US20070074941A1

US20070074941A1 - Expandable luggage

Info

Publication number: US20070074941A1
Application number: US11/238,989
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph Liang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-30
Filing date: 2005-09-30
Publication date: 2007-04-05

Abstract

An expandable luggage includes: a main body including opposite front and rear panels and a peripheral wall, the front panel having two opposite first edges, and two opposite second edges; a foldable body including two opposite first flaps, two opposite second flaps, a flexible bridge, and two first zippers, each of the first flaps extending from a respective one of the first edges of the front panel, each of the second flaps extending from a respective one of the second edges of the front panel, the flexible bridge interconnecting the first flaps, the second flaps being detachably connected to the flexible bridge and the first flaps through the first zippers; a handle mounted on the main body; and a wheel unit mounted on the main body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a luggage, more particularly to an expandable luggage.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, conventional expandable luggages are categorized into three types:
The first type is vertically expandable in which the luggage expands a compartment space thereof in a vertical direction. Luggages of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,361,215, 4,733,759, and 5,060,795. All these luggages share a common drawback in that there is no retractable handle unit mounted on the luggage body, thereby resulting in inconvenience when moving the luggage.
The second type is also vertically expandable but with a retractable handle unit. A luggage of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,652. The luggage provides a retractable handle unit that is required to be adjusted so as to permit vertical expansion of the luggage, which only results in a rather complicated structure, but also in inconvenience during use.
The third type is horizontally expandable. Luggages of this type expand a compartment space thereof in a horizontal direction, and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,671,831, 6,021,874, 6,059,078, 6,220,411, and 6,305,513. Luggages of this type share a common drawback in that, to achieve an effect of rigid formation after compartment space expansion, a plurality of support units are required to be provided between a main body and an expanding frame of the luggage, which results in a complicated structure and higher manufacturing and assembly costs.
All the three types of the conventional expandable luggages share a common drawback in that a hidden gusset is required to be installed thereon and a V-type opening is required to be formed during compartment space expansion, which result in a complicated structure and in a difficult sewing operation for the gusset. Furthermore, for reception and hiding of the gusset, a softer and flexible material is required for making the gusset.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an expandable luggage that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.
Accordingly, an expandable luggage of the present invention comprises: a main body including opposite front and rear panels and a peripheral wall disposed between and interconnecting the front and rear panels and cooperating with the front and rear panels to define a primary compartment thereamong, the front panel having two opposite first edges, and two opposite second edges, each of which interconnects the first edges; a foldable body including two opposite first flaps, two opposite second flaps, a flexible bridge, and a pair of first zippers, each of the first flaps extending from and being foldable relative to a respective one of the first edges of the front panel, each of the second flaps extending from and being foldable relative to a respective one of the second edges of the front panel, the flexible bridge being disposed between and interconnecting the first flaps, each of the second flaps being detachably connected to the flexible bridge and the first flaps through a respective one of the first zippers, the foldable body being operable between a folded state, in which the second flaps are detached from the first flaps and the flexible bridge and the first and second flaps are stacked one above the other on the front panel, and an extended state, in which the second flaps are connected to the first flaps and the flexible bridge through the first zippers and cooperate with the first flaps and the flexible bridge to define a secondary compartment that is separated from the primary compartment by the front panel; a handle mounted on the main body; and a wheel unit mounted on the main body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an expandable luggage according to the present invention, illustrating a state where a foldable body of the preferred embodiment is disposed at an extended state with two flaps of the foldable body being opened for showing an interior of a compartment defined by the foldable body;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but with a stretching panel disconnected from a bridge and two other flaps of the foldable body for showing how the stretching panel is connected to the bridge and the two flaps;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment with the flaps closed;
FIG. 4 is a partly sectional view of the preferred embodiment viewing from side;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines V-V in FIG. 4;
FIGS. 6 to 8 are perspective views to illustrate how the foldable body is folded;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view to illustrate how the expandable luggage can be used as a suitcase; and
FIG. 10 is a perspective view to illustrate how the expandable luggage can be used as a carrying bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 and FIGS. 6 to 8, the preferred embodiment of an expandable luggage according to the present invention is shown to include: a main body 10 including opposite front and rear panels 11, 12 and a peripheral wall 13 disposed between and interconnecting the front and rear panels 11, 12 and cooperating with the front and rear panels 11, 12 to define a primary compartment (I) thereamong (see FIG. 4), the front panel 11 having two opposite first edges 111, and two opposite second edges 112, each of which interconnects the first edges 111; a foldable body 10′ including two opposite first flaps 15, two opposite second flaps 17, a flexible bridge 16, and a pair of first zippers 40, each of the first flaps 15 extending from and being foldable relative to a respective one of the first edges 111 of the front panel 11, each of the second flaps 17 extending from and being foldable relative to a respective one of the second edges 112 of the front panel 11, the flexible bridge 16 being disposed between and interconnecting the first flaps 15, each of the second flaps 17 being detachably connected to the flexible bridge 16 and the first flaps 15 through a respective one of the first zippers 40, the foldable body 10′ being operable between a folded state, as best shown in FIG. 8, in which the second flaps 17 are detached from the first flaps 15 and the flexible bridge 16 and the first and second flaps 15, 17 are stacked one above the other on the front panel 11, and an extended state, as best shown in FIG. 3, in which the second flaps 17 are connected to the first flaps 15 and the flexible bridge 16 through the first zippers 40 and cooperate with the first flaps 15 and the flexible bridge 16 to define a secondary compartment (II) (see FIG. 4) that is separated from the primary compartment (I) by the front panel 11; a handle 20 mounted on the main body 10; and a wheel unit 30 mounted on the main body 10.
The foldable body 10′ further includes a stretching panel 18 that is connected securely to the front panel 11, that is foldable relative to the front panel 11, that is detachably connected to the first flaps 15 and the flexible bridge 16 (see FIGS. 1 and 4), and that extends in a transverse direction relative to the front panel 11 so as to maintain a predetermined distance between the front panel 11 and the flexible bridge 16 when the foldable body 10′ is disposed at the extended state. The stretching panel 18 includes opposite first and second ends 181, 182 connected to the front panel 11 and the flexible bridge 16, respectively, and two opposite sides connected to the first flaps 15, respectively, and is stacked on the front panel 11 when the foldable body 10′ is disposed at the folded state, as best shown in FIG. 6.
The expandable luggage further includes a first fastening mechanism 19 that is provided on a peripheral edge of the stretching panel 18, the first flaps 15, and the flexible bridge 16 in such a manner that the stretching panel 18 can be connected to the first flaps 15, and the flexible bridge 16 through the first fastening mechanism 19 in a hook-and-loop engaging manner. In this embodiment, the first fastening mechanism 19 is a Velcro® fastening mechanism.
The foldable body 10′ further includes a pair of handgrips 19′, each of which is connected to an exterior of a respective one of the first flaps 15.
The expandable luggage further includes a second fastening mechanism 50 that is provided on the second flaps 17 in such a manner that the second flaps 17 can be tightened through the second fastening mechanism 50 in a hook-and-loop engaging manner when the foldable body 10′ is disposed at the folded state. In this embodiment, the second fastening mechanism 50 is a Velcro® fastening mechanism.
The peripheral wall 13 of the main body 10 is formed with an access opening (not shown) for access to the primary compartment (I). The main body 10 further includes a second zipper 14 that is provided on a periphery of the access opening for closing and opening the access opening.
The handle 20 is secured to the rear panel 12, and is telescopically extendable relative to the main body 10.
The wheel unit 30 is mounted on a bottom of the main body 10.
In this embodiment, referring to FIG. 2, each of the first flaps 15 is semi-circular in shape, and has a semicircular edge 151 and a radius (W2) (see FIG. 2) that is less than the distance (W1) between the first edges 111 of the front panel 11. The flexible bridge 16 is integrally formed with the first flaps 15, and has two opposite ends connected to middle points of the semicircular edges 151 of the first flaps 15, respectively. The predetermined distance between the flexible bridge 16 and the front panel 11 is substantially equal to the radius (W2) of each of the first flaps 15. The width (W3) between two lateral edges of each of the second flaps 17 is less than the distance (W1) between the first edges 111 of the front panel 11. The length (L3) of each of the second flaps 17 is less than the distance (L1) between the second edges 112 of the front panel 11.
Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, in combination with FIG. 2, to dispose the foldable body low in the folded state, the first zippers 40 are unzipped such that the second flaps 17 are detached from the first flaps 15 and the flexible bridge 16, and the stretching panel 18 is disconnected from the flexible bridge 16 and the first flaps 15. Then, the first flaps 15 are folded relative to the main body 10, and are laid on the front panel 11. Afterwards, the second flaps 17 are folded relative to the main body 10, are stacked on the first flaps 15, and are tightened through the second fastening mechanism 50.
As shown in FIG. 9, when the foldable body 10′ is disposed at the folded state, the expandable luggage can be used as a suitcase that can be towed with the help of the handle 20 and the wheel unit 30.
As shown in FIG. 10, when the foldable body 10′ is disposed at the extended state, the expandable luggage can be used as a carrying bag that can be carried through the handgrips 19′.
Compared to the conventional expandable luggages, the configuration of the foldable body 10′ of the expandable luggage of this invention, which includes the first and second flaps 15, 17, is much simpler and convenient to operate between the extended and folded states.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. An expandable luggage comprising:

a main body including opposite front and rear panels and a peripheral wall disposed between and interconnecting said front and rear panels and cooperating with said front and rear panels to define a primary compartment thereamong, said front panel having two opposite first edges, and two opposite second edges, each of which interconnects said first edges;

a foldable body including two opposite first flaps, two opposite second flaps, a flexible bridge, and a pair of first zippers, each of said first flaps extending from and being foldable relative to a respective one of said first edges of said front panel, each of said second flaps extending from and being foldable relative to a respective one of said second edges of said front panel, said flexible bridge being disposed between and interconnecting said first flaps, each of said second flaps being detachably connected to said flexible bridge and said first flaps through a respective one of said first zippers, said foldable body being operable between a folded state, in which said second flaps are detached from said first flaps and said flexible bridge and said first and second flaps are stacked one above the other on said front panel, and an extended state, in which said second flaps are connected to said first flaps and said flexible bridge through said first zippers and cooperate with said first flaps and said flexible bridge to define a secondary compartment that is separated from said primary compartment by said front panel;

a handle mounted on said main body; and

a wheel unit mounted on said main body.

2. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foldable body further includes a stretching panel that is connected securely to said front panel, that is detachably connected to said first flaps and said flexible bridge, and that extends in a transverse direction relative to said front panel so as to maintain a predetermined distance between said front panel and said flexible bridge when said foldable body is disposed at the extended state, said stretching panel being detached from said first flaps and said flexible bridge and being stacked on said front panel when said foldable body is disposed at the folded state.

3. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a fastening mechanism that is provided on a peripheral edge of said stretching panel, said front panel, and said flexible bridge in such a manner that said stretching panel can be connected to said first flaps and said flexible bridge through said fastening mechanism in a hook-and-loop engaging manner.

4. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foldable body further includes a pair of handgrips connected to said first flaps, respectively.

5. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fastening mechanism that is provided on said second flaps in such a manner that said second flaps can be tightened through said fastening mechanism in a hook-and-loop engaging manner when said foldable body is disposed at the folded state.

6. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first flaps is semi-circular in shape and has a radius, said predetermined distance between said flexible bridge and said front panel being substantially equal to said radius of each of said first flaps.

7. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral wall of said main body is formed with an access opening for access to said primary compartment, said main body further including a second zipper that is provided on a periphery of said access opening for closing and opening said access opening.

8. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle is secured to said rear panel and is telescopically extendable relative to said main body.

9. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first flaps is semi-circular in shape, and has a radius that is less than the distance between said first edges of said front panel.

10. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of each of said second flaps is less than the distance between said first edges of said front panel.

11. The expandable luggage as claimed in claim 10, wherein the length of each of said second flaps is less than the distance between said second edges of said front panel.