U.S. patent application number 11/723494 was filed with the patent office on 2008-09-25 for travel case formable into a wardrobe when opened.
Invention is credited to Joseph Liang.
Application Number | 20080230338 11/723494 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39773597 |
Filed Date | 2008-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080230338 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liang; Joseph |
September 25, 2008 |
Travel case formable into a wardrobe when opened
Abstract
A travel case formable into a wardrobe when opened includes a
case body, and a pull rod. The case body has a set of rollers
attached to a bottom end of the case body, a cover connected
pivotally to the case body, and a hanger holder provided on the
cover. The cover is movable between covering and opening positions.
The pull rod is connected to the case body. The cover can be
pivoted to the pull rod in the opening position. A retainer is
provided for retaining the cover on the pull rod when the cover is
pivoted to the pull rod.
Inventors: |
Liang; Joseph; (Ping-Tung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.
1100 13th STREET, N.W., SUITE 1200
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-4051
US
|
Family ID: |
39773597 |
Appl. No.: |
11/723494 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
190/18A ;
190/113; 206/286 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 13/28 20130101;
A45C 5/03 20130101; A45C 13/262 20130101; A45C 5/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
190/18.A ;
190/113; 206/286 |
International
Class: |
A45C 5/14 20060101
A45C005/14; A45C 3/00 20060101 A45C003/00; B65D 85/18 20060101
B65D085/18 |
Claims
1. A travel case formable into a wardrobe when opened, comprising:
a case body having a set of rollers attached to a bottom end of
said case body, a cover connected pivotally to said case body, and
a hanger holder provided on said cover, said cover being movable
between a covering position and an opening position; a pull rod
connected to said case body, wherein said cover can be pivoted to
said pull rod in said opening position; and a retainer for
retaining said cover on said pull rod when said cover is pivoted to
said pull rod.
2. The travel case of claim 1, wherein said retainer is provided on
said cover.
3. The travel case of claim 2, wherein said retainer is provided on
an outer side of said cover.
4. The travel case of claim 3, wherein said pull rod has a handle,
said retainer being formed as a pouch, said handle being inserted
into said pouch so as to retain said cover on said pull rod.
5. The travel case of claim 3, wherein said hanger holder is fixed
to an inner side of said cover.
6. The travel case of claim 5, wherein said hanger holder includes
a plurality of holder elements.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a travel case, more particularly to
a travel case that is formable into a wardrobe when opened.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a currently available travel case that
is formable into a wardrobe when opened includes a main body 1, a
set of rollers 2 installed on a bottom portion of the main body 1,
a cover 3 connected to the main body 1, a retaining unit 4 provided
on an end of the cover 3, and a hanging unit 5 provided on an inner
side of the cover 3 and having a plurality of hanging portions 501.
The main body 1 defines a receiving space 101 with an opening 102
that extends from a top side to a front side of the main body 1.
The cover 3 is connected openably to the main body 1 through a
zipper 6 so as to close the opening 102. The retaining unit 4 has a
pull strap 401 sewn fixedly to an outer side of the cover 3, and a
chain 402 having one end fastened to the pull strap 401 and another
end provided with a hook 403.
[0005] When the cover 3 is pivoted from the main body 1 to an
opening position, the cover 3 can be hung on a top end of a door
panel or on a hanging bar (not shown) through the hook 403 to form
the wardrobe. Clothes can then be hung on the hanging portions
501.
[0006] Although this kind of travel case can prevent the clothes
from being creased, in actual use, it has the following
drawbacks:
[0007] 1. When the cover 3 is pivoted to the opening position to
form the wardrobe, the retaining unit 4 must rely on an opened door
panel or a hanging bar to hang and position the cover 3. In places
where the door panels are unavailable for such use or where hanging
bars are not provided, this kind of travel case is rendered
useless.
[0008] 2. An outer side of the cover 3 must be provided with a
pouch or a space to store the pull strap 401 and the chain 402 of
the retaining unit 4, so that the number of components and the
manufacturing cost of the entire travel case are increased.
[0009] Referring to FIG. 2, another currently available travel case
that is formable into a wardrobe when opened includes a main body
7, a hanging unit 8 fixed to an inner bottom side of the main body
7 and having a plurality of hanging portions 801, a fastening ring
9' fixed to an outer bottom side of the main body 7, and a chain 9
fastened to the fastening ring 9' and having an end provided with a
hook 901. This kind of travel case has the following drawbacks:
[0010] When the travel case is opened to form the wardrobe, the
hook 901 of the chain 9 must rely on an opened door panel or a
hanging bar to hang and position the travel case. Further, the main
body 7 must be invertedly hung when the travel case is opened, so
that articles inside the travel case must be removed first. This
results in a considerable waste of time since the articles must be
removed from and then placed back into the main body 7. The
articles may also become lost during this process. Additionally,
the chain 9 must be detached from the fastening ring 9' when not in
use so that it is also easily misplaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a travel case that utilizes its own components to form a wardrobe,
that has simple components, and that can be easily operated.
[0012] According to this invention, a travel case formable into a
wardrobe when opened comprises a case body, a pull rod, and a
retainer. The case body has a set of rollers attached to a bottom
end of the case body, a cover connected pivotally to the case body,
and a hanger holder provided on the cover. The cover is movable
between a covering position and an opening position. The pull rod
is connected to the case body. The cover can be pivoted to the pull
rod in the opening position. The retainer is provided for retaining
the cover on the pull rod when the cover is pivoted to the pull
rod.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a currently available travel
case in a state of use as a wardrobe;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another currently available
travel case in a state of use as a wardrobe;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment
of a travel case according to the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the preferred
embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the preferred embodiment
in a state of use as a wardrobe; and
[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment in
a state of use as a wardrobe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the preferred embodiment of a
travel case 10 according to the present invention is shown to
include a case body 11 and a pull rod 20.
[0021] The case body 11 defines a receiving space 117 with an
opening 117', and has a set of rollers 12 attached fixedly to a
bottom end of the case body 11, a cover 13, and a hanger holder 15.
The case body 11 has front and rear sides 111, 112, left and right
sides 113, 114, and top and bottom sides 116, 115.
[0022] The cover 13 extends from the top side 116 to the front side
111 of the case body 11, and has one edge connected pivotally to a
juncture of the rear side 112 and the top side 116, and three other
edges connected to the main body 11 through a zipper 16. The cover
13 is movable between a covering position and an opening position
by operating the zipper 16. In the covering position, the cover 13
covers the opening 117' of the receiving space 117. In the opening
position, the cover 13 is pivoted away from the opening 117' so as
to expose the receiving space 117. The cover 13 further has inner
and outer sides 131, 132.
[0023] A retainer 14 is provided on the outer side 132 of the cover
13, and is formed as a pouch 141 having a single opening. When the
cover 13 is in the covering position, the opening of the pouch 141
opens upwardly.
[0024] The hanger holder 15 is fixed to the inner side 131 of the
cover 13, and has a plurality of annular holder elements 151 for
hanging clothes.
[0025] The pull rod 20 is connected telescopically to the case body
11, and is operable between a retracted position, where the pull
rod 20 is concealed within the rear side 112 of the case body 11,
as best shown in FIG. 3, and an extended position, where the pull
rod 20 is pulled upwardly out of the rear side 112 of the case body
11, as best shown in FIG. 5. The pull rod 20 includes two
telescopic tube portions 21, and a handle 22 connected to top ends
of the tube portions 21. When the pull rod 20 is at the retracted
position, the handle 22 is proximate to the case body 11, and when
the pull rod 20 is at the extended position, the handle 22 is
distal from the case body 11.
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in a normal state of use of
the travel case 10, the clothes are stored in the receiving space
117 of the case body 11, and the travel case 10 is towed through
the pull rod 20 and the set of rollers 12.
[0027] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, when it is necessary to
open the travel case 10 for use as a wardrobe, the pull rod 20 is
first moved to the extended position. Next, the zipper 16 is
unzipped, and the cover 13 is subsequently pivoted from the
covering position to the opening position so as to expose the
receiving space 117. Afterwards, the handle 22 is inserted into the
pouch 141 of the retainer 14 so as to retain the cover 13 on the
pull rod 20. Hence, the travel case 10 is formed into a wardrobe.
In this state, clothes can be hung conveniently on the holder
elements 151.
[0028] To restore the travel case 10 to the normal state of use, as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the clothes are simply removed from the
holder elements 151, and are then put back into the receiving space
117, after which the pouch 141 is detached from the handle 22, and
the cover 13 is pivoted from the opening position to the covering
position. Finally, the zipper 16 is operated so as to reattach the
cover 13 to the case body 11 and thereby securely close the opening
117' of the receiving space 117.
[0029] The advantages of the travel case 10 of the present
invention can be summarized as follows:
[0030] 1. Through the presence of the pull rod 20, the cover 13 of
the travel case 10 can be supported and positioned on the pull rod
20 when the cover 13 is pivoted to the opening position so as to
attain a wardrobe function of the travel case 10. Hence, the travel
case 10 can be used as a wardrobe at any location without having to
depend on an opened door panel or a hanging bar.
[0031] 2. The structure of the retainer 14 is simple. Since the
retainer 14 is fixed to the outer side 132 of the cover 13, the
retainer 14 will not get lost, and does not need any storing. As
such, the number of components of the travel case 10 is reduced,
ultimately minimizing the manufacturing cost of the travel case
10.
[0032] 3. Since the cover 13 of the case body 11 can be pivoted to
form the wardrobe directly from the normal, upright state of use of
the travel case 10, there is no need to remove the clothes and
articles from inside the receiving space 117 prior to conversion
into the wardrobe. Hence, the carried articles and clothes are not
likely to get lost, and the time required to put things in order
can be reduced.
[0033] In an alternative embodiment, the retainer 14 may be a
fastening strap (not shown) that is fixed to the outer side 132 of
the cover 13 and that has a fastening means, such as Velcro
fasteners, snap-fit fasteners, etc. The fastening strap can be
wrapped around the handle 22 of the pull rod 20. On the other hand,
the retainer 14 may be any fastening means that is fixed to the
cover 13 and that can fasten the cover 13 to the pull rod 20 when
the cover 13 is in the opening position.
[0034] It should be noted that the travel cases available in the
market today have different kinds of pull rods, which may be stored
in different ways. However, the present invention may be embodied
in any travel case as long as the travel case has a pull rod that
can be extended uprightly from its case body.
[0035] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
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