Abstract:
A luggage assembly is provided wherein a main case body has formed thereon a main externally accessed clothing pocket associated with said main case body, a base connected to the main case body by a plurality of telescoping stand rods wherein said luggage assembly is constructed and arranged in a first configuration as a suitcase and a second configuration as a traveling closet.

Description:
INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/758,260 filed Feb. 4, 2013 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    Persons who travel know the difficulties associated with the various aspects of being away from their own home. Many luggage devices have been developed with the traveler in mind. However, there exists one difficulty for which even the most experienced traveler is often ill prepared. There are a significant number of places where lodging is provided and there is limited or no space for unpacking comfortably or there is no storage space for personal articles once a guest arrives. The existing configuration of luggage require that, in order to access the contents, the luggage be placed on a surface or on the floor, usually making it uncomfortable and difficult to access or retrieve items stored inside. The difficulties are present for people of any age but especially for elders. The traveler recurrently needs either to bend over and/or to unpack several undesired objects or pieces of clothing in order to reach the desired item and then having to pack back the rest, closing and displacing the luggage to a more convenient place until he or she needs to access it again, repeating the hurdle. 
         [0003]    The present invention addresses this difficulty by providing a luggage assembly that is constructed and arranged such that it can function as not only a piece of traveling luggage but a portable closet. The present invention further contemplates a portable chest configuration in which the contents are made available not only in a comfortable height to be accessed by the traveler but also disposed in a more organized manner that requires no or minimal displaced objects/pieces of clothing every time one needs to access contents in a luggage. More than this, the invention transforms the luggage in a kind of convenient, piece of furniture to temporarily participate in the configuration of the room and not needing to be moved and dealt with every time a traveler needs to retrieve an item. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a luggage assembly comprising:
       a main case body;   a main externally accessed clothing pocket associated with said main case body;   a base, wherein said base is connected to said main case body by a plurality of telescoping stand rods;   said luggage assembly constructed and arranged in a first configuration as a suitcase and a second configuration as a traveling closet.       
 
         [0009]    The assembly main case in constructed and arranged to position above said base and lock into an elevated position by virtue of a locking mechanism incorporated on said stand rods. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, a main clothing pocket is configured to receive a men&#39;s suit jacket having a length of between 26 to 40 inches and a width between 16 to 24 inches in a hanging and unfolded position. This configuration encompasses men&#39;s suits of U.S. sizes ranging from approximately size 36 to size 50. Although this is one preferred embodiment, the assembly main pocket encompasses many sizes and can be sized larger or smaller as desired. 
         [0011]    The assembly main case, in said first configuration is locked into a fixed position on said base. 
         [0012]    The base comprises an internal storage cavity accessible when the main body is elevated above the base. That is to say, base internal storage cavity is accessible when said assembly is in said second configuration in which said main case body is elevated above said base and held into said elevated position above said base and locked into an elevated position by virtue of a locking mechanism incorporated on said stand rods. 
         [0013]    The further comprises rolling means on an underside of said base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of the luggage assembly of the present invention in an expanded/standing position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the luggage carrier assembly of the present invention in a retracted/travel position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective partial cut away showing the interior of the luggage carrier assembly of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side perspective view partial cut away showing the interior and folding shelf arrangement of the luggage assembly of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective rear view of the luggage carrier assembly of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an assembly according to the present invention with telescopic legs extended on one vertical side. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an assembly according to the present invention with telescopic legs extended on one vertical side with the luggage closed. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an assembly according to the present invention with telescopic legs retracted on one vertical side with the luggage being closed. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the luggage carrier assembly demonstrative of legs retracted.] 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a pair of luggage assemblies according to the present invention in a stacked arrangement. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    The luggage carrier assembly  10  includes a main case  12  with a lifting handle  14  attached to the upper most surface of case  12 . Telescoping handle  16  is constructed and arranged with a pair of telescoping rods  18  that attach telescoping handle  16  to case  12 . Case  12  has formed thereon a primary outer pocket  20 . Primary outer pocket  20  is constructed and arranged such that various items of clothing are placed therein with minimal or no folding. 
         [0025]    For example, in one embodiment, primary pocket  20  is constructed and arranged to receive a man&#39;s suit jacket whereby the suit jacket need not be folded. Case  12  can have one or more side-mounted pockets  22  disposed thereon. Luggage carrier assembly  10  includes a plurality of telescoping standing rods  24  which extend and retract from the lower surface of luggage carrier assembly  10  when luggage carrier assembly  10  is in a standing upright position as demonstrated in the several figures. 
         [0026]    Luggage assembly  10  rests on a base  32 . When case  12  is raised up off of base  32  by means of telescoping extending rods  24 , internal base storage cavity  34  is exposed and accessible. As generally understood in the art, telescoping extending rods  24  are constructed and arranged in a configuration that provides rods  24  lock in an extended position and thus elevate case  12  over base  32 . 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, storage cavity  34  is constructed and arranged to receive stored articles such as shoes, belts and other travel type items. When case  12  is lowered, as shown in embodiment in  FIG. 2 , items placed in storage cavity  34  are hidden from view and secured with luggage carrier assembly  10 . In a lock position when case  12  is resting on base  32  a first interlock  28  and second interlock  30  are constructed and arranged to interact one with another in order secure case  12  into a fixed position onto base  32 . First interlock  28  and second interlock  30  are further contemplated having a security lock incorporated thereon in order to secure articles placed within cavity  34 . 
         [0028]    As generally understood, casters  36  are utilized on the underside of base  32  for ease of movement of luggage carrier assembly  10  in a rolling fashion. Casters, according to the present invention, are any movement rolling means known in the art, including, but not limited to, traveling wheels, ball rollers or other known rolling means utilized in luggage and other movable articles. 
         [0029]    Luggage assembly  10  is constructed and arranged to function as a traveling closet. When traveling with luggage carrier assembly  10  case  12  is locked into position on base  32 . When using luggage carrier assembly  10  as a traveling closet a user typically will extend case  12  upward from base  32  utilizing telescoping rods  24 . This raises up case  12  to a level where a user can more easily access the interior of case  12 . As stated above, primary outer pocket  20  is constructed and arranged to hold at least one hanging article of clothing. The hanging article of clothing can be one or more men&#39;s suits, women&#39;s suits, women&#39;s dresses, men&#39;s pants, men&#39;s shirts and the like. When a user opens the pocket covering primary pocket  20 , the user is able to access an interior hanging area. 
         [0030]    The interior of case  12  is configured in a plurality of configurations as desired. In one configuration, as demonstrated in  FIG. 3  a plurality of shelf tracks  42  are constructed and arranged on opposite sides of the interior of case  12  and they support folding accordion shelves  40 . Folding accordion shelves  40  as demonstrated in  FIG. 3  have at least one shelf support  44  that is slideably movable along shelf track  42  in order to extend and provide an upper shelf surface  46  in order to be utilized for placing items. When a user no longer desires to use any of the folding shelves  40  the shelf support rod  42  is slideably moved back toward the interior of case  12  thus providing more unobstructed volume on the inside of case  12 . 
         [0031]    In another embodiment, as demonstrated in  FIG. 4 , a plurality of shelves  52  are pivotably attached to case  12  and have a flexible support line  54  positioned on opposing ends of each shelf  52 . The folding shelves are constructed and arranged such that they rotationally pivot as shown by directional line  60  of  FIG. 4 . In this configuration the shelf pivots outward to an extended substantially horizontal (or tilted) orientation to hold and prevent objects/clothing from falling off when case  12  is in expanded/standing position and open and when not in use along hinge  58  shelf  52  pivots to a substantially vertical orientation. 
         [0032]    The present invention is not intended specifically to be limited to the embodiments shown in the several drawings. For example one or more hanging devices can be utilized with luggage carrier assembly  10  the present invention. In this embodiment one is provided with a detachable, mountable hanging device such as a rod suitable to hang conventional clothes hangers. In this configuration a user can hang additional items when luggage carrier assembly  10  is used a portable closet. 
         [0033]    Other shelf, hanging, and closet-type configurations are contemplated incorporated in the assembly of the present invention. 
         [0034]    With the incorporation of any closet-like features or amenities, be they shelves, lights, hangers, mirrors, and the like, the configuration is to be arranged for a first suitcase/travel configuration and a second, stationary, portable closet configuration. All such closet-like features are to be configured in order that they fit within the assembly and are secured for storage when the assembly is used as a suitcase. 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, as best demonstrated in  FIGS. 6 through 8 , an assembly  10  includes for telescoping legs  72  formed on the underside of the assembly on a planer surface. As understood herein, and demonstrated by the figures, the planer surface is intended to be the upright and rear surface relative to the wheels and opening of the luggage. That is to say, with reference to  FIG. 6 , when luggage assembly  10  is standing on wheels  36  a user will position luggage assembly  10  in a generally horizontal configuration extend legs  72  and access cover opening  80 . Base support  74  with telescopic legs  72  is positioned on the planar surface opposites cover  80 . This position is referred to as the back planer surface. 
         [0036]    In this configuration, the upper side has a frontal closure cover  80  that is opened and removed as desired and provide access to the interior of luggage body  70 . In one configuration, telescopic legs  72  have an incorporated lock  78  that lock legs  72  into a desired extended or retracted position. Telescopic legs  72  are formed into luggage body  70  at base support  74 . 
         [0037]    In another embodiment, a plurality of luggage assembly  10  are constructed and arranged to be stacked one on top of another as demonstrated in  FIG. 10 . Each leg assembly  72  for each luggage assembly  10  is selectively extended to a desired length. Leg assembly lock  78  is constructed and arranged such that leg assemblies need not be fully extended in order to lock into position. 
         [0038]    In one embodiment telescoping leg base support  74  is permanently attached two luggage body  70 . In an alternative embodiment, telescoping leg base support  74  is removably attached and can be selectively attached to any desired luggage body. 
         [0039]    While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.