U.S. patent application number 09/805968 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-19 for expandable travel bag.
Invention is credited to Lin, Shin-Fu (Eiken).
Application Number | 20020130004 09/805968 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25192986 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020130004 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Shin-Fu (Eiken) |
September 19, 2002 |
Expandable travel bag
Abstract
A stabilizing mechanism is provided in an expandable travel bag
to maintain the bag in the expanded condition. The stabilizer
comprises a tongue secured to one of a pair of coincident frame
members which mates with a receiver secured to the other frame
member. The facing edges of the coincident frame members are joined
by an expansion ring which is extended when the tongue is secured
in the receiver and collapsed when the tongue and receiver are
disconnected.
Inventors: |
Lin, Shin-Fu (Eiken);
(Taipei, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jack A. Kanz
502 So. Cottonwood Drive
Richardson
TX
75080
US
|
Family ID: |
25192986 |
Appl. No.: |
09/805968 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
190/103 ;
190/105; 190/127; 383/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 7/0027 20130101;
A45C 5/14 20130101; A45C 7/0022 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
190/103 ;
190/105; 190/127; 383/2 |
International
Class: |
A45C 007/00; A45C
013/36 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A travel bag including rigid coincident frame members joined at
their facing edges by a collapsible expansion ring of finite width
and expandable from a first position wherein said expansion ring is
collapsed and the facing edges secured adjacent each other by a
zipper or the like and a second position wherein the facing edges
are spaced apart by a distance defined by the width of said
expansion ring, and a plurality of stabilizers for temporarily
securing said rigid rectangular frame members in said second
position wherein each said stabilizer comprises: (a) a rigid tongue
secured to one of said rigid frame members and extending across
said expansion ring; and (b) a receiver secured to the other of
said rigid frame members and aligned to alternatively (i) receive
and hold said tongue to maintain said rigid frame members in said
second position and (ii) release said tongue to permit said
expansion ring to collapse.
2. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said rigid coincident
frame members are rectangular in shape and formed by joining the
ends of a frame panel to define a continuous rigid rectangular
frame member.
3. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver
includes a lip extending parallel with the surface of the frame
member to which it is attached to receive and hold the end of said
tongue member.
4. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said stabilizers are
comprised of two tongues attached to opposite sides of a first
rectangular frame member and adapted to be secured to two
cooperating receivers attached to opposite sides of a second
rectangular frame member.
5. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver
comprises a Velcro.RTM. strip which mates with a Velcro.RTM. strip
carried on said tongue.
6. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver is
integrally formed on one of said rigid rectangular frame
members.
7. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver
comprises a protrusion extending from one of said rigid rectangular
frame members which mates with a notch, slot, hole or the like in
said tongue.
8. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said tongues
extends along a length of the frame member to which it is attached
and may be secured to two or more receivers.
9. A travel bag as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver defines
a pocket for receiving an end portion of said tongue.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to hand luggage. More particularly,
it relates to expandable soft-sided trolley or wheeled travel bags
of rigid frame construction and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THBE INVENTION
[0002] Soft-sided hand luggage such as wheeled travel bags and the
like (sometimes called trolley bags) generally include a rigid
rectangular frame forming a hard sidewall boundary for a
transportable clothing compartment with a flexible fabric enclosure
attached to the rigid frame to form the enclosure. Such travel bags
are usually equipped with wheels and a retractable pull handle.
Hangers may be supported within the enclosed compartment of the
travel bag so that suits, dresses and the like may be folded,
suspended, etc., and transported within the bag.
[0003] Conventional trolley bags usually employ a rigid rectangular
frame which defines the interior cavity of the bag. The wheels and
pull handle are attached to the rigid frame and the frame covered
with a soft siding such as nylon or the like to form a top and a
bottom for the bag. The top is usually hinged to permit access to
the bag interior. A closure mechanism such as a zipper or the like
is provided to open and close the bag.
[0004] Bags as described above have a finite volume determined by
the size and shape of the rectangular frame. In order to adjustably
vary the volume of the bag, some manufacturers divide the frame to
form two coincident frames or frame members with the facing edges
of the coincident frames joined by a collapsible expansion ring.
With the expansion ring collapsed, the facing edges of the
coincident frame members are held adjacent each other by joining
means such as zippers, straps or the like. In this condition the
bag defines a first finite volume. When the joining means is
released the frame members may be separated a distance determined
by the width of the expansion ring to define a larger volume.
[0005] Although bags provided with collapsible expansion rings may
be expanded when desired, the expansion ring tends to remain
collapsed when the top of the bag is open, making careful and
organized packing of articles into the bag somewhat difficult.
While releasing the collapsible ring permits the bag to be expanded
to a larger volume, the bag remains in the collapsed condition
until the entire volume of the expanded bag is occupied and the top
closed, drawing the upper frame member toward the top. Thus
organized packing of the expandable bag is extremely difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides stabilization of expandable
bags in the expanded condition when desired. In accordance with the
invention a stabilizer such as a rigid tongue or the like is
secured to one of the coincident frame members and aligned to
extend across and overlap the expansion ring. A receiver is secured
to the other frame member. When the expansion ring is collapsed,
the tongue simply extends over the receiver and lies substantially
parallel with the parallel faces of the frame members. However,
when the expansion ring is released the frame members may be moved
apart until the expansion ring is extended to its full width. The
tongue is then secured to or in the receiver to rigidly maintain
the bag in the fully expanded condition. Accordingly, the bag may
be packed while fully expanded and remain fully expanded regardless
of the volume occupied. When desired, the stabilizer may be
disconnected from the receiver to permit the bag to collapse to the
collapsed volume.
[0007] The stabilizing structures of the invention may be utilized
in any bag which employs two or more coincident frame members
connected by a collapsible expansion ring. However, it permits
convenient means for maintaining a collapsible bag in a rigidly
expanded condition when desired. Various other advantages and
features of the invention will become more readily understood from
the following detailed description taken in connection with the
appended claims and attached drawing in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an expandable travel
bag constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in
the collapsed (unexpanded) condition;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side elevational of the bag of FIG. 1 shown in
the expanded condition;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1
taken through line 3-3; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bag of FIG. 2
taken through line 4-4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] The drawing is incorporated into and forms part of the
specification to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Throughout the drawing like reference numerals designate
corresponding elements. It will be recognized that the principles
of the invention may be utilized and embodied in many and various
forms. In order to demonstrate these principles, the invention is
described herein by reference to specific preferred embodiments.
The invention, however, is not limited to the specific forms
illustrated and described. Furthermore, the invention is not
limited to use in connection with soft-sided bags or trolley bags
but may find utility in other similar applications.
[0013] For purposes of this disclosure, the term "travel bag" is
used to mean any portable container with a reversible closure such
as a zipper or the like. Similarly, "zipper" is used to mean any
mechanism in which interlocking members arranged on opposite sides
of an opening are reversibly joined or separated to close or open
the opening. The term "coincident frame members" is used to mean
two or more rigid frames or frame members of substantially matching
interior dimensions, each formed into a shape which defines the
length and width of the interior dimensions of a travel bag. Such
frame members thus have facing edge surfaces and the depth of the
bag is determined by the combined depths of the coincident frame
members.
[0014] An expandable wheeled travel bag, referred to generally by
the reference numeral 10, is illustrated in the drawing. The shape
and size of the interior of bag 10 is determined by the shape and
size of the interior surfaces of rectangular coincident frame
members 11, 12.
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the travel bag 10 includes wheels
20 mounted at the junction of the bottom face 21 and back face 28
of bag 10. Atop handle 24 and side handle 25 are secured to frame
member 11 to provide means for carrying the bag 10. A pull handle
26 is also secured to frame member 11 and retractably extendable
from top face 27. With pull handle 26 extended, the bag may be
tipped toward back face 28 and dragged on wheels 20. One or more
supports 23 are also mounted on the bottom face 21, either on the
lower frame member 11 or upper frame member 12. The supports 23, in
cooperation with wheels 20, support the bag 10 in the upright
position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Similar supports 33 (see
FIGS. 3 and 4) are provided on the side face opposite handle 25 to
support the bag 10 when resting on its side.
[0016] The top 30 is hingedly attached to one top edge of upper
frame member 12 and reversibly secured to the remaining top edges
of upper frame member 12 by a zipper 31. Opening and closing zipper
31 provides access to the interior of bag 10. As in conventional
travel bags, the outer surface of top 30 includes a zippered pouch
32 accessible when the zipper 31 is closed.
[0017] As more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the coincident
rectangular frame members 11, 12 have facing edges 11a, 12a which
are positioned substantially adjacent each other when the bag is in
the collapsed condition and spaced apart when the bag is in the
expanded condition. A zipper 14 comprised of joinable zipper halves
14a, 14b secured to lower frame member 11 and upper frame member
12, respectively, may be closed to secure the frame members closely
adjacent (in the collapsed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) or
opened to permit the frame members 11, 12 to move apart (to the
expanded condition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4). A collapsible
expansion ring 13 bridges the space between facing edges 11a, 12a
to provide the exterior boundary of the enclosure when the bag 10
is expanded. When the bag 10 is collapsed, the expansion ring 13 is
folded into the bag enclosure or trapped between edges 11a and
12a.
[0018] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a stabilizer in the form of
a rigid tongue 40 is secured to the inner face of upper frame
member 12 and extends into the cavity defined by the lower frame
member 11. A cooperating receiver 41 is attached to the lower frame
member 11. As shown in the drawing the stabilizer comprises two
tongues 40, one attached to the left-hand side and the other
attached to the right-hand side. If desired, similar tongues could
be attached to the top and bottom sides of the rectangular frames
11, 12. It should also be recognized that although the drawing
illustrates the tongues 40 attached to the upper frame member 12
and the receiver 41 attached to the lower frame member 11, the
respective locations of the tongue 40 and receiver 41 may be
reversed if desired.
[0019] In the embodiment illustrated tongue 40 comprises a panel of
rigid plastic or the like secured to the inner face of the upper
frame member 12 by glue, screws, bolts (not illustrated) or the
like. Similarly, receiver 41 is secured to the inner face of lower
frame member 11 by any suitable means such as screws, glue, bolts
42 or the like. It should be noted that tongue 40 may extend along
a length of the frame members 11, 12 and secured to two or more
receivers 41.
[0020] In the embodiment illustrated receiver 41 has a lip 43 which
extends parallel with the inner face of lower frame member 11. When
the expansion ring 13 is fully expanded the end of tongue 40 may be
inserted into receiver 41 and held in place by the pocket defined
by lip 43. In this condition, bag 10 is fully expanded (as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 4) and rigidly held in the expanded condition by the
stabilizer mechanism consisting of tongue 40 and receiver 41. When
desired, the bag 10 may be returned to the collapsed condition (as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) by simply withdrawing the tongue 40 from
receiver 41 and aligning the tongue 40 to extend over receiver 41
as shown in FIG. 4. To secure the bag 10 in the collapsed condition
zipper 14 is closed, drawing edge surfaces 11a and 12a together and
fully collapsing expansion ring 13.
[0021] In the embodiment illustrated tongue 40 and receiver 41 are
attached to the inner faces of upper frame member 12 and lower
frame member 11, respectively. It should be recognized, however,
that the stabilizer mechanism (tongue 40 and receiver 41) could be
secured to the outer surfaces of frame members 11 and 12 and
operate in exactly the same manner. Furthermore, the
interconnecting mechanism for securing tongue 40 to receiver 41
need not be limited to the structure illustrated. For example,
tongue 40 may include a groove, notch, slot, hole or the like which
mates with interlocking structure of or pocket defined by the
receiver 41. Similarly, receiver 41 may be any suitable structure
attached to or integrally formed in the supporting frame member
which mates with a groove, notch, slot, hole or the like in the
tongue 40. Other means for securing a rigid tongue 40 to a receiver
41 on the other frame member may include mating Velcro.RTM. strips
on the tongue and receiver or one half of the Velcro.RTM. fastener
device actually forming the receiver.
[0022] In the preferred embodiment the frame members 11, 12 are
constructed from lightweight high strength plastic panels formed by
extruding plastic material such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene
copolymer (ABS) or polyvinylchloride (PVC) to form multi-cellular
panels which are joined end-to-end to form individual rectangular
frame members. Obviously, other materials and construction
arrangements may be used.
[0023] The overall dimensions of travel bag 10 are typically about
fourteen (14) inches by twenty-one (21) inches by nine (9) inches
(in the unexpanded condition), making the bag sufficiently small to
fit within the overhead bins of commercial airliners. The bag 10
ordinarily includes padding and covering (not illustrated) of
conventional heavy fabric such as DuPont 1050D ballistic nylon or
the like commonly used for soft-sided luggage.
[0024] Although the foregoing description refers to detailed
construction of a wheeled carry-on travel bag, the invention is not
so limited. The stabilizing principles described may be readily
applied to larger or smaller travel cases which do not employ
wheels or pull handles or which employ wheels, skids or the like
positioned at other locations on the frame of the bag. For example,
the bag may be made with smaller or larger dimensions and/or
utilize four (4) or more wheels.
[0025] In the embodiment described in detail, the coincident frame
members 11, 12 are formed of continuous panels joined end-to-end to
form a continuous rectangular frame. It will be readily recognized,
however, that such construction is illustrated as the preferred
embodiment and may be modified as desired. The structure described,
however, permits formation of a travel bag which is much lighter
and more sturdy than travel bags or cases of similar volume using
frame members of other construction. It is to be understood,
therefore, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages
of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description
together with details of the structure and function of various
embodiments, this disclosure is to be considered illustrative only.
Although the invention has been described with reference to
exemplary embodiments constructed with certain preferred materials,
various changes, substitutions and modifications may be made in
detail, especially in matters of shape, size, arrangement and
combination of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *