Patent Publication Number: US-2007109772-A1

Title: Portable Baggage with Conspicuous Mark

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to portable baggage. More specifically, the present invention relates to portable baggage with a conspicuous mark.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      People often carry a piece of portable baggage such as a backpack, daypack, rucksack, knapsack, bag, suitcase, briefcase, purse, or the like for receiving articles. Such a portable baggage generally includes a trademark on an outer face thereof for advertisement or other functions. However, the trademark is often monotonous and thus could not catch people&#39;s eyes. The advertising effect and ornamental effect are not achieved. Further, the trademark is almost imperceptible in the night.  
      Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A portable baggage in accordance with the present invention comprises a body including an outer face, a mark device mounted on the outer face of the body, and an illuminating device mounted between the outer face of the body and an inner face of the mark device. The illuminating device comprises at least one lighting element emitting light beams transmitting through the mark device. The light beams passing through the mark device provide an eye-catching effect.  
      Preferably, the illuminating device further comprises a cell for supplying electricity to the lighting element, a switch for controlling on/off of the lighting element, and a circuit board on which the lighting element, the cell, and the switch are mounted.  
      Preferably, the illuminating device further comprises a speaker mounted on the circuit board and controlled by the switch. This provides an alarm effect and/or an amusement effect.  
      Preferably, the mark device comprises a light-transmittable section through which the light beams from the lighting element pass.  
      Preferably, the mark device comprises a substrate and a mark on the substrate.  
      The illuminating device may be fixed on the outer face of the body. Alternatively, the illuminating device is securely mounted in the mark device.  
      Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of an embodiment of portable baggage in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of the portable baggage in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along plane  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is a portion of a modified embodiment of the portable baggage in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along plane  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 6  is an elevational view of another modified embodiment of the portable baggage in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along plane  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 1  is an elevational view of an embodiment of portable baggage in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of the portable baggage in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along plane  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 .  
      The term “portable baggage” used herein means a backpack, daypack, rucksack, bag, suitcase, briefcase, purse, or the like for receiving articles. In this embodiment, the portable baggage is a knapsack  2  comprising a body  20  having an opening  21 . A mark device  1  is mounted on an outer face  22  of the body  20 . An illuminating device  3  is mounted on an inner side of the mark device  1 . The body  20  of the knapsack  2  may be made of cloth, leather, or plastics.  
      The mark device  1  comprises a substrate  10  and a mark  111  on the substrate  10 . The substrate  10  may be made of cloth, leather, plastics, or metal. Preferably, the substrate  10  is light-transmittable or includes a light-transmittable section. The mark  11  includes letters, figures, patterns, drawings, trademarks, trade names, etc. The mark  11  can be provided on a surface of the substrate  10  by printing, gluing, stitching, or integral formation. Alternatively, the mark  111  can be formed by punching holes in the substrate  10  to provide a pattern forming a light-transmittable section.  
      The illuminating device  3  is mounted between an inner face  12  of the mark device  1  and the outer face  22  of the body  20 . The illuminating device  3  can be fixed on the outer face  22  of the body  20  and the mark device  1  is then mounted outside the illuminating device  3 . Alternatively, the illuminating device  3  can be securely mounted into the mark device  1 , and the mark device  1  containing the illuminating device  3  is then fixed on an appropriate location of the outer face  22  of the body  2 .  
      In the illustrated embodiment, the illuminating device  3  comprises at least one lighting element  33 , a cell  34  for providing electricity to the lighting element  33 , at least one switch  32  for controlling on/off of the lighting element  33 , and a circuit board  31  on which the lighting element  33 , the cell  34 , and the switch  32  are mounted. The lighting element  33  may be a light-emitting diode. The illuminating device may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes that flicker and/or emit light beams of various colors. The cell  34  may be a dry cell, rechargeable cell, or solar cell. The switch  32  may be a button switch, light-sensitive switch, or any other switch for controlling electrical connection between the lighting element  33  and the cell  34 .  
      When the lighting element  33  of the illuminating device  3  on the backpack  2  is turned on, the light beams emit outward through the light-transmittable section of the mark device  1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the mark  11  is conspicuous, as the lighting element  33  flickers or remains lit. When in the night, the lighting element  33  is manually turned on or automatically turned on (in a case that the switch  32  is a light-sensitive switch). The light beams passing through the mark device  1  provide an eye-catching effect, which is useful for a pupil walking in the night carrying a knapsack.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the illuminating device  3  may further comprise a buzzer or speaker  35  mounted on the circuit board  31  and controlled by the switch  32 . Music or buzzes comes out from the speaker  35  when the lighting element  33  emits light beams passing through the mark device  1 . This provides an alarm effect and/or an amusement effect. Alternatively, the speaker  35  is activated independent from operation of the lighting element  33 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the portable baggage may be a suitcase  4  that comprises a body  40  with an outer face  42  on which the mark device  1  is mounted, and the illuminating device  3  is mounted in the mark device  1 . Similarly, when the lighting element  33  of the illuminating device  3  is turned on, the light beams from the lighting element  33  transmit through the light-transmittable section of the mark device  1 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a conspicuous, eye-catching lighting effect and/or acoustic amusing or alarming effect are/is obtained.  
      It is noted that more than one mark device  1  and more than one illuminating device  3  can be used on any location of the portable baggage.  
      Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.