Patent Publication Number: US-8978850-B2

Title: Reconfigurable bag

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     In general, the invention relates to luggage, and particularly to bags with multiple configurations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bags and other types of luggage are used to carry items and to store and protect possessions during travel. There are innumerable styles and sizes of bags and other forms of hand luggage available on the market, each one suited for a slightly different purpose. In selecting a bag for a particular task, two problems arise. First, it can be difficult to decide what size of bag to use. If one chooses too small a bag for a particular task, there is a chance that one will not be able to fit all that he or she would have liked into that bag. Choosing a bigger bag makes it more likely that one will be able to accommodate all of the items that he or she wishes to carry; however, large bags can be cumbersome and difficult to carry. 
     Second, it is generally desirable to choose a type of bag that suits the items that are to be carried. For example, duffel bags, which are cylindrical or rectilinear cloth bags with hand straps, are often used to carry clothes and possessions, but they may not be the most appropriate bag for smaller items. Moreover, the elongate cylindrical or rectilinear shape of the duffel bag may make it overly bulky and cumbersome in some situations. 
     One partial solution to the problems noted above is to use an expandable bag, and a number of expandable bags are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,515 to Kotkins, Jr. discloses a duffel bag with a bellows-like expanding joint on each end. A similar bellows-type expansion is found in the typical valise, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,716 to Tobias. However, in each of these two cases, the configuration of the bag does not change; it is merely capable of expanding somewhat in size. 
     By contrast, commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,547 discloses a piece of hard-sided wheeled luggage in which the cover of the piece of luggage acts as an expansion panel, allowing the volume of the luggage to increase in order to accommodate additional articles. The luggage also includes features that allow it to collapse and fold when not in use, thus reducing the amount of space needed to store it. However, this type of expandable collapsing luggage is not intended to store articles while in the collapsed and folded configuration. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the invention relates to a bag. The bag has first and second portions, each of which encloses a portion of the bag&#39;s storage volume, an expanding section, and left and right bottom expanding sections. The expanding section is comprised of a flexible material, and joins the first and second portions. The expanding section is capable of assuming either of two configurations: (1) a first configuration in which the expanding section is essentially folded or stuffed within the storage volume of the bag, and (2) a second configuration in which the expanding section forms a wedge- or sector-shaped section of the sides and bottom of the bag with the widest portion of the expanding section along the bottom of the bag, thereby expanding the storage volume of the bag and altering the angular position of the first and second portions with respect to one another. Each of the left and right bottom expanding sections comprises a wing panel hingedly connected to the bottom of the bag so as to pivot about a generally horizontal axis of rotation. A flexible wing material joins the wing panel with the bottom of the bag, and the wing panel and wing material together enclose an additional storage volume contiguous with the storage volume of the bag. The bottom expanding sections are capable of assuming either of two configurations: (1) a first configuration in which the flexible wing material is essentially stuffed or folded within the storage volume, and (2) a second configuration in which the flexible wing material forms a wedge- or sector-shaped section of the sides of the bag. 
     Another aspect of the invention also relates to a bag. The bag has a sidewall, a top, and a bottom defining a storage volume. The bag also includes at least one bottom expanding section. The bottom expanding section comprises a panel hingedly connected to the bottom of the bag so as to pivot about a generally horizontal axis of rotation. A flexible material joins the panel with the bottom of the bag such that the panel and the flexible material together enclose an additional storage volume contiguous with the storage volume of the bag. The bottom expanding section is capable of assuming either of two configurations: (1) a first configuration in which the panel is essentially flush with the bottom of the bag and the flexible material is essentially stuffed or folded within the storage volume, and (2) a second configuration in which the flexible material forms a wedge- or sector-shaped section of the sides of the bag. 
     Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a bag. The bag has a bottom, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of endwalls, and a top. The top is connected to the sidewalls and endwalls so as to cover and enclose the bag, and has a closeable opening. The bag also includes an expanding section extending from the top of one of the pair of sidewalls, across the bottom, and to the top of the other of the pair of sidewalls, and divides those panels. The expanding section is comprised of a flexible material that joins the divided panels and is capable of assuming either of two configurations: (1) a first configuration in which the expanding section is essentially folded or stuffed within the storage volume, and (2) a second configuration in which the expanding section forms a wedge- or sector-shaped section in the pair of sidewalls and the bottom. 
     These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The invention will be described with respect to the following drawing figures, in which like numerals represent like features throughout the description, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bag according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the bottom of the bag. 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are successive partial perspective views of the bottom of the bag, similar to the view of  FIG. 2 , illustrating the process of reconfiguring the central expanding section of the bag, thereby changing the shape and increasing the volume of the bag; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bag in phantom, illustrating the internal arrangement of the bag in the position shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bag with the central section of the bag reconfigured, following the process of  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bag with the center and end sections reconfigured and expanded to provide additional space; 
         FIGS. 8-10  are successive end elevational views of the bag illustrating the process of reconfiguring an end section of the bag, thereby changing its shape and increasing its storage volume; 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of the bag with both central section and end sections reconfigured and expanded for additional space; 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the bag with the central and end sections reconfigured and expanded; and 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a bag, illustrating an alternate zipper configuration for the top flaps; and 
         FIG. 14  is a sectional view illustrating two adjacent reinforced sections of fabric, with an unreinforced section in between. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bag, generally indicated at  10 , according to one embodiment of the invention. As will be described below in more detail, the bag  10  is reconfigurable, in that a number of expansion sections allow the bag  10  to increase in internal volume, and also change the shape of the bag  10 . 
     The bag  10  of  FIG. 1  has a pair of sidewalls  12 , a pair of end walls  14 , a bottom  16  and a top  18 . The sidewalls  12  and end walls  14  are connected to the bottom  16  and to one another along respective edges, such that they extend generally perpendicularly upward from the bottom  16  and enclose a storage volume. The top  18  is connected to the sidewalls  12  and end walls  14  along the top edges of those panels such that it covers and encloses the storage volume of the bag  10 . The top  18  has two opening panels  20 ,  22  that open to provide access to the storage volume of the bag  10 . The two opening panels  20 ,  22  are connected to the sidewalls  12  via two pairs of zippers  24 , one pair on each side of the bag  10 , and are held to one another by a releasable fastener, such as a strip of VELCRO® hook and loop fastener  26 . (Although only one side of the bag  10  is visible in the view of  FIG. 1 , it should be understood that the other side is essentially a mirror image of the visible side.) In other embodiments, other means of access to the storage volume of the bag  10  may be used, as will be described below in more detail. Generally speaking, the way in which the storage volume of the bag  10  is accessed is not critical to the invention, so long as the bag  10  is easily opened and closed and the mechanism for doing so is reasonably durable. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the shapes of the walls  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  of the bag  10  give it the general shape of a pentagonal prism, with the sidewalls  12  having generally pentagonal shapes. However, bags according to embodiments of the invention may have any desired shape. Moreover, bags according to embodiments of the invention need not necessarily have discernible individual panels or walls; instead they may have a single, continuous, generally cylindrical sidewall, or one panel or wall may transition seamlessly into another. Some portions of this description may refer to the bag  10  as a “duffel” bag; when used, that term should be construed broadly to encompass any of these arrangements. 
     The bag  10  and its walls  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  may be made of a variety of materials. In at least some embodiments of the invention, the major material of which the bag  10  is made would be a fabric, such as CORDURA® nylon or so-called “ballistic” nylon. Other suitable materials may include polyester, cotton canvas, leather, and polyurethane. In some embodiments, the interior of the bag  10  may be lined with a lining material, such as a microsuede or a high-sheen nylon, to name two options. 
     However, fabrics are not the only materials from which a bag  10  may be made. In some embodiments, polymers may be used, in either solid or foamed form. For example, the bag  10  may be made of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer foam. Thermoplastic elastomers, such as thermoplastic urethanes, may also be used to construct the bag  10  or portions of it. Other thermoplastic polymers, such as polycarbonates, may also be used. In general, parts of the bag  10  may be injection molded, vacuum formed, or formed by any other process compatible with the materials that are used. For example, commonly-assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/295,155, filed Jan. 14, 2010, describes techniques for vacuum forming sheets of thermoplastic urethane (TPU) for luggage parts, and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     Of course, the bag  10  need not be made of a single material; it may be made of multiple materials or of composite materials. Panels or walls of the bag  10  that are likely to see increased wear, such as the bottom  16 , may be made of harder, wear- and impact-resistant materials if desired, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic, or of thicker sections of more flexible and less resistant materials. Materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene sheet material, polycarbonate sheet material, and carbon fiber sheeting may be used to reinforce the walls  12 ,  14 , and bottom  16  as necessary or desired, depending on the particular application and operating conditions. In at least some embodiments, it may be advantageous if at least the walls  12 ,  14  and bottom  16  have enough rigidity to hold their own shape, but that need not be the case in all embodiments. 
     As shown, a pair of straps  31  are provided, one on each side of the bag  10 , each strap  31  secured at the junction of the bottom  16  and sidewall  12  and further secured to the lower portion of the sidewall  12  in two places by box-and-cross stitching. The two straps  31  meet above the top panel  18  in a removable handle or grip  33 . Instead of or in addition to stitching, the straps  31  could also be riveted, glued, thermally fused to the underlying fabric, or secured in some other fashion. 
     The bag  10  includes an expanding section that divides the storage volume of the bag  10  into left and right portions  28 ,  30  and joins those portions  28 ,  30  together. (Here, the terms “left” and “right” are used with respect to the coordinate system of the figures.) In the first configuration of the expanding section, shown in  FIG. 1  and the bottom partial perspective view of  FIG. 2 , the expanding section is stored within the storage volume of the bag  10 , such that only a set of piping  32  is visible on the exterior surface of the bag  10 , extending vertically down one sidewall  12 , across the bottom  16 , and up the other sidewall  12 . The piping  32 , which is optional, conceals a fastener or fasteners that retain the expanding section in the first configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener is a zipper. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  are partial perspective views of the bag  10 , similar to the view of  FIG. 2 , illustrating the process of expanding the expanding section  34  of the bag  10 . In the view of  FIG. 3 , the zipper  36  has been fully opened relative to the closed and concealed position of  FIG. 2 , and the two portions  28 ,  30  of the bag are moved in the direction indicated by the arrows A, changing the angular position of the two portions  28 ,  30  with respect to one another and allowing the expanding section  34  to expand into the space created by the angular displacement of the two portions  28 ,  30 . In essence, the center portion of the top panel  18  acts as a hinge, about which the two portions  28 ,  30  move. 
     The expanding section  34  may be constructed in any number of ways. In some embodiments, the expanding section  34  may comprise loose fabric or other flexible material (e.g., one of the plastics or rubbers described above) that acts as gusset material to connect the two portions  28 ,  30 . That loose fabric or material need not have any particular fold lines or creases, and it need not necessarily have any particular degree of stiffness or reinforcement. 
     However, it may be advantageous if the expanding section  34  is made of at least somewhat rigid panels that have fold lines or creases in predefined positions. Fold lines or creases in predefined positions allow the expanding section  34  to fold neatly when in the first, stored condition and to move relatively predictably between its first configuration and a second, fully expanded configuration that will be described below in more detail. The rigidity of the panels may also help to protect the contents of the bag  10 . 
     The term “flexible material” will be used in this description to refer generally to both types of materials described above—i.e., to materials that are flexible across their entire area, and to rigid or semirigid panels that are only selectively or locally flexible, for example, along designated fold lines in predefined positions. 
     When fold lines in predefined positions are present in the expanding section  34 , they may be created in a number of ways. For example, if the expanding section  34  is made of multiple plies of fabric or other flexible material, then reinforcing plates may be secured between the plies, and the fold lines may then comprise unreinforced areas of the fabric. The reinforcing plates may comprise, for example 1-2 mm high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, or polycarbonate sheets. 
     Alternatively, if the bag  10  is made of a plastic or rubber, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, it may include reinforcing plates, similar to those above, that are adhesively bonded, thermally fused, injection molded, or otherwise connected to the elastomer. The fold lines in that case would be the unreinforced sections of the material between adjacent reinforcing plates. 
     Instead of adding reinforcing plates to a foam, plastic, or rubber to create fold lines, fold lines may be created by selectively thinning portions of a thicker sheet of material where fold lines are desired. Alternatively, the entire expanding section  34  could be injection molded and hinges could be provided where required. For example, if the bag  10  is made of EVA foam, the thickness of the EVA foam over much of the bag may be about 3 mm. Fold lines would be created by thinning the foam or plastic along specific lines, for example, to a thickness of about 1.5 mm. This may also be done, for example, by injection molding a material such as a thermoplastic urethane with thicker and thinner portions. The thinned portions essentially act as living hinges between adjacent thicker sections of the foam or plastic. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate an embodiment in which fold lines are provided in predefined positions, and the material of which the expanding section  34  is made is relatively stiff or reinforced in other places. Specifically, in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , dotted lines indicate the borders of reinforcing plates or thickened sections of material, while the unreinforced or thinner space between adjacent reinforced or thickened sections defines the fold lines themselves. As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the expanding section  34  includes two triangular reinforced sections  38 ,  40  along each sidewall  12 . (The other side of the bag  10 , not visible in  FIG. 4 , may be assumed to be a mirror image of the side that is shown.) Along the bottom  16 , the expanding section  34  includes four generally triangular reinforced sections  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  and two generally trapezoidal reinforced sections. Fold lines  39 ,  41 ,  43 ,  45 ,  47 ,  49 ,  51  extend between adjacent sections. When expanded, the expanding section  34  forms a wedge- or sector-shaped section of the bottom  16  and sidewalls  12  of the bag  10 . If the expanding section  34  is made of an elastomeric material with some degree of resilience, the natural resilience of the material may urge the expanding section  34  open, toward the position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 14  is a sectional view illustrating two adjacent reinforced sections  42 ,  44 , with reinforcing plates  55  between two layers of fabric  57 . The fold line  43  is unreinforced. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bag  10  in phantom, illustrating the interior of the bag  10  when it is in the first, stored configuration shown in  FIG. 1 . Because the expanding section  34  is reinforced or, alternatively, has enough rigidity to hold its own shape, the reinforced sections  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  project inwardly when the expanding section  34  is in its first, stored configuration. One advantage of this configuration is that the sections  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  act to at least partially divide the storage volume of the bag  10  when they are stored. That division may provide at least a partial barrier to prevent stored items from sliding the length of the bag  10 , and may provide an inherent divider to compartmentalize the bag  10 . Of course, this division need not be present in all embodiments. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bag  10  with the expanding section  34  fully expanded. The expansion of the expanding section  34  causes the left and right portions  28 ,  30  of the bag  10  to pivot outward and upward. This causes the top  18  of the bag  10  to flatten. Additionally, because the first and second portions  28 ,  30  of the bag  10  are angled upwardly with respect to their prior positions, in the second configuration of  FIG. 6 , the portion of the bottom  16  defined by the expanding section  34  and the area immediately around it are flat, while the bottom  16  slopes upwardly toward the left and right ends. Thus, the configuration or shape of the bag  10  changes when the expanding section  34  is deployed. As shown in  FIG. 6 , as deployed or expanded, the expanding section  34  defines a wedge- or sector-shaped section of the sidewalls and bottom of the bag  10 . 
     A bag according to some embodiments of the invention may have only a central expanding section  34  (although that expanding section need not be in the center of the bag, as it is in the illustrated embodiment). However, in some embodiments, other expanding sections may be included in order to increase the ability to reconfigure the bag  10  for any desired task. 
     Specifically, the bag  10  has left and right bottom expanding sections, generally indicated at  54  and  56 . The two sections are identical; therefore, description of one section  54 ,  56  should be construed to apply to the other section  54 ,  56 . Each section has a panel  58 , sometimes referred to as a wing panel, that forms part of the bottom  16  of the bag  10 . (The panels are best seen in the bottom views of  FIGS. 2 and 3 .) The panels  58  are hingedly connected to the bag  10  so that they can rotate downwardly. 
     In a first, stored configuration, shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , the bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  and their respective panels  58  are held in place by a pair of zippers  60 . Each of the zippers  60  traverses a U-shaped path around the perimeter of the bottom  16  of the bag  10 , and together, the two zippers  60  cover almost the entire periphery of the bottom  16  of the bag  10 , except for that portion of the bottom  16  that hingedly connects the two panels  58 . In some embodiments, the zippers  60  may be concealed by piping. In other embodiments, fasteners other than zippers may be used. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bag  10  illustrating the deployment of the bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  into their second, expanded configuration. As shown, if one unzips the zippers  60 , the panels  58  can be pulled or allowed to move downward, and are thus displaced angularly from their stored positions, allowing the bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  to expand. (As was noted above, if elastomeric or resilient materials are used for the expanding sections  54 ,  56 , they may be biased to return to expanded configurations when the zippers  60  or other fasteners are released.)  FIGS. 8-10  are successive end elevational views of one end of the bag  10 , illustrating the bottom expanding section opening sequence from that perspective. 
     In the view of  FIG. 8 , the bag is in the configuration shown in  FIG. 6 , and with the center expanding section  34  expanded, the panel  58  of the bottom expanding section  54 ,  56  is angled upwardly. When the zipper  60  is released, as shown in the view of  FIG. 9 , the bottom expanding section  54  is permitted to expand into the fully expanded second configuration shown in  FIG. 10 . Fully expanded, each bottom expansion section  54 ,  56  forms a wedge-shaped portion of the sidewalls  12  and endwalls  14  of the bag  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , the expansion of the expanding section  54  also exposes a D-ring  62  that is attached to the seam just below the zipper  60 . The D-ring  62  provides a point of attachment for a long shoulder strap (not shown in the figures). In other embodiments, the D-ring  62  may be located so that the bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  need not be opened and expanded to access it. 
     Like the center expanding section  34 , the bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  may be made in any of a variety of ways, including all of the ways described above. The configuration of the bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  in the illustrated embodiment is very similar to the configuration of the center expanding section  34 , with rigid or semirigid panels that have fold lines in predefined positions. 
     Specifically, as can be seen in  FIGS. 7 and 10 , the expanding section  54  includes two generally triangular reinforced or thickened sections  64 ,  66  with one fold line or thinned section  67  between them along each sidewall  12 . Along the endwalls  14 , the expanding sections  54 ,  56  include two large, generally trapezoidal reinforced or thickened sections  68 ,  70  opposite one another and four smaller generally triangular reinforced or thickened sections  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 . Fold lines  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  92  extend between the adjacent sections  68 ,  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 . 
       FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of the bag  10  with the center expanding section  34  and both bottom expanding sections  54 ,  56  expanded.  FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the bag  10  fully expanded. Whereas the shape of the bag  10  in  FIG. 1  is generally that of a pentagonal prism, the shape of the bag  10  with all of the expanding sections  34 ,  56 ,  58  expanded is generally that of a rectangular prism, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 11 . Moreover, the user can choose which, if any, of the sections  34 ,  56 ,  58  to expand at any one time. 
     The principles embodied in the bag  10  may be applied to different types and forms of bags, and bags according to embodiments of the invention need not have the same shape, shapes, or range of configurations as the bag  10 . Additionally, as those of skill in the art will realize, other features may be added or changed. 
     As one example,  FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a bag  150  according to another embodiment of the invention, shown with its expanding center section  152  fully open. The bag  150  is similar to the bag  10  of  FIGS. 1-12 , with the exception that in the bag  150 , zippers  154  traverse substantially the entirety of the periphery of the top  156 , thus allowing the opening panels  158 ,  160  to open more broadly, allowing better access to the storage volume of the bag  10  than with the bag  10 . 
     While the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, the embodiments are intended to be illustrative, rather than limiting. Modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.