls 51 and 52 is provided with the side opening 53 on the side of the bottom wall 3, through which articles (not illustrated) can be put into or taken out of the article storage space 2A. The side opening 53 is disposed so as to open to the lower storage compartment 22 in the state where the article storage space 2A is partitioned by the partition member 7, which will be described later in detail, and is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view in the illustrated example.

[0060] The lid portion 54 is disposed in a position corresponding to the side opening 53 on the side of an outer surface 51b of the first side wall 51 so as to cover the side opening 53 in an openable and closable manner. The lid portion 54 according to the illustrated example is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view so as to correspond to the shape of the side opening 53. The lid portion 54 is openable and closable relative to the side opening 53 by way of a side wall fastener 55 and is configured to be bendable about a portion in the first side wall 51 where the side wall fastener 55 is not provided on the side of the bottom wall 3 as a support. That is, the lid portion 54 is connected such that a portion between a peripheral edge 53a of the side opening 53 and the peripheral edge of the lid portion 54 is openable and closable by way of the side wall fastener 55 except for the portion positioned on the side of the bottom wall 3.

[0061] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the side wall fastener 55 includes an element 55a composed of a pair of rows of teeth extending between the peripheral edge of the side opening 53 and the peripheral edge of the lid portion 54, and two sliders 55b and 55b. Through the sliding operation of the sliders 55b and 55b, the side wall fastener 55 causes the side opening 53 to be closed by the lid portion 54 by way of sequential engagement of the element 55a, or causes the lid portion 54 to be opened by releasing the element 55a from the engaged state and thereby brings the side opening 53 into an open state.

[0062] Similarly to the upper fastener 42, the material of the side wall fastener 55 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected from metal or resin materials according to a specification or the like of the tote bag 1.

[0063] As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11, an inner surface 52a of the second side wall 52 has a hook-and-loop fastener 75 which is attachable to and detachable from a hook-and-loop fastener 74 provided in the distal end of the partition plate 71 of the partition member 7, which will be described later in detail. The position of the hook-and-loop fastener 75 corresponds to the position of the hook-and-loop fastener 74 when the partition plate 71 is in the fallen orientation.

[0064] In addition, the second side wall 52 illustrated in FIG. 1 and the like has two small pockets 56 and 57 on the side of an outer surface 52b which are disposed side by side along the vertical direction of the bag main body 2 (see respective directions indicated by U on the upper side and D on the down side shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and the like).

[0065] The small pocket 56 is disposed in a position near the bottom wall 3 on the second side wall 52 and has pocket openings 56a and 56b which are open on both sides near the pair of side gussets 61 and 62, through which small articles are allowed to be put into or taken out of the small pocket 56. Each of the pocket openings 56a and 56b of the small pocket 56 is openable and closable by way of a pocket fastener (not illustrated).

[0066] The small pocket 57 is disposed near the upper open end 4 on the outer surface 52b of the second side wall 52 above the small pocket 56.

[0067] The small pocket 57 has a pocket opening 57a which can open upward, that is, open on the side near the upper open end 4, through which small articles are allowed to be put into or taken out of the small pocket 57. In the illustrated example, the pocket opening 57a is openable and closable by way of a pocket fastener 57A. The pocket fastener 57A of the illustrated example has an element 57b composed of a pair of rows of teeth provided along the pocket opening 57a, and two sliders 57c and 57c. Through the sliding operation of the sliders 57c and 57c, the pocket fastener 57A causes the pocket opening 57a to be closed by way of sequential engagement of the element 57b or causes the pocket opening 57a to be opened by releasing the element 57b from the engaged state.

[0068] Each of the pair of side gussets 61 and 62 is provided with a small pocket 63 or a small pocket 64. Each of the small pockets 63 and 64 is provided with a pocket opening 63a or a pocket opening 64b which is open upward.

[0069] Each of the outer surfaces 51b and 52b of the pair of side walls 51 and 52 and outer surfaces 61b and 62b of the pair of side gussets 61 and 62 may have at least one small pocket being a corresponding one of the small pockets 56 and 57 and the small pockets 63 and 64 described above. Alternatively, a configuration having a simple appearance may be employed in which the outer surface of the bag main body 2 is not provided with the small pocket.

[0070] In the example illustrated in FIGS. 3, 9, and 11, the article storage space 2A of the bag main body 2 is also provided with small pockets in which articles (not illustrated) can be stored. In the illustrated example, each of inner surfaces 51a and 52a of the pair of side walls 51 and 52 is provided with a small pocket 23 or a small pocket 24 extending in the width direction.

[0071] The article storage space 2A may also be provided with at least one small pocket, or alternatively, a configuration in which the article storage space 2A is not provided with the small pocket may be employed.

[0072] In addition, the positions where the small pockets are provided in the article storage space 2A are not limited to the sides on the inner surfaces 51a and 52a on the pair of side walls 51 and 52 as in the illustrated example, and the pockets may be provided on the sides of, for example, inner surfaces 61a and 62a of the pair of side gussets 61 and 62.

[0073] Since the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment has various kinds of small pockets as described above, small articles can be stored separately by attribute and the stored articles can be found in a short time, for example, and therefore the tote bag 1 can be improved in storability and handleability.

[0074] The material of the bag main body 2 is not particularly limited, and a sheet material made of a flexible substance such as a resin material commonly used for a main body of a tote bag may be employed without any limitation. Examples of the flexible resin material include sheet materials made of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and the like.

[0075] The bag main body 2 preferably has an inner wall entirely covered with a fabric having, for example, a water-repellent finish (or a waterproof finish) in such a manner that does not inhibit opening or closing operations and the like of the respective fasteners.

[0076] In the case where the article storage space 2A is provided with the above-described small pockets 23 and 24, the small pockets 23 and 24 more preferably have, for example, a transparent resin sheet or a see-through material through which their inner sections are visible from the outer side, from the viewpoint of visibility of articles and handleability.

[0077] As described above, the partition member 7 is provided to partition the article storage space 2A into the upper storage compartment 21 on the side of the upper open end 4 and the lower storage compartment 22 on the side of the bottom wall 3. The partition member 7 is attached to the inner surface 51a of the first side wall 51 in a foldable structure in which the first side wall 51 serves as a support and, for example, is connected to the inner surface 51a via a flexible resin or the like.

[0078] The partition member 7 illustrated in the example shown in FIG. 3, FIGS. 5 and 6, and sectional views in FIGS. 7 to 11 includes the partition plate 71 which can partition the article storage space 2A into the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22, and a pair of support plates 72 and 73 extending from both end portions 71a and 71b of the partition plate 71 on the sides of the pair of side gussets 61 and 62, respectively, so as to be bendable independently. The distal end of the partition plate 71 of the partition member 7 is provided with the hook-and-loop fastener 74, which will be described later in detail.

[0079] The partition member 7 of the illustrated example is configured such that, in the state where the partition plate 71 is disposed in the raised orientation, one ends 72a and 73a of the pair of support plates 72 and 73 on the sides opposite to the partition plate 71 can support the partition plate 71 in the raised orientation by abutting with the bottom wall 3. In the illustrated example, the one ends 72a and 73a of the pair of support plates 72 and 73 are in abutment with the rounded portions at which the bottom wall 3 and the pair of side gussets 61 and 62 are connected.

[0080] On the other hand, the partition member 7 is configured such that, in the state where the partition plate 71 is disposed in the fallen orientation, the partition plate 71 and the pair of support plates 72 and 73 are folded along the first side wall 51.

[0081] The material of the partition member 7 is not particularly limited as long as it is firm enough to maintain its function as a partition plate, and a plate-like resin material made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like may be employed without any limitation. The partition member 7 may also be covered with, for example, a fabric (not illustrated) having, for example, a water-repellent finish (or a waterproof finish), similarly to the bag main body 2.

[0082] The bag body 8 is a bag-like member which is connected to the peripheral edge 53a of the side opening 53 of the first side wall 51 and is open to the side opening 53. The bag body 8 is provided in an expandable manner in the inner section on the side of the lower storage compartment 22 of the article storage space 2A, as described above.

[0083] The bag body 8 is expandable in the inner section of the lower storage compartment 22 in the state where the partition plate 71 of the partition member 7 is disposed in the raised orientation, and the bag body 8 is flexibly foldable for storage between the partition member 7 and the lid portion 54 or the first side wall 51 in the state where the partition plate 71 is disposed in the fallen orientation.

[0084] The material of the bag body 8 is not particularly limited, and a sheet material made of a flexible substance such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, or the like may be employed without any limitation, similarly to the bag main body 2.

[0085] As described above, the pair of handle portions 9 is attached to the pair of side walls 51 and 52 of the bag main body 2, and in the illustrated example, one of them, i.e., the handle portion 9A is attached to the first side wall 51, while the other one of them, i.e., the handle portion 9B is attached to the second side wall 52. The pair of handle portions 9 is a component that is used by the user to carry the tote bag 1 by grasping by hand or putting them over their shoulder.

[0086] The material of the pair of handle portions 9 is not particularly limited and, for example, various kinds of resin materials, leather materials, strings, or the like having a length and a thickness suitable for use by a user may be employed without any limitation.

[0087] According to the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment, the article storage space 2A serves as a single-compartment space in the state where the partition plate 71 and the pair of support plates 72 and 73, which constitute the partition member 7, are disposed in the fallen orientation in the direction along the first side wall 51, as illustrated in the plan view in FIG. 6 and the sectional views in FIGS. 10 and 11. On the other hand, the article storage space 2A serves as a double-compartment space partitioned into the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22 in the state where the partition plate 71, which constitutes the partition member 7, is disposed in the raised orientation so as to be braced between the pair of side walls 51 and 52 and supported by the pair of support plates 72 and 73, as illustrated in the plan view in FIG. 5 and the sectional views in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9.

[0088] When the partition plate 71, which constitutes the partition member 7, is in the raised orientation, the hook-and-loop fastener 74 provided in the distal end of the partition plate 71 can be fixed on the hook-and-loop fastener 75 provided in the inner surface 52a of the second side wall 52. This allows the partition plate 71, which constitutes the partition member 7, to be firmly braced between the first side wall 51 and the second side wall 52. Accordingly, articles stored in the upper storage compartment 21 can be reliably supported by the partition member 7 from the down side D, and articles stored in the lower storage compartment 22 can be prevented from being crushed from the upper side.

[0089] When the partition plate 71 and the pair of support plates 72 and 73, which constitute the partition member 7, are in the fallen orientation, the hook-and-loop fastener 74 has a downward orientation toward the down side D. In the fallen orientation, the partition plate 71 and the pair of support plates 72 and 73 are folded on the side of the first side wall 51, and the bag body 8 is also folded and stored between the partition member 7 and the lid portion 54 or the first side wall 51.

[0090] Note that a hook-and-loop fastener (not illustrated) may be provided on, for example, the inner surface 51a of the first side wall 51 so that the hook-and-loop fastener 74 is fixed on the hook-and-loop fastener on the side of the first side wall 51 with the bag body 8 folded and stored in the state where the partition member 7 is folded in the fallen orientation. This prevents the partition member 7 and the bag body 8 from being unstably expanded in the article storage space 2A while the partition member 7 has the fallen orientation and also enhances the storage efficiency.

[0091] In the state where the article storage space 2A is partitioned by the partition member 7 into the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22 and serves as a double-compartment space, the tote bag 1 allows articles to be put into or taken out of the upper storage compartment 21 through the upper open end 4, and also allows articles to be put into or taken out of the lower storage compartment 22 through the side opening 53. At this time, the bag body 8 expanded in the lower storage compartment 22 causes the lower storage compartment 22 to be airtightly separated from the upper storage compartment 21. In this case, by storing, for example, clothes such as exercise clothes (not illustrated) in the upper storage compartment 21 and storing, for example, sports shoes or the like (not illustrated) in the lower storage compartment 22 where the bag body 8 is expanded, dirt such as soil which adheres to the sports shoes or the like can be prevented from adhering to the exercise clothes or the like stored in the upper storage compartment 21. Similarly, by storing, for example, stationery, a mobile phone, or the like (not illustrated) in the upper storage compartment 21 and storing, for example, a lunchbox (not illustrated) in the lower storage compartment 22 where the bag body 8 is expanded, liquid or the like leaking out from the lunchbox, if any, can be prevented from adhering to the mobile phone or the like stored in the upper storage compartment 21.

[0092] Partitioning the article storage space 2A into the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22 can prevent a problem in that, for example, articles being present in the vicinity of the bottom wall 3 cannot be visually recognized, which may occur in the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a single-compartment space. This can prevent, as much as possible, a situation in which, for example, a target article is hidden in the shadows inside the tote bag, making it difficult for the user to visually recognize the article and causing the user to take much time to find it, a situation in which all the articles in the tote bag need to be taken out to find the target article, and other such situations, without regard to characteristics of the user of the tote bag 1.

[0093] On the other hand, in the state where the partition member 7 is folded and the article storage space 2A is caused to serve as a single-compartment space, articles can be stored in the article storage space 2A through the upper open end 4. In this case, since the article storage space 2A serves as a single-compartment space, even articles of a large size or a large number of articles, for example, can be stored.

[0094] In addition, since the partition member 7 and the bag body 8 are held and stored in a compact manner while the article storage space 2A is used as a single-compartment space, the space efficiency of the article storage space 2A can be more enhanced. Furthermore, since the partition member 7 and the bag body 8 need not be detached and taken out, a trouble in which, for example, such members are lost or broken due to a fall can be prevented.

[0095] Although the present embodiment has a configuration in which the article storage space 2A is provided with the partition member 7 in one place and is partitioned into two spaces on the upper and lower sides (two compartments) as described above, a configuration in which, for example, the article storage space is provided with a plurality of partition members and is partitioned into three or more compartments may be employed. In the case where this configuration is employed, the bag main body may be provided with a plurality of such side openings as described above which respectively correspond to the storage compartments.

[0096] In the present embodiment, in the case where the above-described small pockets 23 and 24 are provided in the article storage space 2A of the bag main body 2, at least one tag pocket composed of a transparent resin sheet which can accommodate a tag may be provided in a position corresponding to the small pocket 23 or 24, although not illustrated in the drawings.

[0097] When the above-described tag pocket is provided and a tag made of paper or the like is inserted therein on which information regarding the attribute or the like of the article stored therein is written, what is stored in the small pocket at the position concerned can be visually recognized at a glance. This makes it easier to find where the needed article is stored when the article is to be taken out of the small pocket, and therefore, needed articles can be promptly taken out in a short time, leading to further improvement in handleability.

[0098] The shape of the bag main body 2 is not limited to such a shape that the pair of side walls 51 and 52 has the substantially square shape as illustrated in the drawings. The shape of the pair of side walls 51 and 52 of the bag main body 2 should be determined in consideration of the posture at the time of the opening or closing operation of the respective fasteners and the like or putting or taking out articles, handleability, storability, and the like, and may be, for example, substantially in a vertically or horizontally elongated form.Method of Use of Tote Bag (Procedure for Use)

[0099] One example of a method of use (procedure for use) of the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11 will be described below in more detail, for both of the case where the article storage space 2A is partitioned by the partition member 7 to serve as a double-compartment space, and the case where the partition member 7 is folded so that the article storage space 2A serves as a single-compartment space.

[0100] When the tote bag 1 is to be used in the state where the article storage space 2A is partitioned by the partition member 7 to serve as a double-compartment space, the two sliders 42b and 42b illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 are operated and moved to the respective ends of the upper fastener 42 (the element 42a). This causes the top plate portion 41 to be divided into two parts along the longitudinal direction, thereby bringing the upper open end 4 into an open state.

[0101] Next, the partition plate 71 and the pair of support plates 72 and 73, which constitute the partition member 7, are expanded so that the one ends 72a and 73a of the pair of support plates 72 and 73 on the sides opposite to the partition plate 71 abut with the bottom wall 3, thereby causing the partition plate 71 to be supported in the raised orientation.

[0102] Next, the hook-and-loop fastener 74, which is provided in the distal end of the partition plate 71, is fixed on the hook-and-loop fastener 75 provided in the inner surface 52a of the second side wall 52, thereby causing the partition plate 71 to be firmly braced between the first side wall 51 and the second side wall 52.

[0103] As described above, by partitioning the article storage space 2A with the partition member 7, the article storage space 2A serves as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22.

[0104] When the article storage space 2A is to be used as a double-compartment space, for example, the bag body 8 may be expanded in advance in the lower section of the article storage space 2A before partitioning with the partition member 7. Alternatively, for example, the article storage space 2A may be partitioned first by the partition member 7 to form a double-compartment space, followed by expansion of the bag body 8 inside the lower storage compartment 22 by way of operation through the side opening 53 provided in the first side wall 51.

[0105] By partitioning the article storage space 2A to form a double-compartment space as described, first, articles are allowed to be put into or taken out of the upper storage compartment 21 through the upper open end 4.

[0106] At the same time, by operating the sliders 55b and 55b of the side wall fastener 55 so as to separate the lid portion 54 from the side opening 53 to bring the side opening 53 into an open state, articles are allowed to be put into or taken out of the inner section of the bag body 8 expanded in the lower storage compartment 22 through the side opening 53.

[0107] When the tote bag 1 is to be used in the state where the partition member 7 is folded and thereby the article storage space 2A serves as a single-compartment space, first, the two sliders 42b and 42 are operated and moved to the respective ends of the element 42a similarly to the above, thereby bringing the upper open end 4 into an open state.

[0108] Next, the partition plate 71 and the pair of support plates 72 and 73, which constitute the partition member 7, are folded in the direction along the first side wall 51 so as to have the fallen orientation in which the hook-and-loop fastener 74 is oriented downward toward the down side D. At this time, the bag body 8 is folded for storage between the partition member 7 and the lid portion 54 or the first side wall 51 while the partition member 7 is caused to have the fallen orientation.

[0109] By bringing the partition member 7 into the folded state as described above, the article storage space 2A serves as a single-compartment space having high space efficiency and, for example, large-sized articles and the like are allowed to be put or taken out through the upper open end 4.

[0110] As described above, in any of the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a single-compartment space and the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a double-compartment space, the tote bag 1 can be carried without articles leaking out from the bag main body 2 by keeping the respective fasteners in a closed state.Function and Effect

[0111] As described above, the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment is configured such that the article storage space 2A serves as a single-compartment space when the partition member 7 has the fallen orientation, whereas the article storage space 2A serves as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment 21 and the lower storage compartment 22 when the partition member 7 has the raised orientation. This allows the article storage space 2A to be flexibly and efficiently used without waste, and articles can be efficiently stored without regard to the size or quantity of the articles. In addition, the bag body 8 is expandable inside the lower storage compartment 22 when the partition member 7 has the raised orientation, whereas the bag body 8 is foldable for storage when the partition member 7 has the fallen orientation, which can prevent leakage of dirt or the like derived from articles and further improve handleability.

[0112] That is, in the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a double-compartment space, the tote bag 1 of the present embodiment allows the upper storage compartment 21 disposed in the upper section to be utilized without waste, while articles with dirt or the like adhering thereto, for example, can be stored in the lower storage compartment 22, which is airtightly separated from the upper storage compartment 21, unlike the configuration in which a simple partition member is used to partition the space into the upper and lower compartments as seen in the related art. On the other hand, in the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a single-compartment space, large-sized articles or a large number of articles can be stored. Accordingly, the tote bag 1 is excellent in storability and handleability.

[0113] In the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a double-compartment space as described above, a problem in that articles being present in the vicinity of the bottom wall 3 cannot be visually recognized can be prevented, which may occur, for example, in the case where the article storage space 2A is used as a single-compartment space. This can prevent, as much as possible, a situation in which, for example, it is difficult to visually recognize a target article in the tote bag and it takes much time to find it, a situation in which all the articles in the tote bag need to be taken out to find the target article, and other such situations, without regard to characteristics of the user of the tote bag 1.

[0114] Accordingly, the tote bag 1 having high handleability can be provided, in which articles of various sizes or a large number of articles can be efficiently and stably stored so as to be highly visible, which allows articles stored therein to be found in a short time, and which can prevent dirt or the like derived from articles stored therein from adhering to other articles.

[0115] The tote bag of the present invention has high handleability, since articles of various sizes can be efficiently and stably stored so as to be highly visible, the articles stored therein can be found in a short time, and dirt or the like can be prevented from adhering to articles. Therefore, the tote bag of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in, for example, carrying various articles stored therein.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)7. A tote bag comprising:a bag main body that includes a bottom wall, an upper open end disposed opposite the bottom wall, and a pair of side walls and a pair of side gussets that extend from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall to the upper open end, the bag main body having an inner section that serves as an article storage space; anda pair of handle portions respectively attached to the pair of side walls of the bag main body, whereinthe bag main body further includes:a partition member configured to partition the article storage space into an upper storage compartment on a side of the upper open end and a lower storage compartment on a side of the bottom wall;a side opening that is provided in one side wall of the pair of side walls and opens to the lower storage compartment;a lid portion configured to cover the side opening in an openable and closable manner; anda bag body that is connected to a peripheral edge of the side opening and is expandable in an inner section of the lower storage compartment,the partition member is attached to an inner surface of the one side wall in a foldable structure in which the one side wall serves as a support, and causes the article storage space to serve as a single-compartment space in a state where the partition member is disposed in a fallen orientation in a direction along the one side wall and causes the article storage space to serve as a double-compartment space having the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment in a state where the partition member is disposed in a raised orientation so as to be braced between the pair of side walls, andthe bag body is expandable in the inner section of the lower storage compartment in the state where the partition member is disposed in the raised orientation, and is foldable for storage between the partition member and the lid portion or the one side wall in the state where the partition member is disposed in the fallen orientation,further, the partition member includes a partition plate configured to partition the article storage space into the upper storage compartment and the lower storage compartment and a pair of support plates extending from both end portions of the partition plate on sides of the pair of side gussets in a bendable manner,one ends of the pair of support plates on sides opposite to the partition plate are capable of supporting the partition plate in the raised orientation by abutting with the bottom wall in the state where the partition plate is disposed in the raised orientation, andthe partition plate and the pair of support plates are folded along the one side wall in the state where the partition plate is disposed in the fallen orientation.

8. The tote bag according to claim 7, whereinthe bag main body further includes at least one small pocket configured to store an article in the article storage space.

9. The tote bag according to claim 8, whereinthe small pocket includes a transparent resin sheet or a see-through material through which an inner section of the small pocket is visible from an outer side.

10. The tote bag according to claim 8, whereinthe bag main body includes at least one tag pocket including a transparent resin sheet configured to accommodate a tag in a position corresponding to the small pocket in the article storage space.

11. The tote bag according to claim 7, whereinthe bag main body further includes at least one small pocket configured to store an article on at least one of outer surfaces of the pair of side walls and the pair of side gussets.

Images