US-20260124996-A1 - STORAGE BAG

US20260124996A1US 20260124996 A1US20260124996 A1US 20260124996A1US-20260124996-A1

Abstract

A storage bag is configured to be mountable on the exterior of a vehicle (e.g., pickup truck tailgate, rear-mounted vertical spare tire, vehicle rack, or a MOLLE attachment on a vehicle). The bag may be detachably connected via at least one strap, fastener, or by use of MOLLE webbing. The bag may feature a lid opening on the rear and sides, partially surrounding the front, that opens from the vehicle-facing side toward the opposite side (e.g., a lid that opens from the rear of the bag toward the front), with the lid designed to fold vertically or nearly vertically when opened. The bag retains its shape, including when empty (i.e., it is semi-rigid), may contain an internal rigid container or pocket, and may be constructed with a waterproof or water-resistant exterior material.

Inventors

Ananda Wickramasekera

Assignees

OUTLIER CAMPERS LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250408

Claims (20)

1 . A storage bag comprising: a storage body configured to hold an object; and a lid configured to open and close the storage bag to provide access to the storage body, the lid comprising: a vehicle-facing side and an opposite side, a lid opening section on the vehicle facing side, allowing the lid to open, wherein the storage bag is configured to be removably attached to a vehicle or a vehicle component/accessory; and wherein the storage bag comprises a material that retains the shape thereof.
2 . The storage bag of claim 1 , wherein the storage bag comprises a semi-rigid material.
3 . The storage bag of claim 1 , wherein the storage bag comprises a waterproof material.
4 . The storage bag of claim 1 , wherein the storage bag comprises molded ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.
5 . The storage bag of claim 1 , wherein the storage body is configured to receive a rigid insert or container.
6 . The storage bag of claim 1 , further comprising: MOLLE webbing or a loop configured to be attached to a vehicle or a vehicle component/accessory; a strap with a fastener configured to be attached to a vehicle or a vehicle component/accessory; or a combination thereof.
7 . The storage bag of claim 6 , wherein the fastener is a hook and loop fastener.
8 . The storage bag of claim 1 , wherein the lid is configured to fold from the vehicle-facing side towards the opposite side to remain in an open position without external support.
9 . The storage bag of claim 8 , wherein the lid opening section on the opposite side partially surrounds the opposite side.
10 . The storage bag of claim 1 , wherein the lid opening section on the vehicle-facing side is positioned higher than the lid opening section on the opposite side.
11 . A storage bag, comprising: a storage body configured to hold an object; and a lid configured to open and close the storage bag to provide access to the storage body, the lid comprising: a vehicle-facing side and an opposite side, a lid opening section that at least partially surrounds the opposite side and the vehicle facing side, allowing the lid to open from the vehicle-facing side towards the opposite side, and wherein the lid opening section is configured to open from one of the vehicle facing side or the opposite side, wherein the side that is configured to open is positioned higher than the other side such that the storage bag, when opened, remains in an open position without external support; and wherein the storage bag comprises a semi-rigid material.
12 . The storage bag of claim 11 , wherein the storage bag comprises a waterproof material.
13 . The storage bag of claim 11 , wherein the storage bag comprises molded ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.
14 . The storage bag of claim 11 , wherein the storage body is configured to receive a rigid insert or container.
15 . The storage bag of claim 11 , wherein the lid opening section on the opposite side partially surrounds the opposite side.
16 . The storage bag of claim 11 , wherein the section that opens is positioned on the vehicle facing side.
17 . The storage bag of claim 11 , further comprising: MOLLE webbing or a loop configured to be attached to a vehicle or a vehicle component/accessory; a strap with a fastener configured to be attached to a vehicle or a vehicle component/accessory; or a combination thereof.
18 . A storage bag, comprising: a storage body configured to hold an object; and a lid configured to open and close the storage bag to provide access to the storage body, the lid comprising: a vehicle-facing side and an opposite side, wherein a lid opening section on the vehicle-facing side is positioned higher than a lid opening section on the opposite side, allowing the lid to open from the vehicle-facing side towards the opposite side, wherein the lid opening section on the opposite side partially surrounds the opposite side, wherein the lid opening section on the vehicle-facing side and the lid opening section on the opposite side are configured to be open and closed by a lid closure, and wherein the storage bag is formed from a semi-rigid material.
19 . The storage bag of claim 18 , wherein the storage bag comprises a waterproof material.
20 . The storage bag of claim 18 , wherein the storage bag comprises molded ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/715,752 filed Nov. 4, 2024, and titled “Storage Bag,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to storage bags specifically designed for attachment to vehicles or vehicle components, featuring a semi-rigid or molded structure that maintains shape while securely holding objects. These storage bags incorporate waterproof materials and can accommodate rigid inserts for additional stability. They include a lid with a vehicle-facing side and an opposite side, designed to open from an elevated position on the vehicle-facing side, enabling the lid to fold back and remain open without external support, thus allowing convenient access. The disclosure further includes specialized attachment features such as MOLLE webbing, loops, and straps with hook-and-loop fasteners, allowing secure attachment to various vehicle accessories. This design enables practical use and stability in mobile environments, with versatile access configurations that enhance functionality depending on placement within the vehicle. BACKGROUND Existing pickup tailgate-mounted or vehicle spare tire-mounted storage or trash bags attach to a tailgate or vertically mounted spare tire with straps that go around and/or through the tailgate or spare tire, respectively. They do not contain MOLLE webbing that can be used to create a secure fit between the bag and a compatible MOLLE rack, MOLLE panel, or other MOLLE attachment attached to a vehicle, which can be achieved by interweaving one or more straps through the MOLLE rack, panel, or attachment spacing and/or webbing and the bag webbing. Existing storage bags also open from the front of the bag toward rear of the bag, or the vehicle-facing side, requiring the lid to be supported in an open position when attached to a vehicle (e.g., the lid may need to be tucked behind the bag and the tailgate or spare tire, respectively, or lifted over the tailgate or spare tire, respectively, but that isn't always possible) so that a person may access the inside of the bag with both hands to put items in or take items out or a person would have to hold the lid open with one hand or otherwise support the lid. Tucking the lid between the bag and vehicle may also cause damage to delicate, painted vehicle surfaces, particularly if any hard portions of the lid fasteners, such as buckles or zippers, contact the vehicle surface. Existing storage bags are also primarily made of soft fabric, which may sometimes require the sides of the bag to be pulled open or pulled apart to more easily load, unload, or search for items (e.g., collapsed, soft-sided walls may have to be moved out of the way to access the inside of the bag). It would be beneficial for a storage bag to: be attachable directly to a vehicle tailgate or horizontal spare tire, to a MOLLE rack or attachment, or to another type of rack, attachment, surface, or vehicle body part; be openable and accessible without the need to support the lid in open position; retain its shape to make it easier to load/unload items; be capable of accepting a removable, rigid liner or container; contain an internal pocket, and be waterproof or water-resistant when closed. The storage bag disclosure described herein may be detachably connected directly to a pickup truck tailgate or vertically mounted rear spare tire; to a vehicle rack, accessory, or other body part; or to a MOLLE rack, MOLLE panel, or other MOLLE attachment on a vehicle. By containing MOLLE webbing, at least one strap, and/or at least one fastener, the storage bag is directly attachable to a vehicle, anywhere a strap and/or fastener may be attachable to, through, or around an object; or it may be attachable to a MOLLE-compatible accessory by at least one strap interwoven between the bag's MOLLE webbing and the MOLLE accessory's spacing or webbing, as the MOLLE system or standard is designed for. The lid of the storage bag may be fully openable from the rear (e.g., vehicle-facing side) and joined in the front (e.g., like a hinge on the side facing away from the vehicle) to the body of the bag so that it may fold forward and, because there may be nothing to obstruct the lid in front of the bag when it is opened, the lid may be kept in open position without support either by hand or by being tucked behind or otherwise supported by another object. By having a lid opening that is on the rear of the bag (e.g., the vehicle-facing side), the sides of the bag, and also partially surrounds the front of the bag (e.g., side opposite of the vehicle), the lid may more easily drop down, when opened, so that it may be substantially vertical, so as not to become an obstruction to someone accessing the bag from the front (e.g., if the lid opening is only on the rear and sides of the bag, the lid, particular