Patent Publication Number: US-8109306-B2

Title: Luggage piece with expandable access opening

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention is directed to a luggage piece, including but not limited to a purse, a computer bag, a briefcase and/or a handbag. More particularly, this invention is directed to a slim profile luggage piece, which when unzipped or opened expands to provide a greater opening and thus luggage capacity. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Typically, consumers of luggage look for an item that will allow them to carry numerous and often large personal items including laptops, sunglasses, cell phones, personal digital assistants and cosmetic items. Luggage designers try to accommodate relatively large items by increasing the size of the luggage or by adding external compartments to hold large items. However, such an approach often results in bulky and unstylish luggage. 
     Because of stricter carry-on baggage rules at airports, consumers or travelers desire luggage pieces with relatively smaller overall dimensions, particularly luggage pieces that can accommodate or house laptop computers and/or other large personal items. 
     There is a need for a luggage piece with an enlarged opening that accommodates large items but also provides a desired slim and stylish appearance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One general object of this invention is to provide a sleek and stylish luggage piece with an expandable opening for improved access to a storage space. Another general object of this invention is to provide a luggage piece with a relatively large opening, for accepting a relatively large item, while minimizing overall dimensions of the luggage piece. 
     The opening structure of this invention can be adopted to work with many conventional luggage pieces. In one embodiment of this invention, a luggage piece has six walls or sides, including a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall and two opposing side walls. The six walls form a body which defines a void, such as a central storage space. The top wall can include a cuff, an access opening to the central storage space and a moveable closure. The closure is operable or movable between a closed position and an open position, and provides access to the central storage area when the closure is in the open position. 
     As used in this specification and the claims, the terms such as front, rear, top, bottom, side, end and the like are words of convenience and are not construed as limiting terms. 
     In one embodiment of this invention, a gusset is disposed between the front wall and/or the rear wall and each of the adjacent side walls. Each gusset is folded and narrowed when the closure is in the closed position, providing a relatively slim profile to the luggage piece. When operated or moved to the open position, each gusset releases and expands to an unfolded, substantially planar or flat position, thereby providing an expanded opening with increased access to the storage space, as compared to a similar luggage piece with no gusset. 
     In certain embodiments of this invention, each gusset includes a gusset fastener that helps fold and maintain each gusset in the closed position. Gusset fasteners of this invention can include, for example, magnets and magnetic material that responds to or cooperates with each corresponding magnet. 
     In some embodiments of this invention, the cuff and the closure form the top wall of the luggage piece. A width of the access opening is increased by expanding the gussets on each side of the luggage piece. In other embodiments of this invention, the cuff and/or the closure extend beyond each side and over the side walls of the luggage piece, to provide slack on each side of the luggage piece when in the open position. 
     Cuff fasteners can be used to secure ends of the cuff against a corresponding side wall of the luggage piece, particularly when in the closed position. The cuff fasteners, for example, can be a magnet in a cuff end or the side wall and a magnetically responsive material in the other of the cuff end or the side wall. 
     Different components of the luggage piece can be constructed of a durable material, such as a leather with a fabric liner, but also can be constructed of any suitable material including, but not limited to, a canvas, a vinyl and/or a cloth. The luggage piece can be sewn with seams and/or assembled using adhesives, rivets, a heat-seal and/or any combination of other suitable known connectors. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a luggage piece, according to one embodiment of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the luggage piece of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the luggage piece of  FIG. 1 , in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the luggage piece of  FIG. 1 , in a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the luggage piece of  FIG. 1 , but in an open configuration; and 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the luggage piece according to another embodiment of this invention, in an open configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-5  illustrate one embodiment of luggage piece  10 , such as a laptop computer bag. However, this invention is not limited to any particular type or use of luggage piece, and can be, without limitation, a purse, a briefcase, a tote, a handbag and/or an overnight bag. Luggage piece  10  of this invention is not limited to any particular shape or storage configuration, and can be of any desired shape including, but not limited to, a generally spherical shape, a generally triangular shape or a generally cubical shape. Each wall of the luggage piece of this invention can have any suitable overall shape including, but not limited to, a rectangle, a square, a triangle, a trapezoid and/or a circle. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of luggage piece  10 .  FIG. 2  shows a rear view of luggage piece  10 , which is opposite the front view shown in  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, such as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , luggage piece  10  comprises front wall  20  and opposing rear wall  30 . In other embodiments, luggage piece  10  further comprises two opposing side walls  40 , preferably but not necessarily substantially parallel to one another. Each side wall  40  can be disposed at an angle, such as approximately perpendicular, to front wall  20  and/or rear wall  30 . In other embodiments, luggage piece  10  further comprises bottom wall  86  and top wall  70  which are generally parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to front wall  20 , rear wall  30  and/or both side walls  40 . Front wall  20 , rear wall  30 , side walls  40  and bottom wall  86  together can form at least a portion of body  88  of luggage piece  10 . Body  88  surrounds and defines a space or a void, such as storage area  90  which may or may not be centrally positioned within or formed by body  88 . In some embodiments of this invention, body  88  and thus storage area  90  are formed by only one wall. 
     In some embodiments of this invention, luggage piece  10  comprises lifts, such as handles or straps attached or connected directly or indirectly to body  88 . Storage area  90  can be segmented into compartments. One or more compartments can be padded to protect stored items, for example, laptops, cell phones and personal digital assistants. 
     Luggage piece  10  can be operated between the closed configuration shown in  FIG. 3  and the open configuration shown in  FIG. 5 . Although not shown, a figure showing the side views opposite of  FIGS. 3 and 5  of luggage piece  10  could be a mirror-image of  FIG. 3  in the closed configuration and of  FIG. 5  in the open configuration. Closure  74  can be closed by bringing top edge  22  of front wall  20  and top edge  32  of rear wall  30  toward each other. Closure  74  can comprise a zipper and/or any connector, fastener or other suitable device that allows luggage piece  10  to be opened and closed repeatably. In some embodiments of this invention, closure  74  includes but is not limited to, buttons, snaps, hooks and loops fasteners and/or magnetic components. 
       FIG. 4  shows a top view of luggage piece  10  in the closed configuration with top  70  extended in a generally planar or flat orientation. Top  70  is formed at least partially by cuff  72  having front edge  78  connected to or integrated with front wall  20  and rear edge  80  connected to or integrated with rear wall  30 . In some embodiments, cuff  72  comprises cuff extensions  82  on either side or both sides of luggage piece  10 . 
     Different elements or components of luggage piece  10  can be integrated with each other or can be sewn and have seams and/or can be constructed using a variety of methods known in the art, such as by using adhesives, rivets, a heat seal and/or any combination of known connection methods. One or more walls of luggage piece  10  can be constructed of a durable material, such as leather with a fabric lining, but also can be constructed of any suitable material including, but not limited to a canvas, a vinyl and/or a cloth. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of luggage piece  10  in the open configuration. In some embodiments, cuff  72  is disposed around or about access opening  76 , with closure  74  extending within cuff  72 . Closure  74  can move from the closed position, shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , to the open position, shown in  FIG. 5 , providing access to storage area  90 . One or both cuff extensions  82  can extend beyond front wall  20 , rear wall  30  and/or side walls  40 . In some embodiments, closure  74  extends into each of the two cuff extensions  82   
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , gusset  42  is connected to and positioned between front wall  20  and side wall  40 . Front wall  20  includes side edge  26  that connects to and/or is integrated with a lower portion of front side edge  62  of side wall  40 . An upper portion of side edge  26  connects to and/or is integrated with gusset  42  at gusset end  44 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , gusset end  44  transitions into gusset fold area  46  and then into gusset end  48 . Gusset end  48  connects to an upper portion of front side edge  62  of side wall  40 . Rear side edge  64  of side wall  40 , which is opposite front side edge  62 , connects to rear wall  30  at side edge  36 , and can optionally include a gusset structure, such as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     In the closed configuration, such as shown in  FIG. 3 , closure  74 , and thus cuff  72 , can move to the closed position and restrict or narrow top  70  by bringing or drawing together top edge  22  of front wall  20  and top edge  32  of rear wall  30 . Because the width of top  70  is approximately equal to the width of top edge  58  of side wall  40 , gusset  42  narrows when folded along gusset fold area  46 , and brings gusset end  44  in proximity to or near gusset end  48 . Desirably, gusset  40 , in a folded position, lies adjacent to side wall  40  or front wall  20  when in the closed configuration. 
     In the open configuration, as shown in  FIG. 5 , closure  74  and thus cuff  72  is in the open position, allowing top  70  to substantially separate in a longitudinal direction or along a length of top  70 , thereby providing access to storage area  90  through access opening  76 . In some embodiments, such as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , top wall  70  cannot completely separate because cuff  72  that surrounds closure  74  has connected ends. As discussed above, extensions  82  of cuff  72  extend beyond the width of front wall  20  and over side walls  40 . By extending beyond the width of front wall  20 , cuff  72  and closure  74  allow front edge  78  and rear edge  80  to move away from each other and expand gusset  42  and thus side wall  40  when in the open configuration. With cuff extensions  82 , top edge  22  of front wall  20  can separate from top edge  32  of rear wall  30  by a distance greater than if cuff  72  has no extension  82  but rather ends at top edge  58  of side wall  40 . In some embodiments, top edge  58  of side wall  40  is not connected to any other luggage component, such as cuff  72 . This lack of connection allows gusset  42  to expand body  88  when in the open configuration. 
     With closure  74  open, gusset  42  can unfold and/or expand into a substantially planar or flat orientation. An unfolded gusset  42  enlarges access opening  76  and provides a larger opening for and thus greater access to storage area  90 , as compared to a similar luggage piece without gusset  42 . 
     In some embodiments of this invention, gusset  42  includes gusset fastener  50  in combination with an area near gusset end  44 , and gusset fastener  52  in combination with an area near gusset end  48 . Gusset fastener  50  and gusset fastener  52  are responsive to and/or engageable with each other and can couple or otherwise connect with respect to each other to hold gusset  42  in the folded and closed configuration. In one embodiment, gusset fastener  50  and gusset fastener  52  can be or can include a magnet and a magnetic material. However, various other fasteners are available for use as gusset fastener  50  and/or gusset fastener  52 , including but not limited to, a button snap, a snap magnet, a turn-lock, a zipper, two magnets and/or hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, gusset fastener  50  and gusset fastener  52  are each positioned out of sight between layers, for example a leather layer and a cloth lining, of gusset  42 . 
     In another embodiment of this invention, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 , luggage piece  10  includes cuff fastener  54  connected or coupled to an end of cuff extensions  82  and side fastener  56  connected or coupled to the corresponding side wall  40 . In the closed configuration, cuff fastener  54  and side fastener  56  are engageable with or are otherwise responsive to one another, to hold cuff  72  down and adjacent to each side wall  40  of luggage piece  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . This arrangement provides an aesthetically pleasant configuration, because extensions  82  are held down or tucked against side walls  40  rather than loose and unattached. 
     Similar to gusset fasteners  50  and  52 , cuff fastener  54  and side fastener  56  can be or can include a magnet and a magnetic material engageable with the magnet or any other suitable fastener, including but not limited to, a button snap, a snap magnet, two magnets and/or hook and loop fasteners. In certain embodiments, cuff fastener  54  and side fastener  56  are positioned between layers of cuff  72  and side wall  40 , respectively, so that cuff fastener  54  and side fastener  56  are hidden or not visible. 
     Luggage piece  10  is not limited to the generally rectangular sides or box-like configuration illustrated in the drawings. Likewise, luggage piece  10  is not limited to six walls, but can have a different shape without separate front, rear, side, top and/or bottom walls. For example, rear wall  30 , front wall  20 , bottom wall  86 , and/or side wall  40  can be constructed of a single piece of material formed and/or folded into a desired luggage shape. Alternatively, some panels and/or walls can be subdivided into separate sub-panels. For example, front wall  20  can be divided into two or more panels and/or side wall  40  can be divided into two or more panels, with gusset  42  positioned between these sub-panels. 
     In alternative embodiments, any number and configuration of gussets  42  can be positioned within body  88 . For example, two gussets  42  can be used on each end of luggage piece  10  with side wall  40  positioned between each pair of gussets  42 . In other embodiments, a single gusset  42  can be connected on one side of luggage piece  10 , but no gusset connected to the opposing side wall. Also, gusset  42  is not limited to any size, configuration and/or number of folds. Gusset  42  can extend along a portion of or an entire side edge between front wall  20  and side wall  40 . Front wall  20  can connect to gusset  42  at gusset end  44  and gusset edge  48  can connect to side wall  40 . In some embodiments of this invention, luggage piece  10  does not include a separate side wall  40  but rather includes one gusset  42  on each side of luggage piece  10 , between front wall  20  and rear wall  30 . Gusset fold area  46  can have a bellows fold or an accordion-style fold. Gusset  42  can be constructed from an elastic material, with or without a bellows and/or fold area  46 . 
     In an alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , top  170  can separate completely at closure  174  into two parts  176 ,  178  each comprising a portion of cuff  172  and a portion of closure  174 . Part  176  is integrated with or connected to front wall  120  in the open position and part  178  is integrated with or connected to rear wall  130  in the open position. Because the ends of cuff  172  become unattached from each other, gusset  142  can unfold and expand when top wall  170  separates in the open configuration. Thus, in some embodiments, cuff  172  and closure  174  do not extend beyond the width of front wall  120 . 
     In some embodiments, gusset  142  includes gusset fastener  150  integrated with or connected to an area near gusset end  144 , and gusset fastener  152  integrated with or connected to an area near gusset end  148 . Gusset fastener  150  and gusset fastener  152  cooperate with and/or are engageable with one another, such as described above, and can couple to one another to assist in holding gusset  142  closed when folded at gusset fold area  146 . 
     Thus, this invention can provide an improved opening for luggage, a slim profile in the closed configuration and/or a larger opening when compared to a similar article without gussets or other similar structure in the open configuration. 
     It will be appreciated that details of the foregoing embodiments, given for purposes of illustration, are not to be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention, which is defined in the following claims and all equivalents. Further, it is recognized that many embodiments may be conceived that do not achieve all of the advantages of some embodiments, particularly of the preferred embodiments, yet the absence of a particular advantage shall not be construed to necessarily mean that such an embodiment is outside the scope of this invention.