Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTI-LEVEL EXPANDABLE SUITCASE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present patent application claims priority on
United States Provisional Patent Application No. 60/797,774,
filed on May 5, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to luggage and, more
particularly, to suitcases and like pieces of luggage
expandable in size, to increase the volume thereof.
2. Background Art
The amount of luggage used by a traveler often
varies in round trips. A traveler will typically pack some
gifts, business documents or the like, that are destined to
being given at the trip's destination. Likewise, travelers
will often return home with additional luggage, to carry
items such as souvenirs. Similarly, travelers will
frequently shop while on vacation, to benefit from locally
unavailable merchandise, to save on high local taxes, and/or
simply for the pleasure of it.
Accordingly, expandable compartments have been
developed on suitcases and like pieces of luggage. For such
expandable compartments, a zip fastener surrounds the
periphery of a soft-shell suitcase, and is openable to
release folded material. This results in an increase in the
volume of the suitcase. The zip fastener is simply closed
to reduce the size of the suitcase back to its original non-
expanded dimensions.
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Therefore, the size of the piece of luggage may be
adjusted to some extent in order to adjust the carrying
volume of the suitcase as a function of the items to be
accommodated within the suitcase. However, the level of
expansion is somewhat limited by the single zip fastener
with respect to the overall configuration of the suitcase.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to
provide a suitcase or like piece of luggage that addresses
issues associated with the prior art.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a suitcase comprising: a
receptacle portion having wheels at a bottom for rolling
displacement of the suitcase, and a retractable handle
projecting from a top of the suitcase for manipulating the
suitcase during the rolling displacement; a flap portion
connected to the receptacle portion; an access fastener
between the receptacle portion and the flap portion so as to
releasably connect the flap portion to the receptacle
portion to allow/close access to an interior of the
receptacle portion; a first level of lateral expansion on
any one of the flap portion and the receptacle portion, the
first level of lateral expansion having a first-expansion
fastener extending about a periphery of the suitcase and
openable to release suitcase material to increase a volume
of the suitcase; and a second level of lateral expansion on
any one of the flap portion and the receptacle portion, the
second level of lateral expansion having a second-expansion
fastener extending about a periphery of the suitcase and
openable to release suitcase material to further increase a
volume of the suitcase; whereby the volume of the suitcase
is cumulatively increased by the first and the second level
of lateral expansion.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of the
invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying
drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred
embodiment thereof and in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view of a multi-level expandable
suitcase constructed in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, as twice expanded;
Fig. 2 is a left-side view of the multi-level
expandable suitcase of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a right-side view of the multi-level
expandable suitcase of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a rear view of the multi-level
expandable suitcase of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the multi-level
expandable luggage of Fig. 1, with a stand device in a
retracted position; and
Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the multi-level
expandable luggage of Fig. 1, with the stand device in an
extended support position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, a multi-level
expandable suitcase in accordance with the preferred
embodiment is generally shown at 10. In the illustrated
embodiment, the suitcase 10 is of the upright type, and is
in the upright position in Figs. 1 to 4.
The suitcase 10 has a generally rectangular body.
In the illustrated embodiment, it is seen that the suitcase
has a trapezoidal shape (i.e., flared) from a front
viewpoint. Accordingly, the center of mass of the suitcase
10 is lower with this trapezoidal shape, resulting in
additional stability for the suitcase 10. The suitcase 10
has a receptacle portion A and a flap portion B, separable
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to allow access to an interior of the suitcase 10. In
Figs. 1 to 4, the receptacle portion A and the flap portion
B are connected, whereby the suitcase 10 is closed. The
suitcase 10 has a front surface 14 and a rear surface 16.
The periphery of the suitcase 10 is defined by a left
lateral surface 18, a top surface 20, a right lateral
surface 22 and a bottom surface 24.
The front surface 14 is provided with a pouch 26
and a main face pocket 28. The main pocket 28 has a
transverse zip fastener 30.
A retractable handle system 32 is positioned on
the top surface 20 adjacent to the rear surface 16. A
retractable handle 32' extends upwardly from the top surface
of the suitcase 10. In Figs. 1 to 4, the retractable
15 handle 32' is generally at a midpoint of its full extension.
Although not shown, the handle 32' may be fully retracted
into the suitcase 10.
Caster systems 34 are associated with the handle
32', and are positioned at the intersection of the rear
20 surface 16 and the bottom surface 24 of the suitcase 10,
with a rotational axis of casters 34' being generally
parallel to the intersection edge between the rear surface
16 and the bottom surface 24. As is well known, the
suitcase 10 may be tilted so as to rest on the casters 34'
while being supported and handled using the handle 32', in a
rolling configuration of the suitcase 10.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, legs 36 are provided
on the bottom surface 24, adjacent to the front surface 14.
When the suitcase 10 is in the upright position as is shown
in Figs. 1 and 2, the suitcase 10 is supported by the
casters 34' and the legs 36.
A handle 38 is provided on the left lateral
surface 18 (Figs. 1 and 2) in combination with four legs 40
(Figs. 3 and 4) on the right lateral surface 22. The
suitcase 10 may therefore be put down on the ground to be
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supported by the four legs 40 after being transported using
the handle 38.
The receptacle portion A is separated from the
flap portion B by an access zip fastener 42 provided on the
periphery of the suitcase 10 in combination with a tab 44
(Figs. 3 and 4). By opening the access zip fastener 42,
access is provided to an interior of the suitcase 10. The
access zip fastener 42 is typically provided with a pair of
pullers (not shown).
In order to increase the volume of the suitcase
10, a first level of expansion is provided by way of a
first-expansion zip fastener 50. The zip fastener 50 is
provided on the flap portion B and surrounds the full
periphery of the suitcase 10. Accordingly, to expand the
suitcase 10 to the first level of expansion, the zip
fastener 50 is opened by being pulled about the full
periphery of the suitcase 10. The front surface 14 is then
pulled outwardly to expand the suitcase 10. Loose suitcase
fabric 52 is provided to define the additional volume of the
suitcase 10. Otherwise, when the zip fastener is closed,
the loose suitcase fabric 52 is in an accumulated condition
within the suitcase 10.
Similarly, a second level of expansion is provided
by way of a second-expansion zip fastener 54. As is the
case for the first-expansion zip fastener 50, the zip
fastener 54 is provided on the flap portion B and extends
about the full periphery of the suitcase 10. Accordingly,
to expand the suitcase 10 to the second level of expansion,
the zip fastener 54 is opened by being pulled about the full
periphery of the suitcase 10. The front surface 14 is
further pulled outwardly to expand the suitcase 10. Loose
suitcase fabric 56 is provided to define the additional
volume of the suitcase 10.
As best seen in Fig. 2, the two levels of
expansion allow a significant increase in the volume of the
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suitcase 10. Moreover, either one of the two levels of
expansion can be used alone, to reduce the expansion by
half.
It is pointed out that the width of expansion is a
function of the width of the loose suitcase fabric 52 that
is provided. In Fig. 3, it is seen that the widths of
expansion for the first and the second level of expansion
are generally equal. However, it is considered to have two
different widths of expansion, to provide an additional
overall width for the suitcase 10 as opposed to the
embodiment of Fig. 3. More specifically, if the levels of
expansion each provide an additional width of value X, the
expansion is either X or 2X in value. On the other hand, if
the first level of expansion has a value X, the second level
of expansion has. value Y, then the suitcase 10 can be
expanded by X, Y or X + Y.
It is seen from Fig. 2, that the expanded flap
portion B is smaller in length than the receptacle portion A
of the suitcase 10 (i.e., from the rear surface 16 to the
zip fastener 42). This is to reduce the risk of tilting of
the suitcase 10 while in the upright position. The risk of
tilting of course depends on the contents of the suitcase 10
and their effect on the center of mass, but a smaller flap
portion B to a larger receptacle portion A will nonetheless
reduce the risk of tilting.
Also, the capacity of the pockets provided on the
front surface 14, namely pouch 26 and main face pocket 28,
must be limited in view of balancing the suitcase 10 with
respect to tilting. By limiting the size of these pockets,
only small items can be fitted therein. For instance, the
main face pocket 28 is narrow, such that relatively light
items such as documents, shoes (e.g., loafers) can be
accommodated therein. In view of the risk of tilting, it is
also contemplated to remove the main face pocket 28.
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The overall dimensions of the suitcase 10 may also
be selected in view of having the suitcase 10 qualify as
suitable carry-on luggage. However, the multiple levels of
expansion described above can also be used on larger
suitcases and like pieces of luggage.
In an embodiment, the height of the suitcase 10
ranges between 20 to 30 inches, with a height of 25 inches
well suited for the suitcase 10 to be used as carry-on
luggage. A suitable width of the suitcase 10 for a height
of 25 inches, after the two levels of expansion have been
expanded, is 14 inches, so as to obtain a preferred ratio of
1.78:1 between the height and the width, to reduce the risk
of the filled suitcase 10 tipping over for a 25 inch high
suitcase 10. Ratios are lower for smaller heights of the
suitcase 10.
Within these considerations, it is contemplated to
provide the suitcase 10 or like piece of luggage with
additional levels of expansion. For instance, a third zip
fastener (not shown) may be provided adjacent to the second-
expansion zip fastener 54.
Although the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 uses zip
fasteners in the levels of expansion (e.g., metallic or
plastic), other types of fasteners may be used, such as
VelcroTM , buttons, ZiplocTM-type fasteners, tabs with male
and female connectors, or the like. Also, a first level of
expansion or even multiple levels of expansion may be
provided on the receptacle portion A while the flap portion
B has a single or no levels of expansion.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, a stand device 60 is
secured to the bottom surface 24 and is positioned adjacent
to the legs 36. The stand device 60 has a leg 62 that is
displaceable along direction X, from a retracted position
(Fig. 5), to an extended support position (Fig. 6). When
the suitcase 10 is expanded by one or multiple levels, the
leg 62 is displaced to the extended support position of
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Fig. 6 so as to provide additional support to the suitcase
in its upright position (Figs. 1 to 4). This reduces the
possibility of tilting of the suitcase 10 while in the
upright position, as the stand device 60 will participate in
5 supporting the suitcase 10. Moreover, the trapezoidal shape
of the suitcase 10 also reduces the risk of tipping over, by
lowering the center of mass of the suitcase 10.
It is considered to provide straps or like
structural supports (i.e., attachment means) inside the
10 suitcase 10, both in the receptacle portion A and in the
flap portion B. With such structural supports, the items
can be arranged in an organized manner in the suitcase 10.
Accordingly, whether the flap portion B is expanded or not,
the straps or like supports can be used to retain items in
the flap portion B in an organized manner.
