Trunks and hand-carried luggage – Hand luggage – Knockdown or collapsible
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2001-10-02
Weaver, Sue A. (Department: 3727)
Trunks and hand-carried luggage
Hand luggage
Knockdown or collapsible
C190S109000, C190S901000, C383S004000, C206S281000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296094
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein relates to luggage and more particularly to a travel bag especially adapted for airline travel.
It is generally known that airlines and other transportation carriers restrict the amount of luggage that passengers can carry on board with them. Passengers therefore often reluctantly check luggage into the baggage compartment. Due to the high volume of checked luggage, some is lost. Consequently, the traveling public is often greatly inconvenienced by the loss or delay in receiving their personal items. Stricter regulations concerning carryon baggage has also forced travelers to limit the amount of items that they bring with them.
Another problem encountered by travelers that is related to luggage is pre-travel packing, “living out of the luggage” while away and repacking for the return trip. This process also leaves room for error in the fast paced world of the packing and traveling. These errors usually result in forgetting to bring items, and inadvertently leaving items in hotel rooms and the like.
Basic needs of the traveler in this area have thus far avoided the marketplace. A need exists for travel bags that conform to air carriers guidelines for size while allowing maximal packing efficiency and ease of locating and repacking travel items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Present Invention:
In one aspect, the invention features a luggage or travel bag that includes a first flap and a second flat joined together by a flap connector disposed therebetween. At least one first sub-flap and at least one second sub-flap is positioned as part of the first flap and the second flap respectively, and located opposite to the flap connector. The device also includes a plurality of pockets attached to the first flap and the second flap. This combination of the flaps allows for multiple foldable configurations of the travel bag with storage of items in the pockets.
The system may also include a first flap and a second flat joined together by a flap connector disposed therebetween with the first flap including a fastener. In addition, two closure flaps are secured to each of the two sides of the second flap, adjacent to the flap connector. The closure flaps extend laterally from the respective sides of the second flap and include a fastener secured to the distal end thereof. This allows the closure flaps, when, folded around the sides of the second flap, to be secured by the fasteners on the closure flaps. This creates an enveloping feature about the area between said first flap and said second flap to more completely secure items in the bag.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method of varying luggage dimension utilizing the afore mentioned system of flaps and sub-flaps. By positioning the first sub-flap and the second sub-flap to be substantially coplanar with the first flap and the second flap respectively and then repositioning the first sub-flap and the second sub-flap to be substantially parallel but not coplanar with the first flap and the second flap respectively, the overall dimension of the bag will be altered. This ability enables the user to reduce the overall dimension of the luggage bag as needed or desired. The aforementioned ability to provide modular receptacles that are releasably secured to at least one of said flaps, also aids in the ability of groups of articles to be removed and added to the luggage device with the addition or removal of a single receptacle.
Definition of Terms:
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same intended meaning as would be commonly understood by anyone of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. To eliminate possible ambiguity, specific terms used herein have been defined as they would be applied to the present invention.
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Fish & Richardson P.C.
Weaver Sue A.
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