U.S. patent application number 17/025950 was filed with the patent office on 2022-03-24 for hard-shelled luggage with soft-side pocket.
The applicant listed for this patent is TRAVELPRO PRODUCTS, INC.. Invention is credited to Jonathan David PAYNE, Juan Emilio PHILLIPS, Alejandro Alfredo SARRA.
Application Number | 20220087387 17/025950 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220087387 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PHILLIPS; Juan Emilio ; et
al. |
March 24, 2022 |
HARD-SHELLED LUGGAGE WITH SOFT-SIDE POCKET
Abstract
An article of luggage with a main storage volume and an outer
compartment is provided. The main storage volume is enclosed by a
rigid shell. The outer surface of the rigid shell is recessed to
accommodate the outer compartment. A panel is attached to the
recess and is nested inside the recess. The outer compartment is
enclosed with a non-rigid covering that is attached to the
panel.
Inventors: |
PHILLIPS; Juan Emilio; (Boca
Raton, FL) ; PAYNE; Jonathan David; (Lake Worth,
FL) ; SARRA; Alejandro Alfredo; (Boulone,
AR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TRAVELPRO PRODUCTS, INC. |
Boca Raton |
FL |
US |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/025950 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2020 |
International
Class: |
A45C 13/02 20060101
A45C013/02; A45C 13/10 20060101 A45C013/10 |
Claims
1. An article of luggage comprising: a rigid shell comprising an
inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a
main storage volume, a portion of the outer surface defining a
recess to accommodate an outer compartment, the outer compartment
comprising: a panel attached to the portion of the outer surface
defining a recess, wherein the panel is nested inside the recess;
and a non-rigid covering for enclosing the outer compartment,
wherein the non-rigid covering is attached to the panel.
2. The article of luggage of claim 1, the portion of the outer
surface defining a recess further comprising a weight-reducing
aperture.
3. The article of luggage of claim 1 wherein the panel is attached
to the portion of the outer surface defining a recess with at least
one fastener.
4. The article of luggage of claim 3 wherein the at least one
fastener is one or both of a rivet and a binding post.
5. The article of luggage of claim 1 wherein the non-rigid covering
is sewn to the panel.
6. The article of luggage of claim 1, the panel further including a
fabric binding for covering an edge of the panel, wherein the
non-rigid covering is sewn to the binding.
7. The article of luggage of claim 1 wherein the non-rigid covering
is flush with an exterior surface of the rigid shell.
8. The article of luggage of claim 1 further comprising a top side
adjacent to a front side; wherein the portion of the outer surface
defining a recess is disposed on the top side and the front side of
the rigid shell.
9. The article of luggage of claim 8 further comprising a curved
surface joining the top side and the front side.
10. The article of luggage of claim 7 wherein the non-rigid
covering is openable from the top side to allow vertical insertion
of an article into the outer compartment.
11. The article of luggage of claim 10 wherein the outer
compartment is shaped and sized to fit a portable computer.
12. The article of luggage of claim 10 wherein the non-rigid
covering is flush with the exterior surface of the rigid shell on
the front side, and wherein the non-rigid covering is raised above
the exterior surface of the rigid shell on the top side.
13. The article of luggage of claim 1, the non-rigid covering
including a fastener to open and close the outer compartment.
14. The article of luggage of claim 13 wherein the fastener
comprises a magnet.
15. The article of luggage of claim 13 wherein the fastener
comprises a zipper.
16. An article of luggage comprising: a rigid shell comprising an
inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a
main storage volume, a portion of the outer surface defining a
recess to accommodate an outer compartment, the outer compartment
comprising: a panel attached to the portion of the outer surface
defining a recess, wherein the panel is nested inside the recess;
and a non-rigid covering for enclosing the outer compartment, the
non-rigid covering attached to the panel, wherein the non-rigid
covering is flush with an exterior surface of the rigid shell;
wherein the portion of the outer surface is disposed on a top side
and a front side of the rigid shell; and wherein the non-rigid
covering is openable from the top side to allow vertical insertion
of an article into the outer compartment.
17. The article of luggage of claim 15 wherein the outer
compartment is shaped and sized to fit a portable computer and the
non-rigid covering including a zipper to open and close the outer
compartment.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present invention is directed to an article of luggage.
In particular, the present invention is directed to a hard-shelled
suitcase having an outer compartment.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There are a number of hard-sided suitcases on the market
today. Hard-sided suitcases are desirable for their durability,
sleek form, and ability to protect the contents of the suitcase,
particularly during baggage handling at airports.
[0003] One drawback of hard-shelled suitcases is their lack of
external compartments. Many travelers find external compartments or
pockets useful for stowing items that might be used during the
trip. External compartments allow the traveler to access the
contents without opening the main compartment of the luggage. While
a variety of pockets may be sewn into soft-shelled suitcases, there
are fewer options for external pockets in hard-shelled
suitcases.
SUMMARY
[0004] It is an aspect of the present invention to provide an
article of luggage with a main storage volume and an outer
compartment. The main storage volume is enclosed by a rigid shell.
The outer surface of the rigid shell is recessed to accommodate the
outer compartment. A panel is attached to the recess and is nested
inside the recess. The outer compartment is enclosed with a
non-rigid covering that is attached to the panel.
[0005] These together with other aspects and advantages which will
be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an article of
luggage.
[0007] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the article of luggage of
FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 shows a partial exploded view of the panel and rigid
shell of the article of luggage of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-section at section plane A-A of
the article of luggage of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 5 shows a partial cross-section at section plane B-B of
the article of luggage of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 6 shows a partial side view of the attachment between
the covering and the rigid shell at the top side of the article of
luggage of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 7 shows a partial side view of the attachment between
the covering and the rigid shell at the front side of the article
of luggage of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] The present invention will be described with respect to an
article of luggage with a main storage volume and an outer
compartment. The main storage volume is enclosed by a rigid shell.
The outer surface of the rigid shell is recessed to accommodate the
outer compartment. A panel is attached to the recess and is nested
inside the recess. The outer compartment is enclosed with a
non-rigid covering that is attached to the panel. The panel permits
a soft pocket to be added to the outside of a hard-shelled
suitcase. This arrangement combines the advantages of both a
hard-sided suitcase and a soft-sided suitcase. The hard-sided main
compartment is water-resistant and protects its contents from
external forces, while the soft-sided outer compartment is easily
accessible and shapes itself to fits its contents.
[0014] In FIG. 1, an article of luggage is generally shown at 100.
The article of luggage 100 may have the dimensions of a standard
carry-on suitcase, although the dimensions are not particularly
limited. The article of luggage 100 comprises a rigid shell 102
with an inner surface (not shown) defining a main storage volume
(not shown). The rigid shell 102 may comprise two halves that are
openable with a closure 104 to access the main storage volume. The
closure 104 may include a zipper, magnet, snap, latch or other
fastener. In the implementation shown, the closure 104 is a zipper.
The rigid shell 102 may comprise a material such as metal, metal
alloy, carbon composite, polymer, ceramic, or wood. However, the
panel is not particularly limited to the listed materials. Because
of the structure and materials of the rigid shell, the main storage
volume may be substantially fixed in size and shape.
[0015] In addition to the main storage volume, the article of
luggage 100 comprises an outer compartment 106. The main storage
volume may be larger than the volume of the outer compartment, but
the relative sizes of the two storage spaces are not particularly
limited. In some embodiments, the outer compartment may be sized
and shaped to accommodate a substantially flat item, for example, a
laptop computer. Many travelers travel with a laptop computer and
they may wish to retrieve the laptop computer at points during the
journey.
[0016] Travelers may find it advantageous to stow items in the
outer compartment 106, separately from the items stowed in the main
storage volume. This may allow travelers to retrieve a smaller
number of items during their journey without opening the main
storage volume. Accessing the main storage volume may have the
disadvantage of requiring the traveler to lay the suitcase on the
ground and may expose personal items stowed inside. Further,
travelers may not wish to disturb any carefully arranged items that
are packed within the main storage volume.
[0017] The outer compartment is enclosed by a covering 108. The
outer compartment may be closed or opened with a fastener 110 such
as a zipper, magnet, snap, latch or other fastener, however, the
fastener 110 is not particularly limited. In FIG. 1, the outer
compartment 106 is shown in a closed position.
[0018] In the implementation depicted in FIG. 1, the covering 108
comprises a non-rigid material. The non-rigid material may be
flexible and/or stretchable. Some examples of materials that may
comprise the covering 108 include woven fabric, and non-woven
fabric. Due to the non-rigid material of the covering 108, the
volume of the outer compartment 106 may not be fixed in size or
shape, unlike the main storage volume which may be constrained by
the rigid shell 102. A covering 108 that is non-rigid may shape
itself to accommodate items that are inserted into the outer
compartment 106. The covering 108 may allow the user to insert
objects into the outer compartment that would otherwise not be
accommodated within the dimensions of the outer compartment if the
covering were rigid.
[0019] In other implementations (not shown), the covering 108 may
be rigid or semi-rigid. In implementations with a rigid or
semi-rigid covering, the covering 108 may be hinged or articulated
to facilitate access to the outer compartment 106. In some
implementations with a rigid or semi-rigid covering 108, portions
of the covering 108 may be non-rigid or semi-rigid to facilitate
access to the outer compartment 106.
[0020] It may be desirable to integrate pockets or compartments
that do not interrupt the sleek outline of a hard-shelled suitcase.
As shown in FIG. 1, the covering 108 may be substantially flush
with an outer surface of the rigid shell 112. In this context
"flush" may include a tolerance of about 2-10 millimeters when the
outer compartment is empty (see ref. F in FIGS. 6 and 7). When the
volume of the outer compartment expands to fit items (as described
above with respect to a non-rigid covering 108), the tolerance of
"flush may be about 2-50 millimeters.
[0021] Turning now to FIG. 2, an exploded view of the article of
luggage is generally shown at 100. In this view, the construction
of the outer compartment is visible. A portion of the rigid shell
102 defines a recess 202. The recess 202 may be sized and shaped to
accommodate the outer compartment. In the implementation shown at
100, the recess 202 is positioned on a front side 204 and a top
side 206 of the rigid shell, however the recess 202 is not
particularly limited to this position. In some implementations, the
recess 202 may be positioned on a single side of the rigid shell
102. In other implementations, the recess 202 may be positioned on
any two adjacent sides selected from a list comprising: the top
side 206, the front side 204, a right side (not shown), a left side
(not shown), and a bottom side (not shown).
[0022] In implementations with the recess 202 positioned on the
front side 204 and top side 206 of the rigid shell 102, the outer
compartment may be accessible through the top side 206. For
example, in FIG. 2, the covering 108 includes a fastener 110 that
facilitates opening the compartment from the top side 206. In this
configuration, the fastener 110 (in this case a zipper), is
positioned along a top edge 208 of the covering and continues
partially down the sides 210 of the covering 108. This embodiment
may allow a user to insert items into the outer compartment while
the article of luggage 100 is orientated in an upright position. It
may not be necessary to reorient the article of luggage 100 in
order to access the outer compartment. Further, the outer
compartment in this implementation is sized and shaped to hold one
or more flat items such as books, magazines, notepads, tablet
computers, and personal laptops.
[0023] The recess 202 may include one or more apertures (not shown)
for reducing the weight of the rigid shell 102. The recess 202 may
further include one or more apertures (shown later in FIG. 3) for
accommodating fasteners.
[0024] The article of luggage 100 further includes a panel 212 that
is nested inside the recess 202. The panel 212 may be sized and
shaped to fit within the recess 202 such that the panel 212
substantially covers the portion of the rigid shell defining the
recess 202. The thickness of the panel 212 may depend on the
desired weight of the article of luggage as well as the materials
comprising the panel 212. The panel 212 may comprise a rigid or
semi-rigid material such as metal, metal alloy, carbon composite,
ceramic, polymer, or wood. However, the panel is not particularly
limited to the listed materials.
[0025] The panel is attached to the rigid shell 102. The attachment
of the panel 212 to the rigid shell 102 may include adhesives or
one or more fasteners such as rivets, screws, bolts, or binding
posts. Both removably attachable and non-removably attachable
mechanisms are contemplated. In implementations with fasteners, the
panel 212 may include one or more holes 210 for accommodating the
fasteners (not shown). Corresponding holes (not shown) may be
included in the recess 202. The number and positions of the
fasteners may be selected according to several factors including
the size and shape of the article of luggage, the materials
comprising the panel and rigid shell, the anticipated contents of
the article of luggage, and the size and shape of the outer
compartment. In the implementation shown in FIG. 2, the panel 212
includes six holes 214 for accommodating fasteners on the front
side 204 of the article of luggage 100 and three holes 216 for
accommodating fasteners on the top side 206.
[0026] Turning now to FIG. 3, a partial exploded view of the panel
212 and rigid shell 102 is shown. In this implementation, the
attachment between the panel 212 and the rigid shell 102 is a
fastener 302. The panel 212 may have a number of holes 214 sized
and positioned to correspond with a number of holes 306 in the
portion of the rigid shell defining a recess 202. Each of the holes
214, 306 may accommodate a fastener 302, 304 such as a rivet,
screw, bolt, or binding post. Depending on the type of fastener,
the panel 212 may be removably or non-removably attached to the
rigid shell 102.
[0027] The panel 212 is further attached to the covering 108. A
number of attachment mechanisms may attach the covering 108 to the
panel 212. A single embodiment may include multiple attachment
mechanisms, with different portions of the covering 108 being
attached with different attachment mechanisms. For example, the
bottom edge of the covering 108 may be sewn to the panel 212 with
no closure to access the outer compartment, and the top edge of the
covering 108 may include a fastener which is sewn to the panel
212.
[0028] In FIGS. 4 and 5, partial cross-sections illustrate two
possible methods of attaching the covering 108 to the panel 212.
FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-section at section plane A-A of the
article of luggage 100. FIG. 5 shows a partial cross-section at
section plane B-B of the article of luggage 100. In both FIGS. 4
and 5, the covering 108 encloses the outer compartment 400, and the
rigid shell 102 encloses the main storage volume 401. FIG. 4 shows
an attachment of the covering 108 at the top side 206 while FIG. 5
shows an attachment of the covering 108 at the front side 204.
However, the way of attaching the covering 108 is not particularly
limited to these examples.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the covering 108 may be attached
to the fastener 110, and the fastener 110 may be further attached
to the panel 212. In this example, the fastener is a zipper,
however the fastener is not particularly limited to zippers.
[0030] The edges of the covering 108 may be finished with a binding
402. The binding 402 may comprise a strip of material that is
folded over the edge of the covering 108 so as to cover or protect
the edge of the covering 108. The binding 402 may be attached to
the covering 108 with adhesive or stitching. The binding 402 may
comprise a woven or non-woven fabric, and in some embodiments, the
binding 402 and the covering 108 may comprise the same material.
The covering 108 may further include a lining 403. In embodiments
with a lining 403, the binding 402 may be further attached to the
lining 403 with adhesive or stitching. A portion of the fastener
110 may be attached to the covering 108 between the lining 403 and
the binding 402. The lining 403 may additionally or alternatively
be attached to the covering 108.
[0031] Another binding 404 may finish the edges of the panel 212.
The binding 404 may comprise a strip of material that is folded
over the edge of the panel 212 so as to cover or protect the edge
of the panel 212. The binding 404 may be attached to the panel 212
with adhesive or stitching. In some embodiments, the binding 404
may comprise the same material as the covering 108. The binding 404
may be further folded over a portion of the fastener 110, which is
depicted as a zipper in FIG. 4.
[0032] In some implementations, a top portion 406 of the covering
108 is positioned above an outer surface of the rigid shell 112
when the covering 108 is in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 4.
Consequently, the fastener 110 (in this case, a zipper) is oriented
vertically, allowing the fastener 110 to be visible and more easily
manipulated from the rear side 408 of the article of luggage
100.
[0033] Employing a different attachment mechanism may change the
orientation of the fastener 110. In FIG. 5, a partial cross-section
of the front side 204 of the article of luggage is shown at 100. In
this implementation, the covering 108 is approximately flush with
the rigid shell on the front side 204. Additionally, the fastener
110 is visible and accessible from the front side 204 of the
article of luggage 100.
[0034] The edges of the covering 108 may be finished with a binding
402. The binding 402 may comprise a strip of material that is
folded over the edge of the covering 108 so as to cover or protect
the edge of the covering 108. The binding 402 may be attached to
the covering 108 with adhesive or stitching. The binding 402 may
comprise a woven or non-woven fabric, and in some embodiments, the
binding 402 and the covering 108 may comprise the same material.
The covering 108 may further include a lining 403. In embodiments
with a lining 403, the binding 402 may be further attached to the
lining 403 with adhesive or stitching. A portion of the fastener
110 may be attached to the covering 108 between the lining 403 and
the binding 402. The lining 403 may additionally or alternatively
be attached to the covering 108.
[0035] Another binding 404 may finish the edges of the panel 212.
The binding 404 may comprise a strip of material that is folded
over the edge of the panel 212 so as to cover or protect the edge
of the panel 212. The binding 404 may be attached to the panel 212
with adhesive or stitching. In some implementations, the binding
404 may comprise the same material as the covering 108. The binding
404 may be further folded over the edge of the fastener 110, which
is depicted as a zipper in FIG. 5.
[0036] FIGS. 6 and 7 show partial side views of the attachment
between the covering 108 and rigid shell 212.
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a partial side view of the attachment between
the covering 108 and the rigid shell 212 at the top side 206 of the
article of luggage 100. This view shows how the covering 108 is
raised at the top side 206 of the article of luggage. In some
implementations, such as the one shown in FIG. 6, the top side 206
and the front side 204 of the article of luggage 100 may be joined
with a curved surface 600. Since the covering 108 is substantially
flush with the rigid shell 102, both the covering 108 and the rigid
shell 102 may include curved portions. Flush means that a distance
F is minimized or reduced.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows a partial side view of the attachment between
the covering 108 and the rigid shell 102 at the front side 204 of
the article of luggage 100. This view shows how the covering 108 is
substantially flush with the outer surface of the rigid shell 112.
Flush means that the distance F is minimized or reduced.
[0039] It should now be apparent that the panel illustrated and
described herein enables a soft outer compartment to be included in
a rigid-shelled suitcase. The panel provides a structure to which
the non-rigid covering may be attached. An advantage of the soft
covering described herein is that items may be stuffed into the
outer compartment, in contrast with the main storage volume which
has a fixed volume due to the rigid shell. A further advantage of
the article of luggage described herein is that the outer
compartment can easily be accessed without opening the main storage
compartment. Another advantage of the article of luggage described
herein is that items stowed in the outer compartment are kept apart
from the items in the main storage volume.
[0040] The many features and advantages of the invention are
apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended
by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of
the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will
readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to
limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *