Docstoc feed for: Legal->Patents->Luggage

Travel Assisting Luggage System - Patent 8146722

Patents-165 — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:51:21 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, April 16, 2012

BACKGROUND 1. Field The information disclosed relates to a luggage system having a pullout tray, extendable bottom support systems, an entertainment center, and other items to assist a person while traveling with the luggage system. 2. Background Information Travel in the United States involves a multi-billion dollar industry where travel luggage makes up a significant percentage of the revenues generated in the industry. While there are many cases and containers that hold a traveler's articlesduring transit, wheeled suitcases, carry-ons, duffels, and other rolling luggage are the most popular with travelers since they allow travelers to pack without having to use their backs to carry the weight of their packed articles. Moreover, as manyairlines have tightened their luggage requirements and security measures have become increasingly strict, rolling luggage meets the need for practical and sturdy luggage that meet these requirements and measures. Often, weary airline travelers will use their luggage as a seat, particularly where there are no seats available in an airport terminal. In particular, the September 11 terrorists' attacks resulted in increased security at airports causingtravelers to spend a substantial amount of time in long lines where airport seats are not provided. In response to this, several inventors have devised luggage with seats. However, these configurations fail to offer sufficient stability and seatingspace to meet the needs of modern, larger-sized travelers. In addition, such luggage lacks additional features that provide added convenience and comfort for travelers. What is needed is a luggage system to address these and other issues.SUMMARY Disclosed is a travel assisting luggage system to carry articles and otherwise assist a person while traveling with the luggage system. The luggage system may include a frame, a container connected around the frame, an axle connected to theframe and to wheels, an entertainment center attached to

Carry-on Wheeled Luggage For Photographic Equipment - Patent 8123007

Patents-165 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:45:52 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 14, 2012

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable.FIELD The invention relates to carriers for objects such as photographic gear and the like. The invention relates to luggage and in particular wheeled luggage adapted for air travel.BACKGROUND A modern professional photographer in the field typically carries a digital or film camera system comprising at least one single lens reflex (SLR) camera body and several lenses for attachment to the camera body. A professional photographer needs a piece of luggage or carrier for this photographic equipment that is as compact as possible. Such a piece of luggage preferably should be made to fit the limits for carry-on-board bags for air transportationbecause a photographer usually does not wish to have her expensive and delicate photographic equipment transported in checked luggage. In addition, a piece of luggage meeting these size limitations will be more convenient to carry in the field. Carry-on luggage size limitations vary with the airline but most domestic (U.S.) airlines permit a carry-on piece of luggage that is 45 linear (total of the three dimensions) inches. A common sized bag for carry-on luggage that just meets butdoes not exceed this requirement measures twenty-two inches in height by fourteen inches in width by nine inches in depth. Some domestic and foreign airlines specify the maximum sizes permitted for specific dimensions (height, width or depth). Otherairlines specify different maxima for the total linear inches of the carry-on luggage. Currently, carry-on luggage that does not exceed twenty-two inches in height by fourteen inches in width by nine inches in depth will satisfy most airlines' sizelimitations. A carry-on piece of luggage preferably should be able to accommodate an extra-large telephoto lens. An extra-large telephoto lens often used by sports photojournalists and other professional photographers is a 400 mm 2.8 f-stop aperturetelephoto lens (sometimes referr

Small Bag Connector Assembly - Patent 8123009

Patents-165 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:45:29 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 14, 2012

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method increasing the utility, functionality and convenience of a flight bag having small detachable side bags that are normally attached to the larger flight bag. This type of flight bag isused by pilots in general and commercial aviation. The invention allows a pilot the ability to reconnect these small bags together with a shoulder strap so that they may easily be carried together without having to bring along the main flight bag at thesame time. Hence the functionality and size of the assemblage of bags may be changed to suit the user's needs.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pilots may not always fly the same plane and consequently carry equipment, air charts, airport directories, and landing information books as well as an emergency radio, portable GPS unit and a radio headset. During a stopover the pilot may notwant to leave their headsets, GPS unit or emergency radio in a plane while it is parked at an airport. This invention allows a pilot to take his expensive equipment with him by reconfiguring his flight bag into a smaller unit that can go with him while the main part of the flight bag stays with the plane. Therefore, this invention gives a pilotthe flexibility to change the size of his flight bag while keeping the ability to conveniently carry it around with him.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides this flexibility and other advantages with a connector assembly and method having the ability to convert into one carrying unit; one or more of the smaller detachable bags. Usually the shoulder strap from the mainflight bag or a handle is attached to the connector assembly. In preferred embodiment the connector assembly is a thin rectangular (herein, rectangular includes square) structure of several forms, for example: a rigid rectangular frame with top and bottom rails and side supports; a flexible frame with topand bottom rails and a flexible sheet connecting the two rails; a flexible rec

Article Securement System - Patent 8123008

Patents-165 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:44:52 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 14, 2012

This invention relates to the field of article securement systems and more particularly to the field of attaching articles to other articles such as luggage for transport.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is often necessary to transport multiple items particularly when traveling on mass transport. This may include transporting personal items, packages or luggage along with another article of luggage or wheeled cart, multiple articles in acargo bed of a vehicle and many other instances. Often, it is necessary to use some type of a securing system to ensure that the articles do not become loose or separated during transport. There are numerous systems available to secure such articles for transport. These systems range from ropes and straps, elastic cords, chains and turnbuckles to elaborate locking rooftop and cargo bed locking systems. Usually an elastic cordhaving hooks on each end are used in these situations. The use of these cords is often less than desirable due to lack of adjustability, the damage from the hooks, the inability to find secure attachment points and many other reasons. It has become common to use wheeled carts, such as dollies, to transport luggage, briefcases, boxes and other articles. These articles are typically secured with straps, elastic cords and other types of securing devices. These securing devicesare typically a generic elastic cord with hooks that are secured to the cart over the articles. These elastic cords are often accidentally detached causing the articles to spill from the cart and may damage the cart and articles from the hooks. Theseelastic cords are also relatively unattractive as well. Also, their length is often not suitable to safely secure the articles to the cart and require extensive manipulation to secure the articles. Presently, luggage is frequently provided with extendable handles and wheels to make their transport easier. This type of luggage is becoming very popular. However, the use of more than one art

Convertible Pushcart Luggage - Patent 8118145

Patents-165 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 06:15:44 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 14, 2012

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of luggage, suitcases, and to pushcarts and carts, and particularly to wheeled luggage with handlebars to facilitate movement and, stacking of additional luggage or items. 2. Description of the Related Art Many different types of luggage, garment bags, suitcases, and the like with wheels have been developed to facilitate transportation or movement without the need for additional equipment, carts, or wagons, or the services of additional personnel. For example, upright luggage having two wheels near a bottom edge and a pair of handles by which the luggage may be pulled are well-known to make it more convenient for a person, such as a passenger in an airport or using mass transportation to move ortransport the luggage. These are sometimes informally referred to as "wheelie bags." Also known are more traditional "flat" suitcases with four or more wheels at or near a bottom surface to facilitate movement and handling. Further, carts for luggage, including pushcarts, have been developed and used for some time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,773 discloses a luggage cart upon which luggage may be placed with two wheels and a collapsible handlebar. Also,U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,892 discloses a four-wheeled pushcart for luggage. However, a problem remains that often a person travels with more than one suitcase, bag, garment bag, duffel bag, accessories or the like, and therefore even in the unlikely event that they all have wheels and handlebars, it is difficult for oneperson to transport or lug them. Often pushcarts may be rented for a fee at airports, for example, on which luggage may be stacked and moved. However, renting such pushcarts requires finding, paying for, and returning the cart, often in a place such as an unfamiliar airportwhere the passenger lacks change or local currency or does not speak the local language. Further finding and renting such a rentable pushcart may require that the

Wheeled Luggage Case - Patent 8118146

Patents-165 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 06:14:48 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 14, 2012

The present invention generally relates to wheeled luggage, and in particular, to an improved wheeled luggage case.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Luggage today, especially, luggage carried on board mass transport, such as airlines, buses and trains, are provided with features such as straps and/or built-in extension handles and either plastic or metal slider "feet" or miniature wheels. In the prior art, two to four small wheels mounted on the base of the luggage--or even on other surfaces to facilitate moving the luggage when the wheels in the base are not in a correct position to roll on a surface--are provided for rolling, generallywithout an axle, but the weight in pulling such a load is mostly on a user and not primarily on the wheels since the luggage generally needs to be tilted on two wheels to more readily move it. These features are designed to facilitate sliding or rolling luggage over paved concourses and for general movement within stations and between arrival and departure terminals which may be separated by quite a walking distance. But suchfeatures generally do not fully ease the burden of pulling a load across various floor surfaces, both indoor and outdoor and over obstacles such as curbing and stairs encountered in unexpected places. Most mass transportation centers offer assistance to travelers with personal luggage which needs to be moved across large walking distances by providing porter service or large, four-wheeled baggage carts, but aside from the added expense ofsuch a service, it is not always available, either due to lack of baggage carts, especially at peak hours of travel, or because the central collection points for the baggage carts are not conveniently located so as to be immediately useful to a traveler. Another solution is to use a portable, light-weight mini-dolly that folds-up when not in use, but this is an added expense and the folded mini-dolly may be inconvenient to carry when not in use and may be damaged in transit. Further

Case, System And/or Method For Storing And/or For Transporting Articles - Patent 8104594

Patents-165 — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:51:32 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, April 13, 2012

The present invention generally relates to a case, a system and/or a method for storing and/or for transporting articles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a case, a system and/or a method for storing and/or for transportingarticles, such as, for example, office-related articles. The case, the system and/or the method may have a first compartment that may form a first volume of space that may be protected by one or more walls of the case. Further, the case, the systemand/or the method may have a second compartment that may form a second volume. The second compartment may be accessible through one of the walls and may extend into the first volume of the first compartment. The second compartment may be sized toreceive one or more of the articles. Moreover, the second compartment may be opened to form a tray for accessing one or more of the articles that may be stored in the second compartment. It is generally known that luggage, such as, for example, suitcases, trolley cases, briefcases, duffel bags, backpacks and/or the like are used to store and/or transport belongings. Luggage is used to transport the belongings by foot and/or inautomobiles, trains, busses, airplanes and/or the like. Further, it is known that luggage may be constructed in carrier-approved sizes to allow for maximum carrying capability within the overhead compartment size constraints of commercial airplanes,busses and/or trains. Further, it is generally known that business travelers often need to store and transport office-related accessories and/or supplies on business trips by foot and/or in automobiles, trains, busses, airplanes and/or the like. The office-relatedaccessories may be, for example, books, files, documents, pens, pencils, business cards, product demos, marketing displays and/or fixtures and/or portable electronic devices, such as, for example, laptop computers, PDAs, cell phones, electronic musicplayers, power adaptors and/or the like. Still further, busi

Zipper For Luggage And Luggage Using The Same - Patent 8083040

Patents-165 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:38:26 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a zipper, and more specifically to a zipper for use in a luggage, and a luggage using the aforesaid zipper. 2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a luggage using a conventional zipper and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the luggage 1 mainly comprises a first half shell 2, a second half shell 3, a zipper4 installed between the first and second half shells 2 and 3 for joining the half shells 2 and 3, and two end strips 5 respectively mounted to the periphery edges of the first and second half shells 2 and 3 and connected with two fabric tapes 4a of thezipper 4 respectively. In addition to the fabric tapes 4a, the zipper 4 further includes a plurality of interlockable teeth 4b mounted on the two fabric tapes 4a in two rows and a slider 4c reciprocally moveable along the path defined by the two rows ofthe teeth 4b. By means of the engagement or disengagement of the interlockable teeth 4b of the zipper 4, the first and second half shells 2 and 3 can joined together or separated from each other. The end strips 5 are used to cover the unprocessed endedges of the first and second half shells 2 and 3 and the stitching line, showing a sense of beauty for the luggage. In production of the aforesaid conventional luggage, the stitching work is carried out and can be done perfectly only after the three elements, i.e. the fabric tape of the zipper, the end strip and the half shell, are well aligned one toanother. However, the correlative positions of the aforesaid three elements can hardly be maintained in a stable manner during the whole stitching work, resulting in that the fabric tape of the zipper may offset away from a predetermined rectilinearpath where the tape is supposed to be located, which in turn results in that the slider can not move along the teeth smoothly, lowering the yield rate in production of the luggage.

Convertible Storage Container - Patent 8079451

Patents-165 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:09:42 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Children love to play with their toys, but they don't like to clean them up. Children also like to take their toys on the go. What is needed is a simple solution to play, clean-up and on the go fun.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to certain embodiments, an apparatus convertible between at least a storage container in a first configuration and an activity mat in a second configuration includes a generally circular lid having zipper teeth arranged about aperiphery of the lid, a generally circular base having zipper teeth arranged about a periphery of the base, and at least one zipper pull. The apparatus further includes a wall. The wall has zipper teeth arranged to mate with corresponding ones of thezipper teeth of the lid and the zipper teeth of the base such that when the lid and the base are zippered to the wall via the at least one zipper pull in the first configuration, the apparatus has a generally cylindrical shape. The lid and the base maybe unzippered from the wall such that the apparatus can lie substantially flat in the second configuration. According to certain embodiments, an apparatus convertible between at least a storage container in a first configuration and an activity mat in a second configuration includes, a base portion, at least two side portions connected to the baseportion, a lid flap portion connected to the base adjacent the at least two side portions, and at least two zipper pulls. Each of the two sides have first zipper teeth and the lid flap portion has second zipper teeth. The two zipper pulls areconfigured to zip and unzip the lid flap portion to and from the at least two side portions such that when the lid flap portion is substantially zippered to the at least two sides, the apparatus is in the first configuration. The first zipper teethfollow a generally curved path comprising a first positively oriented curved path portion and a second negatively oriented curved path portion. According to certain embodiments, an apparatus

Checkpoint Carrying Case - Patent 8079452

Patents-165 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:08:52 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

BACKGROUND A carrying case or bag is commonly used to carry personal items and/or business-related items when traveling. The carrying case provides protective transport and storage for multiple different items of a user. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows electronic devices, such as portable computers, to remain in a bag at a checkpoint as long as the bag provides a clear and unobstructed image of the electronic device while it undergoesscreening. For example, a bag could have a designated computer-only section that can be, for example, unfolded from other sections of the bag to lie flat on the scanning belt such that there is nothing above or below it. The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.SUMMARY A carrying case includes a first compartment and a second compartment. The first and second compartments are defined by outer facing surfaces, inner facing surfaces, free ends, attached ends and pairs of opposing side ends. A first edge isdefined by an intersection of the inner facing surface and the attached end of the first compartment and a second edge is defined by an intersection of the inner facing surface and the attached end of the second compartment. The first edge and thesecond edge are coupled together by a hinge. The carrying case also includes at least one fastener having a clip coupled to at least one of the side ends of the first compartment and a cord coupled to at least one of the sides ends of the secondcompartment. The clip is configured to receive the cord to secure the inner facing surfaces together. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in det

Suitcase For Transport Of Tools Or The Like - Patent 8061492

Patents-165 — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:04:42 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

This is a National Phase Application filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 as a national stage of PCT/DK2009/050043, filed Feb. 25,2009, an application claiming foreign priority benefits under 35 USC 119 of Danish Application No. PA 2008 000258, filed Feb. 25, 2008, the content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a suitcase for transport of tools or the like, which includes a box-shaped bottom, a corresponding lid and a flip-up handle on the side of the bottom, where the bottom and the lid are connected with each other by one ormore hinges, and where there is a lock for locking the lid to the bottom.BACKGROUND It is known to transport tools or the like in suitcases of the above type. However, the problem of such suitcases is that sometimes the user forgets to lock the lid and thus prevent it from opening. The consequence is often that the lid opensand the contents fall out when the suitcase is lifted in the handle. CH 683585 A5 discloses a suitcase, which includes a box-formed bottom with a corresponding lid and a flip-up handle on the side of the bottom. The flip-up handle forms part of a lock. When the handle is flipped-up, the lid is locked to thebottom thus avoiding that the contents fall out of the suitcase.DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a suitcase, which shows great security in being reliably closed, when the suitcase is lifted in the handle. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the lock includes a latch device, which is turnably mounted on the bottom on the same side of the suitcase as the handle, and which is adapted so that by turning, it engages with the lid andfixes the lid in its closed position, and in that the latch device and the handle have interacting cam means, which effect turning of the latch device into the locked position when the handle is turned to flipped-up position. By this, it is achieved that when the user grips th

Trunk Able To Fix Articles In Position - Patent 8042662

Patents-165 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:25:59 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, November 09, 2011

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a trunk able to position articles in the interior, particularly to one having a trunk body and a cover respectively provided with a soft air bag in the interior and an inflating apparatus for pumping air into the airbags to let them expand and fill up the space in the trunk. Thus, the inflated air bags can function to press and restrictedly position the articles in the trunk and also protect the articles in the trunk from being bumped and damaged. 2. Description of the Prior Art As commonly known, a trunk is used for loading various kinds of articles therein, such as clothes, implements and materials, souvenir and the like, so that the articles can be transported or carried conveniently. However, the articles placed inthe trunk may have different height, width and thickness; therefore, the articles in the trunk can hardly be kept orderly and fixed in position and as a result, the clothes in the trunk cannot be pressed and kept flat, likely to be wrinkled. Inaddition, the lining of a conventional trunk is provided with no protective members for preventing articles from being moved and bumped with each other, and hence the articles in the trunk are liable to be damaged if the trunk is held improperly, bumpedup and down or forcefully pressed during a journey.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objective of this invention is to offer a trunk able to fix articles in position. The trunk body and the cover of the trunk are respectively provided with a soft air bag in the interior, and an inflating apparatus is disposed for pumpingair into the air bags to let the air bags expand and fill up the space in the trunk. Thus, the inflated air bags can function to press and restrictedly position the articles stably in the trunk and also have effect of shock-absorbing and anti-collision. A first feature of this invention is that the trunk body and the cover of a trunk are connected together and respectively provided with a soft a

Luggage Having An Angularly Retractable Handle - Patent 8037983

Patents-165 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:46:29 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, November 08, 2011

1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to luggage, and more particularly, to wheeled luggage having an angularly retractable handle. 2. Description of the Prior Art In a prior art wheeled luggage 100 as shown in FIG. 1, the wheeled luggage 100 comprises a pivot 120 utilized for connecting a handle 130 and a main body 110. As shown in FIG. 1, when towing the wheeled luggage 100, the bottom at one side ofthe main body 110 leaves the ground and wheels 140 at the front side of the wheeled luggage become a pivot of the main body 110. Therefore, the user needs to use more energy to maintain the main body 110 at inclined status. On the other hand, becausethe main body 110 is inclined when towing the wheeled luggage 100, a top wall 150 of the main body 110 is not horizontal and the objects placed on the top wall 150 may drop to the ground easily. In another prior art wheeled luggage 200 as shown in FIG. 2, the wheeled luggage 200 comprises a pivot 220 utilized for connecting a handle 230 and a main body 210. As shown in FIG. 2, because the user does not need to maintain the wheeledluggage 200 at the inclined status as shown in FIG. 2, towing the wheeled luggage 200 is more comfortable than towing the wheeled luggage 100 mentioned above. However, when the user tows the wheeled luggage 200, the degree of comfort the user feels isdetermined by the position of the pivot 220. The position of the pivot 220 shown in FIG. 2 is close to the top wall 250 of the main body 210 and is not an ideal position. On the other hand, sometimes the user may have other baggage with great volumeand may place it on the top wall 250 of the wheeled luggage 200, therefore how to design the wheeled luggage 200 to allow the user to conveniently place additional baggage or objects on the top wall of the wheeled luggage is an important topic forluggage design.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore it is one of the objectives of the claimed invention to provide luggage having a pivot positio

Fully Recessed Translation Biased Cantilever Leg Luggage Device - Patent 8033369

Patents-165 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:14:35 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, November 08, 2011

TECHNICALFIELD The present invention relates to the field of luggage; particularly, to a luggage device having fully recessed legs that may be selectively engaged to translate and pivot about an axis to facilitate controlled movement from a fully recessedstorage position to an operative position for conveniently transporting large heavy objects within the luggage.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION People have been making specialized luggage devices for use when traveling for centuries. Luggage devices for long objects, such as golf clubs, are more awkward to handle than most luggage devices. If the luggage device for long objects isstood on end, it will easily fall over when bumped, so it is usually handled and placed in a horizontal orientation. An important improvement for luggage devices was the addition of two built-in wheels along one edge of the luggage opposite a built-in handle. For most luggage devices, these edge wheels allow the luggage to be tilted to near a balance pointand then pulled or pushed with the handle opposite the wheels. On paved surfaces, this makes it easy for a person to walk while pushing or pulling the luggage. However, when luggage devices that are much longer than they are high are heavily loaded, such as luggage devices for golf clubs, the system of two edge wheels and an opposite handle does not work very well. When the long luggage device istilted to its balance point, the tilt angle is too close to vertical to gain adequate control over the weight of the device. Consequently, the user must tilt the luggage device much closer to horizontal than near the balance point and carry much of theweight in the user's hand, which presents a problem when the luggage device is heavily loaded. For short, heavily loaded, edge-wheeled luggage devices, the problem can be solved by extending the handle so that most of the weight is on the wheels. Such luggage devices with extendable handles are popular. However, if the luggage is long,longer than a

Traveling Case With A Foot Stand Assembly - Patent 8020678

Patents-165 — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:25:00 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 07, 2011

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traveling case, especially to be a traveling case that has a folding frame and can assist a carrier with moving the traveling case. 2. Description of the Prior Arts Most traveling cases are used during travels in order to carry luggage. The traveling case in accordance with the prior art has a bottom, a back, four wheels and a pulling bar. The wheels are respectively attached to corners of the bottom ofthe traveling case in order to facilitate moving the traveling case. The pulling bar is mounted on the back of the traveling case to aid holding the traveling case. When the traveling case is moved, the traveling case is inclined relative to the groundso two wheels of the traveling case move over the ground. However, when the weight of the traveling case is high, the traveling case is easily toppled so travelers have to use a force to stabilize the traveling case in order to avoid the traveling case toppling, thereby limiting a weight that may becarried and reducing convenience of use. To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main objective of the present invention is to provide a traveling case that has a folding frame to assist moving the traveling case. A traveling case in accordance with the present invention comprises a container and a foot stand assembly. The container has a top, a bottom, a rear, a handle, multiple wheels and a foot stand recess. The handle is mounted on the top of thecontainer. The wheels are pivotally mounted on the bottom of the container. The foot stand recess is mounted on the rear of the container. The foot stand assembly is mounted on the rear of the container and has a foot stand and a telescopic strut. When the traveling case is loaded, a carrier is not required to stabilize the traveling case in order to avoid the traveling case toppling. Therefore, the travelin

Rotatable Foot-wheel Used For Luggage Trunk - Patent 8020679

Patents-165 — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:25:30 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 04, 2011

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotatable foot-wheel used for a luggage trunk, and in particular to a rotatable foot-wheel that can be mounted and detached in a swift manner. 2. The Prior Arts Nowadays, the bottoms of most of the luggage trunks are provided with wheel stands, so that luggage trunk does not need too much force to pull along, thus it is convenient to travel and tag along the road. However, after long period of usage byusers, and due to long term wearing-out by friction between a wheel body of a rotatable foot-wheel of a luggage trunk and the ground, thus causing the wearing-out of wheel body, and resulting in the inconvenience of user while pulling a luggage truckalong the road. In the prior art, a rotatable foot-wheel is connected directly to a main body of a luggage trunk, so that when user would like to replace a worn-out wheel body, he has to go to a professional repairman or a vendor shop providingafter-sales-service for replacement. In addition, a user must line up and then wait for the replacement of wheel body, and the replacement of wheel body itself will take quite some time. As such, a user having a worn-out wheel body must make a specificappointment with a repairman or a vendor shop for the repairment as required. Therefore, for the user of a luggage trunk having worn-out wheel body, the repairment and/or replacement of wheel body will take quite a lot of time. In view of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a rotatable foot-wheel used for luggage trunk, so as to solve the afore-mentioned problems of the prior art.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A major objective of the present invention is to provide a rotatable foot-wheel of a luggage trunk, so that user is able to replace the worn-out elements by himself. The present invention provides a simple and easy detachment and mounting meansfor facilitating user in repairing and reusing luggage trunk in a swift manner. The p

Collapsible Container - Patent 8016090

Patents-165 — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:04:58 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 03, 2011

BACKGROUND Insulated soft-sided containers are used to carry items that are to be kept cooler or warmer than the surrounding environment. Such containers typically have four insulated side walls, an insulated bottom and an insulated top that may be openedto gain access to the interior of the container. The top is usually secured to the side walls using a fastening mechanism such as a zipper or hook-and-loop materials, such as Velcro.RTM.. Many containers also include one or more handles for carryingthe container. When such a container is not in use, it is desirable to collapse the container so that it occupies less space during storage. The insulating material can make it difficult to keep the container in a collapsed state since the insulating materialis resilient and resists being folded. The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.SUMMARY An insulated container has a front, back, top and bottom. Pairs of mating members are located on the front and pairs of mating members are located on the back to maintain the container in a collapsed state. The mating members on the front arepositioned such that the mating members form a connection when the top of the container is folded on top of the front of the container. The mating members on the back are position such that the mating members form a connection when the bottom of thecontainer is fold on top of the back of the container. In some embodiments, the mating members are positioned on portions of handles attached to the container. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed

Combination Suitcase And Chair Apparatus - Patent 8016089

Patents-165 — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:04:36 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 03, 2011

Luggage has been a commonly used item for at least hundreds of years. There come times though, when a traveler needs to rest, whether by necessity or desire. Such times might include a wait for a bus, a train, an airplane, or just a stop alongthe way. Carrying a chair is not convenient, especially as luggage is already being carried. Many have thus recognized that combining a luggage item with a chair is a useful endeavor. Several devices have been proposed. While each may be useful, nonecombine all of the most desirable traits in a suitcase that includes a chair. Some have proposed a chair that is visibly and physically available on an exterior of a suitcase, a feature that some find unappealing. Some have proposed a chair that isremovably attached to a piece of luggage. Some do not elevate a user above a ground surface. The present apparatus provides the advantages wanted by most travelers who might enjoy a means of rest along their journey.FIELD OF THE INVENTION The combination suitcase and chair apparatus relates to luggage and more especially to a suitcase that also includes a chair that is hidden from view until used.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of the combination suitcase and chair apparatus, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a combination suitcase and chair apparatus which has many novel features that result in an improved combination suitcaseand chair apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. To attain this, the combination suitcase and chair apparatus provides a suitcase typical in appearance to many others. However, substantially hidden within the suitcase are the four legs and the section leg that provide for the apparatus to beused as a chair. The four legs telescope and provide for the first section to be the adjustable height chair bottom. The section leg importantly pivots and telescopes from the second sect

Reconfigurable Travel Trunk - Patent 8011484

Patents-165 — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:09:41 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 03, 2011

This invention relates generally to luggage and, in particular, to a versatile travel trunk that may be reconfigured for various purposes using modular, compartmentalized components.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For over a century, people have been designing trunks and cases to hold different items in an organized manner for travel, display and other purposes. As one example of many, U.S. Pat. No. 885,979, relates to packing cases for hats comprisinga cabinet having the outward finish and general appearance of a trunk and having ways therein and shelves slidable in the ways and adjustable to different distances apart so as to accommodate hats of different dimensions, and means for firmly securing ahat to each of the shelves. Although designs such as these have a hinged door, it is simply a door for closing, including no further provision for carrying any other type of article. U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,612 resides in a carrier for hockey equipment in the form of a generally box-shaped container body which is molded in a high-impact plastic material, including a pair of wheels at its bottom rear edge. Clamps are providedon the back face of the container for frictionally retaining a pair of hockey sticks that can be used to manipulate the carrier on its wheels. The container has doors at the front, a lower one of which can be folded down to form a platform on which ahockey player can stand while changing. An upper door opens laterally. The two doors provide access to a number of wire baskets within the container body, for accommodating hockey equipment. Modularlity is limited, however, as this design is intendedfor a specific purpose. A wheeled upright luggage case having oversized wheels for improved rolling movement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,641. The luggage case has a pair of wheels that are oversize in proportion to the body of the case. The oversize wheelsare rotatably mounted in fender assemblies disposed on the outsides of the body of the case

Retracting Luggage Work Station - Patent 7987955

Patents-165 — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:30:59 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, September 29, 2011

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to shipping containers and, more particularly to a retracting luggage work station that provides a rolling suitcase with a work station that extends out from the suitcase to support a laptop computer, food items orthe like while waiting at an airport or other transportation terminal. 2. Description of the Related Art Suitcases and luggage with wheels and retractable handles are well known. These features enable the user to easily extend the handle upwardly and pivot the suitcase onto its wheels in order to provide the user with an easy and convenient methodof transporting the suitcase. Many people find rolling luggage far more preferable than using a shoulder strap or a handle for transporting the suitcase. Typically, airplane travelers carry portable computers and other personal electronic items in a separate carrying case, in addition to the conventional suitcase in which common travel items are stored. This is done so that the larger suitcasecan be checked with the airline and the computer can be brought onboard the airplane and used during the flight to catch up on work while away from the office. Additionally, as most major airports offer WiFi and other wireless Internet access, airplanetravelers also utilize their laptop computers while waiting at airport terminals. In addition to working on a laptop computer, it is also convenient for travelers to have a table or other flat surface to enjoy a meal or beverage. Often, because airport gates and food service areas are very crowded, there are no availabletables or suitable flat surfaces upon which to place a laptop or a meal. Thus, a retracting luggage work station solving the aforementioned problems is desired.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The retracting luggage work station is a rolling suitcase with an extendable handle that has a retractable work frame extendable outwardly from a side of the suitcase. The work frame has a floor support that extends

Soft Sided Luggage Case With Independent Wheel Hub - Patent 7984797

Patents-165 — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:12:14 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, September 29, 2011

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to soft sided luggage cases. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a soft sided luggage case with internal frame independent of wheel hub. 2. Description of the Background Travelers generally desire a luggage case that is sufficiently sturdy and rugged to securely protect their items, even against the most aggressive of baggage handlers. However, increased protection typically comes at the expense of added weightat a time when most airlines have implemented checked luggage policies that impose surcharges if the weight of a piece of baggage exceeds a certain maximum, for example, 50 lbs. per bag. Moreover, travelers prefer lighter luggage for the obvious reasonthat it is simply more difficult to transport heavier luggage. Consequently, travelers are concerned about the weight of their empty luggage case such that soft sided luggage cases, being relatively lighter than their rigid counterparts, have becomeincreasingly popular. Wheeled or "rolling" luggage cases have also become particularly popular because they enable travelers to roll their luggage through, for example, an airport terminal rather than carry the full weight of the bag and its contents. However, the wheels and hubs of a soft-sided rolling bag in addition to the internal support frame make up the bulk of the weight of any soft-sided rolling luggage case. The competing interests of light weight construction and robust, strong protectionwith easy mobility continue to present challenges to luggage designers. Prior art internal supporting frames for soft-sided luggage cases commonly comprise a series of lightweight rods joined at the corners of the case by corner brackets. The fabric skin of the case may be stretched over the frame and affixed tothe corner brackets to provide a measure of structural rigidity to the frame in addition to protection of its contents during travel. For wheeled luggage, the wheels and

Pull-rod Computer Bag - Patent 7975816

Patents-165 — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:48:36 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, September 28, 2011

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS Not applicable.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable.NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT Not applicable.REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC Not applicable.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to luggage, and more particularly to an innovative bag to accommodate and to carry a notebook computer. 2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98 With the progress of science and technology and the overflow of information, more and more people choose to carry notebook computers during travels or negotiations, thus gaining easier access to information conducive to dealing with electronicaffairs or business negotiations. In response to this requirement, a "pull-rod computer bag" is developed in this industry. It is characterized in that, its inner space is exclusively designed for accommodating a notebook computer. Some relevantaccessories are also arranged for placing the files or meeting relevant requirements of the users. When going abroad with the pull-rod computer bag, the users are often required by the inspectors of airports and ports to open the bag and take out the notebook computer to identify clearly if any contraband is contained therein. Yet, since thenotebook computer is a precision electronic product, severe impact or vibration may lead to its malfunction or even damage. But, during time-pressing customs clearance process, the notebook computer may slip out of the user's hands or be placed by astrong force, leading to mechanical loss or damage. Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy. Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based o

Side Bag For Motorcycles - Patent 7963379

Patents-165 — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:02:28 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The present invention relates to a saddlebag for motorcycles. Most motorcycle saddlebags are made of two luggage shells manufactured by the injection molding process. They therefore have a fixedly defined volume. If they are only partially loaded, the items loaded into the bag may cause rattling noisesand may slip, which could even have a negative effect on driving stability. Another disadvantage of saddlebags having a volume that is fixed, i.e., not adjustable, is that one must always drive with maximum air resistance even with a small load. As an alternative, there are also luggage containers that are made of leather or textile and can be mounted on the side in the rear end of the motorcycle. However, such luggage containers have a low stiffness, a relatively limited service loadand offer very little protection from theft. Furthermore, they become deformed due to the weight of the load goods and due to wind forces, which can have a negative effect on driving stability. The object of the present invention is to create a motorcycle saddlebag which is variable in volume and with which these disadvantages are avoided. This object is achieved through the features, embodiments and refinements of the invention discussed below. The invention relates to a motorcycle saddlebag having a luggage interior part and a luggage exterior part. When the saddlebag is mounted in the lateral area of the rear end of the motorcycle, the interior part of the luggage is facing towardthe motorcycle and the exterior part of the luggage is facing away from the motorcycle. To open and close the saddlebag, the luggage exterior part can be pivoted with respect to the luggage interior part. The core of the present invention consists of arranging a "flexible luggage intermediate part" between the luggage interior part and the luggage exterior part. When the saddlebag is closed, the luggage intermediate part connects the luggageinterior part to the luggage exterior part. Owing to the flex

Electronic Devices For Luggage - Patent 7954610

Patents-165 — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:10:30 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, June 22, 2011

This invention relates to electronic devices for luggage.BACKGROUND Luggage devices are commonly used by travelers. In some cases, luggage devices can be wheeled by the user. A luggage device can, for example, include wheels attached to a lower portion of the luggage device, and a handle attached to an upperportion of the luggage device. Thus, the user can grasp the handle and push or pull the luggage device such that its wheels roll along the ground surface to convey the luggage device. Travelers can carry a wide range of goods in luggage devices.SUMMARY In one aspect, the invention features a wheeled transport device configured to be manually wheeled by a pedestrian user. The wheeled transport device includes a body defining a compartment configured to contain goods, at least one wheeldisposed at a lower portion of the body and secured to the body for rotation along a surface upon which the user is walking, a handle attached to an upper portion of the body, and an electronic device mounted to the handle. The handle is configured toretract within a cavity defined by the body, and the electronic device is configured to deactivate when the handle is retracted. In another aspect, the invention features a wheeled transport device configured to be manually wheeled by a pedestrian user. The wheeled transport device includes a body defining a compartment configured to contain goods, at least one wheeldisposed at a lower portion of the body and secured to the body for rotation along a surface upon which the user is walking, a handle attached to an upper portion of the body, and a WiFi locating device mounted to the handle. The handle is configured toretract within a cavity defined by the body, and the WiFi locating device is adapted to detect WiFi signals. In a further aspect, the invention features a wheeled transport device configured to be manually wheeled by a pedestrian user. The wheeled transport device includes a body defining a compartment configured to c

Dual Compartment Tool Bag - Patent 7950509

Patents-165 — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:48:00 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, June 21, 2011

In the principal aspect the present invention relates to a tool bag and, more particularly, to a tool bag, which includes first and second generally parallel access openings in the top thereof. Historically, tool bags have been limited to a single hinge top opening for access to a single interior compartment. The hinge opening, sometimes termed a "Gatemouth" opening, provides wide-open access to the contents of the bag. This style ofbag construction has also been used for travel bags, medical bags, tool bags, legal and accounting document bags and handbags. While such single mouth or single top entry bags are exceedingly useful, often their utility is diminished since the person using such a bag may not need or desire to place all of their tools or items in a single compartment. Rather, it may bemore convenient to have side-by-side, separated dual compartments. Thus, there has need for a dual compartment case or bag and, in particular, a bag having top openings which open widely by folding outwardly to reveal the entire interior of the separatecompartments of the bag.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the invention relates to a soft sided bag having first and second generally parallel flexible open mouth access openings in the top of the bag wherein each of the separate openings connect to a separate compartment within the bag and,in one embodiment, wherein the separate compartments may be joined to expose the entire undivided interior of the bag. Further, the invention contemplates the patterns of the materials utilized to create the double, open mouth bag since theconfiguration of various panels forming the bag is disclosed as well as the manner in which the panels are connected either permanently or temporarily by fasteners, for example, and by various sewing and assembly techniques. The bag has a generallyrectangular rigid base whereas the sides of the bag are generally flexible and soft sided so that the dual open mouth construction of the bag is facilita

Zipperless Expansion System - Patent 7699149

Patents-165 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 23:26:08 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, April 29, 2011

The present invention relates to expandable luggage, and more particularly toexpandable luggage having a zipperless expansion system.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONExpandable luggage are well known. Many expandable luggage use a zipper expansion system comprising two frames, an expandable section of fabric attached between the two frames, and a zipper running along the perimeter of the luggage between thetwo frames. In other expandable luggage, the expandable section is located at the edge of the luggage without framing, in which case the expansion is soft. The zipper is closed to decrease the volume of the luggage by pulling together the two frames orexpansion fabric and folding the expandable section into the interior of the luggage. The zipper is opened to expand the volume of the luggage by allowing the two frames to move apart and the expandable section to unfold.The zipper expansion system has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the zipper expansion system does not enable a person to adjust the volume of the luggage to intermediate volumes between the zipped closed and zipped openconfiguration. This is because all of the fabric of the expandable section is loosened when the zipper is opened. Another disadvantage is that the expandable section does not provide a semi-rigid support to protect articles inside the luggage fromexternal forces exerted on the luggage, such as other luggage placed on top of the luggage.Another type of expansion system comprises two frames, plates attached to the frames, and a locking mechanism. The volume of the luggage is adjusted by sliding the plates attached to one of the frames along rails on the other frame. The lockingmechanism is used to lock the plates into place at a desired volume. A disadvantage of this expansion system is that strong external forces exerted on the luggage, such as shock, can break and/or damage the locking mechanism.Therefore, there is a need for an expansion system that enables a person

Tool Bag With Integrated Exterior Foam Pad - Patent 7694788

Patents-165 — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:02:34 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, April 29, 2011

CROSSREFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONSNot ApplicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCHNot ApplicableREFERENCE TO APPENDIXNot ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to the field of tool bags and foam pads.B. Prior ArtThe Spencer Patent Application (U.S. App. No. 2003/0019007) discloses a knee cushion with integrated support depressions.The Kehoe Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,671) discloses a multi-purpose roofing tool kit that assists a roofer in the covering of a roof surface with shingles or tiles. This kit includes foam rests, and these foam rests remain part of a largeassembly of tools that are inside a chest, which in essence fails to provide rapid deployment or storage for knee pads.The Escobedo Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 447, 850) illustrates an ornamental design for a kneeling pad.The Ouellette et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,177) discloses an oil resistant portable knee pad designed to magnetically attach to a metal surface when not in use.The McDowall Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,046) discloses a rigid lightweight knee board for cement finishersThe Ward Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,054) discloses an upwardly arched pair of padded knee boards designed for cement finishers.The Crain Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,424) discloses an improved kneeling apparatus for cement masons.The Bidwell et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 376, 481) illustrates an ornamental design for a kneeling pad.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a resilient foam pad that is integrated into the bottom exterior of a tool bag. More specifically, the invention relates to maximizing the inter-compatibility of a tool bag and a highly portable foam pad. Theupper surface of the foam pad is adorned with a nylon loop fastener attracting carpet. Attached to the bottom side of the tool bag is a nylon hook fastener lining. The tool bag is designed to offer storage and detachment of the foam pad w

Bag With Caster Wheels - PDF

Patents-165 — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:17:42 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, April 27, 2011

This invention relates to a bag with free swiveling caster wheels provided in the four corner regions of the bottom of the bag, and in particular to a bag that can move in any direction in a horizontal plane while standing independently on freelyrotating caster wheels.The present inventor has developed a bag which can stand independently and is free to move in any direction. This bag has free swiveling caster wheels mounted on the bottom surface of the main bag. Free swiveling caster wheels are provided atthe four corners of the bottom surface of the main bag to allow it to stand on its own in a vertical position. A handle for moving the bag extends upwards and is connected to the main bag. A bag of this configuration can move freely in any directionwhile in a vertical standing position. A bag, which is moveable in this position, can be readily moved in crowded areas. In addition, it has the feature that it can be moved while being used as a supporting cane. Further, since the four caster wheelsare free to move in any direction, the bag can freely move in any direction while standing in a vertical position. A vertically standing bag does not apply any of its weight to the handle. Therefore, even an extremely heavy bag can be easily movedsimply by pushing.In a bag with this structure, standing can become unstable when the lateral width of the bag is narrowed. Since free swiveling caster wheel direction naturally changes according to the direction of bag movement, instability can result frominconsistency in the movement direction. For example, when a bag is moved sideways in the direction shown by arrow A in FIG. 1, the bag can fall in the direction of movement as shown by arrow B. This is because caster wheels 41 on both sides of the bagface in the same direction, and the center of support for caster wheels 41 on both sides shifts from the center of the main bag 43. Further, if the main bag 43 is moved left and right as shown in FIG. 2, caster wheels 41 o

Handle Of A Two Pulling Rod Suitcase - Patent 7658269

Patents-165 — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:29:28 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, April 25, 2011

The present invention relates to a handle of a suitcase, and particularly to a handle of a two pull rod suitcase which enables the handle to be ready to press in use thereby increasing controllability and comfortability thereof.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA suitcase is a common instrument to the modernist for containing articles during traveling or going aboard. A common suitcase may be configured with one pulling rod or two pulling rods for pulling the suitcase. Since two pulling rods have abetter supportability to the suitcase in use, the two pulling rods may be configured to a relatively large-scale suitcase or a suitcase which is focused to structure and operation stability. So the two pulling rod suitcase is still a main style of thepulling suitcase. A two pulling rod suitcase is mainly disposed with a pair of pulling rods at a suitcase body thereof. The upper ends of the two pulling rods are connected with a handle. The handle is disposed with a button. The protraction andretraction operation of the pair of pulling rods can be controlled through pressing the button of the handle. However, since a palm of a person holds at the handle during pulling and holding the suitcase and the button is just located at the inner sideof the center of the palm, inconvenience and unhandiness in operation is caused. Customarily, it is required to stop, release the hand and change the position of the hand and then press the button through fingers, which is not fit well to ergonomics. Furthermore, since the thumb of a hand can singly and sidewards extend when the hand holds the handle, and since the control agility of the thumb is better than that of the palm, if convenience of controlling the button of the handle is further improved,a technical solution fitting to ergonomics can be reached.Therefore, it is desired to improve a handle of a two pulling rod suitcase to have more controlling convenience, comfort and operation sense of reality.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe pres

Carrying Bag Having A Detachable Bottom Portion - Patent 7900757

Patents-165 — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:19:15 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, April 22, 2011

1. Field of the Invention Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to carrying bags. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to multi-portion carrying bags having at least a top portion and a detachable bottom portion. 2. Description of the Related Art Many types of carrying or tote bags are known in the art. Carrying bags are traditionally used to carry and keep within arm's reach a wide range of items that may be needed or used numerous times during the course of a day. Typical itemscommonly carried in a carrying bag may include items for children and adults such as: diapers, toys, food and snacks, clothing, shoes, books, portable electronics such as a DVD player, DVDs and other baby or child-related items, and cosmetics, beautyaids, automobile and house keys, travel or airline tickets, pens and notepads, cellular telephones, checkbooks, personal data assistants (PDAs), wallets, money, credit cards, sporting equipment and other useful adult items. One problem frequentlyassociated with carrying so many items of diverse sizes and shapes is that it becomes difficult to quickly or easily find a particular desired item within the single storage enclosure that is typical of most carrying bags. This is because the items areusually layered on top of one another in a bucket-like area in the middle or interior of the bag resulting in the desired item being hidden underneath others. Further, because there is typically no way to organize the items in the bucket-like area of the bag, the items constantly shift and commingle with one another during use of the bag. This is typical of existing pocketbooks, knap sacks, backpacks, tote bags, etc. To help a user organize items within existing carrying bags, smaller bags are typically used to store snacks and food, insulated bags may be used to store drinks, "diaper pods" may be used to hold baby changing items and accessorycases may be used for cosmetics, etc. When all of these smaller ba

Carry-on Case For Conforming To The Curved Shape Of An Overhead Carry-on Luggage Compartment - Patent 7900758

Patents-165 — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:18:37 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, April 22, 2011

This invention relates to carry-on luggage cases, specifically luggage cases designed to fit in most aircraft overhead compartments. More particularly, this invention relates to carry-on luggage cases that take full advantage of the spaceavailable in the rather wedged-shaped overhead compartments positioned on the extreme port and starboard sides of the passenger compartment where the airplane fuselage causes those overhead compartments to taper sharply along their back most or rear mostlocations. Tapering carry-on cases have been known in the art. For example, U.S. design Pat. D374773 to Domotor, also assigned to the assignee of the subject invention, illustrates such a tapering case. However, full advantage of this shape has beenunavailable since the passenger would have to remove this case from the overhead compartment to access books, laptop computers, etc., packed therein. It is an object of this invention to provide a carry-on luggage case that conforms to the shape of the aircraft's overhead compartments while allowing a traveler to easily access the case's contents without having to remove it from the overheadcompartment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the prior art carry-on case and a carry-on case in accordance with the claimed invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred form of that carry-on case. FIG. 3 is a right side view thereof. FIG. 4 is a front view thereof. FIG. 5 is a left side view thereof. FIG. 6 is a top view of the carry-on case. FIG. 7 is a back view thereof. FIG. 8 is a view of the carry-on case in its stowed position with the tapered upper portion inserted first into the overhead compartment leaving the bottom portion exposed to the inner surface of the door of the overhead compartment such thatthe traveler can access the contents of the case that are stored within an "all-sides accessible" pocket. FIG. 9 is a similar view thereof with a self-hinging lid fully open to expose the entire main p

Selectively Removable Pull Bar For A Portable Container - Patent 7896143

Patents-165 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:47:58 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, April 18, 2011

The present disclosure relates generally to wheeled portable containers having pull bars and more particularly to collapsible frame luggage with selectively removable pull bars.BACKGROUND INFORMATIONIt is known in the art that adding wheels to portable containers, especially luggage, provides significant mobility improvements over non-wheeled containers. Even a very brief observance of an airport or train station demonstrates consumerpreference for wheeled luggage. Including a pull bar and handle aides the operator of the portable container in maneuvering the same. The pull bar typically extends out from the container and thereby provides at least two advantages. The pull barextends the handle up to a height of the operator's hand thereby removing the need for the operator to hunch or bend to reach the container. Additionally, a pull bar allows for the portable container to trail behind the operator providing clearance fromthe operator's legs and feet.Many portable container designs, especially those for luggage, include two wheels disposed along a lower edge of the container. In such configuration, the container must pivot about the wheels and maintain in an angled position during transit toensure that no portion of the container drags along the ground surface. The natural pendulum effect of human locomotion can result in a continuous oscillation of the pivot angle. The oscillation can result in shaking of the container and the contentstherein. The oscillation can be prevented with additional manual intervention by the operator, and the additional manual intervention can be difficult for the operator to maintain over a long period of time.Many portable containers with semi-rigid walls retain their shape even when empty. The internal void of a container can consume a significant volume of storage space. While other items could be stored within the container, this could increasethe time required to pack, unpack, and store the container.The pull bars of the

Carry - PDF

Patents-165 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:58:04 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, April 18, 2011

This invention relates to softside luggage case construction, specifically luggage cases sized to be carried on into the cabin of a commercial aircraft by the traveler. More specifically, this invention relates to luggage cases sized to fitbeneath the aircraft seat directly in front of the passenger. In many instances the traveler has no choice but to place his or her carry-on luggage in the extremely restricted space beneath the passenger seat immediately in front of the traveler. Thisspace must also accommodate the feet of the passenger. For tall passengers, this is a major problem. The passenger must put his or her feet on either side of the carry-on luggage case stowed in this precious space or place his or her feet on the caseitself. For shorter passengers, it is often an advantage to have carry-on luggage on which to place ones' feet to create a comfortable position and to rest ones' feet or legs.It is an object of this invention to accommodate both or all passengers to optimize the use of the space below the seat immediately forward of the passenger, as well as to accommodate bottles and containers that may otherwise more easily spill byproviding a shelf space within this carry-on sized luggage case to position a bottle or container at about 45.degree. from a horizontal plane, whether the case is in the stowed position (that is, lying down) below the mentioned passenger seat orstanding erect on its wheels and/or glides as when the case is being towed or wheeled on the provided wheels typical for such luggage cases. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURESFIG. 1 is a perspective view of the luggage case according to this invention.FIG. 2 is right side view thereof.FIG. 3 is a front view thereof.FIG. 4 is the left side view thereof.FIG. 5 is a top view of the luggage case.FIG. 6 is a back view thereof.FIG. 7 is a view of the carry-on case in its stowed position with the flexible lid portion open to expose the specially slanted shelf arrangement.FIG. 8 is a close

Work Bag Or Travel Suitcase With An Incorporated Extendable Pull Handle And With Wheels - Patent 7874408

Patents-165 — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:23:45 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, April 17, 2011

S This application is a 371 of international application number PCT/IB2006/000216, filed on Feb. 6, 2006.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work bag or travel suitcase with an incorporated extendable pull handle and with wheels. 2. Description of the Related Art The most widely varied solutions have been progressively studied for the easy and comfortable transporting of items and documents in the field of work bags and/or travel suitcases. These are normally associated with generally standardstructures equipped with wheels and more or less extractable pulling devices. Some of the known solutions envisage a U-shaped handle on a short side of a bag or suitcase, whose ends are inserted inside the bag or suitcase in a rest position. For use, in collaboration with a device which allows a pair of withdrawn wheels,said handle is also released and can be extracted in an extended position. An example of this kind of solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,038. This solution, however, only allows the suitcase or bag to be pulled in a tilted position andrequires a complicated mechanism for the extraction or reentering rest position of the wheels and handle in the respective seats. Other solutions such as those shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,365 and 3,805,529, envisage a grip element hinged to an end side of the bag or suitcase, which can be moved from a rest position parallel to said side and a rotated andextracted pulling position of the bag or suitcase. In addition to production difficulties, this solution also has considerable encumbrance and difficulty of use. There are also other solutions, mainly in the field of suitcases, wherein the pulling mechanism is mostly contained in the suitcase, occupying a large amount of space. These solutions are consequently not suitable for being used in a bag or thelike, as the very nature of the container provides extremely limited containment space. Furt

Expandable Suitcase - Patent 7874409

Patents-165 — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:23:42 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, April 17, 2011

FIELD The present disclosure relates to luggage. More particularly, the present invention relates to an expandable suitcase the volume of which can be selectively increased or decreased depending on carrying needs.BACKGROUND Luggage is available in a variety of sizes. Typically, a multi-piece luggage set includes multiple suitcases ranging in size from small to large. When travel needs arise, the suitcase which is selected depends typically on the quantity ofluggage which is to be carried. However, storage of multiple pieces of luggage requires a large volume of space.SUMMARY The present disclosure is generally directed to an expandable suitcase. An illustrative embodiment of the expandable suitcase includes an enclosure comprising a length-adjustable and width-adjustable enclosure frame; a pair of expandable endpanels, a pair of expandable side panels and an expandable bottom panel provided on the enclosure frame; a lid comprising a length-adjustable and width-adjustable lid frame pivotally carried by the enclosure frame; and an expandable lid panel provided onthe lid frame. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the expandable suitcase, shown in an open configuration; FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of enclosure frame and lid frame elements of an illustrative embodiment of the expandable suitcase, shown in an open configuration; FIG. 3 is a front view a lid element of an illustrative embodiment of the expandable suitcase, more particularly illustrating lengthwise and widthwise adjustment of the lid; FIG. 4 is a front view of a lid element of an illustrative embodiment of the expandable suitcase, more particularly illustrating lengthwise adjustment of the lid; FIG. 5 is a front view of a lid element of an illustrative embodiment of the expandable suitcase, more particularly illustrating widthwise adjustment of the lid; and FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating an exemplary adjustment pin techn

Combination Luggage And Computer Workstation - Patent 7870937

Patents-165 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 23:28:09 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 16, 2011

A. Field of the InventionA new design for a complete set of luggage consisting of several new innovations to accomplish the following:1. Provide a method whereby a traveler can easily carry and transport a complete set of luggage on a built in dolly that can either be pulled along or pushed.2. Provide at a convenient table top length three configurations of a travelers tote/carry on bag as follows: A. Lap top computer work station B. Cosmetic case C. Casual open tote3. Provide an optional piece of luggage as a bulk files trunk with an adjustable area for personal items and or garments.4. Provide a firm divider board for each piece of luggage that would avoid the necessity to "stuff" luggage full in order to prevent garments from shifting and wrinkling plus allowed saved space to accommodate extra items purchased duringtravel.All of the above will provide the traveler with an easily transported set of luggage, a means to easily access and work at a lap top or have a cosmetic station or have personal items and travel documents easily accessible, carry bulk file,prevent garments from wrinkling and provide an accessory bag for those personal items usually held in your hands during down times.B. Prior ArtThe concept of combining a desk surface with luggage has been around for many years and patents, which address this idea are found in the prior art. A representative example of this type of device is Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,796. TheJohnson device seeks to combine a desk surface with a luggage carrier. Another example in the prior art which seeks to combine dual functions in one device can be found at McNeil, U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,472 and claims a laptop computer support table. Another reference is also found at Ryburg, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,073.Because this device will be used by a business traveler it is anticipated that certain desk materials should be included. An example of that type of device in the prior art can be found at Terkildsen, U.S. Pat. No

Swivelable Trunk Wheel Assembly - Patent 7866453

Patents-165 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:47:29 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 16, 2011

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a swivelable trunk wheel assembly, particularly to a brakable and swivelable trunk wheel assembly.2. Description of the Related ArtCurrently, most trunks have wheels on the bottom, whereby passengers can pull their trunks easily. The wheeled trunks may be divided into the two-wheel type and the four-wheel type. In a two-wheel type trunk, two support legs are arranged attwo corners thereof, and two wheels are arranged at the other two corners, and the wheels are linearly-moving wheels or non-360 degree swivel wheels. A four-wheel type trunk has four 360 degree swivel wheels at four corners thereof. Wheeled trunks areindeed very popular. However, they are all unbrakable. Thus, four-wheel type trunks are hard to stand still. Although a two-wheel type trunk can stand by two support legs, the two unbrakable wheels make it hard to stand stably. Therefore, passengerscannot park their trunks arbitrarily, which should inconvenience passengers considerably.Accordingly, the present invention proposes a swivelable trunk wheel assembly to solve the abovementioned problem.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary objective of the present invention is to provide a swivelable trunk wheel assembly having a braking function to solve the abovementioned conventional problem.Another objective of the present invention is to provide a swivelable trunk wheel assembly, which has a better wear resistance and a longer service life.The present invention proposes a swivelable trunk wheel assembly, which comprises: a wheel frame, a guide hole, a hollow pivotal shaft, a push rod, a press block, a sleeve pipe, two wheels and two rivets. The wheel frame has two accommodationportions arranged at two sides thereof. Two ends of the hollow pivotal shaft horizontally extend out from the two accommodation portions. The sleeve pipe is arranged inside the hollow pivotal shaft, and two ends of the sleeve pipe protrude out from twoends of the h

Retractable Wheel System For Towable Baggage - Patent 7861834

Patents-165 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 07:54:54 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 16, 2011

This invention relates generally to wheeled baggage items having towing handles for rolling the baggage along the ground, and more particularly, to retractable towing wheel assemblies for towable baggage.Various types of bags, from luggage items to briefcases and backpacks, now include wheels and a towing handle which allow the bags to be pulled along a surface rather than being carried above the ground. The towing handle is typically located onan end of the bag opposite the wheels, and the bag is pulled along the ground in an inclined position. Such towable baggage items can be very convenient and are now popular. Retractable wheel systems have also been developed for such towable bags,although improvements are desired.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a towable baggage item is provided. The towable baggage item includes a body defining a storage compartment, the storage compartment configured to receive and carry objects. The towable baggage item also includes aretractable towing member coupled to the body. Furthermore, the towable baggage item also includes a retractable wheel assembly responsive to a position of the retractable towing member, wherein the retractable wheel assembly comprises at least onewheel and an actuator operatively coupled to each the wheel, wherein the actuator is movable along a first linear axis to extend and retract the wheel along a second linear axis different from the first linear axis.Optionally, the second linear axis is substantially perpendicular to the first linear axis and the first linear axis is parallel to a rotational axis of the wheel. The at least one wheel may include a first wheel and a second wheel, the actuatorbeing coupled to both of the first wheel and the second wheel. The actuator may simultaneously move the first wheel and the second wheel to an extended position when moved along the first axis in a first direction, and wherein the actuator maysimultaneously move the first and second whe

Disposable Luggage Wrap - Patent 7861835

Patents-165 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 07:53:14 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, April 16, 2011

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIXNot ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTwo million people pass through airports daily. With the demands on Security after September 9/11, new regulations have been imposed on the traveler. One demand requires luggage to be openable for inspection by security personnel, leavingtravelers with less secure luggage while in transit. This new regulation has not only increased the burden on travelers, but on the carriers, hotels, luggage handlers, and the entire system. When luggage is compromised, because luggage is not locked,it is more difficult to fend off responsibility for theft claims, even when a carrier may not have been the party holding or handling the bags when the violation occurred.The luggage industry has been successful in standardizing luggage to selected sizes, shapes and color. As a result, most luggage looks very similar, and the traveler must locate their luggage with the aid of small I.D. (identification) tags,attached to the luggage with string or straps. Unfortunately, these I.D. tags may be torn from the luggage during transit. Travelers have also been warned about placing too much I.D. information on a tag for fear a potential vandal will learn wherethey live. Some people are hesitant to use I.D. tags containing personal information. The identification tags are often difficult to read from a distance, or while the luggage is in route on a conveyor, resulting in confusion, mistakes, time delays,and lost and misappropriated luggage. In August 2006, the rate of mishandled bags rose to 8.08 per 1,000 passengers, according to airconsumer.ost.dot.gov. Since August 2006, when domestic airlines dramatically restricted what could be carried on board,the number of checked bags has soared. According to numbers released by the U.S. Department of Transportation in September 2006, some 183,234 bags were mishandled, up 92 percent from the year before. Gl

Collapsible Bag Mounting Structure And Collapsible Bag Associated Therewith - Patent 7849984

Patents-165 — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:57:57 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, April 15, 2011

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThis disclosure generally relates to a container, e.g., luggage, a suitcase, or a bag, and more particularly to a collapsible bag.BACKGROUNDContainers such as bags and other similar devices, e.g., suitcases, luggage items, cases, etc., exist to, among other things, help a person easily transport items. For example, travelers often use suitcases to easily transport clothes and otheritems when traveling to a remote destination. A container that is rigid in nature has an advantage of helping to protect the contents of the container. A disadvantage of many known rigid containers, however, is that they are not easily stored. Forexample, when not in use, people often store containers, (e.g., suitcases) with nothing in them. In so doing, the containers may take up valuable space with nothing but air inside them. As another disadvantage, it is not economical to ship suchcontainers when empty.To overcome this disadvantage, one known solution has been to use a collapsible bag rather than a container with a more rigid or semi-rigid structure. Thus, a user may, in one form or another, expand the volume within the container when usingthe container to carry items and then, when not in use, may collapse the container so as to store the bag in a space-saving mode, i.e., the bag has a space saving shape. For example, containers may be made from a soft, flexible sides that may be foldedor otherwise compacted next to the bottom of a bag. As one example, such a container may be a duffel bag, which may have a rigid bottom if desired.Such solutions, however, are not without their problems. For example, duffel bags may not be appropriate appearance-wise for some situations. Furthermore, flexible containers are often to construct with other advantageous features ofcontainers, such as telescoping handles and wheels to facilitate the ease of transport.Thus, a need exists for an improved container (e.g., suitcase, bag, luggage item).SUMMARYA collapsible bag i

Adjustable Carrier With Straps - Patent 7841454

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:39:22 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, April 14, 2011

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention relates to a carrier designed to add additional carrying capacity to an existing carrying case of various sizes and shapes fitted with at least one handle.BACKGROUNDAs is well known and understood, there exists the problem of having to carry, in addition to the standard briefcase, attache case, suitcase, overnight bag or musical instrument case, such items as a personal computer, electronic organizer andcellular phone--as well as binders, books or sheet music. Thus, and as will be appreciated, the current state of affairs typically requires the user to carry several cases each time, for each of these additional items, which makes transport extremelycumbersome and difficult, given the fact that only two hands are available for carrying everything. Oftentimes, as awkward as it may be, a user is forced to carry more than one case in each hand, or beyond even that, carrying some of them over theshoulder or around the neck. Having such a large number of cases, then, makes it difficult to keep track of all of them to prevent forgetting one or more and leaving them behind--or, for security reasons, makes it difficult to keep track of each case inpreventing its theft.One obvious solution is to use a very large carrying case to carry all the items necessary. Whether this case is then carried about by hand, wheeled about, or pulled along on rollers, such a solution is not readily practical as it requires theuser to remove the contents of his or her standard briefcase or musical instrument case as used on a daily basis, and place those items in the larger suitcase. This cumbersome large case often does not offer the same protection that a custom fittedlaptop or musical instrument case provides. In like vein, the user may only need to supplement the capacity of the case slightly.The need to compliment the capacity of oddly shaped and sized musical instrument cases is of particular concern. Instrumental directors, parents and students

Luggage Constraining Apparatus And System - Patent 7841453

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:39:00 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, April 14, 2011

1. Technical FieldThe invention relates generally to luggage devices, and more particularly, to an apparatus for constraining an object against an article of luggage and related luggage systems.2. Background ArtLuggage straps and similar devices have been developed to enable a traveler to attach several articles of luggage together. Devices for attaching non-rolling articles of luggage to rolling articles of luggage are a particular example. Forexample, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20060102672 to Godshaw describes a strap for attaching one or more non-rolling articles of luggage by their handles to a handle of a rolling article of luggage. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,673 to Fenton and5,671,832 to London et al. describe similar devices. A major disadvantage with such devices, however, relates to their tendency to permit an attached article of luggage to move laterally with respect to the article of luggage to which it is attached. If the attached article of luggage is of substantial weight, this may cause both articles of luggage to tip or roll sideways. Even where the rolling article of luggage itself is not tipped or rolled sideways, lateral movement of the attached article ofluggage is likely to interfere with a traveler's ability to roll the rolling article of luggage.More elaborate devices have been developed to more securely transport articles of luggage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,089 to Grimmonpre, for example, describes a strap for use with a collapsible luggage carrier. However, such devices require atraveler to carry an additional article of luggage (i.e., the luggage carrier).U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,450 to Sadow describes an auxiliary luggage holder integrated into a rolling article of luggage. However, the Sadow device is quite intricate and must be built into the article of luggage at the time of manufacture. Thus,the Sadow device cannot be used with other articles of luggage a traveler may wish to carry.Accordingly, there is a need for an a

Pivotal Handle For Towable Baggage - Patent 7832532

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:02:00 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, April 14, 2011

(1) Field of the InventionThis invention pertains to the field of hand towable travel baggage. More particularly, this invention pertains to a towing member having a towing handle that is pivotally attached to an arm portion of the towing member. The pivotal connectionbetween the towing handle and the arm portion of the towing member allows a person to hold the towing handle in a position that is more comfortable than would otherwise be possible when towing a piece of baggage along a surface. Furthermore, the pivotalconnection increases the maneuverability of hand towable baggage by allowing a person to steer a piece of baggage along a tight radius without having to adjust his or her grip on the towing handle.(2) Description of the Related ArtIt is common for many varieties of baggage to be equipped with one or more wheels that enable the baggage to be towed by persons when traveling. Typically, a towable piece of baggage is also provided with a towing member having an arm portionthat connects a towing handle to the piece of baggage. The length of the arm portion connecting the towing handle to the piece of baggage prevents the baggage from coming into contact with the person's legs and feet as the piece of baggage is beingtowed.Baggage that are not permanently equipped with either wheels or towing members can also be towed using portable towing carts. A typical cart can be removably secured to a piece of baggage to provide wheels and a towing member for towing thepiece of baggage.Regardless of whether a towing member is an integral part of a piece of baggage or whether it is part of a towing cart, the majority of towing members allow a towing handle to be selectively extended from and retracted toward a piece of baggagebeing towed. The ability to extend and retract the towing member allows the towing member to be unobtrusive when the piece of baggage is not being towed. Furthermore, with the towing member in the retracted position, the piece of baggage can

Article Of Luggage - Patent 7832533

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:01:28 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, April 14, 2011

SThis application is a U.S. national counterpart application under 35 U.S.C. 371 of international application Ser. No. PCT/GB2004/004425 filed Oct. 20, 2004, which claims priority to British applications Ser. Nos. 0324487.8 and 0415404.3filed Oct. 21, 2003, and Jul. 9, 2004, respectively.This invention relates to the construction of luggage such as suitcases and/or trolley cases for use by travellers.Such cases, can conveniently be considered as comprising two major types, the first the so-called soft case and the second the so-called hard or non-soft case.Many constructions of such cases for use by travellers are known. These known constructions of both `hard` and `soft`. cases are of varied form and not infrequently include carrying handle arrangements and at least a pair of wheels/rolls forfacilitating the movement of the case by a user.In addition, it is also known to provide cases incorporating a towing handle structure which is usually moveable between a user case towing position and a retracted stowage position.The above mentioned `hard` cases are regarded as being hard in the sense that the walls, top and bottom cannot be pierced by a blade or needle as is possible with soft case constructions.Conventionally the so-called `hard` cases incorporate a metal or plastics framework extending all round the internal perimeter of the case in such position as to provide structural strength to the case. Such frameworks can involve internaltongue and groove arrangements.The `soft` case conventionally incorporates an internal framework of metal or appropriate plastics material extending around the total periphery of the associated case top and base/bottom sections which provide the means whereby the visualappearance of the case is obtained and also serves to support a soft outer covering. In addition, plywood or plastics material such as P. E. board re-enforcement at the case top, base, and corner sections may be incorporated.Whilst the provision of an intern

Collapsible Balikbayan Box Apparatus - Patent 7815024

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:17:50 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The art of suitcases is replete with a variety of both typical and specialized devices for transporting personal items. Further, collapsible suitcases and such are not rare in the art. However, specialized items for use with what are termedbalikbayan boxes are not provided. A balikbayan box is a cardboard box, native to the Philippines, which is typically used to transport a plurality of items. Such boxes are typically shipped, via air freight or otherwise. The boxes are not especiallysturdy, and the cardboard is unprotected. What is needed is a collapsible apparatus made in a plurality of sizes to fit snugly around a balikbayan box, and to provide further advantages in the handling and transport of such boxes.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe collapsible balikbayan box apparatus relates to suitcases and more especially to a specialized apparatus for covering and transporting a balikbayan box.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTWhile related prior art fulfills various luggage needs, it does not specifically address the needs of transporting, carrying, and protecting a balikbayan box. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,213 issued to McDonald on 1978-11-21 teaches acollapsible suitcase with fold in side walls. The case provides far more complexity than the present apparatus, and therefore cannot be offered at the same reduced cost. Further, the rigid side walls cause the suitcase to weight more than the presentapparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,703 issued to Gould on 1975-01-21 teaches a luggage carrier which detaches from a typical suitcase. U.S. Pat. No. 3,999,639 issued to Walters on 1976-12-28 teaches a soft-sided garment bag with personalizedidentification means.While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a collapsible balikbayan box apparatus that provides for the advantages of the collapsible balikbayan box apparatus. In thisrespect, the collapsible balikbayan box apparatus substantially d

Rotation-controllable Rotary Grip Assembly For Luggage Handle - Patent 7802665

Patents-165 — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:48:35 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, April 11, 2011

(a) Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a luggage handle and more specifically, to a rotation-controllable rotary grip assembly for use in a retractable handle of a luggage.(b) Description of the Prior ArtA regular luggage (travel bag), more particularly, a wheeled luggage (travel bag) has a retractable handle for carrying by hand. The retractable handle of a luggage (travel bag) has a grip for the grasping of the hand. When the luggage (travelbag) is standing still on the floor, the retractable handle is kept in vertical. Before moving the luggage (travel bag) on the floor, the user must extend out retractable handle and hold the retractable handle and the luggage (travel bag) in a tiltedposition. When adjusting the luggage (travel bag) between the vertical position and the tilted position, the user must keep the hand grasping the grip of the retractable handle in a loosened status, preventing heavy friction between the palm of the handand the grip of the retractable handle or twisting of the hand. Further, when the luggage (travel bag) is moving over an uneven floor surface or when the user vibrating the body during walking, the hand must be kept in a loosened status to prevent aninjury. However, the grip may rub against the skin of the palm of the hand heavily when the hand is kept in a loosened status. In order to eliminate this problem, EP0548708A1 discloses a grip structure, entitled "Handle, particularly for portfolios,suitcases, briefcases, or similar". According to this design, the anatomic grip of the handle is able to rotate or to oscillate about a longitudinal axis and elastic means are provided which return the grip to a rest position when it is released by theuser's hand, so that this grip may always be grasped correctly, without having to be orientated about the said axis of rotation or oscillation for this purpose. According to this design, the grip will deviate from the position when rotated. Whenpulling the handle durin

Versatile And Reconfigurable Luggage - Patent 7779976

Patents-165 — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 20:06:28 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The present invention relates to luggage. More specifically, the application relates to versatile and reconfigurable luggage.BACKGROUNDLuggage may be used by travelers and others to transport clothes and toiletries between destinations. An item of luggage often has a single compartment for storing clothing, toiletries, travel necessities, and other items. When these items areplaced in this compartment they are able to move and shift throughout the compartment during travel. This movement allows the various items placed in the luggage to commingle with each other. It also allows items, such as folded shirts, which werepreviously placed in a single location and, perhaps, stacked on one another, to become wrinkled and misshapen. This movement may occur during transit as well as before and afterwards. When arriving at a destination, after the contents of the luggagehave been mixed and thrown about the traveler will need to gather the items that have moved and refold or otherwise reassemble the clothes that have been placed in the luggage. Once unpacked, these items may be placed in the appropriate places at thenew location. This may include, placing the folded garments in a dresser. This cycle of packing, transport, regrouping, and unpacking may be repeated numerous times during a journey and innumerable times during the lifetime of the luggage.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the present invention may include luggage having interior shelves. In an embodiment, an item of luggage has a main compartment that may store objects such as clothing, toiletries, and other items. A plurality of foldable shelvesmay be disposed within the main compartment. One edge of each of the shelves may be connected to one interior surface of the main compartment, such that the shelves may be folded flat against the inner surface. For example, the shelves may be hingeablyattached to the back surface (i.e., opposite the cover) of the main compartment. The shelves may be fol

Rotatable Handle And Method For Attaching A First Carry Bag System To A Second Carry Bag System, And Carry Bag Having Same - Patent 7775334

Patents-165 — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:24:53 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 27, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe invention relates to devices for releasably attaching a carry bag, or item of luggage, onto the handle system of another carry bag or wheeled cart having upright supports. In particular, the present invention relates to a rotating handle foraccomplishing such attachment objective, and a carry bag system having such rotating handle.2. Description of the Related ArtPresent day carry bags such as items of luggage with extendible tubular handles, or carry carts with such extendable handles generally utilize elastic ties such as bungee style resilient expandable cords with hooks or clips to attach a bag to thehandle system. In general, such attachment systems are supplied separate from the carry bag or related handle and are somewhat cumbersome to utilize, since they often require strategic placement of the attachment devices and hooks to secure the bag inplace. In addition, placement of the expandable cords often involves stretching the cords, a procedure which can sometimes be dangerous in that the cord can be accidentally released and cause injury.At present, a convenient system for attaching items of luggage together or to transport devices such as luggage carts has not been developed.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a rotatable handle system which is resiliently attached to an item of luggage such as a carry bag, and which is adapted to be quickly manipulated in a manner to releasably attach the bag to the handle system ofanother such carry bag, or to a wheeled carry cart.A carry bag system is disclosed for attaching a first carry bag system to a second carry bag system or to a wheeled luggage cart having upright support members, which comprises a carry bag and a handle resiliently connected to one wall of thecarry bag, the handle being dimensioned, structured and connected to rotate between a first storage position and a second attaching position, whereby in the second position the handle may be placed in at

Wheeled Luggage Case - Patent 7748508

Patents-165 — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:29:07 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 23, 2010

This invention relates to traveller's luggage cases and more particularly to luggage cases which are equipped with wheels and a push-handle to facilitate movement of the case along a floor, walkway or the like.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDuring the past few decades, people have been travelling over longer distances for longer periods, carrying with them larger and heavier suitcases. Lifting and manually carrying luggage at airports, railway stations, hotels or other sites is atask which is generally disliked by travelers.Rental luggage carts are available at certain sites of this kind but the renting process is itself an inconvenience and such carts do not remain with the traveller after leaving the site of rental.In order to mitigate this problem, wheeled luggage carriers which typically have a lightweight and foldable construction to facilitate handling and storage of the device when it is not in use, have been used. An example of such a carrier isshown in FIG. 1.Such carriers are essentially small hand trucks of the type which have a platform on which the luggage case is rested, a pair of wheels which extend below one edge region of the platform and a handle which extends upward from the edge region. The user grasps and tilts the handle to lift the platform and luggage case upward from the underlying floor or the like and the carrier may then be pulled or pushed to the destination of the case. Such carriers are helpful but are not entirely free ofinconveniences of their own.The carrier is not self-stabilized and it is not entirely self-supporting during movement. A person who is pulling or pushing such a carrier must continually exert additional effort in order to hold the carrier at the tilted orientation thatenables it to be travelled along the floor or other surface. In the absence of such effort by the user, gravity pivots the carrier until either the platform or the handle itself contacts the floor.When the luggage case is removed from the carrier the ca

Soft Luggage Having An Internal Barrier - Patent 7735615

Patents-165 — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:45:59 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, October 21, 2010

The invention described herein generally relates to soft-sided luggage having an internal rigid barrier to prevent unauthorized access through the zipper.BACKGROUNDSecurity for luggage is an important issue for travelers. Every day, many people have their belongings stolen from inside their hard case or soft-sided luggage. In, contrast to soft-sided luggage, hard cases are not as vulnerable to theft asboth the lid and the compartment are rigid shells, buckled together and locked with a combination lock or padlock. It is thus very difficult to separate the hard case lid from the main compartment. While considered more secure, hard cases are not apopular choice among travelers because they are typically heavy and not easily manipulated to fit within confined spaces such as overhead bins or automobile trunks.In contrast, soft-sided luggage is typically much lighter and pliable for easier travel and storage. Soft-sided luggage predominately utilizes a zipper that traverses the outer perimeter and thus allows easy access to the internal compartment,whether authorized or not. A common way of preventing unauthorized access into the internal contents of soft-sided luggage is to lock the zipper's two pull-tabs together with a padlock. While a padlock locking the two pull-tabs together prevents theunauthorized unzipping of the zipper, it fails to prevent a breach along the zipper chain. A closed zipper chain can readily be breached by simply jabbing it with one of many common items such as a pencil, pen, knife, fork, or screwdriver, regardless ofwhether the pull tabs are locked or not.After an opening is created along the zipper chain, the remaining closed chain can be easily separated by manually pulling the zipper teeth apart and exposing the internal contents. The unauthorized person would then have complete access toeither steal the contents of the luggage or place dangerous materials inside, including chemical, radioactive, or biological agents, and explosives.

Sports Equipment Bag With Integrated Stool - Patent 7644810

Patents-165 — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:21:11 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 18, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to sports equipment carrying bags. More particularly, relating to a sports equipment carrying bag having an integrated footwear donning stool, for use, for example with hockey equipment and aiding indonning of ice skates or roller skates.2. Description of the Related ArtSports equipment carrying bags are known in the art for use in carrying the equipment of a myriad of different sports. More specifically, hockey equipment bags heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist of familiar, expected andobvious structural configurations, and do not include a stool for aiding in the donning of footwear, such as skates. Examples of sports equipment bags are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,095,385; 6,431,333.Carrying bags incorporating seating arrangements are known in the art for use in carrying various articles and providing a seat. Carrying bags incorporating seating arrangements heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist of familiar,expected and obvious structural configurations, and do not include a stool for aiding in the donning of footwear.Examples of carrying bags having seating arrangements are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,954,248; 3,662,932; 5,186,372; 5,462,213; and 6,264,078.While the devices heretofore fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, they do not provide a sports equipment carrying bag with an integrated footwear donning stool. As such, there exists a need to for a sports equipmentcarrying bag with an integrated footwear donning stool, which substantially departs from the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of carrying sports equipment in an organized manner and aiding in thedonning of footwear.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of sports equipment carrying bags and carrying bags including seating arrangements now present in the prior

Luggage Grip Having Simplified Construction - Patent 7712590

Patents-165 — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:46:57 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 18, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a grip and, more particularly, to a grip for a luggage to facilitate a user holding the grip to lift the luggage.2. Description of the Related ArtA conventional luggage grip is mounted on the top of a luggage and has a hollow inside to facilitate a user holding the luggage grip to lift the luggage. However, the luggage grip protrudes from the top of the luggage, so that the luggage has alarger volume, thereby causing inconvenience to the user in storage and transportation of the luggage. In addition, the luggage grip protrudes from the luggage, so that the luggage grip easily interferes with other luggage.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the present invention, there is provided a luggage grip, comprising two fixing seats spaced from each other, and a flexible holding bar mounted between the two fixing seats and having two opposite end portions each movablymounted on the respective fixing seat.The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage grip that has a simplified construction to decrease the cost of fabrication.Another objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage grip that is assembled easily and quickly.A further objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage grip that is mounted on the luggage easily and quickly to facilitate a user mounting the luggage grip.A further objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage grip, wherein the holding bar is pulled upward to have a curved shape for use with the user and is retractable to have a flat shape when not in use, thereby facilitating theuser operating and folding the holding bar.Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THEDRAWING(S)FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a luggage grip in accordance w

Expandable Hard Suitcase With Stitched Fastener - Patent 7641030

Patents-165 — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:23:30 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 18, 2010

This invention relates to the construction of luggage such as suitcases for use by travellers.Many constructions of suitcases for use by travellers are known. These known constructions are of varied form and not infrequently include at least a pair of wheels/rolls for facilitating the movement of the case by a user.In addition, it is also known to provide suitcases incorporating a towing handle structure which is usually moveable between a user case towing position and a retracted stowage position.Suitcases, can conveniently be considered as comprising two major types, the first the so-called soft case and the second the so-called hard case.The soft case conventionally incorporates a metal or plastics framework which provides the means whereby the required shape and visual appearance of the case is maintained and also serves to support a soft outer covering.The above mentioned hard skinned cases are regarded as being hard skinned in the sense that the walls, top and bottom are so moulded or otherwise pre-formed as to provide a substantially rigid or hard skin in the sense that the walls, top andbottom are formed by a material that is sufficiently rigid in that it retains its shape and form in use. A material commonly used for forming hard skinned cases is a polypropylene.Such cases comprise two rigid shells that are hinged one to the other with purpose built hinges and which meet with an inter-nesting tongue and groove frame-like formation. Mechanical fasteners such as hinged locks are used to retain the lidportion and the base portion in their closed positions.Conventionally the so-called `hard` cases incorporate a metal or plastics framework extending all around the internal perimeter of the case in such position as to provide structural strength to the case and additionally to ensure that anyinternal tongue and groove arrangements will always nest one relative to the other.Bearing in mind that many present day modes of travel, i.e., by aircraft, coach, etc., i

Front Pack To Front Flap Multi-backpack Conversion System - Patent 7594569

Patents-165 — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 08:08:54 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 18, 2010

BACKGROUND1. Technical FieldEmbodiments of the present invention generally relate to convertible backpacks. More particularly, embodiments relate to backpacks that are convertible between multi-pack configurations and single pack configurations.2. DiscussionLuggage cases such as backpacks have long been used by hikers, athletes, and students in a wide variety of circumstances. Recent developments in backpack configurations have centered around the concept of a dual backpack assembly that caninclude a relatively large backpack having a smaller backpack attached to it. The dual backpack configuration may provide the user with more flexibility in the amount of gear to be toted. Conventional designs to the attachment system between the twopacks may enable the smaller backpack to be zipped off of the larger backpack, wherein the zipper coils of the two packs are exposed while the packs are separated. Although dual backpack assemblies have grown in popularity, a number of challengesremain. For example, damage may occur to the exposed zipper coils of the two packs while they are detached from one another. Moreover, in conventional solutions the front face of the larger pack typically lacks storage capacity after the smaller packis removed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe various advantages of the embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and appended claims and by referencing the following drawings, in which:FIG. 1A is a front view of an example of a backpack assembly with a luggage case removably attached to a backpack according to an embodiment of the invention;FIG. 1B is a side view of an example of the backpack assembly shown in FIG. 1A;FIG. 1C is a perspective view of an example of the backpack assembly shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;FIG. 2A is a front view of an example of a backpack assembly with the backpack detached from the luggage case according to an embodiment of the inven

Demountable Display Module Which Is Stored In The Form Of A Briefcase And Production Method Thereof - Patent 7635052

Patents-165 — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:50:02 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, October 17, 2010

Thisapplication claims priority to PCT patent application PCT/IB2005/002083, filed Jun. 20, 2005 and incorporates this application in its entirety by reference thereto.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to techniques employed in the manufacture and design of furniture, showcases and displays that offer products and services and, in particular, the invention relates to a demountable display module which is stored inthe form of a briefcase and production method thereof.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn many places where public gather for the acquisition and exposure of products and services, such as fairs, conventions, information centers and so on, there is a need to use furniture and counters to approach the public to the suppliers andintroduce them to their products. In this regard, there exists an important variety of such furniture, e.g. wooden-made, metallic, furnished with shelves, partitions; in general terms, though, they are bulky, difficult to handle and transport thereofresults in hardships since they take up a lot of space.One art-known solution to such problems has involved the creation of carton foldable furniture and counters. Nevertheless, their structural rigidity is poor and, furthermore, it is impossible for one person to lean thereon. In addition, thistype of carton-made furniture lacks of an outstanding aesthetical appearance, which is an important factor to achieve a commercial impact of the product or service being supplied.There also exists furniture with countless panels, rods and posts that cooperate to each other; however, assembly thereof is time-consuming and the pieces to be assembled are too many.Despite the above, there are exhibition devices that have been broadly the base and a board above the cover. In this type of counters, the board helps to identify the name of the supplier or the product being offered while the supplier islocated behind the counter to attend to the customers approaching the module.One of such m

Wheel Assembly Of Luggage - Patent 7703588

Patents-165 — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:48:07 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, October 17, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to a luggage and, more particularly, to a wheel assembly of a luggage.2. Description of the Related ArtFor a modern design of a luggage, it concerns a fancy look and strong structure, furthermore, a convenient operation is an important issue. In drawing the luggage, wheels on a bottom of the luggage should be free for rolling, but not every roadsthat the luggage may run smoothly thereon. For example, the luggage may run freely on a rock flood of, such as, airport or hotel. But it is a hard work when user draws the luggage across a carpet.In addition, the conventional luggage doesn't have any brake function that the luggage may be moved unexpectedly. We found some luggages, have brakes, but it is not convenient to operate it. As shown in FIG. 1, such luggage is provided with acontrol device 2 to be manipulated for braking the wheel 1. The control device 2 turns along with the wheel 1 that for some angles, such as the control device 2 is turned to under the case, user is hard to operate it.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel assembly of a luggage, which may run on almost every kind of roads.The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel assembly of a luggage, which has brake function, and is easy to operate it.To achieve the objective of the present invention, a wheel assembly of a luggage, which is mounted on an object, includes a wheel base, which is pivoted on the object along a vertical direction, having a through bore along the vertical directionand a transverse axial bore through opposite sides of the wheel base and deviating the vertical direction; a left wheel, which is pivoted on the wheel base, having a concave portion on a side, in which an inner annular wall having a plurality of slots isformed; a right wheel, which is pivoted on the wheel base beside the left wheel, having a concave portion, in which an

Suitcase And Desk Combination Device - Patent 7584830

Patents-165 — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:00:12 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, October 17, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to suitcase devices and more particularly pertains to a new suitcase device for which includes extendable legs for allowing the suitcase to be used as a work surface or desk.2. Description of the Prior ArtThe use of collapsible work area devices is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,498 describes a collapsible desk assembly which may be folded up into a carrying case. Another type of collapsible work area device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,117 and include a paper support area which had a plurality of telescoping legs attached thereto. Another such device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,473,022 and includes combined carrying case and a table.While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that includes a generally conventional suitcase which may be used as a desk by extending legs outwardly of the suitcase. Thiswill allow a traveler to use the suitcase as a desk while waiting at an airport or during other times when work space is needed.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing that has a bottom wall, a top wall and a peripheral wall that is attached to and extends between the top and bottom walls. The peripheral wall has a breaktherein and that defines an opening for accessing an interior of the housing. The bottom wall has a bottom edge, a top edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The bottom wall is substantially planar. Each of a plurality of legs extendsinto the top wall. Each of the legs has a free end and each of the legs is selectively telescoping so that the free ends may be selectively positionable in a stored position adjacent to the top wall or in an extended position extending away from the topwall.There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description

Case With Hinge Edge Frame Arrangement - Patent 7581625

Patents-165 — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 01:33:11 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, October 17, 2010

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION1. Field of InventionThe present invention relates to a case, and more particularly to a hinge edge frame arrangement for a case, wherein a first edge frame and a second edge frame are extended from a utility edge of a displaying surface of the case for detachablyclipping an object on the displaying surface.2. Description of Related ArtsA conventional case usually comprises a case body defining a receiving cavity, and a case cover pivotally mounted on the case body to selectively enclose the receiving cavity for secure storage of personal belongings in the receiving cavity. Very often, the conventional case further comprises a lock unit operatively coupled on the case body and the corresponding position of the case cover for selectively locking up the case cover with respect to the case body.Very often, people who use this kind of conventional case need to carry it from one place to another. For example, they may use it for business purpose, so that they will put all the documents into the receiving cavity and retrieve any of themtherefrom whenever necessary. A typical scenario is that the user needs to take out some documents from the receiving cavity for writing down some information or actually creating some formal documents. The user may need to issue hand-written invoicesto customers or create temporary contracts with his or her clients. Where such scenario occurs, the user needs rigid support for him to write clearly on the documents which he has taken away from the receiving cavity.An obvious rigid support is the outer hard cover of the case. The user may simply lay down his or her case and put the required documents on top of an outer surface of the case. A major disadvantage of such a practice is that since the userwill only use this method when other rigid support (such as a table) is not available, it is very likely that the user is in outdoor environment. As a result, the user will have to hold the document car

Carrying Case For Pets - Patent 7617917

Patents-165 — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:01:06 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 16, 2010

In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a carrying case which is especially useful for the transportation of pets, particularly canine and feline pets.Many persons while traveling desire to be accompanied by their pet. Cats, dogs and other domestic animals are often considered an essential companion. Various products are available for the housing of such pets during travel. Characteristicsassociated with such carrying cases include, most importantly, protection for the pet and comfort of the pet when being carried. Additionally, flow of air and light to the carry case or enclosure in which the pet is carried is considered very important. Additionally, the availability of ancillary or complimentary pouches and storage compartments is considered an appropriate feature of such carrying cases for the purpose of including leashes, pet toys, pet food, etc. With all of these considerations, thepresent carrying case was conceived.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, the present invention comprises a soft sided carrying case comprised generally of padded fabric material and which has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. The carrying case is thus comprised of first and second spacedsidewalls, a bottom wall, first and second spaced end walls and a top wall. The end walls and a portion of the top wall are comprised of a fabric flap which is attached to the top wall or end wall by a hinge mechanism. The flap is in the form of a meshmaterial. The free end of the flap hinged to the top wall is attachable to an end wall. A magnetic fastener is included along with a zipper connection. The magnetic fastener enables maintaining the flap in an open condition when desired. The flapassociated with the other or opposite end wall is hinged to that end wall and opens to permit the pet to be positioned within the carry bag. This flap, too, is comprised of a mesh material for access to air flow and light. Additionally and optionally,this flap may also incorpor

Magnetic Closure System - Patent 7568566

Patents-165 — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:35:16 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 15, 2010

The present invention relates to closure mechanisms and more specifically to the use of linear magnets for closing and sealing storage enclosures.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are an almost unlimited number of storage enclosures used in different applications. One of the most common types of enclosure is the pocket or pouch found on everything from garments to backpacks, purses, luggage and golf bags. Theclosure mechanisms for these pockets and pouches are numerous, the most common including zippers, Velcro.TM., dome fasteners, buttons, clasps, rivets, buckles and tie downs. All of these are useful but all suffer from disadvantages.Zippers for example can bind or break and can pinch the surrounding fabric to become stuck. Velcro can clog and it is not uncommon for the Velcro to separate from the underlying substrate. Buttons, clasps, dome fasteners and the like must befastened one at a time, they do not seal against dirt, wind, moisture and weather and they can break off. Moreover, none of the prior art fasteners is self closing. Even Velcro requires the application of a compressive force to make a seal and theforce must be applied along the complete length of the Velcro to ensure all parts of the closure are equally secured.What is required therefore is a closure mechanism that can be simply and inexpensively applied to numerous types of storage enclosures and which is substantially self closing along its entire length, reliable and easy to use and sufficientlyflexible that it can be used over a wide variety of different products and applications.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a magnetic closure system for pouches, pockets and bags and which is also useful for more rigid enclosures.According to the present invention then, there is provided a magnetic fastening system for connecting a first member to a second member, comprising a first flexible magnet longitudinally associated with at least a portion of an edge of said firstmember;

Computer Protection Case - Patent 7562751

Patents-165 — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:50:31 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 15, 2010

In a principal aspect, the present invention relates to a carrying case adapted for packing and/or carrying a personal computer or other item of similar shape, and which accommodates various sizes and configurations of such a personal computer.In U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,618 B1 entitled Computer Protection and Carrying Case, there is disclosed a soft sided or padded carrying case which may be utilized to accommodate and protect personal computers of various sizes and configurations. Thereferenced patent is incorporated herewith by reference. Numerous types of carrying cases have been proposed for the protection of personal computers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,780 entitled Portable Computer Carrying Case discloses a carryingcase which is comprised of rigid body panels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,157 discloses a Computer Bag With Side Accessible Padded Compartments. This case is also designed to carry a small computer as well as provide protection of the computer within thedescribed case.While such prior art constructions have proven to be quite useful, there has remained the need for an improved soft sided or padded carrying case which enables utilization for personal computers of various sizes and configurations and which isalso capable of being used in combination with travel bags of various sizes and shapes.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, the present invention comprises a computer carrying case which includes a storage case section having a front side, a generally planar, flat back side and a connecting circumferential lateral side. The front side includes a generallycentral, recessed section to enable positioning of the storage case section over a telescoping handle assembly within an item of luggage. The carrying case further includes multiple panel sections attached to the back side of the storage case sectionwhich are foldable to accommodate an item positioned over or on the back side of the storage case section. The various foldable panel sections m

Ergonomic Wheeled Baggage - Patent 7478711

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:23:07 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, October 14, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe invention relates to a baggage case, more particularly to an ergonomic wheeled baggage.2. Description of the Related ArtReferring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional ergonomic upright wheeled baggage 50, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,521, is shown to include a main body 1, two front wheels 2 (only one is visible), two rear wheels 3 (only one is visible), anda retractable handle 4. The main body 1 has a front side 101, a rear side 102, a top side 103, a bottom side 104, and two lateral sides 105. Each of the front and rear sides 101, 102 is inclined at an angle .theta. with respect to a line 5perpendicular to a substantially horizontal supporting surface 6, such as the ground. The top and bottom sides 103, 104 are substantially parallel to the supporting surface 6.When the conventional wheeled baggage 50 is pushed or towed by a user on the ground, all four wheels are in contact with the ground, so that an additional force for tilting the conventional wheeled baggage 50 need not be exerted by the user. Further, since the conventional wheeled baggage 50 is configured as a parallelogram, its center of gravity is shifted rearwardly and away from the front wheels 2. When the conventional wheeled baggage 50 is pushed or towed by the user along an unevensurface, it will not tip over even if the front wheels 2 are chocked.Although the aforementioned conventional wheeled baggage 50 can minimize the load borne by the user during pushing or towing of the baggage case 50, it has the following drawbacks during use:1. Since the front and rear sides 101, 102 of the main body 1 are inclined rearwardly, the conventional wheeled baggage case 50 occupies a substantial space.2. Since the front and rear sides 101, 102 of the main body 1 are inclined rearwardly, when the conventional wheeled baggage case 50 is in the still position, it is easily tipped rearwardly by an external force (F).Another conventional wheeled baggage case 60 is shown in FI

Sports Equipment Bag, Organizer And Ventilator - Patent 7604102

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:19:23 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, October 14, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a sports equipment bag, and more particularly, to a bag for organizing sports equipment and related articles while providing ventilation for the sports equipment and the related articles.2. Description of the Background ArtIn athletic activities such as hockey, baseball, football, or inline skating, a person may have to carry uniforms, a face mask, helmets, knee pads, and other assorted sports equipment. The assorted equipment has usually been just placed in a bagwhere it has been difficult to take out the sometimes heavy and cumbersome equipment and also to perform a visual inventory of the bag. Another problem with the earlier sports equipment bags was that the equipment and clothing articles related to thesports accumulated perspiration. The bag would cause an increased odor because of the lack of proper ventilation. The damp garment, sports, and athletic equipment, boots and shoes were dried out on purchased racks or spread around on the floor or onfurniture. Garments and sports equipment that retain water will mold, mildew, and develop unpleasant odors without adequate air circulation. Equipment in a bag should be dried out, so there is an aggravation of removing equipment from the bag to drythe equipment because if the equipment is left in the bag, there can be damage to equipment if the equipment cannot fully dry. It is a cumbersome process of taking the equipment out of the bag. Unloading the conventional sports bag and placing theitems around an area to allow for air-drying is time consuming, visually unpleasant, and consumes space. This procedure also increases the chance of misplacing an item and leaving it behind. Conventionally vented bags offer limited benefit due to thedensity of equipment obstructing air penetration inside the bag.A travel and sports organizer bag, equipped with a method of air circulation is needed to effectively air dry articles without complex and expensive stru

Toolbag With Expandible Pockets - Patent 7604103

Patents-165 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 03:18:09 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, October 14, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to the field of storage and carrying bags and more specifically to worksite storage or carrying bag designed to hold and protect various tools and accessories and which is equipped with a flexible,expandible pocket construction.2. Description of the Prior ArtIn the past, some companies have offered either metal or hard plastic tool boxes that have a hinged top and a small removable tray that lifts out to reveal the inner confines of the box for bulk tool storage. Some have small mounted drawerseither in the top or the bottom for smaller tools or loose fasteners. Since these boxes are made of metal, hard plastic or rubber, they often do not conform to unique storage situations in real life trade applications. For a tradesman, storage in avehicle is critical and sometimes a specific space for a rectangular hard box is not available. Some pick-up trucks have storage space behind the seats that do not lend itself to a rectangular box shape. Additionally, the surface of these boxes isslick and the boxes will quickly slide around if not properly wedged or packed tightly for security.Another more recently introduced product in the marketplace is the "soft" or synthetic fabric tool bag which is available in different sizes and configurations. It is known in the art to produce a bag of this type that is required to carrysubstantial loads for various situations. These bags have numerous designs for various specific functions. Some of these are very similar to a doctor's bag with a zippered opening providing access to an inside cavity where tools lay horizontally. These synthetic fabric bags offer an improvement to the metal and plastic boxes by overcoming many of the deficiencies discussed above. However, these designs fail to address many concerns for a bag in use, for example, by a plumber, carpenter or anelectrician at a construction or job site.Thus, despite the advantages offered by the soft-side

Spring Structure Of A Multi-joint Luggage Pull-rod - Patent 7549520

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:23:38 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONSNot applicable.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot applicable.REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIXNot applicable.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to a multi-joint luggage pull-rod, and more particularly to its spring structure.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe pull-rods of common luggage in the market today usually have foldable structures, meaning that the pull-rods may be folded inside the luggage when not being used. The pull rod may be extended when being used. So as to make the outside ofthe luggage look nice, the grip of the pull-rod is usually hidden and lined up with the surface of the luggage when the pull-rod is folded inside the luggage. However, conventional luggage pull rods are not convenient because the luggage does notprovide enough room for the user to grasp and pull the grip of the pull rod upward for use.For these reasons, the industry developed a spring structure for a luggage pull-rod, as shown in FIG. 1. When the user desires to pull the grip 20 of the pull rod 10 upward, a press button 21 that is placed on the grip 20 can be pressed to makethe first joint tube 11 spring upward to a predetermined distance. The internal structure, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a positioning base 110 placed at the bottom of the first joint tube 11, a spring 13 placed between the bottom of the positioning base110, and a fixed base 120 of the second joint tube 12. The spring 13 is in a pressed state when it is pressed inside the first joint tube 11, and the positioning base 110 has a resilient jumping bean 111 that can be locked to the positioning hole 121placed on the second joint tube 12 when protruding outward. The resilient jumping bean 111 has an oblique surface 112. When the button 21 on the grip is pressed down, a braking base 14 of the first joint tube 111 is driven downward at the same time. An oblique edge at the bottom of the braking base 14 touching the oblique surface

Storage Container And Display System For Toys And Other Items - Patent 7600619

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:42:36 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

A luggage container, more specifically a luggage container formable from a single flat, foldable member and containing a multiplicity of unique, releasably attachable pockets.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPrior art discloses a myriad of luggage containers in a variety of designs and constructed of a variety of different materials. A simple luggage container may be nothing more than a sack, opened at the top for receipt of items therein. However,a need exists for a more complex luggage container that is capable of storing a variety of items. There exists, in the prior art, a variety of purpose built luggage containers such as that found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,204 (Sapyta 1997). The '204luggage container, while it may be adapted for multipurpose use, is especially useful in the display of veterinary or medical items.Applicant herein provides for a novel luggage container that is adapted for a specific purpose, yet may be useful for the storage, transportation and display of, in fact, a variety of items. More specifically, Applicant has invented a novelcontainer that has been found to be suitable for among other things the storage, transportation and display of dolls or toys and their related accessories. However, Applicant has found that such a novel luggage container is also suitable for thetransportation, storage and display of a variety of items including: toys, medical implements, cosmetics, jewelry and small personal items.Applicant sought to achieve, in an inexpensive, easy to manufacture luggage container, the capability of storing a number of rather small items, as well as a fewer larger items. For example, a "Barbie.RTM." doll set would typically include oneor more large items (the doll itself), a number of additional clothing items to clothe the doll, which would represent smaller items, and a still greater number of even smaller items such as shoes, purses, hats, etc. It may be readily appreciated bythose with young children that the organization, tra

Pivotable Towing Arrangement - Patent 7600618

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:42:08 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

This invention relates generally to towable travel luggage, and more particularly to a towing arrangement with a pivotal handle which allows a user to position the handle more comfortably than would otherwise be possible with a conventionaltowing arrangement.BACKGROUND INFORMATIONMany varieties of luggage today come equipped with wheels from the manufacturer to enable a user to roll rather than carry or drag his or her luggage when traveling. Typically, such bags come equipped with a towing arrangement, which issometimes simply a strap attached to the bag but is more often a handle attached to an extendable tubular member which is extended when the luggage is being towed. When the luggage is not being towed, the extendable tubular member is generally left inthe retracted position, and thus generally does not affect the outer dimensions of the bag. The length of the tubular member is typically such that it prevents the luggage from coming into contact with the user's legs and feet while it is extended andthe luggage is being towed.The typical conventional towing arrangement is depicted in FIG. 1. A piece of luggage 110 includes two telescoping poles 116, connected by a towing handle 118, which slide into receptacles attached to the piece of luggage 110. This type ofluggage generally also has a receptacle for the towing handle such that the towing handle lies flush with an exterior surface of the piece of luggage when the towing arrangement is retracted.Extendable towing arrangements generally include a mechanism for locking the towing arrangement in the extended and in the retracted positions. Such mechanisms can include spring loaded detents, cam locks, and other interference locks andinterference fits. Some mechanisms require manual operation of the release mechanism to extend and/or retract the tubular member. Some mechanisms are automatically released by a sufficient amount of force to extend and/or retract the tubular member.Conventional towing arrangeme

Apparatus And Method For Enabling A Briefcase To Carry A Supplemental Bag - Patent 7600620

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:41:58 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

BACKGROUNDThis disclosure relates generally to briefcases. More particularly, this disclosure relates to briefcases adapted to facilitate the convenient attachment of a supplemental bag in order to allow a user to carry additional items such as a pair ofshoes.Millions of commuters and global travelers use a briefcase in one form or another. Many of these commuters have need to carry additional items that may not normally fit in a briefcase. As a result, they are forced to carry additional bags oruse other cumbersome solutions. One good example of additional items a commuter may need to carry is a change of shoes. It is often desirable to have one pair of shoes for traveling that can provide extra comfort and/or protection from inclementweather, while having another pair for wearing in a work environment.Many solutions have been attempted to allow for convenient carrying of such items. These solutions are usually implemented on backpacks by placing extra carrying cases on the backpack in a saddlebag-like manner. Unfortunately, because of thedifferences between normal carrying methods of backpacks and briefcases, implementing these solutions on briefcases is overly cumbersome. These solutions also usually have straps or other retainers on the outside of the main bag which can be undesirablefor aesthetic purposes.Accordingly, the need remains for an improved way to place one or more supplemental bags on a briefcase that can allow for comfortable carrying of the briefcase without detracting from the aesthetics of the briefcase.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure provides for an improved storage bag. The improved bag includes a main bag having front, back, bottom and side walls forming an enclosed space with a top opening. A retaining member is disposed on an inside surface of afirst side wall of the main bag. The retaining member is adapted to couple with a supplemental bag which can hang on the outside of the main bag.The disclosure further provi

Multi-function Travel Case - Patent 7467695

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:16:10 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to carrying cases, and in particular, carrying cases that provide one or more features for facilitating ease of travel.2. BackgroundConventional carrying cases, such as conventional cases for carrying portable computers, do not provide a combination of features for facilitating ease of travel as provided by the invention described herein.For example, modern travel, and in particular modern airline travel, involves heightened security procedures that require a traveler to provide one or more important documents, such as an airline ticket, boarding pass, passport and/or otheridentification, at one or more checkpoints during a trip. Constantly accessing and presenting these documents can be inconvenient and time-consuming for the traveler. Moreover, each time the documents are removed and returned to storage, the travelerruns the risk of dropping or misplacing them, particularly when in a hurry. Conventional carrying cases do not provide a means for storing such important travel-related documents in a manner that allows for quick, secure and easy access, viewing andstorage of same during travel.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA multi-function travel case in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of features for facilitating ease of travel. For example, a travel case in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a retractabledocument sleeve for storing important travel-related documents such as airline tickets, a passport, or other identification information, in a manner that allows for quick, secure and easy access, viewing and storage of same during travel.A multi-function travel case in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention further includes one or more of the following features: a retractable bottle holder that is extendable from a side pocket thereof, a side storage compartmentadapted for storing eyeglasses, sunglasses, and the like, in a ma

Grip Assembly For Luggage - Patent 7467696

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:15:05 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to grips and more particularly, to a grip assembly for luggage handle, which is a combination design that is inexpensive to manufacture.2. Description of the Related ArtLuis Vuitton is a luxury French fashion brand in Paris, France. Louis Vuitton Malletier a Paris, the founder of the company, designed and manufactured luggage during the second half of the nineteenth century. Louis Vuitton's signatureleathergoods are considered a status symbol around the glove and are highly regarded in the fashion world. Nowadays, Louis Vuitton has become the most counterfeited brand in fashion history.To compete in the market, other luggage manufacturers keep trying hard to crease new designs of parts for luggage. The grip of the retracable handle is one of the impartant parts of a luggage. China Patent 03240757.2 discloses a seamless gripdesign for luggage entitled "Seamless handle grip of luggage". This design of seamless handle grip is to be mounted on a single pulling rod of luggage, giving an image of high value. Further, this design of seamless handle grip has a strong structuralstrength. The seamless and smooth flank of the handle grip gives a comfortable touch. However, this seamless handle grip is expensive.Further, China Patent 03240757.25 discloses a handle grip for luggage, which has the screws mounted in the bottom side of the grip body. This design of handle grip does not give a comfortable touch.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a grip assembly for luggage, which is a combination design formed of multiple parts, having the advantage oflow manufacturing cost. It is another object of the present invention to provide a grip assembly for luggage, which is conveniently detachable for easy change of different colors of parts. It is still another object of the present invention to p

Suitcase Comprising Mounted Pockets - Patent 7398868

Patents-165 — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:13:00 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

The invention refers to a suitcase as defined in the preamble of claim 1.Such shell suitcases, whose case shells are preferably made of plastic material or metal and which are hinged together at one edge of the case shells, are known.Frame elements are provided at the edges of the case shells, which have a closing means for closing the suitcase. Further, suitcases with two case shells are known that have a zipper as the closing means. The zipper may additionally be providedwith a lock.Further, suitcases are known that are made of textile material. They may be provided with additional, easily accessible side pockets on their outside.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the invention to provide a suitcase of the type mentioned above which is made of strong shells and additionally has pockets attached on the sides.The object is achieved according to the invention by providing at least one major surface of the case shells with a countersunk trough-shaped recess in which at least one pocket is fastened over a base plate. The trough-shaped recess may beformed, for example, by deep drawing during the manufacture of the case shell. The invention advantageously allows to provide a strong shell suitcase having easily accessible pockets on the outside.Thus, it is possible to store e.g. travel documents or other travel implements in an easily accessible manner without having to open the complete suitcase.Preferably, it is provided that the at least one pocket has a major surface facing the case shell fastened on the outside of the base plate via a base layer. The base layer folds around the edges of the base plate such that the edges of the baselayer are invisible after the base plate is set into the recessed case shell. Thus, it is possible to fasten the pockets to the suitcase in a strong manner and to still give the suitcase an optically appealing exterior. The base layer may be of thesame material as the at least one pocket and/or may be part of the pocket.In

Handle Apparatus With Cantilevered Handle Grip For Luggage Case - Patent 7461730

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:13:39 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

FIELD OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to the field of rollable luggage cases and to other types of cases.BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONMost current wheeled luggage systems use a similar design consisting of two telescoping tubes or arms attached to the back side of the luggage compartment and a handle grip connected across the top of the tubes to form an upside-down "U" shapedsteering handle. Two wheels are usually provided on opposite sides of the bottom back side of the luggage compartment. In operation a user extends the telescoping tubes out of the luggage compartment by pulling upward on the handle grip, tilts theluggage to a comfortable and stable position, and rolls the luggage along its wheels. When the user stops moving, the luggage may be tilted upright on its bottom end, by normally resting the luggage on a "bottom stud" adjacent to the wheels. This typeof rollable luggage has become known as "Uprights," "Trolley Cases," or "Vertical Pullmans." Prior to this design, luggage was generally wheeled by placing it on a separate rolling luggage cart. The carts were normally made of tubular metal, havingwheels and a "U" shaped telescoping steering handle which could be collapsed into an outer tube, when not in use. The uprights in popular use today were developed by essentially integrating the luggage cart into the luggage compartment.Although the "U" shaped or double-tube design used in current luggage cases is primarily a legacy of the collapsible luggage carts, the redundant design does not appear to be a functional necessity. Recently, single tube designs have beenintroduced. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,936, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,254 B1, both patents show a single steering handle design which retracts into and extends out of an outer tube or portion of the luggage compartment. Each of these designsdiscloses a handle grip, which is either integral to the handle arm, as in the 6,202,254 B1 patent, or is rigidly attached to t

Collapsible Storage And Carrying Case - Patent 7458451

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:07:34 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

In a principal aspect, the present invention relates to a class of luggage items, bags, and containers, wherein the luggage item, bag or container is generally comprised of flexible material such as fabric, canvas or leather and further whereinthe item, container or bag includes a telescoping handle, wheels and a removable, supplemental, reinforcing bottom plate for maintaining the shape and general configuration of the flexible bag.Use of a flexible bag, container or luggage item is often preferred inasmuch as such items are more easily stored because they can be folded or made compact when not in use. Additionally, such items are typically lighter in weight. Also,because soft-sided luggage items, containers or bags have flexible sides, they may be used to hold and transport uniquely shaped items that could not be easily placed and stored in a hard-sided luggage item or container. Further, flexible bags are oftenmore economical to manufacture and easier to move or transport.Despite their many desirable characteristics, flexible containers, bags or luggage items are often difficult to construct with a telescoping handle and wheels which facilitate ease of transport, particularly when the luggage item, container orbag is large. Thus, there has developed a need to provide flexible or soft-sided luggage items, containers or bags which have certain characteristics typically associated with hard-sided luggage, including the characteristic of being susceptible toincorporation of a telescoping handle and transport wheels.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, the present invention comprises a collapsible luggage item made from a flexible bag with a back side panel and a flexible bottom panel which enables compaction for storage when not in use. A telescoping handle is affixed to the backside panel of the bag and more particularly to a rigid bracket positioned at the juncture of the flexible backside and bottom panels. The flexible bottom panel of the bag is designed to inc

Luggage Cover - PDF

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:07:22 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The invention relates generally to covers for articles of luggage and, more particularly, to a cover for an article of luggage with wheels that preserves the aesthetic appearance of the luggage at a low cost.BACKGROUNDToday, luggage has become an element of fashion. As a result, a number of designer articles of luggage can be purchased. The cost of these articles of luggage can range from less than one hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Additionally,as anyone who has ever traveled on an airliner has experienced, the processing of baggage is a course process where damage to articles of luggage is not uncommon. In fact, one manufacturer even marketed their articles of luggage as durable, showing agorilla (a baggage handler) that was attempting to destroy their articles of luggage in a television commercial.Thus, a dilemma has developed between fashion and protection with respect to articles of luggage. Many have attempted to solve this dilemma by placing a cover over fashionable as well as other articles of luggage. Some examples of this are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,487,596, 2,647,595, 2,711,234, 2,724,467, 3,901,360, 4,307,765, 5,083,644, 5,107,971, 5,172,795, 5,255,765, 5,293,975, 5,547,051, 6,637,562, U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0206431, U.S. Design Pat. No. D338,559, and U.S. Design Pat. No. D345,652. However, none of these patents sufficiently address the problems of ease of use and expense, as well as a host of other problems.Therefore, there is a need for an improved luggage cover that can accommodate the various physical aspects of modern articles of luggage (wheels, extendable handles, etc.) while not interfering with aesthetics.SUMMARYThe present invention, accordingly, provides a luggage cover having a first side panel, an opposite second side panel, and a main panel. The second side panel is substantially parallel to the first side panel. Each of the panels is generallylaminar. The main panel is generally disposed between the first side

Assembly For Fixing A Shoulder Strap To Containers - Patent 7540363

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:24:17 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The present invention relates to an assembly for fixing a shoulder strap to containers, such as cases, trunks and the like.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn various known types of case, bag, trunk and the like, the shoulder strap for carrying is usually rigidly coupled to the body of the bag or case by means of spring clips or other equivalent devices, which can be locked manually by snap action. Generally, the spring clips are fixed to the bags, cases and the like by means of stitches, adhesive bonding, or other low-cost techniques which allow rapid execution.However, these fixing techniques have limited effectiveness and reliability when the bag or case being considered is intended for particular technical and professional applications rather than for simply carrying ordinary items (for example, forcarrying delicate and expensive instruments); in these special applications, it must in fact be ensured that the shoulder strap does not separate accidentally from the body of the case due to breakage of the seams, separation of the parts joined byadhesive bonding, or other similar unwelcome mishaps. For this reason, the technician or professional who uses the case must also be able to check at all times the state of the reliability of the fixing in order to avoid accidental separations.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned drawbacks, by providing an assembly for fixing a shoulder strap to cases, trunks and the like which is adapted to provide the greatest assurances of reliability against accidentalbreakages.Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for fixing a shoulder strap to cases, trunks and the like which is extremely versatile in application and use.Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for fixing a shoulder strap to cases, trunks and the like which allows to check, and optionally restore, at all times the full solidity and reliability of said fixin

Trigger Latch Assembly - Patent 7540364

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:23:55 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

This invention is directed to a trigger latch assembly for releasably latching various items, including transport cases.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis trigger latch assembly of this invention incorporates a trigger mechanism for easily latching and unlatching various items, including transport or shipping cases. The trigger latch assembly includes a rotatable latch cover privotablyattached to a latch trigger in combination with a latch trigger biasing member, and the latch trigger has a detent adapted for securely and releasably engaging a retaining lip on the transport case or other device to be latched. The latch trigger isurged into and out of latching engagement by pivotal rotation of the latch trigger in relation to the latch cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the trigger latch assembly of this invention attached to a transport case and in an open position.FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the trigger latch assembly of this invention attached to a transport case and in the latched position.FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the trigger latch assembly of this invention attached to a transport case in the open position.FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the trigger latch assembly attached to a transport case in an unlatched position.FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the trigger latch assembly attached to a transport case in a partially unlatched position.FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the trigger latch assembly attached to a transport case in the latched position.FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the trigger latch assembly.FIG. 8 is an exploded bottom view of the components of the trigger latch assembly.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSTurning now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 generally show the trigger latch assembly 1 of this invention in a preferred embodiment attached to a luggage style transport case 50. The case 50 has a hinged cover portion 52 and a bottomportion 53.

Collapsible Utility Bag And Advertising Vehicle - Patent 7451861

Patents-165 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:34 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 12, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to collapsible luggage. More specifically, the present invention relates to a collapsible utility bag capable of fitting in a gym locker or under an airplane seat. The present invention further includes a shelf ordivider.2. Description of the Prior Art (Point Out Disadvantages of Prior Art)Bags and suitcases are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Bags sized to fit in a gym locker or under an airplane seat are well known in the art. Also described in the prior art are various methods to make a suitcase collapsible forconvenient and less expensive shipping, or storage in less space. Various luggage or bags with dividers or shelves are also well known.Collapsible luggage is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,329 to Kaneko. This conventionally collapsible luggage has a pocket on the lower part of each side walls. The pocket accepts the lower end of a removable hard side reinforcing insert. The upper ends of the removable side reinforcing inserts are fixed to the upper part of the side walls by other fastening means, for example hook and loop fasteners. There is a hard bottom board and a ceiling board. The soft sides and front and rearfaces may be folded up for storage when the hard side reinforcing inserts are removed. The disadvantage of Kaneko's invention, with a single side pocket design, is that the hook and loop fastener can become easily dislodged. The luggage would thenunexpectedly collapse during use.U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,008 (reissued as Re. 34,361) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,802 (a continuation in part of the preceding referenced '008 patent) to Pratt describe a utility bag sized to fit into an athletic locker or under the seat of anairplane. The bag has transversely positioned generally rectangular rigid frame members that are fixed in position. A fabric door is attached along a vertical side wall edge. A folding generally rigid divider panel is provided. Neither the bag northe b

Travel Bag - Patent 7392888

Patents-165 — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:56:52 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 11, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a travel bag and more particularly, to a lightweight, durable, impact resistant travel bag.2. Description of the Related ArtFIG. 1 shows a conventional travel bag. This structure of travel bag comprises a body 10, which comprises a rectangular plastic open frame 11 equipped with a retractable handle 13 and wheels 12, a cloth covering 14 wrapping the body 10, a cover15 hinged to the cloth covering 14, and a zipper 16 fastened to the cloth covering 14 and the cover 15 for opening/closing the cover 15.This structure of travel bag has drawbacks as follows:1. The rectangular plastic open frame 11 is not collapsible and requires much storage space. In factory, much storage space shall be spared for inventory control.2. The rectangular plastic open frame 11 has only the four peripheral sides to resist impact, and the corner area around the open back side tends to be deformed or damaged accidentally, i.e., the travel bag has low impact resisting power.3. The cloth covering 14 gives little appearance variation to attract consumers.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a travel bag, which is lightweight, durable, and impact resistant.According to one aspect of the present invention, the travel bag is comprised of two rigid side panels symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides, a rigid top panel disposed at the top side, a rigid bottom panel disposed at the bottomside, a retractable handle provided at the back side, and a cover provided at the front side. Therefore, the top, bottom, left, right, front and back sides of the travel bag are well protected against impact. According to another aspect of the presentinvention, a reinforcing wire is fastened to the periphery of the side panels, the top panel and the bottom panel to bind the side panels, the top panel and the bottom panel

Luggage Cover - Patent 7441641

Patents-165 — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 03:24:07 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 11, 2010

The invention relates generally to covers for articles of luggage and, more particularly, to a cover for an article of luggage with wheels that preserve the aesthetic appearance of the luggage at a low cost.BACKGROUNDToday, luggage has become an element of fashion. As a result, a number of designer articles of luggage can be purchased. These articles of luggage can range from less than one hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Additionally, as anyonewho has ever traveled on an airliner has experience, the processing of baggage is a course process where damage to articles of luggage is not uncommon. In fact, one manufacturer even marketed their articles of luggage as durable, showing a gorilla (abaggage handler) that was attempting to destroy their articles of luggage in a television commercial.Thus, a dilemma has developed between fashion and protection with respect to articles of luggage. Many have attempted to solve this dilemma by placing a cover over fashionable as well as other articles of luggage. Some examples of this are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,487,596, 2,647,595, 2,711,234, 2,724,467, 3,901,360, 4,307,765, 5,083,644, 5,107,971,5,172,795, 5,255,765, 5,293,975, 5,547,051, 6,637,562, U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0206431, U.S. Design Pat. No. D338,559, and U.S. Design Pat. No. D345,652. However, none of these patents sufficiently address the problems of ease of use and expense, as well as a host of other problems.Therefore, there is a need for an improved luggage cover that can accommodate the various physical aspects of modern articles of luggage (wheels, extendable handles, etc.) while not interfering with aesthetics.SUMMARYThe present invention, accordingly, provides a luggage cover having a first side panel, an opposite second side panel, and a main panel. The second side panel is substantially parallel to the first side panel. Each of the panels is generallylaminar. The main panel is generally disposed between the first side panel and the s

Expandable Luggage With Locking Expansion Mechanism - PDF

Patents-165 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 20:18:26 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

The present invention relates generally to expandable luggage, and particularly to expandable luggage having a zipperless expansion gusset with an easily accessible adjustable locking expansion mechanism.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe needs of travelers for luggage space can vary considerably depending on the duration of a trip, types of clothing and other gear required, and the climate of the destination, to name a few. One way travelers accommodate these needs is byusing expandable luggage that have heretofore been provided. Expandable luggage also offers the traveler a possible cost savings by avoiding the need to purchase more than one piece of luggage. Moreover, the capability of expanding a piece of luggagepermits the traveler to change the carrying capacity throughout the course of a trip.Expandable luggage of varying construction and designs are well known in the art.Examples of existing expandable luggage include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,220,411; 6,059,078; and 6,021,874, wherein '078 and '874 are commonly assigned to the present assignee. However, these designs have some disadvantages. For example, each of theluggage pieces disclosed therein contain an expandable portion or gusset requiring a zipper that must be manipulated into an open or closed position in order to expand or retract the expandable portion respectively. Zippers can become stuck and/ordamaged due to wear and tear a typical piece of luggage encounters, or simply due to use over an extended period of time.Another disadvantage pertains to the location of the various locking mechanisms for maintaining the luggage an expanded state. For example, in '411, the locking mechanism is located near the lower portion of the bridge plate at the bottom of theluggage, making the locking mechanism difficult to reach and operate when the luggage is packed and the user needs to increase the volume of the luggage to accommodate the storage of additional items. Similarly, the location of the hook and loopfa

Luggage - Patent 7380647

Patents-165 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 12:58:24 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThis invention relates to a luggage, more particularly to a luggage having a handle unit with an abutting member that abuts against a case body of the luggage for preventing damage to a retaining unit.2. Description of the Related ArtFIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional wheeled luggage 2 that includes a case body 20 formed with a pair of handle-storing tubes 22, and a handle unit 21 including a pair of handle rods 25. Each of the handle rods 25 is pivoted to acorresponding slider 23 that is slidably disposed in a respective one of the handle-storing tubes 22 so as to permit retraction of the handle rods 25 into the handle-storing tubes 22, respectively, when the handle rods 25 are disposed in a non-inclinedposition relative to the handle-storing tubes 22, and so as to permit pivoting movement of the handle rods 25 relative to the handle-storing tubes 22 when the handle rods 25 are fully extended from the handle-storing tubes 22. A retaining unit includesa pair of engaging parts 261 disposed movably and respectively in the handle rods 25 and engaging respectively and releasably engaging grooves 232 that are formed in one end 231 of the sliders 23 in the handle-storing tubes 22 so as to retain the handleunit 21 at a desired inclined position relative to the case body 20. The conventional luggage 2 can be moved in a pulling manner or a pushing manner using the handle unit 21.The conventional luggage 2 is disadvantageous in that the retaining unit tends to get damaged when the case body 20 is fully loaded and is moved in the pushing manner using the handle unit 21. In addition, since the engaging grooves 232 in theends 231 of the sliders 23 are normally shallow, the engaging parts 261 tend to disengage from the engaging grooves 232 during the pushing operation of the case body 20.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a luggage with an abutting member that is connected to the handle unit of

Structure Of An Extendable Pull Handle For Luggage - Patent 7506736

Patents-165 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 07:53:04 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONSNot applicable.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot applicable.REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIXNot applicable.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to luggage, and more particularly to an innovative luggage designed with an extendable pull handle.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe conventional pull handles of luggage are designed with a flexible structure, whereby the users can adjust them if necessary. The present invention is intended to improve a flexible structure for a wide array of pull handles of luggage, whichlacks of smoothness and accuracy for locking and release of fixation columns (knobs), in despite of continuous development and innovation efforts by relevant operators in this industry. Since the so-called fixation column generally takes flexiblecomponents as its braking elements, mutual interference of acting force will likely occur in the case of two flexible components. This will lead to unsmooth operation during flexible positioning of pull handle, and repetitive pulling shall be requiredfor a successful fixation, therefore affecting the value of product with inconvenience of operation.Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art extendable pull handle of luggage, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved pull handle of luggage with an innovative structure.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION1. The present invention uses the new features of the first and second snapper 40 50, and the separation of the guide slide plate 52 of the second snapper and the connection between the limit column 44 and the pointing slot 53; with thecoordination between two sets of spring 60 70, which has one on the outside and one on the inside to avoid interruption, so that the movement of the locking position can be done as predicted, and make the process smoother, and reduce the breakdown rateand error rate.2. The present invention also uses the structural design

Equipment Carrier With A Rotatable Handle - Patent 7419037

Patents-165 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 02:29:55 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

This invention relates generally to athletic equipment bags for being carried by a person and, more particularly, to athletic equipment carriers having a handle to transport the carrier in an inclined position on a ground surface.While a variety of sports and recreational activities are ever increasing in popularity, stowing and transporting equipment to and from the sporting event or area of activity can be a drawback to an otherwise enjoyable experience. Traditionally,athletic equipment, such as golf bags and clubs, hockey gear, baseball bats and equipment, basketballs or soccer balls, and other types of sporting equipment are carried around in an equipment bag and laid on the ground when the user or users arrive attheir destination. Picking up the bag and laying it down repeatedly, not to mention carrying a heavy load of equipment, can be tiresome and inconvenient. While carrying straps are typically provided, most equipment bags are uncomfortable to carry.Wheeled bags and the like are sometimes used to transport the equipment, such as a golf bag, and the wheels allow the equipment bags to be pulled along a surface rather than being carried above the ground. Known equipment bags, however, aredisadvantaged in several aspects. For example, some wheeled equipment bags are typically pulled or supported from a handle located on an end of the bag opposite the wheels, and consequently a significant portion of the weight of the equipment bag issupported by the user gripping the handle. Additionally, the weight of an equipment bag when fully loaded necessitates a sturdy handle construction which only adds to the weight of the golf bag. Further, incorporating extendable telescoping handles andthe like in a large equipment bag capable of accommodating large athletic equipment, including but not limited to golf bags, can be a difficult and expensive proposition. Moreover, some known handles are attached to the exterior of the equipment bag andare subject to a variety

Multi-function Travel Case - Patent 7503440

Patents-165 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:26:53 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates generally to carrying cases, and in particular, carrying cases that provide one or more features for facilitating ease of travel.2. BackgroundConventional carrying cases, such as conventional cases for carrying portable computers, do not provide a combination of features for facilitating ease of travel as provided by the invention described herein.For example, modem travel, and in particular modem airline travel, involves heightened security procedures that require a traveler to provide one or more important documents, such as an airline ticket, boarding pass, passport and/or otheridentification, at one or more checkpoints during a trip. Constantly accessing and presenting these documents can be inconvenient and time-consuming for the traveler. Moreover, each time the documents are removed and returned to storage, the travelerruns the risk of dropping or misplacing them, particularly when in a hurry. Conventional carrying cases do not provide a means for storing such important travel-related documents in a manner that allows for quick, secure and easy access, viewing andstorage of same during travel.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA multi-function travel case in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of features for facilitating ease of travel. For example, a travel case in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a retractabledocument sleeve for storing important travel-related documents such as airline tickets, a passport, or other identification information, in a manner that allows for quick, secure and easy access, viewing and storage of same during travel.A multi-function travel case in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention further includes one or more of the following features: a retractable bottle holder that is extendable from a side pocket thereof, a side storage compartmentadapted for storing eyeglasses, sunglasses, and the like, in a mann

Retractable Wheel Assembly - Patent 7503439

Patents-165 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:24:57 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

The present invention relates to carriers such as luggage and backpacks and, more particularly, to wheel systems for such carriers.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONLuggage, backpacks, and other apparatus for carrying gear such as clothing, books, and personal items are widely used for many different applications. Luggage is, of course, indispensable for travelers, and may be quite large and bulky. Backpacks are used not only for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, but also, for example, by students to carry books and the like, and by others for carrying personal items. Modern materials and construction methods have increased thestrength and capacity of such carriers, allowing the user to significantly increase the loaded weight of the carrier. Moreover, travelers often elect to carry their luggage onto the aircraft or other transportation, rather than checking their bags. Although carry-on luggage may significantly reduce the time required at the airport, this may require the traveler to carry a heavy bag a relatively long distance, e.g., through the airport concourse. As the population ages, however, many travelers maybe unable and/or unwilling to carry a heavy container over a long distance. Similarly, improved backpacks have enabled students to carry more books and other items to and from school. Often, however, the student must carry the heavy backpack asignificant distance.Wheeled carriers have been developed that address some of the difficulties associated with transporting relatively heavy loads over relatively long distances. Typically, a frame for the carrier includes two or more fixed wheels mounted on thebottom of the carrier, and a retractable handle or a strap may be provided at one end, allowing the carrier to be pulled on the wheels by the user. Such wheeled systems have been very helpful at alleviating the difficulties discussed above, and are usedwidely.Fixed wheel systems, however, have several disadvantages. In backpacks, for example

Wheeled Suitcase With Detachable Garment Bag - Patent 7416066

Patents-165 — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:48:00 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 08, 2010

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH ORDEVELOPMENTNot applicableREFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTINGNot applicableREFERENCE TO "MICROFICHE APPENDIX"Not applicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to luggage both of the wheeled variety and the foldable type adapted to transport relatively large clothing pieces such as suits and dresses with minimal wrinkling.Luggage for transporting clothing typically takes the form of suitcases of the box or trunk style or the foldable variety known as garment carriers or garment bags. Accommodating the carrying of relatively large garment pieces such as suits,jackets, shirts, blouses, and dresses, while avoiding wrinkles, has been an ongoing problem for travelers everywhere. Traditional luggage, commonly referred to as suitcases cannot accommodate large garments such as suits or dresses without folding themto fit inside. Compression and relative friction brought on by folding and packing result in garment wrinkles and unsightly creases.As a solution to stuffed suitcases, garment bags were introduced as a means of transporting large garments. Garment bags are widely used despite a number of problems encountered with their use. Usually the user must suffer the strain andawkwardness of reaching backward across a shoulder to grasp a hanger hook from which the unfolded garment bag is suspended. Alternatively, the garment bag may be folded for easier handling, but the clothing held therein will suffer. This is becausegarment bags along with their contents require doubling or folding to a size that, at most, is half their overall length. The objective is to make garment bags just large enough to accommodate suits and dresses, yet small enough to be carried reasonablyconveniently, and to permit them to be brought aboard a commercial flight. Occasionally, airline flight personnel will permit hanging the garment bag during flight, but typically the bag must be folded and stuffed into an overhead compartment, whe

Shoe Case - Patent 7416065

Patents-165 — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:47:38 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 08, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to apparatus for use in transporting shoes.2. Description of the Prior ArtWhen a person travels, it is often the case that he or she packs one or more pair of shoes in addition to the ones being worn. It is common for shoes to be packed in a suitcase along with the traveler's clothes and other articles, and suchpacking of shoes tends to be done in a random, as opposed to an organized, manner. Shoes can take up a substantial amount of suitcase space, and the random packing of shoes in a suitcase most likely results from the traveler endeavoring to make anefficient use of available suitcase space. Additionally, packing shoes a suitcase often requires the traveler to put the shoes in a plastic bag or the like to prevent polish or dirt on the shoes from soiling the traveler's clothes which are also packedin the suitcase.Upon arrival of his or her destination, the traveler does not usually have a convenient place in which to keep the shoes. The traveler may, for example, opt either to live out of a suitcase and to remove a given pair of shoes from the suitcaseas needed or to strew the shoes in a random, haphazard manner on the floor of the room or a closet. Neither of these alternatives is convenient.Various approaches have been suggested for transporting shoes; however, these approaches have focused on providing shoe cases which are in the form of a standard type suitcase. Examples of such shoe cases are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,705,150; 1,921,110; 1,968,580; 2,634,835; 2,698,689; 2,874,813; 3,001,650; 3,414,093; and 4,699,267. None of the shoe cases described in the above-identified patents adequately solve the problem of providing a convenient mechanism for transporting theshoes and having them be conveniently available to the traveler upon arrival at his or her destination. That novel and useful result has been achieved by the apparatus of the present invention.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance w

Collapsible Expanding Luggage - Patent 7500547

Patents-165 — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:12:01 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 08, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe invention generally relates to luggage, and more particularly to collapsible expanding luggage.2. Description of Related ArtTravel has increasingly become a part of modem life. In today's highly interconnected world, many executives travel thousands of miles a year attending to business. Leisure travel has increased as well, and many people now consider vacationsand other trips of a scope and duration that would have been unheard of in the past.Most travelers use luggage to store and protect their possessions while traveling. Many different types of luggage are in use today, including conventional hard-sided and soft-sided suitcases, duffel bags, garment bags, and upright roller travelbags. Of the conventional types of luggage, upright roller travel bags, which are suitcases that have integrated wheels and an integrated rigid, telescoping handle, have become particularly popular because they can be wheeled easily from place to place,are stable and easily controlled while in motion, and have handles that conveniently collapse into the bag.One problem with conventional luggage is that when it is not in use, it often takes quite a bit of space to store. Even luggage sets, which allow smaller pieces of luggage to be stored inside larger ones, still require enough space to store thelargest piece. However, storage space is often at a premium, making luggage storage an inconvenient hassle.There have been some attempts to create collapsible luggage, so as to minimize the amount of storage space that the luggage consumes. However, the collapsible luggage that has reached the market is largely of the soft-sided sort. The walls ofsoft-sided luggage generally do not have sufficient rigidity to hold their own shape, which can make loading soft-sided luggage more difficult, and can also adversely affect the ability of soft-sided luggage to protect its contents. Perhaps for thesereasons, soft-sided luggage generally does not have the consume

Suitcase - PDF

Patents-165 — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:44:52 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Friday, October 08, 2010

This is a 371 of PCT/EP04/04421 filed Apr. 27, 2004 which claims priority to German Application 20306647.2, filed Apr. 28, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe invention refers to a suitcase as defined in the preamble of claim 1.Such shell suitcases, whose case shells are preferably made of plastic material or metal and which are hinged together at one edge of the case shells, are known. Frame elements are provided at the edges of the case shells, which have a closingmeans for closing the suitcase. Further, suitcases with two case shells are known that have a zipper as the closing means. The zipper may additionally be provided with a lock.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the invention to provide a suitcase of the type mentioned above, wherein at least one of the major surfaces of the suitcase can be individually designed by the user.This object is solved according to the invention by providing that at least one case shell is at least partly made of a transparent plastic material and that a space for receiving a sheet with an image thereon is provided behind the transparentpart of the case shell. The invention advantageously allows to use the case shell individually in the manner of a quick change picture frame by inserting a sheet with a photograph or a graphic illustration thereon. The transparent part of the caseshell is preferably located on the major surface of the case shell. The user may then individually provide the suitcase with a company name, advertising or an image. The owner of the suitcase may design one or both case shells according to his ownindividual ideas. Of course, it is also possible to not insert a sheet into the above space, the suitcase then showing the usual design.Preferably, it is provided that at least one case shell has an outer shell and an inner shell, the respective outer shell being at least partly made of transparent plastic material. Preferably, the outer shell is entirely made of transparentplastic material, ye

Business Travel Bag - Patent 7293635

Patents-165 — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:48:47 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, October 07, 2010

BACKGROUND INFORMATION1. Field of the InventionThe invention relates to the field of briefcases and other protective hand-carried cases or bags. More particularly, the invention relates to a travel bag that is adapted to neatly organize and securely carry a laptop and other small electronicdevices and business materials, as well as a purse or hand bag for personal items, and is attractive in appearance.2. Description of the Prior ArtThe business person today, when going to a meeting, must frequency carry along a number of items, such as a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell phone, plus paper files. Often the person has to travel to a distant locationfor the meeting, which means that personal items must also be carried along. Today, due to stringent security restrictions on airline travel, a traveler is limited to two carry-on items: one carry-on size piece of luggage and one personal item. Typically, the traveling business person wants to avoid having to check luggage to save time and, thus, wants to carry onto the plane the one piece of carry-on luggage plus a single bag that contains all necessary business items and artifacts. Thesituation is more complicated for a businesswoman, who, in addition to the typical tools of the business world mentioned above, also typically carries a purse or handbag, which contains small personal items, such as wallet, keys, glasses, and personalcare and cosmetic items. The new regulations count a purse as the one personal item the traveler is allowed to bring onboard, so the business woman today has to check what normally would be allowed as carry-on luggage, if she wants to carry abriefcase/laptop case and a purse on board.A solution to this problem is to carry a bag that fits within the security regulations as a carry-on bag, and combines the features of a well-organized computer carrycase with storage area for personal artifacts. Numerous computer carry bags andtote bags are available. None of the

Retractable Luggage Handle With Dampish Extending Speed - Patent 7370740

Patents-165 — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:46:43 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Thursday, October 07, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a retractable handle of luggage and more particularly to such a retractable handle having a damping device which is capable of damply extending upward a predetermined distance in a substantially stable speed whena push button is pressed for easing a pulling of the handle thereafter.2. Description of Related ArtWheeled luggage cases have developed rapidly over past several decades as more people travel either for business or leisure. Early luggage handle assemblies are exposed, thus detracting from its external appearance. In recent years, most handleassemblies are concealed in the luggage with only a top portion of the handle grip exposed. This can preserve the luggage's appearance. For facilitating user to pull the handle grip, a recessed bezel is typically provided on the top of the luggage. Itinevitably much detracts from its external appearance. For solving this problem, a number of designs about automatically bouncing a handle out of luggage have been proposed in many prior patents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,266, entitled"Concealable And Expandable Handle` and Taiwanese Patent Published No. 380,389 entitled "Fixing Assembly For Luggage Handle Spring" are two of them. The former discloses a spring for bouncing out the handle being formed in a bottom of support tube,while the latter discloses the spring for bouncing out the handle being formed in a lower portion of sliding tube. In operation, a user can press a push button on the handle grip to bounce out the handle. In one aspect it is convenient. However, thesudden bouncing of the handle grip having a bounce distance from about 20 cm to about 30 cm may cause danger. For example, the head and/or the eyes of a user may be hurt by the bounced handle grip when the head of the user is close to the handle grip inpressing the push button and sufficient care is not taken. This is not safe and is unsightly due to larger bounce distanc

Expansion System For A Luggage Case - Patent 7195109

Patents-165 — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:45:32 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 05, 2010

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENTEMBODIMENTLuggage cases, especially those having a generally rigid box-like construction, do not expand when over-packed. At most, such cases tend to form a spherical shape, increasing slightly the packing volume available when the traveler insists onstuffing more things into that travel case than it was designed to carry. This is especially true when a traveler returns from vacation and the like and purchases more goods than were originally packed on the original departure. There have been manyattempts to solve this problem. The most generally used solution involves a gusset with a zipper that holds the gusset together around the periphery of the case until a greater volume or expansion is needed. Then the zipper is unzipped around theperiphery of the case, usually more than 360 degrees around the case, to reveal the gusset. The revealed gusset can then expand and accommodate more clothing and the like. Elastically controlled gussets have also been proposed. Other systems have beenused. For example, an accordion section has been provided in the sides of the case with an elastic strap or telescoping struts to be used to either hold the gussets closed or stretch the gussets to their expanded position to create a greater packingvolume.The present embodiment relates to the former, where elastic members are used to control the unfolding or expansion of a peripheral accordion-like gusset in the rail of a case. More particularly, the present embodiment uses a series of differentelastic members to control the expansion of and, more importantly, to bias the accordion gusset towards a closed position. It is a further object of the present embodiment to provide the case with a neat and tailored look when the case is eitherover-packed or when it is not. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURESFIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a typical luggage case provided with the inventive expansion gusset, with that gusset in the contracted position.FIG. 2 shows the

Weight Determining Mechanism For A Backpack Or Other Luggage - Patent 7281615

Patents-165 — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:15:52 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 05, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThis disclosure relates to the field of weight determining mechanisms for use with luggage; in particular to weight determining mechanisms carried on-board a piece of luggage to determine the loaded weight of the piece of luggage.2. Description of the Related ArtRecently, the study of injury done to the human body through everyday activities has become a field of increasing importance. The sudden rise of repetitive stress injuries in the last few years and a greater understanding of the damage that canbe done to the human body by common tasks has led many people to try to determine safer ways to carry out their everyday lives. Potential dangers from everyday activities are particularly troubling when they occur during childhood, where a growing bodymay be less likely to recover from an injury and where an injury can potentially alter a person's whole life.One area of everyday injury that has recently caught attention is back injury from carrying or lifting overly heavy loads. This is particularly a problem for school children where scientists have determined that many kids carry far too muchweight in their backpacks to and from classes in order to transport school books and school supplies. Many experts recommend that a child carry no more than 15% of their body weight in a backpack to avoid an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury andparticularly damage to the spine.The above concerns are proving disturbing to many parents and school officials. In some areas, the concern has reached such a fevered pitch that school districts are being asked to find cost effective means for reducing the load of schoolchildren's backpacks. While such procedures may be necessary for preventing school children from taking home more weight than they should be carrying in order to complete assignments, the best way to prevent danger from overloaded backpacks is todirectly determine if a particular load, in a particular pack, is too heavy for a particul

Expandable Luggage - Patent 7281616

Patents-165 — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:15:47 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 05, 2010

The present invention relates to luggage, especially travel luggage, and in particular to luggage that can be expanded when desired.BACKGROUND INFORMATIONThe needs of travelers for luggage space can vary considerably, depending on the duration of a trip, the nature of the trip in terms of the types of clothing and other gear required, and the climate of the destination. For example, regardless ofthe purpose and the climate, a traveler does not need as much luggage space for a trip of short duration as for a long one. Generally, a business traveler does not need as much luggage space as a recreational traveler, especially one who needs bothcasual and dress clothes.One way for travelers to provide for both smaller and larger luggage space requirements is to have a moderately-sized suitcase for some trips and a large one for other trips. Another way is to have two moderate-sized suitcases and use only onewhen possible and use both when a larger capacity is needed. There have also been various proposals for expandable luggage. An expandable item of luggage offers the traveler a possible savings in cost as compared to the costs of purchasing more thanone piece of luggage. Moreover, the capability of expanding a piece of luggage permits a traveler to change the carrying capacity during the course of a trip. Not infrequently, a traveler will make purchases on a trip and will need more room for thereturn trip than for travel to a destination.Most previously known luggage having a variable volume is of the "soft" type, such as a duffle bag with expandable sections that can be collapsed and secured to a main section. The expandable "hard" luggage that is currently available lacksrigidity when expanded due to inadequate linking of separate rigid frame components that move away from each other when the luggage is expanded.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn object of the present invention is to provide an item of expandable luggage of the "hard" type that has a high degree

Luggage Having A Rotatable Handle - Patent 7191878

Patents-165 — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:22:39 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Tuesday, October 05, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a luggage, and more particularly to a luggage having a horizontally rotatable handle, wherein the handle is rotated relative to the pull bar so as to adjust the angle between the handle and the pull bararbitrarily.2. Description of the Related ArtA conventional luggage comprises a main body, a pull bar retractably mounted on the main body, and a handle mounted on the pull bar. The handle is usually parallel with the top of the main body. However, the handle has a single operationdirection which is fixed without adjustment, so that the handle cannot fit the requirement of different users, thereby limiting the versatility of the handle.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe primary objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage having a horizontally rotatable handle.Another objective of the present invention is to provide a luggage, wherein the handle is rotated relative to the pull bar to adjust the angle between the handle and the pull bar arbitrarily so as to fit the requirement of different users,thereby enhancing the versatility of the handle.In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a luggage, comprising a main body, a pull bar mounted on the main body, a positioning member mounted on the pull bar, and a handle rotatably mounted on the positioning member, wherein:the positioning member includes a positioning rod having a first end having a periphery formed with a plurality of opposite positioning holes;the handle includes a first casing, a second casing, two movable blocks, a press knob, and two elastic members;the first casing is rotatably mounted on the positioning rod of the positioning member and has two opposite ends each formed with a receiving recess;the second casing is combined with the first casing and has a mediate portion formed with a limit slot;each of the two movable blocks is slidably mounted in the respective receiving recess of the first casing and has a first end

Pull Handle Provided With A Grip Handle With An Adjustable Angle - Patent 7188715

Patents-165 — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:27:47 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 04, 2010

The present invention relates generally to a pull handle of a luggage compartment, and more particularly to a pull handle whose grip handle can be adjusted for comfortable grip angles.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONOwing to the extensible function of the pull handle of a conventional luggage compartment, the end-users can pull up the grip hand and extend the pull handle when dragging the luggage compartment. This design, in fact, has offered a comfortablegrip to some extent. However, when the end-users drag the luggage compartments, they can find that the inclination grade of the luggage compartment will also affect the dragging effect. Furthermore, when the conventional luggage compartment of suchdesign is dragged with its pull handle extended to a fixing state, the top end of the luggage compartment will be tilted approximate to 45.degree.. In such a case, as the luggage compartment presses the pull handles, the end-users will feel a sense ofheaviness, which is directly proportional to the top end of the luggage compartments. Though the end-users can adjust the inclination grade to reduce the sense of heaviness by raising their arms, this action will surely lead to a sensation of aching.Therefore, this industry shall assume the responsibility of making some pioneering R&D so as to improve the structural design of the pull handle and grip handle of luggage compartment.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention can offer an improved efficiency as detailed below.To provide an innovative pull handle of luggage compartment that the grip handle can be adjusted for comfortable grip angles, which is an ideal utility model in the industry.Based upon this modified structural design, the present invention is aimed at adjusting the angle of the grip handle specific to a pull handle of a luggage compartment for a service mode of another degree of curvature. So, when the grip handleis in the same holding position, it is possible to reduce the inclination grade of the

Travel Bag With Integrated Support - Patent 7188714

Patents-165 — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:27:41 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 04, 2010

1. FieldThis invention is generally concerned with luggage materials, configurations and designs, and is specifically concerned with travel bags having specialized support integrated therewith to provide a strong base which is resistant to wear anddamage occasioned by use of said bag.2. Prior ArtThe frequent traveler is well aware of need for high quality travel bags. Transit systems tend to be quite taxing on baggage of low quality. Bags get stuck, torn, ripped or snagged on equipment such as doors, escalators, conveyors, carts,handrails, armrests, among others. As travel bags tend to be heavy when loaded, they may be equipped with wheels to facilitate transport across smooth floors. Wheels are typically mounted into the bottom of such bags. An additional feature may includea handle. Handles are sometimes retractable into the bag such that the bag occupies a smaller space and allows for convenient storage.Some bags are designed for very heavy loads. Commonly known as "duffel" bags, a flexible material forms an enclosure into which objects may be packed. For example, a bag designed to carry sporting equipment may be made of strong canvas andreinforced at the seams with webbing or alternative durable materials. These bags may be particularly suited for carrying large and bulky objects which cause increased wear on the bags.An example of a travel bag suited for sporting equipment is taught by Mr. Kjose in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,135. The bag is designed to carry a second containment vessel of similar shape. It is shown with wheels attached about its bottom atvarious locations. Additionally, it has a zip opening and a handle. With the wheels distributed as shown, i.e. with a long wheelbase, the bag tends to be difficult to steer. In addition, the lower corners of the bag tend to be exposed. They may beengaged by or come into contact with many objects which may cause wear to them.An enclosure for sporting equipment is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No

Mat, Carrier Combination - Patent 7188713

Patents-165 — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:27:26 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Monday, October 04, 2010

This invention relates to a mat and carrier combination. The mat and carrier combination of the invention is preferably a foldable mat, storage container and/or backpack combination. More particularly, the invention relates to a mat/carrierdevice having a configuration including a number of bend- or fold-lines, which enable the device to vary in shape between a substantially flat mat, a storage container which is achieved by folding along some of the bend- or fold-lines thereon, and abackpack, which is achieved by the folding of the device along additional or alternative fold- or bend-lines.Preferably, the foldable mat and carrier of the invention is lightweight and easy to use, generally comprising an outer surface of nylon, fabric, plastic or other material, and a filler or cushion material therein.While the mat and carrier combination of the invention may have many different applications, one significant use is that in relation to the storage of children's toys and supplies, so that these toys and supplies can be transported within thestorage box configuration of the mat while in transit, and the mat opened for use by a child, especially an infant or toddler, when the device is not being used for storage purposes. As such, the invention is of particular use to mothers or childcaregivers, providing a mat for the child, but also constituting a storage box and backpack which can be easily carried from one place to another as part of a child's necessary requirements.While the invention has particular application with respect to children's needs, there are of course other applications of the invention, such as a storage container and mat for use on beaches, picnic areas, for exercising, for camping and thelike.Of course, ground mats, storage boxes and backpacks are well-known and widely used, and are available in a significant number of variations. Some of these devices are specifically designed for particular usages, and therefore have dimensions andconfiguration

Collapsible, Wheeled Security Luggage - Patent 7273139

Patents-165 — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:33:27 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, October 03, 2010

This invention relates to luggage having wheels for easier transport, a collapsible frame for easier storage, and a security and/or tamper evident lock.Generally, wheeled luggage is constructed with a frame and wall system enclosed by a body of a flexible material, usually a fabric. The frame usually has top and bottom pans--so-named for their "pan shape" with a base and edge flanges--that aremolded from a rigid durable plastic and are coextensive with the top and bottom walls. Parallel tubes that receive the legs of a U-shaped towing bar join the top and bottom pans. The bottom pan supports wheels. Side stiffener panels, which arecoextensive with the sides of the body, and a back panel are joined to the flange portions of the top and bottom pans.Like most "old-fashioned" hand-carried luggage, modern wheeled luggage of the type described above is strong and durable and serves its purpose very well. It has the additional advantage of being easy to move by towing it on its wheels. Full-framed luggage, either with or without wheels, has the disadvantages of being relatively heavy, in large part because of the frame and stiffener panel system, and of occupying a large amount of space when stored.Wheeled articles of luggage, such as carrying cases, have become quite popular, especially for use while traveling. The most popular type of wheeled carrying luggage includes wheels on a lower side and a retractable handle. The handle isextended and is used for towing of the case with the wheels engaged against the ground. Placing the weight of the luggage on the wheels permits a traveler to roll the luggage from one location to another, instead of having to carry the luggage,relieving the burden typically placed on the shoulders, back, and arms of the traveler.As noted above, wheeled carrying bags are made of rigid sidewalls and a heavy reinforcing bottom panel. The rigid construction of the sidewalls holds open the walls of the luggage, permitting easy packing of the

Collapsible Luggage - Patent 7175010

Patents-165 — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 08:42:37 GMT

shared by: Patents-165 on: Sunday, October 03, 2010

1. Field of the InventionThe present invention, in general relates to luggage and, more particularly, to a collapsible article of luggage.Luggage comes in a variety of well known styles and sizes. Some types of luggage include zippers than are opened to allow a section to expand in order to create more storage space.When people travel, they rely on luggage. Some types of luggage are used for short day trips, like attache cases or small carry-on types of luggage. Others are large and intended for the transport of more objects.When they are home, their luggage takes up considerable space. It is desirable to be able to store their luggage in a compact space.Also, sometimes when people vacation, they purchase souvenirs and other objects to bring back on their return. They often need more carrying capacity on a return trip than on the outgoing trip. Consequently, it is not uncommon to take an emptysuitcase with them, yet this takes up valuable travel space.Sometimes, people bring a collapsible duffel bag inside their primary luggage, but duffel bags do not provide any rigidity or protection to articles that are placed inside.Accordingly, there exists today a need for collapsible luggage.Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.2. Description of Prior ArtLuggage is, in general, well known. While the structural arrangements of the known types of devices, at first appearance, may have certain similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which willbe described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible luggage that is useful in carrying cargo items.It is also an important object of the invention to provide a collapsible luggage that includes a first open position that is usefu