Abstract:
A luggage item is convertible from a duffle bag form to a garment bag form by disengaging duffle end panels from the lateral sides of the garment bag and folding those end panels against the inside of the garment bag. Various arrangements of handles and carry straps are disclosed which facilitate transport of the luggage item as a duffle bag or a garment bag.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In a principal aspect the present invention relates to an item of luggage and, more particularly, to an item of luggage which may be converted from a duffle bag to a garment bag, or vice versa. 
   Travelers often find themselves desirous of packing their belongings in a duffle bag which is a soft sided, generally tubular shaped bag that can be easily carried and typically stored in an overhead storage bin of an airplane, for example. On the other hand, often a traveler will desire to transport a suit or another garment in a garment bag which enables utilization of hangers and further which enables hanging of the bag from a hook or the like for ease of access. Further, a garment bag is very useful for maintaining a garment item, such as a suit on a hanger in a flat, unfolded condition. These two desires associated with travel often entail the necessity to carry multiple bags in situations where a single bag might be suitable for carrying the garments and associated items such as toiletries and the like. 
   Another factor relating to baggage choice involves display and shipping issues. For example, duffle bags may require a larger package for purposes of shipment and display at a point of sale. Thus, for various reasons, there has developed a desire to provide a bag or item of luggage having the capabilities of a duffle bag as well as a garment bag. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly, the present invention comprises an item of luggage which is convertible between a duffle bag form to a garment bag form and vice versa. The luggage item is a soft sided luggage item and includes a garment bag having an outside panel and an inside panel joined to form a typical garment bag enclosure with a zipper access opening longitudinally arranged one panel, typically the inside panel. The inside panel further includes first and second duffle end panels affixed to the opposite sides of the garment bag at the top end thereof and joined thereto by a flexible hinge arrangement which enables the duffle end panels to be folded against the inside panel for purposes of storage. When the end panels are in the unfolded condition, however, a peripheral zipper or fastening device may be utilized to attach the outer edges of the garment bag to the outer edge of the duffle end panels. The length of the lateral or side outer edges of the garment bag is thus substantially equivalent to the outer peripheral edge dimension of the duffle end panels so that the end panels may be attached to the folded garment bag and thereby define a duffle bag enclosure. Various arrangements of fasteners, clips, hanger holders, handles and carry straps are also disclosed which enable carrying of the duffle bag or the garment bag. 
   Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a luggage item convertible between a duffle bag form and a garment bag form. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a luggage item convertible between a duffle bag form and garment bag form wherein each of the forms is generally a soft sided luggage item. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a garment bag which includes various handles, carry straps and fasteners which enable its utilization as a garment bag that may be folded or maintained in a fully opened position. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide a duffle bag configuration wherein the lateral sides of the duffle bag are formed by a garment bag which is combined with duffle end panels that are removably attached to the lateral side edges of the garment bag. 
   Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a compact, rugged, inexpensive and easily used luggage item which is convertible between a form as a duffle bag and a garment bag. 
   These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the luggage item of the invention configured as a duffle bag; 
       FIG. 2  is the luggage item of the invention in an isometric view wherein the form of the luggage item is that of a duffle bag having an opening for an auxiliary handle; 
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view similar to  FIG. 2  depicting the duffle bag form of the luggage item and depicting further an auxiliary handle; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged isometric view of an end panel of the duffle bag form of the invention; 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view depicting the duffle bag as it is converted into a garment bag by detaching the peripheral fasteners associated with the duffle end panels; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged isometric view of the garment bag wherein the end panels have been released or detached from the lateral side edges of the garment bag; 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the bag construction of  FIG. 6  depicting the manner in which the end panels are placed in a storage position; 
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view depicting full conversion of the duffle bag form of the invention to the garment bag form by virtue of storage of the duffle bag end panels; 
       FIG. 9  is an isometric view depicting various features of the garment bag version of the invention; 
       FIG. 10  is an isometric view depicting further features of the garment bag form of the invention as fully depicted in enlarged  FIGS. 11 ,  12 , and  13 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged isometric view depicting the garment bag form of the invention and the manner in which it is used for being hung from a bar or pole; 
       FIG. 12  is an isometric view depicting the manner in which the duffle bag form of the invention may be used for supporting items on hangers; 
       FIG. 13  is an enlarged isometric partial view depicting the construction of the hanger holder depicted in  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 14  is an isometric view depicting the garment bag form of the luggage item wherein the garment bag is folded; 
       FIG. 15  is an isometric view of the folded garment bag of  FIG. 14 ; 
       FIG. 16  is an isometric view depicting the luggage item of the invention in the duffle bag form wherein an auxiliary handle is used in combination with a case having a telescoping handle and wheels and further depicting the manner in which the two may be combined for ease of transport; 
       FIG. 17  is an isometric view of the luggage item wherein the item is in the form of a garment bag and further depicting the manner in which it may be combined for transport by a luggage item having wheels and a telescoping handle; and 
       FIGS. 18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 , and  23  depict the luggage item of the invention in its various useful modes and the manner in which it may be utilized in each of those modes. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the figures, and in particular  FIGS. 1–15 , the luggage item of the invention is comprised of a garment bag having an outside panel  30  and an inside panel  32 . Panels  30  and  32  are generally congruent in configuration and include a top side or top section  34 , a lower or bottom side or section  36 , a first lateral or side section  38  and a second lateral or side section  40 . The luggage item further includes a first duffle end panel  42  and a second generally congruent, duffle end panel  44 . The duffle end panels  42  and  44  are generally congruent in shape and typically are in the form of end panels of a duffle bag, i.e., circular, semi-circular, rounded and truncated, etc. That is, they may include a bottom generally straight side edge  46  and an arcuate side  48  which connects the opposite ends of the bottom side  46 . In the preferred embodiment, the junction or connection between the outside panel  30  and the inside panel  32  includes a generally peripheral fastener  50  which extends from the top side  34  along first lateral side  38 , bottom side  36  and second lateral side  40 . In the preferred embodiment, the fastener  50  comprises a zipper mechanism, although other mechanisms may be used for purposes of fastening the various component elements together. Also in the preferred embodiment, the fastener along the peripheral outside edge; namely, the fastener  50  is preferably a single fastener such as a single zipper which may extend along a pathway entirely around the inside panel  32  as depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
   The first duffle end panel  42  also includes a peripheral fastener  52 . The second duffle end panel  44  includes a peripheral fastener  54 . Preferably, the fasteners  52  and  54  are components of zipper  50 , though other fastener mechanisms may be used. The fastener  50  thus may extend in a closed loop entirely around the periphery of the inside panel  32 . The fastener  50  includes a section  50   a  along lateral side  38 , a section  50   b  along lateral side  36 , and a section  50   c  along lateral side  40 . The zipper or fastener pathway associated with the end panels  42  and  44  includes a starting section  46   a  which fits around the entire periphery of the first duffle end panel  46  and connects with an intermediate section  46   b  that runs along the top side  34  of the inside panel  32  and connects with the peripheral zipper section  54   a  along the outer periphery of the second duffle end panel  44 . As mentioned, the preferential arrangement of the fasteners is a single zipper  50 , for example, to connect the lateral side edges of the garment bag component panels  30 ,  32  with the duffle end panels  42  and  44 . 
   As illustrated, for example, in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the zipper or fastener  50  may be closed to configure the luggage item as depicted in  FIGS. 1–4 . The fastener  50  may be unfastened in steps as depicted, for example, in  FIG. 6  to reveal a garment bag with the duffle end panels  42  and  44  attached respectively by flexible hinge sections  56  and  58 . The flexible hinge sections  56 ,  58  are typically fabric sections which enable the duffle end panels  42  and  44  to be folded flush against the inside panel  32  as depicted in  FIG. 7 . The duffle end panels or sections  42  and  44  may be flexible themselves and may be folded, for example, as depicted in  FIG. 7  wherein the duffle end panel  44  is folded upon itself. 
   Separate flaps  60  and  62  are affixed to the outside edges of the juncture of the garment bag panels  30  and  32 . Those flaps  60  and  62  may be folded as depicted, for example, in  FIG. 8  to retain the duffle end panels  42  and  44  flush or tightly against the inside panel  32 . In the preferred embodiment, the flaps  60  and  62  may be attached to the inside panel  32  by various means including a hook and loop fastener, snap fasteners and other types of fastener devices. Once the flaps  60  and  62  are engaged in a manner to hold the duffle end panels  42  and  44  flush against the inside panels  32  of the garment bag assembly, the garment bag may be accessed easily through a center opening  70 . 
   In the preferred embodiment the garment bag portion includes an upper flap  72  along the top side and a lower flap  74  along the bottom side. The flaps  72  and  74  fit over and may be fastened to the inside panel  32  to facilitate holding the inside panel tightly closed. A carry strap  76  having its opposite ends  78  and  80  attached by buckles to the top side of the garment bag enables the garment bag to be carried thereon. A first handle  82  may be attached to the outside panel  30  along the top side  34 . A second carry handle  84  may be attached to the outside panel  30  or at the junction of the outside of inside panels  30  and  32  along the bottom side. 
   The lateral sides  38  and  40  of the garment bag form of the bag may include clips or buckles  90 ,  92 ,  94  and  96  as depicted in  FIG. 9  which can be joined together to hold the garment bag in a folded condition with the inside panel  32  divided roughly into equal parts wherein the parts are in opposed relation. The lower handle  84  may include a hook and loop fastener  98  which cooperates with a cooperative hook and loop fastener panel  100  on the outside of the upper flap  72  to facilitate maintaining the garment bag in a closed condition, for example, as depicted in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . 
   The luggage item includes various additional features which facilitate the usefulness thereof. For example, as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the outside panel  30  includes a pocket  31  into which an auxiliary handle  33  may be stored. Thus as depicted, for example, in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the auxiliary handle  33  may be used in combination with a telescoping handle of a wheeled case  107 ; namely, telescoping handle  105  to facilitate holding the bag in the duffle form on the case  107 . In  FIG. 17  it is depicted that the auxiliary handle  33  has utility in combination with a telescoping handle  105  of a wheeled luggage item or case  107 .  FIGS. 18 and 20  further illustrate this utilization of the auxiliary carry handle  33 . It is to be noted, however, that the handle  84  may serve a similar function. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates a manner of construction of a duffle end panel, for example, the end panel  42 . Thus, the duffle end panel  42  may be comprised of an outer layer of fabric material; namely, an outer layer  43  which is sewn to an inner layer  45  with a binding  47  at the juncture and wherein a zipper may be attached at the seam which joins the inner panel  43 , binding  47  and outer panel  45 . Preferably, a cushion material  49  is inserted between the panels  43  and  45  to provide some structural integrity and cushioning effect. For example, a foldable polyethylene or polypropylene foamed board or sponge material may be utilized. 
     FIGS. 10–13  illustrate some additional features of the invention. A carry binding strap  120  is affixed to the inside of the panels  32  and/or  30 . The strap  120  fits through an opening  122  at the top side. The carry strap includes a buckle  124  which enables placement of the strap around a bar  126 . The strap  120  further includes an interior buckle  128  which forms a loop  130  in the strap  120  so that hangers  132  may be supported within the garment bag panels  30  and  32 . As depicted in  FIG. 13 , the strap  120  may include a cushion section  133  formed by a protective layer of sponge material  134  that fits over the hanger and loop  130 . 
     FIGS. 18–23  illustrate the utility of the combination duffle bag and garment carrier. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 18  and as previously described, the luggage item may be configured in the form of a duffle and used in combination with a telescoping handle.  FIG. 19  depicts the manner of opening of the luggage item in the form of a garment bag which may be easily carried.  FIG. 20  illustrates the manner in which the garment bag version or form of the invention may be used in combination with a telescoping wheeled bag.  FIG. 21  illustrates the form of the luggage item as a duffle with the shoulder strap used to carry the duffle.  FIG. 22  depicts the manner in which the garment bag form may be placed upon a carry bar.  FIG. 23  is similar to  FIG. 21 . However, the bag is in the form of a garment bag carried on the shoulder of an individual. 
   While there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.