U.S. patent application number 15/215610 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-10 for expendable luggage.
The applicant listed for this patent is Arthur Trey Bourette. Invention is credited to Arthur Trey Bourette.
Application Number | 20170224074 15/215610 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59496742 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170224074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bourette; Arthur Trey |
August 10, 2017 |
EXPENDABLE LUGGAGE
Abstract
An expandable luggage includes a compartment and a cover. The
cover is swingly attached to the compartment to close and open the
compartment. The compartment includes a bottom surface and a
peripheral wall vertically extending from a periphery of the bottom
surface, defining the compartment with a closable opening. Further,
the cover includes a top surface and a protrusion vertically
extending from a periphery of the top surface so that the
protrusion coordinates with the compartment when the cover closes
the closable opening. The expandable luggage includes a
horizontally expandable gusseted arrangement configured along the
entire peripheral wall of the compartment to horizontally expand a
size of the compartment from all sides thereof and accessible from
the closable opening.
Inventors: |
Bourette; Arthur Trey; (PALM
BAY, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Bourette; Arthur Trey |
PALM BAY |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59496742 |
Appl. No.: |
15/215610 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14016456 |
Sep 3, 2013 |
9420859 |
|
|
15215610 |
|
|
|
|
61744365 |
Sep 26, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 2013/267 20130101;
A45C 2005/035 20130101; A45C 2005/037 20130101; A45C 7/0068
20130101; A45C 13/103 20130101; A45C 5/14 20130101; A45C 13/262
20130101; A45C 5/03 20130101; A45C 7/0027 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A45C 7/00 20060101
A45C007/00; A45C 13/26 20060101 A45C013/26; A45C 5/14 20060101
A45C005/14; A45C 5/03 20060101 A45C005/03; A45C 13/10 20060101
A45C013/10 |
Claims
1. An expandable luggage, comprising: a compartment and a cover
attached to the compartment to close and open the compartment, the
compartment having a bottom surface and a peripheral wall
vertically extending from a periphery of the bottom surface,
defining the compartment with a closable opening, and the cover
having a top surface and a protrusion vertically extending from a
periphery of the top surface so that the protrusion coordinates
with the compartment when the cover closes the closable opening;
and a horizontally expandable gusseted arrangement configured along
the entire peripheral wall of the compartment to horizontally
expand a size of the compartment from all sides thereof and
accessible from the closable opening.
2. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1 further comprising
a zipper arrangement coupled to the compartment and the cover to
close and open the expandable luggage, wherein the zipper
arrangement comprises a first zip member coupled across an entire
periphery wall of the compartment, and a second zip member coupled
to an entire periphery of the protrusion of the cover.
3. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 2 further comprising
a strap member coupled to the zipper arrangement along it entire
periphery, wherein the strap member extends from the first zip
member across its entire periphery.
4. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
horizontally expandable gusseted arrangement comprises: a bottom
gusset coupled to a bottom edge of the entire peripheral wall and
the bottom surface of the compartment such that the bottom gusset
foldably lies between the peripheral wall and the bottom surface of
the compartment; and a top gusset coupled to a top edge of the
entire peripheral wall and to the zipper arrangement such that the
top gusset lies between the peripheral wall and the zipper
arrangement.
5. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 4, wherein the top
gusset is coupled to the strap member to be foldably accommodated
between the peripheral wall and the zipper arrangement.
6. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 4 further comprising
top and bottom attaching arrangements along the peripheral
wall.
7. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top
and bottom attaching arrangements along the peripheral wall are zip
arrangements.
8. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 7 further comprising
bands coupled along the top and bottom gussets to hold the
expansion.
9. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top
and bottom attaching arrangements along the peripheral wall are a
plurality of clip arrangements to clip and unclip the horizontally
expandable gusseted arrangement.
10. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of
the plurality of clip arrangement comprises complementary
engagements and elastically stretchable bands engaged between the
complementary engagements to support the expanded top and bottom
gussets during expansion.
11. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 4, wherein the top
and bottom gussets are one of a flexible fabric material or a hard
fabric material of combination thereof.
12. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a vertically expandable gusseted arrangement configured
along the periphery of the top surface of the cover to expand a
height of the cover to vertically increase the size of the
compartment at a closed position of the compartment when the cover
closes the closable opening, wherein the vertically expandable
gusseted arrangement comprises a gusset coupled to an edge of the
entire periphery of the top surface and to a top edge of the
protrusion such that the gusset foldably lies between the top
surface and the protrusion.
13. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 12 further
comprising an attaching arrangement coupled along the periphery of
the top surface of the cover.
14. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
attaching arrangement is a zip arrangement to zip the vertically
expandable gusseted arrangement.
15. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 14 further
comprising bands coupled along the gussets to hold the
expansion.
16. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
attaching arrangement is a plurality of clip arrangement to clip
and unclip the vertically expandable gusseted arrangement.
17. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of
the plurality of clip arrangement comprises complementary
engagements and elastically stretchable bands engaged between the
complementary engagements to support the expanded gussets during
expansion.
18. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
gusset is one of a flexible fabric material or a hard fabric
material of combination thereof.
19. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1 further
comprising: a handle arrangement having a telescopic handle,
wherein the telescopic handle at its extended position supports one
side of the horizontally expandable gusseted arrangement.
20. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
handle arrangement further comprises a plurality of telescopic
support elements coupled to the telescopic handle, wherein the
plurality of telescopic support elements at their extended position
supports from other three sides of the horizontally expandable
gusseted arrangement.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/016,456 filed on Sep. 3,
2013.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).
BACKGROUND
[0003] Field of Endeavor
[0004] The present invention generally relates to, carrying
accessories, and, more particularly, expandable luggage.
[0005] Brief Description of the Related Art
[0006] Expandable luggage is quite popular among travelers to carry
extra accessories without having a need to include additional bags
or luggage for keeping up the extra accessories while travelling.
Various types of expandable luggage are currently available in the
market. Such available luggage in the market may be selected by
consumers depending upon their respective needs. However, there
have been continues on-going research and idea generation to
improve the design of the expandable luggage and provide consumers
with more available options for keeping and carrying their
accessories.
[0007] Until now there are types of luggage that are available in
the market that may vertically expand in height to increase the
height the overall storages space of the luggage. Other luggage,
such as described in the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 14/016,456 to which this disclosure is a continuation-in-part,
may be expand from one of its side in addition to its expansion
from the top side to increase the overall space of the storage
space of the luggage even further in vertical as well as horizontal
directions at the same time.
[0008] Going forward, the present disclosure is presented to
further improve such expandable luggage, and, accordingly generates
a need to provide expandable luggage that may further improve in
terms of managing and utilizing storage space in such expandable
luggage in a cost effective and durable manner to add up more
options for the consumers in expandable luggage space.
SUMMARY
[0009] In view of the stated requirement, the present disclosure
discloses an expandable luggage, which will be presented in the
following simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of
one or more aspects of the disclosure that are intended to overcome
the discussed drawbacks, but to include all advantages thereof,
along with providing some additional advantages. This summary is
not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is intended to
neither identify key or critical elements of the disclosure, nor to
delineate the scope of the present disclosure. Rather, the sole
purpose of this summary is to present some concepts of the
disclosure, its aspects and advantages in a simplified form as a
prelude to the more detailed description that is presented
hereinafter.
[0010] A general object of the present disclosure is to describe an
expandable luggage that may further be improved from its existing
peers available in the market, which may be more effective in terms
of managing and utilizing overall storage space in a cost effective
and durable manner and to add up more options for the consumers in
expandable luggage space. Various other objects and features of the
present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed
description and claims.
[0011] The above noted and other objects, in one aspect, may be
achieved by an expandable luggage includes a compartment and a
cover. The cover is swingly attached to the compartment to close
and open the compartment. The compartment includes a bottom surface
and a peripheral wall vertically extending from a periphery of the
bottom surface, defining the compartment with a closable opening.
Further, the cover includes a top surface and a protrusion
vertically extending from a periphery of the top surface so that
the protrusion coordinates with the compartment when the cover
closes the closable opening. The expandable luggage includes a
horizontally expandable gusseted arrangement configured along the
entire peripheral wall of the compartment to horizontally expand a
size of the compartment from all sides thereof and accessible from
the closable opening.
[0012] The expandable luggage further includes a zipper arrangement
coupled to the compartment and the cover to close and open the
expandable luggage. The zipper arrangement includes a first zip
member coupled across an entire periphery wall of the compartment,
and a second zip member coupled to an entire periphery of the
protrusion of the cover.
[0013] The expandable luggage further includes a strap member
coupled to the zipper arrangement along it entire periphery. The
strap member may extend from the first zip member across its entire
periphery.
[0014] In one arrangement, the horizontally expandable gusseted
arrangement includes a bottom gusset and a top gusset. The bottom
gusset is coupled to a bottom edge of the entire peripheral wall
and the bottom surface of the compartment such that the bottom
gusset foldably lies between the peripheral wall and the bottom
surface of the compartment. The top gusset is coupled to a top edge
of the entire peripheral wall and to the zipper arrangement such
that the top gusset foldably lies between the peripheral wall and
the zipper arrangement. The top and bottom gussets may be made of
one of a flexible fabric material or a hard fabric material of
combination thereof.
[0015] In one embodiment, the top gusset is coupled to the strap
member to be foldably accommodated between the peripheral wall and
the zipper arrangement.
[0016] The expandable luggage further includes top and bottom
attaching arrangements along the peripheral wall. In one example,
the top and bottom attaching arrangements along the peripheral wall
are zip arrangements. In one embodiment, bands coupled along the
top and bottom gussets may be provided to hold the expansion,
during the zipper expansion. In another example, the top and bottom
attaching arrangements along the peripheral wall are a plurality of
clip arrangement to clip and unclip the horizontally expandable
gusseted arrangement. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of
clip arrangement may include complementary engagements and
elastically stretchable bands engaged between the complementary
engagements to support the expanded top and bottom gussets during
expansion.
[0017] The expandable luggage may further includes a vertically
expandable gusseted arrangement configured along the periphery of
the top surface of the cover to expand a height of the cover to
vertically increase the size of the compartment at a closed
position of the compartment when the cover closes the closable
opening.
[0018] In one arrangement, the vertically expandable gusseted
arrangement may include a gusset coupled to an edge of the entire
periphery of the top surface and to a top edge of the protrusion to
the zipper arrangement such that the gusset foldably lies between
the top surface and the protrusion. The gusset may be made of one
of a flexible fabric material or a hard fabric material of
combination thereof.
[0019] The expandable luggage may further include an attaching
arrangement coupled along the periphery of the top surface of the
cover. In one example, the attaching arrangement is a zip
arrangement to zip the vertically expandable gusseted arrangement.
In one embodiment, bands coupled along the gusset may be provided
to hold the expansion, during the zipper expansion. In another
example, the attaching arrangement is a plurality of clip
arrangement to clip and unclip the vertically expandable gusseted
arrangement. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of clip
arrangement includes complementary engagements and elastically
stretchable bands engaged between the complementary engagements to
support the expanded gussets during expansion.
[0020] The expandable luggage may further include a plurality of
pockets along the peripheral wall and the cover.
[0021] The expandable luggage may further include a handle
arrangement having a telescopic handle. In one example explanation,
the telescopic handle may at its extended position supports one
side of the horizontally expandable gusseted arrangement apart from
carrying the expandable luggage. In one arrangement, the handle
arrangement may further include a plurality of telescopic support
elements coupled to the telescopic handle. The plurality of
telescopic support elements may at their extended position supports
from other three sides of the horizontally expandable gusseted
arrangement.
[0022] The expandable luggage may further include wheels coupled to
the bottom surface of the compartment for maneuvering the
extendable luggage.
[0023] The expendable luggage may be extendable in horizontal
direction and well as in vertical direction at the same time or may
be extended independently as per the requirement. The expandable
luggage may be improved from its existing peers available in the
market, which may be more effective in terms of managing and
utilizing overall storage space in a cost effective and durable
manner and to add up more options for the consumers in expandable
luggage space.
[0024] These together with the other aspects of the present
disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that
characterize the present disclosure, are pointed out with
particularity in the present disclosure. For a better understanding
of the present disclosure, its operating advantages, and its uses,
reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and
descriptive matter in which there are illustrated exemplary
embodiments of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The advantages and features of the present disclosure will
better understood with reference to the following detailed
description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawing, wherein like elements are identified with like symbols,
and in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an example perspective view of an
expendable luggage, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[0027] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate example top and back views of
compartment of the expendable luggage of FIG. 1, in accordance with
an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 2C illustrates a cross section view of the of the
compartment cut along A-A', in accordance with third exemplary
embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 2D illustrates an example compartment of an expendable
luggage having an attaching arrangement of another type, in
accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 3A illustrates an example top view of a cover of the
expandable luggage, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 3B illustrates an example cover of an expendable
luggage having an attaching arrangement of another type, in
accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure; and
[0032] FIG. 3C illustrates a cross section view of the cover cut
along B-B', in accordance with third exemplary embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0033] Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the
description of several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0034] For a thorough understanding of the present disclosure,
reference is to be made to the following detailed description,
including the appended claims, in connection with the
above-described drawings. In the following description, for
purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the present
disclosure. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art
that the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific
details. In other instances, structures are shown in block diagrams
form only, in order to avoid obscuring the disclosure. Reference in
this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "another
embodiment," "various embodiments," means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the
present disclosure. The appearance of the phrase "in one
embodiment" in various places in the specification are not
necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate
or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.
Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by
some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements
are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but
may not be of other embodiment's requirement.
[0035] Although the following description contains many specifics
for the purposes of illustration, anyone skilled in the art will
appreciate that many variations and/or alterations to these details
are within the scope of the present disclosure. Similarly, although
many of the features of the present disclosure are described in
terms of each other, or in conjunction with each other, one skilled
in the art will appreciate that many of these features can be
provided independently of other features. Accordingly, this
description of the present disclosure is set forth without any loss
of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the
present disclosure. Further, the relative terms, such as "top,"
"bottom" and the like, herein do not denote any order, elevation or
importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from
another. Further, the terms "a," "an," and "plurality" herein do
not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence
of at least one of the referenced item.
[0036] Reference will now be made to the embodiments of the
invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings FIGS. 1-3C. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers
will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like
parts. An exemplary embodiment of an item of expendable luggage,
suitcase, bag or the like of the present invention is shown in FIG.
1, and is designated generally throughout by reference numeral 100.
Specifically, FIG. 1 depicts an example perspective view of the
expandable luggage 100, according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. Reference of other FIGS. 2A to 3C will be made herein
to describe various arrangements of the expandable luggage 100. As
shown in FIG. 1, the expandable luggage 100 may be used for
carrying desired articles there within. The expandable luggage 100
may include a compartment 110, a horizontally expandable gusseted
arrangement 120 (hereinafter may also be referred to as `horizontal
gusset 120`), a cover 140, a vertically expandable gusseted
arrangement 150 (hereinafter may also be referred to as `vertical
gusset 150`) and a zipper arrangement 170.
[0037] The compartment 110 and the cover 140 are coupled to each
other; in particular, the cover 140 may be swingly attached to the
compartment 110 along any of its side. The cover 140 may swingly be
attached to the compartment 110 for closing the re-closable opening
114 of the compartment 110. As depicted in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the
compartment 110 along with its various arrangement and related
components are illustrated and will now be described herein in
conjunction to FIG. 1. The example compartment 110 as depicted
includes a bottom surface 111 and a peripheral wall 112 vertically
extending from a periphery 113 of the bottom surface 111. Such
arrangement of the peripheral wall 112 along the periphery 113 on
the bottom surface 111 defines the compartment 110 with a closable
opening 114. The compartment 110 may be assessable from the
closable opening 114. Further, as seen in FIG. 1, the cover 140 may
include a top surface 141 and a protrusion 142 vertically extending
from a periphery 143 of the top surface 141. The cover 140 may be
used to close and open the compartment 110, via the zipper
arrangement 170.
[0038] The zipper arrangement 170 may be coupled to the compartment
110 and the cover 140 to close and open the expandable luggage 100.
In an arrangement, the zipper arrangement 170 may include a first
zip member 171 and a second zip member 172, as seen in FIG. 1. The
first zip member 171 may be coupled across the entire periphery
wall 112 of the compartment 110 (see FIGS. 2A and 2C). Further, the
second zip member 172 may be coupled the cover 140 and particularly
to a bottom edge of the entire periphery 142a of the protrusion 142
of the cover 140. By sliding a zip over the first and second zip
members 171, 172, the compartment 110 and the cover 140 may be
bought together to open or to close the expandable luggage 100.
[0039] Furthermore, in one embodiment, a strap member 173 may
extend from bottom of the first zip member 171 across entire
periphery 112 of the compartment 110. The strap member 173 may be
of rigid configuration to provide rigidity to the first zip member
171 with respect to the compartment 110.
[0040] The compartment 110 may be expandable in a horizontal
direction from all the sided, such as sides 112a, 112b, 112c and
112d. To enable the compartment 110 to be expandable in the
horizontal direction from the sides 112a, 112b, 112c and 112d, the
compartment 110 may include the horizontal gusset 120 configured
along the entire peripheral wall 112 of the compartment 110 to
horizontally expand a size of the compartment 110 from all sides
112a, 112b, 112c and 112d and accessible from the closable opening
114, while the closable opening 114 being of constant size.
[0041] In an example arrangement, the horizontal gusset 120 may
include a bottom gusset 121 and a top gusset 122. The bottom gusset
121 may be coupled to a bottom edge 112a of the entire peripheral
wall 112 and the bottom surface 111 of the compartment 110 to
foldably accommodate the bottom gusset 121 between the peripheral
wall 112 and the bottom surface 111. As shown in FIG. 2C (cross
sectional view of the FIG. 2A), one end of the entire bottom gusset
121, such as an end 121a, may be coupled to the bottom edge 112a of
the entire peripheral wall 112, while the other end, such as an
entire end 121b, may be coupled to the periphery 113 of the bottom
surface 111 of the compartment 110. Further, the top gusset 122 may
be coupled to a top edge 112b of the entire peripheral wall 112 and
to the zipper arrangement 170 such that the top gusset 122 foldably
lies between the peripheral wall 112 and the zipper arrangement
170. The top gusset 122 is coupled to the strap member 173
extending from the zipper arrangement 170 and to the peripheral
wall 112 enabling the top gusset 122 to be foldably accommodated
between the peripheral wall 112 and the zipper arrangement 170. For
example, one end of the top gusset 122, such as an end 122a, may be
coupled to the strap member 173 that is extending from the first
zip member 171 across entire periphery 112 of the compartment 110.
Further, the other end of the top gusset 122, such as an end 122b,
may be coupled to the peripheral wall 112. Such an arrangement of
the top gusset 122 enables the top gusset 122 to be foldably
accommodated between the peripheral wall 112 and the zipper
arrangement 170. Such an arrangement of the gussets 121, 122 in
turn enables the horizontal expansion of the compartment 110 from
the sides thereof and still maintain the closable opening 114 to be
remained of a particular size that may not be expandable.
[0042] The horizontal gusset 120 may include top 130 and bottom 131
attaching arrangements along the peripheral wall 112, as shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2D, to respectively, to secure the top 122 and bottom
121 gussets in its position along the peripheral wall 112. In one
arrangement, as shown in FIG. 2C, the top and bottom attaching
arrangements 130, 131 along the peripheral wall 112 may be zip
arrangements 133. For example, the zip arrangement 133 may include
one of its zippers 133a along the entire strap member 173 while
another zipper 133a may be coupled to the peripheral wall 112. Such
an arrangement of the attaching arrangement 130 enables the top
gusset 122 to be closed or opened upon requirement. Similar zip
arrangement 133 may also enables the bottom gusset 121 to be closed
or opened upon requirement, when one of its zippers 133a along the
entire bottom surface 111 while another zipper 133b may be coupled
to the peripheral wall 112. At both the top and bottom gussets 122,
121, there may be certain position where the zip arrangement 133
may extend along the gussets 121, 122 itself, as known to a person
skilled in the art to enable such configuration. To support the
expanded top and bottom gussets 122, 121, bands 123, as can be seen
in FIG. 2C, may be provided along the gussets, which may hold the
expansion. The bands 123 may be of reasonable elasticity which
neither restrict expansion of the gussets 121, 122 nor allow them
to fall from sides when expanded. In another arrangement, as shown
in FIG. 2D, the top and bottom attaching arrangements 130, 131
along the peripheral wall 112 may be a plurality of clip
arrangements 134 to clip and unclip the horizontally expandable
gusseted arrangement 120. As seen in FIG. 2D, each of the plurality
of clip arrangement 134 may include complementary engagements 134a,
134b and elastically stretchable bands 134c engaged between the
complementary engagements 134a, 134b to support the expanded top
and bottom gussets 122, 121 during expansion. The bands 143c may of
reasonable elasticity which neither restrict expansion of the
gussets 121, 122 nor allow them to fall from sides when expanded.
Similar arrangement style as that of the zipper arrangement 133 may
be followed to couple the clip complementary engagements 134a, 134b
at the top and bottom gussets 122, 121 locations, and explanation
thereof are excluded herein for the sake of brevity. In clip
arrangement, no portion on the top and bottom gussets 122, 121 may
include the clips 134 lying along the gussets. However, without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the top and
bottom attaching arrangements 130, 131 may be any other attaching
means, such as straps or the like, that may be suitable to place
the top 130 and bottom 131 gussets in its position, and may be
coupled as similar to clip arrangement 134.
[0043] In one embodiment, the top and bottom gussets 121, 122 may
be made of one of a flexible fabric material or a hard fabric
material of combination thereof. In most preferred embodiment, hard
fabric material may be used as top and bottom gussets 121, 122. In
another embodiment, the gussets 121, 122 may be made of any other
material, such as, plastic. However, without departing from the
scope of the present disclosure, the gussets 121, 122 may be made
of any other suitable material.
[0044] Further, as described above, the cover 140 swingly attached
to the compartment 110 for closing the re-closable opening 114 of
the compartment 110 includes the top surface 141 and the protrusion
142 that vertically extends from the periphery 143 of the top
surface 141. Now similar to the compartment 110, the cover 140 may
also include extension mechanism that enables to increase the size
of the extendable bag 100 in vertical direction in addition to the
horizontal direction by increasing the size of compartment 110. For
that, the vertical gusset 150 may be configured along the periphery
of the top surface 141 of the cover 140 to expand a height of the
cover 140 to vertically increase the size of the compartment 110 at
a closed position of the compartment 110 when the cover 140 closes
the closable opening 114. In one example arrangement, the vertical
gusset 150 may include a gusset 151 coupled to an edge 141a of the
entire periphery of the top surface 141 and a top edge 142a of the
protrusion 142 such that the gusset 151 foldably lies between the
top surface 141 and the protrusion 142. For example, an end portion
151a of the gusset 151 may be coupled to the edge 141a of the
entire periphery of the top surface 141, while the other end 151b
of the gusset 151 may be coupled to the top edge 142a of the
protrusion 142 to enable the gusset 151 to be foldably accommodated
between the top surface 141 and the protrusion 142.
[0045] The vertical gusset 150 may also include an attaching
arrangement 160 along the periphery 143 of the top surface 141 of
the cover 140, as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C. In one arrangement,
as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, the attaching arrangements 160 along
the periphery of the top surface 141 of the cover 140 may be a zip
arrangement 161. To support the expanded gussets 150, bands 144,
can be seen in FIG. 3C, may be provided along the gussets, which
may hold the expansion. The bands 144 may be of reasonable
elasticity which neither restrict expansion of the gussets 121, 122
nor allow them to fall from sides when expanded. In another
arrangement, as shown in FIG. 3B, the attaching arrangement 160
along the periphery of the top surface 141 of the cover 140 may be
a plurality of clip arrangements 162 to clip and unclip the
vertically expandable gusseted arrangement 150. As shown in FIG.
3B, each of the plurality of clip arrangement 162 may include
complementary engagements 162a, 162b and elastically stretchable
bands 162c engaged between the complementary engagements 162a, 162b
to support the expanded gussets 151 during expansion. The bands
162c may be of reasonable elasticity which neither restrict
expansion of the gussets 151 nor allow them to fall from sides when
expanded.
[0046] Similar to the top and bottom gussets 121, 122, the gusset
151 may also be made of one of a flexible fabric material or a hard
fabric material of combination thereof. In most preferred
embodiment, hard fabric material may be used as gusset 151. In
another embodiment, the gussets 151 may be made of any other
material, such as, plastic. However, without departing from the
scope of the present disclosure, the gussets 151 may be made of any
other suitable material.
[0047] In one embodiment, the expandable luggage 100 may include a
plurality of pockets 180 along the peripheral wall 112 and the
cover 140. In one embodiment, the expandable luggage 100 may
include wheels 185 configured along the bottom surface 111 of the
compartment to enable the easy maneuver the extendable baggage
100.
[0048] In one embodiment, the expandable luggage 100 may further
include a handle arrangement 190 coupled to the bottom surface 111
of the compartment 110. In one embodiment, the handle arrangement
190 may be a telescopic handle, as known to person skilled in the
art. However, in another embodiment, the handle 190 may include a
telescopic handle 191 and a plurality of telescopic support
elements 192 coupled to the telescopic handle 192. The telescopic
handle 191 at its extended position supports the horizontally
expandable gusseted arrangement 120 one side 112b of the expandable
luggage 100, and the plurality of telescopic support elements 192
at their extended position supports the horizontally expandable
gusseted arrangement 120 from other three sides 112a, 112c, 112d of
the expandable luggage 100.
[0049] The expandable luggage may further include various other
element and components as available in the art to facilitate the
user in desired manner, and are considered to be within the scope
of the present disclosure, without departing from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0050] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the
present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration
and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and
obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light
of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in
order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and
its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the
art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments
with various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated. It is understood that various omission and
substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may
suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the
application or implementation without departing from the spirit or
scope of the claims of the present disclosure.
* * * * *