Abstract:
A luggage cover includes: a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and a carrying element affixed to a top portion of the rear panel, wherein: the bottom panel includes a first panel coupled to an edge portion of the front panel and a second panel coupled to an edge portion of the rear panel; the first panel includes a first fastening element that can be coupled to a second fastening element of the second panel such that the bottom panel can be in a closed configuration or in an open configuration based on whether or not the first fastening element and the second fastening element are coupled; and the luggage cover is configured to receive the luggage container in the open configuration and is formed from pliable material to permit folding.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to generally to a luggage cover. More specifically, the present invention relates to a luggage cover that can be used as a bag or backpack when a luggage container is enclosed within the luggage cover. 
         [0003]    Background 
         [0004]    A challenge to traveling has always been carrying one&#39;s belongings in the most efficient and easy manner. Further, there has always been a need to protect one&#39;s luggage from exposure to natural elements, general wear-and-tear, and overall deterioration, just as there has always been a need for luggage to effectively protect the contents placed within. The need to protect luggage from such conditions has increased more so due to the rising cost of quality-crafted luggage and subsequent maintenance. These costs are compounded by the fact that some luggage items are manufactured with perishable materials such as leather and are subject to a higher rate of deterioration. 
         [0005]    To meet this challenge, luggage cover designs have appeared in the prior art to protect luggage. However, prior art designs have had various problems concerning carriability. That is, once a luggage container is enclosed within a protective luggage cover, it is difficult to carry the luggage container because all handles are covered by the luggage cover. The present invention is designed to provide a luggage cover that provides not only protection of the luggage, but also functionality as a backpack. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved luggage cover that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a luggage cover for covering a luggage container includes: a plurality of panels including a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the plurality of panels capable of being shaped into a protective shell for covering the luggage container; and a carrying element affixed to a top portion of the rear panel. 
         [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, the bottom panel includes a first panel coupled to an edge portion of the front panel and a second panel coupled to an edge portion of the rear panel; and the first panel includes a first fastening element that is configured to be coupled to a second fastening element of the second panel such that the bottom panel is in a closed configuration when the first fastening element and the second fastening element are coupled and the bottom panel is in an open configuration when the first fastening element and the second fastening element are not coupled or uncoupled. In another aspect of the present invention, the luggage cover is configured to receive the luggage container in the open configuration and is formed from pliable material to permit folding. 
         [0008]    Advantages of the present invention over the prior art include a carrying element such as shoulder straps attached to the luggage cover that allows carrying the luggage container enclosed within the luggage cover just like a bag or backpack. The shoulder straps may be detachable when the luggage container enclosed within the luggage cover is not carried by a user. 
         [0009]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide a further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a luggage cover with detachable shoulder straps attached thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a font perspective view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a frontal view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7A  is a rear view of a luggage cover with shoulder straps according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7B  is a rear view of a luggage cover with detachable shoulder straps according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8A  is a bottom plan view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8B  is a bottom plan view of a luggage cover according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8C  is a bottom plan view of a luggage cover according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with respect to various embodiments illustrated in the annexed drawings. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a luggage cover with detachable shoulder straps attached thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a luggage cover  10  in which a luggage container is enclosed is shown. In all drawings, the luggage cover  10  is shown to enclose the luggage container. The luggage cover  10  is shaped to cover the luggage container. For example, the luggage cover  10  is formed of any durable material, such as canvas, fabric, polyester, spandex, nylon, leather, plastic (e.g. vinyl), and the like. 
         [0024]    The luggage cover  10  may have a carrying element attached thereto. For example, the carrying element may be a single shoulder strap or a pair of shoulder straps  20 . According to an embodiment, the shoulder straps  20  may be detached from the luggage cover  10  and stored in a pocket  30  formed inside the luggage cover  10 . According to another embodiment, only one of the shoulder straps  20  may be attached to the luggage cover  10  while the other shoulder strap  20  may be stored in the pocket  30 . The opening of the pocket  30  is sealable by a zipper mechanism. 
         [0025]    According to an embodiment, the luggage cover  10  may have at least one aperture  40  that can be opened and closed by a zipper mechanism. For example, an aperture  40  may be formed on a side panel of the luggage cover  10 . The aperture  40  may be used to expose an external component of the luggage container within the luggage cover  10  such as a handle or carrying means. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the luggage cover  10  may have at least one or two apertures  50 ,  60  formed on a top panel of the luggage cover  10 . The at least one or two apertures  50 ,  60  may be opened and closed by a zipper mechanism and when opened, the at least one or two apertures  50 ,  60  can be used to expose external component(s) of the luggage container such as an extendable handle or carrying means attached to the luggage container. For example, in  FIG. 2 , a carrying handle extended from the luggage container is exposed via the aperture  50 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a font perspective view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a frontal view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the carrying handle of the luggage container is exposed via the at least one or two apertures  50 ,  60  that are open. Since at least two of a plurality of panels of the luggage cover  10  are made of an expandable material or expandable fabric, a size of the luggage cover is adjustable according to a size of the luggage container to fit the luggage container. Thus, the luggage cover  10  may be used to cover various sized luggage containers regardless of their sizes. Further, the luggage cover  10  is foldable and when folded, the luggage cover  10  is storable in the luggage container. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 5 , the aperture  40  formed on the side panel and also shown in  FIG. 1  is shown. The carrying handle or hand carry strap of the luggage container is exposed via the apertures  40 ,  50 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of a luggage cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the pocket  30  formed on the rear panel of the luggage cover  10  is shown. For example, in  FIG. 6 , at least one ends of the shoulder straps  20  are not coupled to the luggage cover  10  such that portions of the shoulder straps  20  including the at least one ends may be stored in the open pocket  30 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 7A  is a rear view of a luggage cover with shoulder straps according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 7A , according to an embodiment, the shoulder straps  20   a  may be permanently affixed to a top portion of the rear panel of the luggage cover  10 . For example, one ends of the shoulder straps  20   a  may be stitched to the rear panel while the other ends of the shoulder straps  20   a  are not permanently affixed to the luggage cover  10 . A length of the shoulder straps  20   a  may be adjustable. By having the shoulder straps  20   a , the luggage cover  10  in which the luggage container is enclosed can be carried by a user like a backpack. 
         [0031]    In another example, although not shown in the drawings, one ends of a pair of shoulder straps may be stitched to inside of the pocket  30  such that the pair of shoulder straps can be concealed in the pocket  30  when the other ends of the pair of shoulder straps are not attached to the luggage cover  10 . Therefore, when a user wants to carry the luggage container enclosed within the luggage cover  10  in a backpack mode, the pocket  30  is opened, the pair of shoulder straps are taken out of the pocket  30 , and the other ends of the pair of shoulder straps are attached to a portion of the luggage cover  10  to make the pair of shoulder straps wearable by the user. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7B  is a rear view of a luggage cover with detachable shoulder straps according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 7B , according to another embodiment, a pair of shoulder straps  20   b  are attachable to or detachable from the luggage cover  10 . The pair of shoulder straps  20   b  have two first ends, each first end with a first coupling member  70 , and two second ends, each second end with a second coupling member  80  (not shown in  FIG. 7B , but shown in  FIGS. 8A-8C ). For example, the pair of shoulder straps  20   b  may be attached to a top portion of the rear panel via the first coupling member  70 . That is, the top portion of the rear panel of the luggage cover  10  may have a coupling member that can be coupled to the first coupling member  70 . 
         [0033]    Further, the second coupling member  80  may be coupled to a lower end portion of the front panel, to a lower end portion of the rear panel, to a portion where the front panel contacts the bottom panel, or to a portion where the rear panel contacts the bottom panel via a coupling member that is formed at the lower end portion of the front or rear panel and shaped to be coupled to the second coupling member  80 . Furthermore, the first coupling member  70  and the second coupling member  80  may be detached from the luggage cover  10  by decoupling them from the coupling member(s) formed on the luggage cover  10 . For example, the first coupling member  70  and the second coupling member  80  may have a locking mechanism such as a hook structure such that they can be coupled to ring-structured coupling members formed on the luggage cover  10 . When the pair of shoulder straps  20   b  are detached from the luggage cover  10 , they can be stored in the pocket  30  of the luggage cover  10 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 8A-8C  show bottom plan views of luggage covers according to various embodiments of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1-8C , the luggage cover  10  has a plurality of panels including a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. According to an embodiment, the plurality of panels are made of a weatherproof material. The plurality of panels are capable of being shaped into a protective shell for covering the luggage container since at least one panel among the plurality of panels, for example, the first side panel and the second side panel, is made of an expandable material or expandable fabric. 
         [0035]    According to an embodiment, the bottom panel of the luggage cover  10  includes a first panel  91  coupled to an edge portion of the front panel and a second panel  92  coupled to an edge portion of the rear panel. When the first panel and the second panel are coupled to each other, they form the bottom panel of the luggage cover  10 . 
         [0036]    For example, the first panel includes a first fastening element that is configured to be coupled to a second fastening element of the second panel such that the bottom panel is in a closed configuration when the first fastening element and the second fastening element are coupled, and the bottom panel is in an open configuration when the first fastening element and the second fastening element are not coupled or uncoupled. The bottom panel may have a gap between the first panel and the second panel when the bottom panel is in the closed configuration such that at least a portion of a bottom of the luggage container is exposed via the gap. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 8A , according to an embodiment, the first fastening element and the second fastening element form an adjustable buckle strap such that a size of the bottom panel can be adjusted according to a size of the luggage container. Referring to  FIG. 8B , according to another embodiment, the first fastening element has a hook structure and the second fastening element has a loop structure to form a hook-and-loop fastener. Referring to  FIG. 8C , according to yet another embodiment, the first fastening element and the second fastening element form a zipper 
         [0038]    Further, a size of the bottom panel may be smaller than a size of the top panel. Such a structure of the bottom panel allows exposure of wheels of the luggage container even when the bottom panel is in the closed configuration if the luggage container includes the rolling wheels. Therefore, the luggage container having the wheels can still be carried by the handle and the rolling wheels even when the luggage container is covered with the luggage cover  10 . 
         [0039]    In alternative embodiments, the shoulder straps can take any known mechanism allowing the user to hold the luggage on the user&#39;s back. For example, the shoulder straps may have a single strap to place over one shoulder and body of the user while the user wears the luggage in the backpack mode. 
         [0040]    Therefore, the foregoing description of the various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.