SECURITY BAG AND METHOD OF USE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application for a utility patent is a continuation-in-part of a previously filed utility patent, still pending, having the application Ser. No. 18/601,615, filed Mar. 11, 2024.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to security bags designed to store smartphones securely, blocking photography while still allowing limited access for texting and other functions.

Description of Related Art

The prior art teaches a security pouch for completely blocking access to a smart phone. For example, Dugoni, U.S. Pat. No. 9,819,788, teaches a security pouch that is adapted for containing smart phones during events such as concerts, comedy shows, etc. The security pouch has a durable neoprene construction and an integral lock mechanism that enables attendees to maintain physical control over their phones, while completely blocking the user from using or accessing the phone in any way until the event ends, or until the user physically leaves a designated physical space of the event.

A first disadvantage of this approach is that there are occasions where a user might prefer or require at least limited use of their phone. Complete denial of any phone access is not acceptable in many circumstances, especially since it blocks communications to emergency services. There is a need in the art for a security device that blocks access to cameras but still allows access to emergency services, emergency calls from family, and general usage of some features (e.g., texting, calls, etc.) while the phone is in the pouch.

A second disadvantage of this approach is that the Dugoni pouch is constructed of a rugged material such as neoprene, and the lock is integrated with the pouch, so that the total cost of the unit is relatively high, and it is intended for long term use. It would not be practical to use this form of pouch only a single time.

There is a need in the field for a pouch that is very inexpensive to manufacture, so that it may economically be used only a single time, and then either thrown away, or kept as a collectable item. Not only does this remove problems with spreading contagions and similar problems arising from multiple commercial uses of the pouch, it also adds value in the form of a collectable item that may be greatly valued by the users who keep the pouch after use. The locking mechanism of the current invention may be completely removed from the pouch, so that the lock may be re-used while the pouch itself is released and not re-used.

The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

The present invention provides a security bag that securely stores a smart phone for preventing use of cameras of the smart phone, but still enables a user to have operative control access to a touch screen of the smart phone. The security bag comprises a storage pouch formed of an elongate panel being folded to form a front panel and a rear panel with side edges being attached together to form an internal chamber that has a closed bottom end formed by the fold, and leaving an access opening at a top end for accessing the internal chamber. The storage pouch is shaped, sized, and configured to receive and securely contain the smart phone, the elongate panel being constructed of an opaque material to prevent operation of the cameras of the smart phone. A closure for covering the access opening is in the form of a flap that extends from the front panel and folds over the access opening to contact the rear panel, and a central portion of the front panel of the storage pouch has a control opening with a height and a width that are adapted to allow access to at least part of the touch screen of the smart phone, while leaving the cameras covered. A transparent plastic window covers the control opening and enables operation of the smart phone via the touch screen. A locking mechanism moves between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein in the locked position the locking mechanism locks the access opening closed and prevents removal of the smart phone from the storage pouch, and wherein in the unlocked position the locking mechanism may be physically detached from the storage pouch, thereby allowing removal of the smart phone.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a security bag having advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide a security bag that is adapted to receive a smart phone to prevent photography, while also providing a transparent window that allows limited touch screen access to the smart phone.

Another objective is to provide a security bag that includes a lock that is completely detachable from the pouch, so that the pouch may be single-use and the lock may be reused.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a security bag according to a first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a storage pouch and a locking mechanism of the security bag;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view illustrating a smart phone being inserted into the storage pouch;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the security bag illustrating the smart phone positioned within the storage pouch and the locking mechanism in place to lock the storage pouch closed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3, illustrating the locking mechanism in a locked position on the storage pouch;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating the locking mechanism being unlocked with a magnetic key;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the security bag, illustrating an elongate panel of the security bag prior to being folded to form the final form of the storage bag; and

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a security bag that securely stores a smart phone for preventing use of cameras of the smart phone, but still enables a user to have operative control access to a touch screen of the smart phone. Such a security bag may be used in a wide variety of uses, including concerts and similar shows, in schools, in various legal and government locations, and any other location or situation where the camera function of the smart phone may need to be limited.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a security bag 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a storage pouch 20 and a locking mechanism 40 of the security bag 10, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view illustrating a smart phone 12 being inserted into the storage pouch 20, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the security bag 10 illustrating the smart phone 12 positioned within the storage pouch 20 and the locking mechanism 40 in place to lock the storage pouch 20 closed.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the storage pouch 20 is formed of an elongate panel 22 that is folded to form a front panel 22a and a rear panel 22b with side edges 21 being attached together to form an internal chamber 23 that has a closed bottom end 24 formed by the fold, and leaving an access opening 26 at a top end 28 for accessing the internal chamber 23. In the current embodiment, the side edges 21 are fastened together (e.g., sewn, welded, etc.). In various embodiments, the storage pouch is shaped, sized, and configured to receive and securely contain the smart phone, the elongate panel 22 being constructed of an opaque material to prevent operation of cameras 14 of the smart phone 12. The opaque material inhibits image sensors from detecting light while maintaining radio frequency transmission for emergency calls and other functions. For purposes of this application, the term “opaque” is defined to mean that the material blocks or distorts light to an extent that photography is blocked.

For the purposes of clarity, FIG. 2 does not show the side edges 21 being sealed/attached/welded/sewn together, but in use, the side edges 21 are fastened together.

As illustrated, the security bag 10 may further include a closure 30 for covering the access opening 26. In this embodiment, the closure 30 is in the form of a flap that extends from the front panel 22a and can fold over the access opening 26, and then contact the rear panel 22b for receiving the locking mechanism 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the flap 30 may have a closure hole 32 that aligns with front and rear holes 34 of the front and rear panels 22 when the storage pouch 20 is in a closed position (FIGS. 1, 2, and 4), wherein all three holes 32 and 34 receive the locking mechanism 40, discussed in greater detail below. In other embodiments, other forms of closures known in the art may be used. The three holes 32 and 34 may be formed in a lateral center of the security bag 10 adjacent the top end 28, but may also be formed off-center in other embodiments. Alternatively, the closure 30 may be any other form of closure, e.g., a zip-seal closure, button, etc., or alternatively the security bag 10 may be closed only by the locking mechanism 40. The locking mechanism 40 is further illustrated in FIGS. 4-5 and discussed in detail below.

In some embodiments, the front panel 22a and/or the rear panel 22b may be printed with commemorative images 36 that are collectable in nature. FIG. 2 shows one example of commemorative images being in the form of an awards ceremony design. Obviously, any commemorative images may be applied, for a wide range of potential events, e.g., a sporting event, personal party, comedy club, etc. In other embodiments, only a logo or identifying numbers/lettering may be added, or the panels may be left blank. The images 36 may be printed, embossed, or formed in any other printing or marking method known in the art. Such images 36 are not used in the prior art because the prior art pouches are not disposable, but must be reused for a significant period of time to justify their expense. The present invention may be custom printed for each event in which it is used, because they are only used once, and only the removable lock 40 is reused.

As shown in FIG. 4, the front and rear panels 22 are constructed of an opaque material to prevent operation of cameras 14 of the smart phone 12, while a central portion of the front panel 22a of the storage pouch 20 has a control opening 35 with a height H and a width W that are adapted to allow access to at least part of the touch screen of the smart phone 12, while keeping the cameras 14 covered.

A transparent plastic window 38 may cover the control opening 35 and enables operation of the smart phone 12 via the touch screen, while the opaque material of the front and rear panels 22 cover the cameras 14 of the smart phone 12. In some embodiments, the height H of the control opening 35 may be between 3-5 inches, and the width W may be between 2-3 inches. However, in alternative implementations, the security bag 10 may be adapted to instead contain a larger device such as a tablet computer, and the height and width would then be adjusted to expose the desired portions of the given touch screen. Furthermore, the security bag 10 may also be adapted to contain a smaller device such as a “mini” version of a smart phone, a large smart watch, or similar. In use, various different-sized security bags may be provided at once, to accommodate the different devices of event attendees. In this embodiment, the part of the touch screen that is visible includes the full touch screen except for the front camera region (not shown). In different embodiments, less of the touch screen may be exposed, depending on the desires of the operators of the locking mechanism 40.

In this embodiment, the front and rear panels 22 are constructed of paper or plastic, and are disposable in nature, so that a user of the security bag 10 may keep the storage pouch 20 after it has been used, although the more expensive locking mechanism 40 will be reused many times before it is replaced. However, in some embodiments, the security bag 10 and locking mechanism 40 may both be re-usable. Other opaque materials may be used for the front and rear panels 22, e.g., neoprene, if a non-disposable version is desired. As shown in FIGS. 2-3, in some embodiments, the closure 30 may include at least one reinforcement panel, better shown in FIGS. 7-8 and discussed further below.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4, illustrating the locking mechanism 40 in a locked position on the storage pouch 20. FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the locking mechanism 40 being unlocked with a magnetic key 70. The locking mechanism 40 moves between a locked position (shown in FIG. 4) and an unlocked position (shown in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 5, in the locked position the locking mechanism 40 locks the access opening 26 closed and prevents removal of the smart phone 12 from the storage pouch 20.

As shown in FIGS. 5-6, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 40 includes a front plate 42 connected to a rear plate 44 with a hinge 46, the locking mechanism 40 further including a locking tab 48 extending inwardly from the rear plate 44, and a locking pin 60 of the front plate 42 that lockingly engages the locking tab 48. The locking pin 60 is biased towards a locked position by a spring 50, but movable to an unlocked position to release the locking tab 48 and open the locking mechanism 40. In various embodiments, other biasing mechanisms may be used, e.g., other forms of springs, pads/cushions, resilient tabs, etc., or any other form of resilient element.

As illustrated, the locking mechanism 40 may include a pin housing structure 52 that extends beneath the locking tab 48 when the locking mechanism 40 is hinged in a closed position. The pin housing structure 52 may include a lower sheet 54 that extends inwardly from the bottom of the front plate 42, wherein the spring 50 of the locking pin 60 is positioned on top of the lower sheet 54. An upwardly extending sidewall 56 may extend upwardly from the lower sheet 54, behind the rear plate 44, so that the spring 50 is surrounded by the front plate 42, lower sheet 54, and upwardly extending sidewall 56. The sidewall 56 may extend upwardly to a first inwardly extending lip 58a, wherein a second inwardly extending lip 58b extends from the front plate 42 opposite the first inwardly extending lip 58a to form an upper opening 59. As shown in FIG. 5, in the locked position, the flap 30 of the security bag 10 and the front and rear panels 22 are positioned between the sidewall 56 and the rear plate 44, so that the locking tab 48 extends through the closure hole 32 of the flap 30, the rear hole 34b of the rear panel 22b, and the front hole 34a of the front panel 22a.

As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the locking pin 60 may comprise an upper end 64 that engages with an aperture 49 in the locking tab 48, and a lower end 66 attached to the spring 50, wherein an annular protrusion 68 is positioned between the upper and lower ends 64 and 66, and the annular protrusion 68 is larger in diameter than the rest of the locking pin 60. In this manner, the upper end 64 of the pin 60 is permitted to pass through the upper opening 59 of the pin housing structure 52, and into the aperture 49 of the locking tab 48, while the annular protrusion 68 prevents the rest of the pin 60 from passing through the upper opening 59.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the unlocked position the locking mechanism 40 may be physically detached from the storage pouch 20, thereby allowing removal of the smart phone 12. As discussed, the magnetic key 70 may retract the locking pin 60 and/or spring 50 so that the upper end 64 of the locking pin 60 releases the locking tab 48 and the locking mechanism 40 may be hinged open to release the storage pouch 20 and remove the smart phone 12 from the storage pouch 20. While a simple magnetic key 70 is illustrated, in some embodiments, a different unlocking tool (not shown) may be used, wherein the unlocking tool may utilize elements other than magnets to retract the locking pin 60, e.g., protrusions that frictionally engage the locking pin 60, and/or biasing elements through the lower sheet 54 of the pin housing structure 52, some form of suction mechanism, etc., or any other form of retracting the biasing element.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the elongate panel 22 of the security bag 10 prior to being folded to form the storage pouch 20, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 7-8 and mentioned above, the closure 30 of the storage pouch 20 may include at least one reinforcement panel for preventing tearing of the storage pouch 20. In this embodiment, a first reinforcement panel 72a extends laterally across the flap 30, a second reinforcement panel 72b extends laterally across the front panel 22a adjacent the access opening 26, and a third reinforcement panel 72c extends laterally across the rear panel 22b adjacent the access opening 26. In this manner, the locking mechanism 40, and more specifically the locking pin 60, passes through the closure hole 32 of the flap 30, the rear hole 34b of the rear panel 22b, and the front hole 34a of the front panel 22a, and thereby each of the reinforcement panels 72a, 72b, and 72c.

The inclusion of the reinforcement panels 72a, 72b, and 72c prevents tearing at reinforced portions; combined with the locking mechanism 40, the security bag 10 contains the smart phone 12 securely. In some embodiments, the reinforcement panels 72 may be constructed of reinforced plastic, or any other suitable tear-resistant materials. In some embodiments, the panels 72 may include an adhesive or fiber-reinforced polymer, or any other suitable materials.

As shown in FIG. 8, the transparent plastic window 38 covers the entire front panel 22a of the pouch, extending over the two reinforcement panels 72a and 72b, but not over the holes 32 and 34.

The title of the present application, and the claims presented, do not limit what may be claimed in the future, based upon and supported by the present application. Furthermore, any features shown in any of the drawings may be combined with any features from any other drawings to form an invention which may be claimed.

The invention further includes a method of securing a smartphone within a restricted-access area of the pouch described above, and placing the smartphone into the internal chamber, so that the phone may be used, but the use of the cameras is blocked. The access opening is closed and locked via the locking mechanism. This permits limited touchscreen use while blocking image capture.

As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms “approximately” and “about” are defined to mean+/−10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.