Luggage system for detachably securing and transporting multiple luggage pieces

A luggage system for detachably securing and transporting multiple luggage pieces in a side-by-side arrangement. The luggage system has at least a first luggage piece and a second luggage piece, each having a generally oblong rectangular configuration with a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, and a hollow inner cavity, with the top and bottom walls of the first luggage piece aligning with the top and bottom walls respectively of the second luggage piece. Each luggage piece has at least three wheels extending below a bottom wall of each luggage piece. The luggage system has means for detachably securing the first luggage piece to the second luggage piece when positioned in a side-by-side arrangement to the first luggage piece. The means for detachably securing is located near the front wall and the rear wall of each luggage piece. And a means for handling the luggage system is provided to push, tow, and steer the luggage system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The field of the invention generally pertains to luggage and suitcases. The 
invention relates more particularly to a luggage system for detachably 
securing and transporting multiple luggage pieces in a side-by-side 
arrangement. 
Travelers often use more than one luggage piece to carry their clothing, 
personal items, and other articles for use in their travels. This presents 
a considerable problem for travelers when carrying or transporting their 
luggage through airports, hotels, and the like. Although a traveler often 
has the option of renting or purchasing a separate luggage cart, dolly, or 
hand truck, or retaining the services of airport or hotel personnel, these 
methods of transporting luggage are sometimes expensive, impractical, or 
burdensome on the traveler. 
Various methods of arranging and securing together luggage pieces have been 
used in an effort to facilitate multiple luggage transport by an 
individual traveler. These methods typically employ a single piece of 
wheeled luggage with additional luggage pieces stacked and secured on top. 
For example, in both U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,252 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,886 
additional luggage pieces are transported on top of a wheeled luggage 
piece functioning as the base of a dolly or hand truck. In U.S. Pat. No. 
3,960,252 a portable case and collapsible trolley combination is shown 
having an extendable handle framework pivotally hinged to a portable case. 
When converting the combination for transport, the extendable handle 
framework is pivoted and extended and two wheels are rotated from side 
arms on the handle framework to form a dolly configuration. Additional 
pieces of luggage can be subsequently stacked on top of the portable case 
and transported in typical dolly fashion. Likewise, in U.S. Pat. No. 
5,699,886, a luggage system is shown for transporting an additional 
luggage piece stacked on top of a wheeled luggage piece having an 
extendable tow handle. The additional luggage piece has a supplementary 
tow handle which is extended through the extendable tow handle of the 
wheeled luggage piece, and used to tow the combined luggage system. This 
arrangement secures the additional luggage piece from falling off the 
wheeled luggage piece during transport. 
The methods disclosed in both U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,252 and U.S. Pat. No. 
5,699,886, however, are generally insufficient to safely and reliably 
carry multiple luggage pieces, especially luggage pieces carrying heavy 
loads. Transporting heavy laden luggage pieces can be difficult to steer 
and control due to the high center of gravity when additional luggage 
pieces are stacked on a dolly. This is especially true when pushing the 
dolly in a forward manner rather than towing the dolly from behind. 
Moreover, luggage pieces stacked on a dolly can fall off during transport, 
and also have a tendency to topple over when the dolly is stood upright. 
Measures to secure luggage pieces in a stacked configuration may be 
insufficient. For example, the use of a supplementary tow handle in U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,699,886 may secure the additional luggage piece having the 
supplementary tow handle. All other additional luggage pieces, however, 
are not prevented from falling off during transport. 
In addition to dolly arrangements, another method of arranging and 
transporting multiple luggage pieces is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,871 
disclosing a luggage with a self-contained convertible wheeled carrier. 
The luggage has a first article holding compartment pivotally hinged to a 
second article holding compartment having wheels mounted on its side 
walls. This enables the luggage to convert into an additional luggage 
carrying position as shown in FIG. 1. In this operative position, the 
second article holding compartment functions as a wheeled base for placing 
additional luggage pieces. 
As can be seen in FIG. 6 of this disclosure, however, this method requires 
considerable effort by the traveler to convert the luggage from the folded 
conventional luggage carrying position to the unfolded additional luggage 
carrying position. This can be a frustrating and burdensome task for most 
rushed and weary travelers, especially when the article holding 
compartments are heavily laden. Moreover, converting the luggage to the 
additional luggage carrying position requires the loading and unloading of 
all additional luggage pieces placed on the luggage which may compound the 
frustration. 
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,968, a suitcase assembly is shown having 
first and second suitcase components which are capable of being assembled 
in two different arrangements. The first suitcase component has a 
plurality of caster wheels on its bottom surface, and a plurality of 
recesses on its top surface and on one side surface. And the second 
suitcase component has a plurality of projections on its bottom surface 
and on one side surface which mate with the top and side recesses 
respectively of the first suitcase component, preferably by magnetic 
force. In a first arrangement, the second suitcase component is positioned 
on top of the first suitcase component with the projections engaging the 
recesses. This first arrangement enables the suitcase assembly to be 
pushed or pulled. And in a second arrangement, the first and second 
suitcase components are positioned in a side-by-side manner with the 
projections engaging the recesses. 
As with the dolly method of arranging and securing multiple luggage pieces, 
the suitcase assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,968 also poses 
several transporting problems. In the first arrangement, stacking the 
suitcase components raises the center of gravity of the suitcase assembly. 
This arrangement heightens the risk of falling over and accidental 
disassembly during transport. This is especially true when traveling over 
irregular surfaces. Although magnetic force is preferably used to engage 
the projections and the recesses, magnetic force alone is insufficient to 
prevent against accidental disassembly. It would be safer and easier to 
control a combination luggage arrangement having a low center of gravity. 
Moreover, the second side-by-side arrangement is not intended to be used 
for transport; it does not allow the suitcase assembly to be pushed, 
pulled, or otherwise transported in a side-by-side manner. Rather the 
side-by-side arrangement of the suitcase components serves only as a 
temporal chair for the traveler to sit on. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, reliable, and 
convenient luggage system for detachably securing and transporting 
multiple luggage pieces in a side-by-side arrangement. 
The present invention is for a luggage system for detachably securing and 
transporting multiple luggage pieces in a side-by-side arrangement. The 
luggage system has at least a first luggage piece and a second luggage 
piece, each having at least three wheels extending below its bottom wall, 
and a means for detachably securing the first luggage piece to the second 
luggage piece in a side-by-side arrangement. The means for detachably 
securing has at least one first extending assembly positioned within the 
hollow inner cavities of the first and second luggage pieces near the 
front walls, and at least one second extending assembly positioned within 
the hollow inner cavities of the first and second luggage pieces near the 
rear walls. Each of the at least one first and second extending assemblies 
has an extending member held in a track in one of the first or second 
luggage pieces, and a corresponding mating-receiving-and-locking element 
in the other one of the first or second luggage pieces. In one embodiment 
of the luggage system, each extending member and corresponding track 
member is positioned in the first luggage piece, and each corresponding 
mating-receiving-and-locking element is positioned in the second luggage 
piece. When the luggage system is assembled, each extending member of the 
first luggage piece is partially extended into the corresponding 
mating-receiving-and-locking element of the second luggage piece. The 
extending member is temporarily held by a locking pin which is 
controllably moved and inserted into a passageway on a leading end of each 
extending member. Additionally, a means for handling the luggage system 
assembly is provided to push, tow, and steer the luggage system. In one 
embodiment, the means for handling the luggage system includes a handle 
member which is retractable when not in use, and can be inserted in a 
handle well fixedly mounted inside each luggage piece for pushably and 
steerably operating the luggage system. The handle assembly also has a 
stopper element affixed near the top of the handle well which is used both 
for towing the luggage system and preventing the handle member from 
completely exiting the luggage piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 3 illustrates a luggage system, 
generally indicated at 10, for detachably securing multiple luggage pieces 
in a side-by-side arrangement. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the 
luggage system 10, and its component first luggage piece, generally 
indicated at 11, and its component second luggage piece, generally 
indicated at 19. The luggage system 10 is shown completely assembled and 
ready to be transported. 
Details of the first luggage piece 11 are best seen in FIG. 1. The first 
luggage piece 11 has a generally oblong rectangular configuration with a 
top wall 12, a bottom wall 13, a front wall 14, a rear wall 15, a first 
sidewall 16, a second sidewall 17 opposite the first sidewall 16, and a 
hollow inner cavity 18. And FIGS. 2 and 6 best show the details of the 
second luggage piece 19 which also has a generally oblong rectangular 
configuration similar to the first luggage piece 11, with a top wall 20, a 
bottom wall 21, a front wall 22, a rear wall 23, a first sidewall 24, a 
second sidewall 25 opposite the first sidewall 24, and a hollow inner 
cavity 26. 
As can be best seen in FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6, each luggage piece 11, 19 has 
at least three wheels extending below its bottom wall 13, 21. Preferably 
four wheels of a conventional caster type are used, including a pair of 
smaller caster wheels 27, 28 near the rear wall 15, 23, and a pair of 
larger caster wheels 29, 30 near the front wall 14, 22. As best shown in 
FIG. 5, the pair of larger caster wheels 29, 30 are preferably mounted on 
a corner edge of the front wall 14, 22 and the bottom wall 13, 21, 
extending below the bottom wall 13, 21 and beyond the front wall 14, 22. 
This is to facilitate transporting the luggage system 10 over curbs and 
the like in a dolly fashion while maintaining control. Each luggage piece 
11, 19 also has a conventional means for opening and closing the luggage 
piece 31, 32, such as a zipper, on at least one of the first sidewall 16, 
24 and second sidewall 17, 25. And a conventional carrying handle 33, 34 
is affixed to each top wall 12, 20 for manually carrying the luggage 
pieces 11, 19 individually. 
As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the luggage system 10 also has a means for 
detachably securing the first luggage piece 11 and the second luggage 
piece 12 in a side-by-side configuration, generally indicated at 35. The 
means for detachably securing 35 comprises at least one first extending 
assembly 35' positioned within the hollow inner cavities 18, 26 near the 
front walls 14, 22 of the first and second luggage pieces 11, 19, and at 
least one second extending assembly 35" positioned within the hollow inner 
cavities 18, 26 near the rear walls 15, 23 of the first and second luggage 
pieces 11, 19. (See FIG. 5) As can be seen in FIG. 5, the means for 
detachably securing 35 is positioned within the hollow inner cavities 18, 
26 of the first and second luggage pieces 11, 19. Details of the means for 
detachably securing 35 can be best seen in FIG. 4 showing an enlarged 
perspective view of the means for detachably securing 35 the first luggage 
piece 11 to the second luggage piece 19 located near the front wall 14, 22 
and the rear wall 15, 23 of each luggage piece 11, 19. In particular, FIG. 
4 shows one embodiment of the means for detachably securing 35 having a 
pair of second extending assemblies 35" and 36" with two extending members 
36, 37 movably held by corresponding track members 38, 39 within the 
hollow inner cavity 18 near the rear wall 15 of the first luggage piece 
11, and a corresponding number of mating-receiving-and-locking elements 
40, 41 affixed within the hollow inner cavity 26 near the rear wall 23 of 
the second luggage piece 19. Likewise, (but not shown) a pair of extending 
members is movably held by corresponding track members within the hollow 
inner cavity 18 near the front wall 14 of the first luggage piece 11, and 
a corresponding number of mating-receiving-and-locking elements within the 
hollow inner cavity 26 near the front wall 22 of the second luggage piece 
19. When referencing the position of the first or second extending 
assemblies 35' and 35" to the front 14, 22 or rear walls 15, 23, it is 
understood that the extending assemblies 35' and 35" are substantially 
near the respective front or rear walls without necessarily being affixed 
to either. This is supported in the drawings and can be best seen in FIG. 
5. However, the proximity of the extending assemblies 35' and 35" must be 
sufficiently close to enable manual actuation of the extending members 36, 
37 from outside the luggage pieces. 
The track members 38, 39 are preferably hollow tubes, and each extending 
member 36, 37 is preferably a shaft slidably held in the corresponding 
hollow tube. Each pair of extending members 36, 37 is connected by at 
least one and preferably two joined vertical crossbars 42 having a main 
actuator arm 43 exposed and accessible from outside the luggage pieces 11, 
19. The main actuator arm 43 is used to manually extend and retract the 
connected pair of extending members 36, 37 simultaneously. As can be seen 
in FIG. 1, the extending members 36, 37 near the rear wall 15 partially 
extend out from the luggage piece 11 through exit openings 44, 45 on the 
second sidewall 17 of the first luggage piece 11. Similarly, and as can be 
seen in FIG. 6, the first sidewall 24 of the second luggage piece 19 has 
receptacle openings 48, 49 near the rear wall 23 which open into the 
mating-receiving-and-locking elements 40, 41. Each extending member 36, 37 
has a leading end 52, 53 which enters the mating-receiving-and-locking 
element 40, 41 through the receptacle opening 48, 49. Each 
mating-receiving-and-locking element 40, 41 has a means for releaseably 
holding the leading end 54 of the corresponding extending member 36, 37. 
The means for releaseably holding the leading end 54 comprises a 
passageway 55, 56 near the leading end 52, 53 of the extending member 36, 
37, and two locking pins 57, 58 positioned to be controllably moved in and 
out of the passageway 55, 56 of each extending member 36, 37. The means 
for releaseably holding the leading end 54 further includes a connector 
bar 59 connecting the two locking pins 57, 58, and a lock actuator arm 59' 
for moving said locking pins 57, 58 in and out of the passageways 55, 56 
of each extending member 36, 37. In this manner, the first luggage piece 
11 can be detachably secured to the second luggage piece 19. 
As can be best seen in FIGS. 1-3, 5, and 6 each luggage piece also includes 
a means for handling the luggage system, generally indicated at 60, to 
push, tow, and steer the luggage system 10. The means for handling 10, 
comprises a handle member 61, a handle well 62, a stopper element 63, and 
a means for storing away said handle member when not in use, generally 
indicated at 64. FIG. 1-3 generally show the means for handling 60 when 
the handle member 61 is both fully extended and fully stored away when not 
in use. 
Details of the means for handling 60 are best seen in FIG. 5 showing a 
cross-sectional view taken along the line of 5--5 of FIG. 1. The handle 
member 61 has an elongated handle shaft 65 with an upper end 66 and a 
lower end 67, a handgrip 68 affixed to the elongated handle shaft 65 at 
the upper end 66, and a stopper bar 69 affixed to the elongated handle 
shaft 65 at the lower end 67. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6, the 
elongated handle shaft 65 preferably has dual shafts which connect to the 
handgrip 68 and the stopper bar 69. The handle well 62 serves as the focal 
point when the luggage system 10 is being push operated. The handle well 
62 is fixedly mounted inside the hollow inner cavity 18, 26 adjacent the 
front wall 14, 22 and extending to a corner edge of the top 12, 20 and 
front walls 14, 22. The handle well 62 has an open top 70, a closed bottom 
71, and side walls 72 which permit the handle member 61 to slide upwardly 
and downwardly in said handle well 62. The luggage system 10 can be pushed 
and steered when the handle member 61 is inserted into the handle well 62. 
Preferably, the handle well 62 is angled less than 90 degrees below the 
surface of the top wall 12, 20 of the luggage piece 11, 19 to enable a 
user to push the luggage system in a comfortable, upright manner. 
As can be best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the stopper element 63 serves as the 
focal point when the luggage system 10 is being tow operated. The stopper 
element 63 is fixedly mounted near the open top 70 of the handle well 62 
and has a width less than the width of the open top 70. The stopper 
element 63 keeps the handle member 61 from extending completely out of the 
luggage piece 11, 19. This enables the stopper element 63 to tow the 
luggage system 10 when the stopper bar 69 abuts against the stopper 
element 63. And the means for storing away said handle member when not in 
use 64 preferably comprises a retraction pocket 73 having a retraction 
opening 74 affixed near the open top 70 of the handle well 62. The 
retraction opening 74 leads into a retraction cavity 75 where the handle 
member 61 is kept when not in use. 
Additionally, as shown in FIG. 3, when the luggage pieces 11, 19 are 
detachably secured in a side-by-side configuration as discussed above, the 
top walls 12, 20 of the luggage pieces 11, 19 align together to create a 
flat surface. Additional luggage pieces 76 can subsequently be placed on 
top of the flat surface and separately secured. Preferably, a conventional 
strap 77 can be used to tie down the additional luggage pieces 76 to the 
top walls 12, 20 of the luggage pieces 11, 19 having a plurality of 
suitable tie-down anchors 78. 
The present embodiments of this invention are thus to be considered in all 
respects as illustrative and not restrictive; the scope of the invention 
being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing 
description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of 
equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.