U.S. patent application number 11/067726 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-07 for luggage transportation system and method.
Invention is credited to Joshua David Benk.
Application Number | 20060196901 11/067726 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36943165 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060196901 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benk; Joshua David |
September 7, 2006 |
Luggage transportation system and method
Abstract
Disclosed herein are exemplary techniques for carrying luggage
and an apparatus for carrying luggage. The system and method
include a luggage carrying device including a back support member
with two slits and a plurality of flaps extending from a front and
a back surface of the back support member, a hook support member
wherein the hook support member is fixed to the back support member
at an angle and a hook, wherein the hook is fixed to the hook
support member. The method includes attaching a luggage carrying
device to a wearers belt wherein the luggage carrying device is
attached to the belt though two slits and several flaps whereby the
luggage carrying device can be adjusted vertically using the flaps;
hooking a rolling luggage to a hook member; pulling a rolling
luggage using the luggage carrying device
Inventors: |
Benk; Joshua David; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HUNTON & WILLIAMS LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT
1900 K STREET, N.W.
SUITE 1200
WASHINGTON
DC
20006-1109
US
|
Family ID: |
36943165 |
Appl. No.: |
11/067726 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/184 ;
224/268; 224/673 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 13/38 20130101;
A45F 5/02 20130101; A45F 2200/0566 20130101; A45C 13/30 20130101;
A45F 5/021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/184 ;
224/673; 224/268 |
International
Class: |
A45F 3/00 20060101
A45F003/00; A45F 5/00 20060101 A45F005/00 |
Claims
1. A luggage carrying device comprising: a back support member
comprising two slits and a plurality of flaps extending from a
front and a back surface of the back support member; a hook support
member wherein the hook support member is fixed to the back support
member at an angle; a hook, wherein the hook is fixed to the hook
support member.
2. A device as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of flaps comprises
a plurality of front flaps and a plurality of back flaps; wherein
the plurality of front flaps are arranged vertically along the back
support member between the slits; and wherein the plurality of back
flaps are arranged in pairs horizontally and each pair is arranged
vertically along the back support member and wherein each pair is
located on an outer side of the two slits.
3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the back support member further
comprises a soft member fixed to a back surface of the back support
member.
4. A device as in claim 1, wherein the hook support member forms
and angle of 30-40 degrees with the back support member.
5. A luggage carrying device comprising: a back support means
comprising two slits and a plurality of flaps extending from a
front and a back surface of the back support member; a hook support
means wherein the hook support member is fixed to the back support
member at an angle; a hooking means, wherein the hook is fixed to
the hook support member.
6. A method of carrying luggage comprising the steps of: attaching
a luggage carrying device to a wearers belt wherein the luggage
carrying device is attached to the belt though two slits and
several flaps whereby the luggage carrying device can be adjusted
vertically using the flaps; hooking a rolling luggage to a hook
member; pulling a rolling luggage using the luggage carrying
device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to devices designed to assist in
towing luggage, specifically to devices that are adapted to allow
the user to pull rolling luggage without the use of the users
hands.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Luggage devices of various designs are currently available
for the purpose of carrying luggage or hooking on piece of luggage
to another. Heretofore such devices have been designed with a
shoulder strap or a luggage type grip. Most of these devices are
designed to allow a user to carry or drag or roll luggage by hand.
Other backpack type devices are designed to carry luggage on ones
back by strapping the luggage over ones shoulder. However these
devices do not address the problem of keeping a persons hands free
while pulling wheeled luggage.
[0005] Thus the prior devices have the disadvantage of burdening
the user with carrying the weight of the luggage on ones shoulder
or in ones hand. Additionally, other prior devices have the
disadvantage of forcing the user to occupy on or both of their
hands in order to carry the luggage. It is therefore an object of
the current invention to eliminate the aforementioned shortcomings
of prior devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In general the invention comprises a luggage carrying device
including a back support member with two slits and a plurality of
flaps extending from a front and a back surface of the back support
member, a hook support member wherein the hook support member is
fixed to the back support member at an angle and a hook, wherein
the hook is fixed to the hook support member. The plurality of
flaps include a plurality of front flaps and a plurality of back
flaps. The plurality of front flaps are arranged vertically along
the back support member between the slits. The plurality of back
flaps are arranged in pairs horizontally and each pair is arranged
vertically along the back support member and wherein each pair is
located on an outer side of the two slits.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] In the drawings where like reference numerals have been used
in the several views to identify like parts and elements of my
invention
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the device;
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the device;
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of the device;
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the device;
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] In the following description, certain details are set forth
in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments
of the invention. However, one skilled in the art will understand
that the invention may be practiced without these details. In other
instances, well known structures associated with networks, web
servers, web clients, web pages have not been shown, or described
in detail, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the
embodiments of the invention.
[0014] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the
specification and claims which follow, the word "comprise" and
variations thereof, such as "comprises" and "comprising" are
considered to be open, inclusive sense, that is as "including, but
not limited to."
[0015] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a side view of a
luggage carrying device 2 constructed and made in accordance with
the teachings of the present invention. The luggage carrying device
2 is made of metal and consists of two main elements, a belt
support member 4 and a hook member 6. The luggage carrying device 2
may alternatively be made of a hard plastic or any substance hard
enough to support a piece of luggage on the hook member 6. The
luggage carrying device 2 is preferably 5 mm in thickness uniformly
from top to bottom, 1.75 inches in width uniformly from top to
bottom, and 14 inches in height. One of skill in the art will
recognize that these dimensions can be adjusted and remain within
the invention.
[0016] The belt support member 4 includes back facing belt
adjusting flaps 8 which are preferably placed in horizontal pairs
evenly spaced vertically along the back surface of the belt support
member 4 and fitted to hook over the top portion of a belt in order
to raise or lower the luggage carrying device for the wearers
comfort. Belt adjusting flaps 8 are preferably 0.25 inches wide,
curved to allow the flaps to hook over a standard sized belt and
made of metal or plastic or any suitable material. In a particular
embodiment, 6 pairs back facing belt adjusting flaps 8 are located
on belt support member 4. Those skilled in the art would recognize
that more or less back facing belt adjusting flaps 8 may be
used.
[0017] To further secure and correctly locate belt support member 4
includes front facing belt adjusting flaps 10 which are also
preferably evenly spaced vertically along the back surface of the
belt support member 4 and fitted to hook over the top portion of
the belt. Belt adjusting flaps 8 are shown as having a larger width
than belt adjusting flaps 10, however, the flaps may be identical
in size and shape in keeping with the present invention. The flaps
8 and 10 may be curved as flaps 8 or set at an angle as flaps 10 or
any other configuration that hooks over a standard belt and is
comfortable to a wearer. Belt adjusting flaps 10 are preferably
0.375 inches wide, curved to allow the flaps to hook over a
standard sized belt and made of metal or plastic or any suitable
material. To improve the comfort of the wearer, the back facing
portion of belt support member 4 can be lined with a gel or with
felt or similar material (not shown) which is permanently secured
thereto; for example, by being glued or stapled thereto.
[0018] The luggage carrying device 2, further consists of a hook
support member 12 and a hook 14. Hook support member 12 is fixed to
belt support member 6 by a crease 16. The crease 16 is preferably
8.5 inches from the top of luggage carrying device 2. Belt support
member 4 and hook support member 12 should preferably form an angle
of about 30 to 40 degrees away for the wearer's body where they
come together at crease 16. Belt support member 4, hook member 6,
hook support member 12 and a hook 14 are preferably 2 mm thick. The
hook may form an open circle as shown in FIG. 1. The curve of the
hook 14 should preferably be the angle of a basketball curve [what
is this exactly?]. The hook 14 should begin its curve approximately
The diameter of the hook 14 may preferably be 2.25 inches with a
1.5 inch gap between the point of the hook 14 and the crease 16.
The hook member 6 is preferably covered in plastic to prevent
injury on sharp edges starting bout 1 inch below the crease 16.
[0019] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 2 shows a front view of
luggage carrying device 2. As shown in FIG. 2, belt support member
4 further comprises belt support slits 18. There are preferably two
belt support slits 18 evenly spaced apart. On the front side of
belt support member 4, belt adjusting flaps 10 are preferably
placed between the belt support slits 18. Preferably the slits 18
should be 0.375 inches from the edge of each side of the belt
support member 6 and a width of 0.25 inches. This should leave 0.5
inches in the middle of the belt support member 6 for the belt to
wrap around. One of skill in the art will recognize that the slits
18 should be spaced in a way to provide adequate support for the
belt. The slits 18 preferably are begin 0.375 inches from the top
of the luggage carrying device 2 and end 8.375 inches from the top
of the luggage carrying device 2 making the slits 18.8 inches in
length.
[0020] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 3 shows a back view of
luggage carrying device 2. As shown in FIG. 3, on the back side of
belt support member 4, belt adjusting flaps 8 are preferably placed
outside of between the belt support slits 18, thereby providing
support for the belt that is balanced with the support provided by
belt adjusting flaps 8.
[0021] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 4 shows a top view of
belt support member 4. In an embodiment of the present invention
the edges 20 of the belt support member 4 are curved to prevent
injury due to sharp edges. The end of the hook member 6 is
preferably similarly be rounded.
[0022] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 5 shows a perspective
view of luggage carrying device 2 as it would be worn by a user in
an exemplary embodiment of the invention. A person using the device
30 is shown. The person is wearing a belt 32 which is attached to
the luggage carrying device 2 which is hooked to a piece of luggage
36. The belt 32 is attached to the luggage carrying device 2 by
front and back belt adjusting flaps 8, 10. The belt is further
looped through belt support slits 18. The belt support member 4 is
horizontally aligned along the person 30's back. The hook support
member 12 is connected to hook 14 which hooks over a luggage pull
handle 48. Thus, the luggage 36 is rolled along behind person 30
due to the support of the belt and the angle of the hook support
member 12.
[0023] Although specific embodiments of, and examples for, the
article, apparatus, and method of the invention are described
herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications
can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention, as will be recognized by those skilled in the relevant
art. The teachings provided herein of the invention can be applied
to other computing systems and other channels of communication. The
teaching can also be applied to other products, other than loan
applications. The various embodiments described above can be
combined to provide further embodiments.
[0024] These and other changes can be made to the invention in
light of the above detailed description. In general, the terms used
should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific
embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but
should be construed to include all automated systems that operate
in accordance with the claims. Accordingly, the invention is not
limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope is to be
determined entirely by the following claims.
* * * * *