Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses an expandable piece of luggage comprising a main luggage shell. At least one expansion luggage shell having flexible walls is connected to the main luggage shell. The main luggage shell and the at least one expansion luggage shell form an enclosure having a substantially rectangular cross section. A support post is disposed in each corner of the main luggage shell and the at least one expansion luggage shell. A first end of each support post is mounted to the main luggage shell. Each support post is telescopically extendable between a collapsed position and at least one extended position. Support rods are mounted to a second end of each support post such that the support rods outline the rectangular cross section. The support rods are disposed inside an end portion of the at least one expansion luggage shell and mounted thereto.

<CIT> discloses a foldable suitcase having an upper shell and a retractable support secured to the suitcase for supporting the suitcase at a working position and a folded position. The support is pivotally secured to the suitcase for allowing the support to be folded between an upright position and a lay down position and to be folded toward the suitcase to a compact folding structure. A handle may be fixed to the upper shell or may be extended outward of the upper shell for carrying the suitcase. The support may be folded relative to the suitcase by the actuation of the handle.

Luggage such as suitcases, duffel bags and hard sided cases, for example, have been utilized for decades to protect and transport the personal belongings of travelers. In this regard, manufacturers produce luggage in a wide variety of different shapes, sizes and styles, to suit the needs of the traveling public. Within this arena, there are two primary types of luggage: "carry-on" or "full-size".

As the name implies, "carry-on" luggage is designed to conform to airline standards so as to be carried by a traveler onto an aircraft. Conversely, "full-size" luggage is larger, and is designed to be transported by the carrier directly via the baggage handling system. Among the full-size luggage category, there are medium sized bags and large bags. Recent and dramatic increases in fees associated with luggage sizes have caused much of the traveling public to think carefully before utilizing a full-sized bag. Moreover, in some cases a user may only need the larger sized bag for a portion of their trip and would prefer to use a carry-on bag for one leg of a trip.

Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide an adjustable sized suitcase that can allow a single piece of luggage to transform between the industry standard "carry-on" size and a "full-sized" bag, so as to overcome the drawbacks described above.

The present invention is directed to an adjustable size suitcase. According to the present invention, there is provided an adjustable size suitcase comprising a main body having a top section, a middle section and a bottom section that define a hollow interior space. At least one flap that is disposed along an outside portion of the main body, said flap being configured to selectively allow access to the hollow interior space. A frame is positioned within the hollow interior space of the main body and includes an upper frame assembly, a middle frame assembly and a lower frame assembly. A handle disposed along a back side of the main body and in communication with the frame, wherein the handle includes an adjustable length and is configured to operate independently of the frame and a grip is positioned along the upper frame assembly. The grip comprising an actuator that is mechanically linked to a plurality of latches within the frame to selectively transition the suitcase between a first size, second size and a third size.

In one embodiment, the telescopic handle extends upward from the main body and a plurality of omnidirectional wheels are positioned along the bottom end of the main body.

In one embodiment, the upper frame assembly includes a plurality of vertical frame members that are slidingly engaged to complementary located lower vertical frame members to permit vertical movement of the upper frame assembly relative to the lower frame assembly.

This summary is provided merely to introduce certain concepts and not to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter.

Presently preferred embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the description in conjunction with the drawings. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the inventive arrangements in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.

As described herein, the term "adjustable-length member" can include the ability of a component to expand and contract in length, width and/or height. This can be accomplished through any number of conventional items such as telescoping rods, for example, having a tensioning or locking mechanism to maintain the device in a desired position.

Although described throughout this document as transitioning between an industry standard airline "carry-on", medium and large and "full-sized" suitcase, this is for illustrative purposes only. To this end, those of skill in the art will recognize that the inventive concepts disclosed herein can be applied to any type of container, regardless of shape, size, design or intended use without undue experimentation. Accordingly, the inventive concepts are not to be construed as limiting to luggage and/or to a specific shape or sized bag.

As described herein, the terms "connector" and "complementary connector" include any number of different elements that work together to repeatedly join two items together in a nonpermanent manner. Several nonlimiting examples include opposing strips of hook and loop material (i.e. Velcro®), attractively-oriented magnetic elements, flexible strips of interlocking projections with a slider (i.e., zipper), tethers, buckles such as side release buckles, and compression fittings such as T-handle rubber draw latches, hooks, snaps and buttons, for example. Each illustrated connector and complementary connector can be permanently secured to the illustrated portion of the device via a permanent sealer such as glue, adhesive tape, or stitching, for example.

As described throughout this document, the term "complementary shape," and "complementary dimension," shall be used to describe a shape and size of a component that is identical to, or substantially identical to the shape and size of another identified component within a tolerance such as, for example, manufacturing tolerances, measurement tolerances or the like.

<FIG> illustrate one embodiment of an adjustable size suitcase <NUM> that are useful for understanding the inventive concepts disclosed herein. In each of the drawings, identical reference numerals are used for like elements of the invention or elements of like function. For the sake of clarity, only those reference numerals are shown in the individual figures which are necessary for the description of the respective figure.

For purposes of this description, the terms "upper," "bottom," "right," "left," "front," "vertical," "horizontal," and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in <FIG>.

As shown at <FIG>, the suitcase <NUM> can transition from a small carry-on sized bag to a medium and a large full-sized suitcase, respectively. In this regard, the device <NUM> can include a generally hollow main body <NUM>, having an internally located adjustable frame <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the main body <NUM> can include a top section 11a, a bottom section 11b, and a collapsible middle section 11c that surround the frame <NUM> and form an interior space. In the preferred embodiment, the entire main body <NUM> can be constructed from a generally malleable material such as polyester, nylon or leather, for example; however other embodiments are contemplated wherein the top and bottom sections are constructed from non-resilient materials such as various plastics or aluminum, for example.

Access to the interior of the suitcase can be accomplished by any number of flaps <NUM> which can be positioned along the main body and can be selectively opened and closed via a connector <NUM> such as a zipper, for example. In the preferred embodiment, the flaps and connectors positioned along the top and middle sections can be joined together so as to operate as a single unit when the bag <NUM> is in the fully expanded large size shown at <FIG>.

In various embodiments, a plurality of fixed or omnidirectional wheels <NUM> can be positioned along the bottom end of the suitcase, and a handle <NUM> can be positioned along the top back side of the suitcase. In the preferred embodiment, the handle can be telescopic in nature as is known in the art. One suitable example of a telescoping suitcase handle for use herein is described in <CIT>.

<FIG> illustrate one embodiment of the suitcase <NUM> in the carry-on, medium and large configurations, respectively, wherein the main body <NUM> is removed for ease of reference. As shown, the adjustable frame <NUM> can include a lower frame assembly, a middle frame assembly and an upper frame assembly.

As shown best in <FIG>, the adjustable frame <NUM> can include a lower frame assembly having both a horizontal frame section and a vertical frame section. In one embodiment, the lower horizontal frame section can include a front lower frame member <NUM>, a back lower frame member <NUM>, and a pair of side lower frame members <NUM> and <NUM> that are each joined along the distal end via sleeve receivers <NUM>. The bottom of the frame can receive each of the wheels <NUM> and the back lower frame member <NUM> can engage the bottom end 15c of the telescoping handle <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the lower vertical frame section can include four vertical frame members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> which extend upward from the sleeve receivers <NUM>. Each of the vertical frame members can be constructed from hollow tubing and can include a plurality of apertures <NUM> that are positioned at complementary locations along each frame. As will be described below, the apertures can be engaged by a latch to allow the upper portion of the frame to move relative to the lower frame assembly.

As shown best at <FIG>, one embodiment of the middle frame assembly can include a horizontal frame section having a back middle frame member <NUM>, and a pair of side middle frame members <NUM> and <NUM> that are positioned in a parallel orientation with the lower horizontal frame section and in communication with the lower vertical frame section via additional sleeve receivers <NUM>. The back-middle frame member <NUM> can engage the middle end 15b of the telescoping handle <NUM>.

As shown best at <FIG>, the upper frame assembly can include both an upper horizontal frame section and an upper vertical frame section. In one embodiment, the upper horizontal frame section can include a front upper frame member <NUM>, a back upper frame member <NUM>, and a pair of side upper frame members <NUM> and <NUM> that are secured via sleeve receivers <NUM>. The upper horizontal frame section is in a parallel orientation with the lower horizontal frame section and the middle frame section.

In one embodiment, the upper vertical frame section can include four vertical frame members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> that extend down from the sleeve receivers <NUM>. Each of the vertical frame members <NUM>-<NUM> can be constructed from hollow tubing and can include an outside dimension that is less than the inside dimension of the lower vertical frame members so as to be slidingly positioned within the upper ends of the lower vertical frame members <NUM>-<NUM>, respectively.

A grip <NUM> is positioned centrally along the upper frame section and is supported by central frame members <NUM> and <NUM> that terminate into the pair of side upper frame members <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively.

As shown in the partial cross-sectional cutout view of <FIG>, an actuator <NUM> such as a spring biased button, for example can be positioned along the grip <NUM>. The actuator can be connected to a plurality of links <NUM> such as metallic cables, for example, that travel through the upper frame members and terminate at latches <NUM> positioned along the bottom ends of the vertical frame members <NUM>-<NUM>.

As shown in the cutout view of <FIG>, each latch <NUM> can include a main body <NUM> for housing a spring biased protrusion <NUM>. The protrusion including a cross sectional dimension that is complementary to the diameter of each of the apertures <NUM> located along each of the lower vertical frame members <NUM>-<NUM>. In operation, when a user depresses the button <NUM>, the link retracts the protrusion <NUM> (see arrow a), thus allowing the upper frame section to move vertically relative to the middle and lower horizontal frame sections. This movement corresponding to the suitcase being oriented at the small, medium and large configuration shown at <FIG>/<FIG>, <FIG>/<FIG> and <FIG>/<FIG>, respectively.

As noted above, the preferred embodiment of the suitcase <NUM> will include specific dimensions suitable for airline travel. Accordingly, the suitcase <NUM> will preferably include a height (e.g., distance between wheels <NUM> and the upper horizontal frame section) of <NUM> inches, a width (e.g., distance between the left and right side vertical frame sections) of <NUM> inches, and a depth (e.g., distance between the lower front and back frame members) of <NUM> inches. Such dimensions conforming to airline standards for carry-on baggage.

Likewise, the height of the suitcase <NUM> can expand to approximately <NUM> inches in the Medium configuration and <NUM> inches in the Large configuration. Such dimensions also conforming to airline industry size standards. Of course, other embodiments are contemplated wherein the suitcase <NUM> includes different dimensions.

Accordingly, the above described adjustable sized suitcase <NUM> functions to allow a user to quickly and easily adjust the size of their luggage to suit any situation and therefore avoid expensive airline fees when in the carry-on configuration.

As described herein, one or more elements of the adjustable size suitcase <NUM> can be secured together utilizing any number of known attachment means such as, for example, screws, glue, compression fittings and welds, among others. Moreover, although the above embodiments have been described as including separate individual elements, the inventive concepts disclosed herein are not so limiting. To this end, one of skill in the art will recognize that one or more individually identified elements may be formed together as one or more continuous elements, either through manufacturing processes, such as welding, casting, or molding, or through the use of a singular piece of material milled or machined with the aforementioned components forming identifiable sections thereof.

As to a further description of the manner and use of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

Likewise, the terms "consisting" shall be used to describe only those components identified. In each instance where a device comprises certain elements, it will inherently consist of each of those identified elements as well.

Claim 1:
An adjustable size suitcase (<NUM>), comprising:
a main body (<NUM>) having a top section (11a), a middle section (11c) and a bottom section (11b) that define a hollow interior space;
at least one flap (<NUM>) that is disposed along an outside portion of the main body (<NUM>), said flap (<NUM>) being configured to selectively allow access to the hollow interior space;
a frame (<NUM>) that is positioned within the hollow interior space, said frame (<NUM>) including an upper frame assembly, a middle frame assembly and a lower frame assembly;
a handle (<NUM>) disposed along a back side of the main body (<NUM>) and in communication with the frame (<NUM>), wherein the handle (<NUM>) includes an adjustable length and is configured to operate independently of the frame (<NUM>); and
a grip (<NUM>) positioned along the upper frame assembly comprising an actuator (<NUM>), wherein the actuator (<NUM>) is mechanically linked to a plurality of latches (<NUM>) within the frame (<NUM>) to selectively transition the suitcase between a first size, a second size and a third size.