Abstract:
A multiple compartment, wheeled computer carrier and business case includes three separable compartments which are hinged together along their bottom edge one to the other with the center compartment for carriage of a personal computer and the side compartments comprising elements for carrying files and for carrying various other business items. The case is wheeled with a telescoping handle and further includes a carrier handle as well as a strap. A reinforcing gusset connecting the bottom of the separate compartments facilitates the security of the carrier case.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/217,559 filed Dec. 21, 1998 now aband., for “Two Compartment Wheeled Computer And Business Case” which is incorporated herewith by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a business case or luggage item designed for carrying a personal computer and other business items including folders, small calculators and writing instruments. 
     Business travelers increasingly travel with their personal computer. A personal computer often requires some additional components such as extra batteries, electric connectors, and the like for use at a remote business site. Additionally, the business traveler often desires to include paper folders, writing instruments, and other business items, preferably in the same convenient and compact briefcase used to carry a personal computer. An assembly of such items often is bulky and heavy. Thus, there has developed a need for a case which conveniently carries such items in a compact and protected manner. This need, among others, inspired the development of the present luggage item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a principal aspect, the present invention comprises a business case which includes a telescoping handle, a carrying handle, a strap and three adjacent compartments with the center compartment designed for carrying a personal computer and the side compartments designed for carrying other items and which may serve as a protective layer, or buffer, for the center compartment. The case or luggage thus includes a first, generally parallelpiped side compartment which serves as the foundation for the case and which includes the telescoping handle as well as paper file retainers. The center compartment is hinged to the first or outside compartment along their bottom edges. The center compartment includes padded internal sides which are attached by straps to retain a personal computer. The third compartment comprises a pouch which is attached to the opposite side of the middle or second compartment and provides for storage of various items such as pencils, recorders, address books and other items in an organized fashion. 
     Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a wheeled computer and business case. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a computer case which includes a telescoping handle for ease of transport while additionally including a handle and strap for carrying the case. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a personal computer case which provides enhanced protection of the computer against damage and buffeting. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved personal computer and business case which includes separate compartments for a personal computer, business files, and other items, all in an organized fashion. 
     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 e made to the drawing comprised of the following figures: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the luggage item or case of the invention wherein the three separate compartments are closed and a telescoping luggage handle is extended; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the case of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a back side elevation of the case of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view illustrating the open front or forward compartment of the case; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line  5 — 5  in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line  6 — 6  in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric view illustrating access to the interior compartment of the case; 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded isometric view of the case as depicted in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is an isometric view illustrating the opening of the side compartment comprising the case; 
     FIG. 10 is an isometric view illustrating the position of the handle in the third or side compartment of the case as depicted in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom isometric view of the case; 
     FIG. 12 is a front side elevation of the case of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 13 is a partial cut away view of the internal frame for the middle compartment forming the case; 
     FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the frame of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 is an isometric view illustrating the interior of the middle compartment of the case wherein the frame of FIG. 13 is positioned therein; 
     FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the frame and support foot associated with the compartment depicted in FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 17 is an isometric view of the frame associated with the outside compartment which receives the telescoping handle for the case of the invention; and 
     FIG. 18 is an isometric view of the interior of the case of the invention which utilizes the frame of FIG. 17 depicting the position of the carrier case telescoping handle. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the figures, the luggage item or case of the invention is designed especially for the business traveler and includes three separable compartments. The first compartment  10  is provided for storage of paper files typically. The second or middle compartment  12  is designed for storage of a personal computer. The third compartment  14  is designed for carrying additional items such as a small tape recorder, pencils, an address book, extra paper, etc. 
     The assembled compartments  10 ,  12 ,  14  have a generally rectangular parallelpiped configuration and preferably conform with airline regulations concerning size or dimensions for carry-on luggage. The assembly of the three compartments in a fully assembled and closed state will generally conform with current airline regulations precluding a length exceeding twenty-two inches. a width of nine inches, and a height of fourteen inches. The configuration may be changed, or altered, however, to any dimensional size, so as to fulfill the business needs, or other needs of the consumer. 
     The outside or first compartment  10  includes a telescoping handle  16  fitted into or integrated with a back side  18  of the compartment  10  midway between opposite lateral sides  20 ,  22 . The compartment  10  thus includes opposite lateral sides  20  and  22 , as well as a bottom side  24  and a top side  25 . Internal file folders or separators  26  may be incorporated in the enclosure defined by the sides  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  25 . Flexible straps  28  connect the first compartment  10  with middle compartment  12 . The compartments  10  and  12  are connected along their bottom sides by a flexible hinge. The outer or first compartment  10  further includes a wheel  30  and  32  in housings  17 ,  19  at each corner junction of bottom side  24  with back side  18 . Additionally, the bottom side  24  includes a stiffening gusset or member  34  which extends along the entire bottom of the first compartment  10  and the bottom of the second compartment  12  in the preferred embodiment. The gusset  34  extends along the bottom side  24  and the backside  18  and is rigid and tends to restrict the amount of flexure and thus the amount of pivoting of the first compartment  10  relative to second compartment  12 . 
     FIGS. 17 and 18 depict a frame  31  which is provided on the inside of the first compartment  10  defining the shape or configuration of the first compartment  10 . The frame  31  includes spaced, parallel sides  33  and  35 , a bottom run  37  and a top run  39 . Importantly, the bottom and top runs  37 ,  39  include respectively an inset or cut out section  41  and  43  which are formed vertically one above the other which have the same shape and configuration and which are located generally midway between sides  33 ,  35 . Thus, the frame  31  is a generally rigid frame formed from a preformed molded plastic material, for example. The cut out sections  41  and  43  serve as channels for receipt and acceptance of the telescoping handle  16 . The telescoping handle  16  thus fits downwardly flush with the bottom surface of the lower run  37  of the frame  31  and is retained there by a bracket  45  which is fixed to back panel  24 . The gusset  34  depicted in FIG. 11 provides an element against which the lower end of the telescoping handle  16  fits. The telescoping handle  16  projects upwardly through the section  43  of the upper run  39  and may be telescoped in the fashion depicted in FIG. 1. A molded plastic frame  47  may be provided to facilitate and retain the telescoping handle  16 . 
     With the described construction, it is possible to provide a telescoping handle  16  which telescopes a greater distance than known prior art handles inasmuch as the handle  16  is extended downwardly through the frame  31  to the bottom surface of run  37 . Thus, the extra extension provides for additional length of the handle  16  when it is telescoped by at least the multiple of the sections of the handle  16  times the depth or thickness of the lower run  37 . 
     First compartment  10  is flexibly hinged to second compartment  12  by a bottom side  24  band or fabric hinges and extension  1   5  which also connects to the bottom side of the third compartment  16 . The second compartment  12  is similarly constructed of a top side  40 , a first lateral side  42 , a second lateral side  44 , and a bottom side  46  thereby forming a rectangular frame which is of congruent shape with the rectangular frame or shape defined by the sides  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  25  of the first compartment  10 . Retention straps  48  and  49  and support pads  50  buffer a personal computer retained by the removable straps  48 ,  49  and a hinged flap  51  within the compartment  12 . The compartment  12  is also sandwiched between the compartments  10  and  14  and their contents further protect the contents of compartment  12 . 
     FIG. 8 depicts the second compartment  12  having an internal frame defining the shape of the compartment wherein all of the frame members are of equal width and in the shape of a rectangle. However, as depicted in FIGS. 13-15, a preferred construction of the invention comprises a rectangular frame  53  wherein a bottom run  65  of the frame  53  has a different and greater width than the remaining three sides of the frame  53 . More specifically, referring to the figures, a generally rigid frame  53  is formed of a three-sided, pre-molded or pre-formed section including a top run  55  and spaced downwardly depending integrally connected side runs  57  and  59 . The side runs  57  and  59  each bend inwardly at lower corners  61  and  63  and connect with a lower separate run  65 . The lower separate run  65  has a width which is greater than the width of the other runs defining the frame  53 . The frame  53  is connected with the lower run  65  by means of pins  67  which project from the formed section  53  and join with the planar lower run  65 . 
     By constructing a frame for the middle or central compartment  12  in the manner described, it is possible to attach a support foot  69  at a position extended outwardly from the base of the center section  12 . Thus, referring to FIG. 11, there is depicted a foot  69  which is attached generally at the midpoint of the compartment  12 . However, with the alternative construction depicted by FIGS. 13-15, it is possible to move the foot  69  a further distance from the gusset  34  and toward the third pouch  16  or to underlie the third pouch  16 . In this manner, the stability of the case is enhanced. 
     Further, by providing a lower run  65 , it is possible to provide a construction wherein a zipper  71  may more easily track around the total periphery of the case  11  and along a portion of the bottom thereof as depicted in FIG.  15 . Thus, the width of the lower section  65  is greater than the width of the remaining frame  53  and the length from side to side of the lower section  65  is less than the length of the top run  55 . 
     The center compartment  12  further includes an outside carrier handle  90  and an outside optional strap  92 . The case is more easily balanced by attaching the strap  92  and carrier handle  90  to the center compartment  12 . Additionally, the consumer using the case will thereby provide support to the most weighty or most heavy item being carried; namely, the personal computer. 
     The third compartment  14  is comprised of a pouch  70  which is attached to a front side panel  72  fitted over the sides  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46  of the second compartment  12 . The front panel  72  is attached by means of a zipper  75  to the sides  40 ,  24 ,  44 ,  46  defining the frame for the second compartment  12 . 
     Pouch  70  includes a front panel  76  hinged along its bottom edge and attached by a zipper  77  along the remaining three edges. A gusset  74  limits the opening of panel  76 . Various pockets  78 ,  80  are provided on the inside of the pouch  70  for retention of items such as writing instruments recording devices, note pads, etc. 
     The use of the bottom gusset  34  is especially important to provide enhanced rigidity to the case enabling the use of the telescoping handle  16  and to provide appropriate integrity to the other elements of the case enabling improved protection of a personal computer which is being carried in the case. Various components and elements of the case or item of luggage may altered or changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.